In defense of IE6

I've got a Honda CRV. It's eleven years old. It's rusty around the bonnet, the electric windows are sticky and the exhaust is noisy. That's OK. It's been reliable, hardly serviced and as I only drive it a few miles about twice a week, it does everything that I need it to do. I'll probably drive it until I can't drive it anymore.

I could replace it if I wanted too, but why bother? Really?

Some people are not as fortunate as I am. They can't afford to buy a new car (especially these days), no matter how much they want to. Some people use a company vehicle, so upgrading their runaround isn't something that they can control. That I'm not in a hurry to exchange my wheels doesn't matter that much, unless of course you make or sell cars. Then you really want me to upgrade.

A car showroom could offer me incentives of course, but if I'm not a qualified buyer, no no-money down, zero interest finance plan is going to change that. The fact that finance is cheap or free, new features and better comfort or the smell of a new motor aren't going to convince me either. I'll buy when I'm damn well ready.

Imagine how I'd feel if tomorrow I rolled up to fill up at my local garage, to find that the only petrol I could buy was for more modern bangers, or that the gas I could buy would noticeably deteriorate my car's performance. I'm not just talking about a few notches on the speedo, I'm talking about making my motor plod along at five miles per hour. How happy would I be? Not very. How pissed would I be if the designers of modern cars had not considered my needs and offered me the ability to carry on driving, albeit at a slightly reduced speed?

It could be worse. If I'd missed the photocopied sign, Selotaped to the pump, the one warning me that my car was too old for high-octane, low lead, hydrogen infused wonder fuel, when ten miles down the road with smoke billowing and big-end rattling, I'm going to think that either it's my fault or that my car is broken.

I know that my old Honda will never perform as well or be as comfortable as a new car, that the experience of driving it is not up to modern standards. I know that one day I will be forced to put my hand deep into my pocket. But I should be free to make that choice on my terms, not have it dictated by others.