This past summer, I belatedly treated myself for a big birthday (don't ask) with a new sleek black Volkswagen Golf GTI. The car was also a reward for a mid-life breakthrough (the opposite of a mid-life crisis which I may write about at some point.)
Footnote here. For my loyal readers (all five of you) who have followed this blog since 2006, you may have noticed I tend to switch cars...on occasion. I diagnosed myself with cardiction and even had a blog about my love of cars. The salesmen know me at Deel VW in Coral Gables.
My passion addiction for cars has become a running joke in my family especially in Boston where I lived for 10 years, to the point that my dear cousin Michelle would joke that she would look out the window of her parent's house or her aunt's house every Thanksgiving to see what model of a car I would pull up in the driveway. (So I started parking farther away from the living room window to avoid the you-got-another-car!! conversation.)
As a longtime fan of reliable cute hatchbacks, I knew I wanted one that had power and that I could easily squeeze into any parking space (more on that below.) I also wanted something of a classic with a legacy and the GTI has been around since 1976. It's timeless. But there are many more things that I adore about my car. Here is my top 5 list.
THE DRIVE
The car has pep with its 2.0 turbo charged four-cylinder engine that produces 241 horsepower. Just one tap of the pedal and the GTI takes off like the Turbo Boost in KITT from the popular 1980s NBC show "Knight Rider." (Yes, I'm dating myself.) I unleash the GTI's power when I hit I-95 to visit my buddy Eric B. in Wilton Manors. (He calls me Johnny D.) I punch the pedal, brace the steering wheel and zoom, I take off (within the speed limit.)
THE SEATS
The GTI seats feature intricate stitching, mine has red hues. The driver and passenger's seats also have GTI etched in red. Que cool!
THE MIRRORS
One of the coolest features (at least to moi) is how the side mirrors open up when I unlock the car and then fold back in when I park and lock the doors with my remote key. The mirrors are kind of like auto ears that pop out. (It doesn't take much to wow me.)
ROOMY
The GTI is a cute and spacious hatchback that seats five people comfortably. I once fit 6 people (four adults including me, one teen boy and a tween girl) in my previous 2017 Pacific blue Golf for a road trip to the Everglades to ride the airboats. My new GTI basically has about the same dimensions but with a new body/lights. I recently was able to fit a bicycle, a red assembled chair from IKEA and a lamp (thank you again Alex.)
The car is more than ample enough to seat a five-pound Pomeranian named Chuchy who loves to pasear (go for rides or sightseeing.) When he hears that magic word, his ears perk up, he grabs his leash and runs to the door waiting for you to take him outside. That’s him below riding shotgun as the AC blows his fluffy fur.
IT'S VOCAL
Whether from the dashboard or via text messages on my VW app, the car alerts me when it’s low on gas and reminds me of how many miles I have left before reaching empty and when and where to fill up. The app also lets me know when I have left the car unlocked and I then remotely lock it with my phone.
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