Remember before you got your driver’s license? Back when you looked forward to being able to drive? There is a time when driving is pure fun, it is a game or a race. The days of going and racing go-carts and playing racing video games where a time when the fun of driving was in the forefront of our minds.
Then there was the day that you got your license. That incredible sense of freedom and fun that your car gave you was there because of your past experiences with driving.
However after years of trudging along in traffic behind mini-vans and Camrys or even in a mini-van or a Camry people lose sight of the joy of driving. They don’t equate fun and driving as the same experience. There are plenty of cars out there that completely ignore the fun of driving and just turn a car into a simple appliance.
Luckily there is another side, a side run by the zealots and the enthusiasts. By people who like fahrvergnugen, zoom-zoom, the ultimate driving machines, driving excitement and other marketing terms to make cars fun again. There are a lot of ways a car can be fun, from Chevrolet Corvettes to Mini Coopers, from 4×4 trucks to Mazda Miatas, from Jeep Wranglers to BMW 3 series, from the sports sedan to the SUV. I’ve had and have seen people have fun in all kinds of vehicles; I’ve even seen a youthful driver have fun in a Camry.
The key thing to having fun is your attitude towards driving. If you have a fun attitude towards driving or an open mind towards the joy of driving your vehicle choice will show it and support you in your quest for finding fun where ever you drive.
So think back to the time when driving was fun or if you are already in the driving enthusiast camp, and then count yourself lucky because every day there is a chance for a little fun. And if you have a vehicle with above average horsepower or handling then put the pedal to metal and enjoy that next curve, that’s what your car was designed for.
4 responses so far ↓
1 dclawyer // Jun 15, 2008 at 6:26 am
I appreciate your mission in writing this. I like cars and I value the freedom that having a car and the ability to drive give me. At the same time I use my car in the city. And the city I live in (Washington, DC) is heavily congested. I sit in a lot of traffic. Even on the weekend. So what I value in insulation from the fumes and the boredom. So that’s one reason I want an iPod connector and satellite radio for my next car. I hate to say this but there are very good reasons why so many people drive personal transportation appliances. Why buy a performance car when all you do is inch along in traffic and even when you can do the speed limit the fastest legal speed is 55. I am beginning to think that the smart ones drive personal transportation appliances. With premium gas here costing $4.55 a gallon it’s time to get real!
2 garythepowers // Jun 15, 2008 at 8:55 am
If I had to drive in heavily congested traffic my idea fun would be differnet. I would still think driving is fun, but I would look for the insulation, gadgets and comfort in a car vs straight performance.
I also have friends that are having fun in their Honda Fit, they need capacity, efficieny, comfort and a some fun.
A Lexus RX Hybrid might fit your needs better. A luxury, hybrid SUV would be a comfortable place to deal with the congestion and a place you could unwind, instead of stress out.
A car like the GTO isn’t the solution for everyone, but there is a solution for people willing to look at what they want in a car, not simply what a car salesmen wants to sell them.
3 dclawyer // Jun 15, 2008 at 11:33 am
That’s a good suggestion, Gary. I’ve also been considering the 2009 Acura TSX. It has all the gadgets I really care about, decent fuel economy and seats I find very comfortable. Any thoughts?
4 dclawyer // Jun 15, 2008 at 11:51 am
And Gary, thanks for reminding me that life’s too short not to make an important aspect of it like driving fun. I forgot that and think I’ve been looking for performance qualities I would really enjoy if I did a different sort of driving than I really do. I am going to explore other vehicles including the one you recommended.
PS The other car I like is the Lexus IS. It is a bit small but the interior is to me stunningly beautiful.