Like a pre-teen gawking at Justin Bieber, I can’t get enough of my car. My proud patience keeps me sitting in her to warm up, and for her turbo to chill down. Pride is a humble way to define my relationship with the Evo. While many cringe at the cold squeal of the racing brakes, to me it’s more like a vacation in Hawaii than the screech of nails on a chalkboard. A perfectly executed heel-toe downshift before the bend of a twisted pass makes me grin wider than the Cheshire Cat. She abducts the road, coercing you to be her accomplice, with indifferent regard toward the conditions. The spool of the turbo, growl of the engine, and an abrupt swoosh as I seemingly fly down the highway are all part of an exciting affair inappropriately approaching an anniversary.
She revels in the attention; a transaction involving the drooling jaw drops of those that couldn’t fathom the pleasure of being in her driver’s seat. I may have a certain disdain towards the punks that incessantly insist on a drag challenge. But I don’t mind being sucked into the bucket seats briefly to bring her to the speed limit. Showing off? Maybe, but I take more compliment in the glances from those that unknowingly know the beast she can be. The little kids that point, the luxury auto drivers that peak, their eyes seem to whisper “that’s a race car.”
I’ve massed a carbon footprint 424 times my own weight, close to 26 metric tonnes (you know what they say about guys with large carbon feet?) You’re probably wondering how I’ve managed to average about 170 miles per day. A trip to buy a mini-scooter in Maine; A boring trip to Buffalo; A week at Disney World; Along with countless aimless trips scavenging for the slopes and curves that we can pillage from the road. I’ll go out at night just to drive, dumping lifes distractions and enjoying the ride. The day dreams of driving dirty on the rally stage seem not so distant as I turn the steering wheel. Driving is it’s own distraction for me, but my time spent wasting isn’t necessarily wasted time. Its one more thing that keeps me content with life and the freedoms we have.
You probably think I try to stick in the gas tank by now but I really just love driving my car. On a lighter note I’ve had about 18 oil changes, and 1 transmission/differential service which I need to get done again soon along with a tuneup. What have I done to it? Just an intake so I can hear the BOV. Got rear-ended once in December, about $8k of damage plus not being able to drive it for a month.
How much do you love to drive your car? Where will I be at the 1 year mark? 2 years? 5, 10 years?!