Chrome Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 My Life, My Cadillac Escalade EXT The New York Times March 05, 2004 By Courtney Leigh Hyan; As told to Dana White. WHO -- Courtney Leigh Hyan, 16, high school sophomore, Yorba Linda, Calif. WHAT -- 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT I WAS expecting to get a watch for my 16th birthday, but I got a Cadillac pickup instead. All my friends drive trucks. My dad says, "I don't know what it is with girls today; they want pickups." I think it's the feminism factor. Usually guys are the ones who have pickups, but now girls are like, "Hey, we can have them, too." We get one, and the guys think it's cool. So you have this masculine symbol, but at the same time, you get attention from guys. It's a win-win. The Escalade EXT is a luxury version of another G.M. pickup, the Chevy Avalanche. It has satellite radio, leather seats and a navigation system. I haven't used the G.P.S. yet, but I will -- I get lost easily. I'm going to get custom chrome wheels and rims for it. My favorite brand is Lexani. They're so nice looking. I'm a car nut, just like my dad. I'm also an only child, so I guess I'm a little like a son in that way. My dad and I used to buy car magazines at the grocery store and circle the cars we liked. When I was 13, I started to think about what kind of car I wanted when I started to drive. I saw an EXT in a music video and thought, "Hey, having a pickup truck is way cuter than having a car." I started babysitting every week to save money for one. Then I went on the Cadillac Web site and saw how much it cost, and I thought that's a lot of babysitting. Finally, my parents told me if I got a 3.0 G.P.A. or higher on my report card, they'd buy me any car I wanted, within reason. I started working on my dad. I kept telling him, "Have you seen the new Cadillac pickup trucks, Dad? They're really cool." After school I'd drag him down to the dealership in Fullerton to look at them. About three months ago, my dad bought a ranch in Park City, Utah, and I made him go to Jerry Seiner Cadillac, the dealership in Salt Lake City, to check out their EXT's. Dad kept asking me, "Do you really like this car?" I told him I loved it. My birthday was Jan. 3. I wanted to spend it with my friends in Orange County, but my dad urged me to come to Park City. He said he was throwing me a party and inviting my favorite snowboarder, J. P. Walker, so I agreed. The party was at a restaurant called Easy Street, which has a big picture window that looks out on the street. I was waiting at the table thinking, where is this guy? So my parents suggested I open my presents. The last one looked like a watch box, but when I opened it, there were car keys inside. I looked out the window and saw a brand new EXT parked in front of the restaurant. It was the color I wanted: "Out of the Blue." I couldn't believe it. I was like, "Oh my God, are you serious?" I ran outside in the falling snow, climbed into the truck and sat there for a bit. Then I called my friends back in California on my cell. The whole thing was like a car commercial. Driving my EXT makes me feel powerful, safe and very high. I feel as if everybody is looking at it, maybe because the color is so vibrant. You can make the cargo bed longer by folding down the rear seat, lowering a panel and removing the window. My dad said, "Now you can carry hay to the horses," and I was like, "I don't think so." Some people may think my dad spoils me, but he knows how happy it makes me to drive. Cars are my thing. I'm never ungrateful for anything my parents give me. I feel totally blessed. My dad drove my Escalade out to California last week. The first time I drove up to the school, about 25 girls came running out to look at it. "That is so cool," they cried. "We hate you!" It was like a dream come true. I felt like, "Wow, I'm a princess." Quote
Dan Gould Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 Why did you post this article? Is it against the law for a 16 year old to get a car on her birthday? Should it be? Yes, "the rich are "different"-they're rich. Last time I checked, it was a free country. Quote
Man with the Golden Arm Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 Well no, but I think a Caddy deserves at the least something closer to a 4.0. Unless of course she would have mentioned that she could not wait to get some Mobley bustin' to move with a Detroit lean. Quote
Chrome Posted March 5, 2004 Author Report Posted March 5, 2004 Dan: Don't be so paranoid ... this just struck me as funny. If I had meant to start some kind of political debate over this I would have posted it in a political thread. Quote
Chrome Posted March 5, 2004 Author Report Posted March 5, 2004 Driving my EXT makes me feel powerful, safe and very high. For example, I would have thought this might get a chuckle or two out of somebody. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 I didn't own my own car until I was 24 years old (in 1993 -- I was born in 1969). Quote
catesta Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 Well no, but I think a Caddy deserves at the least something closer to a 4.0. Unless of course she would have mentioned that she could not wait to get some Mobley bustin' to move with a Detroit lean. Quote
catesta Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 What strikes me as funny in the article was when she looked on the Cadillac website to see what the cost was and thought to herself....,"that's a lot of babysitting". It does not sound as if dad is short of cash or anything, so I doubt little sister has had to do much for spending money. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 I didn't own my own car until I was 24 years old (in 1993 -- I was born in 1969). I'm twelve years older than you. I'm starting to think that owning a vehicle might be kind of cool... Quote
