Monday, March 10, 2008

Pinewood Racer





I am fortunate to live across from one of the top Volkswagen service centers in the country. Jenna spent the day visiting our good friends there making sure she will continue to be a runner.

On loan from the dealership I drove a white four-door gasoline combustion engine Passat. Now I have been told by people I love and respect very much that Jenna is a small car, a tiny car, only a few doors bigger than Dubbya my hatch-back. Others, who have an affinity for the Passat, tell me how large and luxurious it is. But in my hour-long morning commute I must say that the car is the same size as a Jetta inside. Yeah, the dashboard has a funny curve that would give you the impression it has more space, but the center council with hidden trays and shifter knob sucks that up.

Keep in mind the Passat was an automatic that kept my left foot fumbling for the clutch, it lacks the power and pick up Jenna the turbo diesel has off the line and in traffic. Plus, Jenna is not as… to be polite… heavy a girl. It feels like the Passat has an extra ton and that’s no fun.

The plus, Passat is more quite than the diesel engine and has several cool, yet distracting, devices in the dash.

Driving home, longing to drive Jenna my true love once again, I was thinking of a conversation a few single moms at work were having about their boys. It is pine wood derby time. They are being good moms; still they lack the design and engineering graces of the racing fan that aided me with my pine wood winner. Yes, as a cub scout I had a sleek and stylish graphite saturated melted lead fishing lure weighted proportionately balanced pine wood winner. Good times… good times.

It wasn’t until driving home today that I finally made the connection that my burnt red racer of old looks a whole lot like the spice red sweetie I drive now.

Today’s announcement from VW concerns me. They say future cars will be smaller and “more American” in appeal. Jetta’s were included on a list of autos that were being considered for Europe only while the Rabbit would keep breeding here.

When I finally got Jenna back this evening, the seat just right, fresh wash and steering wheel grips just so, I knew that I could never let her go.

1 comment:

  1. I hated guys like you when I was in the Boy Scouts and had to participate in the Pinewood Derby without the aid of a seasoned engineer.

    That is a disappointing announcement from VW.

    GW, while it was always a reliable car, looks pretty rough next to the beautiful Jenna.

    ReplyDelete