In the fall of 1970, my dad gave me the gift of my first car. I know, I had been driving since I was 16 and had had other cars that I drove from 1966 to 1970, but they were not mine.

The first and third car that I drove was Nader’s death car, the Chevrolet Corviar. In 1965, Ralph Nader wrote Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile . Mr. Nader devoted the first chapter to the design flaws of the Corviar.

Personally, I loved the car, especially in the winter because I did not have to carry kitty litter in the trunk to keep me from skidding on the ice. The engine was ingeniously placed in the rear! This was a design feature my mom liked as well and Mr Nader thought made it a death trap.

Dad was someone who often came home with a “new” car when the car went in for service. This was true with the cars I drove as well. The number two car was a Chevrolet Nova. It lasted only about 3 months into the winter. It was too light and slide beautifully in the ice and snow.

My mom was having none of that. Back we went to the Corviar, no matter what Mr. Nader said.

Turning the clock forward, I am now a senior in college. I come home for the Christmas holiday. When we arrive at home, we parked in the complex parking lot and walk to the building. As we pass this bright red Ford Mustang, I just walk on by. My dad stopped and asked me did I think this was a great car. My comment was, “Yes, it’s a nice car, Dad, but the rear view mirror has been broken off. Only the wires are there.” My dad freaked out!

It appeared that from the time he picked up the car and left it in the lot and we arrived home, someone had hit the car and left it with the mirror laying on the ground and of course, no note. This was not an auspicious start to my relationship with this car. I loved it, but it was an accident magnet.

When I moved to Massachusetts, the car was side swiped by several different cars. When asked “why,” the drivers said they were so fascinated by the car and its color that they swerved toward it. At the time, Massachusetts was one of t he first no-fault states. My insurance company dropped me. Thank goodness for USAA, a company that was designed for military folks.

I kept the car until it was clear that a 2-door sports car was not conducive for the type of work I was doing. My next car was a Mercury Cougar, which had a whole new set of problems and the topic for another time.

Something else I have learned as a business woman i s to ask for what you want. If you loved what you just read, this content is not for free. As a form of payment, I am asking you simply to comment or share this on Facebook or tweet about it on Twitter.

Linda Patten, MBA, BSN, RN has over 30 years of experience leading women to success in building and achieving their dreams. She turns networking marketing women from product sellers to leaders of highly functioning teams. To learn more about her innovative programs, click on Contact Us .