I Have Car Fever

By Joe Rector

Sickness is at hand. So many “bugs” and viruses are in the air that almost all of us will at some point succumb to the effects of them. Covid, no matter how many people deny its existence, still hits folks to varying degrees. I’ve had a couple of bouts with the virus myself in the fall. Fortunately, the flu hasn’t attacked nor has the stomach bug nor has the bronchitis.

I have been infected with a different kind of bug. It’s called the “new car bug.” The fact that I am ill with this affliction is really my wife’s fault. We have talked about cars on occasion, but recently, she suggested I should begin to look for the kind of vehicle I would like to have. By new car, I mean a used car with low mileage. My vehicle now has 160,000 miles on it, and that means things will begin to break, wear out or fall off. I have the best mechanic in the world, but the worry of what will hit next stays in the back of my mind.

I didn’t need to give a second thought about which car I should turn my attention to. We are a Nissan family and have been when they were called Datsuns. In 1987, I bought a Pathfinder, and only in the last month has it left the family. Presently, I drive a 2011 model, an upgrade to the “bare bones” one I bought almost forty years ago.

I like my present car. It has leather seats that hold up much better than the plastic ones in the old car. The air conditioning functions, as does the radio. It’s the little things that mean so much to me. The 2011 also has three rows of seats, although the back row has only been used one time. The backup camera is a nice feature, especially since my neck is much too stiff after having had surgery several years ago to place screws, bone and metal in place of a ruptured disc.

This new vehicle will be a 2022-2025 Pathfinder. One huge reason for choosing this SUV is that I struggle to get down into and up out of sedans. I need something that allows me to open the door, step out and be on my feet at once.

Another reason for a Pathfinder is that I haul wood for projects in the car. The interior is covered so that no tears or scuffs are inflicted. I also have to have a tow package to pull the trailer that hauls lawnmowers and mulch and all sorts of things. Of course, I still need to learn the tricks of backing the trailer into spaces. People who’ve watched me attempt this feat leave shaking their heads or laughing until they cry.

I don’t like driving a dirty car and take opportunities during winter and early spring to wash and vacuum it. I also keep a coat of wax or some other product on the car to prevent damage to the paint from dust, tree sap and bird poop.

I’m rather sick right now with this car fever. I’ve found no less than half a dozen Pathfinders in which I’m interested. However, Amy tells me the earliest we will begin the search is April 1. To me, telling me to begin a search and then delaying the purchase date is as close to malpractice as a wife can come. She knows how I obsess when she gives me the go-ahead to look.

At any rate, before long I might have a different car. Amy has the final say on every aspect of the car, especially the cost. Finding the right one might take a while, and that will drive me even deeper into the infection. My only prayer is that a Pathfinder is out there that will cure me of this sickness. I am not a good patient and have little patience when it comes to securing a new vehicle. I wish someone could come up with a cure for this illness. It already causes too much pain and suffering for us men.