Love / Hate

I noticed several others with recent deliveries like me. After a couple weeks with my new ride, I thought I would share a little of my Love/Hate relationship with my nymphomanic supermodel addicted to heroin and crack that I like to call "My Ferrari F355".

Love: Seeing her in the garage with the cover off.
Hate: Squeezing in via the short door swing along the garage wall. I don't know if my foot can twist that way.
Love: Starting her up for a drive...oh the growl. 355 is the real number of the beast.
Hate: Air pump at cold start. Who ordered the dentist drill? Ouch!
Love: Give a little throttle blip before leaving the garage. It calls like the ice cream truck music for the neighbors.
Hate: Going over the speed humps to get to the street. 26" overhang? Really?
Love: The echo from the retaining wall as I pull out.
Hate: Waiting for the oil to get to full temp. Its like foreplay; still before play.
Love: That first pull over 8000 RPM. Hate what? Oh, now 2nd gear to 8k. Oh yeah! If only I could wring it in 3rd too...
Hate: The moron that has to tailgate or pace me to get a look. Yes, you want a good look, but get on with it. I need to turn soon.
Love: The open air motoring; hearing, smelling, feeling Ferrari. My Heaven has one of these. How long before I have to get out?
Hate: Hearing the idiots compelled to yell at me: "Nice Car!", "Love your car!" or whatever blather they think is clever. Yes, I like it too. Care to make a donation to the maintenance fund?
Love: Its cool my car affects people passionately. I feel the same way, but wouldn't a thumbs up be fine?
Hate: Is the light red or green? I can't tell with the window frame blocking my view.
Love: Green light!
Hate: Gotta head check, cuz these side mirrors are about useless.
Love: Well, at just the right angle they're good for seeing those sexy hips stretched over the rear tires.
Hate: $120,000 MSRP and my console is sticky? I bet Schumacher didn't have this issue.
Love: The low roar, like the call of the wild, as I roll through the shopping center just above idle.
Hate: Parking. Close or far? Whose least likely to ding? Where will I have space to swing the doors? Hmm, don't think they'll clear that curb either, too bad. Easy, watch the parking block.
Love: The contrast of the Pininfarina shape amidst everything else.
Hate: Who was the genius that put the e-brake there?
Love: That unique starter whip, then growl back to life.
Hate: Reverse is too snuggly with my leg.
Love: Scream like a scalded cat: 8500 shift! 8500 shift! Easy now...
Hate: What the F is that rattle noise back there?
Love: Hole in traffic, down the 2nd, 8000 shift! Took care of the rattle.
Hate: Oh, its back. And who is this moron doing 7 under? Buzzkill...
Love: Oh well, I'll take the long way. Squeak-clank 2nd to 3rd, squeak-clank back to 2nd, punch it to 8k, squeak-clank up to 3rd. Gates of Heaven.
Hate: I left that space to avoid rock chips on my nose, not for your minivan to squeeze in.
Love: That last S-curve before the house. Its out of the way, but I take it anyway. Its like telepathy. I think it and she does it; carving from one apex to the other then howling out like a Banshee.
Hate: Here we go... speed humps again. Crawl, crawl, stagger. Or was it stagger, stagger, crawl, crawl?
Love: One last little blip going into the garage. Nice echo...
Hate: 5 valves per cylinder, >100hp/liter, 8500RPM, and the decklid doesn't clear the convertible boot?
Love: Mothers Showtime... the "baby oil" rub down.
Hate: Time to cover you up. Until next time....

 

I share the sentiment with them, as I feel the same when I see other cool cars. I'm always gracious to people who've come out of shops or walked over to talk about it or get a better look. That's all cool stuff. Respectful is maybe the word I'm looking for.

But I guess I feel its kind of like fans approaching celebrities for autographs while eating dinner at a restaurant. Sure, it comes with the territory but being yelled at is still annoying and borderline worrisome. Maybe its just the yocals around here or my life experience, but its one thing to pull up at a light and be like "hey, nice car". Its another thing when people literally honk or yell while passing by or when going the other direction. My spidey senses (no pun intended) tell me a spit, beer can, punch, or other act of aggression is coming next. It always takes a couple seconds to process what I've heard then realize its probably A-OK.