My Tumultuous History with Cheap Cars (and How I Regret Absolutely None of It)

It’s hard to argue that the Germans aren’t good at making automobiles. They’ve been doing it the longest--the original self-propelled motor carriage was a Daimler-Benz, a company which is still thriving today. Deutschwagens are known to be some of the best cars of all time, examples being the Porsche 911 to car enthusiasts and the closely related Volkswagen Beetle to the rest of the world. As a result, my list of favorite cars has always been at least fifty percent German, also possibly thanks to my grandmother’s unsilenceable pride in her German heritage, which I inherited as well. 

The first car I fell in love with was a green BMW 2002 that lived down the road from a summer camp I went to in my youth. It’s not the rarest, the most insane, or the fastest car, but it appeals to every emotional bone in my body. When the 2002 came out in 1968, David E. Davis Jr. reviewed it for Car and Driver Magazine, and he had nothing but praise for the car. “To my way of thinking, the 2002 is one of modern civilization's all-time best ways to get somewhere sitting down” (Davis). Who wouldn’t be attracted by that statement, especially considering how well it has aged. Perfection is mythical in the automotive industry, but if anyone is going to find it, the Germans will. 

Why then, do all my high school friends make fun of my choice in cars? One friend of mine--who is just as much an automotive enthusiast as I am--never misses an opportunity to poke and prod at my recently acquired 2004 BMW station wagon. It’s not because he’s afraid that his Toyota pickup will look boring in comparison. It’s mostly likely because in the short time I’ve owned the car, it has spent more time parked on the street or in a garage than running smoothly. The case was the same for my first car, a 1970 Mercedes-Benz 250C, as well as the 1990 Jeep Cherokee I bought through Facebook for a grand. Not exactly the wisest decisions, from a financial standpoint. 

But it’s not the cars themselves that are the problems; it’s me, my stinginess, and a grand illusion of my mechanical prowess. I have never spent more than three grand on a car, and I’ve bought three in the three years I’ve had a license. Most people, including my own parents, would probably laugh understandingly and call me a bad investor, or a fool for repeating my previous mistakes, or just a teenager. I am indeed all of those things, but I strongly believe that I am also a much more well-rounded person because of my financial decisions, and I plan to continue on my current car buying trajectory well through my college years.

I’ve got a lot of questions for modern society, but one of the most pertinent is concerning the true value of money. I would answer my own question simply, with “experience.” We want money so that we can experience life to its fullest. I do, at least. Cars cost money, so why would I not get the most quantifiable experience out of them as possible? Zac Jobe of the Donut YouTube channel claims that working on a car is “kinda like learning a language. You start to figure out how to pick up on the trails and the breadcrumbs” (Jobe). And even when they’re in a different language, puzzles can still be plenty rewarding. In my high school years, I have gradually learned the language, and been able to climb past the barrier of basic understanding, to be rewarded with a great big mystery. Possibly the most rewarding part, however, is the moments when you realize that something you’ve learned in the past can be applied to some exact circumstance, and then the gratification flows freely. I haven’t been able to experience many other things that present that same level of investment and reward. One could even call it addicting, almost on par with gambling. Many times I have faced questions about what project to attempt and what might be too hard for me. Nine times out of ten, even if I break more than I fix, I come out of the garage feeling somewhat smarter. 

However, “it’s inevitable that you get confused or you get stumped on a problem with a car… so what do you do when that happens? You turn to one of the other biggest reasons for getting into cars, which is the community” (Jobe). Oh boy, have I had problems. Of course, I have been lucky enough to live in the same house as my most immediate resource, which is my father. What I lack in experience and general know-how, he can always easily make up. He can also decide what I need to learn on my own just as easily, leaving me stranded while he enjoys the heated living room. At that point, I am always thankful for the Internet and for all the time I’ve spent sleuthing therein.

Sure, these vehicles aren’t the most reliable, but do you know what else isn’t reliable? People. If I find myself stood up at a date or turned down for a party, there is always something familiar waiting for me in the garage, even if it’s only familiarly frustrating. In the winter months, when high school life is at its hardest, it’s oftentimes a day-saver to have something to come home to. A project that wasn’t assigned and has no due date, a relationship that gives back just as much as it takes. And I can play whatever music I want, with no gripes and no judgments of my dance-infused thought process. I by no means endorse replacing all people in your life with uniquely flawed rust buckets, and I wholeheartedly understand that such a hobby isn’t for everyone. But for me, it is invaluable.



Works Cited

Davis, David E. “The 1968 BMW 2002 Whispers Its Way Into History and Inspires David E. Davis.” Car and Driver, Car and Driver, 1 July 2020, www.caranddriver.com/features/a15126456/1968-bmw-2002-review/.

Jobe, Zack, director. How to Get Started as a Project Car. YouTube.com, Donut Media, 29 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oKMdiW_BvA.

Staff, Road & Track. “Here's What Our Team Learned as We Built Our Caterham Seven 310 R Project Car.” Road & Track, Road & Track, 23 Sept. 2020, www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/car-accessories/a32354461/how-to-build-a-caterham/.