New Car Nostalgia
It was such an exciting weekend…we got a new car! New to us, at least. My husband has always wanted a Toyota Tacoma, and his dream finally came true!! I don’t really know why, but I think he connects the car with slow living in the mountains. Even though I didn’t want to deal with a new car payment since we’re still adjusting to paying a mortgage, it became a necessity. The snow has been insane the past couple of months and it’s even worse in the woods.1 We started saving and browsing, knowing that a good offer would come along. Our local dealership listed an all black, gold certified, 2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road at only 22K miles. Double cabin and long bed? We were sold. We went to the dealership last week ready to negotiate and made a good offer. We remained firm and reached an agreement price. We got the keys yesterday, Saturday, January 31, 2026, and it’s a day I’ll never forget.
As we signed the paperwork, I got a sweet rush of nostalgia. I remember when my father took me to the dealership to get my first car. With his broken english and $2,000 down payment, I listened as he bargained the car salesman a fair upgrade from my lease to buy the brand new 2016 Beige Volkswagen Passat2 -- which I still have by the way, Chesster. Since it was my senior year of college, my dad agreed to help me cover the first year of payments. But after 2017, I paid that car off myself. My father is a hardworking and charismatic man who has always given me the best in life, even when he had very little. I don’t know how, but he did, and has always found a way to make things possible.
This time around, I left the car dealership not only feeling ecstatic but emotional and reflective. We just put a $13,000 downpayment to buy what I consider a “luxury” car that will cost us over $500 a month… We both worked so hard to get here and be able to afford this expensive blessing. My husband also comes from a humble background, and while his story is slightly different than mine, we share the same values and appreciation for our families. Needless to say but in that moment, I felt like WE MADE IT… we, as in me and my husband, but also our parents3.
My husband drove the new car, Luna, home, and I drove off with Chesster. I immediately called my dad. With a lump in my throat, I couldn't help but thank him. Weird right? I said “Gracias papá. Gracias por todo lo que hiciste por mi.”4 I’ll never stop being grateful of where I come from and how far I’ve gotten because of family.
We are so excited for the awaiting adventures with Luna. This summer alone, we want to go camping, to the beach, and cuddle up in the back of our truck at the nearby drive-in theater.....stuff we've always dreamed of. Oh and maybe now, he'll finally put down the Lego and Hot Wheel collection since we have a car note due.
