My very first brand new car was a Saturn SL1. I remember first seeing the Saturn in Parade, the Sunday insert of the Sunday paper. I was in love. I had to have that car. The model was actually a SL2, but I ended up with the SL1 model. Although, I was twenty years old at the time the 4 door version seemed more practical.I just moved back to Las Vegas from California after two years. I also had just started my banking career at the time I moved back too. Unknown to me my brother in law was friends with the owner of the newly opened Saturn dealership in Las Vegas. So by the Law of Attraction I would say I got me dream car.
My friends were jealous since none of them were able to get new cars. Like I say if you want something then get it. My friend Shaun couldn't wait to put the Saturn's special polymer plastic to the test and proceeded to give it a punch right in its side. He was amazed no dent, no nothing. Not a scratch.
I loved that car. Great mileage, tons of attention since it was new to the market, and just a great car. I even got to do a commercial for the dealership. Three years later I turned it in for another. This time for the 2 door version I originally wanted the SL2.
During my first marriage my wife, for whatever reason, hated my Saturn and made me turn it in. That was one the biggest mistakes ever made, including marrying her, and she had me by a KIA Sportage. What a piece of junk. The fuel injectors kept going out and caused the car to always stall. How embarrassing!
I originally was going to lease my first Saturn, but ended up getting a loan. This was the first major piece of credit I ever had. I had learned the difference between leasing and getting a loan back then, but didn't listen to what I knew before and ended up leasing the KIA.
Leasing basically is renting a car. At the end of the lease you can purchase the car by paying what they call the residual. The only residual I like getting is from a direct selling company or even from blogging. If you lease you will end up having a car payment forever. I feel, as do most financial planners I know, that purchasing is better than leasing. When it's paid off it's paid off and boy is great to have no car payment.
I couldn't get out my lease with my Kia and had to keep the entire term of the lease. The dealer said if I had purchased the car I would have been able to trade it in. So when that lease was over I couldn't wait to get rid of the thing.
Although, I never bought a Saturn again, I really don't why, I still remember the great car I had. Maybe because it's one of the first times I can remember having what a wanted materialize or that it began building my credit or that it was cool to buy my first brand new car at twenty. Whatever the reason I want to say. "Thanks, Saturn" I hope you are around for a long time to come.
[This post is written and copyrighted by Financial Elite (http://financialelite.blogspot.com/ ).]
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