Buying My First Car

Having+your+own+car+makes+life+so+much+easier%2C+especially+if+your+life+is+a+constant+schedule.

“Having your own car makes life so much easier, especially if your life is a constant schedule.”

As a senior, there are so many things to be concerned about. Things like college, work, and money have become priorities in my life. I have become so distracted being a new member of the adult world that it seems like my teenage years have vanished before my eyes. To top off the pile of responsibilities, I am now buying my first car.

It is very important to have a guaranteed means of transportation if you are juggling school and work.  Buying a car is not as easy as waking up one morning and deciding you want to. Buying a car is a process that takes time and patience. As senior year is coming to an end, I am aware of how desperately I need an up- to -date vehicle. It will definitely give me some peace of mind to know that I have a reliable and mode of transportation.

t_06-10-12.15.42
“The search for cars begins just by a click away.”

I had no clue what to look for in a car. It was all so frustrating! I was an amateur when it came to vehicle model types.
The three things that I knew I was looking were sure a vehicle with low miles, a vehicle that was black, and that it was relatively new. My heart cried out for sports cars like Camaros, Mustangs, and Dodge Vipers, but unfortunately I had to step out of fantasy land.  I had to grasp the fact that my bank account could only afford vehicles that came with a cheaper price tag. The price had to fit my parents’ budget and mine too.

20160610_091418
“Senior Jocelyn loves flashing off her cherry red Cherokee Jeep, not only to her friends, but everyone around!”

According to a very close friend of mine, Jocelyne Zayas, “When having a new car, responsibility comes along with it. It was my responsibility to check up on it and make sure that everything was functioning okay, make sure it gets its inspections, and that it had plenty of gas every day. It also made me depend less on my parents for rides.  It made my life easier cause it took me places like to school and work, but it also helped to manage my money carefully. I always had to have side money for whatever could happen to my car. Overall, it is cool having a car, you worry less.”

Buying your first car is a big deal. I became so impatient at times that I would just frustrate myself even more! I desperately wanted a NEW car to call ALL MINE. My mother was the only one to accompany me on trips to the dealerships. I was less worried and more confident going with my mom. She observed and advised me on the vehicles, whether they were reasonable and worth buying. If she had not been with me on this adventure, I would have most likely chosen the wrong car for myself and would have regretted it in the future.

“My first car choice was not the best selection of them all, but I would rather have a crappy, old looking car than to have no car”, says Junior Samantha Hunts.

Screen+Shot+2014-09-04+at+10.47.11+AM
Visiting Dealerships after Dealerships              Photo Courtesy of Google

As we walked through the many rows of cars they had at the dealerships, we both began to slowly realize how many choices I had. It was so difficult when it finally came to deciding which car to get. When I fell in love with one particular car, my mother would help me weigh the pros and cons of all my options. Some of the vehicles I took a liking for were not the most suitable for young adults like me, but I just could not get my eyes off the really cool looking ones. As disappointing as it was for me to not be able to acquire my first choice vehicle, I was still okay in the end. The most important thing was purchasing a new car that was safe and could take me anywhere I pleased.

Surprisingly, in the end I did not receive a new car. My mother and I both came to an agreement and thought it was best for me to wait a bit longer before buying a new car. I am too reckless and irresponsible at the moment to own something so expensive and new like a vehicle. I guess I have no other choice but to stick with my 1995 Mitsubishi for now.  I am hoping this summer I can definitely buy myself a new car. This is not the end of my car buying process, it is just the beginning.