Goodbye PT Cruiser

During college, a mini PT Cruiser sat on top my computer monitor. It was a 3 inch version of the car I hoped one day I would get to drive. Shortly after Mary and I started a new life together and I started a new job, I pulled away from the Chrysler dealer in a black, turbo charged, full size version. Over time, the PT Cruiser was a part of a many experiences in our life. It endured many trips to the landfill and Home Depot while renovating our first house. It felt the wrath of a anxious dog jumping around in the back seat. It witnessed my exceptional parallel parking skills. Last year it accompanied me to many houses as we looked for a new home. And back in February, it welcomed our daughter Catie to the family as it provided a quiet ride home from the hospital.

But recently, the PT Cruiser began showing its age. As it approached 100,000 miles, the turbo charged engine no longer had the pep it once did. The engine started needing expensive repairs and the air conditioning kept failing. It was time to say goodbye to my metal friend.

So I spent this past weekend cleaning the dirt and polishing the scratches left behind from those experiences hoping to restore some of her old glory from the day I drove her off the lot. And on Monday, I rode the PT Cruiser for the last time to the Toyota dealer.


I began the process of trading in the car I wanted for the car I needed. I needed a car with good mileage for commuting. I needed a car so my wife can get to work in the snow. I needed a car to hold a lot of kids stuff. I needed a "grownup" car.

After a couple hours of test drives and paperwork, I no longer owned the PT Cruiser and now owned a Toyota Rav4. It is a nice car and has everything I need for this stage of my life.


As I grabbed my belongings from the PT Cruiser, I gave my friend of my 20's a final pat and walked towards her more mature counterpart.