On being a car enthusiast with an ordinary car

"Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)" (havecarwilldrive)
04/26/2014 at 05:20 • Filed to: None

Reading davesaddiction's !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! got me thinking on the meaning life, the universe, and more importantly, on being a car enthusiast who owns a relatively ordinary car.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

My daily driver is a 2003 Mazda 6 Luxury Sedan: 2.3L four cylinder engine, four-speed automatic transmission. While it holds up its own against its competitors, and could even be regarded as the "enthusiast's choice" amongst its contemporaries, there's no escaping the fact that it is first and foremost a practical mid-size family sedan. And while it's coming on for eleven years of age, it's not even close to old enough to be considered a classic car.

I have been into cars since before I can remember, and as a child could name almost every car on the street. These days I regularly annoy my wife by identifying cars in photos that are just barely shown, and my daily routine includes perusing a substantial volume of automotive blog posts. However, every so often while reading about others with their Miatas, E30s and WRXs, I wonder if I have sold out - if I'm not a real enthusiast, if having other life priorities other than owning a more enthusiast-oriented car make me a sell-out.

However, I don't thing there can be a single set of actions or requirements that define the car enthusiast. For some, it's owning that special car to which they give generously of their time and money. Others, for reasons of age, circumstances or necessity don't even own a car, yet still have that same affinity with motorised four-wheeled vehicles that us enthusiasts understand so well. Car enthusiasts express their passion in different ways. For me, I keep my car as clean and well-maintained as I can. There is nothing I find more enjoyable than a long drive on a twisty road through the hills, and I spend a not-insignificant portion of my life absorbing every bit of automotive writing that I possibly can. I find joy in my expansive car knowledge, and get excited when I see a new model for the first time. Whenever I become aware of a car I know little about, I can't help but extract knowledge from the internet until the gap is filled.

I regularly toy with the idea of buying another car to be my "enthusiast" car. Currently, I just don't have the space, but I think think it is an almost certainty in the future. Thankfully my wife has resigned herself to accepting this when the time comes. So yes, sometimes I long to own a car that is more sporting, or older, or more rare, or just more interesting. However, I have no shortage of ways in which I can express my passion for cars. While I may own a more exciting car one day, in the meantime the Mazda is car I still enjoy driving and owning, and for me it is a car I love, and I don't think I'm any less of a car enthusiast for it.

DISCUSSION (22)

CRider > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 06:07

It's safe to say most of the people here have "normal" cars and it doesn't make them like cars any less.

And all the posts like this are making me feel weird, as if 'enthusiasm' is something to brag about, something to compare. I don't need to feel like I'm not enthusiast enough to be here.

KnowsAboutCars > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 06:15

Enthusiasm isn't about owning certain type of car it's about having true love for cars and automotive culture.

Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too) > CRider
04/26/2014 at 07:16

I totally agree, but sometimes I feel just a bit guilty for not letting my passion for cars take a higher priority.

Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too) > KnowsAboutCars
04/26/2014 at 07:19

Couldn't have said it better myself. I suspect that a little overexposure to those who do have special vehicles (and probably also my longing to be able to one day have one myself) explains the source of my doubt.

Fookin' Prawns > CRider
04/26/2014 at 07:43

Yeah, I've noticed that too. If you're here we just assume you're obsessed with the cult of cars, no questions asked. While the sentiment is probably genuine (and I mean no disrespect to the OP) it just comes off as a front to show others that you meet some standard or whatever.

People get so defensive about "being Jalop" it's easy to forget why we came here in the first place: to love cars and shoot the shit. You don't have to like a certain beloved car or know how to heel-and-toe or even own a car for that matter—do you like any sort of wheeled vehicle and want to talk to a diverse group of people about it? Perfect, join the conversation. No fantasies about 240s or fanatical support of manual transmissions required.

jkm7680 > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 07:47

Life happens. At some point, it'll be time for a more enthusiast oriented car.

shop-teacher > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 08:12

Save for a couple of highlights, my own car ownership history is rather boring. I call it the curse of being responsible, and not rich. But its not what you own, its how much you enjoy driving any old thing you're behind the wheel of.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 08:56

hey I'm sure there are some people one here who don't even have a car.

