7/7/06

I'm not going to pretend that the Versa is anything but what it is, an economy car, but it sure is a whole lot more fun and satisfying than the Pimpmobile was! I'm not going to pretend that it is better looking than the Pimpmobile, because frankly from the front it is kind of silly looking whereas the Pimpmobile was dead sexy from all angles. The Versa is a tad too tall and skinny when looked at straight on, hopefully springs will lessen that somewhat. No, I'm not going to try and justify the change but I did find myself saying something I haven’t said since driving the Scooby-Doo, “I really like this car!” I'm grinning almost all the time while driving it and it has the pep and agility to zip in and out of traffic. That was truly lacking in the Pimpmobile. The size and slush box transmission just hampered its hoonability. In the Versa I can just roll into the gas on the freeway and it pulls right up to whatever speed I want. The Pimpmobile would lug along until the transmission kicked down a gear and made me look like a douche that doesn’t know how to drive. Have I mentioned that I really hate automatic transmissions? This car has totally convinced me that the outward appearance, to an extent, is unimportant as long as it is a fun car to drive. Don’t get me wrong, I'm still going to install lowering springs and set the thing in the weeds, but I'm not going to lust after cars just for their looks any more. Yeah, right! I'm sure I'm going to have pangs of regret when I see a Magnum on the road, or lust after an all black Crown Vic or Marauder when I see one, but I'm going to try with all my might to avoid another fling like I had with the Pimpmobile. I almost said mistake but the Pimpmobile wasn’t a mistake per se, it just wasn’t right for me. Besides, mistake has a negative connotation. I don’t want y’all to feel like I hate the Pimpmobile and regret buying it. Well, I do sort of regret it but that’s beside the point. I did like the Pimpmobile, for the aforementioned sexiness, but the slugabed slush box transmission was an issue I just couldn’t get past. Slush boxes are a deal breaker from now on. Four-doors I obviously don’t mind, but I have to row my own gears. Wrong wheel drive is obviously not the issue it once was with me as long as it has enough pedals. Hatchbacks were not my favorite for a while but that has gone out the window as well. Shut up, I am not trying to convince you, me, or anyone else that I made the right decision. I like the six-speed in the Versa more than I liked the Pimpmobile and that is that! Fine, I'll stop talking about how wonderful the Versa is compared to the Pimpmobile. Happy? Anyhoo, we’ve found a store on e-Bay advertising lowering springs for the Versa but I'm not ready to commit just yet. “What? I thought you were chomping at the bit to get it in the weeds!” I hear you saying. Yes I am, but the auction for the springs has the banner reading something to the effect of “Lowering springs for 07+ Nissan Versa” but the ad itself lists springs for a Honduh Oddity. I sent them an e-mail asking about it but haven’t heard back. Well, it is lunchtime so I think I'm going to shut her down for a bit. Historically I haven’t returned from a shutdown even when I promise that I will so I'm not even going to allude to it this time. In fact, I think I'll just say, “Have a swell weekend” and “I'll talk to y’all Monday.”