My car has been sitting in the driveway for a few years since the transmission broke down. I’ve been weighing the pros and cons of fixing it and keeping it. But I’m not thinking about it anymore. I’ve decided.
The balance tipped this week when I approached the corner gas station and saw the price of gas at nearly $2 a litre. “What?!”
I bought my 2009 Jeep Compass, used. It was the first car I ever bought in my life. It was a bargain six years ago the auction lowered the price because of a terminal transmission problem. It didn’t prevent me from driving, but one day soon, they said, the problem would hit like a roulette game, and the transmission would be toast.
I drove the 4-wheel drive for about four years before the transmission jammed on Dufferin a few summers ago. I drove the car back home, feeling the drag of the transmission all the way to my driveway where it finally released its last exhaust of carbon dioxide.
Since then, the carcass has been in my driveway. I see it every morning when I have my morning coffee. And I think about it. Then the war broke and gas prices took off.
So, I’m getting rid of the jeep. I’ve been using as a storage shed, so I have to empty it of all the leftovers inside, used baby chairs, old clothes, and small knick-knacks all over floor and seats. I’m going to sell it to a junk yard that will use it for parts.
I have another car. That’s the one I’ve been driving. It’s also 100% gasoline. Filling up that tank will now cost nearly double what it used to. I’d like to plant that car in the driveway after I get rid of the jeep too. But it’s in high demand from my active family where no one else drives.
Today I feel the pain at the pump like never before. I am more ready than ever to leave my oil dependency behind. But I don’t see our green transition in full swing yet. At least not one I can afford. So, until then, I’ll be gritting my teeth, and checking the gas gauge every 10 minutes every time I drive.
I still hope for peace in the world with every morning coffee. But at least this summer, I’ll be looking at growing tomatoes, instead of a gas guzzler.