JR1 > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 09:30

I own a 2000 S10 and there is in no way anything about that truck that makes it enthusiastic. But I except that I am not fortunate enough to own a "enthusiasts car" yet and move on. The thing about car enthusiast with regulars cars is we can still find joy in our mundane rides on a fun road.

Tom McParland > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 10:10

Don't beat yourself up over your priorities. I drive a fairly modest 2010 Mazda3. I could technically "afford" something nicer like a 3-series, but I have a family that depends on me so I would rather use my money towards my retirement savings, vacation fund, and college savings for my kids.

signintoburnerlol > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 10:19

You can still have nothing and be enthusiastic .

Though some might just call you hopeless.

Flat Six > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 10:27

I mostly drive a 2004 Mazda 6 wagon. Its been a great car for the last 10 years.

Jonathan Harper > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 10:35

I don't even own a car!

Torque Affair > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 10:36

It looks like you enjoy your car which is awesome! If you were to get another car, or replace your current car, what would it be?

area man > CRider
04/26/2014 at 10:46

I hadn't thought about it until now, but you're right, there have been a lot of defensive manifestos lately.

Klaus Schmoll > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
04/26/2014 at 14:09

It's about the car in your heart, not the one in your garage!

thebigbossyboss > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
05/02/2014 at 18:56

Could be worse. I own an older car that wasn't even considered a good choice when it came out. A lot of my friends have nicer cars than me. However if you were to tell any of them I wasn't an enthusiast they would laugh. I'm obsessed!

Timeforjeans > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
05/02/2014 at 21:47

This sounds like the boat I'm on now. I have a second gen ls400 and would definitely consider myself a car guy. It's not stanced or otherwise modified (much) but it's a clean example of the car and keeping it nice garners comments by most people. I've had my share of internet fanboy cars (m3, is300 5spd, a couple of miata, a couple mr2's, 300zx, lowered civic etc) but right now I need this calm car in my life. Work is stressed, kids are young and I don't have my 3 car garage yet. Time will allow for something new for both of us I'm sure.

I wonder, didn't this site do a "top 10 kinds of car guys"?

09GT - now boosted > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
05/02/2014 at 22:43

Like others here, I have loved cars since I was young, but my own cars were anything but special to anyone but me (6000STE, Malibu, Civic, Grand Am, Sierra, Aurora, Town&Country. At age 37, after my student loans were under control, 529s had been set up for the kids, 401K fully funded, house refinanced on a shorter mortgage, I finally bought a car for me - a used 09 Mustang GT. I could certainly have afforded something much more expensive, but I really didn't see the point. I love my family more than I love cars, and want money to enjoy doing things with them. If my boys (or my daughter) happen to follow their dad's love of cars, great! If not, then they will still have great memories of other things/places we've shared.

ruthless013 > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
05/03/2014 at 00:41

i am currently wrestling with this very subject. i am fortunate to currently own a '10 mazdaspeed 3 (daily/family car) and a miata (almost dedicated track/autox car). i really want to focus on the miata, and it makes total sense to part with the speed and get something more economical and, well, boring. i spend a lot of time in the speed each week, and i absolutely love driving it, even when im stuck in traffic. i don't think i could downgrade - i would spend too much time wishing i was in something else.

Jeb_Hoge > Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too)
05/03/2014 at 08:14

I've got fundamentally the same car, except LHD and 16" alloys instead of 17s, which I think yours has. Mine has 135000 miles on it and I still love flogging it almost daily on my commute, going to the store, or whatever. The Six is just a fun car to drive; it's not a power monster but it's got great handling, great brakes, and is quick enough to exploit the other virtues of the chassis. I am like you in wishing I had a proper "toy" car but the day isn't here yet. I'm not missing it too much though.

Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too) > Jeb_Hoge
05/03/2014 at 19:22

Yes, mine has 17s. I'm currently sitting on 123000kms (about 77000 miles).

The 6 certainly is an enjoyable commuting car, I thoroughly enjoy my commute the 1-2 days a week that I drive to work (the rest of the time I take the train - parking is too expensive to drive every day). I think you're definitely on to something here - there's something to be said for enjoying the car you have and can afford, rather than spending too much time and effort longing for something else.