Cars as family, was: <VV> Naming Cars

[airvair]

I can understand the practice. There are two kinds of car enthusiasts, I
think. There are those who trade cars like most people change socks, who
just like to have an interesting car to play with, and don't necessarily
get attached to any of them. Then there's those of us (like me) who tend
to keep a car forever. They actually DO become members of the family. So
naming them would be understandable.

While I've almost never named my cars, most of them DO become my "kids."
And selling any of them off is like selling them off to slavery. To
randomly sell them to just anyone is heresy - you have to adopt them out
to just the right family. Otherwise, they'd become field slaves - better
they be house slaves, if selling them is unavoidable.

-Mark

"Bill H. (by way of Harry Jensen )" wrote:
> 
>                                           B"H
> 
> Hmmm...Mike, have you thought about the fact that a
> bunch of nuts, bolts, sheet metal, plastic and glass
> are mined, cast, molded, assembled, tested, etc. and
> it becomes a car that will start with the turn of a
> key and take you to wherever you need to go?
> 
> Perhaps I'm a bit of a kook, but I believe there's
> more to a car than just nuts and bolts.  There's some
> sort of non-physical activity going on, part of it is
> the human mind and soul, that makes that pile of raw
> materials into a car.
> 
> Why is it that some cars will run and run forever,
> reliable servants to their owners, who take pride in
> the fact (at least) that they depend on their car for
> all sorts of missions, hopefully ones to benefit
> mankind (like delivering "meals on wheels" or some
> other similar activity), and their cars never let them
> down?
> 
> Whereas others, perhaps the same make, model, even
> color and options, off the same assembly line on the
> same day, are "lemons," never right from day one?
> 
> It's like naming a plant or a pet, I think.  We in
> America are very car-conscious, more than in other
> parts of the world, and so based on the above it's
> just a natural consequence for some people to name
> their cars.
> 
> Believe me, I have 6 kids and wonderful wife thank G-d
> and would NEVER equate anyone in my family with a car.
>   But we all enjoy naming at least one of our 2 cars.
> The Odyssey, well, it's a modern minivan and doesn't
> really have much personality (except when the tranny
> blew out last year at 59K miles and it was 3 years
> old) but it IS a comfortable transportation appliance.
>   But my '69 Monza, now THAT has personality
> (especially today), it's unusual, so why not name her
> Suzy, the Little Blue Coupe?  Disney did it.
> 
> Regards...Bill H.
> 
> OK, I don't want to start no trouble here but I've two
> questions
>  > for you car people.
>  >
>  > 1)  Why do people name their cars?  I know you've
> got to call them
>  > something but what's up with the fancy names?  My
> cars are called:
>  > "the Odyssey", "the Passat", "the Corvair" and "the
> Rampside".  Not
>  > creative but you know which one I'm talking about.
>  >
>  > Now these two questions may make some of you think
> I'm not a real
>  > car guy but I really am.  Really.  I love my cars.
> I just don't
>  > get these two things.  It's been eating at me for
> some time now.  I
>  > feel better for getting it off my chest.
>  >
>  > OK, flame on!!!
>