Coche?

So Five and I are discussing whether or not to somehow purchase a car. Mostly because we have been using Zip Car (a service that allows you to reserve a car for a few hours that is sitting in your neighborhood that has prearranged insurance, gas, etc.) but its prices are kind of ridiculous. We spend $25 to use the car for the 2 hours it takes to get groceries. Not to mention that visits to my family several times a year cost close to $300 for a weekend rental. Other travel is largely hard to do without friends with vehicles--camping, visiting nearby cities, and friends. Also getting the dog to the veterinarian or ourselves to medical appointments further away than busing distance is difficult.

The car, if we were to get one, would only really serve these functions because on a day to day basis public transport and bicycling are going to be infinitely more convenient, cheaper, more appropriate, and keep the weight off. But I am leery of binding myself to more large scale commodities (beside the house). Also, the American obsession with automobiles leads to massive deaths--human sacrifice in late capitalism. Nevertheless, the need for occasional driving seems pretty important.