160,000 Miles and Still Going

I’m not going to lie. I want a new car. I’m tired of driving my dirty old Toyota Corolla.

The thing has 160,000 miles on it.

I bought it brand new in 2005 from a good friend, Jason Allesandro. It was a great deal. I put a little money down and paid $335.78 a month for five years.

Eight years later, however, there are all kinds of things wrong with it. The left side mirror is broken. The headlights are yellow. There are bugs fixated on my front bumper. The windshield has a crack in it. The wipers have rust on them. There are spots of chipped paint. Another spot has been scratched with a key. I get black stuff on my hands from the steering wheel. The floor mats are beyond faded. One of the foot guards won’t stay in place. And, occasionally, sugar ants can be found in there.

I could go on and on with what’s wrong with my car.

So, the other day, I said to Mitzi, “I want a new car.” Her response was, “I thought you said awhile back that you were going to drive your Corolla till it dies. There’s nothing wrong with it. Just go wash it.”

She was so right.

There is nothing wrong with my Corolla. It still gets me from Point A to Point B. The engine works. The transmission works. The tires have been recently rotated. My brakes are new. I just got an oil change. And, most importantly, the dirty old thing has been paid for the last few years.

The honest truth is this: The other day I attended a meeting and arrived right on time. Everyone else was already there. As I’m parking my Corolla, I noticed a black Mercedes, a white BMW, and a red Corvette. I saw all of those cars and noticed the 160,000 number on my odometer. That’s when I started wanting a new car.

With all of that said, I keep remembering a couple of things that I learned awhile back from my friend, Steve Diggs, at his No Debt, No Sweat Personal Money Management Seminar. First, many people buy cars to try to impress people that they don’t even like! Second, the average millionaire never buys a brand new car and always pays cash for it.

And, if I can add two more things. First, why fix something that ain’t broke? Second, we can spend so much time focusing on the bad things that aren't working instead of focusing on the good things that are working. This principle, of course, is not limited to cars!

Pictured above: Me and my shiny, old 2005 Corolla- thanks, Mitz!

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” 
(I Timothy 6:6-8)

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