What do you get at the Infiniti Service Department for $700?  Not much, about a 1/4 of a break job (front/resurface only), an oil change and a new REALLY important belt  that apparently makes the car go and would be a problem if it actually broke half way into Indiana with a load of kiddos in the car.  Oh, and a car wash plus interior cleaning……so maybe it was worth it? 

I won’t even bother pretending to be green or economical when it comes to cars.  I’m a car snob enthusiast and won’t drive one that won’t get up and move or at least look good trying.  I came by it honest since Mom and Dad always had something cool in the “drive”.  Their current toys are FOR SALE.   1984 Hurst Oldsmobile 442:

1976 Chevy Corvette:

When I got out of college, I didn’t go look for a job, I bought this: 

Lots of fun in that red camaro, probably too much fun.  So glad I bought it and beat the shit out of it.  Some dude that my FIL (father-in-law) knows is still driving this car around in CA somewhere.  Wish I were in CA driving this car. 

After college, I wasn’t looking for a hubby, just some dude who would wrench on my car so I didn’t get my hands dirty.  Enter dude Mick:   

So last night I assigned put him on a mission to find photos of “some” of our old cars.  We have been married since August 1999 and he estimated 25 cars that we have owned since then.  That is an average of purchasing 2.5 cars a year.  Not green.  Not economical.  Not smart.  Some were for fun:

That silver vette didn’t last long.  I stole it from some old people for cheap, then it had electical issues and I realized that although it sounded good and was fun, it sat really low, was uncomforable to drive and it was hard to see anything in traffic.  And since I was so low and visibility was poor, it never really got driven to it’s full potential.

Lots of history for the Carey men with this black vette.  Mick had it as a teen, then my FIL had it, then it was sold, then the FIL bought it back many years later, then he gave it back to Mick and it’s currently for sale for too much $$ out in cyberland.  The car looks awesome in the photo because some magazine was shooting it.  Really, it was more “normal” looking on a day to day basis.  I loved driving this car short distances when I could pry it away from hubby cuz it had “some” specialty parts for racing and really just scared the shit out of people when you started it up.  Plus, being a chick, dudes really were shocked when I got out of it.  And I love a good shock factor.

This Seabring (stock photo cuz we didn’t keep it long) was a POS crappy car, poor sound, crappy ride, the only positive was when the top was down and then EVERYONE bitched hated riding in it cuz of the wind tunnel.  Even the dog hated the convertible, so out the door it went cuz it wasn’t worth hearing them bitch the overall general crappiness.

Some for racing/hobby/keeping the hubby happy:

The white camaro is the current “project” car…..I think…… he can’t make up his mind.  He might want an old 70’s vette to build or he might keep this…..makes my head spin, and I really dislike the 3rd Gen body style for the camaro, I’m rooting for him to build a vette. 

Some shared with Father Carey:

Some which hit car magazines and made hubby infamous with other gearheads car dudes:

Some zippy daily drivers….supercharged Grand Prix GTP……. “family car”:

I really liked this car.  It came to me as I was giving up the red camaro after Aby was born  and hauling her in and out of that car, with only 2 doors, no interior room, and lots of driving a stick shift with a screaming baby in the car.  This car was a compromise, family car space plus engine power for momma.  It had a nice rumble too, plus a great Bose sound system to drown out screaming babies, moon roof, heating seats.  LOVE.  Pontiac really knew how to do it right. 

Grand Prix GXP (300+ HP V-8)….”family car”: 

I loved the silver GTP above so much that hubby found this one for me.  This was a newer & improved model and was a really awesome car.  First, it was black, need I say more?  Second, although this model didn’t have a supercharger, which I was slightly leary about, it had lots of power and an even better rumble than the GTP.  LOVED this car and it was a REAL struggle to get rid of it and move into a new market once Pontiac stopped production.  I still miss this car and if they made it again, I would go back.  Lots of options, looked good, had nice interior space and it really slid through downtown traffic, plus was awesome on the tollways and interstates heading to/from my parents.  Did I mention that I really LOVED this car?

Some utilitarian for towing, hauling the family plus the kitchen sink:

Some just cuz the price was right:

1962 Oldsmobile Cutlass F85 – currently FOR SALE please come get it out of our barn!

Some which were worth less than my road/TRI bikes: 

Up until just recently, each and every vehicle we purchased was american made.  But things change.  And the lines have been muddled.  It appears that nobody knows what it means to be “American Made” anymore.  The “American” cars are now made overseas and the foreign cars are made and assembled in the US.  Sigh…..hard to know what is what anymore.  So for the first time, we have a round of “foreigners” in our garage.  .   

These foreigners don’t rumble, they purr.  They are just sleek, smooth and I guess probably designed for a more “mature” consumer.  We have been promised that they will  last “forever” and I can drive them into the ground if we maintain them.  We’ll  see, I put 30K+ miles on the Infiniti this year……and the goal is to keep it til Aby gets her license in 6 more years.  Not sure if this is a blessing or a punishment.  Hubby’s Nissan Maxima:

“Stock” Photo of Infiniti G35X cuz it’s too hard to go out to the garage to snap a photo.

I like the Infiniti.  It gets up and moves and is very sleek, has good sound, moon roof, heated seats, and gps/computer.  Nice to drive.  However, it is somewhat uncomfortable to ride passenger, has little interior space in the back seat Aby hates it, little trunk room and is a gas hog.  Hubby wanted me to get the M series for space reasons but it just didn’t move as well.  I drove a lot of cars to decide on the Infiniti and I do like, it just not sure I will stay with the Infiniti line after this car gets passed on to Miss Aby. 

This is a decent compilation of our vehicles past and present.   Cars are a bit of a passion for us.  Mick likes the fast/hobby/race cars but will settle for a normal or even shitty daily driver.  Me, I like a fast daily driver that can accomodate the family to some degree.  I am over the sports car thing, don’t like how low they are to the ground, or the poor visibility but you won’t catch me in a minivan or SUV anytime soon either.   I know, not green, not practical, not smart but it’s part of who we are as imperfect people.

What do you drive?  Is it smart and practical or excessive and possibly more than what you really need?  

Happy Driving!                                                                                                                           Amanda – TooTallFritz