In previous installments of this four-part series, I told you about the various things I wish I had known when I was shopping for, buying, and living with a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt. Get caught up by reading Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Buying one of my dream cars, a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt, was exciting, rewarding…and humbling. Every stage of the process made me realize how much I should have known or at least considered beforehand. Even after I parted ways with the car, my education continued. In this fourth and final installment of my ongoing story, I’ll share the last few lessons I learned.
My Dad Was Right
I developed an interest in cars because of my dad. As a small child, I went with him to check out the old project vehicles he ended up buying, such as early Ford Mustang convertibles and postwar Chevrolet and GMC trucks. A few years later, he got a first-generation 300ZX and a Jeep Grand Wagoneer. He certainly had an eye for interesting vehicles. As I got older, his tastes became more boring and vanilla. Toyota Cressidas and Honda Accords were reliable transportation, but they frustrated my inner car enthusiast. I was probably in my 20s when I asked him, “Why don’t you get cool cars anymore?” He said, “All I need is something to drive from the house to work.” At the time, having no understanding of true responsibility or commuting or the things you end up prioritizing to make your work/life balance more pleasant, I thought his response was lame.
After about a year of bumper-to-bumper traffic jams in the thirsty, manual-only Bullitt, I totally understood where he was coming from. It was painful to admit and it reminded me of how old I was, but he was right. My commutes were long and took place during the peak traffic hours of a major metropolitan area. What I needed was a car that could comfortably get me from the house to the office.
I Love Older Cars, But…
It eventually became clear that I needed to sell the Bullitt. My wife and I were saving up for a house, so there was no way I was going to keep making payments on it and start shelling money out for a commuter car. While I was preparing the Mustang for sale, I went out and got the Bullitt’s polar opposite: a Hyundai Sonata.
Aside from its looks and sound and power, the Bullitt’s simplicity was appealing to me. It was naturally aspirated and came from a time before LED headlights, direct fuel injection, and digital gauges.
There were major trade-offs to my Bullitt’s old-school nature, though. Despite being a 2008 model, it didn’t have automatic lights and there were no audio controls on the steering wheel. It also didn’t have Bluetooth, so I couldn’t chat with anybody on the way home to make the long drive more enjoyable (although I did have a factory touchscreen infotainment system with navigation). The five-speed manual gearbox was trusty, but another gear would’ve helped increase the 4.6-liter V8’s fuel economy and driving range. And rough pavement – especially when it had curves in it – showed me how squirrelly a live rear axle could be.
As conservative and milquetoast as the Sonata is, given that it’s 15 years newer, it feels like an S-Class in comparison. According to the onboard computer, its naturally aspirated I4 regularly gets at least double the mileage I got in the Bullitt. Not only do I now have steering wheel-mounted audio controls and Bluetooth, but I also have the convenience of Apple CarPlay, all features which have come in handy over the last several months.
I Made the Right Decision
When the Bullitt was finally delivered to its next owner and the check cleared, I felt a slight pain knowing that something I had wanted for so long didn’t lead to the wonderful experience I had expected. What I gained in exchange was a sense of peace. I no longer dreaded driving or worried about the next thing on my car that would break.
I made the right choice – and not just for me. It was about time I did. I got a bachelor’s car shortly before I got married. When I bought the Sonata, it was a few months after my father-in-law passed away, leaving me the man of the household, which includes my mother-in-law going forward. She and my wife can save some wear and tear on their vehicles and ride in a car with a Phoenix-friendly light gray fabric interior, modern safety features, a panoramic sunroof, a spacious back seat, and a trunk large enough to carry our luggage for weekend trips. Hugo always loved and took care of his family. Buying a practical car like the Sonata was my way of trying to do the same.
I Still Want a Mustang
My experience didn’t sour me against Mustangs as a whole. I love them and I always will. They’re rolling Americana with designs that resonate with me. I’ll never forget cruising at night in an S550 GT convertible with the top down and “In the Air Tonight” cranked up, going to a lakeside picnic with my wife in a California Special, and taking her to her first Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in the Bullitt. I’ll get another Mustang one of these days. Perhaps I’ll fix up one of my dad’s convertibles or get a New Edge Mach 1. Whichever one it ends up being, it won’t be my first car, but it’ll be my first choice when I want to drive, not just commute.
