Why did I name this blog what I did?

First of all I love dichotomy. I think many things have two sides to them and I feel car ownership is certainly two-sided. It's a love-hate thing at times, sometimes you love the car and sometimes you get really sick of it. Example being, I love modding cars. The ability to extract more efficiency, performance or aesthetics from the starting model is very rewarding. Some projects may be a pain in the @$$ but the wrench time is fun for me. I've done radiator, exhaust, brake, intake and other jobs on my cars and I learn something every time.

I've learned about different types of car like sporty, luxury, economy etc. and in this I learned what I appreciate. I love more than anything a car that handles well, tight control and connects you to the road. For me it is very rewarding to be able to dig into a corner on a twisty road and feel how solid a car is. I actually prefer handling to speed and would take a better handling car than a quarter mile king. This is also a fun part of car ownership for me.

Now there is also the down side to having the set of keys like monthly payments. Sometimes I don't want to be paying every month and have the expendable cash. I about had my Celica GT paid off but had to admit that it was a terrible car for where I lived (not great in the unplowed back country roads where I made my commute) and needed to trade it for something matching the needs of 'the sticks'. Then there is the repair factor. When something breaks, not only is it costly it is inconvenient. You get stranded waiting for a part or the job to be done (if you have someone do it) and it affects your lifestyle. No sir, not fun at all. And when things pile up you really begin to dislike that machine in the garage and possibly start thinking of the other cool possible trades that exist on the lot down the road.

I live in south east Wisconsin and out here there is very little public transportation available. In addition, towns are spread out far enough so you can't just walk to things, you could bike but that's only if weather permits. So in this area, cars are almost a necessity. So if you get irritated with your aging wreck of a machine you really can't just walk away, you need to solve your transportation problem.

That is the up side and the downside of car ownership. Since I pretty much need a set of wheels in this area I personally choose cars that I really enjoy driving and have a certain blend of fun and practicality. I guess this is the best way for me to balance what I need to do to get around and still like what I roll in. If you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, at least like your choice. I have learned what I like and I'm sticking to it!

P.S. Current car is a 2004 WRX wagon and one of the more fun cars I've owned :)