The Durango I Didn’t Buy

10 August 2006 11:44:19

On Tuesday, I came across a ‘98 Dodge Durango that was for sale by owner. The truck had 78,000 mile on it, still had a two year extended warranty and was overall in very good condition. The seller was only asking $5,900 for the vehicle. The blue book was a lot closer to $7,500. I seriously considered buying the Durango before opting to continue in my self-induced vehicle poverty…driving my $650 Chevy Cavalier rust bucket with 93,000 mile on it.

Why, you might ask? It really came down to a comparison between wants and needs. Right now, as much as I would like to drive something nicer, it just isn’t something I need.

Some people might wonder why I would do something so strange. I mean, it’s not like this vehicle would break the bank for me. It’s a good truck at a good price. I wouldn’t be making payments on it for very long (maybe two years) and I’d have something that I could enjoy so much more than the Cavalier. But then, that’s exactly what our culture has instructed us to believe: that the above reasons constitute a need. I’m learning to live contrary to that culture; for better or worse, I guess. In the end, I feel great about my decision, and I am $5,000 less in debt than I could be right now. That alone is a great testament to my decision.