Monday, July 30, 2012

I Heart My Elantra


Several months ago, my dad told me that a co-worker of his was interested in buying my Lexus SUV. What made this weird was that it wasn't for sale. A while back I went through a phase of wanting a different car, then decided it was easier to stick with what I had. There was nothing wrong with my Lexus - it was purely a personal issue. My ex chose that car for me based on how easy it was to work on and whether it could carry a family of four on a trip. I liked it fine, but it wasn't really me, and obviously there was a lot of emotional baggage attached. I know a lot of single women choose to drive SUVs and beyond, but to me it felt like a mom vehicle, a constant reminder of what I'm not.

Having a potential buyer changed things. I started researching and took a few test drives. Just as I was getting really excited about the possibilities, the guy decided he didn't want my car after all. Womp womp. This situation repeated itself several times over the next few months. In the midst of the disappointments, I fell in love with the Hyundai Elantra. By then it was clear that no dealer would give me anything close to what my Lexus was worth, and I needed the full value to help me make a big down payment on a new car. So I stuck to my guns, listed and re-listed my car on Craigslist, and kept driving longingly past the Hyundai dealership.

A week ago today, I confessed to a friend over lunch that I felt discouraged and rejected on every front of my life. At the end of the list of things that aren't working out was, "I can't even sell my car." The very next morning, I got an e-mail from a potential buyer and I could tell she was serious. On Tuesday evening, my dad and I met with her and she said she'd take it! On Wednesday, after searching all the Hyundai dealerships within a three-hour radius, I found THE CAR at Downtown Hyundai in Nashville. It was a 2013, fully loaded, and the perfect shade of Tiger blue, a color I hadn't seen offered on the Elantra before. I negotiated a great price over e-mail, and she locked it in. On Friday, I sold the Lexus, and on Saturday morning, my parents drove me to Nashville to pick up the new car.


I am head over heels for this car. I'm pretty sure cartoon hearts were hovering around my head when they led me into the showroom. I never planned to have a brand new car, but as a single woman who's out and about a LOT, I really appreciate the safety, reliability and peace of mind that a new car brings. (Hyundais have a 100,000 mile warranty and five years of free roadside assistance.) I won't have to worry about anything blowing up on me for a long time. I don't have to wonder if the car is a lemon or what happened to it before I had it. I also sprang for all the bells and whistles because I expect to keep it for most, if not all, of its life. This purchase might look indulgent and irresponsible, but I can afford it, and I think it was the right thing to do for me right now.


Here's the car at home. Isn't it beautiful?? I'm still deciding what to call it. It makes sense to name it after a Tiger (I'm leaning toward D.J.), but I also found myself calling it Blue Ivy. (I do like Beyonce and Jay.)

I know it's very spoiled and First World of me, but I see this car as a generous gift from God. I feel newly reassured that He hears me and hasn't forgotten me. It's a reminder that he can and does bring something out of nothing. Maybe my life has stalled out, but He can pull out the jumper cables at any time.

11 comments:

  1. I'm still SO excited that this worked out for you! And I take it as encouragement--God was working out all the details to get you THE car. If it had worked out before, maybe you wouldn't have gotten that blue or your sun roof or something else. But everything worked out perfectly because God was working in ways you couldn't see. And I think it's that way with the rest of your life, too. God loves you and cares for you and this is one sign of it.

    (I hope this doesn't come across as preachy. I'm just really encouraged by this.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the new car! I'm so happy you were finally able to get it. I know car purchases are much better when it's everything you want, especially given that you want to keep it a long time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Its a beautiful car! I am so so happy for you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the color. Congratulations on this exciting new part of your journey!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Super exciting! I love your thoughts about the whole process. Enjoy the ride ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Awesome! I'm glad everything worked out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm so excited for you!!! It's such a huge decision to buy a new car, and I know you've been wanting the Elantra for a long time, so I'm glad it finally worked out! I can totally understand, as a single woman the security in having a safe car, with roadside coverage.

    I've been feeling the same way about my SUV for a long time now (I bought a bigger car because Tricia was pregnant with Jaden, and I knew we would be doing lots of traveling around, and we did, during his early years, but not so much now. I have a mom car, but I'm the mom to three cats who never leave the house. My car is paid off, and it runs great, the interior is a little warn, but otherwise it's just fine, so I've told myself many times that I should just stick with it. I'm doing so much more driving now though, with my new job, so I feel more justified to have something newer and something with a warranty. I can't always rely on my dad being available if something happens along the road. I have my eye on the Hyundai Veloster for a while...but I haven't test driven one yet. :)I'm thinking that I might get something newer in 6 months when I get my next raise. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Don't worry about the potential misperception of this seeming irresponsible or indulgent. If you can afford it, then it is neither. It is perfectly okay to choose to spend your money on whatever you want. And the benefit to being independent, is that you don't have to justify it to anyone at all. Plus, this is how the free market works...you earn money...spend it on what you want...and that action alone creates jobs/income for other people...the people that built the car, the person that sold the car, etc...and in turn they go spend their money on whatever they want. Maybe a vacation...see where I'm going with this?

    Congrats to you! I am SO EXCITED for you! It's a beautiful car and I LOVE the blue. But more importantly, I am glad you LOVE it. That's what matters. (Seriously, I can almost see those cartoon hearts over your head in the pics. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for all the nice words everyone! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think you made the right decision to sell your Lexus and purchase another one, even though your previous car doesn’t have any problem at all. It’s easier to sell a car that still looks brand new, and you can have a good trade off out of it, which happened with your Elantra. You must have been very happy that you finally have a brand new car that fits your style and needs. I hope it’s still in condition until now. Drive safely always! ->Basil Glenn

    ReplyDelete

  11. The buyer was pretty lucky with your car because it seemed like you took care of that car very well even though you personally didn't like it. And since it's a Lexus, I'm certain that it will serve the new owner longer than he thought, if he'll just take care of it the way you did. Anyway, glad you found the car that you really love driving. Keep safe and always buckle up!
    Prince Moss @ Lexus of An Arbor

    ReplyDelete