A-Musing: Automotive Reflections

The recent BlackBerry network failure was quite interesting.  Logging on to Facebook and seeing BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) updates from friends when the program was temporarily working, all I saw were messages about how not having BBM was ruining their day, that people were going to switch to the iPhone and boycott RIM, or that they were forced to have to look people in the eye at work at the cafeteria line-up or walking around in their building – seriously.

Pretty traumatic, life-threatening stuff....

Turning our attention to our cars, I would be willing to bet my money that if your vehicle(s) were to be stolen from you tomorrow or won’t start while you were running late for work, that these calamaties would surely inconvenience and upset you more than not having BBM and e-mail.

Or, if you were on a road trip and your car died on you in the middle of nowhere on a cold night stranding you, it would likely make you think twice about preparing better in the future and knowing what resources are at your disposal.  Just imagine for a few seconds if any one of these scenarios took place (I hope not, but they can happen).

Here’s my point: Having a car is so important to us, and woven into the fabric of our everyday lives.  Wouldn’t you agree?  We need our car to take us to work each day so we can make a living.  We need it to do errands, drop the kids off to school, go to the gym, haul stuff, or use it for weekend getaways.  Driving and car ownership are also very personal to each of us.  For instance, a vehicle can be a huge part of our identity and how we express ourselves in terms of tastes, frugality, our personal beliefs (i.e. an environmentalist may favour a Hybrid vehicle), an image we want to project, lifestyle needs and for some people, keeping up with the Joneses.  We may have even had magical or memorable moments in our cars.

Ironically, many people care more for the health of their pets than they do their own health and that of their vehicles.  Some people, my friends included, are very indifferent about their cars because they have no interest in learning, and think that having CAA, a cell phone, a mechanic, dad/brothers, and roadside assistance are good enough.  That’s fine, but I would bet that these same folks would also agree that their car cost them quite a bit.  If this is the case, doesn’t it make sense take better care of it, know more about it, be prepared for emergencies, drive safer and maintain this investment as you would your house or condo?

Because cars and driving are so woven into the fabric of our everyday lives, I feel that every motorist out there needs to at least know the basics of ownership and how to save money, find excellent services, maintain a car, deal with a flat tire, and how to be prepared for emergencies, even if you don’t plan to ever touch a wrench and change your own oil.  When I was a service advisor at a dealership, I saw a lot of owner apathy running the gamut from those approving horrendously expensive repairs without shopping around nor asking questions (maybe they have too much money), and some with worn ball joints where one of their front wheels can collapse if they hit a hard enough bump, but they don’t care and won’t repair it. 

As they say, knowledge truly is power, and I think if people knew more about their cars and could hold their own at a service desk or dealership, the efforts would collectively force the automotive industry to be even more honest, service-oriented and cost-competitive.

To conclude, I wholeheartedly encourage you to love your vehicle and learn more about it so you will save money, maintain resale value, ensure maximum reliability to eliminate headaches, drive safer and be prepared for emergencies so you can make it home every night to your family and enjoy more of life’s moments. 

Drive On….

This is my very first blog entry, and I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself and set the tone for future blog posts.  I’ll try to be succinct below.

ü      I am a car enthusiast, and started detailing the family car when I was 9 years old.  I am not an expert or authority in any particular area pertaining to vehicles, but through professional automotive industry experience, personal experience, connecting daily with car enthusiasts on the internet, and tons of self-directed learning, I know a lot about cars.

ü      I am most well-versed in the areas of automotive parts, maintenance, cleaning, detailing, mechanical repairs, ownership, buying vehicles, saving money, being defensive as a paying consumer, and keeping up to date on all models by all makes past and present and their reliability history.

ü      I love writing and disseminating information in interesting and easy-to-follow ways, as well as to help and serve people from my heart.  I wrote for my University newspaper, and have been published in a few internationally-distributed health and fitness magazines.

ü      Cars excite me and are a huge passion of mine. I am continuously learning every week on industry trends, new models, reliability history of aging models, sales performance of various makes, and technology.  I plan to share my opinions here on various automotive issues in the news.

ü      I have previously served as an automotive parts consultant at the retail level, as well as a Service Advisor at the dealership level.  I have seen all kinds of customers and car owners, good and not so good.

ü      By nature, I am resourceful, a strong multi-dimensional thinker, extremely detail-oriented, observant and have ultra-sensitive senses.  Thus, when it comes to cars, I am well-suited to performing excellent work, diagnosing car issues, figuring out ways to get answers, and finding ways to save money.

ü      I am a stickler for proper vehicle maintenance, using quality parts and lubricants.  I am not a licensed mechanic, but am fully capable of repairing and maintaining vehicles, and confidently know my stuff.  I insist on doing all maintenance and repairs myself if possible, and doing things my way unless a job is too messy to do without a hoist, or beyond my capabilities.  I choose my mechanics and network of automotive contacts very carefully, and take good care of all of them.

ü      I am literally and figuratively a Car Buff.  I love talking about them, driving them, and in the summer months, I keep my car impeccably clean and yes, buffed by dusting and wiping her down at least once everyday with automotive detailer and a microfiber cloth (until it rains, then I wait for when I can wash her again). 

ü      Luxury cars are my favourite vehicle segment.  I love fine cars, but also like to be frugal because I believe in saving money, never overspending and owning a car within one’s financial means.  I plan to share info on how to meet these goals, because when it comes to buying cars, one of my Canadian automotive writing idols Phil Edmonston aptly summed it up best: “Symbol doesn’t always equal substance.  Just ask any disgruntled Jaguar owner.”

ü      Lexus is my personal favourite make, and Infiniti is a very close second based on their value.  To me, Lexus vehicles are beautiful, finely built vehicles that stand the test of time both mechanically and stylistically, and my favourite model is their flagship LS.  In case a Lexus executive is reading this, I would love for you to provide me with a new or used model, black on black, with the long wheelbase and Executive Package!  In defence of Toyota and Lexus, both NASA and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded in February 2011 that there were no electronic causes for the unintended acceleration debacle, though Toyota and Lexus will still have to re-build their trust with the public at large. 

I plan to use this blog as a medium to share my $0.02 on all issues related to cars and the industry.  I also hope to connect with the internet community and deliver insightful views, information and lots of personal tips through two decades of experience that will help people.

Ladies and gentlemen, this PDI passes with flying colours and is ready to go.

Drive On….