In cars

[gwyn]

I had to take my poor, on-death's-door car in for major overhaul yesterday. It seemed like a good time, since most of the staff here is off on a retreat and it would be quiet enough that I could come in quite late, which was good planning, because the whole getting a loaner car thing turned into such an ordeal that I was starting to think I might never actually make it to work. The poor old thing just wasn't up to such a long commute every day, especially being stopped in traffic all the time on baking acres of tarmac, and I figured it would end up costing me about $1,000 by the time I was through, and that's what it's going to come in just under. So much for my saving for the full copper repipe. And I still have an alignment to do, since the wheels are getting beat to shit by the crappy West Seattle roadways. I really, really miss taking the bus to work every day. Dammit.

At least, though, the loaner car has served to solve a question. I kept thinking that if I could get a new car, I was torn between a new Corolla or a VW Beetle. I've always, always wanted a Beetle, and they have massive headroom for such a small car. But I've loved my Corollas to death; they have served me incredibly well even when they were breaking down (my old one got me miles to a gas station in a totally empty, creepy part of town as the water pump was blowing itself into three pieces), so I've been loath to give up my ongoing ownership. But sitting in the brand new one now for two days, I know I cannot buy another of these -- this is the most uncomfortable car I've ever sat it since the detestable Beretta I rented in Palm Springs a few years ago. This car is intolerable for someone over 5'7". Especially with my long torso *and* long legs, I feel like I'm doubled up over myself if I can get close enough to hold onto the steering wheel, and the seats curve forward at the top so that the headrest forces my neck and shoulders forward. Even leaning the seat back (making it difficult to control the wheel) doesn't help. Yuck. It's got a cute body, but the interior has no room and allows you no ability to move -- even just adjusting my clothes so they aren't bunched up is nearly impossible. At least there's a CD player and A/C, sigh. Of course, it's going to be much hotter at the end of the week, when I will have my A/C-less car back and will be baking in the sun in stalled traffic. So, I will miss that for certain.

The thing is, I love cars. I've been a car girl since I was a kid, and while I don't enjoy working on them, I know how to do basic fixes and I know things like engine sizes, what a hemi is, can ID parts, and stupid, worthless stuff like that. I like hearing about twin-barrell carbs and Glasspack mufflers and all of that, and I think looking at car magazines and checking out new models is fun. I suppose this is a good thing for my sudden new obsession with The Fast and the Furious. I do not know why I am like this, but I have this thing happen once in a while where I love something tangentially and quietly, and then one day, I wake up and I am obsessed with it. This has happened to me with the first F&F movie, largely, of course, for Vin Diesel, but also, cars. Specifically, the Dodge he drives at the end -- and crashes, sob! I love those old muscle cars much more than the tricked-up imports in F&F, but that's okay, it's still cars and speed. I'm stuck with having to have practical, small cars, but in my heart, if I were rich, I would own a classic '68 Mustang convertible, a 'vette circa the early sixties, a Charger or Challenger, and of course a GTO. I liked Nash Bridges's Barracuda, except for the color. That doesn't even get into the foreign sport models I would own were I rich.

Now I must finish my F&F porn and... dear god, I even have a vid idea... this is just ridiculous. What a silly, cheesey thing to be obsessed with. I'm ashamed, but also, cars! And did I mention Vin Diesel?

Comments

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Have you considered a Saturn at all? I know they're not as sexy as a Beetle, but I find them *vastly* more comfortable than most cars, especially for my back. And I'm 5'7, and I've never had a problem with the headroom in them.

Now, granted, I am very much a Saturn girl--I have had my second one for almost two years now. I haven't test driven the Ion, though, as I bought one of the last of the SL2s before the Ion came out.

You know, spykeraven is quite the Vin Dieself fan as well...

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

It was a really hard decision about whether to plunk the money into the 15-year-old Corolla or get a new used car. But with the new one would come payments, and with my uncertain job future after Oct., it didn't seem practical, and then there's the grotesque insurance hike. So no new cars for me. I guess the only experience for a long while with new car smell will be these service loaners and the rental cars at Escapade!

