HELP(Honda) final thoughts

[Dubdaze68@aol.com (Dubdaze68@aol.com)]

You know what...

I've been involved in VWs for 7 years now, and had dreams of owning one for a 
lot longer than that.  This is what I expect of a bunch of mostly now older 
guys that can't remember the stupid shit that they did as teenagers.  Yes, 
the import market has exploded since about '96.  Yes, the aftermarket is 
geared towards people that can't get past the first aisle in Pep Boys that 
sells that stuff, when all you want to do is get to the bulb aisle, looking 
for the gauge cluster light that comes on intermittently when you smack the 
dash.  The manufacturers go where the money is, (hello, Neuspeed) and older 
VW's aren't it.  Hell, most of the people that own 1st Gen CRX's can't get a 
ton of stuff, so it's not a rice issue.  Pick up an old issue of VW& 
Porsche(precursor to European Car, or a REALLY old issue of Sport Compact 
Car, and you will see Scirocco's and Corrado's.  Plus, check out all the ads. 
 They are filled to the brim with stuff for the A1 chassied cars.  Do you 
guys realize that the LAST year of Scirocco(US) is eligible for Classic car 
plates here in PA?(Ask Jason Cammissa)  I mean, the purist people that don't 
want to be "lemmings" as they put it dont realize that they are lemmings in 
their own group.  Euro Bumpers, Euro lights, susp, TT , Jetex, or Autotech 
Exhausts, 2.0 Bottom end, and a K&N drop in (or the Jamex airbox if you're 
lucky.).  How many people here fall in that category? Or have at least 2 of 
those mods?  Quite lemming like of you ask me.  We all sound like snobs. Or 
old farts.  We're quickly becoming the Old guys at the car cruises with satin 
jackets on listening to doo-wop, or, if you want something more familiar, the 
guys in the air cooleds who REALLLY dislike any watercooleds that aren't a NB 
or their Daily Driver.  They don't get us, and we're losing touch with the 
upcoming generation of dub-heads.  Have you noticed the crowd at Waterfest?  
Getting younger and more rice like.  It's just the times, and they are a 
changin. THESE KIDS NEED OUR GUIDANCE.  I didn't go this year because of the 
riot police at the hotel last year, and I really missed all you guys.  I 
heard about the hotel shit this year, and the judging, and was REALLY glad i 
didn't go.  Some of these cars at the shows are tasteless as hell, but even 
some of the tacky ones have stuff that you have to admire as ingenuity, and 
some details that would cross over into our world.  We're all car guys here.  
Ive wanted a Scirocco 16v since the first time I saw one way back in '87.  It 
was only after the vast improvements to the Jap brands that I even considered 
the Civic SI.  The SI is built in Great Britain, and is specifically for that 
market.  it has features that you would hope VW would put in its cars for a 
reasonable price, But they no longer care for sporty ENTRY LEVEL cars.  
Remember the ads with a Rabbit GTI sitting next to a Mustang at a traffic 
light? and how it would spank anything in it's price range?  What do they 
have like that now, affordable, and competitive right off the showroom 
floor...NOTHING.  The 337?  If you can find one that hasn't been marked up 
more than it's already premium price.  GTI VR6 or Jetta GLI?  holy expensive, 
considering you can get more horsies and all wheel drive from Subaru and soon 
Mitsubishi. GTI 1.8t?  yeah, you're just a chip, turbo, springs and tires 
away from a fun car..AND ITS TOO damn big.  Plus, I''ve been following the 
development of Grassroots Motorsports CIVIC SI project, which is why I was 
interested in the first place.  I also considered waiting for a NB 1.8t 
convertible...But 24,000 to start?  Give Me a Break.  I am just getting to 
the point, considering here in the Big City you can't get garage space all 
the time, where I dont have the time, money or patience for a Classic 
Collectible Car....And that's where these things are heading I'm afraid.  
We're becoming antiques if we stay in our little bubbles that we've created 
around us.  I wanted a MINI Cooper S, too.  24,000 the way I wanted it, and 
no deals were to be had.  Hell, I just want a car to Autocross that won't 
lose a piece after every run, or have a car where I don't have to guess how 
fast Im going because the speedo box went bad....I've put up with this for 
years, i'ts only now after dumping 5,000+ into routine maintenance items that 
i'm getting sick of it...ask anybody who knows me how sick I am to sell my 
Cabby.  Or how I searched for my first car for eons looking for a Rabbit GTI 
that wasnt' beaten hard or trashed with a huge price on them because they 
were "collecters items" How many shows i've been to and how many friends i've 
made.  I wouldn't trade those things for anything in the world, and even if I 
would buy a Honda, I'd still be a Die hard VW fan....I'm always the guy at 
every vortex meeting with the oldest damn car, and I'm just kinda sick of it. 
 Yeah, parts are a plenty because of the interchangeability of the platforms, 
 But every  5 minutes?  How many people here know the parts counter guy at 
the dealership on a first name basis?  How many people have willed away their 
first born son to the Potterman?  I'ts come to the point I'm afraid to drive 
the car as hard as I want because I'm afraid something will break. Trust me, 
I raced a guy in a riced Integra 4 months ago, and when I spanked him and 
then told him my car was mechanically stock, his jaw hit the floor.  I LOVED 
that.  Maybe later, when I can actually afford to have a car just sit there, 
I'll get the creampuff 'Rocco driven by a little old lady....but until then, 
I'm just looking for the right NEW car at the right price.
Sorry for the rant, but geez, I haven't seen such snobbery in forever, and I 
was REALLY pissed bout it...

Patrick Boyle
'87 Scirocco 16v
'87 Cabriolet
'84 Rabbit GTI