New Wheels

Today is a big day - I take possession of a new car I bought. (The car in the photo is not exactly my car, but the same make and model.)

It's kind of a big deal for me. This will only be the fourth car I've ever owned as an adult. Examining the process I undertook to obtain each vehicle is an interesting progression of my own learning and independence.

My very first car was a black 1988 Pontiac Sunfire. (Edited: It was actually a 1988 Sundance. Thank you Dan for noticing my slip-up!) I shared the car with my sister and to be honest, I don't remember when or how we got the car at all. We both lived at home and attended university so co-owning the car was not a hardship. (I went to York but took the TTC; my sister went to UTSC and drove, even though she was closer.) I kept the car when I got married and the only reason I got a different vehicle was because the baby seat couldn't fit in the car. Instead of getting a new car seat, we got a new car!

My second vehicle was a tan 1997 Chevy Venture van. I got it in 2000. My father played a huge role in finding the van and arranging to buy it. He was the main negotiator for me. (This is partly why it makes me a bit sad to see that he's not the same "lion of a man" that he was when he was younger.)

I had to replace my van when the engine block died in 2010. It was deader than dead and with two kids and a full-time job, it was a quick 1-2 weeks of searching because I didn't want to be without wheels. This time, I was the primary searcher. I have to admit, however, that I did not do a very thorough job of investigating or researching - this is a bit surprising, considering that I am a teacher-librarian. Researching is supposed to be what teacher-librarians do very well! I picked my third car, a 2009 red Kia Rondo because a) I liked the colour, b) it was roomy (seating 7), and c) it was "cute".

I owned my third car for nearly ten years. We drove it everywhere, including to Maryland back and forth for summer holidays. That small but mighty little car clocked a lot of mileage - nearly 240 000 km! I took better care of my Kia Rondo than I did my Chevy Venture, partly because I found a mechanic that I trusted. (As my brother pointed out, this care did not always extend to the interior - he's strongly encouraged me to schedule regular cleaning, vacuuming, and dusting with this new car.) Due to its age, the Rondo started to need more significant repairs, and it wasn't operating as well as it had been. (See my blog post on tracking my car's behaviour to try and diagnose the problem.) Eventually, I had to concede that it was better to get another car.

The steps I took to get this car demonstrated that I learned a bit from my previous experiences. I think that the process can even apply to things like school assignments or projects. What did I do differently, that I was pleased about changing?

1) I took a longer time to investigate.

This time, I took about 4 weeks to look into different cars. I didn't rush the process. In fact, it was my original intent to buy the car in 2020 itself after months of looking. My current car just decided to act up more aggressively than usual, prompting a speedier decision.

2) I researched details and organized the information I collected.

My husband and I read articles. I knew my personal criteria - sedans are too small for me and SUVs are too big, so I wanted something size-wise in-between - and I worked from there. When I discovered a make or model that I liked, James would search for car reviews online. I created a Google document tracking my top choices, as well as a notepad on my phone so I could immediately record information as I heard it. I even called my insurance provider to see how the car type would impact my payments.At first, I was only considering used vehicles, but my research showed me that I could afford a new version of the type I was interested in.  We looked further afield for cars once I narrowed down my choices to just two options. (If you are curious, my two final choices were a) a used Jeep Renegade, and b) a new Kia Soul.

3) I consulted with people whose opinions I respected 

(but I had to limit the number of experts I used).

I love my fellow teachers. Many colleagues were excited about my car buying adventure, but three in particular were very helpful, without telling me what to do. Steve Tong, Dean Roberts, and Renee Keberer were wonderful sounding boards. They shared their experiences buying cars in the past. They gave great advice. I couldn't listen to too many people, because there are just as many different views as there are people. The great thing about Steve, Dean and Renee was that they would pose questions or mention areas to examine - things like longevity, or upfront costs vs future costs.

I also had help from a very special person - Renee's son. He has encyclopedic knowledge of vehicles of all shapes and sizes because of his passion for cars. He went with me to several car dealerships and could recite details like the type of engine or transmission at the drop of a hat. 

4) I went out of my comfort zone (with support).

I am not a haggler. I dislike negotiating prices and deals because I feel like I am not knowledgeable enough and I worry that my demands might be unreasonable. With suggestions from Steve and Renee, I was actually able to make offers and counter-offers, on my own, and I believe that I got an excellent deal. (Believe it or not, I didn't take the lowest price; I thought that would be how I'd make my final decision, but Steve and Renee pointed out other factors I had to take into consideration that led me to my final choice.) At one point, one of the teachers said, "Why don't you just take Steve with you to the dealership and let him do the talking?" I'm glad I didn't. It felt like I put on my "big girl panties" and did a very adult thing even though it was difficult and stressful. I am very happy with the decision I made.

I had a great experience at several dealerships and I'd like to acknowledge and thank several people / locations.

Elijah Mohammed at Foster Kia - I appreciated Elijah's patience, knowledge and willingness to take time to connect as a person and explain things. He was confident and experienced.

April Summers at Bessada Kia - April was very persuasive and worked hard to get the best deal. She knew how to highlight the great features of the car in question and was friendly and not intimidating. (The photo below is similar to the actual car I bought - a space green Kia Soul EX.)

Isaac at Richmond Hill Chrysler - Isaac was honest and very easy to talk to. He was very respectful of other vendors and was very understanding. (The photo below is of the car I considered long and hard - a blue 2016 Jeep Renegade.)

I look forward to driving my new car - I've never owned a brand new car before - and I'll probably cry the first time it ever gets a scratch. As I said before, it was a stressful process because it's the second biggest purchase one can make (after buying a house), but I'm happy with the end result.