Meet Reggie

Look what I got over the weekend! My dad and I drove through a couple used cars lots but didn’t see much in our price range, so we headed into town to see what the dealers had in stock.

So shiny! You'd never know he's four years old. Yes, he.

I had a wish list as long as my arm, but given my situation I kept that list to myself. I cannot believe that we found a car with EVERYTHING I wanted WITHIN our budget. (I say “our” like I had anything to do with this, but I plan to start paying them back once I get a job.)

The only negative? That stick-like object in the center of the console. Yeah… I don’t know how to drive stick. I understand the mechanics and I’ve sat next to other people while they learned to drive manual, I’d just never actually placed my foot on a clutch.

I'm very excited about all the gadgetry.

My mom gave me my first lesson on Sunday, then Monday I took him for a half hour drive. We live in a pretty rural area so I’m able to get it into 5th gear just on our street. I a total racecar driver! Then I took him into town and to the golf course. It was very exciting. I’m still working on reverse and I’ve yet to encounter a real hill (something I’m told will be quite frustrating) but so far so good.

I've always been a sucker for a nice... fender.

Now… who can guess why he’s named Reggie?

32 Comments

  1. Yeah, I have no clue on the Reggie. All that name makes me think of is the annoying Reggie from The Archies or Richie Rich’s irksome cousin. What? I liked comic books and cartoons when I was a kid! 😛

    Anyhoo (Ha! AnyHOO!), you’ll love having manual drive once you’re used to it. I began driving such when I was in my late teens and I can’t imagine having anything else now.

    Have fun!

  2. I tried learning stick in high school. Reverse was an issue for me. I remember having to get some guy to back the car out of its parking space for me. Not embarrassing at all.

    • Avery, I can totally see that being me. I think for my next lesson I’ll practice parallel parking. Or at least fake parallel parking (you know, without any other cars). I’ve also been told I need to tackle hills.

  3. Pam

    Saturday’s post had me baffled, but now I’m going to guess that Reggie is a replacement for the van which was like driving a refrigerator. Am I close?

    😉

    Pam

  4. All my cars end up being boys too.

    I’ve driven a Spencer, and a George. 3ft named our Pontiac when we got it and named it (in truly hideous child naming fashion)

    drum roll…

    The Silver Car!!!

    Reggie definitely looks like a Reggie to me. 🙂

  5. robinaltman

    Nice car!!! I asked my kids, who supposedly take Spanish, to help me cheat on the Reggie name origin, but they’re clueless.

  6. You’ve stumped me, but what a great looking vehicle ya got there ;o) Is that a Ford Fusion? Looks like it… Stick’s are soooo much fun to drive! Mine are usually chick names. However I have not named my Escape and I’ve had it 3 years. Hmmm.

    Enjoy your new Reggie!

  7. Penguin

    Hill driving is very easy once you get the understanding of it.
    Two ways of doing it, depending on your vehicle.
    1. Use parking brake to hold vehicle on hill until the clutch is slowly released and you feel it start to bog, drop brake and move up hill.
    2. Keep foot on brake until you feel car start to bog, move foot from brake to gas.

    Two is better left when you get more experience driving a stick.
    Now go to Duncan’s Woods and practice.
    Or you could try the Church of the Dunes parking lot, if I remember right it had a good size hill.

    • Penguin, I was dared (by Kris, above) to go to five-mile hill. It that Duncan woods? I almost flipped a van in the Church of the Dunes parking lot when I was 16, lol. Again, with Kris. 🙂

      I’m thinking about going into Grand Haven today to see how those bridges go. I did drive the length of Leonard (well, to 96) so there were lots of curvy hills but nothing I had to stop on.

      • Penguin

        Sorry, didn’t get this right away.
        5 Mile hill is not the same, I would never send you over there for a starter, when I feel really insane I board that. Duncan’s Woods is the park that is just before the hospital on Sheldon.
        Has some nice rolling hills that you can stop on and practice without anyone behind you getting mad.

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