DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Jonathon At Little Black Pearl Art & Design Studio

Q: Hi Jonathon. Welcome to Defend Your Ride Chicago. What can you tell us about your vehicle? How long have you had it?

A: I've had it for about a month now. I recently just got my license at twenty-two, so this is my first car.

Q: Why did it take you so long to get a license?

A: I honestly didn't have any interest in driving. I know people find that odd, but to me, driving wasn't that big of a deal. It's not like I was trapped at home without any way to get around. If I needed to go someplace, I could either ask someone to take me, or I could hop on the CTA. So for me, if I learned to drive, great. If not, oh well.

Q: So you were happy taking the public transit system?

A: I'm not going to say all of that because CTA sucks. But it is a semi-reliable way to get around, if you don't have access to a car.

Q: Since driving wasn't that important to you, what made you finally get your license?

A: Just recently my step father passed away. My mom needed more help. She needed me to hurry up and get a license so it could take some of the pressure off of her.

Q: Who taught you how to drive?

A: I kind of already knew how to drive. I've driven other people's cars a few times, but nothing extensive. My mom's friend took me out driving for about a month. After I felt pretty comfortable, I went to the DMV, took the vision and written test first, then I took the driving test and that was it.

Q: Were you nervous while learning how to drive?

A: A little bit. Especially on the second day when he wanted me to get out on the expressway. I definitely didn't feel like I was ready for that. It was pretty nerve wrecking especially because I had to drive all the way out to Orland Park, which is about thirty minutes away from my house. It wasn't like, oh jump on, get a feel of the highway and jump right back off. I was definitely on there for a minute. But after that experience, I was like, cool, let's go get my license. But he was like, no, you still need more practice.

Q: How are you on parallel parking?

A: Love it. If you live in a city, especially like Chicago, that's something you need to master, and master quickly.

Q: How quickly after you got your license did you buy your car?

A: It was like two days after I got my license. My mom, her friend and I went out to Grossinger Toyota to look at cars. I saw a couple of cars and I didn't really like them. When I saw this one and test drove it, I knew this was the one. My mom at first didn't really want to buy it for me because she felt like it was too luxurious. She finally broke down and bought it for me.

Q: How long do you plan on keeping this car?

A: Since it's fully paid off for, I plan on having it until it stops running. It's a really nice car and I got it in really good condition, so I'm going to keep it for a good minute.

Q: What do you think your next car will be?

A: I want a truck next. Not sure the type of truck, but I'm attracted to vehicles that sit high up. They're also more roomy. Cars, a lot of the time, can be claustrophobic.

Q: Do you have a dream car?

A: A Range Rover. I like how sleek they are. I'm not the type of person who wants some big monstrosity like a Denali or an Escalade. I want something that's roomy, sits high, but looks polished. Plus, it's a status car. It lets the world know you're doing well for yourself.