Day 61: Darthie the Darth Vader Prius

                It would be very nice to have a van on long trips like this. A van that has a proper bed, a kitchenette, a bathroom, a high roof so I can stand up inside and play my banjo. Mercedes diesel Sprinter vans are all the rage these days. However, I have come to conclude that my Toyota Prius is the perfect vehicle for me for now. I am almost positive any van I get would cost me much more money to operate when fuel costs and maintenance is factored in. This Prius is the perfect vehicle for me to experiment in until I get my perfect tour routes mapped out. One day, when I have my routes mapped out and this Prius is paid for, then perhaps I will get a van.

I had a Volkswagen Vanagon for about 10 year and I loved it. I even ran it on vegetable oil. It got about 30 mpg, had proper beds for up to 4 adults, a kitchenette, and the roof popped up so I could stand up in it. However, I had to work on this van constantly to keep it on the road, I spent tons of money on parts, and it was super slow. I finally had to give up on it. 

Then I bought a Kia Sedona van. I was in a really crazy place in my life when I bought this van. My Volkswagen was broken down and I needed an escape vehicle to leave the town I was living in. I was in desperate shape. The Kia Sedona was an alright vehicle, but I never did add a proper bed to sleep in and it was a low ceiling with no chance of standing up in there. Besides all this, it was terrible on gas and it made strange noises like it was foreshadowing its own demise. Before the Kia could die on me I traded it in for my Toyota Prius. I still owed about $2,000 on the Kia, but I knew that if I didn’t abandon it soon enough I would have to invest at least $2000 to keep it running. I was proud of myself for abandoning that ship before it sank.

My Toyota Prius has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. In the 3 years that I have owned it, the only thing I have had to do is change the oil and other routine maintenances. It gets up to 50 mpg. With the cargo box on top it still gets about 42-45 mpg! I can sleep in the back. I don’t have a kitchen and I can’t stand up in it to play my banjo, However, I just eat cold food from my cooler or I eat out. If I  need to stand up and play banjo I just go outside. I have a solar shower with a shower stall that I get cleaned up in. All my music gear fits either inside or in the cargo box up top. I pee in a bottle and if I need to poop I find a restroom or I go outside. There is nothing wrong with peeing in a bottle. Before indoor bathrooms people would use chamber pots. I water various plants on my travels with my pee bottle. I was my hands afterwards.

                In the grand scheme of human history, I am maintaining a very high standard of living in my Toyota Prius. I am protected from the elements and wild bears. I have  heat and air conditioning whenever I need it because the Prius will turn itself off and on, even when I’m asleep or just hanging out in it. At my income level I feel like I am living within my means with the Prius. I love this car. Her name is Darthie because she’s a Darth Vader Prius. Thank you Darthie!