My Beater

I drive a 1994 Brown Ford Ranger. It has 176,000 miles on it. It is what someone might call a beater. But, while no one else seems to, I love my truck. It is a love affair that no one else seems to understand. I mean the car looks like crap, it is old and is falling apart but, despite all that I am loyal to it. Simply put it has been my favorite vehicle of all the ones that I have owned.

I bought it in 2003, from my friend, Chuck. Much like myself Chuck loved driving it. But, just like me his wife hated the thing. So, reluctantly he was forced to sell the thing. At the time I was driving my then girlfriend future wife’s old black Ford Escort. She was working in the north burbs and she needed a dependable car to make that trek every day. So, she drove my Dodge Avenger and I was relegated to her 93 Escort.

Since I only was going to the train station every day it wasn’t a big deal but I still really hated that car. It was a tin can with wheels and handled about as well as bumper car. So, when Chuck mentioned to me one day that he was going to have to sell the truck a light bulb went off in my head. I had a plan in which I could sell the Escort, and buy Chuck’s Ranger. Of course since the car wasn’t mine I was going to have to convince Joyce.

At first she was kind of hesitant. But, after my sales job I began to win her over. I convinced her of the trucks many useful capabilities in the future as we were buying a house, she eventually relented and I was able to execute my plan. So, I wound up buying the truck off of Chuck for $2,500 and selling her escort on EBay for $1,500. Meaning all told the truck only cost me a grand out of my own pocket. That would be the best money I ever spent.

My truck has seen me through numerous trips to Menards, Home Depot and Ikea. It has come in handy when friends or relatives are moving. In the nearly four years that I have owned it, it has rarely let me down. I have had to do some minor things, like replace a hose and tune it up but it always starts and it always gets me where I need to go.

On top of all that it is the most comfortable car I have ever driven. A long, long time ago, I blew out my knee playing softball. It has never been the same since that injury. In most cars I drive, the way I bend it usually causes me some minor discomfort. Not, in the Ranger. In the truck, my knee is just fine, as is my back. I have a nice ass grove going in the seat (simply because no one else including Joyce ever drives the thing.) So, I have the seat fully contoured to my comfort specifications.

Sadly, as much as the thing is a tank engine wise it does have some physical drawbacks. The rear view mirror fell off and I have not put it back on as of yet. The middle arm rest no longer can be folded down because a spring broke in it. The window on the drives side does not roll down or up properly. The air conditioning stopped working two summers ago. But despite all that I hate the thought of having to get rid of it.

I realize that the time is coming. I mean, Joyce really does not like it and since we are pretty much set in our house it has kind of outlived its usefulness. The thing is, I don’t drive it anywhere. I drive it two miles to the train station, it sits there for ten hours and then I drive it back home. Last year I put a grand total of 5,000 miles on the thing.

But, it does restrict me. I mean when I get it on the highway it has some problems. It no longer handles that well and needs a front end alignment. So, the time is coming, very soon for me to get a new car. And, when that happens I will miss my truck. It is a car that no else could love. But, I have loved it and defended it to all who have mocked it. My Ford Ranger and I have a special bond that I am going to really miss once I part with it.