I don’t like cars. That may be an unpopular opinion in car-centric America, but I don’t care. I don’t find them interesting at all, unless we’re considering how to make them as clean and non-polluting as possible. So when my 2007 Toyota Prius finally bit the big one last month at over 325,000 miles, I was kind of surprised that I had some feelings about it.
As it turns out, those feelings were less about the car and more about the staggering amount of life and activities that took place involving that car, which at some point got nicknamed “Blueboy” (my failed attempt to invent ways of winning Punch Buggy games against my daughter).
Blueboy had been around for 17 years. It took us on many vacations in various places around the country. It got my daughters to dance classes and me to thousands of musician gigs. It was eaten in, puked on and cried in. It had heard singing, screaming, serious discussion and goofy nonsense. It was crashed, it hauled lumber, and had even rescued a kitten.
Is this unique? No (well, maybe the lumber hauling and kitten rescue). But as Blueboy’s death saga developed over the past several weeks, I found myself reflecting more than usual on the past 17 years of its life; more accurately, of my own life.
My daughters were in school when we bought it brand new. Now that Blueboy is in the junkyard, both are fully functioning adults in their mid-twenties. In the end, the death of Blueboy is just another reminder that my wife and I are fully in the empty-nest stage of parenting.
I’m no hater- there are plenty of empty nest aspects that I really enjoy, but the obvious downside is that we don’t see the kids as much as we want to. Lion King fans may say this is all part of the circle of life, and it is, but that doesn’t mean I can’t complain about it a little bit.
Anyway, Blueboy’s demise provided a nice opportunity to reflect on the past 17 years, and it reminded us to make sure we keep moving into whatever’s next.
Rest In Peace Blueboy (2007-2024)
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325,000 …. Wow, that’s a long life. Good for you Todd. And yes that’s a lot of memories but now to start new ones.
Thanks Brian!
Love your blog and sorry for the loss of Blueboy. I can completely relate as my husband and I just became empty nesters this year. It’s amazing the memories tied to our vehicles. We have a couple of older cars that I am still hoping to get a couple more years from.
Thanks Vidah- long live the old cars and the memories!
Lowering my head in solemn respect to Blueboy. May your memories live on forever! Truly, though – I’m with you all the way. Cars literally see and hear it all – especially as children grow into adults. So many moments and I love what you said, …”circle of life… but that doesn’t mean I can’t complain about it a little bit.” Right on, Todd! 😎
😁 Thanks Victoria- who says it doesn’t do any good to complain?
Right-o! With you all the way! 😉😎😉
What a beautiful tribute for a family member of a sort! Oh, the life lived within those four doors. Great piece, Todd!
Thanks Wynne! 🙂
Oh poor Blueboy! What a nice nickname for such a great life companion!
Haha thanks Cristiana! He was a good quasi-family member 🙂
I had similar feelings as we watched the car both of our daughters learned to drive in get hauled away. Like you, I’m not into cars but it felt like a piece of our history was gone forever. RIP Blueboy!
That’s a great way to describe it Michelle!
That’s a long, well, lived life for a car! My 2008 Mazda 6 has almost 210,000 miles, and I intend on keeping it in good shape to hopefully get to 300,000!
Keep rolling Mazda! 💪🏻🚗😎
That car would be filled with memories. I found a kitten in my car engine way before we had kids. I kept hearing meowing and I ended up with a new pet.
Wow! 🤯 What a great story!
👍🏼
Our machines do hold memories for us. Thanks for sharing yours. I have a golden chariot 2002 Honda Accord with a slight dent from the previous chariot driver. I look at it as a mark of ‘character’ befitting an older machine. I’m hoping to drive it until I can’t see the road. Perhaps I’m just dreaming since it’s now over 312,000 km worth of stories.
Wow! Killer mileage!
Wow. Sounds like my car, a Saturn (GM). It was my dad’s pride and joy and he took very good care of it… I ‘inherited’ it when he lost his driving privileges (Parkinson’s) and I’m still driving it. It’s a 2003… But very low mileage.
Rest in peace, Blueboy. Sounds like you had a lovely, long life.
Wow- 2003 and still going!👍 We had a Saturn before the Prius and it did really well.
