Twenty days after I started on my new job, I started searching for a car. My budget was 15k, option - financing. I called / emailed all the Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Suzuki dealers within 30 miles and asked for price quotes. I received 9 calls on an average everyday form these dealers. All in vain!
A month passed, then two. I was still "carless"(mind u there is no e!!!). Thanks to the folks at home, I always got a ride when I needed one.
And then it all started again. This time I had decided I only wanted to buy a "sub compact or a compact". So, I started off with the following on my list:
1. Yaris (Toyota)
2. Aerio (Suzuki)
3. Sentra (Nissan)
4. Accent (Hyundai)
5. Corolla (Toyota)
First I test drove the Yaris. Frankly I hated it! The AT was so sluggish and the car seemed to have no power at all. But the look and feel of the car was just too cool. Everything except the engine was great in the Yaris. But looks weren't just good enough for me at that point. I wanted to go zoom!zoom!zoom! and I knew the Yaris wouldn't help me there. So out went the Yaris. Four more to go...
Next I tried the Sentra. The 125HP engine felt good...especially after driving the Yaris... but there was nothing cute or great about the car. The interior and design was just "ok". Still the good price and power of the engine kept it on my list.
I couldn’t find an Accent to test drive. The local dealership didn’t have it. But the main fact that made me drop the Accent was its 110 HP. If the Yaris with 105HP was so bad, I was sure the Accent wouldn’t be any better. There goes another option.
Down to three now...
The Aerio. I really do like this car. It’s got everything in it. 155HP engine, climate control, AWD, 6 CD changer that plays MP3, power doors and windows, cruise control...u name it and Aerio has it..that too for a very cheap price. The few drawbacks were...the look and feel is not so good. The interior looks to be made of cheap plastic and doesnt have elegance; very less MPG. With the gas prices soaring and with very less resale value, I had no choice but to drop the Aerio.
So, that left me with the Sentra and the Corolla. I didnt want to buy the Corolla. It’s so boring!!! Nothing exciting about it. Come on man...I'm planning to buy my first car...Y would I want to buy a COROLLA??????
I was so dissatisfied. I didn’t even want to test drive it and when I finally did, I hated the Corolla even more because it was the best I had driven in the last few days. I had this bad feeling that I would end up with the Corolla. I returned home and reflected over the happenings of the last 2 days. ok..the Yaris didn’t have much power but everything else was great. The MPG was spectacular. Ya right ...what more could you expect from a small car with a 105HP engine...anyways... The Accent was OUT! The Aerio was great but I was not ready to end up with a "fully loaded" car that would drain my purse with the escalating fuel costs and give me next to nothing when I sell it in a few years. So the Aerio was OUT too! Hmm the Sentra...good price...but nothing interesting about it. The Corolla...everything nice about it...except the fact that I hated it! Don’t ask me why....
I just didn’t like it!
Hey wait a minute....if I am ready to compromise on my likes and dislikes and get ready to buy the Corolla...then Y don’t I just compromise on the HP and buy the Yaris? ooooooooooh....good thought...interesting....You know what...I'm buying the Yaris!
I shopped on the internet for a good price. I played one dealer's price quote against another and did all those cheeky things and finally got a good one!
It’s been three weeks to this day since I bought my car. Its great and I love it. For some reason...the transmission doesn’t seem so sluggish now...Looking back, I think driving my sister's Accord had spoilt me. I guess.. I got so used to the 250HP engine that I just couldn’t accept a less powerful car!
Anyways, My Yaris is true to her name...beautiful and elegant and more than everything...SHE IS MINE!!!!
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