Louis

My car is Louis. I bought him in the spring of 2003. When I test drove, he had just under 140,000 miles. When I signed the papers ($4,500) he had just over 140,000 miles. When I handed the keys to the mechanic he had 220,167 miles.The blessing in all this is a good friend who picked up my kids and took them home so I could deal with this. Well, that was just one of the blessings. The timing was good, the location was acceptable, the friend was there, the AAA is worth the cost, and much more.

We're waiting to hear back from the mechanic about whether Louis' last drive was to the zoo, or whether he will return to the roads he loves.

Advantages to Louis:
Louis is paid for
Low insurance cost
Reliable - he has needed little more than maintenance
His tires have lots of tread left
Our family fits
Louis is no longer a target for thieves or vandals

Disadvantages to Louis:
19 m.p.g.
He hasn't broken much: everything is old except the tires and muffler
A/C is gone, dash lights flicker, antenna is busted, paint is fading, rust beginning, speakers short out, one of the power locks is gone, trunk leaks

It comes down to this: Louis is paid for. He's a pretty cheap ride. Just gas, insurance, and quarterly visits to Jiffy Lube.