In My Opinion: It's Time For A New Car

Ever since I got my license to drive, I have had a 1997 Acura 2.5 TL that has done me well and I have been glad to drive it all those years that I've had a license and been behind the wheel. But now things are changing, and what has happened to my car lately has made me realize that this car is no longer doable as a long-term vehicle, at least for now.

So why do I bring this up, you ask? Well, last night, while coming back from the Stockton Heat game, I ran into some trouble with my car. So first, the check engine light came on and I didn't make anything of it, as I've never had trouble with my engine lately. Next thing you know, the check engine light starts blinking and almost rapidly. I started panicking. I didn't know what to do. I ended up having to pull to the far right side of the San Mateo Bridge and having to call Caltrans to get a tow truck out there and get me across the bridge. The man who did it was wonderful and let me off right near the interchange of Interstate 101 and Highway 92. I managed to make it home while the light was still blinking at times. It was past midnight by the time I got home. I didn't go to work today as a result and because of the fear that something terrible would happen to my car on the way over.

Today was better but I was still nervous. I still had to use my car to go to Stanford today and the check engine light actually turned off overnight before I got in my car and went down. When I drove back, the check engine light started coming back on and started blinking at times again. It was not good.

So I bought a car reader to find out what it was. The codes that gave me were P0304 and P1399 with a PD on the end of the last code. So, I looked it up and found out that the blinking light code was part of the P0304 and it represented a serious issue. I know I need to get it in at one point. The question is: When will an auto body shop open for me to get my car serviced? It definitely won't be on Super Bowl Sunday.

This is not the first incident with my car, but it has been popping up more and more often in the past few months, and I've had to take my car into the shop to figure out what's wrong. But I think this latest incident may have been the realization for me: It's time for a new car. It may already be officially done with the Acura I've had for so many years.

Thing is, I've asked my parents numerous times when you are going to get me a new car so I can get out of the deathtrap that I'm currently in? So far, their answers have been: We're thinking about it or talk to your dad or we're looking at options. And every single time I hear it, I always think about President Trump when he talks: I don't believe him. I'm not saying that I say the same thing about my parents, but I keep hearing their reasons over and over again and eventually it almost comes to the idea that they don't want to give me a new car. Maybe that's not the case, but I've hear those excuses for so long, I get tired of hearing them.

So let's make this simple: Get me a new car! Can't be that hard. And with this new car you get me, don't try to buy it off a friend or somebody just because they're not using it anymore or they're generous or anything like it. The Acura treated me well, but it's time to go in a different direction. For most of my drives, it's usually long-distance, mostly up to Stockton or Sacramento or any other place within California, so I would prefer a car that can get me some long-distance miles on it without having to address any issues along the way, like I did last night. That's my one thing I would like to see out of my new car: A long-distance capability to it. Not sporty, like my Acura. Not luxury, like many cars. I want something that's reliable and can last me a long time. Period.

They're wonderful parents. They've done so much to make me happy and all that, and I will always appreciate it. But in terms of my car, they've fallen short there. It's time to start seriously considering it, because my car is near the end, and the latest nightmare I went through proves it. Either get me a new car or get rid of the old one and don't get me a new car. I can last without one. But I just want to see real change made for this particular issue, and I won't rest until it is addressed. My Acura was great, but a new car sounds like it's in the works.