I remember when we retro-fitted a tape deck in my ’85 Subaru wagon. I loved that wagon – a deep navy blue, it was just the right size. And now it had tunes! I even sold my soul to Columbia House for a brief spell, but then after the introductory phase I didn’t want to keep paying for tapes, so sometimes I’d check them out of the library and make copies.
Next was our little Bronco 2, with a
built in (!) tape deck and with a ridiculously small wheel base. I
could do a U-turn on a dime. So tall and square that I’m surprised it didn’t
just tump over on its side sometimes.
In 1998 we leased a Pathfinder, so
fancy that the Nissan badge on the back was gold. Now I was living, with
both a tape deck and a CD player.
(We ended up buying it
and kept it for 20 years. That car would not give up. It was such a tank that
the body gave out before the motor and we ended up welding the engine to the
frame to hold everything together. We ultimately gave it in trade to a junkman
who was helping us clear out when we moved from our house to this condo.)
My 2006 Passat sedan came next, with a
CD player. I loved that car, which I’d bought all by myself, not a husband in
sight. It was the loss leader for a dealership outside of Boston. They kept
trying to steer me to something higher end, but no, I didn’t want
leather seats, and no, I didn’t need their finance package or insurance.
Then we found a used 2009 Infinity SUV,
much fancier than we’d have been able to afford if it was new, so this one was
outfitted a CD deck that held 6 CDs at once. And yes, we still have that car
and it waits for us in Florida.
However now I’m driving my leased 2025 Honda CRV. With no deck – tape or CD – and no way to play the music I’d gathered
over the years. This is progress?
Fortunately, I had transferred much of
the CD collection to my last laptop. Good thing, since the stupid laptop I have
now doesn’t even have a CD drive. And miraculously, we figured out how to move
that file (that I didn’t realize I’d saved) from the new laptop to my phone and
thus now I can Bluetooth that into my car.
But these went out with the trash last
week.
You probably weren't the only one to go through those phases of music.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of still there - I just have nothing to play them on.
DeleteYes, I've now ditched the last of my cassettes, but I still have all my CDs and continue to add to them. Just call me Dino Debra!
ReplyDeleteWhen I had my 2009 Subaru Forester, it had a deck for one CD. I thought that was the greatest thing ever. Then when I got my 2018 Rav4, the car I still have now, there was no CD player. The salesperson showed me how to bluetooth my phone to the car's stereo system. I was amazed. Then, on one of the first days I had the car, I got a call on my cell phone, and I noticed it was coming through the car's stereo. I could answer without my phone! I was astounded. Vinyl records, to 8 track tapes, to cassettes, to CDs to digital music. It is dizzying!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm wondering how I raised two kids without a cell phone.
DeleteSame here, but we managed!
DeleteWell, those are some memories! I remember when anybody who was anybody (including myself) had a case of cassette tapes in their car... along with cigarette lighters and ashtrays.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wonder when cupholders started showing up instead?
Delete