Maybe you have a partner in life like our Mercedes Streeter’s, a spouse who tells you to go ahead and buy whatever cars you’ve ever dreamed of, and we’ll adjust the finances and living arrangements accordingly. Now let’s be honest: you don’t.
No, your better half probably looks at cars the way you look at a laptop, washing machine, or a refrigerator. You want a good one, but it doesn’t have to be a fancy brand or the top of the line, just a good value and reliable. For cars, that means one or two decent ones, but nothing outrageous or silly. You’re going to have to fight for what you want in this relationship, and in many cases you’re better off not fighting that hard. What cars does your life partner want to get that you’re, well, not totally on board with?
I know your situation. As a car guy, you strike up a conversation about some crazy, obscure crap like a Delta Integrales or Merkur, and the person you’re talking to eventually asks the dreaded question: what do you drive? That’s when you have to hunker down and admit that, well, we looked at a lot of cars, but we (yeah, we, right) decided to get a Honda Pilot or Toyota Venza or some other such car that immediately sinks your cred.
In our house, my spouse almost intentionally wants to spend money on a car without a “brand name” rather than one that’s “too ostentatious.” Basically, no car that’s the equivalent of a Louis Vuitton purse (which I usually assume is a fake until proven otherwise). On the other hand, I look for stupid bang-for-buck; I determine the car I really want and then figure out how crappy of an example of this dream machine I can afford (and afford to keep running). That’s how I’ve ended up buying stuff like decade-old Mercedes-Benz S-Classes with moon-shot odometer readings.
Since getting married, however, something like, say, a 200,000-mile Bentley Continental has not been in the cards. We occasionally find common ground, but even that doesn’t work. She really wanted a GM-era Saab 9-3 back in the early 2000s; a perfect showy-without-being-showy car that I was reluctant to buy. Don’t get me wrong; I liked these, too, but balked at buying one since I thought it was going to be a pain in the ass to own.
We did buy, and it turned out to be a pain in the ass to own. I don’t remember the straw that broke the camel’s back, but we both sort of gave up a few years later. The solution was to sell our souls to the devil and trade it (at great expense) for a same-year used Lexus. We’ve now had one of these never-open-the-hood brand of vehicles ever since; a grand whopping total of two Lexii over these last two decades, a rare case of getting what you pay for.
Neither of us is in love with these things. That’s a pure compromise right there, where neither party is completely happy but we’re all content.
How about you? What car does your partner want (or you ended up buying) that you hated the idea of getting and despise the fact that you’re making payments on it right now? Let us know now in this safe space; your partner doesn’t give a sh*t about cars and doesn’t read this site, anyway.
Top graphic image: Saab via NetCarShow
opposite end of the spectrum here: My wife had the 64 1/2 poppy red Mustang convertible in 1965, there was a Corvette (early) convertible, A TR-6 in Mustard Yellow, and an Uncle with a V-12 Jaguar convertible. I had some 90cc and 125 cc used cycles, a rusty Karmann Ghia Convertible and a bunch of other used VW’s There is an 86VW Cabriolet in the driveway that needs another $1,000 (s?) The Del Sol is almost 100% redone and I drive the RX300 with 250,000 miles while she drives an almost paid for (0% interest) 0lder Ionic. I thank the Lexus for starting every time I get in. I used to pray to the crap car gods for initial ignition and now I am used to a 28 year old car that starts everySINGLE time. WRT marriage the deal is if I want another toy I must give up a toy. Since I have never had a car from Italy (she did once, a Fiat 4 door something) I seem to want an Abarth C with a manual transmission. It is def an illness but then so is this site and I am on meds anyway so there that. I think the Del Sol may be leaving…
My wife wants either one of two cars – brand new, mid 80’s Saab 900 Turbo coupe, or a ’90 Toyota Camry LE. She owned both of these previously and remembers them through rose colored glasses.
Every time my wife starts looking at a new vehicle, Range Rover and Jaguar enter the conversation (and I spend the next several hours/days/weeks talking her off the cliff). I think she’s now at the point where she really doesn’t want one, but loves seeing me freak out whenever it comes up.
She wants an RV. I do too but don’t want some junker that I have to fix constantly. Reliablish RVs are expensive.
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. She doesn’t do offroad, she just thinks they’re cute so she wants one as a long distance commuter car.
My wife and I have been married over 30 years. She claims she doesn’t care that much about cars. Over the years some of her choices have been: Chevy SSR, PT Cruiser, Chrysler Sebring Coupe, Mazda MX-6 Coupe, Hyundai Veloster, and her current car, a Buick Envista. Full disclosure, I really like the Envista. I liked the Chrysler and Mazda too. Luckily for me, she likes quirky things that are oddly proportioned. She has never discouraged me from buying any car. If you’re not me, I feel sorry for you.
