Staycation With The Mazda6 Grand Touring

Recently, Fred and I had a "first." We left my oldest son at home to be with my youngest son overnight. OVER-NIGHT! BY. HIMSELF! Holy cow!!

Yes, Fred and I have gone on trips without the kids, but this was the first time we weren't having someone come and stay with the boys. And by "someone" I mean an adult, which, Buddy is technically an adult at 18. Heck, I was living on my own (very badly quite honestly) at 18!

When I found out I was going to get to drive the 2017.5 Mazda6 Grand Touring for a review, I was thrilled...and then I went into planning mode. Where were we going to enjoy our ride for the week? I really tried to reach out to as many places as I could, but sakes alive, it's not always easy trying to find a place to visit on short notice. What I really wanted to do was see the changing of the leaves. Unfortunately, the leaves aren't really changing down here yet.

Let me introduce you to Lola! Isn't she a beauty? She came to me with just over 300 miles on her. I've never had the privilege of driving a vehicle with so few miles. I was in for a treat! I can't wait to share about our experience on our short little road trip in the Mazda6.

I looked into going to PA and WV. Turns out there's a lot to do, but so much of it was booked in advance by others, our options were limited. This summer friends of ours went to Harper's Ferry, WV, and I loved the photos so much, I decided we had a destination.

As nervous as I was to head out (sheesh we were only an hour and a half away) I was really excited. Just me and the hubs. No agenda. Friday night all we had to do was get to our hotel and grab something to eat along the way. When we started out, I was driving, but at some point I just got too sleepy and I asked Fred to take over.

It was kind of fun being a passenger in the new car. I got to play with the buttons. Let's start by talking about the little things. It's nice (as a driver) to have the plug in power source in an accessible place in the car as opposed to  being almost hidden on the passenger side in the CX-9. We've always got something plugged in. We didn't have the boys with us, but if we did and they needed charges, thankfully there were also two USB ports in the arm rest.

And the color...Soul Red Metallic on the outside and Parchment Leather on the inside. The Active Driving Display is fantastic! Instead of information being displayed on the windshield, this display unfolds when the car starts. There did seem to be times when it worked to show the road signs and other times when it didn't.

Once again, my favorite feature is the Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring. It was kind of funny when it chimed the first time. Fred was like, "What was that ringing noise?" I didn't know what he was talking about because he asked too long after the chime had sounded. When it did it again, I realized what he was talking about. Honestly, you can't beat the notifications you get when there's a car in your blind spot. The chime, the light indicator on your side mirrors, and the notification on the Active Driving Display, it's something I hate living without in my car.

Our drive into West Virginia was a pretty relaxing drive. We checked into our hotel and relaxed for the rest of the night. A gal could get used to this! We're always go, go, go so to have nothing planned the next day was delightful!

Saturday morning had us packing back up into the Mazda 6 and going on the hunt for coffee. Fred found a coffee place called Big Dog which was outside of town, but had good ratings. It was a fun coffee place that had a lot of homemade items for sale. Right next to it was a cute little market where we had to get some fall items!

Thank goodness we had no agenda because as we were heading into Harper's Ferry we drove by a flea market and Fred whipped a u-turn. He knew without really having to ask that I wanted to go. It was a great stop! I found old books for my daughter's wedding and this hat...can you even believe I didn't come home with it?!

We drove through the main section of Harper's Ferry a couple of times trying to get our bearings. Since we hadn't been there before we weren't exactly sure where to park or where to start. What was an awesome bonus, it was free parking for September 30: National Public Lands Day! Score, right? Well, we ended up not parking where it was free, but ended up going to the other side of the town and paying to park. Don't ask...

It was a delightful place to visit. So much history to learn about. I had no idea it was such sought after piece of land between the Union and the Confederates. We went into the buildings soaking up the history of what happened in the town. I have to admit, some of it was extremely hard to read. We had lunch at a cute little restaurant, and then continued to explore the rest of the town.

