New Drivers Get More Than Sticker Shock

We all remember getting into our very first car

, whether we were 16 or 20 the thrill of auto ownership lasts a lifetime. I remember mine was an orange Honda Civic; I was a twenty years old attending college when my parents bought my first car for me. I loved that car, I cleaned it, washed it and babied and played hard in it. It was mine and I could go when and where I wanted. I had always had access to one of the family cars but ownership was the best. I still remember going for my first solo ride in my little orange car, we lived in Southern California at the time in a small town North of Los Angeles. It was a good day. I am sure one of my first adventures in it was going to the beach.

I remember I used to enjoy seeing how my little orange car could climb. My friend Cheryl and I would take the Civic off-road on dirt mounds. It was an impressive climber. We had a lot of fun cruising around listening to Foreigner, the Stones, Cheap Trick, and a little Willy and Waylon. Those were good, carefree days. I remember the day I put gas in it for the first time, I pulled up to the pump all proud of my car, but unfortunately, I didn't know which side the gas was on and pulled up the wrong way. I wasn't even sure how it worked but soon I was a pro. Gas was around $1.25 at the time and I thought $12.00 to fill up the tank was a lot of money.

I was spoiled, my parents took care of the insurance and repairs, but when I got married shortly thereafter, they were all mine. My brother had an old Mazda, I can't remember the model, but he was forever buying GM Parts for his car and working on it. Our garage was a cemetery for old car parts. He loved his car too, but I was certainly glad mine didn't require as much work. GM parts lay strewn around, but the experience he gained has saved him many expenses through the years, my parents were smart to teach him car repairs young.

Car ownership is wonderful, maintenance, insurance; parts and gas aren't as exciting. The cost mounts but who ever said that freedom and independence comes cheap?

by: Art Gib

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