An Almost Ridiculously Minor Point
Dec 08 '00 (Updated Dec 13 '00)
I'm writing this epinion to point out one of the absurd prestige factors of car ownership: the year of purchase. My contention is that if you're at all concerned about seeming stylish or up to date, one of the smartest ways to stretch your car-buying dollar is to purchase a vehicle at the beginning of a decade.
This contention has nothing to do with logic, but everything to do with fact. The fact of the matter is that a 1989 Ford pickup is only two years older than a 1991 Ford pickup; but in 2001, the 1991 model sounds a little old whereas the 1989 model sounds ancient. Perhaps this is because it's easier for people to pay attention to the decade than the year. Perhaps it's just because we're all pretty lazy when it comes to math. But for some reason, a 1991 vehicle sounds as if it's closer to a 1997 vehicle than it is to a 1989 vehicle.
This will come into play most dramatically when you try to sell a car from the last decade through the classified ads. The people who produce the bluebook may be too smart to be distracted by things like the decade, but potential buyers will react as if the car is from a different era. When I placed an ad for my 1990 Toyota in 1995, I was swarmed by eager calls. When I tried to sell my 1988 Toyota (a different model, admittedly, but in much better shape), more than one caller seemed reluctant to come to terms with the car's age. "1988 huh? I see."
I can also say that in conversation I have witnessed friends acting as if their late 80s cars are somehow ridiculously out of date compared to my early 90s Mazda. I know it seems absurd. That's because it is absurd. But I've seen it.
So hurry out and snap up one of those 2001 models. You'll seem current for a whole decade.
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Member: Mike Davis
Location: Philadelphia
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Read my reviews in order to heal the sick and control the weather. Seriously.
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