| Those of us who are in classic car clubs, | | | | in a lock? If a power window fails, you're |
| regardless of model or make, decide to become | | | | looking at a repair that will cost around |
| members for any given number of reasons. | | | | $400. Maunal seats have given way to 8-way |
| Perhaps we owned a particular car in our | | | | adjustable power seats. Is this really |
| youth that brings back fond memories of | | | | necessary? Hand-operated levers work fine for |
| cruising the streets on Friday nights. Maybe | | | | a fraction of the cost. While we're on the |
| we remember going to Drive-in movies with our | | | | subject of seats, what's up with heated |
| date's head resting on our shoulder. Perhaps | | | | seats? My solution? Wear a coat.Cruise |
| it was simply the sound of our particular | | | | control is a nice feature to have if you |
| car's engine, which could range from anything | | | | travel frequently on desolate stretches of |
| to a soft purr or a horsepower-laden | | | | Interstate somewhere such as the Dakotas or |
| monsterous growl as we rolled down the | | | | Montana, but it's impractical in heavy |
| highway. Perhaps some of us are too young to | | | | traffic, which is increasing as each day goes |
| have experienced the era in which these cars | | | | by. I can't count the number of times I've |
| roamed the earth, but we have nevertheless | | | | had to hit the "cancel" button as I gain |
| been influenced by our elders and appreciate | | | | rapidly on somebody in a Buick Lesabre who |
| what once was. Whatever the reasons may be, | | | | has been in bifocals since the Kennedy |
| there is nothing quite like finding others | | | | Administration going fifty miles an hour. I |
| who share these feelings and enjoy the | | | | can live without it.Perhaps the most |
| cameraderie and rewarding experiences that | | | | pretentious feature to ever come along in |
| are all part of being in such a group.My | | | | today's cars is the Satellite Navigation |
| particular love is old Volkswagen Beetles. I | | | | System. If you want to save thousands of |
| have been a member of the Chippewa Valley | | | | dollars, I have some suggestions. A)If you |
| Volkswagen Club, based in Eau Claire, | | | | feel the need to know what direction you are |
| Wisconsin, for over three years. We go on | | | | going, go to Wal-Mart and buy a compass for |
| many cruises, other outings, and hold our own | | | | six dollars. B) Look out your window and note |
| show annually. During the original Beetle's | | | | the location of the sun. Unless you live on |
| lifespan, which ran from it's infancy in 1938 | | | | the planet Venus, it rises in the east and |
| Nazi Germany up until 2003, when the very | | | | sets in the west. Now look at your watch. C) |
| last "Bug," as it was lovingly called, rolled | | | | On cloudy days, try reading highway signs. |
| off the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico, over | | | | They will tell you whether you're going east, |
| 21.5 million were produced. As a result, | | | | west, north, or south.Come to think of it, |
| there are still thousands of them on roads | | | | this works on sunny days as well. D) Go to a |
| today, and clubs such as mine are dedicated | | | | gas station or, more likely in this day and |
| to the preservation of these unique cars. We | | | | age, a food mart, and buy a map. This will |
| also support other clubs throughout the | | | | cost about five dollars. If you're lost, ask |
| states of Wisconsin and Minnesota.The | | | | the attendant how to get back on track to |
| Volkswagen Beetle defined simplicity, | | | | wherever you're going. Chances are that |
| something that is quite lacking in today's | | | | they'll steer you in the right direction. If |
| cars, regardless of model. There is no | | | | he or she can't, find someone who can. Trust |
| question that certain items such as airbags | | | | me. You don't need to rely on a satellite in |
| and side-impact crumple zones have | | | | orbit hundreds of miles above.No-frills cars |
| acomplished much in the way of saving lives, | | | | should still be available as an option for |
| | | | those who share my sentiment. There are |
| but let's go back forty years for a few | | | | undoubtedly many drivers who have become |
| moments. Air-conditioning was considered a | | | | accustomed to the above-mentioned features. |
| luxury in those days, and only select cars | | | | In fact, there are people who couldn't |
| were equipped with it. Nearly every car | | | | imagine driving without them, but should they |
| manufactured today has air-conditioning as | | | | ever question why cars of today cost ten |
| standard equipment. In Wisconsin,I use it in | | | | times as much as those of a few decades ago, |
| my 1996 Volkswagen Golf maybe ten days out of | | | | I have put in my two cent's worth. Or rather, |
| the year. While someone in, say, Phoenix or | | | | twenty cents...Pat Sills is an avid |
| Miami would beg to differ, I pose the | | | | Volkswagen enthusiast and writes articles and |
| following question: Does somebody in | | | | feature stories for his club's Newsletter. |
| Fairbanks, Alaska really need it?Power | | | | His first novel, REUNIONS, was published in |
| windows and locks have also become the | | | | March, 2005. Check it out at: |
| industry norm. Have we as a society evolved | | | | |
| into such a lazy species that we are | | | | or at: authorsden. |
| incapable of rolling a window down or pushing | | | | |