I was just thinking about an article I read that Chris Rado wrote a while ago for SCC.

Now don't get me wrong, I wax my car as much as the next guy here, if not more, but does anyone think we are being too protective of our cars? I don't mean theft-wise, I mean the driving aspect of it.

I personally did not wait 1000 miles to break in the engine. As a matter of fact I think I pretty much redlined the car out of the dealer lot. I have some rock chips and scrapes. I've done countless burnouts and some attempts at what I hoped would look like drifting. And I don't really care. I love my car and every time I drive it, I learn a little more about driving at the edge. That's what I bought the car for.

Does anyone share my philosophy? Does anyone disagree? Let's hear. But try not to flame me so much. Just remember that I make the payments on my car, and you make the payments on yours.

 

Well, I detail my car every week ... but then again, I used to do that when I drove my previous car (Explorer). I even use Q-tips for the hard to reach crevices and the rims.

For me however, some say I'm OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) about cleanliness and order - which, is not far-fetched. When I wash my parents BMWs when I go visit them, it usually takes me about 3-4 hours to do it - but, it is also a stress-relief for me ... I appreciate technology and engineering and definitely, a clean car.

As far as driving it ... well, it's your car ... you said it yourself ... you're paying for it. Do what you want to do with it. I can't really rag mine out as much as I'd like to because this is the first stick shift car I've ever owned ... so, though I'm getting it down, HELL YEAH, it's fun when I get the shifts right! Personally, I can't justify ragging a car out if I'm not making the payments on it, nor would I if I was making per year, as much as the car is worth. When I have the money and I can buy an Audi A8 - I'll rag this one out.

You only live once ... have fun and do whatever the hell makes you happy.

P.S. - I redlined the car in it's first 1000 miles ... I'm sure it's still fine.

 

Im careful with it, I treat it well, its a 30,000$ investment, and I take care of my toys. I dont think there is such a thing as taking too much care.

I also enjoy my car, and I use it to its limit when I feel like it, but I make sure that it is in proper condition to be used at that limit.

 

I'd like to think im not all that **** about my car. I dont go out of my way to park in a far off corner so no one dings my car. I've pretty much come to accept that door dings happen (when its an accedent), rock chips are a part of driving, and bird crap happens. What really pisses me off is when someone has to 'hate' on my Z. Today as i was leaving work, walking to my car, glad to be out of the office, I notice something on my hood. "Well i wonder what that is, probably crap from the bushes or something." I tell my self. Well, the closer i get, the more it looks like tuna. Yes TUNA. WTF! Sure enough, someone thought it would be funny to smear half of their Tuna sandwich on the hood of my car. Why do people have to do that? Ugh, it just gets under my skin. Well, time to go drive her, and tell her im sorry that happend to her today.

 

I actually agree with you all in a certain way. As Austin does, I exhuastively detail my car every week, sometimes more, since it's super black. I like the car to be clean. The neighbors also rag on me about it.

Ares, you also make a good point about keeping the car in a condition conducive to performance at the limit. I like to think that I also do that. I check tire wear every 2000 miles or so (on previous cars, I have 1500 on my Z now), I change the oil every 2000 miles becuase I admittedly drive harder than the average soccer mom, and I check all fluids and do all maintenance immediately when a problem arises.

I also agree with Doc Cold in that paint chips and stuff don't bother me because they can't be prevented. I saw some of the Ferrari 360 challenge cars at Limerock on Saturday and they still looked pretty bad a s s with a few chips on the hood. Even the 250GT California had a rock chip. That's awesome to me. It means the cars get driven. That's the thing I love. Sure it's nice to have a good looking car and I go to great lengths to have mine stay that way, but I like when I turn heads shifting at 6500 rpm in the middle of town. Vandalism is another beast entirely and that is just unacceptable on so many levels.

I've gotten more smiles, waves, and questions in this car than I did in 18 months of driving my Phoenix Yellow ITR. I've had some good conversations and learned some things just talking to people at stop lights. That's what I love. I'm always out in the middle of the night just driving if I have nothing to do.

Good luck to you all with your Z's and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

 

If a train was coming towards my car, id fling my body in front of it.

 

No don't fling your body, There are much better uses for it..

Ha !

Cheers Amy -