An adult activity

I am currently engaging in what I always considered a horribly grown-up, adult activity-- something I reserved for the distant age of 28, maybe 29.

I am buying my first car.

I expected to live in bulging metropolises numbering with no less than 5 million individuals until the responsibilities of a family or failing health or general insanity necessitated relocation to quieter grounds. That plan was off to a rocky start when I decided to move to a country the size of Jersey with a population of less than 7 million. Now, although I will be moving to Tel Aviv proper in the summer, the unfortunately rural-ish location of the new campus of the school and the general inaccessibility of the country outside the metropolises require that I invest in some form of mechanized mobility.

Why not a moped, you ask? Israel, while preserving many elements seemingly European in character, is not Europe at all. In Israel, you do not just pick up a cheap scooter and zoom around concerned only with the price of petrol. Use of a moped by a non-Israeli requires a motorcycle license, which requires 20+ individual lessons, which is an investment that occasionally exceeds the price of the scooter itself (> $1000). Then, after the laying down money for the license and the vehicle, insurance (required) on the motorized scooter is equivalent to the insurance of a car.

As a general rule, things in Israel are expensive. Cars, for example, carry 100% tax. One of the benefits of working as an overseas hire for the international school happens to be tax-free purchase of a vehicle. However, these privileges expire after 6 months of residence in the country. (I have been in Israel for just over 7 months.)

As a result, I have spent a significant amount of time scouring online databases for affordable secondhand cars. These databases, of course, are in Hebrew. That's ok, because most of the information is straightforward and it is easy to navigate after figuring out the main headings. Calling the owners and finding that they don't speak English, however, is not an obstacle that I can overcome with my skill set, which does not include Hebrew verbal fluency. Luckily, I have generous friends whose patience I hope not to deplete.

Anyways, if anyone has any advice about precautions to take when investing in a secondhand car (how old is too old? how many kms are too many?) or expertise in compact European cars, let me know. I am leaning towards a Volkswagen, Fiat or Peugeot. As for auto vs manual, I'm leaning towards buying a manual and just winging it on the roads. (joke, joke-- I know the basics of using a stick, and I'll practice.) Wish me luck.