I used to have an unhealthy obsession with cars since childhood. Primarily because it was seemingly unattainable growing up, and it being a symbol of success and freedom by mobility. Admittedly is was one of my motivations to improve my fiscal well-being as a young adult. After managing to acquire one in my early 20’s and owning several more since then, which at the time I thought was a significant milestone; I look back on it today and can’t help but have a pang of nostalgia and a bit of regret. I think if I were a more mature I could’ve made better use of the time and money then to improve my situation now.
I did enjoy though, operative word being “did“. Now…
- There are too many cars on the poorly maintained roads
- Too many fees to use roads you’d think are already paid for through taxes.
- Fees in general just keep rising,
- toll fee
- parking fee
- registration fee
- Insurance fee
- Environmental / Emissions
- Testing fee
- Processing fee (really?)
- congestion fee (not a joke)
- association fee (stickers / gate passes)
- Finding competent shops to maintain your vehicle are increasingly scarce, to the point that I end up fixing/maintaining my own now.
- Overall ownership is almost if not more expensive than buying/owning a modest home.
I could’ve bought another used vehicle if I were to add up the suspension repairs I had to pay for in the past 5 years. Worn bushings, blown shocks, broken engine, suspension, and transmission mounts All from driving on express ways that seem to charge you more every years and on shrinking provincial roads that get more hazardous to drive on the more they work on them
What used to be an infatuation turned into a love-hate relationship. Now a car to me is more of a necessary liability for convenience rather than an enjoyable hobby; Which I find depressing. It’s trying to love someone who doesn’t want to be loved, it’s a complication at the least of times.