I've Never Owned a New Car: Part II

 Seven-months-pregnant Louise with our 1963 Plymouth. A great road car. Miami, 1968.

As I mentioned in my first post about used cars on December 29, we moved from Miami to Chattanooga in 1970. By this time we had sold the Plymouth and bought a 1962 Chevy Nova wagon from missionary friends who were moving out of the country. It served us well.

The Mercedes 240D in the driveway of our suburban home before we moved to the farm.

 In 1982 I landed two really profitable contracts for audio-visual productions and splurged on a 1978 Mercedes 240D with only about 70,000 miles. Diesel was cheaper than gas in those days, and it averaged about 25 miles per gallon over the years we owned it. It had about 265,000 miles on the odometer when we finally kissed it goodby.

When we bought our farm property in McLemore Cove in 1985, we bought a low-mileage Ford Courier long-bed pickup. It served us well for many years until we replaced it with a Ford diesel full-size truck which did not serve us well.

In 2000, as Louise prepared to go back to school for her Masters degree in nursing, which involved a long drive several days a week, she bought a new Saturn, which was a really good car. It was the only new car we've ever owned, and Louise bought it herself, with her own money. After she graduated she bought a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan and I inherited the Saturn.

I drove the Saturn until 2008, when Louise bought a 2007 Grand Caravan. I sold the Saturn and began driving the 2002 Dodge. I drove that car all over Georgia while working on my books, finally winding up with 245,000 miles on the odometer. In 2016 we bought a 2013 Chrysler Town and Country van for Louise (which we still have), and and I sold the 2002 Dodge and began driving the 2007. I firmly believe that 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan was the best car we ever owned.

The 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan. The best car we've ever owned.

 But in 2018 we bought a 22-foot Starcraft travel trailer and soon realized that neither the Dodge nor the Chrysler was up to pulling it. Something had to go. Sadly, it was the Dodge. So we sold it and bought a 2006 Chevy pickup, which we drove on a 7000-plus mile trip to South Dakota, Wyoming,Idaho, Utah, and Arizona in September, 2018, seeing not all, but most of the sights. It was the trip of a lifetime.

Leaving Deer Run Farm for our trip west. September, 2018.

 We also drove that rig to Florida twice, to Indiana, and to Nova Scotia. I ultimately sold the Chevy to buy the massive Ram 3500 diesel that we thought we needed when we moved into a 35-foot fifth wheel trailed in 2021.

Nowadays we still have the Chrysler as well as a very civilized 2016 Kia Sorento which we bought (used, of course) in 2023 in immaculate condition with only 73,000 miles. I hope we're around to drive it another 200,000.

Click on the link at left for information about ordering original signed prints from the Rock City Barns book.

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Photography and text copyright 2026 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

Tags:   photography    used cars    1963 Plymouth Belvedere    1962 Chevy II Nova    2006 Chevy pickup    2002 Dodge Grand Caravan    2007 Dodge Grand Caravan     2013 Chrysler Town and Country     2016 Kia Sorento     1978 Mercedes 240D     2000 Saturn     Starcraft travel trailer     Ford Courier pickup