Car Reveal
Welcome Home Stormi!
Photo Cred to Henry Chapman
The wait is over! I finally have a new car. If you’ve been following along via Instagram then #RIPPurpleRain should ring a bell. If not let me back it up a little.
Christmas of 2017 my parents surprised me with my first car, a 2007 Ford Edge and I loved it! The car was black in low light but when the sun hit it lit up purple, hence Purple Rain. Despite its age, the car had been in incredible condition with low mileage.
Phot Creds to Henry Chapman
There were no serious issues with Purple Rain other than the occasional new battery and wheels. Everything was smooth sailing until August of 2022 when my car stopped on me in the turning lane of a busy intersection!! My dad and a kind bystander rescued me and helped push the car out of the street to safety. After multiple opinions, the prognosis was that I needed a new engine. The best we found was a refurbished one for $4,000 and my little pocketbook was wore out!! At this point purchasing a new car was not an option, so a new engine it was.
Fast forward a month later, I get Purple Rain back and she’s good as new! All was well until one afternoon on my way to class. As I’m crossing through an intersection a car opposite of me turned in front of me and I hit the car.
Was I hurt in the accident? No
Was I at fault in the accident? No
But was Purple Rain okay? Also, No 😩
Purple Rain was totaled and she wasn’t coming home.
The good news was that my family had a spare car so I had a means of transportation. The bad news was that I definitely was going to have to buy a car sooner than I’d thought.
Luckily, I’d gotten a nice check from the insurance company for Purple Rain but nearly HALF of that went back to my parents since they’d covered the cost of the engine. SOO the saving game begun.
My goal was to put $10,000 down on my next vehicle. I’d gotten $5,000 from the insurance so I needed to save $5,000 more. Over the next few months, I saved about half of my income and put up whatever extra came in. I’d also saved all the money I was gifted from friends and family for my graduation.
By January of 2023, I’d reached my goal (and then some)!
And now to the fun began!
While I was insistently saving I was also knee-deep in car research. The Rav 4 had always been at the top of my list. The new body build was sleek! But I wasn’t sold just yet. To aid in my search I made a list of qualities I wanted in my new car.
Car Wishlist…
Mid-sized SUV
Eco-friendly- preferably a hybrid
2020 or newer
Panoramic Sunroof
Wireless CarPlay
Digital Dash
And “leather seats”
After some research, The Mazda CX-50, Hyundai Tuscon, Kia Sorento, Chevy Blazer, and of course the Rav 4 were all great. The most stylish of the group was definitely the Blazer but the interior felt dated and was super expensive! Another big contender was the Sorento but it was also out of the budget and had lots of logistical problems. In the end, the Rav 4 had the best reviews. It's the best-selling SUV in the country for a reason 😉.
Now I had to find the car. Looking at the auto market the current predicament was that used cars were just as expensive or cost MORE than new cars! So we went the new route. The largest issue I encountered with buying new was the limited inventory. The Rav 4 was so popular that most dealerships were selling the cars before they even hit the lot! I knew that if I was going to get my dream car anytime soon I’d need to do the same.
To give myself some more options, I widen my area of search and let a couple of things go from my wishlist. I would go anywhere to get this car! And to my surprise, I found the car configuration I wanted in Jackson, TN. There would still be a wait for the car but I applied anyway and got approved. After putting a deposit down on the car the waiting game began. 6 weeks later I go the call, my baby was finally ready!
A 2023 Toyota Rav4 XLE Premium AWD. Whew, that’s a mouthful but isn’t she prettyyyy.
Welcome home Stormi!
Photo Creds to Henry Chapman
