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Good Vibe
September 25, 2006I always knew this day was going to happen...ever since about $2 gas.
Because of the amount of payments on my '05 Ford Escape and the amount I was spending each month on gas, I couldn't afford to keep it around anymore. Especially living in a one-bedroom apartment without a roommate.
The fact of the matter is...I don't make enough money. Photojournalism isn't a very high-paying job until you make it at a big paper.
I was going to have to get a small car that gets rediculous good gas milage.
So...last week I finally pulled the trigger and said hello to a used '05 Pontiac Vibe.
I had been doing my homework about these cars and found out a few things that will make my life quite a bit easier for a few years.
1. An average of 30/36 mpg. Wow. Actually...I drove about 320 miles on just over 11 gallons of gas. That's huge compared to what my Ford Escape got.
2. The engine...a 1.8L 4-cyl...is the same Toyota Camry engine that is recognized as one of the best and most efficent ever produced. It'll drive over 200,000 easily as long as I take good care of it. Photographers drive a lot of miles...that's just part of the job. So having a car that will have a long engine life is critical.
3. The cargo area is big enough to haul just about any photo equipment that I need....which is why I wanted a hatchback and had a small SUV before that. Sometimes, when you add the lens cases, laptop bags, tripods and suitcases for an out-of-town trip...a trunk on a small car just can't cut it.
4. The interior space is deceptively large....I'm a big guy and was a little bit worried about fitting in to the car. But that's not a problem at all. It's got a lot more room than it looks like.
All in all, I think I got a really good deal out of the experience. I lowered my monthly payments by $75 and will easily save about the same amount on gas.
Plus....it is still a cool looking vehicle, and that helps keep my pride from being hurt a bit.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
