My Thoughts on Cars

I started driving in 1992, but my obsession with cars goes back further than that. When I was a kid I had a subscription to Car and Driver and Road & Track magazines. I loved all of the ridiculous exotic cars, the lavish luxury tourers and the sporty yet attainable cars. I loved them all, especially if they were topless. Before cars started working toward maximum fuel efficiency the lines were different. Cars from different manufacturers were distinguishable from afar, and I knew their silhouettes. Eventually, more cars began to take on the low air resistance bubble shape and design mostly went downhill for the everyman car.

The car I've always wanted, but has been out of my grasp, is the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. That single-piece body, those curves... if I were a car, I'd want to be a VW Vanagon with a Karmann Ghia as my wife so we could make little Beetles. We wouldn't have enough power to get on the interstate, but we'd look good chugging along, all out of breath with our engines beating out of our trunks.

I probably will never have a Karmann Ghia. I like too many modern features for it nowadays. Comfort and power are as important as cool looking. If you've got one you want to put in the trashcan, holler. 

My first vehicle was a 1984 Chevrolet S-10. It was white when I got it, but some friends were horsing around in it and, long story short, the doors ended up folded back to the front fenders. New doors and an at-home paint job left me with a black S-10. It drank as much oil as it did gas, but it was mine, and I paid for it.

To me, an important part of every vehicle I have is monkeying around with it. I love turning wrenches to fix or modify. The more I can do to a vehicle, the longer I tend to have it. Once I run out of simple-ish jobs, get into electronic niggles or find an exorbitantly expensive needed repair, I'm out. When there's nothing to be done, I get bored.

There have been plenty of vehicles in my driveways over the years. In fact, I'm averaging about one a year. Some of these, I had more than a couple of years, too. Some, not long at all. C'est la vie.

1. Chevrolet S-10 - my first
2. Chevrolet Trailblazer - room for family
3. Mitsubishi 4x4 pickup - capable in the mud
4. Nissan Pathfinder - fun to play with
5. Jeep Wrangler - my favorite non-car
6. Jeep Cherokee - was my dad's, got it after he died
7. Mazda Protege - bought from my Scoutmaster
8. Mazda 3 - sexy hatchback, fun to drive, small backseat
9. Nissan Sentra - Dad and I rebuilt the engine and electrical system
10. MGB - only got to drive once
11. Infiniti i30 - better off with the Nissan Maxima
12. Cadillac Seville - like riding a cloud strapped to a sh!tload of horses
13. Cadillac Catera - "the Caddy that zigs" - yeah, the Caddy that was not a Caddy
14. Cadillac STS - would have been a good car new
15. Porsche 924 - FAST and FUN, still, not a very good car
16. Porsche 928 - never got it on the road
17. Mercury Sable - reliable and comfortable - BORING
18. Mercury Cougar - so much fun packed into this one (2000 model)
19. Chrysler LeBaron Convertible - the steering had more play than Kid
20. Chrysler Sebring Convertible - so many problems, but pretty
21. Chrysler Sebring Convertible - fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice...
22. Plymouth Acclaim - reliable as a labrador retriever
23. Honda Civic Si - fun but too small
24. Saab 900 Convertible - I effing love Saabs
25. Saab 900 Convertible - see above
26. Saab 9-3 - see above above - engine in this one blew up
27. Volvo V70 XC - this was such a disappointment of a car - I got had on the purchase
28. Triumph Spitfire - never got it quite right... kind of like the Brits the first time
29. Volkswagen Jetta - current car - gas sipper, reliable, comfortable and not bad looking
30. Kawasaki GSX - crotch rocket without fairings - first motorcycle
31. Suzuki GS850 - shaft driven street cruiser - last motorcyle

I think this list is complete. Even still, I've always had my eyes on other cars. I just like the discovery and exploration. The vehicle doesn't even have to be cool. You've got a 1987 Suzuki Samurai? Sweet! Can I drive it? Oh! I've never driven a Corolla--ok, well, maybe I don't want to drive "all" the cars. Some cars are just boring.

Where from here, though?

Well, I miss my Jeep Wrangler. I had it about a year and a half, but it was totaled when a woman in a Mustang pulled into traffic in front of me. I've never had a Mustang... The Jeep is the best of both worlds. It's a convertible, but it's also somewhat roomy and it can go anywhere. Even though it seems like every fifth vehicle in Pensacola is a Wrangler, it's still such a cool and timeless design. Maybe I'll get another Jeep. I happen to know someone who may be looking to offload one soon. 

There's also the Kia Stinger GT2. What a hot car. All of the amenities of a $90k car for about $50k. Fast and full of features, sign me up! Of course, all that power comes at a cost. The Stinger's fuel economy is on par with the Wrangler and, if I'm honest, I'd rather have the Wrangler. It has fewer features and isn't as luxurious, but you can't even hear those bells and whistles with the top off and the radio loud.

Lately, I've been looking a lot at electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Electric or hydrogen powered vehicles are where we're headed. Just like the inferior technology of VHS beat out Betamax, the EV is the likely winner here. The field is really opening up with models like the BMW i3, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y (2021), Kia Niro and Hyundai Kona. 

If luxury is the main concern, the BMW and the Tesla lead the way. When it comes to range, the BMW will be left at the charging station by the others. Because the Koreans have been making great strides to be a more competitive company, the Hyundai and Kia come with unbeatable warranties, a nice set of features and "normal car" styling. The premium warranty comes at a cost, though, making the Niro and Kona comparable in price to the Model 3--without autopilot and a nationwide network of supercharger stations. 

So, what am I hoping for? I'd like someone to make a convertible EV, but I don't think I will hold my breath. They'll surely come, but it will be a long time. I think what will be the best fit, in lieu of a convertible EV (Elon?), will be a year or two old Tesla Model Y. 

Time will tell. How much time? That's a different question.