Rhonda (the Honda) has been in my life for a whole year. Now, Rhonda is not the first car I’ve had the pleasure of owning, but she is the first brand new one. I’ve learned a lot about owning a new car this past year, mainly how difficult it is to keep your car looking brand new. With an old car, you’re less concerned about it’s outward appearance. What’s one more scratch? No one will notice with the giant patch of rust on the fender.

Here are just a few things I learned about owning a new car/ being responsible for all repairs:

1.  New cars need more expensive oil and with that, more expensive oil changes.
2. Black cars are difficult to keep clean, but they’re still worth it because (I’m convinced) they look much cooler than alternative colors (when clean).
3. There is no such thing as a small (inexpensive) repair. It’s either not worth fixing or it’s going to cost a lot (or both).
4. You should give your car a name. Ok, getting a new car didn’t teach me this, but I wanted to include it anyways. You probably spend more time with your car than anyone else and she (well, mine’s a she) deserves a name.