Whether your passion is performing in front of a live audience or landing your next big contract, a reliable car can help you pursue it. When buying a brand new car, it’s important to take your unique lifestyle into consideration. We talked to two millennials pursuing two very different dreams about how they’re using their cars to achieve their goals.
Ariel Elias grew up in Kentucky before moving to New Orleans for college, where she first started doing stand-up five years ago. “I've always enjoyed writing and watched stand-up growing up, but I had no idea stand-up was actually an option until I started listening to comedy podcasts like The Nerdist and WTF with Marc Maron,” Elias said. “Comedians talked about starting, how they would go to an open-mic, and just, well, start. So I looked up open-mics in New Orleans, found one for the following day, and I was hooked.”
Now Elias is a popular stand-up comedian in New York City, performing shows all over the northeast. She recently bought a 2016 Mazda3 so she could reach a wider audience, traveling to more gigs outside the city. Her Mazda is fuel efficient, which is something that attracted Elias to it. “Living in New York means getting to do long sets is rare,” Elias said, “Having a car gives me access to shows in places nearby like Connecticut or New Jersey, or even the rest of New York state. I get to stretch out, settle in, and maybe break more than even financially. Sometimes living in New York you forget that audiences around the country are very different, and I love performing for anyone and everyone.”
Elias’s car is also helping her grow her presence on social media, allowing her to add followers and comedy connections throughout the region. It’s easy to forget in the age of the internet that one of the easiest ways to expand your circle is to meet new people in person.
Elias relies on her car to get out of the city for some peace of mind, too. It doesn’t hurt that the Mazda is really fun to drive. “I love driving long distances,” she says. “I get into a zone and I can just go. It's a certain freedom. I'm a southern girl, and sometimes I get really overwhelmed by the city. Just knowing that I have a means of escape can calm me down.”
Her advice for anyone thinking about getting a new car is, “Get something reliable. Treat it well. And always pay attention to signs telling you when and where you can park. Parking tickets will destroy you.”
Most starry-eyed young people moving to New York to seek their fortune don’t consider getting a car, but those who do have some unique opportunities. When Josh Huber first moved from Pittsburgh to New York City four years ago, he was serving paella at a Spanish restaurant downtown. His passion for working with people translated into a job in sales for a pioneering educational company, General Assembly. He quickly climbed the ranks and eventually moved on to become a sales executive at Poppin, a new start-up that designs innovative and creative office supplies.
“I found myself in sales because I love helping people solve problems,” Huber says. Like any good salesman, Huber often needs to go to where his clients are, which is why he recently purchased a 2016 Subaru Forester. “Having something that is comfortable for my clients definitely helps,” he says. “The back-up camera is helpful for tight spots in the city, which has saved me when I'm running late to client meetings.”
When Huber isn’t working, he likes to enjoy his weekends upstate camping or visiting friends. “Having something that allows me to enjoy my downtime is really important,” he says. The extra space in his SUV allows him to pack a lot when he travels: “It’s massive inside.”
Huber chose the Forester because, “on the practical side, the Subaru is reliable and has a great resale value,” he says. He adds that he’s a sucker for a good sunroof. “It’s as close to a roadster as you can get in a compact SUV,” he says. And the all-wheel drive is important during the winter months. “Trekking outside of the city in the Northeast's less-than-ideal weather won't be a problem.”
One of the things Huber loves most about his car is “being able to leave the city without dealing with Penn Station, airport costs, or the bloody buses.” He’d recommend that anyone looking to take his or her career to the next level should make the investment in a good, reliable new car. “You only live once, so drive what you want to drive and buy something that works for you!”
Whatever your professional and personal ambitions may be, Kelley Blue Book has all the resources you need to help you find the best new car to help you on your journey.