What is your ideal retirement car?
One thing that irritates me, as a lover of driving, beyond belief is when I see someone in a sports car driving it like it is a sub-compact econobox. On my daily commute along the Pacific Coast Highway, I usually see this with older gentlemen in Porsche Carreras. Last night, it was a gray-haired lady in a convertible Chevrolet Corvette. I realized that those are the two primary "retirement cars" I see. What is it about old people and Corvettes and Carreras?
Let's say you saved your pennies, or socked them into your 401(k), or won the lottery, and were in a really good financial position when you retired...
Let's also say you were pretty spry and didn't have a giant dog you had to cart around. What would your ideal retirement car be?
It's no question for me. I would be racing my wrinkly butt around town in a Bentley Continental GTC and there is no way I would be one of those old-timers I see blocking up the left lane driving my beast like it was a tame little kitty.
- Posted by
- Michelle Magoffin February 15, 2008, 3:25 PM
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- Family Cars and Concerns
My Mom is 86 and drives a 1990 Protege. Last month she got a speeding ticket - I'd hate to think what kind of trouble she'd get into with a Miata, much less a Bentley GTC. She always did have a heavy foot.
Back in the Seventies of the last Century, Porsche in general and their 914 model in particular were the "The Retirement Car" in Germany.
For me it would have to be a Porsche, either a 911 or the Cayman S. I'm not about to retire and if it had to be my only car up here in New England it would be a problem in the winter. But with gas prices on the increase it might end up being a Prius.
I like the idea of a Honda Accord diesel but with diese costing at least 50 cents a gallon more than RUG it doesn't seem worth it. It's on average at least 30 cents more a gallon for diesel over Premium!
I had a Miata but I don't want any more convertibles. I burn too easily.
Money no object I'll take a Bugatti Veyron and a chain of gas stations to go with it. :D
Michelle,
I think it's a matter of perspective.
By the time you're AARP card comes due, you might think think you're flying in your Bentley GTC... geritol boosted hand-eye cordination, hanging on for dear life, threatening to test the fortitude of your Depends... that is until a 20-something in a Corolla w/ 3 bald tires & duct taped bodywork comes up behind you wondering why you're clogging the fast lane...
I see a lot of older people in the Honda Element. I think, in general, older people are more open to completely new ideas about design.
So, maybe you'll be zipping around in the Hyundai X-Zap prune juice powered 1000mpg sports car...
i think by then i hope to be well off enough to be on my 2nd bmw m car. and in retierment, it would probably be a sedan.
but thats years away, who knows what cars will be like then