How a Car Wreck Ended up Being My Blessing in Disguise

My poor car

Perhaps some of you may have been wondering why my posts have been so infrequent lately.  Well, a little over a month ago, I was involved in a car accident on my way home from work.  Some lady lost control on the freeway and caused a 5 car accident.   Thankfully, no one was injured.   However 4 out of the 5 cars involved were totaled, mine included.  Even though my car was still drivable and barely damaged compared to the others, it was considered a total loss because the airbags deployed.  Apparently, airbags are very expensive to replace, especially on an 11 year old car.

My Car

Her car

I was devastated when I learned my plan to drive the Cavalier for at least three more years was not going to happen.  I was so not prepared to buy another car.  However, I the payment I received from the insurance company ended up being better than I anticipated.  Five years after purchasing my ’99 Chevy Cavalier for $4,700, State Farm paid me $3,400 for the very same car.  So, I ended up getting a pretty good deal.  But, I still had to find another car with not a lot of money.  Financing was completely out of the question.  I refused to pay all of the extra fees they tack on when you finance a car.  I wanted to pay cash for mine.

After weeks trying to manage my sporadic work schedule without a car of my own and scouring Craigslist and local dealerships for a replacement car , I was finally able to find a nice used car that was within my budget.  With the $3,400 I got for my car, some from my savings and tax refund, and a small personal loan, I was able to get my new-to-me 2001 Mazda Tribute for $6,000 out the door.  I was very pleased.  I did not have to finance anything and I feel like I have a brand new car!

My new ride!

How do you like it?  I already feel 1,000 times safer in this car then I did in my tiny, low-to-the ground Cavalier.  Not to mention, I upgraded to a V-6 for the first time ever!  I also have power locks, windows, and mirrors for the first time ever too! Stay tuned for another post where I will highlight the steps to buying a used car.  I sure learned a lot and have a lot to share!

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