“Learning from my Nightmare Car”
Hey there, have you ever had something in your life that frustrated you to no end? Something that was a real pain, but when you finally managed to get rid of it, you realized you’d grown a ton from the experience? That was me with my first car.
I used to call my car “Monster,” and boy, did it live up to that name. I’ve always heard the phrase, “you get what you pay for,” and I really learned the hard way with Monster. The car was a halfsies deal between me and my parents, each of us chipping in $1,200.
The first week with Monster was dreamy until it started to squeal bizarrely. That was my debut into the world of alternator belts. Every three months, like clockwork, Monster demanded a new one. Monster had a taste for tires too, giving me more flat tires than anyone should experience.
There was plenty more that came with owning Monster! I’ve sweated bullets seeing smoke billowing from under the hood while cruising down the highway or being stranded alone in the woods. I’ve had to trek through the woods to the closest house to borrow a landline phone – this was back during the early cell phone days when they were often forgotten, uncharged, or simply had no signal.
I also gleaned some judgment skills, learning when to decline stepping into a stranger’s home even when they were being cordial and letting me use their phone. Although likely harmless, honing your instinctive safety sense is crucial.
Another steep lesson – a car can become a money pit. If you’re not careful, you could end up spending so much on repairs and maintenance that you could’ve just bought another car.
Farewell to the Monster days, but I must admit, I learned a lot. If I ever have kids, I’d probably encourage them to get their own “Monster.” They could learn a lot and hey, at least with the future’s super advanced cell phones, they should be able to track me down when they need help!
So, did your first car throw any tough lessons your way, that now feel like blessings in disguise?