A Tribute to the Daily Driver

If you are a frequent visitor to this site (really, who am I kidding - I might as well be talking to myself in the mirror, LOL), you are probably used to seeing 8, 9, and 10 second drag cars, 1500whp Gallardos, or some other kind of crazy automobile build.

It's time for a different kind of post.
A post that serves to remind us all of the mild-mannered, even tempered, non-cam loping, "starts every time", "don't have to monitor fifteen gauges while I drive", "don't have to be scared of police", mode of transportation.

When our high-maintenance project cars beckon for more boost, another bottle of nitrous, another headgasket swap, and another clutch replacement, our faithful, consistent, dependable daily driver sits and waits. Awaiting our next trip to the parts store, or to work, where we labor hard and long to make the money to buy - you guessed it - a bigger turbo, direct port nitrous, a built tranny, and a heavy duty headgasket with a head stud setup, old faithful sits and looks forward to the next oil change with NON-synthetic motor oil. Speaking of which, we are already probably late on that oil change by 2 months and 2,000 miles.

If you're a car guy, the lesson is simple. Get a daily driver; something you CANNOT modify with go-fast parts. It will serve you well. Unless you like the side of the I-5 freeway at 2AM. I've been there, and it's definitely not on my list of "Happy Places".

After, 220,000 miles, one blown-up engine (blown headgasket - probably my fault), and two grand-theft-autos (one recovery in Las Vegas, one recovery in Rancho Cucamonga), we figured our 1996 Nissan Altima could use a nice Christmas present. Oh, and strong work Earl Scheib paint shop in San Bernardino.

It will truly be a sad day when she goes. Here's to you, Altima.

The before pictures (these are actually from 2007 - it got worse since then):






The "After" Pics:

Now back to the regularly-scheduled posts involving vehicles with ridiculous horsepower-to-weight ratios that have been illogically stripped of normal, functioning options and creature comforts.

I've got to find another hobby.


Or not.

--boostMD