My transportation

I just paid over 600 dollars to get a part fixed on my 2000 Astro van. I realize that not everything is made to last forever and the truck IS over 15 years old. The mechanic that worked on it said the part he replaced was  a high density plastic part and he replaced it with a steel and silicone thing-a-ma-bob that should last the rest of the life of the van. Yes, as i said it is 15 years old, but it only has 132000+ miles on it. The last one I had showed over 288,000 on the odometer when I sold it.

My wife is getting on me about replacing the van, but since no one makes a vehicle that can replace an Astro, I am somewhat unwilling to expend my resources to do so. The Astro has a large capacity for interior carrying stuff. You may have to physically remove the seats (no fold down technology here) to carry that couch, but it can, with a shrt bungee cord to hold down the rear window, carry a 4x8 sheet of whatever building material you might need to haul to whatever jobsite you are at. Tools and other materials are locked inside the steel and glass.

The downsides are that there is almost no front passenger legroom. The gas mileage is not up to 2015 standards. There may be too much room, so the time between cleanouts is delayed significantly. My wife has to climb up into the front seat and sometimes needs help. And when my leg is sore or my back has been overworked, I have a difficulty getting into the drivers seat. It does have the smell of a work van.

But it is Paid Off. I owe no money to any bank to use it. I still pay the taxes of registration and inspection. But those are costs with any vehicle.

My son just bought a new Chevy Silverado. Posted a picture on facebook about it. He had a 2000 Dodge 1500 pickup. He needed a back seat to install my granddaughter's car seat so she can ride with him. And if there may be another Yakabowskas grandbaby, they will need the extra room. The only reason he got the new truck was the need for the back seat. He did not have that much mileage on his truck either because he has had jobs that allowed him the use of a company vehicle.

I had looked at the Silverado a few months back while waiting for my wife's car to be serviced at the Chevy dealer. The new trucks are very well appointed and are almost as pretty inside as a nice new car. The one drawback is that the wife would also have to Climb into the front seat.

A few weeks ago, I saw the Chevy Colorado. Once again, a very pretty truck. It sits lower than the Silverado. It does all the same stuff, except the bed is a little narrower. I then saw the ad that it was named somebody's Truck of the Year. So I have been pricing that option. Telling myself it is just a game. Do I really want to spend 30+ thousand on a new truck, I ask myself. The thought of having something new and shiny and more convenient is alluring. The thought of having something useful and paid for is comforting. I don't Need a new vehicle. I keep telling myself that. But the bells and whistles of a new truck.........