Art of Gears
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Happy Mother’s Day, Can You Drive Something Else?

By Mike Garcia

Photo Credit: Jaguar
Photo Credit: Jaguar /
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Happy Mother’s Day for all of the moms out there.

I just want my mom to drive something else.

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I’m from a family of non-car people.  All people really need to know is, my parents tried domestic cars in the 1970’s and were horrified with reliability costs.  Once they switched onto the Toyota and Lexus brands, they never looked back.  Growing up, we did the cycle of cars.  We had the compact Corolla.  We had the mid-size Camry.  We had the second and third generation 4-Runner.  We peaked at the entry level Lexus.  My family is awfully loyal to the Toyota brand, but I just wish they would drive something else, especially my mom.

1998001_1991_4Runner_4WD_SR5_V6-1
1998001_1991_4Runner_4WD_SR5_V6-1 /

She’s an irony.  She’s someone that likes to drive spiritedly on regular roads, but is deftly afraid of the freeway.  It doesn’t make sense to me, and I guess it never will.

She’s at a point of her life where retirement is drawing near.  What vehicle is at the top of her list?  A Lexus RX350.  Why?  It’s the combination of the Lexus creature comforts with the 4-Runner ride height.  At least, that’s all she cares about.

This photo taken on April 20, 2013 shows a model posing next to a Aston Martin V8 Vantage on media day at the Shanghai auto show. The Shanghai auto show, which opens to the public on April 21, is expected to attract more than 800,000 visitors over the course of nine days. AFP PHOTO / Peter PARKS (Photo credit should read PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images)
This photo taken on April 20, 2013 shows a model posing next to a Aston Martin V8 Vantage on media day at the Shanghai auto show. The Shanghai auto show, which opens to the public on April 21, is expected to attract more than 800,000 visitors over the course of nine days. AFP PHOTO / Peter PARKS (Photo credit should read PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images) /

Why am I trying to influence her?  Why does this even matter?

When we talk, she raves about her coworkers.  She raves about what they drive.  I find it awfully boring.  So and so bought a Mercedes SUV.  So and so bought a Land Rover.  So and so bought a BMW again.  Yawn.  Boring.  Lame.  A lot of people that earned some career success will automatically default to these choices.

I want her to stand out.  She’s not like them.

See, we have been through an awful lot as a family and we lost a lot along the way.  I just want her to have bragging rights for a change.  She earned it.  She doesn’t act her age and that should show too.  A part of me is awfully glad that Lexus stopped building the SC430, because she loves that car too.

But what do I want to get her into?  Something different, and perhaps, a bit ridiculous.  A used Aston Martin would be a tremendous stretch for her.  But at least it would be fun.  How about a Jaguar F-Type convertible?  It has none of the refinement of the SC430 and snorts like a pig with every gear change.

She earned every right to have a bragging right and I want it to be with her next car.  I want that car to be a reflection of who she is and have some fun driving for a change.

TETBURY, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 22: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Peter Phillips leaves the Beaufort Polo Club driving a Jaguar F-Type S Convertible after watching his cousins Prince Harry and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge play in the Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club Charity Cup polo match on June 22, 2014 in Tetbury, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
TETBURY, UNITED KINGDOM – JUNE 22: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Peter Phillips leaves the Beaufort Polo Club driving a Jaguar F-Type S Convertible after watching his cousins Prince Harry and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge play in the Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club Charity Cup polo match on June 22, 2014 in Tetbury, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images) /

I want her to pull up into the parking garage, have her coworkers come out, and have them question her sanity.  I can see it now, “What is that? Why did you buy it?”  I want her to say, “It’s a Jag.  It’s time to live a little.  Want to ride?”

At least with that idea, for a moment, she stops thinking about the bills, the house, or retirement.  In fact, she would be annoyed by how obnoxious the car is.  It’s a bit loud.  It’s a bit showy.  But, she can finally focus on just having fun.  Through all of that, she would be smiling on every drive.  What better way to start having fun, than with a Jag convertible?

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