W. BRUCE CAMERON 9/29/11

Car-Buying Trauma

W. BRUCE CAMERON

Alert readers of this column are aware that I’ve recently been advised by my trusty mechanic, Marvin Walletdrainer, that my car is ready to cross the rainbow bridge. I asked him if he thought I could drive it for a few more weeks, and he said, “I wouldn’t.” I said, “How about just until I find a replacement?” and he said, “I wouldn’t.” I asked him what he would do, and he said, “Run away.”

So now I find myself shopping for a car for the first time in many years. (Most of the wrecks I’ve been driving lately I purchased from relatives who hate me.) But I know w...