I didn’t get my first car until the summer I was nineteen. I’m a late bloomer in a lot of ways, and driving was one of them. I was more appreciative of that old sedan more than other kids would be of a sports car at sixteen. Nothing hones gratitude like going without.
For me a car of my own meant freedom and opportunity. I didn’t need to arrange for rides to work or school, and I could live away from home for college. I’d moved back home to Tennessee from Boston and missed the cheap and efficient MBTA system.
While the “T” in Boston made me feel like a worldly cosmopolitan, the public transportation system in Knoxville made me feel like I was on the last bus to Pig Knuckle Holler. A car was a must.
Now my boys are about that age and living away from home for the first time. They are back in the same town in Tennessee where I went to college, and subject to less-than-reliable transportation.
My sons are men: they want a car that is cool and has a great system for their electronics. Also, one of my kids is so directionally impaired he needs a GPS to point out east at sunrise. A built-in navigation system would be a nice option for him (don’t tell him I said that; like
he reads his mother’s blog).
My sons are my precious children: I want them to have a car built with high standards for quality and safety. I would surround them in bubble wrap and fluffy feather pillows if I could, but not automobile manufacturer don’t offer that option yet.
I’ve been window-shopping the Kia Forte. The Forte EX has an “Infotainment” system that gives you hands-free control of your phone and music system. Also, there’s an optional voice-command navigation system so there’s no getting lost on the way to the library.
For my peace of mind, the Kia Forte has dual front airbags, side airbags in the front, and side curtain airbags for front and rear seating. And that’s the next best thing to bubble wrap.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
We just bought the Kia Forte – I’m writing my post about it right now. LOVE IT.
Shoot me a link when it’s up, Jessica!
I so didn’t get my first car until I was 17 1/2 so I feel ya there. I had to pay half and my parents paid the other half and insurance IF I kept the “good student discount”.
I had a Chevie Caprice – those old style cop cars – huge boat of a car. I could fit a lot of people in there and that made me cooler than I deserved. 🙂 My parents liked it because if you tried to go over 70 mph the car would shake and rattle.
I think every kid should start out with a land barge of American steel that they helped pay for. It should be ugly, slow, and safe.
I know nothing about that car but my 17-year-old Tay was left money by her late grandfather and she bought a two-year-old Altima. It’s a very chicky car and she likes it, so. It’s also safe and she’s a decent driver for a teenager.
I have one cautious male driver and one who is too comfortable. They’ve both been safe drivers so far, so I hope that record stands.
Just two more to train!