It isn’t the first time I’ve been asked this question, and I don’t anticipate it being the last either. So this is me explaining it.
On the left is Napoleon. He is a 2003 Renault Scenic Privilege. He is awesome and the only thing more awesome than him is the Aston Martin future me owns. The next picture is Edward. Named after Eddie .T. Head of Iron Maiden fame. He was a Peugeot 206 LX. He was also awesome, but not as awesome as Napoleon. That is also my Dad. He’s a Mark 1, top of the range father, 1950′s vintage. He is also awesome, but he’s not a car (he does have a name though – he’s called Frank).
I name my cars because I believe you need to have a relationship with the car like you would another person. Don’t do something to the car that you wouldn’t think of doing to another person. Keep the car clean, respect it, only do things to it that you know are within the capabilities of the car. Only ever ask more from it when the situation absolutely requires it.
You must also know and understand your car. Lashing it around corners when it’s not built for it or driving it with the needle in the red as the engine screams is not good, and your car will hate you for it. Same at the other side, don’t damage your car by only ever driving it at 30mph, or constantly in second gear. In the same way a person needs exercise so does your car, take it down a motorway once a week so the engine has time to warm up. If a car does nothing but short drives before the engine warms up you’ll do more harm than good. Regular checks under the bonnet and under the car will help it as well.
Feed your car only the best. I know we have a penchant for the fast food of this world, because it’s cheap and convenient. It’s the same for cars. You’re driving down the road late at night and the little orange light turns on next to the fuel indicator. Or if you’re me it’s a red one and the car beeps loudly at you. Your only option is to pull over at the next petrol station and fill up (who really knows how much is in their reserves when the light comes on?). You only have a few notes on you, or a credit card that you don’t want to spend on so you pick the cheapest pump and have at it.
Napoleon is a diesel so I don’t really have much choice other than, well, diesel. When I had Eddie though, I had super this and four star that. I made the best choice for me at the time, but Eddie didn’t mind the cheap stuff, the engine got a regular dose of cleaning fluid and had a top off of oil. So even if I did eat the fast food I made sure it was supplemented with vitamins and good exercise.
Cars need names. They are not just machines, they are the vehicle that will take your brother to A&E because he poked his eye out with a spike, they’re the shelter for when you get locked out of the house in the middle of winter, they are in a rising number of cases a place for someone to live. They are an extension of you and part of you. Treat them with respect and dignify them with a name.
I’m not just a person, I’m Rachel Quinn. My car isn’t just a Renault, he’s Napoleon.
2 Comments
is it true your dad is in the Chippendales…
Nice to see you commenting on your daughter’s blog, Dad
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[...] car. I had a one way ticket, my dad was with me helping me with the move over and in the back of Napoleon were my worldly goods and half a tonne of sensible things that my mum had bought me from Tescos the [...]