I'm so glad we decided to take Lola on a staycation. She is what inspired our first night away and leaving the boys at home. Did I mention we told both of our neighbors we were going to be gone? Not because we were "worried" about the boys, but because I wanted them to be aware if anything seemed suspicious in the middle of the night.

Our drive home was just as relaxed. I decided that I hadn't gotten to drive as much as I wanted since I was sharing the driving this time. I kicked Fred out of the driver's seat and took over again. The 6 was a nice car to drive. You can definitely tell it's a 4-cylinder, but kicking it into Sport mode when necessary gave it a stronger feel. Since I don't have a moonroof, I kept playing with that because it's such a fun accessory.

We had some weird issues with the HD on the radio so Fred used his Amazon Music to entertain us for the rest of the ride home. I didn't want to program radio stations since we only had Lola for a week. It would've probably been easier though as I look back.

It's incredible how much the weather can change. Friday when we headed on our trip is was in the 70s and we were using the A/C. Monday on my way to my Bible Study I had the seat warmer on as well as the steering wheel heater. Oh my gosh...that steering wheel heater. Dreamy I tell ya! And who doesn't want a warm tooshie on a cold day?

There was also the opportunity to find out the capacity of the trunk, which turned out to be much larger than I expected. We picked up three suitcases for our mission trip. I thought we'd have to lay one of the seats down, but thankfully didn't have to. Laying down the seats would've been easy (I checked later) had we needed them. It's incredible to me how much room you can get out of a sedan these days!

I wasn't quite ready for our weekend to be over, so I asked Fred if we could check out some country roads on our way back. I also wanted to go down to Annapolis to get some pictures by the Bay. Of course he agreed. He's always such a trooper. It was fun trying to find a spot to grab some action shots with the car. It's a skill I need to work on, but was fun to try out.


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It was so beautiful exploring the West Virginia country roads. You could easily spend the day driving and driving just seeing beautiful landscape. On the way home I asked Mr. Easy Going if he'd be ok stopping by Annapolis because I wanted to take Lola down by the water. Of course he agreed. I really had wanted to stop at Sofie's Crepes because it's one of my favorite places to eat at, but we'd had smoothies about an hour before we got there and I was super full.

It was a fantastic weekend and I was so thankful to have that alone time with my hubby. I'm already looking forward to exploring more through the fall. I think we'll have to head up to PA next.

My Week With Blue: Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD

Do you ever experience something and wonder how you are going to share everything you want about it? That's where I'm at right now. I just finished experiencing test driving the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD, and it was amazing. I've been trying to figure out how to encapsulate it in one post, so hopefully I can do it!

My only experience with Mazda has been my dad's Miata, and that was fun to ride in. When the CX-9 showed up I kind of gave it a judge eye because I have a crossover (do we call them that any more) and I wasn't sure how it would compare. Let me give you a comparison as to what this drive was like.  Right now the car I drive is an '09 and would describe as a flip phone. The Mazda CX-9 is like the newest smartphone that's just hitting the market! THAT'S how vastly different they are.

So, where do I start? Maybe by telling you I named her. I've never named my cars. She was easy to name. I named her Blue in honor of how I knew I'd feel once she left me. I referred to her as Blue during our adventures which included baseball games, birthday parties, garden centers, and just tooling around town.

My first step was to figure out all of the bells & whistles. There was so much to familiarize myself with. I started with the center console, where you control much of what goes on "smart wise" in the car. It's what they call MAZDA CONNECT™ infotainment system. It's the size of a tablet that sits on the dashboard. It's basically your command center sitting right next to you. It didn't take nearly as long as I expected to familiarize myself with everything, but it all came together in no time.

Let's chat about the seats. The driver and passenger are able to control their own temperature and the passengers in the 2nd & 3rd row share one as well. The Signature comes with divine premium Nappa leather. Those seats were heavenly to sit in. Made me miss leather seats. Speaking of those seats, the driver and passenger have heated seat options! Gosh I love that. The driver's seat also has 2 memory buttons, something I genuinely miss in the vehicle I have now.

