My Bengal Buggy Is A Casualty Of The Cash For Clunkers Program

I loved my 95 Chevy Astro Van, aka The Bengal Buggy. I drove her 278,441 miles. She was always there for me.

The air conditioner wasn't working.

She took my family and friends to many Cincinnati Bengals games, even some road games. Her interior was decorated with "everything Bengals".

The cd changer wasn't working.

She took us on vacations, to all kinds of sporting events, concerts, shopping, numerous music gigs, and many other places. She pulled our bass boat to many lakes and creeks. Her sound system entertained us with the best jazz in the world. I had her outfitted with a cool Kenwood ham radio.

The power windows weren't working.

Her engine was still strong. I know she would have run for another 100,000 miles.


The brakes needed to be replaced.

The Cash For Clunkers Program was too tempting. A brand new car for less than $10,000...I just couldn't pass it up. Though I loved The Bengal Buggy, I sold her out by accepting the $4500 offered by the government program. Even after all she had done for my family and me over the past 14 years, I allowed them to take her to be destroyed. I am now in a grieving state of mind.

The battery needed to be replaced.

Oh well, we do have a new car. It gets 32 mpg. It will never be The Bengal Buggy, just a Nissan Versa, but it should get my oldest daughter through college and law school and still have plenty of miles left to drive by the time I get it back.

I have assigned our 1987 Chevy Nova (37 mpg) the duties formerly handled by The Bengal Buggy, though the Nova will never be referred to as "The Bengal Buggy". I have some Bengals interior decorating to do. Perhaps that will take my mind off of The Bengal Buggy's upcoming appointment at Baker Iron & Metal.