Wait a minute; how did I go from no car at all to now pondering the necessity of a second car? Funny how perspectives and situations can completely turn around in less than a year.
Back in May of last year I embarked on the ‘no car’ journey, having sold the MX-5 and then henceforth only used public transportation and the occasional ride-sharing to get myself to places. That experiment ended this January when I bought the GT3, though I’ve still been taking the bus to and from work. The 911 isn’t the greatest of cars to commute with for many reasons, some idiosyncratic, some innate.
One of the idiosyncratic reasons is the lack of secured parking at where I live. There’s absolutely no way I am street-parking the GT3, especially since my neighborhood is not of the high-income and or gated variety. So instead I park the car at work, where there’s a covered parking complex. It’s not the most ideal situation to have my beloved car be located on the other side of the city, but it’s the best option short of paying monthly for a parking spot or storage unit closer to home. The carpark at work is somewhat secured, and more importantly the GT3 is not exposed to the elements.
Obviously then in order for me to go out driving on the weekends, I basically have to first head to work – every single time. This in it of itself isn’t too bad because I quite enjoy riding the bus and listen to podcasts. The problem starts whenever I need to do more than taking the GT3 out for a spin, such as maintenance work or giving it a solid detailing. Any gear required for such servicing, I’d need to schlep it with me on the bus, which can vary from merely inconvenience to downright impossible depending on the size of the job.
What I need is a second vehicles for parts running.
It needn’t be fancy or remotely sporting: all I need is a simple car that’s easy to drive, while small and inexpensive enough to be conveniently parked in San Francisco without worry. The cheapest new car on the market - those tend to be subcompact in size - available for lease should suffice.
But that presents a conundrum: do I use the second car to commute as well, and forgo using public transportation? In terms of being a kind citizen to the environment it wouldn’t be a good decision, and in terms of costs it’ll be significantly higher than the $78 I’m paying for the monthly pass. Dealing with the grind of Bay Area traffic is also a huge negative against this move. However, the convenience factor is difficult to ignore: the many hours saved, and not having to carry a bucket of tools with me on the bus.
We shall see what happens.
It’s a frequent customer.