What it’s like to upgrade your car after 10 years

I had learnt to drive in my Pop’s car (one lesson with my mum stressing in the passenger seat called for a calmer teacher), and had spent at least my red P’s fitting into my mum’s schedule so I could use her car when needed.

I had saved up what little money I was earning, and with my expert-bargaining Nana beside me, went down the dealership and bought myself a 2005 Hyundai Getz. It was bright red, had less than 30,000kms, and thanks to Nan’s negotiating, I scored it for just under $10,000.

Alexis, as my Getz was affectionately known, survived numerous road trips to Sydney, Brisbane, and even Adelaide and back. When the time came to move away for university, I packed Alexis full of my belongings, and we left my hometown of Tamworth, and travelled to Canberra.

Once I finished studying I moved to Sydney for work, and the idea of getting a new car never really popped into my head. Sure, I was earning more, and I could have looked for something else, but the Getz got me from A to B and parking was a breeze in the city and at Westfield, so I didn’t give it a second thought.

Until last year and having owned Alexis for 10 years, I looked down at the odometer and saw what I long feared – it was creeping up towards 200,000kms. Deep down inside I knew it was time to begin my search for something new.

My boyfriend had recently bought a Volkswagen Golf GTI, and had told me look at a Polo. So naturally, I went against his advice and looked at every car you can imagine. Did I want a Ford? Another Hyundai? What about a Suzuki Swift? The search – and my indecisiveness – was starting tire me (and my boyfriend) out.

Then one evening while browsing carsales, I came across a Volkswagen Polo. It was less than a year old, had done 14,000kms, and was only a few suburbs over. I went for a test drive and I was love in first gear. I knew I had found what I was after.

Of course, there are some changes to get used to when you upgrade from a 2005 Getz to a 2017 Polo… essentially everything, but I finally feel like I have my first grown-up car.

So here are the 4 biggest things I’ve found when I upgraded my car from a 2005 Getz, to a 2017 Polo.

1. Life got a whole lot more comfortable

Oh boy, if I thought my Getz was “comfortable enough” I. Was. Wrong. Taking my new Polo for a long-distance drive back home to Tamworth, I felt like I was Queen of the Road. The seats didn’t hurt my back after a few hours, the air con works so well occasionally I had to turn it off because I was getting TOO cold, there’s even cruise control! More luxuries than I can poke a stick at.

2. CarPlay, Bluetooth, and Cameras, oh my!

Suffice to say, my little old Getz didn’t exactly have all the latest gadgets like what you get now. Granted, it was a 2005 model, and times have changed, but aside from central locking, and a sound system that was put in by the first owner, the idea of a screen in my car was something I could only dream of. But not anymore, I’ve got Apple CarPlay, helpful for not only picking which Spotify playlist I want to put on during my 10 minute drive to work, but also Google Maps being able to used through it during the (regular) times I loose my bearings. And, seeing as I have the Polo Beats model, every emo tune I listened to in my youth sounds killer. I even have a reverse parking camera now, and you better believe I have not reversed into one thing since I got that car. And of course, the Bluetooth functionality for calls and music is also handy.

3. Accessibly

I had a 3 door Getz. I now have a 5 door Polo, and boy has my lift changed for the better. It’s no longer a struggle to get things in and out of the backseat! I don’t have to fold my front seats down for when I cram pals in the back! Heck, I can even fold down the seats so everything fits when I go a little too crazy in the gardening section at Bunnings. Life. Is. Good.

4. Piece of mind

I mean yes, it’s got the standard safety features, seatbelts, airbags, aforementioned reverse camera, but I gave to admit, it’s nice to know I can do all the road trips I want, and be in a car that hopefully (and shouldn’t) break down. Which, while wasn’t something I was constantly stressed about with my previous car, it was always in the back of my mind whether or not I’d be that person on the side of the M1, or worse, in the middle of centre lane, needing to call roadside assistance because it had finally had died on me.

So, if you’re thinking it’s about that time you look for something new for yourself, take advice if not from me (and definitely do it), but also Queen Bey, for I believe when she sang “Partner, let me upgrade you / Flip a new page / Introduce you to some new things, and upgrade you” she was taking about getting a new car.

By the way, Alexis went to a very good home. A very sweet young girl by the name of Hannah took her off to her new home, having just gotten her L’s the day before on her 16th birthday. My little Getz went full circle.

Related: My car buying story

Related: The ultimate first-car buyer's guide