My dad always said: ride in comfort.
When I moved to Ontario at 20, I was commuting from downtown Toronto to Markham (an approx. 40-minute drive in traffic) so I carpooled with a friend of my brother’s who also worked for the came software company – Kelly.
NOTE: This is not a photo of me and Kelly
I learned quickly that Kelly was not entirely concerned with being on time for work, if she decided to go at all. So, a couple weeks into my new role I found myself in the market for my very first car.
I went car shopping with a girlfriend and was weighing my options to lease or finance. With no idea what to do, I called my dad.
Growing up I knew nothing of car payments or leases or the like. I do recall, however, that we had a new car every few years which, in hindsight, seemed to fly in the face of my parents’ frugality.
During that call with my dad he told me that he liked to lease his vehicles because he never wanted the headache of repairs, especially living two hours from the nearest auto repair shop, but he was also a fan of the “demo” when the financing made sense, and we talked for a while about insurance implications of leasing vs. financing, etc.
But what stuck with me during that call was when he said: “You are 20 years old and have at least another 40 years of work ahead of you, and if you have to drive, you might as well ride in comfort. Right now, you are driving almost an hour each way. Whatever you decide, make sure you are comfortable. Splurge for the CD player, the AC, the power windows – or whatever it is that will make your ride a pleasant one.”
Different from my dad, I’ve only had two (very comfortable) cars in the last 20 years so, I am by no means anyone’s “go to” for vehicle advice, but what I do know after two decades in the workforce, is that not all your days will be good ones. In fact, there are likely to be quite a few bad ones as you navigate your career. So, at the very least, try to make sure the time you spend going to and from work are as enjoyable as possible, whatever that means for you.