Pretty easy to say when you are from Portland...

We became a two car family yesterday or rather, a car and a truck/suv owning family and both are paid off and our insurance rates are not onerous as we do not use the vehicles for commuting.

I am probably not average and needed something to carry shop supplies and also serve as a camping / fishing / winter vehicle so purchased a used, but very well maintained, and nicely equipped Jeep Cherokee for cash.

I was also looking at 4-Runners which are one of my favourite vehicles of all time (I drove an '86 for 500,000 km) although in comparison, Jeep invented the genre and really knew how to build a utilitarian vehicle... there just aren't as many 4-Runners here in Jeep country.

I guess that now I am one of those driver's that cyclists will judge harshly because of what I drive.