I have been spoilt rotten by first car....
They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. As much as 300 hp and 300 lb-ft was intoxicating every time I buried the pedal to the metal, it didn't make me a bag of bad habits on the road, diving between lanes.
If anything, I believe, it made me learn & appreciate the art of driving. Teaching me the right time to apply the right amount of force, on everything from the accelerator, brake pedasl, to the steering wheel or even the gear lever. Every action had a proportionate reaction augmented with the force generated by the enhancing systems in the car.
Yes, considering it was a car built only 10years ago, and with things like, ABS, traction control, climate control, rain sensing wipers and push button seat adjustments, a lot in the car was electronic. But, from a pure driving experience standpoint, every necessary system was mechanical.
Hydraulic steering, 6 perfectly "ratio"ed gears operated by a lever ergonomically shaped and with just the right amount of throw, 3 perfectly spaced pedals as God intended and that sweet singing naturally harmonic straight-6, slapped with 2 tiny little low inertia turbos in parallel..... It was perfect.
Oh yes, I forgot the kick ass stereo system with no blue tooth trickery. My iPod was plugged in with an old school AUX cable. I know kids... It's so #Basic.. but then what road trip is fun without the perfect sound track to accompany?
It took me 30 years before I could learn driving and afford a second hand car. And, I wanted the ideal driving experience every time I drove a vehicle. Between the price point (for a car with 78,000 miles) and my auto spec-sheet nerdiness, the 335i fit the bill exactly.
I didn't commute to work in that car. I didn't waste my time in traffic in that car. I got in, drove where I wanted to, in a speed I wanted to (without breaking the law), I reached my destination revived and revitalized from the experience and got on with life.
So you can imagine my confused expression, when I read 4000 on the tach in 3rd and the car I was driving was doing only 40. In the 335, I am probably feeling my stomach being sucked inside with the thrust at 2000 rpm where, 80%of the torque is available. 4000 and still nothing.
No I wasn't holding up traffic, and the car I pulled away from, was already a spec on my rear view. But the sheer un compelling and un hurried acceleration performance felt like a zen master saying to his disciples, "that is just about enough".
But I want more.... I need more... I want it NOWW.. I want to be in absolute control of how much power gets delivered and I WANT IT ALLL NOWWW.. .....
What have I done?? Did I buy the wrong car?
I rant about this to my partner and she responds.. "As the great Master Shifu said.. Patience... will get you far.. ". Now I don't know if Master Shifu exists except in the movie KungFu Panda or if she made it up, but she has a point.
Everything in this new world, in Seattle, seems to move slower than what I am used to. From work projects to traffic on the road, seems very measured and calculated. Not to mention the culture seems slightly closed. I am not commenting on whether, it's conservative or not. I haven't lived here long enough to know that either. I am just saying it's more hush hush and protective. And for a free spirit, who ran a million miles an hour all the time, the slowing pace is unsettling.
But going back to what Master Shifu said, maybe it's time for me to change a little. Maybe for all the big dreams I seem to nurture, I should slow down a little, take time, be measured in my efforts. Calculate the right steering inputs, necessary to change direction and not rush to make changes without seeing the outcome. In 90% of the situations that I am stressed in, seems to stem from a self driven sense of pressure. The obsession to be exemplary doesn't have to be pushed to an extreme. The "balance of doing things and not pushing to either of the extremes", that I spoke about in one of my earlier posts, applies here too.
So, the next time I feel the gears are too widely spaced between 2nd & 3rd, or should I feel that there ain't enough thrust as the revs climb; I must remind my self that the world ain't perfect. For all the things this new car lacks, it has a lot of utility. It gets the job done and then some. I mean the seats fold down in a jiffy and can fit in a pet cow, if I had one. And, ain't no potholes scraping the transmission case with 9 inches of ground clearance. 4WD, heated seats, cheap parts/maintenance, and still 3 pedals that bring me joy. But more importantly, I am fortunate enough to be able to afford one.
And who knows this new lifestyle might even help me prepare mentally for racing motorcycles.
But, for now, I bid adieu to my trusty "old"ish friend and welcome my new buddy...
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