On Car Shopping and Internet Dating

I've gone almost 3 weeks without a car; 17 work days biking back and forth; 3 weekends ride sharing to get to social events.  Friends and Family keep asking me if I've found a car yet.  And to each I sigh, "No."  "Have you even looked?"  "Sort of."

In reality I've only gone to look at 2 cars in person.  But I've spent HOURS scouring the inter-tubes for THE car. While doing so today it dawned on me how similar the acts of car shopping and internet dating truly are.  My extremely brief encounter with internet dating may not afford me the true ins and outs of the sport.  So mainly I'm speaking with vast sweeping generalizations.  However from my observations of other close family and friends who have given the internet dating adventure a good try, I don't think I'm too far off.

It all starts with pictures.  As I flip through picture after picture I start an internal dialogue...

Will you be the one for me?  Can you get me to where I want to go? Do you fulfill my needs/wants?  Do our personalities match?  Are you high or low maintenance?  Will you just be a drain of time and money?  All sorts of prejudgments are made.

After one catches my eye I stare at picture after picture trying to imagine our life together. I start to make weekend plans and even plan our first adventurous road trip together.  And before I know it I'm in a relationship with a person  er, I mean, a car I've never met.

Then I take the risk and decide to meet face to face.  I'm nervous, skeptical really.  Will you live up to this picture of life I've painted for us?  Are your pictures accurate?  Does your "I enjoy the outdoors" vibe really mean you like looking at the outdoors OR do you really like to adventure outside?

When we finally meet... The ski rack on the roof from the pictures is missing...disappointment.

I look around, ask questions, seriously investigate.  After all, if I'm going to commit to you, I should know what I'm committing to.  The more time I'm with you and more questions I ask, your best features show up and your flaws appear.  I start to wonder if I can deal with that dent or ding.  What about that broken piece?  Do you like affection?*  Oops, I mean, how much TLC will I need to give you?

Not bad... Not sold either.  There was just something missing.  I didn't feel it. I drive away dejected and worn out. All that time researching wasted.  Maybe I need to go back to the drawing board. After I take a break from internet dating a car of course!  Then again maybe THE car is in another state...



I'm sure one day the process will pay off.  I'll find THE car meant for me.  It will take me on road trip adventures to new states and national parks.  And maybe, just maybe, if it's REALLY THE ONE, it might drive me to the place where I meet THE ONE.

*That question was asked of me on my first and only internet date.  Now can you see why it was a brief encounter?

And as a side note... Maybe it's just me that does her car shopping by feeling.  In an attempt to be less subjective and more objective, I spent HOURS today filling in this spread sheet my brother uses when he car shops.  This in uncharacteristic of me.  But I admit it has made me think twice about the car I feel I want.