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Originally Posted by Arragonis
@RH77 I'm confused (easily done) how many cars do you have ?
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We have 3 (and to reply to some of the other comments)...
1998 Acura Integra LS 3-Door 1.8L 4AT "The Project Car"
2006 Acura TSX Base 2.4L 5AT-M
2010 Honda Insight EX 1.3L/Hybrid CVT/7M
Early in our relationship and later in married life, my Wife kept driving the Integra while I had newer, sporty cars since it was my hobby (and she can't drive a stick). She bought the Integra new back in '97 and I inherited it after realizing that a 300-hp Mitsubishi EVO wasn't very practical -- EcoDriving was born.
An interim, high-mileage '99 Acura TL was bought for her to get to work and have room to get the folks around. Once the budget stabilized, we traded in for the TSX new in '06. A second 4-door was needed when our Son was born, so it my was turn to pick -- enter the Insight late 2010.
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Originally Posted by botsapper
My much older ride would NOT have fared as well.
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Originally Posted by botsapper
Another anecdote. Men usually commute with oldest and highest mileage horse in the barn. Wives/mothers get the biggest, spacious, latest, safest, and fully-equipped vehicles. They are the source of humankind and nurturer of our progeny.
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Much agreed. It's marginally safer to tote our little guy in the hybrid, with the curtain airbags and other safety stuff. The Integra is out-of-the-question unless emergency transport is needed.
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Originally Posted by cfg83
My wife can't drive stick so I get to drive my SW2 all the time. And yes, it's the beater. Technically I could get a better car but I don't want the debt and I don't like all the newfangled electronicos they are stuffing in new cars theze dayz.
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Simplicity is definitely something to appreciate. It's a treat to drive the TSX once in a while, since it has XM-Radio, heated seats, and and oomph, but that FE has been dropping steadily over the years -- I blame a crummy tire selection, a warped front undertray, and probably the need for tune-up. So it stays parked while I work the Integra for FE. But the Integra is familiar, simple to mod, repair, and experiment. But yeah, the long hatch slope for hauling robs FE at highway speeds. Fun fact -- we transported a CraigsListed outdoor playhouse (in pieces) in the Insight and Integra recently (with both hatches closed!)
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Originally Posted by daox
I just got my Prius back not horribly long ago. My wife used to be the one racking up all the miles. Now my commute is farther than hers
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This seems to be our trend, but rotational when school is out (plus, the District has an awesome pre-shool/daycare program for faculty and students-with-children, but it's closed for the Summer). My longest commute is 104 miles r/t to the airport combined with in-town work visits, which is longer than her Summer runs -- so we decided to swap. If work travel is >100 miles, we have to rent a car per company policy, so that keeps the miles off of the fleet in that case.
Speaking of the Prius, I got some feedback on the Insight yesterday (it was pretty hot out), "Your car gets really hot when it stops!". Yeah, auto-stop (with the "ECO" button engaged, often shuts everything down at 7mph down to zero). I know, I know, unlike the Prius that can do it all...
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Originally Posted by Frank Lee
Ah yes, the old men are expendable thing.
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I think it's because we choose to take that risk. But like lots of here, we like our old beaters. Look at the high-powered people that chose to keep it simpler: Mark Zuckerberg still drives his TSX he bought in 2005; Sam Walton drove an old Ford Truck until his last days, despite being a zillionaire.
My In-laws have role-reversal -- she drives an old Mercury Mystique with a busted motor mount, no A/C, Idle Air Control issues, carbon buildup, and well, is basically worn out -- but her commute is 5 miles r/t. Gramps drives around 30K a year in his Civic (160K on an '05). So the situation is not mutually exclusive to gender in all instances. (I would love to get that old Mercury and swap in a 5-speed and make it a project -- but it keeps plugging away).
The next follow-up question -- how many people are concerned about borrowing your modded car 
The power-steering removal on the old car often is a deal breaker. Then there's the manual TC-Lockup switch... People tend to not borrow that car.
RH77