News

1994 Mitsubishi Pajero, $11,000

I don't enjoy driving. It's frustrating, expensive and environmentally hazardous. Not to mention that having a car is an open invitation for you to become the most artificially popular friend of your group.

Alas, driving is an occupational hazard for me, as my work has me in and out of cafés and restaurants at all ends of the city.

The environmental impact of owning a car weighs heaviest on my conscience, and in an effort to assuage my guilt I attempted to make a responsible decision when purchasing my next car.

Hybrids appeared too expensive, and the electric car apparently doesn't exist. So, instead, I imported a used 1994 Mitsubishi Pajero from Japan – one that happens to be easily converted to run on used vegetable oil.

When the car arrived, I was thrilled. It drove well and was in remarkable physical condition.

I quickly adapted to the steering wheel being on the right-hand side of the car – a result of its Japanese lineage – and was initially excited every time I climbed into my new ride.

That excitement quickly dissipated, however, when I started to notice the stares of curiosity and disapproval from onlookers.

I realized that the steering wheel's location seemed to be rather off-putting. I am now forced, every single day, to spend up to half an hour discussing why it isn't illegal – essentially answering the same questions over and over again.

Regardless, I still love the car. The conversion to veg oil is under way, and so I have no plans to get rid of the thing any time soon.

My only hope is that one day I will have explained it to every curious mind in the city and the questions will end.

Until then, I find myself riding my bike everywhere. It's just so much quieter.