Musings on the daily life of an obsessed automobile enthusiast
My neighbor Bob is totally not a car guy. He drives a mid-2000s F-150. White. Grey fabric interior, 110,000 miles. Bob has lived across the street for 15 years, and I’ve never seen him wash this truck – ever. I’m guessing he runs it through the car wash now and […]
Every now and then, you can find a deal on Facebook Marketplace. I bought a 1984 735 for $1,500 once, taking a risk that the entire valve train was destroyed or it needed a major valve adjustment. I scored on that purchase. Today was not that day. Now, with two […]
That’s what many Alfisti will tell you Alfa stands for. I can’t say I disagree. The Alfa bug bit hard last August when I picked up a super-clean 1984 Spider Veloce on Bring a Trailer. From a local guy in Portland, no less. Despite some idiot on BAT making the […]
As it’s been with every BMW I’ve ever owned, I didn’t know I was buying it the morning I woke up. I was minding my own business working away when the text came in: “Know anyone that is looking for a nice E39?” Well, actually, I had been agonizing back […]
Black cars may look better in the shade, but on a dreary day in the Pacific Northwest – and we have many of them, I’ll take the M&M colors anytime. But then, I’ve always loved bright, saturated colors. Back when I earned my living as an artist, a woman […]
La, la, la means I love you Look at that front end. Those cool headlights, and the signature Alfa grille. Is it black or is it blue? The owner swears it’s black metallic, but when the light hits it just right, a subtle tinge of blue comes shining through. […]
I still remember the first day I bought my last Alfa Spider. I was driving up Scottsdale Road when this beautiful red Quadrifoglio pulled up next to me – ironically the day after I broke up with a woman who told me that buying an Alfa was irresponsible. I was […]
One of the most enjoyable cars I’ve ever owned is the BMW E30 325iS. That 170hp 2.5 liter straight six is smoother than butter. It’s New York Deli whipped cream cheese smooth, and it loves to rev. It’s a car that way too many car enthusiasts abandon in pursuit of […]
Looking over the hood of my Alpine White 944 at a brisk, but leisurely pace on the morning’s coffee run brings back great memories. The 944 is by far the slowest car in my collection of five Porsches, yet it is the most tactile, most mechanical, and most engaging in […]
I remember the line from the Thin Lizzy song, “told them you were livin’ downtown, driving all the old men crazy.” Oddly, just after my neighbor Amos passed at 94 years old, another old guy down the street popped up and it wasn’t me. And this one didn’t like cars, […]