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I recently bought a car. A used one of course, I’m still a student after all!

My experiencing with cars has been kind of diabolical. While I am lucky to have been able to use cars that have been handed down through the family, my one earlier experience with purchasing a vehicle was an unmitigated disaster.

I purchased what I thought was a decent car and an even better price – well below what I was expecting to pay. It was mere hours later when I realised that the car itself was not mechanically sound: there were significant issues with the transmission that affecting the driving experience, and the engine itself was prone to simply cut out when driving along, lurching passengers forward in a very dangerous manner.

So began a month or so of protracted back and forth with the dealership while I, first, tried to get the car repaired, and eventually decided to just ask (or rather demand!) a full refund. I wanted nothing to do with them, cars in general or such major life decisions – the experience all round was just too stressful.

Since then, I have a great fun with my Grandpa’s old car. Though 20 years old, it has been meticulously cared for, and has served me well. However, like all things, it is coming to the end of it’s life, so I have been looking online for a new (used) car for the past few months.

I landed on what appears to be a particularly reliable and affordable options, trying my best to learn my lessons of the earlier experience. It remains true that I find these big life decisions (particularly those involving considerable expenditure) pretty stressful and generally thought consuming. This has also driven me (get it!) to choose what I hope to be the most sensible, practical and reliable option I could find, in the hopes that I can be done with the pressure.

Wish me luck!