Between the seats is the dual armrest. I've never seen a split armrest, but each side can open a half. Not impressed with that, and it doesn't make sense to me, but each to her own, right? There are two USB ports inside the armrest. There's also a plug in towards the floor on the passenger's side, but it's really awkward to get to. None of those 3 spots works while the car is off. Definitely a negative for me, BUT (and this is the strange part) the drop down armrest in the second row also has dual ports, but one actually charges while the car is off. So there IS that. If it comes down to needing a charge, it's found in the 2nd row armrest.

Now let's talk about one of the feature that does a TON for this Mazda. It's called i-ACTIVSENSE®. This gives you some added safety features that you didn't realize you shouldn't be living without. I'm missing them A LOT now that Blue is gone! I honestly won't be able to do it all justice in my explanation, but if you watch my Facebook Live video you'll see everything I'm talking about.

 

If you are using cruise control, the sensors will pick up if you're getting to close the car ahead of you and will slow your car down and then speed it back up when needed. There's the Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring when a car is in your blind spot. It will show up in your side mirrors, on your monitor in your windshield, and as a chime. It. Is. Amazing! Then partnered together are the Lane Departure Assist & Lane-Keep Assist. If the car detects you're departing from your lane, it'll push you back away from the line and jiggle your steering wheel. So stinking cool! Really not sure how I'm supposed to live without these in my old car!

Ok, these next two pieces, which you will also see in my video, are just mind blowing to me. One is super simple and now that I don't have it, I want to cry while driving in the dark. lol So, you know how when you're driving at night and you have to keep switching your low beams to your high beams. Oh my gosh, it can drive a person batty, right? Well, their High Beam Control does it for you. FOR YOU! Whoever came up with that should get a raise or at least a bonus! Then...seriously you have GOT to check this out, they have something called the Adaptive Front-Lighting System. Your headlights freaking turn WITH you...as in they move as you go around a corner then adjust back with your steering wheel! I was absolutely fascinated by this feature. You've got to experience it all to really get the full effect. Again, you can see this in my video!

Oh! Something else that really wowed me was the attention to certain lighting details. There is very subtle lighting inside the door handles. I always feel like I'm searching for the door handle to get out of whichever vehicle I'm in. There's also the LED grilled accent lighting that gives it just that extra bling. The interior lighting is bright, but not harsh on the eyes.

I've never had a moonroof in any of my cars, and with this gorgeous weather, I made sure we enjoyed every single moment of it. That meant I didn't get to try out the rain sensing windshield wipers. I actually hoped for a rainy day just to experience them. Another feature I've missed from my minivan days of old is the power lift gate. From the driver's seat you can push a button, you can push it on your key fob, or if you squeeze the lift gate handle it will open! Magical I tell ya!

Moving back to the second and third row seats, they do a lot more than any of my seats have ever done. The second row seats are rather heavy to push up and I wasn't able to do it one handed. I was actually surprised at how much they weighed. lol It's a 60/40 split and can slide forward to give more room to the back and will also recline! The third row seats 2 and is a 50/50 split. Dropping the back row definitely gives more cargo room if you're road tripping it somewhere or just going to the garden center like I did and stocking up on new plants and soils.

I never had a chance to pack Blue full like we do on occasion with our own vehicles. The Mazda CX-9 is surprising strong for a little 4 cylinder. I think it would probably haul the normal things we'd stick in the back. Maybe next time I'll put it to the test! Speaking of the engine, it has what they call SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY which helps with "driving dynamics and efficiency." Now, say you're driving this baby and getting onto the freeway, this came with something called Sport Mode. You can switch that on at any point and kapow, you've just kicked it up a notch. Let me tell you, zoom zoom definitely comes into play. Of course, your mpg drop when you use this Mode.

