Dreaming

1971 Honda SedanI love small cars. I love Hondas. But I don’t love this car, that I spotted on a local street. The owner was (and probably still is) asking $7,500 for this old gem. It may be “All REBUILT” – but you would have to be very much in love with this particular car to pay the asking price.

Yes, it’s quirky. Yes, it’s very small (smaller than an original Mini), but it would take about three times longer to get from stoplight to stoplight than with just about any new car on the road today. Getting a simple oil change would be an exercise in frustration, as parts are rare, even in Japan! And you could get a used Honda Fit for even less than that price and get about the same good fuel economy.

So before you take a deep dive into nostalgia, count the costs.

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Being a pain sometimes works

first-ten-speedWhen I was about 12, I desperately wanted a racing bicycle. I saved some money but couldn’t quite stretch to make the investment. I dreamed how amazing it would be to have a bike that was faster and much cooler than my 3-speed. I nagged my parents. Over and over. Eventually, their resistance broke down and they helped me get the bike.

I recently took this photo outside my local bike shop. There’s a rack outside with old bikes people bring in when they are ready to buy a new one. Those bikes are given to a local charity every few months. That charity refurbishes the old bikes and then gives them to kids who wouldn’t be able to get a bike even if they nagged their parents.

When I park my bike there, I scan the bikes just for fun. This old bike is very close to the one I got as a reward for my persistence. It had the same florescent orange bolts and heavy steel crankset.

Don’t give up. Your persistence may pay off.

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