GOING TOPLESS

It happened again yesterday, as it does just about this time every year. This one was a nice black BMW Z4. It caught my eye in the rear view mirror nearly a half mile back, in and amongst the clutter of the other cars. The Z4 navigated effortlessly past each of the slower cars, then roared by mine. It was a chilly 40 some degrees, but the top was down and the driver was smiling ear to ear. Immediately I had the fever again, the fever to own a convertible.

It is an absurd idea living in Maine. It makes no sense at all. What do we have, only two or three days a year that a convertible might actually be comfortable? The rest of the days it is either too hot or too cold, rainy, snowy, icy to enjoy. So what is the attraction? Is it the feeling of freedom, of unlimited visibility? Is it the bonding with nature; the ability to smell and hear the flowers and the birds (along with the tractor trailers and the buses)? I don’t know, and at this point, I don’t care. The passion and desire is there again.

One year I tried to satisfy the craving by renting a convertible for the weekend. Calls to several rental car companies in the area found that convertibles were not even available in this market, at least for that year. Probably because having a convertible in northern New England makes no sense. That still doesn’t matter. Each year, spring fever sets in and I want a convertible.

My sister has a Chrysler Sebring convertible. She says that if the day is not perfect, she doesn’t hesitate to turn on the heat or the air conditioner as she drives with her top down, whatever it takes to not miss the fun. Another friend of mine drives his VW Cabriolet in the middle of winter with the top down, his beret pulled down tight, scarf flying and sunglasses pasted to his head. To them, a convertible in New England makes perfect sense.

I thought that the purchase of my Scion TC would satisfy this convertible craving. The entire roof is glass with two separate sun roofs that illuminate both the front and the back seats. The front roof panel powers open to expose the whole front to fresh air and freedom. It is still not good enough. When this spring fever hits, the total freedom of a genuine roadster will only do, or at least a facsimile. The Z4 would be fine. Today is a nice enough day that a Pontiac Solstice, Mazda Miata or Ford Mustang would also satisfy.

The rag top desire will leave just about the time of the first frost. During the deep freeze of January and February, the thought never even occurs to me. But spring comes every year and another Z4, or something similar, will spark the fire. Those of you who own convertibles know the feeling. Enjoy the luxury of having the choice of going topless. There are those out there like me who are envious. Enjoy your ride!

THEN & NOW

Only a car person would understand, but for the enthusiast, automobiles define events of our past. The passage of time allows you to forget the troubling frustrations of the period, and the vehicle, along with all of the reasons as to why you were glad to grow-up, and why you sold the car involved. As the details fog with time, milestones of your past are etched in your memory based on the GTO, the Mustang or the VW that you were driving at the time. These are nostalgic memories just like in the movies; romantic auto events in your life like your first kiss at the drive-in, your first road trip, or your first flat tire. For the car nut, as important as whom you were with and what you did is what you were driving. High school reunions take care of what happened to the “whom”, but did you ever wonder what happened to the “what” you were driving?

There is now a Web site designed to find that lost love that got away or at least for the car. If you ever had sellers’ remorse, check out THE LOST CAR REGISTRY at http://www.lost-car-registry.com/main.html. The site was created by Keith Ingersoll of Michigan who never got over the selling of his father's Mach I. The Registry lists cars and trucks in both “Found” and “Lost” categories with the hope of helping those in search of lost loves (or their past). Most vehicles listed are the traditional muscle cars of the 60’s and 70’s, some are just plain cars. I gave my past cars a try.

Unfortunately, my auto heritage does not quite live up to the romance of the cars in American Graffiti or Steve McQueen’s Mustang in Bullitt. As a result, THE LOST CAR REGISTRY does not list my 1959 or 1971 VW Bugs (my first two cars, long ago disintegrated by rust). There are no 1974 Dodge Colts, a car that was guaranteed to require three turnover attempts for it to start, regardless of the time of year. My 1982 Mazda RX7 might qualify for The Registry, but it does not show because the engine blew on my brother-in-law. Good thing I had sold it. How about my 1989 Thunderbird? Nope! My 1998 Honda Accord? Who would care! It seems that these do not show because they were not really lost loves, maybe they were just cars. Maybe we need to separate fantasy from reality.

