Zoom-Zoom

Big news this week is simply that I bought a new car. Not used...but NEW! I've never had a new car before and it's such a fun thing to do! But...before I digress I should explain why I suddenly did this!

So, if you know me you know I'm not much of a 'car' person, or at least I didn't use to be. Growing up in Salinas I think it is bred into you to like 'big trucks' and SUV's. My first vehicle was a car, but seriously...first cars don't count! Next I had a GMC Jimmy. A nice small SUV. I loved that thing! When that starting having more issues than I wanted to deal with I started looking at cars. I knew I couldn't afford to get another SUV, because the ones I liked were big!

So...I started paying attention to cars...ugh...a car?!?! I realized I really liked the Mazda RX-8. I didn't know what it was for the longest time and would simply tell my boyfriend at the time, "I like that car, what is it?" After the 4th or 5th time of him telling me, "the RX-8", I figured...okay, that's a car I would drive! I studied up on the car and one time when I went to look at it, I ended up knowing more about the dang car than the dealer. I finally went with my mom one day to actually test drive it and never did. We ended up at the Seaside Auto-Mall and talked to the used BMW dealer and he told us about this great car that had just come in. Lo and behold the Miata. Mind you I had NEVER really liked the Miata. But I did love the car. It was so shiny...and cute! It had super low miles, all sorts of upgrades, and a hard top. So...I ended up with a Miata. I've loved having a spiffy little convertable, but as I've 'grown' up, I think I value my life a little more than having a cute death trap car!



While having the Miata I learned these important things:
**A Miata windshield is at the exact same level as where the mud flap from semi's spray--so when you are driving in storm and go past a semi, be prepared for a total blackout on the windshield!
**Random screws may fly out of the car, typically just from the visor, but occasionally from the 'top of the car' attachment...totally safe I'm sure!?!? Nevermind the fact that it hurts when you are driving a screw hits you!
**If is it raining or you drive a Miata through a car wash, you will get rained on or 'washed' while sitting inside of the car. Always a pleasant experience...pouring rain outside...raining inside...nice!
**If you drive a Miata (or at least my former Miata) through a car wash, or it rains, water gets in the passenger side door, which would be fine except that the speaker gets wet! So...until it drys out listening to music sucks! And yes, I had a stereo speaker guy take the whole door apart and replaced the window seal...no one could figure it out
**When the weather gets colder (and yes, I mean San Diego cold...so, not really THAT cold), the Miata had a sticky door locks...meaning that if I was in the car and wanted out the door would stick halfway between locked and unlocked (safe!) and I'd have to relock and unlock the door to get out. If I was outside of the car and wanted to get in again the door would stick halfway and it needed a butt bump and a 'redo'.
**After going through a car wash or when raining, the brakes seem to get wet in a Miata and basically don't work for a few minutes! so safe!
**And can't forget that when it is raining and wet out, the Miata is a very light car that is very 'front' heavy, so basically hydroplanes a lot, fishtails even more, and at times will even spin out. Yes, I have done a total 360 degree spin, I didn't do anything wrong and had even been at a stop light so it wasn't like I was taking the corner too fast. The car simply just does that. Safe!
**Last but not least would simply be the fact that a Miata is small, and people tend to not see it therefor will change lanes right into you. So fun!

**Oh...and one more thing, with a Miata, you really have to carefully plan for any shopping trip...clothes or grocery. And Costco is pretty much out of the question.

Now, I know after all that it may sound like I didn't like my Miata, but seriously I did. It was a great car for me. I loved being able to throw the top down and be near the ocean. I didn't need a 'lot' of car and I loved it. The problem is that living in So.Cal I end up being terrified when I drive, especially in the rain. I think I've had a lot of 'close calls' while driving and last Saturday was the last time I really wanted to take that chance.

So, Saturday I was on my way to the Gold house for the Caleb's Crew kickoff, and yes it was raining. Earlier in the day (or maybe it was the night before) I fish tailed a few times driving home from the grocery store...yes a few times on the 1.5 mile drive. My wheels would just spin when I would have to start moving from a stop light or sign. I wasn't trying to go fast either, attempting a nice slow start in an attempt to no spin out. Okay...so back to Saturday. I absolutely hate Hwy 78 that heads out to Vista and have said before that if I'm going to die in a car accident it will be on the 78. So, of course I have to take the lovely 78, in the rain, to get to the Gold household. I'm cruising along, at a very safe speed to prevent any slipping and sliding, when all of a sudden a car decided to come directly across 2 lanes of traffic directly to the spot that my car was occupying! Luckily I saw it coming, and am still unsure if he had lost control or if he just never saw me, but I had to then quickly get out of his way, but swerving into another lane. I seriously think I had pure luck on my side. There weren't any cars in my way as I swerved to avoid being hit on the full driver side of my car at at least 65 mph. There also happened to an exit at that point, which is where the lane for me to swerve into even came from and I was able to take the exit. If the exit hadn't been there I would have been run off the hwy into whatever else may have been on the side of the road! I was also lucky that my car chose to not lose control as I did all of this...but...it was kind of the last straw! I felt that I'd had too many close calls and that if I continued to take the chances I was going to run out of luck very soon!

Now...I've liked the Mazda 3 for about 1-2 years. I've taken up renting cars when I drive up to Salinas, and have rented the Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 multiple times. I purposely tried to always get the 3 so it could be like an extended test drive. I've been watching the Mazda USA site for about a year and it just never seemed to be 'the right time' to buy a new car. I've looked for 'pre-owned' but at this point in my life if I knew that if I was getting a new car I needed certain extras: GPS and blue-tooth!! The pre-owned cars just didn't have those in them. I think it's mainly because Mazda only has those with particular packages that you have to pay extra for, so the cars with them just weren't out there.





I'm now officially the owner of a 2010 Mazda 3! It has a back seat! It has a usable trunk! Heated seats! GPS! Blue-tooth! And...so many other fun buttons and gadgets! I already feel safer!! (As I should seeing I think I have airbags surrounding me!)


So...Zoom-Zoom