My wife wants a van. With a toilet. No other requirements, just a toilet. I honestly tried looking to see what that might be, which is a class B camper van. Maybe one day she’ll get it, but I ain’t paying for it. I spent my life traveling (driving and flying), and have no intention doing that level of going then sleeping in a VAN down by the RIVER.
I was going to suggest modifying a long-wheelbase conversion van, and in the process of searching around I found the sort of thing I had in mind: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1990-ford-econoline-e-250-2/
Sure beats a Freestar and a five-gallon bucket, anyway.
Thanks for checking, but you know I had a Ford high top almost like that one back in the 90s when I had a step family (now ex) with little kids. It worked for what we wanted at the time, but lord I hate going back to something hard to park, with pitiful mileage. I keep trying to point toward nice minivans with some form of plumbing, but haven’t found anything that she likes.
The wife was insistent on a 2021 Pilot. I disliked it on the test drive, and actively despise it today. The kicker is that the wife now has a 26 Toyota BZ and I drive the despised Pilot (sold the Corvette to Carvana).
The wife is worried that I am going to bring home a YJ or TJ at some point.
I think I’m in the opposite camp. I drive an Avalon, but my wife wants an Audi…
Keep that Avalon.
“What Car Does Your Partner Want To Buy That You Dread Getting?”
I’m divorced. And I’m not likely to ever get legally married again.
Now mind you I do have a girlfriend. But my roll in car buying for a girlfriend is limited to giving suggestions that would meet her needs, steer her away from shitty assed CUVs and maybe go on test drives with her. Also, help with negotiation.
So, everything?
Everything except payment.
The only partner I have currently is a bright green mini macaw with red and blue flights and tail feathers, a yellow collar and a black cap. If you know macaws and parrots you know they like noise and lots of it. They’re also partial to bright colors.
While my macaw has a limited human vocabulary, he was able to convey that if he were picking a new vehicle it would be a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, one of the loudest modern factory-production road cars with its bestial rear-mounted intake howl. He’d like it in either Guards Red or Racing Yellow.
I’ve tried to impress upon him that a Porsche is not in the cards, but he’s not interested in discussing the matter further.
That’s too bad, I suspect he might really like the Macawn.
I had to buy a replacement car in a hurry after we lost our Toyota truck to a brain dead idiot driver in an accident.
Found an 09 Scion xB with low miles and in excellent shape almost immediately.
Brought it home to show it to the boss. She loved it and said buy it before it gets away. She loved that thing, and was once clocked by a Mississippi Trooper doing well over 90 mph on I-10 in it. But she was so damned cute the cop just waved as she blew by him on the interstate. Almost 13 years later it still drives and feels like an almost new car.
A few years later I bought a used Venza for myself. A decent but very boring car, that I grew to hate soon afterwards.
Sad to say my better half passed away a bit over 4 years ago. So after a bit I sold the Venza and kept her Scion. I love it and every time I drive it reminds me of her and brings a smile of happiness and good memories of another time. I am thankful the Scion lives on and has cost nothing in repairs since we bought it.
Sometimes we just get lucky I guess. As always YMMV.
Sorry to hear about your other half, but can appreciate the spurring of good memories in the Scion. She must have been really cute to get a MS trooper to let that go, they’ve had no issues giving me or my ex (who was pretty cute too), tickets when I was constantly traveling back and forth on I-10 lol. TX was bad too but would shave off the speed so as not to impound the vehicle, so I guess that was good. LA along I-10 is nothing but one speed trap after another.
May your memories of her and the xB continue to bring you smiles.
I’ve kind of the prezact opposite issue with my partner. They’ll take her Mazda 6 from her cold, dead hands.
Well until it hits 200K on the clock anyway, and that’s 50K away.
Thus she won’t even discuss any “want to buy” options, lest her 6 hears it and feels unwanted.
Cars know when we are considering leaving them and thus conspire against us.
What year is the 6? I have a 2016 and I’m the same way with it. We’re besties.
I am writing this in my wife’s voice: “That Smart Roadster Coupe you’ve seen on Auto Trader at a great price not too far away. No. Just don’t!”
She likes the car she’s driving now (Edge Sport) for the most part, except for the dark blue color. She HATES it. She also complains that’s it’s missing some of the features that her totaled Escape had, like the front parking sensors and HID headlamps. I agree but when you need a vehicle and lose out on three cars in a week, beggars can’t be choosers. But she likes the added space for the kids, the heated steering wheel and that we’re not sitting on luggage when we take vacations.
