ECONOMICAL VS. BEAUTY

Nate and I bought a beautiful, new 2006 VW Jetta TDI, back in May. It hugs the road and drives with incredible power. But the most impressive thing about this machine is the gas mileage. As a brand new diesel engine it already gets high 30's - low 40's per gallon. The 2000 VW Jetta TDI that I drive gets even better gas mileage. Right now we both drive a considerable distance for work and this definitely helps us economically.

Contrast this with my new favorite car. Well, it's been a journey to get here so it probably warrants an explanation. I'm a conservative hippie girl at heart. I love Zeppelin and The Doors, camping and hiking, and the smell of pachoulli. Though I've driven a 1992 Toyota Camry for the last six years, I dreamed of owning a Subaru Forester. It was the kind of car I could take off-road to get to the best and most remote camping locations. And then I married a moderate metrosexual.

Nate doesn't have a pair of zip-up ankle-boots or a skin regime, but he does have an affinity to euro-style and sleek, well designed things. When he learned of my love for the Subaru Forester he told me he couldn't support it because I'd have to be a lesbian in order to drive such a vehicle. Disinterested in exploring a new sexuality, I became open to his idea of driving the Honda Element instead. I accepted this Element idea until I passed by my new love in a parking lot at the Riverwoods Shopping Center this summer. Then everything changed.

Enter Toyota's FJ Cruiser. It's true that I love Toyota. It's true that my 1992 Camry with nearly 200,000 miles has been the BEST car one could own. So it makes perfect and natural sense that I'd gravitate to a machine with such a fine reputation. More important, however, is how beautiful it is. For a while I was afraid to do research and discover that this beauty was $50k. Until yesterday. It's totally affordable, comparable to the Element in price point. MSRP is $21,700 for the bare bones.

I'm still fundamentally torn between driving a car that is economical (but pollutes the environment) and one that will guzzle the gasoline. I'm not sure where I fit. But what I do know is if Nate and I do ever decide to purchase a bigger car for family or convenience...this is the car we will be buying. I'm putting my foot down on this one.