About a month ago (according to stickers on the engine) my 1987 Volkswagen Scirocco turned 20. I was very proud. Then, a week later, she died. I heard some nasty rattles from under the hood, took it into the shop, and they told me to be safe on the road I needed to replace the front tie rods and ball joints on both sides, all of the brakes (entirely, not just pads), the A/C compressor clutch, the head gasket, and a couple of other things. The bill would have been around $2000. Fortunately, I found a great home for the car, selling it for $400 to a young mechanic & Volkswagen enthusiast in who had drooled over the car every time I'd brought it in for an oil change. He was very, very excited about the car, and is planning to fully restore it & probably make it a show car. Pretty cool.
Losing the Scirocco also made me accelerate my search for a new car. I'd already settled on the exact model & color, but I thought I'd have to order one and wait a few months. Instead, a dealer managed to find one - in Long Island, NY - secure it for me, and get it driven up here to MA. I took delivery this weekend. I love this car.
It's an Aurora Blue 2007 Mazda 3, completely loaded. It's fun to drive, with a 2.3 liter, 4 cylinder, 151 Horsepower engine, a very smooth manual transmission, and a sweet sport-tuned suspension. It's safe, with ABS, EBD, Traction Control, Dynamic Stability Control, front, side, & curtain airbags, and HID headlights. And it's luxurious, with a leather interior, heated seats, an 8-speaker Bose stereo system, a moonroof, and automatic climate control. All of this for a total price of under $22,000. I couldn't ask for anything more.
Oh, and I have a very cool, very nerdy customization coming soon. I'll post pics when it's done. :-) posted by Miles 12:57 PM
Comments:
May the Scirocco live to cruise another day under new ownership...
...and may the Mazda keep you plastered to the seat with a grin on your face for a LONG time to come!
Arrest This Man, He Talks In Maths 
Monday, October 02, 2006
