Ah, the automobile. Some say there is no greater way to express your personality, that there is no greater extension of yourself than your vehicle. Some people see their vehicle, whether it be a car, truck, SUV, van, or even a motorcycle, as nothing more than transportation, a way of getting from point A to point B, and all they care about is that it starts up every time no matter what and gets them to their destination on time and in one piece.
With most people, especially young adults, this is definitely not the case. Whether the vehicle was purchased with their own money or their parents paid for it and gave it to them as a gift, Bucks students seem to have a real love affair with their vehicles.
Mickey Orlando, 19, who hasn’t decided his major yet and resides in Ivyland, drives a 1997 Infiniti Q45 sedan. The Q45 in stock form is a pretty nice vehicle, but Orlando’s isn’t stock. He says of his car, “I added little touches of myself to it.” That he did.
The car retains the factory silver paint job and black leather interior, but all of the Infiniti emblems have been removed, the car has been fitted with air suspension and lowered, and it also has a custom stereo with subwoofers in the trunk and custom wheels.
Infiniti is a luxury brand owned by Japanese automaker Nissan, and Orlando removed the “Q45” emblems, and replaced the two remaining “Infiniti” emblems on the hood and trunk with Nissan emblems. Orlando also added a full custom exhaust system with which the car barely passes its annual emissions inspection, and windows that are so deeply tinted he got pulled by a police officer over the day before the interview.
Alex Selyukov, 21, a criminal justice major from Warminster, drives a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4×4. The truck is white in color, with a lift kit, huge off-road tires, and custom wheels. Selyuko said that he likes to “go off-roading and stuff,” so the truck was a perfect fit for him.
Not only does the truck serve as Selyukov’s off-road mud toy, but it is also his daily driver. Selyukov’s Chevy has more than 145,000 miles on the original engine and transmission, and in a previous “Q&A session,” Selyukov said that the truck has given him absolutely no problems. The Chevy is also nicely equipped, with air-conditioning, power windows and locks, and cruise control, among other things.
The truck already had the lift kit and the aftermarket custom stereo system when he bought it for a mere $12,000, and in fact most of the aftermarket stuff on the truck came with it. However, Alex did add an air intake kit and a Dynamax exhaust system to the truck’s already powerful 6.0L V8 engine.
Lily Rosenbaum, 19, a criminal justice major from Lower Makefield, drives a 2002 Acura RSX that used to be her mother’s. Rosenbaum’s mother bought a new car and passed the Acura down to her daughter. Rosenbaum pays for her own insurance and had this to say about her car; “I love my car and without it I wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
John Smith, 21, a nursing major from Newtown, loves Ford trucks. In fact, he dreams of owning a Ford F150 pickup, but for now the compact Ranger pickup suits him just fine. Smith’s 2000 Ford Ranger 4×4 is an attractive shade of green, and he has added personal touches in the form of 15-inch alloy wheels from a higher-end Ford truck and a custom stereo system.
Taylor Hughes, 18, from Richboro, has not decided her major yet. However, there is one thing she is definitely sure about. She loves her car. Hughes drives a 2001 Mercury Cougar that she purchased with her own money, and says “I love it. I think it definitely describes my personality.” Hughes has replaced the entire factory sound system with upgraded aftermarket components, included high-powered subwoofers in the trunk.
Tara Tracey, 18, a psychology major, and a friend of Hughes who also resides in Richboro, is not as enthusiastic about her car to the extent that Hughes is. Tracey drives a largely stock 1998 Honda Civic that her mom bought for her, and she sees it as nothing more than reliable transportation. However, Tracey said “I have almost 200,000 miles on it and is still running.” The fourteen-year old Honda runs and drives great, and everything important works.
Tyler Stabilito, 18, a criminal justice major from Feasterville, drives a 2003 Jeep Wrangler that his parents bought for him. He says “it’s a gas guzzler,” but still loves it because it is a convertible and because it is, for lack of better words, a chick magnet. Stabilito also added 35-inch tires on it and was able to do so without modifying the stock suspension.
John, a former student and Bucks graduate who currently resides in Warrington, is 25 years old and on his way to a successful career. John asked that his last name not be used in the article, but told all about his beloved automobile, a silver 2006 Nissan Maxima 3.5SL that he currently owns, as well as the 1997 Oldsmobile he owned prior to the Maxima. Both the Oldsmobile and the Maxima were purchased with John’s own money. John pays for the insurance, registration, inspection, and all maintenance costs with his own money.
To say that John is obsessive-compulsive about taking care of his car is an understatement. During the warmer months, the silver Maxima is cleaned and detailed inside and out. “Taking care of my car is like taking care of my own child,” John says. The Maxima’s black leather interior is kept clean and tidy at all times, and the windows are cleaned regularly.
Aside from a K&N performance air filter and a cassette adaptor that allows an iPod to be played through the Maxima’s tape player, John has not really made any serious modifications to his Nissan. The Oldsmobile, however, was a different story.