If you know me personally; or if you follow any of my various social media accounts, you’ll be well aware of my insatiable car obsession. I totally get that to non car people I must look like a weird obsessive girl who is addicted to loud cars. To most people, a car is an A to B form of transport and a heap of metal. But to me, and many other enthusiasts, a car is so much more than that.
Let’s set the scene, you’ve had a stressful day at work. Generally you feel downtrodden, fed up with life so you return home and have a glass of wine to unwind. Fair enough right?
Well for me the drive home would be the relaxation. Here are the main reasons why;
1. It’s a passion
We all have our hobbies and passions. For me cars are just that, I enjoy looking at them, talking about them. Pretty much anything car connected makes me happy. And in life you need to channel whatever it is that makes you happy. My car has the power to turn a bad day into a good one, it’s a form of escapism for enthusiasts.
2. Connected history
Although it sounds so cliche, I feel like the passion for cars is in my blood. My grandad was a car dealer, who got murdered in 1989. My dad trained at Volkswagen in Germany to re build Beetle engines. My dads brother is a mechanic. My mums brother is a mechanic. I practically grew up with my parents jacking up their Golf on our driveway, tools and oil everywhere; swear words aplenty. Subconsciously I think this gave me the push to be interested in cars, and once I learnt to drive I never wanted to stop driving. Ever.
3. Freedom
In our modern capitalist world of working to make a quick buck just to survive. There aren’t many activities that give you a sense of freedom. There is no such thing as freedom in our society. But driving can really give you a huge sense of empowerment and liberty. I cannot describe the feeling of driving my BMW on an open road, roof down, hair blowing in the wind and nothing standing in my way. This is not a new concept. The same concept was explored in the cult film Easy Rider; which focuses on the Biker / Motorcycle scene in America.
4. Loyalty / reliability
My car is never going to argue with me. It doesn’t upset me, anger me or let me down. It’s always there for me, whenever I want to escape my reality (fuel gauge depending) I think this is one of the biggest reasons people fall in love with their cars. The sheer fact that it is so much more loyal than any human you’ll ever encounter.
5. Networking
Through my love of cars I’ve been able to meet some great friends. Car forums and car groups on social media allow like minded people to discuss cars. I’ve formed some amazing friendships through the use of these. We all live in different parts of the country, but our love for cars unites us.
Some people may zone out for this part; but there are also specific reasons why I’m in love with my BMW 125i. So it’s a straight 6, 3 litre configuration and it’s naturally aspirated. I’m a purist when it comes to the N/A versus Turbo debate. Don’t get me wrong I’ve driven some amazing Turbo cars, but in terms of reliability and maintenance naturally aspirated has got to win the vote for me I’m afraid. Plus I get zero Turbo lag.
My car has the N52 engine, which is deemed as one of the most reliable engines BMW has ever produced. The straight 6 has shaped BMW history, and I can now see why. It sounds great when you put your foot down, it’s balanced, and it’s durable. You have enough power to put down when you want, but you can also drive sensibly and have a total sleeper. I love being able to switch between the two.
I’ve also got a thing for RWD. I love having over 200 bhp, and knowing that when it’s wet I’ve got to have total control and discipline so that the back end doesn’t kick out. I can’t imagine owning a FWD car. Where’s the thrill!?
Considering that the majority of newly built vehicles have turbos as standard. This type of N/A car is going to become very rare in a few years time. I never thought I’d say this, but I have absolutely fallen in love with this car. Every time I drive it I fall in love all over again. So until my bank balance can stretch to an E93 M3 (V8 NA), my baby isn’t going anywhere.
