The Next Dark Age
We're in it Now
It’s Official: My Car is Old
To be specific, she is seven years and two months old. She is starting to hassle me. A few weeks ago, I had her brake roters replaced. It was something of a triumph because I thought I felt something funny while braking, I was pretty sure I knew what it was and I picked the right time to stop fooling around and take her in. It cost a few hundred dollars, and seemed like a perfectly appropriate expense for a car her age.
Last week, my Service Engine light went on. I had no idea what the problem was. I saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing. I rushed her to the garage. The next morning, they plugged her in and checked her little microchip. She said that she needed a new gas cap. Seriously.
This past week, the ignition has been locking up. I sat sweltering in the car for several minutes with a colleague that I was taking to the airport trying to get it to work. Something similar happened a year or so ago, and the solution was to start using the spare key.
I really should have made a new spare key.
It’s ok, though. Apparently the dealer can make me a new one from scratch. Or six. I just have to take in my registration and prove my identity.
Here’s what’s funny. You’d think with a seven year old car acting up, I would start thinking about changing the time table – getting a new car sooner rather than later. But it turns out, I am more attached to this car than I was when she was brand new. When I sniffled all the way home because I had left my Blazer behind.
I love my old car.
The Next Dark Age 
My car is 8 years old and I'm still very happy with it. I did have to get the brakes replaced and two new tires a while back, and I feel like I could go a lot farther with it.