About a Car

Finishing up this year's round of "I got a job in Tillamook" anniversaries, I bought my car one year ago today. I bought it with 73,250 miles on it, and today it has about 87,850 miles on it. 14,600 miles, a new set of tires, several oil changes, around fifty trips to the pump and one traffic ticket (also one year ago today) later, it is still running like a charm. It gets dirty way too easily (are birds attracted to black cars or something?), but washing the car is good excercise, right?

Of course, the highlight is the gas mileage- as high as 42 miles per gallon, but usually more in the 35-40 range. As much as I like my car, my goal for the next year is to reduce my total miles traveled. 14,600 miles is just too much for one year, even with good gas mileage. We'll see how it goes!

February 18, 2003 05:16 PM

Comments (10)

02/21: stacy said:

here's a good way to decrease number of miles traveled: move back to Portland!

And for heaven's sake, stop collecting all that data on your gas consumption and mileage!

02/21: Bill said:

Moving to Portland would *increase* total miles driven, since I would have to get to my job in Tillamook every day!

There isn't all that much data... I had to look at the car registration for the beginning odometer and I looked at... the odometer for the current reading. Not too difficult! :)

02/21: Trevor said:

re: data (not Data)

I reckon she's referring to the hundreds of notepads your family has filled up with datum after datum while sitting at the pump.

Seriously, do other people do this?

02/22: k-tin said:

no. no they don't.

02/22: Bill said:

I'm certain other people do this. You can even purchase specialized notebooks for this purpose.

Since collecting the data is not difficult, and may indicate problems with the car, I will continue my practices despite the naysayers!

02/23: k-tin said:

yah, i don't think that's the real reason why you do it.

02/24: stacy said:

haha. there is much LOL happening right now.

I was, indeed referring to the mini notebook(s). We keep track of mileage, too, just not in the very very precise manner in which you and your clan do. It's more of a "hm....let's see...250ish miles on about 10 gallons....that seems right" kind of thing.

02/27: lauren said:

oo, trevor knows how to use "datum." bill does not. there aren't all that MANY data, it should be, not "There isn't all that much data... "
=)

03/01: bill's sister kelley said:

an inside look: i kept the book while i drove a family car, but i don't think i would in the future. i, too, think that it is weird.
however, it does not surprise me at all that bill would keep at it.

03/06: John said:

Of course you keep the book up to date (I still haven't purchased one to put in the volvo yet, Michelle thinks it's silly)