100,000 miles

Sometime today or tomorrow, my car will reach a major milestone.

100,000 miles.

It's been a little over two years since I purchased my car. I remember going to the memorial day car fair at the DECC in Duluth. I was in love with Volvos because of my good old 89 Volvo I affectionately named "Friddy." There happened to be a Volvo at this car fair. A beautiful black 1998 S70 with a turbo engine and a spoiler. I took it for a test drive and couldn't help feeling like I was driving a more responsive version of my semi-decrepit Friddy.

I told my dad about it. The first thing he asked was "Does it have a good stereo?" Which is, of course, the most important thing to consider when buying a car.

After having my dad's friend THE ENGINEER look at the car, he decided, through smacking lips, that I would have troubles with this car because of its age. I would be better off spending an additional four grand and get a brand new economy car.

My dad, of course, listens to THE ENGINEER and not to the reputation of Volvos, and of course our history with Friddy. (On another note THE ENGINEER purchased Friddy in a time of dire straits and drives her to this day... sans brakes)

Eventually, my dad decided I *should* have the speedy black Volvo with the eight speaker factory stereo system. He'd pay a down payment and six months of insurance. I would be responsible for the remaining $6000 and insurance, a bill of approximately $300 a month for the next five years.

I was excited. I had a car. I immediately had repairs and issues, but have been fairly lucky for the last two years. One of the original intents for my car (which still does not have a name) was a trip to the Boston area for Lemonic Demonade. This did not happen due to concerns about my transmission (this turned out to be a faulty oxygen sensor).

I've been nowhere exciting in my car. Unless you count the nearly bi-weekly trips to visit my parents, or trips to and from LAN parties, friends houses, and exotic restaurants. Right now it has been used to travel to and from my job. A 50+ round trip drive every day. It has quickly put the miles on my car.

When I purchased my car (please help me name it), it had approximately 75,000 miles. In two years I've put 25,000 miles on it. I hope to have it for a while longer, maybe for much longer. It doesn't get the best gas mileage or work entirely correctly, but it is dependable and damned sexy. Perhaps I'll keep it until I pay it off. Mayhaps by then Friddy will have failed THE ENGINEER and he will be looking for a new purchase.