[bethany]

I can feel for you, remembering my car that was light blue but the shine was worn off, so it was a matte light blue, the hubcaps were stolen...I had such a relationship the the mechanic, he'd tow me for free each time, bring me home and I sent him and his family a Christmas card one year! It was when I started smelling like exhaust all the time and people would ask if I drove the "stink mobile" that I started looking for a different car.

But I was in grad school full time and working 30-40 hours a week on top of that. Sooooo.....there are options. Save all the $ to get something else, THEN approach your parents about a trade in. In the mean time, knit some cool fuzzy dice and steering wheel covers, seat covers, and make that thing "yours!"