What Are Your Automotive New Years' Resolutions?
“It’s a new year, and it’s time for a new me.” That’s what some of us say every time January rolls around on the calendar, right? It can feel like a clean slate, an opportunity to renew your efforts to make yourself, your life, your car, better than ever. It’s time for a turnaround, don’t you think?
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Every year I set myself ten New Years’ Resolutions, and I often manage to make half of them come to fruition. This year only two of my resolutions are car-related. I’ll make you a deal, I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours. How does that sound?
As we found out recently, I own over a dozen cars and motorcycles. This is a problem. Somehow I’ve accumulated as many cars as David Tracy owned when the city told him he needed to fix his driveway situation. I love David, but I can’t become him. The world can only handle one David.
Automotive Resolution 1: Get Rid Of Five Cars
As I alluded to in the Jalop State Of The Fleet post, I’m going to be selling off a few of my four-wheeled machines in an effort to reduce the fleet, and invest that capital into the continued improvement of the vehicles I’m keeping—like the 911 Turbo above. I’ve agreed to trade one of my cars, the safari Audi S6, to a friend in exchange for him fixing my Cadillac Allanté. Once the Cad is fixed up, it’ll be on the chopping block along with my Buick Regal TourX, my 1976 Porsche 912E, and my Ford E350 Super Duty ambulance tow vehicle. They’re not doing me any favors sitting around, so I need them got rid. (If you’re interested in any of them, hit me up.)
Automotive Resolution 2: Lose Some Weight To Fit In Sport Seats
Image: Bradley Brownell
I recently bought a Porsche hardback sport seat for my 996 Turbo, and moved a fixed-back bucket into my Dodge Neon ACR autocross/track machine. I don’t know if I bought the seats to motivate me to lose some pounds, or I need to lose pounds so I can fit in the seats properly, but either way hopefully it will work.
When I celebrated my 36th birthday last July I discovered that I’d unfortunately gained some serious pounds in the first half of 2023, and I needed to do something about it. I’ve been slowly working on my cardio training for the last five months, and lost 20 pounds, but I’m hitting 2024 with new vigor, adding a balanced calorie-deficit diet, ditching alcohol, and making up for lost time. I need to lose another fifty by the end of the year, so here we go.
Every time I get in one of my cars, I’ll be reminded to keep working at it. And hopefully that will keep me motivated. I’ll let you know how it went in 12 months time.
So that’s what I have on my plate for the 2024 calendar year. What about you? What are you hoping to accomplish in your car/with your car/to your car, this year? Sound off in the comments with your ambitions, and maybe we can all help each other achieve some goals this year.