Going back to our own cars has been quite the transition. Before it was picked up to be shared with another driver, I had to move Blue and my crossover out of the driveway. Pulled her out easy peasy. Got in mine, and sakes alive, it felt like I was moving a tank! I hadn't driven it in almost a week, and the difference was that significant. Letting Blue go wasn't going to be easy. Since Blue has been gone I've compared her to my car every time I get behind the wheel. I realized how important a role those safety features play in your every day driving, and I appreciate them more now that I no longer have them!

Overall Blue was a fantastic automobile to drive. She was fun and zippy. There were a couple of things that I wasn't fond of (as mentioned above), but not so much in a way that I'd pick a different vehicle over her. Mazda has thought of pretty much everything, and I'd give her a place in my driveway!

Road Trip Prep With Prestone and 3M & Giveaway

This summer the boys and I will be making our annual trek to Minnesota. That means getting the car prepared for the miles we're going to be driving and having the right items tucked away! This is where Prestone & 3M comes in. They reached out to me asking me to try their products, and hello, who could turn down such an automotive staple? Of course I agreed!

Now, dad has always done minor work and maintenance on his cars. He didn't pass that gene on to me.

Kidding! I love doing what I can on my own with my car. So much so that I've tried to pass that on to my kids. What I love is getting a call from my oldest daughter (who's in Minnesota) and her starting off with, "Mom, my car is..." I try narrowing down what might be going on and try to give her the confidence to figure it out or to be wise in finding someone who can help her.

Empowering myself and my family when it comes to our cars is really a necessity. Do you realize how much money you can save by doing things like checking brake fluid, restoring headlights, and checking your antifreeze/coolant? Keeping up with home maintenance on your own vehicle will not only save you money, but will extend the life of your car.

So, let's get into the nitty gritty before we talk about what you should take with you on any road trip!

Have you EVER driven in Minnesota in the middle of mosquito season? It literally rains bugs. And at night, forget about it. You may as well drive with the windshield wipers on. The Prestone BugWash® is what will get us through driving through the midwest in July! lol It's also great because it creates a barrier from things sticking to your windshield.

When we moved into our house Fred was parking on the right side and I parked on the left. I don't know what happened, but somehow we ended up swapping our cars around. One day I came out and noticed both of our driver's side mirrors were warped. I also realized my driver's side headlight was messed up. We think the windows on the house are doing the damage. The 3M Headlight Restoration Kit is exactly what was needed!

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm as skeptical as they come. For real. I'm rarely buyin' what you're sellin'. Get my drift? I'll be honest with you (aren't I always?) that I wasn't sure how this was going to perform. THEN what do I do? I kind of gave the kit the stink eye as I started the process.

I read through the instructions, grabbed a small spray bottle, and a Meguiar's microfiber towel, and set to work. The first step was to clean the headlight and then tape it with the tape that's provided in the kit. I was only targeting the damaged area because the rest of the headlight looked fine. If you're going to be scrubbing near the paint of your vehicle, I would highly suggest doing a double wide line of the tape in case you slip as you're sanding. Nothing like working on one thing and scratching up another.

There are 3 different grits of disks: 1000, 3000, and 5000. You use them in order from smallest to largest spraying the water on the light and disc as you go along. The steps are incredibly easy to read and understand. With the first pass of the 1000 grit the headlight was still pretty hazy. I was trying not to be too judgey judgey. I still had a couple steps to go.

Next the 3000 and 5000 grit were used and I finished by spraying off the headlight and then wiping it down once again. My initial response was, "No way!" I hadn't been expecting the results I got. It was literally crystal clear. You can see the difference in the before & after images. The only negative part was I now see how bad the rest of the headlight is and will have to do the rest of it! I mean, eureka. No need to drop cashola on replacing the entire headlight cover.

My hubby came home halfway through the restoration. Now, some of you might have a hubby who will just take care of all things automotive or if he sees you attempting something will swoop in and just do it himself. Not my guy. He knows better. lol He came over to say, "hi," and then went about his merry business.