The past may seem to have been a better time, and that car was the best that you ever owned, but there was a reason that you sold it. Remember, those romantic cars of yesteryear wallowed as they drove, they smelled of exhaust, their muffler and exhaust systems had to be replaced regularly, they needed constant tune-ups, they stalled, they hesitated, and after you gave them your best years (and dollars), they rusted and/or died on you.

In reality, the best cars of our lives are actually the ones that we are driving right now. The stainless steel exhaust systems last for the life of the car, the onboard computers keep all of their systems running smoothly regardless of the weather and driving conditions, the tires have never been safer, nor have they provided a smoother ride. A live span of well over 100,000 miles is now expected for a car. I say enjoy the state-of-the art technology, luxury and reliability of the cars of today. Keep the cars of the past for a fond memory and an occasional visit to a vintage auto show. Move on to your next car and stage in your life. I wonder if my Scion TC will ever make the Registry?

UNNECESSARY NECESSITIES

I have always thought that there are a lot of little things included in cars and trucks these days that are not really necessary. Many small items that add up, increasing the purchase price of the vehicle for no real reason, or so I thought. They are unnecessary until you end up needing them, then they become necessities i.e. “unnecessary necessities”. I have come across several of these lately and have now softened my attitude towards them. Some even to the point that I now can not live without them.


QUICK, which side of your car is the gas cap on? Now, how about your spouse’s car? How about your company’s car? What about the rental car you had in Florida? You had to stop and think for a second, right? Of course, you have a 50-50% chance of guessing it correctly, but when you are waiting in line at the gas pump, it is not all that convenient or comfortable to guess wrong.

The answer is as simple as looking at your dashboard’s display. My recent unscientific study has determined that most new cars and trucks have an icon placed in front of you designating on which side you should fill. Look closely at the fuel icon and see what it shows. My Scion has the traditional gas station tank with hose, but with a small arrow next to it pointing to the left. I fill my gas on the left. My Windstar van also has an arrow to the left. It fills on the left. Some have the hose pointing in the direction of the fill. Check out your dash and see what it shows. A seemingly unnecessary item, but it sure is handy when you are in a strange car, or you just plain do not remember.

Another unnecessary necessity is the interior passenger assist handles, overhead, just inside the vehicle’s doors. I have had several cars with these and have never touched them. Unnecessary! Recently I was visiting my mother who is a spry 89 year old that likes to ride when we visit. While she is active, it is difficult for her to enter and exit a vehicle. Every time that she got in and out of our Ford Windstar van, she asked, “Where is the handle? Why isn’t there a handle? You need a handle.” Suddenly a handle became necessary. Now, every time that I look at the handle in my car, I think that it may be unnecessary now, but someday…a necessity.

The cigarette lighter of yesterday has now been replaced by the “utility outlet”. While not a smoker, I always accepted the potential need for one, but just one. Our van has three: one in the traditional lighter location, another just around the corner by the passenger, and a third way back behind the third passenger row. When I bought the van I remember thinking, “When would I ever need three DC power outlets. It is unnecessary.” Wrong! My family has now grown into a three utility outlet family, and I am certain that we really could use more thank you. We now need DC power for the GPS, the portable DVD player, the charger for the cell phone, power for a CD player. I am sure that our list will continue to grow. The utility outlets are now a necessity.

The list of “unnecessary necessities” could go on and on:

• A thermometer inside the car reading the external temperature, a nicety that can be a necessity if you are just on the edge of 32 degrees and wonder if the roads are beginning to freeze.
• How many cup holders does a family need? The kids complain if they do not have several of their own.
• How many vanity mirrors are really necessary? My wife wants them handy, and at several angles.
• Interior lights: there are front and rear dome lights, individual reading lights, floor lights and door lights. Unnecessary necessities.

How far we have come from the days when I drove my father’s simple 1959 VW where you just started the engine and drove. There was one dome light, uncomfortable seats and no fuel gauge. Finding the gas cap was not an issue since it was always easily found inside, under the front hood. That car had very few “unnecessary necessities”, but it also only cost $1995, new. Engineers are now designing radar guidance systems for the cars of the future where the driver becomes the unnecessary necessity. How far we have come!

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

It’s not like I am a nosy neighbor, but we do all look out for each other. We notice if there is something different, or out of the ordinary in our neighborhood. We know when someone’s relative is visiting (Who owns that Ford Focus?), when there are plumbing problems (What’s with that GMC panel van?), and certainly when someone buys a brand new vehicle. This is a newsworthy event that is fun and exciting for everyone on our street. Such was the case recently when my neighbor took delivery of their new Saturn Outlook.

