Car Parts 2011

Why does one get such a bad rep for driving a bimmer convertible? And shouldn't wearing a bluetooth hands free device and a pair of polarized Oakley sunglasses be setting an example for what's considered practical and being safe?

Ah, profiling. Many of us are guilty of this. Certainly Danny Chin and I are. A person who owns a Hummer is probably trying to overcompensate for something. A Prius driver is either someone that A.) always has to have the newest "it" thing B.) is really into tech C.) likes to brag that they're being green or D.) number crunchers. The bottom line is that they all look smug while doing it. Porsche 911 drivers are wealthy accountants who need a sports car that can hold two golf bags. Owning a Civic Si with Altezza taillights automatically makes you ricer.

See how easy it is? Anyone can do this and this can be a problem. As car enthusiasts, we don’t want to be mistaken for anything else. It would be nice if people can look at our car and say, “Oh, this definitely belongs to a car guy.” But is there really a car out there that can really nail that statement?

Yes, and no. Or yes in a way that isn’t exactly what you were expecting.

The answer, at least my answer, is the kit car. Caterhams, Ariels, vintage Shelby Daytona replicas and the sort are the kind of cars that provide for only a very particular lifestyle. The more extensive the available options are for modification, the more driver-centric the vehicle becomes. These purchases are done out of pure selfishness and disregard to those who love you. Caterhams, for better or worse, are just too obscure of a brand for anyone to understand what the car is and the history it stands for. How many stories have we heard of wives leaving their husbands because she can’t live with a man that loves his car more than his woman?

It’s a double edged sword that many of us would gladly live with.