Shut Up and Just Drive

So many people are for a new car that doesn't use gas. The Nissan Leaf is sold out, the waiting list is huge. I've followed some of its story on Facebook, it is getting rave reviews all across the nation. It is exciting to hear of energy stations being built for all electric cars to plug into for road trips. Finally the natural energy movement is coming about. Something I have been interested in since I was a child, one of those Jetson kids who'd be flying around in space ships, we knew the technology was there. I think the freedom I would feel owning a car like that and not polluting my road trips with gasoline, would be as grand as my views of eagles soaring to the heavens.

But alas, the car I have been driving for the last 4 years is dying, with not enough time to wait for an all electric one. So what are some good hybrid ones I could find to fit in with my lifestyle? We live out in the country, 20 miles from really anything, so fuel economy is truly an issue.

I would just like to be with the times I am currently reading about, the connection between loving and caring for Mother Earth and sustaining our technology for world living. I need to keep track of the articles I read that fuel my desires to contribute to the best of my ability a more sustainable earth.

I'm not so much an environmentalist as a tree hugger, a nature lover, an observer of the raw unfolding of day to day life in a wood, nearby water setting. Mixed with the love of driving and seeing and breathing in the fresh air, the gulls flying over the water, the fishing boats below the bridges. To have a secure enough vehicle to transport our grandchildren, yet stylish enough we don't feel old age creeping in. They say 50 is the new 40, so we still want to experience raw power to a certain degree with a car of performance, since we climb lots of mountains and hills, then the stop and go of city life and major freeways.

Truly I do understand getting another car before this one dies, that is what trade ins are for, but payments, yuck. So the big fancy Black 220 Chrysler I test drove is nice, and has more luxury to it than I'd ever want. Chevy has come a long way. The new Cruze is gas and electric, until they get more recharging stations up, this is the way to go.

With a price tag of $22,000 and monthly payments of $400. it's a little more than I want to pay for a car. Yeah, it would be fantastic for road trips, but not as exceptional on gas at That is more important to me than power. Yet, I want something my husband is comfortable driving, so more of these road trips he'd be willing to take with me. We both agree on fuel economy, we both love style, and comfort and some of the new technology. Surprisingly, he likes the little Cooper cars. I do, except for their smallness. After a car wreck with a Subaru Justy, I doubt my ability to trust a car that compact still to this day.

We've both driven a Santa Fe by Hyundai, and were happy with it then, want to test drive one of those again before making a decision. I want the right one for both of us, one that will last, so we don't have to again 5 years from now, find me another car to drive. Yet, I don't want something so expensive that he can't fix up the 65 Buick Skylark or his 88 Dodge Ram Pickup.

Or, get something he likes so much he doesn't care about getting rid of all the extra ones around here.

My favorite road trip rental car so far was the 2005 Pontiac G6. Excellent mpg at 24-34, priced at $6,614. It had plenty of leg room and the seats lay back comfortably for a quick nap. Really many features I enjoyed, the interior look, easy controls, illumination, style of the car itself, a great sunroof, but alas, it has to run good too, and the ratings on this caused some concern as reviews were more con than pro.

The 2009 Chevy Cobalt I rented for the trip to Nevada was excellent on gas with 24-34 mpg and not a bad price at $9,136. We enjoyed the ease of control buttons for music and air conditioning. Plenty of trunk space for our suitcases and treasures we just had to bring home with us. The seats didn't adjust as comfortably for the long hours of driving that my body would of liked, so that is now a priority.

As much as I love the New Leaf, I need more room in my car for the grandchildren to ride in. That's where something like the 2007 Subaru comes in, we're just not liking the lower mpg performance at 18-19mpg along with a higher price tag of $11,798.

As we age, our comfort is more of a concern and high performance road handling for the rough terrain we live in. I'd love some feedback on what fits some of my priorities. We are looking forward to viewing local car lots via the internet in the next few weeks, waiting for our income tax return to furnish the down payment of our latest and greatest vehicle endeavor. Of course money is always an issue, around $10,000 with $350 maximum payments ought to do it.

Then look out, road trip to the east coast, here we come.