Well, I'm a die-hard who grows very attached to his vehicles. And for several months I went through the agony of watching the auto manufacturer Saab go from a limited but enthusiastic ownership group to a defunct company. I believe our household went through at least five of them in a row, dating back to about 1980 or so. Saabs were distinctive. They all had a pet growl. They were also a bit stodgy and expensive to repair. Regardless, Saab owners shared a camaraderie that for many years even included flashing one's headlights when one met and passed another one on the open highway. It was almost like the brotherhood of motorcyclists giving that familiar high five sign to each other.
This past year, our 2004 Saab 9.5 wagon began showing signs of inexplicable decline after only 75,000 miles. Strange things began happening -- like a headlight flying off on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Next, the car's engine suddenly turned off in rural Franklin County along the Canadian border. It had to be towed forty miles. Not long after that, its high beams began acting erratically. It took my private Saab mechanic a couple of weeks to figure that one out. And by the beginning of summer I needed a new set of tires and was not far away from replacing the exhaust system. I did the arithmetic. It was time to trade.
After a couple of fretful nights thinking about abandoning my dear old friend and over two decades of customer loyalty, I bit my tongue and began looking for another manufacturer. After all, by June Saab's future was almost destiny. I didn't want to be trapped.
Accordingly, the search for a replacement began. I initially sought green and energy-efficient, then began balancing that need with all the additional travel and carting about of our southern friends and their golf clubs. It became evident that, even though we were grandparents, a minivan would be the perfect answer. I did the research and it went like this: Sienna, Odyssey, Chrysler Town & Country, and Dodge Grand Caravan -- in that order. Then the Tsunami hit Japan. Sienna's and Odyssey's disappeared from showrooms and the car lots were quickly exhausted of all Japanese imports. There were no parts to be had either.
So one afternoon I stopped by the local Chrysler dealer and checked out the Town & Country, simultaneously comparing it with the Dodge. I entered a whole new world that Saab, in its traditionalism, never ventured.
I was introduced to mind-boggling technological advances, as well as genuine quality in an American (actually Canadian) vehicle built in Windsor, Ontario. Okay so I was really considering a Fiat...
For those of you who have not car-shopped in the last half decade you are in for some big surprises. Let me begin with Stow & Go seating. All the rear seats actually disappear into the floor, and if you're going to still need those seats for passengers, the seat stowaway compartments can hide half of Fort Dix. If you have a short wife, then consider the feature with moving brake pedals and accelerator. Short legs, no problem. Automated entry? No problem. Automatic doors? Open and close them from a ceiling console. Headlamps that automatically turn on and off the high beams? Of course. Automatic mirror rear-view dimming? Likewise. Removable factory installed crossbars? Sure, why not cut down on drag. Windshield wipers that automatically detect moisture and regulate sweep? Easy. Heated steering wheel? Sure. Four to six electric seat heaters? Your choice. Ambient surround lighting? Pretend you are a Boeing 767. Several power outlets? Locations everywhere. Remote start? Absolutely. Blind spot monitoring? Comes standard. Parking assist system? A camera guides you. Back-up camera? What a wonderful invention.
So let's now move on to the entertainment packages. How about U-Connect for hands free phone conversations? Simply tell your dashboard who you'd like to chat with. It's voice-controlled and automatic. Satellite radio? Free for a year. Simply talk to your radio and tell it what you wish to listen to. And how about that 30 gigabyte hard drive that allows you to transfer hundreds of Cd's to your system? Wow! And then there are the USB computer connections, with a hidden one for your iPod in the glove compartment, or on the dash for your iPad? All of my iTunes saves are immediately available for instant play and controlled by my radio/media system. And finally, how about the Garmin Navigation System with detour and accident updates? That one was a must.
So I entered an entirely new world that Saab had squandered away in its conservatism. My sacrifice? I went from 32 mpg to 20 city and 27 highway. It's the only "if" in the entire process. Then again, life seems to be a series of gives and takes.
It didn't take long for us to wrap up a deal; the car market these days is phenomenal. So now we own a Chrysler Town & Country. I call it my luxury pickup; our friends call it the blue bomber or meals on wheels. And this year, I'm actually looking forward to the Hilton Head Island trek from northern NYS. I'm even thinking about throwing in the Keurig.
So... after all this description I still have not yet come to my point. In today's NY Times, I read and reflected on the current auto show in Las Vegas. There is a dilemma underfoot. How far does the auto industry go in allowing port apps, games, music and movies to a car's entertainment system?
For every new innovation, will we have to devise alternatives to crashing our Smartphone on wheels?
I don't have an answer. In the meantime, I have drawn the line with movie downloads. We are not going there.
BTW, I do love the new Chrysler Town & Country. Sorry Saab, but I think you had become just another Kodak Brontosaurus.
Carry on,
Paul in Potsdam
<http://www2.potsdam.edu/loucksap/>
<http://loucksap.smugmug.com/>
<http://madstop68.blogspot.com/>
No comments:
Post a Comment