[jidabug.livejournal.com]

Go Beetle! Choose Beetle! But then, I'm biased, being the owner of a shiny silver 2001 and all. ;^) I'd dearly love one of the new convertibles even though they're not practical in the least since the trunk room gets eaten up by the roof.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

If the future looks bright for a car, I'm definitely going with a Beetle now -- or at least, I need to test drive to make sure the seat isn't going to kill me, but I'm pretty sure it won't. I want the gunmetal gray sooooo bad.

[superplin.livejournal.com]

I have a thing for cars, too. My favorite magazine in Italy was Quattroruote, an automotive mag. I could not care less about Formula 1, but I love reading everything else, from new models and prototypes at car shows to the mechanical stuff and new safety laws and dealer comparisons and, well, everything.

Everyone I know thinks this is very weird, but it's good to know I'm not alone.

As a matter of fact I feel very lost at the moment, because I know absolutely nothing about American cars (by which I mean "cars most widely available in America," even if they're not specifically US-made). Even the Fords and Japanese cars we have in Italy are often completely different, whether or not the model name is the same.

I have to confess, I think most American cars are pretty ugly. I also get twitchy about the fact that the engines are so huge and powerful, but there are such piddly speed limits. It makes no sense! Why do you need a 2-liter engine on your bland mid-size car if you're only going to drive 65 mph? Hell, my normal highway speed in Italy was 165 kph, and that was in my puny little 10-year-old, 1.4-liter Opel Corsa.

It's all very confusing.

That said, I think the Beetles are very cute. I also like the Mini, but if the ones sold here are the same as the ones back home, you don't get much bang for your buck, even if you are willing and able to shell out for optional accessories. (Not sure how that sort of thing works here, though.)

[varina8.livejournal.com]

I didn't know they still made Opels! My very first car here in the US was a yellow, four-speed 1968 Opel Kadett.

[superplin.livejournal.com]

I didn't know they still made Opels! My very first car here in the US was a yellow, four-speed 1968 Opel Kadett.

I didn't know they'd ever sold Opels in the US! Heh.

Opels are actually really good cars. Not the most exciting, but very well made. We never had a single day's trouble with ours.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I know -- we all need to move to Montana or something, with the wide open speed limit and spaces. Give me a big-ass car and a stretch of open highway in the high desert and I am a happy woman.

I had this friend (well, fling) from Sweden who just loved the big Detroit wheels, and at the time he first came to my house and I was still living with my folks (this was back in college), he went ga-ga when he found out I often drove my dad's dual-rear-wheeled 2-ton pickup truck. Dual gas tanks, a 494 engine... that thing could climb a 16-percent grade in seconds. I was complaining once, though, about how hard it was to brake fast if I got cut off when the roads were slick with rain; the lightness of the bed left me skittering like a bug. And my other friend just looked at me and said, "What would you care if you got in an accident? You're sitting on top of two and a half tons of Detroit steel. You're not the one who's going to be hurt."

My Swedish friend just LOVED that. He told everyone in Sweden that story, and for years I'd get visitors who'd look me up because A had passed my name on to them, and they would always want to see the two and a half tons of Detroit steel.

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

I know -- we all need to move to Montana or something, with the wide open speed limit and spaces.

They've finally restricted it to 80. My aunt lives there, and she told the fam that she got a speeding ticket. We laughed and asked how much faster than 80 one needs to go. She said she was doing 85. I guess the cops are real bastards about the limit.

And my other friend just looked at me and said, "What would you care if you got in an accident? You're sitting on top of two and a half tons of Detroit steel. You're not the one who's going to be hurt."

I love stories like that. My dad once made a crack about what would happen if someone hit a Buick. "The Buick would win." The diction had me rolling.

[ludditerobot.livejournal.com]

I'm halfway to where you are. When growing up, my dad had 2 55 T-birds, a sky-blue 57 T-bird with a removable white top (all three pulled from junkyards and rebuilt and repainted), a 64 and 65 Mustang convertable (not nearly as nicely rebuilts) and a 67 T-bird as the family car. I'm not all the way to being a gearhead (what's a glasspack, BTW?) but I do appreciate nice old cars. Not a thing wrong with that.

