Like most people, I remember the first car I ever owned as clearly as if the event just happened yesterday. My mom bought me a used Ford Taurus when I was 19 years old, and even though that thing was a total junker, I still liked it because of the freedom it allowed me to experience. It was a Christmas present that I really didn’t deserve, but my mom wanted me to have it anyway so I could get to and from my part-time job.

Unfortunately, the car had all kinds of mechanical problems that made it tough to cover the 25-mile round trip to work, and I soon had to take it to the shop for what would be the beginning of several years and several thousands of dollars worth of repairs. In the three years that I drove my car, I had to replace the brakes, battery, air conditioner coil, headlights, and transmission.

I also had to have the unique Taurus radiator replaced because of leaks, and that in itself cost a lot of money. I wasn’t web savvy back then and didn’t think to check online for automotive stores that would give me the best deals on the parts I needed. If I had been a bit smarter all those years ago, I surely would have checked Radiator.com and not gotten ripped off by some local shop that didn’t mind overcharging me.

All told, I think I spent twice as much in repairs as my mom originally paid for the car (and she paid a pretty high price to begin with). The experience left me with such a bad feeling about used cars that I’ve only bought new ones ever since then, but at least now I would know how to handle that situation if it ever comes up again.