I love to drive. I actually don’t mind the one-hour commute to Baltimore each day during the week. But that love is being tested.

First of all, there are the gas prices. You know the drill – too much money, ripping us off, alternative fuels, yada, yada, yada.

Just like everyone else, I gape in amazement when I see a station has pushed its prices up 10 cents a gallon in a day. You can bet they haven’t lowered the price of hot dogs inside, helping us all make ends meet better. That would be a nice gesture.

I just fill up and move on, however, I don’t even really look for the best deal anymore because it’s becoming silly. I might spend a whole week’s salary just trying to find a station where I can save 30 cents on a tank of gas.

I have the most sympathy in this situation for my car. The girl is getting up there in years – she turned seven last December. She should be getting discounted gas because of her age.

I recently had her in for inspection. She came through OK for the most part, but she failed emissions the first time around.

With more than 166,000 miles on her, I’m not surprised. She’s like an old man who doesn’t seem to care if he breaks wind in a crowded room. My car has seen it all and feels like she can do whatever she wants, whenever she wants.

I did take her in and get things fixed just in time for Earth Day, though. I can’t let her think she can get away with whatever she wants. I just need to keep an important secret from her.

I’m going to replace her.

Yeah, this is a pretty emotional time. I knew that this inspection would be her last because we will pay off our other car later this summer.

I mostly pretty excited. First off, I will probably get better gas mileage when I get a new car. The old girl does pretty well for someone her age, but a new engine will hopefully save me some cash.

Secondly, I’ll get to add some goodies I couldn’t afford seven years ago when I bought this car, like a sunroof.

I’m not sure what else I might add. I do know that built-in XM Radio will be a necessity for my new car. But I just like having the freedom to decide the kinds of gadgets that will keep me company for 10 hours a week for the next six or seven years.

My current car has served me well in this area. She started out with my commute to York, and then suffered through my hellish trips to downtown Baltimore. She even survived my final season coaching wrestling in Carroll County.

For the most part, she shows her age well. Only I notice the carpet coming away from the floor on a few places and the way she doesn’t take a corner like she used too.

She doesn’t even know what’s going to happen. I know I’ll miss her when the day comes.

But I’m sure power seats and a six-speaker sound system can make me forget the pain.