I’m so glad I’m single.
It’s far better to be alone than to wish you were.
VERY much agree with that.
I’m not single, but I’m thrilled we just have each other. He wouldn’t care whatever car I bought, but would be happy with a be-finned Cadillac.
In late ’09 she needed a car. She picked a used ’07 Corolla over an ’08 Fit. Said it felt more like a real car. Still running it now in ’26… When it is replaced it will likely be an EV or Toyota hybrid.
My partner doesn’t care what I buy, expects me to like and drive odd things, and basically wants me to be happy with cars. She owns a Prius that is absolutely perfect for her and whenever it needs replacing she will just get another Prius.
The Prius is the perfect car for those that don’t really like cars, but need to get to work every day. I’m not putting them down, far from it. My daughter is on her second and cannot imagine driving anything else.
Are the new ones that boring still? I know they look great (for a Prius) and they got a decent snort of power with the redesign.
Daughter now has a ’17; and aside from being ugly as sin, I find no fault. I test drove it on highway and around town before she did and – it’s fine.
Don’t let the new ones fool you…Toyota gave them looks and maintained their fuel economy about the same as the 4th gen in exchange for all their other positive attributes.
The rear seat has a lot less legroom, less headroom, and it’s got a smaller hatch area, too.
Maybe fine if you’re single or a couple with a pet or something…but I would not get it if >= 3 people in a car was a regular occurrence.
Sincerely,
My Other Van Is a Prius v
Luckily, they have 3 other vehicles that will fit your seating needs: The Corolla, Camry and RAV4 hybrids.
The windscreen has too much rake.
That describes her exactly, except the “getting to work every day” part, since we live in Chicago and can choose to drive places or not.
Yeah, don’t drive in Chicagoland if you can avoid it.
My daughter drives about 25 miles one way for work and almost laughs at using under a gallon a day.
We’re in the market for a slightly used three row hot SUV. My wife wants a Durango R/T or 392. I’m in the “everything it can do, an Explorer ST can do better” camp. I just don’t want the stigma of owning a Hemi powered Stellantis or have to deal with its electronics long term.
My bride is such a Honda fan, I routinely check her body for undisclosed HONDA tattoos.
The performative off-road stuff from two of the lowest quality brands: Subaru and Ford. I’ve never known a Subaru that wasn’t a rolling basket case (I kid, I kid – oftentimes they weren’t even rolling) or a Ford, including mine, that didn’t find creative new ways to shit the bed, like a plastic coolant y-connector that takes hot coolant directly from the block and then loves to crack in the cold from the cycling. Not even 70000 miles at that point.
My wife wants an early Dodge Viper or a Pantera. Cost aside, I keep telling her that it’s going to be incredibly difficult for her to actually drive one (she’s five-foot nothing) and while we haven’t tried, I understand that both of these cars are incredibly difficult for short stature people to operate. I just anticipate all this excitement fizzling out when reality hits after spending a ton of money.
But you are likely not five foot nothing….
I drove a Viper GTS at Skip Barber 25 years ago. It is an unleashed animal.
Well this hits home. We just bought a Honda Pilot. Drives nice, lots of room, but it is big. I much prefer my Accord.
I keep a ’13 Highlander in the fleet for rough weather, light towing, hauling. My daily is a Camry. I had an older Acura MDX, the Highlander drives smaller if that makes sense. The Acura always felt wide and unweildy – the larger Highlander feels trimmer and more nimble to drive.
It’s more the car she didn’t want. We were looking at Pilots and MDXs, gently used, under 10k miles. We found a bright blue MDX S-type with the red racecar looking interior for a really good price and super low miles. Slam dunk for me. She was like, no fucking way. If you like that interior, you drive the thing. Then I found a gold one, but the interior was white. Like all white. Again, no fucking way. So we got her a Pilot black edition, for a little more money and got hosed on our trade in. The Acura dealers were willing to give us kbb on her old MDX, ~6k, but we ended up getting 1k. I’m still salty every time I look at the thing.
We looked at a MDX with that color combo. She hated it, I liked it. Ended up with a Pilot Touring, Sonic blue with black interior.
We got a sonic gray pearl black edition Pilot.
yeah it was sonic gray pearl
Color!! My high school ’78 LTDII was silver with a burgundy interior and vinyl top. Dad once had a midnight blue Lincoln Town Car with a parchment interior – stunning.