Everyone knew it was coming. It had been ordered weeks before, but one day it just magically appeared in their driveway. A large, beautiful Midnight Blue profile suddenly dominated their landscape. Now I am going to be nosy! Just when I got up the nerve to move from tactfully peering through the curtain, to blatantly going out to explore, another neighbor beat me to it. Darn, missed my chance.

GM seems to have gotten it right. The Outlook is Saturn’s new crossover vehicle (along with its sisters, the GMC Acadia and the higher end Buick Enclave), auto manufacturers’ replacement for the frumpy van of yesteryear. A crossover is to be that perfect blend of SUV and van; functional for a family, but cool like an SUV, all with the ride comfort of a car. The lines and components of the Outlook are striking both inside and out. As a result, sales have taken off and the reviews have been glowing (Motor Week just named it their Best Crossover Utility for 2007). I knew that I had to dig deeper. I had to check out my neighbor’s new Outlook.

My first close-up was at a state soccer championship game. After a night of torrential rain, the parking lot by the fields was a sea of mud. My little Scion TC had to carefully jump from island to island, dancing around the sea of puddles. Then the Outlook arrived taking a straight shot to its parking spot, demonstrating its confidence and comfort in any situation. The Outlook stands tall at nearly 6 feet, giving the driver a commanding view of the road, just like an SUV. The exterior’s lines are stunning with angles and curves just where they should be. The interior is also attractive with a logical dash and comfort throughout, even way back in the traditionally throwaway third seat. Reports are that the access to the third seat is as easy as pulling a single lever on the second row seat which slides it forward, and up, positioning the seat against the front backrests. GM calls the design Smart Glide.

While I shared my approval with my neighbor, I had to settle with admiring the Outlook from afar. However, a month later my son lucked into a ride. It was on a snowy night, but I knew that my son was safe. I remembered that the Outlook has, “…dual-stage front airbags, front-seat-mounted side-impact airbags for torso protection and side curtain airbags that provide head protection for all three seat rows.” As envy set in, I could not wait to get home and debrief him about the ride. How about the 270-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6, the six-speed automatic transmission? He said that he didn’t know, but he did get to ride shotgun and he thought sitting up that high was really cool. I dug for more details. How did it handle the curves and the pot holes? How firm did it feel at speed?? How did the lumbar support feel in the seats??? He wasn’t sure about any of these probing questions, but he did say that the best thing about the Outlook is that it talked. My son had experienced OnStar, GM’s navigation/diagnostic/hands-free calling service.

My neighbor has had the Saturn Outlook for several months now. Snow, kids and muddy parking lots behind it, the Outlook is now broken in. Even so, its profile is still impressive as it sets in their driveway, and it is still “new” to the neighborhood. GM and Saturn did get it right with the Outlook, and so did my neighbor. Maybe someday it will be my turn to ride shotgun.

GPS: The Key to the Highway

This is the age of information technology: the internet, cell phones, iPods/iPhones, the Blackberry, Bluetooth, OnStar, the list goes on and on. Some of these are helpful, others are just plain annoying. All cost money for their initial purchase; some require ongoing service fees that add up to real dollars over years of service. With all of these choices, it takes a wise consumer to avoid an unnecessary, impulse purchase. For me, a GPS (global positioning satellite) unit always seemed to be an unnecessary luxury, but has now turned out to become a great tool (and toy). The GPS unit for your vehicle is now affordable, and portable, providing a real value for its owner. My first exposure to GPS technology in automobiles was several years ago with my brother-in-law’s Acura. They initially appeared in vehicles as a permanently installed luxury item, a $2000+ option. GPS units provide the comfort and convenience of accurate, real time mapping information for the driver, and depending on the unit, so much more. I was immediately intrigued when I saw it used very effectively in the Acura, but then thought, “Why would I pay $2000 for what a $2 map could provide?” That was then and this is now.

This past holiday shopping season, GPS units were offered in just about every store and they were on many shopping lists. I was still intrigued, but disciplined (the $2 map). However, the more I thought about all of my family’s out of state trips, travel soccer games and hockey tournaments, the more GPS seemed to make sense. After extensive research, I gave into temptation and bought one. There are many manufacturers, but I went with the well known, name brand of Garmin, and bought their NUVI 350 for less than $300 (starter units go for as little as $150). What $2 map can give you maps for the entire Continental United States, Canada and Puerto Rico; fits easily in the palm of your hand, portable enough to use walking about town; has an Mp3 Player; and the ability to download additional software for travel reviews/information, language translation, and books on disk?

