This morning was the morning that was all about the car. Living in a region that gets lot's and lot's of snow means having a yearly ritual to get ready for this snow. How I am rooting for El Nino this year. Trying to get into any service bay without having to take a vacation is almost impossible in these parts. The best I could do was to start at 8:30am today. First order of business was to replace the windshield, earlier in the week some sort of flying stone had made quite the impression. This was easy enough, all I had to do was drop off the vehicle for about three hours. And no... they had no courtesy shuttle or even a waiting area to speak of. Looks like someone else gets to get up early with me. You find out who are your true loved ones when it involves an 8:30 am wake up on a Saturday. Hey I sprang for breakfast! Next on the list is the oil change and inspection. I do not know why but for some reason this yearly portion of car owner ritual gives me the most anxiety. Try as I might to make it all okay in my own head, I cannot help but feel that queasy sensation in the pit of my stomach. Don't ask me why, I know the car is in good order. It feels almost like I am taking this exam of sorts, the kind where they decide if you are taking good care of that vehicle. All for naught because an hour later it is done and I am off to.. probably take a nap. I still have some stuff to do yet, the inside will now need to be cleaned again. How one windshield generated such a mess is a mystery to me. I also still need my snow tires put on, but that will be closer to November. Somewhere I have a winter survival kit, that will need to be located and put in its place in the trunk, along with the sand bags and the shovel. I like my car, I love it when the remote starter works and it is all thawed and ready to go. I feel like I have to put so much into the relationship with my car, maybe more then I get in return. That is until I the moment I don't have the car ready to go. Sometimes I think I would have preferred a horse.
Wow, that's another reason for me to be grateful I live in an area where it hardly ever snows. The trouble is that on the rare occasion when it does, people don't know how to drive safely in it. I still remember clearly the first time I saw snow. I was nineteen. My Mom and I were standing on a side-walk somewhere waiting to cross the road and a car skidded and almost ran into us. And that wasn't even heavy snow.
And I am thankful of having none today because living in a huge city I thought to need a car to move with ease, when time taught me that is exactly the opposed; you may get stuck in traffic anytime of day or night and being tied up to a car when you could easily keeping going ahead without it. However there was a time (between age 18 and 20+) that I was in love with cars and would do all what @Jenn Windey described and yet name it "Brad" indeed, hahaha Through those years I used to have an hymn that expressed exactly the way I used to feel about the urge and absolute need to have a car:
Let me contribute my piece here. I learned to drive when we bought Macho, an automatic Ford Escape, a sports utility vehicle that is quite big for me. After graduating from the driving school, we got Cutie, a Mirage from Mitsubishi Motors that is in the category of compact cars. Yes, we give our cars names. Our first car was Jamie, an olden Gemini that was ready for the junk yard, hahahaaa. It lasted with us for 3 years until we sold it to my brother-in-law who needed a service car for their business. Our next car was Pogi, the sleek Honda civic that was 2 years old. It was the toast in my circle. It seems that everyone was admiring Pogi, the local term for Handsome. Our 2 cars now are both brand new. We bought Macho in January 2013 and Cutie followed in April of the same year. We also love our cars and we never have brought them to the car wash. We wash them by ourselves to avoid complications with the car wash boys. Truly, a car is a necessity here because riding in public transport is an ordeal.
Actually It is Barbie, but dare I ask why Brad? It is Barbie because this vehicle is a Malibu, some of us may recall way before Barbie had a Corvette, if I remember correctly (and I may not be right on this) around the Country Camper Era in the 70's Barbie was a Malibu Barbie and drove a Malibu sports car. When I got this car the only way I remembered the make was to call it the Barbie car. Mine is not a convertible it is just a simple 4 door grocery wagon that always needs something done to it. My car is not pink, it is a classic grey with normal color rims. My front end has a different type bumper because it is a newer car then this one. In my mind though when anyone says Malibu this is what I think of. All I can tell you is it heats nice, has A/C and drives like a dream in the snow.
There's a TV commercial for Liberty Mutual insurance featuring a girl who loves her car and named it "Brad". And yes, I watch way too much TV.
@Ike Willis If my car were indeed a man it would be one well cared for individual. Down right spoiled rotten I would say. Thinking back to relationships I have had I can not recall having to devote as much time or money to a person. Well that might be an exaggeration but seriously cars take sooooo long to get stuff done. I guess if it were a man though I would get to go to the show room and pick out a new one every five years or so. I would still probably get a used model the few dents and scratches are what make them unique.
Ha, the ad was playing in my head when I saw your post, Ike. I'm thankful that I don't have more vehicle related expenses than I do. I do need an oil change, but thankfully, I don't have to do that seasonally. I have a tiny chip in my windshield from a rock kicked up by a winter sanding truck (very rare) years ago, and thankfully the windshield is o.k. It's rare for someone not to have a chipped or cracked windshield here, but my car passes the yearly inspection, despite the ding.