Not this car. But I now own my Honda Odyssey! Woot! I made the last payment last week!

I’m a little giddy. The payment was an albatross for years. The fam needed something big enough to carry SEVEN people at the same time, thus the hugely expensive van.

I’ve only kept three vehicles over my lifetime past their payoff. The choices of whether to hold onto them were never mine. Either my ex or the situation required a change. So, I’ve only felt this relief and sense of accomplishment three times in my life—my Ford Pinto in 1982, my Toyota Scion in 2007, and now the Odyssey. Of course, I’ve owned a number of used cars over the years. My fave was a 12-year-old powder blue Mercedes, much like the one in this picture, that I bought during my second tour in Germany. I paid cash for it and drove the hell out of it. I hated having to sell it when I left. 🙁

So, how about you? Have you owned cars past their payoff? Have a fave car you’ve owned? Tell me about it!