comparisons

If you’ve been reading for some time, you’ll know that last week's new truck post was not my first truck post. In fact, I probably ought to link in there posts concerning motorcycles too. It was quite difficult refraining from turning the whole newsbreaking into yet another exposition of my spiritual and emotional struggles into which events and objects like this so strongly play. By the time I’ve finished writing this, perhaps I’ll have linked you to previous such posts, perhaps not.
Now Allison and I are very different in our financial leanings. I’m a tightwad and she’s a spender. I’m generic, she’s name brand. Or maybe I should say that fiscally speaking, she’s liberal and I’m conservative. She’s generally not irresponsible and I’m generally not a miser. She likes to have things and I like to have the potential for things. Over the years, we have both moved drastically toward the center, but at the moment, we are far from meeting in the middle.
This all plays into our purchases because she decides on the best, highest quality among the choices and I go for the cheapest, no questions asked. I’m typing on what would have been an iBook if not for Allison talking me up to a PowerBook. Because of Allison I’ve got a LOT more computer, for very little more money. So for most of my life, I’ve gone around with slightly less than I can get by on, and she’s gone around with slightly more than she needs. I borrow from her a lot. Like rides, and keys, and stuff like that. It all evens out. Ordinarily, her ride works, mine doesn’t.
So when we went out car shopping, my objective was to shop enough to be absolutely sure I’d found the working vehicle with the lowest price in town (or state). It didn’t matter what it was, or what it looked like. Lowest price.
Her objective was to make forward progress rather than a lateral move.
I can’t pretend that I didn’t struggle while shopping. I can’t pretend I didn’t struggle with the decision. I can’t pretend I haven’t struggled all week with the whole thing. I’d have to admit that I seriously thought the deer episode might have been God popping on the back of the head as to say, “NO NO NO NO NO!”
So tonight, I’ve tried to put it all to rest, and approach like Allison does. In order to convince myself that a new (pre-owned) vehicle was even called for, I’ve assembled a comparison chart to convince myself that I’m better off in the current scenario.

Here are the side-by-side comparisons:



So as you can see, it looks like Allison has won this time. The chart makes it clear that all the perquisites of this newer vehicle were not as extravagant as I might have thought. In fact, there was only one item that the older vehicle has that the newer one doesn’t. That is quite extraordinary, as most upgrades leave off at least a few features to which one had previously become accustomed.
I’m quite happy with the results of this simple comparison. It is quite a useful procedure.
You have no idea how much I hope it never occurs to Allison to put me in one of those charts.