I thought checking and filling fluids on my car would be relatively easy. And I'd say it was other than Chevrolet putting covers on things so you have to unsnap them to get to what you need. No problem. Just went to grab my car manual and flat head to find what was needed.

It was easy enough to fill up the windshield washer fluid. It's one of the most obvious looking caps under the hood. Every car engine I've looked at has that windshield wiper design on it. It was nearly full, but since it's spring, aka "bugs are alive and well season", no reason not to top it off!

From there I checked my brake fluid, but that was already full since my car had been into the dealer recently. Then came the fun of finding the spot for the power steering fluid. I found it in the manual, but realized it had to take off a rather large cover to get to it. So strange. Once I took off the oil cap, I just had to heave ho the large cover and it came off. Voila there was the power steering fluid. I cleaned off the dip stick, filled it up until the fluid was between the min & max, replaced the cap, and put the cover back on.

The antifreeze/coolant was a different story. The place to ADD the coolant was visible. The place to CHECK the radiator fluid, not so much. I had to remove an extremely large cover from the engine to see how the radiator fluid was doing after I filled the reservoir. Thankfully removing the covers only takes a minute. Everything was good to go so I replace the cover and was finished with my tasks.

Now that everything under the hood was taken care of, I wanted to show you what I like to keep in the car for not only road trips, but for any surprises that might come up! Here's the list of what we'll bring:

• blanket
• emergency road side kit
• snacks
• personal reading light
• power inverter
• hand wipes
• first aid kit
• sunscreen/bug spray
• bottled water
• tire gauge
• umbrella

I bought a tote a couple weeks ago, and a friend from church has an embroidery business. I put in an order for her to personalize the tote for all of the road trips we do, including to Minnesota. I love, love, LOVE how it came out!

Will you be hitting the road this summer? Where will you be headed? Before you go anywhere, be sure to enter the giveaway to win what I received from Prestone and 3M!

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Hyundai Sonata Rental Car Review

Towards the end of last year my company, Collective Bias, was bought by Inmar. Inmar is headquartered in Winston-Salemn, North Carolina. I was beyond excited to find out our company would be traveling to HQ to get to know our new parent company! Well, except for the flying part. I wasn't excited about that.

I contacted the travel company and explained to them my fear of flying. They were so amazing, they made it so I only had to fly into Charlotte and drive up to Winston-Salem. In fact, they were SO amazing, the day I was flying out, they said I could drive down if I was too afraid to fly! I flew. Fred made me.

When I got into Charlotte, I headed to the car rental counter and was given several cars to choose from. I was able to go into the parking garage and pick whichever one I wanted. I had 2 Impalas, 1 Cruz, and 2 Sonatas to pick from. I felt like I had time to sit back and peruse the cars at my leisure. After I'd walked past them all once, and looked inside the Impala, more people started showing up. What the what?! I hadn't had a chance to look at the Sonata, but was interested in the Impala, but as soon as I went to look at the Sonata, two guys got into the Impala. I knew I didn't want the Cruz, and I wasn't interested in a silver car, so I hopped into the gray Sonata.

As you get into the car it plays a little tune. Cute! I was surprised at how spacious it was. I'm not used to riding in sedans. The back seat would easily fit three people with a lot of leg and head room. I felt very comfortable in the driver's seat.

I had to drive an hour and a half on the freeway, and it was fantastic. The car rode so smoothly. It was a really quiet drive. My last two vehicles have been AWDs and they're not quiet ones. The silence of the road made quite the impression on me!

I was able to pair my bluetooth with the car, but was bummed there wasn't a map I could use. I know that it's a feature that's available, just not with the rental. Thankfully the drive was all on the freeway.

Speaking of the drive on the freeway, that was pretty awesome. This little car has a ton of get up and go to it! I was driving in the afternoon on a Monday. Not much traffic so I was able to cruise along. Passing was a breeze if needed.