Vin Diesel love? Not quite with you, but that's just me.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, a 57-T-bird. Oh, wow. See, I didn't even include that because it's like... the Holy Grail of cars. Mythical in its perfection (and unavailability!).

Vin seems to be one of those guys you either love or hate... I've always been firmly camped on one side. The voice, the bod... yum. But I've often found bigger guys who have less than traditional looks the most attractive, I'm not sure why. The popular guys like Brad Pitt leave me cold. I'm attracted to the mooks, I guess.

[ludditerobot.livejournal.com]

My dad got rid of his when my sister was like 15 years and 10 months old, just so that she wouldn't be tempted. I totally understand, but feel gyped, as I'm a younger brother.

My mom had my back out the 67 once. Second biggest V8 ever produced in the US. I was like 10 or something. I don't understand why she did it. I'd let it go back like an inch, then step on the break hard and about give myself whiplash. It was like the car in Prince's "Alphabet Street" video, except it was metallic green instead of white, and it was a two-door, so no suicide doors. Yes, I loved the 57, but if I had my choice, I'd take the big, evil-looking "Batmobile for the whole damn Bat Family" 60s Tbird over the "mystery girl in American Graffiti" 57 any day. But if I could have both....

And it goes to whatever your kinks are. I'd go for Lilah over Faith, because suits are my ironclad kink.

[cy-girl.livejournal.com]

My absolute dream car is a 70's Volkwagon convertable, preferably metallic orange but red will do. Until then, I drive a Subuaru Forester which is perfectly nice but not as cute as the bug.

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

I do not know why I am like this, but I have this thing happen once in a while where I love something tangentially and quietly, and then one day, I wake up and I am obsessed with it.

I think we're going through a crisis together or something, because this describes my weekend. A couple nights I was bouncing off the walls with love for the slash.

a 'vette circa the early sixties

Atta girl...

Now I must finish my F&F porn and... dear god, I even have a vid idea... this is just ridiculous. What a silly, cheesey thing to be obsessed with. I'm ashamed, but also, cars! And did I mention Vin Diesel?

You're going to use Depeche Mode, right?

Do you need funding?

*Pulls out checkbook*

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Next time you're around and you have some time, we should get together and drool watch F&F.

Never Let Me Down is what Khaleesian used for her vid, so I wouldn't want to step in and use it again, though that's the first song I thought of. I was thinking of all the car songs I had, but none of them jazzed me because they weren't about relationships. I was listening to one of my favorite discs, though, and when 6 Underground came on, I was all, ooooohhhh. The thing is, it's Sneaker Pimps, so it's a woman's voice, and a very sweet, girly one, and the song is very lo-fi trip hop, so there's not a lot of movement... but damn, I love the *feel* of it. All this stuff about falling from grace and stuff like that, which just screams their relationship. And I am totally, totally a big pussy about this -- if it's not about twu wuv, I tend not to be interested. There's aslo a techno song by Vibrolux called Loaded Gun I've always wnated to do a Mulder/Skinner vid to, but I could never wrap my head around some of the lyrics and how to fill out the song. It would work perfectly for these two, I think. But that Sneaker Pimps song is really sticking with me.

And of course, for years and years, I've wanted to make a car vid to Dave Edmunds's Crawling From the Wreckage, and it will be great for this and all the old squealing tires TV shows all the way back to Professionals and Starsky and Hutch.

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

Next time you're around and you have some time, we should get together and drool watch F&F.

How's this weekend work for you? *Grin* I'm coming down on Friday and will probaby stay through Monday afternoon, though I'm playing it by ear.

Never Let Me Down is what Khaleesian used for her vid, so I wouldn't want to step in and use it again, though that's the first song I thought of.

You know she used DM because Strangelove is sampled in the movie, right? I'm thinking that itself would be good. But it's your vid and you know how to pick a song to work with, so take my suggestion with a grain of salt.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I might be available Sat night! I might even have the second movie from Netflix, too -- they're mailing it today. I"m not that interested in it, but I feel like I must see it for completion. Ping me if you think you might wanna do this. And hey, I can play you those songs.

