Change of Life

A "Change of Life." That's what the health insurance companies call it. It's rather appropriate to say the least. In my case, it's actually a vast understatement.

A few months ago, my wife, Carrie, and I found out we were pregnant. Ok, not really "we." She's the one that's pregnant... My gut's just making me look pregnant.

Very soon after we found out that we were going to have a baby, we got some even bigger news. It's twins! We were very excited when we found out we were pregnant. However, we were a bit dumbfounded when we were told there were two. All of the preparations. Two of everything. Two cribs, two sets of diapers, formula for two, twin strollers, and two car seats. (Two day care payments, two cars when they turn 16, two graduations, two college tuitions, two weddings... I could go on and on and on...)

Two car seats... hmm... how am I... how do... how will they fit? In my truck, I mean. How do I get two car seats in there. It's a truck, albeit an extended cab. It's got a full bench back seat, but I'm not sure about getting two infant seats in there.

In the initial plan, the one that entailed rearing one baby at a time, it worked out fine. An infant seat would fit in the front with the airbag off, and once the baby was old enough to fit in an upright child seat, he or she would move to the back. We had it all worked out. It would be tight, but I'd only need to fit the baby when Carrie wasn't around. We planned to take her Vibe if we were going on a family trip.

All of our thoughts and plans are being uprooted now. Not only with the truck, but just about everything else too. Much to my wife's distress, (and of course my own) we're going to have to give up the R/T. I love my truck. It's my "modern muscle car." Not to mention, it hauls in more ways than one. How am I going to get all that new baby furniture home without my truck?

My wife's the money person in the family, so you can understand her concern. In addition to everything we need to buy for two babies, I'm going to have to find another vehicle. Something more in line with a family sedan. You will never see me driving a minivan, and I'm not a big fan of most SUVs.

A Durango R/T would be the logical switch, but I'm just about tired of gassing up the Dakota with it costing as much as it does right now. The only thing saving me right now is my 5-mile "commute" to work. I can't for the life of me understand how people that drive gas-guzzling SUVs commute 15, 20, 30 miles for work every day. With what they spend in gas every month, I could easily put my dream '68 Hurst/Olds in the garage... and that includes financing both the car and the construction of the garage!

I need something with a little better mileage. I'm not looking for a hybrid or anything, but something that would get me closer 20 miles per gallon would be nice.

I'm very particular about what I drive. I need something to keep within the "muscle car" realm. It's what I like. I do like to drag race on occasion (always at the track, NEVER on the street). Something that can do the quarter in the 14's is a lot of fun to me, but of course, it's got to be decent on gas, and easily fit two baby seats in back.

I think I've got it narrowed down. My aunt drives a Mercury Grand Marquis. Ok, not the typical muscle car. But it's a solid car with a V-8 (pretty much what's under the hood of the Mustang, at least up until this year). But nah, it's got to be a little cooler looking that that.

What about a Marauder you say? It's Mercury's "hot-rodded" Grand Marquis. Unfortunately, that's a bit out of my price range for now. I've got to keep the price tag under $20K. And despite my current driver being a Dodge Truck, I'm a devout GM car guy. If I'm not going to be driving a truck, I'm going to be driving a Pontiac, Chevy, Buick, or Olds.

I've always admired the Impala SS. Not the new front-wheel drive version either. I'm thinking more of the 1994 to 1996 vintage. This has got to be one of the coolest cars to come out of Detroit in the 90's and I might even venture to say since the 70's, even up until today (save for the aforementioned Mustang... but that won't fit two car seats).

My second choice would be, and bare with me you motorheads, a 2002 40th Anniversary Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. (If only they made the GTO with 4 doors and sold it under $20k... They don't, quit dreaming). The supercharged V-6 lacks the awesome sound of the V-8 rumble, but makes up for it in straight-line speed. The Wide-Track GP's cornering ain't all that bad either. These things hustle, and I've got the stock 14.54 second quarter mile time slip to prove it. My previous car was a '98 GTP. Throw a couple hundred bucks in bolt-ons at it, and you've got a reliable, viable, practical, bonifide, 13-second baby-hauler.

And the look of the 40th anniversary model... very, very cool.

I hope I didn't loose the die-hard motorheads with that last paragraph. It's just that (Peter Brady impression on) "when it's time to change, you've got to rearrange."

Two babies... wow! I still can't get over it. Well, whatever my next ride may be, I can only hope that it will have that modern-muscle feel. That would make me happy... but honestly, all that doesn't even matter to me right now...

The one thing... no, actually it's two things that will make me happiest... my two healthy baby boys or girls.

-Lee