AUBURN HILLS, MI – In a second collaboration between Volkswagen of America, Inc. and First Act, the two will support Operation Happy Note, a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated solely to sending deployed soldiers musical instruments, by donating 250 First Act electric guitars and amps to those service men and women expressing an interest in music.
You would think, as an automotive journalist, that it would be easy for me to buy a new car. Well, sorry to dissuade you, but it’s actually tougher.
I recently got into a conversation with a co-worker (also a noted contributor to The Car Blog) who asked me if he should wait until the 2008 models came out, or buy a car now. In so many words, I told him if he always held out for bigger incentives, newer models, more powerful engines, etc., that he would be in a constant state of waiting and anticipation forever.
Chances are, you’ve probably seen this video online. It’s of a modified Smart out-running a Ferrari F430 in the quarter-mile. A company called Smartuki out of the UK actually makes a conversion kit that adapts a GSX-R 1000 engine to fit in the back of the smart. Since the engine sits fairly upright, you do sacrifice some cargo space to put the monster moto-mill in the back, but as you can see if you clicked on the video, the results are well worth it.
I recently read a column written by a writer who was a former truck owner and driver. In it, he recounts his recent memories of his big, burly Dodge Ram. Having ostensibly grown up in a more rural area, trucks were a normal part of the culture and way of life for him. But skyrocketing fuel prices forced his hand into buying, of all things, a Hyundai Sonata.
I didn’t have friends with minitrucks that have adjustable suspension, smooth body lines, bangin’ sound systems, big stickers, custom paint and custom interiors. Nor did I grow up around those minitrucks that break down and leave their drivers stranded. An acquaintance once asked if I wanted to “hit a switch”: I said no. I was a very precise person, only taking calculated risks while thinking of the consequences. I didn’t like ambiguity or confusion; I liked predictability and stability. This attitude infiltrated all aspects of my life.
In the seven or eight years I’ve been an “official” enthusiast (someone that actually works in the automotive industry or gets paid to be an enthusiast), my career has taken a rather circuitous path. I’ve worked on or around cars, trucks, imports, domestics, in marketing, in journalism, and yes, ate Top Ramen for 6 months as a freelancer. All the cars I’ve owned could be broadly classified as “compacts”:
For the past couple of days I have spent over $200 dollars on rentals. How? I didn’t choose the standard vehicles like a Taurus or Grand Am. I rented, instead, a Nissan Murano and an Infiniti M. People, including my spouse, were taken aback especially since we’re spending nearly a thousand in repairs for our regular cars (e.g., new full-sized spare, new radiator, etc.)