Chastin Martel
Owning a vehicle sounds nice but there are a lot of responsibilities that come with owning one.
In fact, owning almost anything takes responsibility but in this case, we’ll dive more into owning a vehicle.
I remember buying my first car shortly after I turned 18. It was a 2014 Chevrolet Trax LTZ (Luxury Touring Z) with all-wheel drive. At the time, I was just desperate for my own vehicle and this car was perfect for me.
At least I thought it was!
I remember test driving it from the owner and it drove so smooth. It was also very powerful, this was because it had a turbocharger.
Speaking of a turbocharger, this was the first issue I ran into with this car. I remember being so flabbergasted when I found out how much it was going to cost to repair the turbocharger.
Having a full-time job at the time helped pay for the repairs.
Repairs and consistent maintenance are some of the annoying aspects of owning a vehicle. Constant oil changes and spark plug replacement are the two most common repairs. But if you want to have a vehicle, it’s sufficient you do all the maintenance whenever your vehicle needs it.
Another aspect of owning a vehicle is insurance. Shopping around for a good insurance rate is the hard part. Any person would prefer the best insurance rate.
As far as I’m aware, new drivers are considered high-risk drivers. So generally, their insurance rate will be high. I wish this could change but it’s the way the system works these days. Unless a mighty person comes along and fights to change that policy. That’s not happening anytime soon.
Another aspect of owning a vehicle is the constant tire change. Changing from summer to winter tires is quite irritating but it’s mandatory if you want to drive in the Alberta weather. We all know, Alberta weather is unpredictable. I remember it snowed in June one time, that was crazy!
The one thing I just can’t wrap my head around is the price of tires. No one ever seems to talk about that. People drop $1,500 on a set of tire and rims and just pretend it’s fine. I don’t think anyone is truly fine doing that. Sure, there are deals on tires once in a while but let’s be realistic, it’s not much of a sale.
Gasoline is a main component of owning a vehicle. You cannot get anywhere without it. With gas prices constantly going up and down, it might just be better to switch over to electric, but even owning those vehicles are expensive. Gasoline prices are topic of its own, so we’re not going to talk about it that much.
If you want your vehicle to look more appealing, I suppose customizing is the option. These are optional expenses. I prefer to have tinted windows so people don’t stare at you while you’re driving. My previous car had tinted windows, it was a nice luxury while it lasted. With the tinted windows, I would pass people on the highway and have them not stare.
Quite imitating, right?
They’re good in the summer as well because it limits the sun exposure. This keeps the temperature low inside the vehicle. At least I think so, not always the case though.
If you’re a first-time buyer, I suggest you do good research on the vehicle you’re about to buy. This way you can limit the amount you spend on vehicle maintenance in the future. This isn’t always the case, you’re going have to pay for maintenance regardless.
When buying a vehicle, be prepared and do your research.