Unlike other techno gadgets, the NUVI 350 is easily mastered in minutes. Its bright display and sensitive keypad makes it a breeze to use. In addition to providing the driver point-to-point directions, its data base includes points of interest including restaurants, theatres and gas stations along the way. The maps are accurate, and the verbal commands are even better. Many units do not include the actual street names in their verbal presentation. I think that this is a must and worth any extra that you may need to pay. It is easy to navigate by verbal commands alone and there is no need to even take your eye off the road to reference the maps. The female voice is very patient and compassionate, even when you miss a turn and she has to “recalculate.” The download into the Mp3 player is as simple as plugging the unit into the home computer. I spent the extra $51 for the language translator and my son finds it to be very helpful with his Spanish homework assignments.

How the unit mounts in your car is a matter of personal preference. The general method is a suction cup to the windshield or the dash. I do not like the idea of either. I found that on the windshield the unit was in my way affecting my visibility for driving. Mounting an adhesive disk to the dash was out of the question since I needed the flexibility of moving the unit between cars. The solution was the purchase of a $30 “friction mount” which lays securely on the dash and is easily moved from car to car, or placed in the trunk for safety.

My whole family is now sold on the value (and fun) of the portable GPS unit. It is entertaining and educational no matter how long the trip; getting lost is a thing of the past. Not an essential item, but it sure is a lot of fun. Buy one and let it guide you to your favorite dealer for that next automobile purchase. Use the $2000 saved for another option. How about the Sport Package that you always wanted?

Spring Fever

I find this to be an exciting time for the auto industry. Maybe it is the beginnings of spring fever, but the idea of a new, hot car as the seasons change is an exciting prospect. This is the season of auto shows and the buzz this year is all about the new hot car from Dodge; the return of the Challenger, to premiere simultaneously at the Chicago and Philadelphia shows in February. The reemergence of the Chevrolet Camaro is soon to follow.

I refuse to be discouraged by the doom and gloom that is so prevalent in the media. Sure, the domestic manufacturers are going through a period of adjustment. They once again must reinvent themselves in order to cope with foreign competition, more government emission and mileage requirements, and the ever changing tastes of the consumer.

This is nothing new. The domestic auto manufacturers went through similar changes in the late 70’s when the oil embargo and federal emission requirements killed the muscle car. The consumer discovered the economy of Honda and Toyota; their cheaper purchase price and better gas mileage. Now these cars are the main stream. The Accord and Camry are just like any other car. They are expensive to buy, not all that great with fuel economy and they all look alike. Eventually, the consumer tired of being main stream and flocked to SUV’s. The domestic manufacturers were rediscovered in a niche market of trucks and the SUV. Profits were made as the buyers’ tastes changed.

Buyers are there if there is a product the customer wants to buy. Ford began a successful transition in 2005 when they captured the spotlight with their retro redesign of the Mustang. The buzz was immediate. A beautiful car retaining the best of the styling cues of Mustangs past, but with present day state of the art technology. Once again, buyers streamed to the showrooms…and the quality was there too, winning Mustang (and Ford) the 2007 JD Power Award for Best Initial Quality, even beating out the Toyota Solara. Foreign and domestics found that, “What is old is now new again”, and that it sells cars. Foreign manufacturers continue to succeed with BMW’s return of the Mini Cooper, along with VW’s new version of the Bug.

Domestic and foreign manufacturers have proven that they can deliver exciting, well made cars that the consumer wants to buy. While I have always been more of a Mustang fan, the buzz around the Dodge Challenger and the eventual Chevrolet Camaro is loud, and they will find buyers. The first Challenger off the line sold for $400,000. The price at the gas pump won’t matter; these cars will sell proving again that if manufacturers design and deliver a product the public wants to buy, money can be made.

As cabin fever sets in during this long, hard winter, fantasies of a summer drive in the latest and greatest car design takes over. Spring brings a change in seasons, and the premiere of the new Dodge Challenger will bloom into showrooms. I am excited about what lies ahead for the auto industry. Maybe this is a good time to finally think seriously about a Mustang for me. The only question is what color.

Enjoy the ride!