maren Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 I didn't own my own car until I was 24 years old (in 1993 -- I was born in 1969). I'm twelve years older than you. I'm starting to think that owning a vehicle might be kind of cool... As I said to my 20-year-old son the other day: "I'm 51 and I've never owned my own car!" He said "You're 51??!! I thought you were only 46!" Aww... guess maybe he's hoping flattery will inch the GPA up to the tipping point... Quote
BERIGAN Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 I didn't own my own car until I was 24 years old (in 1993 -- I was born in 1969). I'm twelve years older than you. I'm starting to think that owning a vehicle might be kind of cool... Man, how can you afford to buy any jazz cds if you rent, instead of own a car? Quote
BERIGAN Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 Back in the early 80's at the high school I went to in St. Louis, it seemed that half the kids had new Mustangs and Camaros..they were cool cars to have back then....I imagine that today that same school has a few Caddy SUV's in the parking lot... Nothing wrong with spending money if you have it, but geez...16, let them have a nice used car...let them aspire for something nicer past the age of 16.... The fancy car I had when I was 16... Quote
catesta Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 (edited) My first car at 16 was a 1975 Ford LTD, kind of like the picture except it was brown with a white top. I was stylin', until I got in an accident on the way back to a party after taking some chicks home. Edited March 5, 2004 by catesta Quote
BERIGAN Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 My first car at 16 was a 1975 Ford LTD, kind of like the picture except it was brown with a white top. I was stylin', until I got in an accident on the way back to a party after taking some chicks home. Cool...bet your car even had hubcaps, didn't it! Quote
couw Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 My first car at 16 was a 1975 Ford LTD, kind of like the picture except it was brown with a white top. ...and had a set of fuzzy dice, admit it! Quote
catesta Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 Exactly like this picture dude. I think by time I was 18 all the hub caps were gone. The car was actually pretty sweet at first, it had a zillion miles on it but looked good. The problem was the damn 400ci motor, plenty of power, but it was a nightmare. I think we rebuilt it three times before it took the final shit right after high school. Quote
catesta Posted March 5, 2004 Report Posted March 5, 2004 ...and had a set of fuzzy dice, admit it! That wasn't the only thing fuzzy hanging inside. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted March 6, 2004 Report Posted March 6, 2004 Man, how can you afford to buy any jazz cds if you rent, instead of own a car? I own the jazz CDs by not driving period. The tough part is getting the wife to pull over at Tower Records... Quote
chris olivarez Posted March 7, 2004 Report Posted March 7, 2004 Yeah it's a free country and all of that and if daddy wants to get his little precious a fancy vehicle than thats his buisness and really who cares if that's distorted reality for most people-God Bless America. Quote
Joe G Posted March 7, 2004 Report Posted March 7, 2004 My first car: a '73 Dodge Dart. Drove it for 10 years. Same color as this one, but mine was a four door. Quote
Tjazz Posted March 8, 2004 Report Posted March 8, 2004 My Life, My Cadillac Escalade EXT The New York Times March 05, 2004 By Courtney Leigh Hyan; As told to Dana White. WHO -- Courtney Leigh Hyan, 16, high school sophomore, Yorba Linda, Calif. WHAT -- 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT I WAS expecting to get a watch for my 16th birthday, but I got a Cadillac pickup instead. After school I'd drag him down to the dealership in Fullerton to look at them. About three months ago, my dad bought a ranch in Park City, Utah, and I made him go to Jerry Seiner Cadillac, the dealership in Salt Lake City, to check out their EXT's. Dad kept asking me, "Do you really like this car?" I told him I loved it. My birthday was Jan. 3. I wanted to spend it with my friends in Orange County, but my dad urged me to come to Park City. He said he was throwing me a party and inviting my favorite snowboarder, J. P. Walker, so I agreed. The party was at a restaurant called Easy Street, which has a big picture window that looks out on the street. I was waiting at the table thinking, where is this guy? So my parents suggested I open my presents. The last one looked like a watch box, but when I opened it, there were car keys inside. I looked out the window and saw a brand new EXT parked in front of the restaurant. It was the color I wanted: "Out of the Blue." I couldn't believe it. I was like, "Oh my God, are you serious?" I ran outside in the falling snow, climbed into the truck and sat there for a bit. Then I called my friends back in California on my cell. The whole thing was like a car commercial. My dad drove my Escalade out to California last week. The first time I drove up to the school, about 25 girls came running out to look at it. "That is so cool," they cried. "We hate you!" It was like a dream come true. I felt like, "Wow, I'm a princess." What I think is funny is that the article is written in New York. It's about a California family. They buy the car in Park City, Utah. It's an expensive car. And it's discussed here. (internationally) (Didn't say how weathly the family is?) Quote
BERIGAN Posted March 8, 2004 Report Posted March 8, 2004 No one posted the picture???? Its like OMYGOD, soooo cute! Quote
BERIGAN Posted March 8, 2004 Report Posted March 8, 2004 My first car: a '73 Dodge Dart. Drove it for 10 years. Same color as this one, but mine was a four door. Slant 6? 318? 440? Quote
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