When I got up to Winston-Salem, I was able to park in the garage not too far off the freeway near the hotel. It was kind of a stinker that I didn't get to drive it again until the day I left. I headed over to Old Salem to take a little tour of some historic buildings. Oh, and to GET into the car was "fun." Someone parked next to me leaving barely any room to get in. Some people's children. I was "this" close to leaving a note letting them know exactly what I thought about their parking job.

Driving through the little town was interesting. The brakes were touchy for sure. I kept telling myself every time I touched them that next time I'd be softer on it, but nope, kept forgetting. Oh my gosh, the blinker drove me batty. Do you remember when you were in elementary school and the music teacher handed out a piece of wood and a wand? Remember the sound it made when you'd knock on it, that woody block sound? EXACTLY what the blinker sounds like.

The Sonata handled very well on the freeway and in the city. I liked the steering wheel. I know that may sound strange, but I liked how ergonomic it felt in my hands. Mine have always just been circular. This one is shaped so that your hands just fit perfectly at 10 and 2. The way my hubby drives is with his hand at 6 o'clock and they've left a perfectly sized spot for his big hand. I also liked that all of the steering wheel controls were on the front, not hidden in the back, and easy to understand! I can never tell what I'm pushing in Fred's car.

One of the things that bothered me was how low the console seemed to me. I felt like I was looking down farther than normal. The steering wheel was in a position that's comfortable and normal for me, but the dashboard seemed rather low. I know it's just a small thing, but raising it even 3/4 of an inch would've been nice.

I also didn't understand the intermittent wiper display on the dashboard. It didn't match the arm visuals when you changed the speed. On the arm, you start with the switch down, which is the slowest setting. As you look on the dashboard, it shows a bar at the bottom, but next to it, it says "high". As you click it up, the wipers move quicker, but the display shows the bars filling up as it moves away from the "high." Color me confused. Just the weird things I notice in cars.

There were more things I didn't have time to check out to see if the car had certain features. I'm guessing I had a basic model. I also didn't have time to look at the manual. This model had a Sport and Eco mode for driving, and I wish I would've tested those out to see if you could actually tell any difference. I'm always leery about that sort of thing. Like, is this gimmicky and it drives exactly the same way no matter which mode?

Oh, which reminded me of something I really did like. Ok, so in my current vehicle and my old minivan, if I was charging my phone using the car, if I turned it off, it would still charge my phone. Fred's car doesn't do that and it makes me nuts! I often need to power my phone while the car is off. Well, guess what? First, the phone will continue charging, and second...you can just use your USB cord! Love, love, love! Can you tell I don't have that feature in my Traverse? lol On either side of the USB plug in, two auxiliary input jacks. There's also lots of spots up front for holding little things.

I also don't know what the trunk space looked like. Since I was the only one who need up riding in it, I never needed to check it out. My gas mileage wasn't bad, in fact it was pretty good. I got 37mpg which is a LOT better than my Traverse.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it earlier, but this was the first time I've ever driven a Hyundai. My aunt has either the Santa Fe or Tucson and loves it. I remember riding with her several times in it, and really liking how it handled.

Let me just say, if I had a choice of rental cars again, I'd definitely choose this one. It was fun to drive, and could easily hold my family.

What car is on your bucket list to drive?

10 Tips For Picking Out Your Teen's First Car

About a month ago, my son purchased his first car. We had spent the past few months test driving cars at the auction lot next to his school, I thought we'd never find a car for him. Two and a half years ago he started working as a dish washer at a local cafe. So since he was 15 he's been saving up his money! I think at first he was just working to have spending money, but I'd say when he'd had his learner's permit for about 6 months he started to realize what his money was going to go towards.

I think the auction place has the corner market on kids at the high school who are just learning to drive. Buddy would go there after he got done with school and we'd peruse the lot to see if they had any new cars. We weren't particular, but I knew what I wanted and didn't want. This was my 3rd child getting their first car. This was the first time one of them has had to pay for their first car.