I love this tribute to your Prius, Blueboy. I have similar situation with my SUV. Not near that mileage, but she’s 13. Holds a lot of sentimental value for me.
Hope she keeps rolling for quite awhile!
13 but low mileage sounds like she’ll be good for a long while yet 👍🙂
Todd, yes, as Wynne said, when an old car travels through life’s ups and downs with the you, they do become “a family member of a sort”. Your story in honor of Blueboy brings back so many beloved old vehicles/memories. Did you ever read “Hesperus” as a child? Oh I cried when he gave out after carrying a huge family to and fro. I named my blue VW Bug after him years later. From Hesperus to An old Ford Van named Hamlet, chapters of a book unfold.
This is a treasure! ❤️
Deb
Thanks Deb! I love your car names – we didn’t set out to name ours, it just kind of happened that way 🙂 I’m not familiar with Hesperus but it sounds like a good one to check out.
I’m not sure it’s still in print. Unfortunately, my dad took the beaten up copy from when he was a child to have it rebound and passed away not long after. I never could find it. But it’s imprinted on my heart. Hesperus…❤️ 🚗
“Blue Boy” is such a cool name and even cooler how it symbolizes the cycle of your family life.
Thanks Parisa! 🙂
I completely understand! I was surprised to find myself feeling emotional when our previous car (Ford Focus -03) was taken away, even though we only had it for about four years, and I’ve never been much of a car person. I wouldn’t have expected to have such a reaction, so I surprised myself! On the other hand, I easily develop strong emotional attachments to things, and memories and reminiscing are a big part of my life, being the sentimental person that I am. There’s a lot of life lived in a car, much like in a home!
That’s true- a house and a car do share some similarities!
Blue Boy Blues: (Verse 1)
Well, I woke up this morning, with tears in my eyes,
My Blue Boy’s gone, met his demise.
Thirty-four thousand miles, we roamed these streets,
Now he’s hauled off, where rust and sorrow meet.
(Chorus)
Oh, Blue Boy, my faithful friend,
You carried us through, till the very end.
Now you’re in the junkyard, where dreams decay,
I’ll miss you, old buddy, in every single way.
(Verse 2)
From soccer practice to Sunday drives,
You were there for us, kept our hopes alive.
With your worn-out seats and cracked windshield glass,
You were more than a car, you were part of our past.
(Chorus)
Oh, Blue Boy, my faithful friend,
You carried us through, till the very end.
Now you’re in the junkyard, where dreams decay,
I’ll miss you, old buddy, in every single way.
(Bridge)
The memories we made, in that trusty old ride,
Now just faded echoes, of a time gone by.
But I’ll hold onto those moments, like treasures untold,
And remember you fondly, as the years unfold.
(Chorus)
Oh, Blue Boy, my faithful friend,
You carried us through, till the very end.
Now you’re in the junkyard, where dreams decay,
I’ll miss you, old buddy, in every single way.
(Outro)
So here’s to you, Blue Boy, may you rest in peace,
In that scrapyard of dreams, where all troubles cease.
Though you’re gone from this world, your memory stays strong,
Forever in my heart, where you truly belong.
Hahaha Chuckster this is excellent! Thanks for the tribute to BlueBoy! 🤩 I can almost hear the tune for it.😎😎
goo bye blue boy with thousand of memories
I read the Bye‑Bye Blueboy post and it was a pretty honest, personal take on how the author feels about cars and car culture. The writer opens by admitting they just don’t connect with cars the way many people do, calling out that it might be an unpopular opinion in a place that often celebrates vehicles and road enthusiasm. They talk about that lack of interest in a straightforward way, which gives the post a reflective, almost self‑aware tone rather than a technical or gear‑head discussion.
What I found interesting is how that perspective shows there are lots of different ways people relate to vehicles, whether it’s passion, practicality, or something neutral like they describe here. It got me thinking that even small practical touches can make a difference for people who do care about their ride. For example, using mini truck seat covers is a simple upgrade that keeps your seats clean and protected, especially if you are on the road a lot or use your vehicle for work. It isn’t flashy, but it adds comfort and durability in everyday use, much like a thoughtful accessory you might appreciate once you try it.
Thank you for reading and commenting Evans! Your comment is right – it turns out I really do connect with cars, at least with that one, but in a different way.