Hatchback

This was my first car (the 1988 version):


This car started my love affair with all things hatchback.

I named my car, aptly, Tercel.

Tercel was my very first vehicle. His (yes, Tercel is a "he") power steering was... well... missing. But all the other components of this tough little vehicle were intact.

Every morning, Tercel started right up. I barely had to do anything outside of regular maintenance.

He leaked a few fluids, but seeing it was my first car, I figured he would teach me how to take care of any other ones that I'd have.

I got Tercel in the early 2000's. He was orphaned on a used car salesman's lot.

I put down $250 just to drive him home. Well, I didn't drive him. In fact, I didn't even have a driver's license. A reverend's "friend" helped drive me around in it.

After a few needed repairs, I drove Tercel to get my driver's license for the first time. And that's also why, to this day, I drive with two feet.

One of the outlying problems with Tercel is that his transmission was shot. I'm guessing that whoever had him just repaired him enough to run on the road for about a month.

Well, I had Tercel for several years. Even when I called the Salvation Army to come pick him up, he still started up and drove fine.

My second car that I eyed heavily was the Ford Focus hatchback.

I had it set in my mind to trade in Tercel for this gleaming beauty.

Unfortunately, the dealership had better ideas. The told me that I'd never be able to afford a new car given my credit situation.

So, sadly, I slunked away.

A few months later, I got one of those deal promotions in the mail. You know, where you go and try your "key" in a car and see if the one you have opens the doors.

It was the same dealership that told me to go where the sun don't shine. I tried the key anyway, thinking that it would be a fine "how you do" and a "middle finger" to them at the same time.

My key didn't work.

I was about to walk away when I young salesman asked me if I was interested in purchasing a Ford. I laughed loudly, explaining that I've already received a handful of manure and that I understood why I couldn't afford one.

The young man ushered me away into a room full of desks and other stressed-out people. I sat there, knowing that I just wouldn't be able to afford the vehicle and waiting for his sudden realization.

He told me, plainly, "If you can get someone to co-sign for this vehicle, then we'll give it to you for a down payment of $1,000."

Ironically, I had the money to put down, but I doubted that I could find anyone to sign. I whipped out my cell phone and called the only person I knew - Granny.

I explained to her the situation and told her, "Do NOT do this if you're unsure."

Surprisingly, she told me that the only thing that worried her was her recent bankruptcy, which the salesman replied that it wasn't a problem as long as I made the payments.

The car I acquired was not my little hatchback, it was a full-fledged 2000 Ford Focus Sedan.

The car was still under factory warranty.

Wow.

So, I went from being unable to afford Jiffy Pop to having a fairly decent "newer" car in 2003.

I tried to pay every bill on-time as much as I could.

Then, in the summer of 2008, after two months of fully-paying my car loan, my Focus - who I named "OodaBu" after the passing of my pet rabbit at the time - died.

The last I remember, I drove him to a greasy mechanic shop with a loud banging noise coming from inside the engine.

The mechanic told me that he died of a heart-attack. Valve failure or some such thing. I cried.

So, since then, I remained car-less.

I mourned the death of OodaBu and cursed myself for carting off Tercel.

And then, like a flash of light, I saw her...

I couldn't help it. Once I saw her, I saw her everywhere!

This, ladies and gentleman, is one of Car & Drivers' 10 Best Vehicles of 2011, and the choice pick of it's type for Edmunds.com and one of Kelly Blue Book's Top 10 Back-To-School cars.

I present to you: the 2011 Honda Fit.

That's right, this baby here is going to be mine, as soon as I win a million dollars or find some car company to finance the crap out of it.

I've seen this car on the top of so many lists that it's ridiculous.

I don't take my car-shopping lightly. I do my research and when you start glancing across a random page and finding the same vehicle over and over again scoring high numbers, you got to think that either the mob paid someone or the car really is pretty darn good.

I've heard about Honda's reputation and considered a Civic or Accord.

But this... this is just... PERFECT!

I wished that I knew someone that worked at a Honda factory. I would sell them my eternal soul for a chance to sit in one.

But, I would sell the soul of my first born for this:

Tesla Model S... all electric, no gas

Now, only if they made it in a hatchback...