My New Car

I just bought the most beautiful car.   It is a BMW sedan coupe 328i.  It looks like champagne or gold but is called Orion silver.  I keep trying to see where the silver shows as I just don't see it at all.  It is a light gold color...so that must be why they call it orion...or for gold.

I went to Ford on Saturday and tried the Titanium hybrid car which has many features quite similar to the BMW. I swear these companies are all copying one another.  Ford Titanium has a rear camera which shows you the area behind the car when in reverse.  It is an option on BMW if you choose it. I did test drive a car with it, but the car I bought does not have it.  There is also a parking device that one can get for a car that shows you if you are safe in both front and rear for parking.  I did not get that on my car either, but I did get two packages which give me other valuable assistance. I have a navigation package which helps me to see my speed through the windshield where the speed is posted so that I can focus on the road without having to take my eyes off the road to glance down at the speedomoter.  Directions are also posted on the screen when in navigation mode so that one does not have to look at the screen which is on the right of the driver in the center of the car.

The package that I have gives me the ability to open the trunk of the car with my foot which actually worked for me tonight when I came home and needed to get my groceries out.  I was happy with it then.  The side mirrors do fold in when one presses the button to turn them in.   This is good for tight parking spaces, narrow streets, and car washes where it is advisable to prevent damage to the mirrors.

I do fold them in when I park it for the night.  I have a neighbor who also has a BMW and I noticed that he had folded his so I decided to do the same.  It is a good idea that should be implemented on all cars to be honest.

I will have to spend time fooling with all the gadgets to learn everything.  For now, I am getting quite spoiled by all the fancy features which do make life easier for me. I have Sirius satellite radio free for a full year before I either subscribe or cancel it.

I love satellite radio for now. It is great fun.  There is an all Evlis radio station on it, and I thought that i had seen a Sinatra station too but i have not yet gone through all the channels.  One that is POTUS station also. I will check it out soon.

Driving is so much fun but I do drive defensively and carefully.  I am getting less fearful of problems as each day passes.  But it is easy to be careless and I do not want even a scratch on this car now.  I park far away from other cars and try to stay out of dense traffic. I take streets that offer better driving conditions than busy stop and go streets.  Camelback in other words.   I took Greenway today, and yesterday I did drive on the freeway which turned out to be just fine for the short distance that I drove. I want to go to California soon so I am seeing how long I can stay in one position without going mad.

It will take me five hours and 23 minutes to get to Del Mar so the google device is telling me. I have my doubts about that but we will see.  I do not know yet whether i will go or not but I would like to be there to see the Pacific Classic race which will feature Game On Dude and Dullahan.

I am so very pleased with myself for buying this car.  It has truly helped me to get back to a state of wellbeing.  There is nothing like a good car to make me feel on top of things again.  Believe me when I say that having the chance to go where I want when I want is the best thing for me now.  I needed that for my personal health.   I just did not realize how wonderful it is to have such a great car until I finally had it for my own.  wow!  What a joy!  I am so happy.

Like with so many things, we do not really know how another person feels. I was thinking about people who are bent with arthritis pain.  Nobody can know or empathize with another until one has that ailment himself. I thought of that tonight when an arthritic pain hit me.  I wondered about what it would be like to be bent  over as Frank Manfredie had been.  That would be so dreadful...So likewise, none of us who have not experienced driving a Cadillac or Rolls Royce knows the joy and pleasure it gives to the owner. Until one does it, one is totally ignorant of it.  At last, I know about both the arthritic patient and the very rich man who has had the best of everything.   It is a lesson to learn, and to understand.

So even a car like this is a lesson for me.  It is a good lesson to understand how men and women who are brilliant in the area of technology can impact our lives in such a great way.  I am impressed with all that modern technicians can do.

The base price for the 3 series is $34,000 and prices go up according to engine, packages, and styles.  I looked at a $82,000 convertible today...Man, the insurance on that would be out of sight for me.

I am being punished for not driving a car for the past four years so that my insurance is high despite my senior status and my good driving record.  I will get it lowered believe me.  But for now, i am happy to pay it so I can drive safely and securely.  How I wish people could impress upon themselves the need to take care when driving. I saw many collisions today.  My navigator tool also tells me with complete up to date information any and all accidents in my area...that means the entire city and  neighboring cities. Great device to avoid traffic problems.

I will be sure to update this journal with anything and everything that I learn while driving this driving machine.  It is truly the ultimate, and I do really appreciate it more and more every day.  I am sometimes slow to use some functions, like voice commands, but believe me, I will eventually get that down too.