What's your auto-related New Year's resolution?
2006 marked the first time in about ten years that I got a speeding ticket. I should have known better - not about speeding, but about speeding in that particular car, an all-wheel-drive 2006 Dodge Magnum R/T. Everywhere I went, everyone wanted to ask me about the car. I could have covered my naked body in peanut butter, rolled in rose petals, and skated down the middle of Ventura Boulevard, and I would have attracted less attention than I did in the Magnum.
For the most part, I behaved myself -- but the one time I goosed the throttle to swing past a Lincoln Town Car driving 5 under the limit in the left lane, POOF. It was the 4th of July in my rear-view mirror.
The highway patrolman -- who was just as interested in the car as everyone else I met that week -- was nice enough to write me up well under the speed at which he actually clocked me, but thanks to yours truly not paying attention to the dates written on the ticket, that little yellow piece of paper wound up costing me over three hundred and fifty bones. Ouch.
I decided right then that my upcoming New Year's resolution would be to give up speeding. I've been practicing driving the speed limit, and it's not as awful as I thought -- I'm saving fuel and not taking much longer to get where I'm going. Of course, I've also been driving some pretty pedestrian cars. This week I'm testing a turbocharged Subaru Legacy GT, so whether I'll be able to behave myself or not remains to be seen.
Have any of you made any car-related New Year's resolutions? Slowing down? Driving less? Trading in that gas-guzzling SUV for a diesel or a hybrid? Click the "comments" link and tell us about it. -- Aaron Gold
Photo © Robin Gold
Comments
Relax, enjoy the drive and buy a BMW 335i asap!!
I’d get a black Charger in a NY minute. Sure I’d feel all guilty… but, man, Dodge did a great job on this one.
Ever since Motor Trend declared the Renault Alliance the Car of the Year, I have kept the same New Years resolution.
Never buy a car that is reccommended by Motor Trend.
I’d never trade down to a diesel car or truck with the price of diesel fuel today. Diesel fuel also pollutes the environment more than gasoline vehicles.
Hybrid cars cost way to much and doesn’t get the mileage they claim.
The tax break doesn’t cover the added cost of purchase.
My resolution is to not break my neck turning around in the car to see what kind of car just went past! I need to focus more on the task at hand rather than stopping to look at picture of a fine lookin lil mitsubishi lancer evo 7!(I’ll do that after I buy that lil lancer evo!… Most of my Yahoo page is filled with Car sites and things so we will see how long that lasts…
I resolve to get better fuel economy!!!
I have resolved to take more road trips this year. Unfortunately, I don’t currently have a good freeway vehicle. I’m leaning toward a C6 Corvette. The freeway mileage looks great, performance is off the charts and if I stay away from the convertible there’s plenty of room for an overnight bag and way to many geeky electronic toys I travel with. My hold up is a slight fear of my right foot.
I plan on buying a Lexus IS350. Now that R&T declared it better than the G35 my doubts are gone…
I want a high-performance electric car; no pollution and the torque-shock matches the sticker shock.
I resolve to do a better job of keeping my ride clean, especially the interior. I might even wax the car!
I’am along time GM owner but after seen what they did to the eletric car I’am getting rid of my GM car and switching to some sort eletric type car!!!
I accomplished my first resolution: to reach 200,000 miles on my car, which brings me to my second resolution: buy another car.