A new set of wheels

You read that right! On Sunday, baby got herself a new set of wheels! Woo hoo! :)

Ok, here's the back story. On Friday, I was rushing out the door, running late as usual to a work meeting, and hopped in my car, a beloved black 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier that was my older brother's first (and only) car.

Beloved it may be, but when I went to start the engine, all I got was an odd vhmmm sound. Not even a hopeful click click click. Thus, I promptly went back inside and had my dad drive me to my meeting. (Only slightly embarrassing.)

I later had my dad and younger brother check out the car to see what was wrong and it turned out my battery was fine. But my starter was dead. A call to the dealer said a new starter would run me about $435 in parts and labor. This, coupled with the fact that I already needed new tires and have long been in dire need of a new car, made the decision for me: Time to go car shopping!

Fortunately, I'd been looking on and off for months, comparing different options in the "affordable small car" category. Many got vetoed on looks alone, I'll admit. Hey, if I'm spending thousands of dollars it better be pretty! Though highly rated, the Ford Fiesta felt like a tuna can. (Or sardine can? Either way, not good.) And I didn't like the handling of the Chevy Cruze. The Ford Focus was a bit out of my price range, as was the Mazda3...

Last year, when Hyundai redesigned the Sonata, I was totally smitten (as were automotive critics). But again, a bit out of budget. So when I learned that Hyundai similarly revamped their more affordable Accent, I was intrigued. On Saturday, I test drove the car at my local dealer and felt instantly comfortable behind the wheel. I liked the stylish exterior, the surprisingly roomy interior, the amazing mpg: 30 city, 40 highway! But I didn't like that the only Accent sedan on the lot was a Mocha Bronze color. Fast-forward to Sunday, the 'rents and I return to the dealer, ask if they can get the car in blue from another dealer (who we didn't want to deal with because of shady reviews), and a few hours later I am the proud owner of a new 2012 Hyundai Accent in Clearwater Blue!

I felt super nervous at the dealership-- I never bought a car before! But I have to say, the sales staff there made it a pleasant experience. They've already called me twice to see how me and my Accent are doing. And we're doing great! I love my new wheels and I think I made a good choice. Now, when it comes to donating my Chevy, I have no doubt I will shed a few tears-- I well up just thinking about it-- but that's another story for another day...

Till then, a few more photos!

What do you think? :)

Car lust

No joke, I was very tempted to buy one of these today:

The 2009 MAZDA6. It starts at $19,220. Mine would have a spoiler though.

I really did give it a lot of thought this past weekend, like, should I go down to a dealership tomorrow?

So why today, you ask? Well, because starting April 1, the sales tax in California goes up 1 percent. That's a lot of money when it comes to buying a car, money I would like to keep in my pocket. My car, a 1998 Chevy Cavalier, is getting pretty old and it has most definitely seen better days (before the 100,000 miles). And while I love it, my poor Chevy is simply falling apart and I'm not sure how much longer it can last. I actually wanted to buy a new car during the holidays but wasn't in the financial position to do so. About 4 months later, not much has changed. But the non-stop car ads that were urging me to buy before the end of the month almost swayed me. Unfortunately, I am going to have to let the good deals pass me by because I can't afford the $300+ car payment each month on top of my other bills. No zoom-zoom for me.

So what do you drive? Is yours about to die, like mine? And what are your thoughts on used cars?

P.S. I would settle for a Prius, too.

MAZDA6 image via Edmunds