Knowing my son, I knew the type of car I'd allow him to get. There were definitely a lot of factors that went into picking the right car.

What is your budget? I would highly encourage you to expect your child to pitch in some way with their car. My girls had to pay their monthly insurance and gas for their cars. Know what you're willing to pitch in and what your child will have to pitch in. Set your limit and stick to it. Remember that the number you see on the car is never the bottom line.

Don't only look at automatics. Manual cars are awesome to drive. My first car was a stick shift, and I could barely drive it off the lot! I would suggest even if you get an automatic, you teach your child the basics of a manual. Find a friend who will let you or if they're willing, teach your child how to drive it. I think is especially important for girls in case they're ever in a situation that requires them to drive a stick in an emergency. Manuals are typically cheaper to repair as well.

How many miles are on the car? I knew that we'd be looking in the 100K mile range for any car my son would be able to afford. If you want something under 100,000 miles, know you're going to be paying for it. The higher you go with mileage, the more you'll probably be putting into the car with upkeep.

Be sure to get Carfax report on the car. Every car that we saw at the auction lot gave a detailed account of how many owners there had been, any recalls, any accidents, maintenance, and more. You do NOT want to drop $7000 on a car that has a bent frame from an accident that you didn't know about.

What's the insurance going to cost. Any car you're interested in, get the VIN and call them to find out an estimate. Are you going to get full coverage or just liability? If you can swing it, I'd definitely get full coverage. Unfortunately, that's not doable for us right now. Also consider getting AAA for them in case something happens and you're not available to help them with whatever they might need.

What is your weather like? I know, strange question, eh, but here's the thing, if we still lived in Minnesota, there's no way my kid would've gotten the car he has. It would've been entirely impractical. A rear-wheel drive sports car in winter for a new driver, worst idea ever. Being in Maryland where it might snow once or twice a year, no problem. I did consider a AWD because that would be good no matter the weather, and it's size made it one that I would've felt better with him in. If you're in sunny Florida, your teen's options are wide open!

How responsible is your kid? My son is pretty trustworthy! He's not a hot shot. He paid for his own car which helps him be vested in being responsible for how he drives it. Something happens because he's screwing around while he's driving...he has no car and he has no money. I drove every one of the cars we considered for him at the auction lot. There was a 6 speed Subaru that I test drove, and that thing was so fast & tight, as soon as we go back I said, "no way!" That thing would've been ticket city for any responsible adult, let alone a teenager! HA!

Does it have updated safety features? We know how important air bags are in cars today. Thankfully this car has them. Not as many as the newer cars, but a couple are better than none. It has traction control and 4 wheel ABS!

There's a lemon law for a reason! If you purchase a car, take it to a mechanic the next day and have them look over the car! If they find something wrong with it mechanically, take it back immediately! Find out if they're willing to repair it. If not, get your money back and walk away.

Is the car clean? I know, this might sound basic, but some of the cars we drove at the auction lot were not in great condition on the inside. Owners just dropped them of "as is". One car had the rearview mirror siliconed to the windshield. Wow. There was also a car I didn't know much about. Actually hadn't heard of the model before so I asked the auction owner. He told me he didn't know much about it either, but he was pretty sure it was from Europe. Ooo la la really?! Yea, looked it up once we got home, and nope, it was very much an "American" car, and the model was just a newish one that wasn't very popular. Europe my foot! For real, do NOT believe everything a used car salesperson says. Every time we looked at a car I called dad and looked up the make/model online. What did other owners have to say about it? What do "experts" say about it? What are the basics of the car. Goodness, research is extremely valuable!

I know this is a very small list of things to consider when you're helping your child purchase their first car! It's a daunting task, but one that every parent gets to do!

If you have any tips on helping your teen choose their first car, I'd love to hear it!