I Heart My Elantra

Several months ago, my dad told me that a co-worker of his was interested in buying my Lexus SUV. What made this weird was that it wasn’t for sale. A while back I went through a phase of wanting a different car, then decided it was easier to stick with what I had. There was nothing wrong with my Lexus – it was purely a personal issue. My ex chose that car for me based on how easy it was to work on and whether it could carry a family of four on a trip. I liked it fine, but it wasn’t really me, and obviously there was a lot of emotional baggage attached. I know a lot of single women choose to drive SUVs and beyond, but to me it felt like a mom vehicle, a constant reminder of what I’m not.

Having a potential buyer changed things. I started researching and took a few test drives. Just as I was getting really excited about the possibilities, the guy decided he didn’t want my car after all. Womp womp. This situation repeated itself several times over the next few months. In the midst of the disappointments, I fell in love with the Hyundai Elantra. By then it was clear that no dealer would give me anything close to what my Lexus was worth, and I needed the full value to help me make a big down payment on a new car. So I stuck to my guns, listed and re-listed my car on Craigslist, and kept driving longingly past the Hyundai dealership.

A week ago today, I confessed to a friend over lunch that I felt discouraged and rejected on every front of my life. At the end of the list of things that aren’t working out was, “I can’t even sell my car.” The very next morning, I got an e-mail from a potential buyer and I could tell she was serious. On Tuesday evening, my dad and I met with her and she said she’d take it! On Wednesday, after searching all the Hyundai dealerships within a three-hour radius, I found THE CAR at Downtown Hyundai in Nashville. It was a 2013, fully loaded, and the perfect shade of Tiger blue, a color I hadn’t seen offered on the Elantra before. I negotiated a great price over e-mail, and she locked it in. On Friday, I sold the Lexus, and on Saturday morning, my parents drove me to Nashville to pick up the new car.

I am head over heels for this car. I’m pretty sure cartoon hearts were hovering around my head when they led me into the showroom. I never planned to have a brand new car, but as a single woman who’s out and about a LOT, I really appreciate the safety, reliability and peace of mind that a new car brings. (Hyundais have a 100,000 mile warranty and five years of free roadside assistance.) I won’t have to worry about anything blowing up on me for a long time. I don’t have to wonder if the car is a lemon or what happened to it before I had it. I also sprang for all the bells and whistles because I expect to keep it for most, if not all, of its life. This purchase might look indulgent and irresponsible, but I can afford it, and I think it was the right thing to do for me right now.

Here’s the car at home. Isn’t it beautiful?? I’m still deciding what to call it. It makes sense to name it after a Tiger (I’m leaning toward D.J.), but I also found myself calling it Blue Ivy. (I do like Beyonce and Jay.)

I know it’s very spoiled and First World of me, but I see this car as a generous gift from God. I feel newly reassured that He hears me and hasn’t forgotten me. It’s a reminder that he can and does bring something out of nothing. Maybe my life has stalled out, but He can pull out the jumper cables at any time.