March 15 again. Two years ago, at around 7:00 PM, I drove my car back home. I still remember the excitement to have the first car – I didn’t though to buy a car is as simple as buying any article at stores – just swipe the credit card and got the key to the new car.
There is a small story that I didn’t tell. When I first show the car, I found it perfect – the smell, the color, the inside decoration – everything. But there is a very small defect at the front of the car – a 1 cm long scratch. It barely noticed, but it is a scratch on a new car. I felt bad and told the dealer that I don’t want it. I want a completely new car, instead one with some scar on it.
The dealer was very reasonable, and agreed to return the car back to the warehouse. They said I can get back again after one week for another one. They did mean it. Just before they drive the car to the backyard, I felt although there is just several minutes, I don’t want them to drive “my” car away. You know, the feeling of the first ever car is interesting. I thought it is may be the feat of the car, and my feat that we meet. I know buying a car is all about luck. No one guarantees you that every car is exactly as durable and reliable as each other. I am afraid IF I get another one, I will regret that I didn’t pickup the first one I saw. It may happen.
So, that is the final decision. I happily drove the new car back home, and show the family about the car. I didn’t tell Wendy the scare for the first few weeks. We all love it. I made the good decision. In the last two years, Goudaner is reliable, and performs great. I enjoy driving it around. No one is perfect. So does a car. I tend to tolerate other’s imperfectness, just as many people tolerate mine.
First day on March 16, 2004
I gave the name Goudaner to it one week after we have it.
In the last two years, it accompanied us from home to work, and go to nearby locations. We went to Hangzhou for twice, and Suzhou once. We also went to Chongming once. Went to Pudong airport and Hongqiao Airport several times. Besides that, Goudaner didn’t travel far from my home.
Recently many people are looking at cars and plan to buy one. I always say: “To own a house does not change the life too much – to own a car does”.
Happy Birthday to Goudaner.
JS, the sentiment towards your Goudaner remains me the love affair with my first new car. Anyway, happy motoring.
happy motoring in shanghai? is that possible?:)
Great writing Jianshuo. Very interesting reading.
ops! typo in my writing, remains should be reminds.
Jian Shuo,
In two years, how many kilometres have you driven in Goudaner?
I am just interested in comparing your driving habits to those of North American drivers. In California, most people drive 10,000 – 15,000 miles (16,000 – 24,000 km) each year.
thanks,
Mike
I love your stories about Goudaner! Happy Birthday to a most faithful friend :-)
What a difference between men and women! My husband enjoys driving so much that he even drives on hihgway just for fun. I drive because I have to. Riding a car is much better than driving it. (of course, the premise is that you trust the driver).
By far, having a car hasn’t changed my life. It does provide some convenience.
I am waiting to see if having a house could change my life.
Happy birthday to your car!
congratulation to you and your dear car:)
It’s a nice car after from a picture, based on outer shape, is it a manual transmission Car? In Shanghai, especially in downtown, MT is quite tough, lots of people said it was fine as you used to be. I think AT will save your energy and passion.
I got an AT Peugeot 307 in last Sep. To me it’s the 1st car I bought, I had same feeling as yours when I picked up the car from the dealer. It’s a nice car, good handling and comfortable decoration. not Luxury but elegant. I drove almost 1KM at first week by going HangZhou and Suzhou. In the next coming months I went coutryside of Shanghai at the weekend to see the nature view of Shanghai, I went to coach at Jinshan/Fengxian, Go through Yanshang Deepwater Port when it just operated. Generally, I found what I want is giving me a straight Road, just let me drive. This makes me feel easy and relax, meanwhile, I can think of life much deeper.
Ronin
Many more years of happy driving in your beloved Goudaner.
– Sekhar
Shanghai laying red carpet to coax Disneyland
http://en1.chinabroadcast.cn/811/2006/03/08/198@59236.htm
The site will be 1000ha compared with 137ha for Hongkong. It will be 6km from Pudong Airport.
From your article, I can truly understand my husband’s feeling of having our first car,he ever told me that he had dreamed of driving at night before he could have his own car.
Thank you for your beautiful and honest essay.
Nice story about your car…
it reminds me a lot of my first one, a brazilian 2nd. generation Ford Ka, that was nicknamed by my daughter as “chinesinho” (which in portuguese means ‘little chinese’), because it was a small, always in a hurry, gentile and nice car – as the chinese people we see in movies around here.
Greatings from far far away Brazil,
Joao Vicente