Well hello everyone.. my name is... Mr Pinky. Yeah. I thought my husband was crazy when he said there was a community of gas saving nuts like him, but hey, I guess it's true. In all honestly, I am here to turn myself into a gas saving nut too! Here is my story:
I've always HATED manual transmission cars. Always. My father first tried to get me to learn on an OLD piece of crap blazer that probably got 10 miles to the gallon. Anywho, needless to say, I stuck with the automatics. I really didn't give two craps about gas- as long as I was in an automatic and had my freedom to drive. I remember growing up and gas was like 50 cents.. by the time I started to drive it was just over a dollar. Not even ten years later... S-O-B its damn near five dollars. Then again, in England, its over 9 dollars a gallon, who am I to b*tch?
Oh, yes, sometimes I like to rant and rave randomly, you'll have to forgive me.
I love the idea of getting in the car, putting it in drive and then turn off my brain. I didn't want to think about when or how to shift. I didn't want to think, PERIOD. Is that scary for anyone or do you know what I mean?
Over the last year or so, my husband has joined your community. At first, when he owned an Escort, he gutted everything out- all the way- carpet, back seat, all his radio stuff, and if it wasn't for me, he would have taken the front seat out. Not only that, he lost 40 some odd pounds too! Well, his Escort finally hit over 250k and decided to get a nice ZX5 Focus. He modified the air intake, in addition to, a lot of other things that I'll someday have to have him list for me.
Anywho, August 1st of this year, I was about to pull out of the Target parking lot and was waiting for that last car to officially pass me. I was letting off of the brake and onto the gas when BAM! the guy behind me was just looking down the road and saw no one and slammed on the gas. He rear-ended the crap out of me. Long of short, the insurance company totaled out my car. Bye bye Focus Wagon...
Then, my husband and I were down to one car. I had to learn how to drive a stick. DAMN DAMN DAMN. I was SOOO angry. At first, I told him, no, I'll just stay home. Then, I asked him to take me places. Finally, I had such an NEED to get out of the house and broke down and asked for him to teach me.
Learning was a b*tch. People giving me the finger and honking at me. I got scared. After LOTS of practice, I'm finally getting the hang of it. Now, I guess its not so bad. In fact, I was able to drive one of my parents cars- Fusion, and hated it because it wasn't a stick. OK, so, I am publically admitting that my husband was right. He told me that it wasn't so bad and that I'd end up loving it more than an automatic.
So, my husband bought an Escort ZX2. That car is ZIPPY. Just a tiny lil push to the gas pedal and one is GONE! My husband gave me the better car... the ZX5- he loves me THAT much.
So.. for the gas saving part... I am getting over TEN more miles to the gallon in my ZX5 than my automatic wagon. Not only that, pluse and gliding is kinda fun acutally.
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