Teen gets second first car chance

A bump on the head and a $750 insurance bill are the price a cancer surviving teen is paying for a new car after writing off his first one within moments of driving it for the first time.

John Blair wrote off his first car, a red Mazda sedan, when exiting the place of purchase, Turners Car Auctions, on January 16.

John Blair and Carl Jarmin explore some new used-car options after John’s last one was written off when he was leaving Turners Car Auctions.

He collided with a Bay Hopper in the bus lane on Hewletts Road, writing off the car just purchased for $3600, and leaving John with a bump on his head.

After witnessing the crash and getting to know John, Turners staff are looking for a replacement vehicle at no cost to him.

Mount Maunganui Turners Car Auctions branch manager Carl Jarmin was working at the auction house when the crash happened.

“We were out the back and we heard this noise and came around to see the power pole swaying.

“Lucky he was okay, the girls rushed out as they have a bit of a soft spot for John; they were really worried, we all were.”

John’s Mazda 626 was a write-off following the crash with the bus on Hewletts Road.

Carl first met John and his father Bob when the pair began looking for a car to purchase.

He says from that first moment he could tell John was “compassionate, honest and genuine”.

Through their dealings, Carl and his team learned that at the age of six John was diagnosed with Leukaemia and underwent Chemotherapy for four years before being given the all clear at the age of 10.

“He has faced a lot of adversity in his life and there is enough doom and gloom around, we just wanted to help him out,” says Carl.

He called Bob this week to tell him that his team was looking for a car to replace the written off Mazda 626.

“We couldn’t feel more sorry for the guy actually – this was an accident, and as far as we see it wasn’t his fault.

“He had done all the right things, looked for a car, got insurance before he left.”

John was amazed to receive the news he was to get a new car after his once $3600 car was sold as a wreck for scrap for $375.

“I had just got home from work and I was still really gutted about the crash when Dad told me he had some news for me.

“I didn’t know what to do, it was a mixture of emotions I was really happy about the new car, but still upset about the other one.”

Bob was waiting behind John in the Turners driveway after dropping him off to pick-up the new car when the crash happened.

“As he turned out I could see the bus coming, and he couldn’t; the ferocity of the impact was incredible.

“All I could see was this car being turned around and I was thinking ‘what is happening to my son in the car?’

“I had already seen him in life threatening situation before. It was tough.”

After reading about the crash, the car’s previous owner, Mark O’Connor, sent a card to John with free petrol vouchers.

He is also contributing to the cost of a new car, which Carl and his team are looking for. 

“We are looking for a car that is good quality, safe and reliable; hopefully it can live up to the Mazda.”

John, who now sports a broken arm after a skateboarding accident, is looking forward to his second first car and plans to take a road trip to Auckland to see his brother.