[mackiemesser.livejournal.com]

In which I will now plug my own type of car:
Going for the reliability and affordability of the Toyota, may I suggest the Echo? Not only does mine get killer gas mileage (with supreme going for over $2.40/gal in So Cal these days, it's key), but even with the AC, CD player and alarm, it was still pretty reasonably priced. It's got the same basic engine Toyota has been making forever, so the parts aren't astronomical or rare, and even with just a little four-cylinder, it gets good pickup on the freeways (I have a stick, which helps with acceleration, gas mileage, and knocked $500 off the price).
And, key factor for the tall--it is, so far, the only car in which my 6'1" brother's head has not brushed the lining.
::pets shiny Echo::

Dude. Classic muscle cars. ::wipes drool:: I am insanely fond of the whole '68-'69 run, with particular love for the GTO, the Camero, the Firebird, and the Cougar. My best friend in high school drove a '68 Buick GS, and bro used to have a '66 Plymouth Fury. I've ridden around in '66 'Stangs, '57 Caddies, a '64 T-bird, and--rarity--a '54 Jeep. Yeah, I come from Classic Car Country. There's nothing quite like that deep rumble of the muscle car engine and the way you can hear it for blocks before you actually see the car itself.
And, dammit, crashing that Charger at the end of F&F is freakin' blasphemy! I don't care how many imports they cracked up: they can make more of those. But there's finite number of Chargers left and that one was choice.

Of course, I have a rival for my muscle car affection, and that is the Packard, particularly the '46 Coupe, and the '52 Coupe convertible--of which only 3,000 were ever made.

And...stopping now.
MmmMMmmm...cars...

Oh, and there is no shame in the F&F obsession; I'm sitting here on the bench, and I've got popcorn, y'know?

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Who knew talking about cars would inspire such passion from people! When I went to pick my car up today, across the street someone had parked a cherry '66 Mustang convertible painted a pale sage green. It gleamed. It was gorgeous, even if it wasn't an original color. It was stunningly well cared for and I nearly cracked my neck gawking at it.

[mackiemesser.livejournal.com]

You wanna hear something criminal?

My cousin had a white '66 Mustang with black original pony interior. When she married and moved out of Arizona, she left the car with her parents...
Who let it sit.
In the sun.
For years.

Even if the body is still in great shape, that interior is shot all to hell.

Absolutely infuriates me.

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

But there's finite number of Chargers left and that one was choice.

They would *never* crash an actual car. It was either something they bought off a lot and cleaned up (still doubtful since any Charger is a good Charger) or a mock-up made out of cheap materials.

Speaking of Hollywood cars, I think I was *thisclose* to getting my parents to put down $5000 when Spike's 1957(?) DeSoto Fireflite got put on an auction block. I don't think it sold, either.

[mackiemesser.livejournal.com]

They would *never* crash an actual car.

I know, I know: my head gets this, but the rest of me is still screaming "NOOOOoOOOOoooOO!!" when it happens. Because, even if it's a scrap heap under the shiny, shiny paint, suspension of disbelief insists it's a gorgeouspowerfulprettyprettybabyohyes real car.

It's the same thing that won't let me re-watch The Ninth Gate: I know they're not real books, but I start hyperventilating when no one puts on gloves to touch anything, and there's food, and drink, and smoke, and mold, and...AAAAUUUUUGHHHH!!! I can't deal. I just can't. Makes my skin twitch.

No one bought the De Soto? Really? That's just...someone's willing to shell out a year's salary for the coat, but no one wants the car?
Man, fandom has got the wrong priorities...

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

suspension of disbelief insists it's a gorgeouspowerfulprettyprettybabyohyes real car.

*LOL* Okay, I get you.

No one bought the De Soto? Really? That's just...someone's willing to shell out a year's salary for the coat, but no one wants the car?
Man, fandom has got the wrong priorities...

It wasn't on eBay, and I doubt everyone knew about it. I found out about the auction through a popular mailing list (JossBtVS), and I don't think anyone on the list had that much money on hand.