Saying Goodbye

Last month, I made a decision that still haunts me today. After 10 years, I traded in my Mustang Convertable. I loved that car, I still do. I have to drive by the dealership that I traded it into on my way to work. I see her just sitting there, and I feel like I have betrayed my best friend.

I was 25, single, and just got a new job at a TV station. Coming home one day, the dealership had 4 Mustang Convertables on their used car lot. A red one with a white top, blue with black top, white with a black top, and a Silver on with a Black top and Red interior. They were all program cars, and still in great shape. I test drove the Silver one, and fell in love instantly. Traded in my Ford Tempo, and never looked back. I remember seeing people's heads turn as I drove by. Just a V-6, but still pretty powerful. I joined the local Mustang Club, and did some parades. Went to some Car shows, and won a couple of Trophies. It was great. I got some personalized plates "S1LV3R", added a couple of cosmetic things to her: roll bar, speedster cover. She looked great. Got her up to 100mph with the top down one day, and 115 in the middle of the night, on a nice stretch of downhill road, she didn't even break a sweat.

But after 10 years, and 190,000 miles, she was starting to show her age. The engine was still in good shape. I took care of her very well. But the paint, and the seats were starting to wear out. Doors didnt quite shut all the way, the convertable top had a hole here and there. My baby was starting to fall apart.

Driving home from the store one day with my beautiful bride, and daughter, we noticed an older car in the lot of the dealership. We go to check it out, a 1966 Ford Fairlane 500. It was very cool, and in pretty good shape. As we are getting ready to leave we decide to drive around a bit, and I see a PT Cruiser in the used lot. I have always liked the way they look, and my wife and I really enjoyed a rented one when we went to Vegas The price was good, and with another baby on the way, the Mustang just isn't a practical family car. The next thing I know I am trading in the best car I have ever owned.

Driving the Mustang from the bank back to the dealership, it hits me that this will be the last time I get to driver her. So, I pull off on a nice curvey back road, and put her through her paces one last time. She does great, and we find ourselves at the top of a hill with no one in sight. I smile quietly to myself, and gun it. Hitting 90 in no time, we run out of visible clear highway, and I shut her down.

Those last 10 miles were as great as the first 10, with the other 189,980 coming in at 3rd.

Goodbye old friend.