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$2,000 ...

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I bought my own first car when I was 18 years old. From the time I was 15, I worked part time jobs after school and saved my money for three years. It seemed like it had been forever. 

I purchased a car from my uncle for $2000. I sure was proud of that thing. It was used. It was orange. A stick shift. A Honda Civic hatchback or 3 door, as some would call it. It wasn’t fancy. The air did not work but the windows rolled down just fine. Dad had put an eight track tape player in it for me so I was excited about that.  Besides, it would get me from point A to point B and that’s all I really needed.

I was absolutely tickled that I no longer had to have someone take me to work or borrow my parents car. I felt that I had “arrived” at my place in this world. 

I remember one day backing out of the carport for work, I could not get the car to go forward… It would drive perfectly in reverse but I couldn’t get the thing to go forward to save my life. Dad was not home to help, but a neighbor saw me struggling. He realized at first glance that my emergency brake was on. He released the brake and I was amazed that the problem was solved.

I put gas in it every week. I washed it and cleaned it out often. But I was not prepared for what happened next.

I was on Broad Street in Selma,  at the red light in front of Brown Drug Company. My car stalled. It went dead. It would not crank back up. A couple of gentleman helped me push my car out of the road into the parking area at the drugstore. I had to get a ride home. 

That afternoon my dad and one of his friends went back to get my car but they were unsuccessful. He had it towed for me to a nearby repair shop where I got devastating news. My car had vapor locked. The engine had seized. Of course, I did not know  what that meant except for the fact that I would never be able to drive it again. I was devastated. I had my car and was so proud of it for an entire two months. $2000… Down. The. Drain. 

I cried endlessly for what seemed to be an eternity.

I was able to recover $500 from that car by selling it to a junkyard then started saving my money all over again. 

I learned a few lessons back then that have stuck with me since. 
  1. You don’t always get what you pay for. 
  2. Sometimes you get exactly what you pay for. 
  3. It could’ve been worse. 
  4. Don’t take anything for granted. 

In my 54 years I have had many vehicles. Each one of them I have paid for with my own money. Because of that, I have taken better care of them. Not only do I put gas in my vehicle every week and make sure that it’s clean both inside and out; I take my vehicle for regular service and maintenance check ups.  Yes, it is an expense, but one worth making.

I paid $2000 for my first car in 1983. I have since then considered it the down payment of one of life‘s biggest lessons. I needed that lesson, therefore, I don’t regret it. I’m just more cautious where I spend my money, that I’m purchasing something reliable, I’m getting the most out of my money and that I have AAA roadside service.

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