Vee Dubya Luvva

A Volkswagen dealership is like catnip to me.

Even if I have other things to do, I will oft make a detour just to see whats new..

*sniff* Ahh, the new Beetle Convertible is ready.

Heh.. fred refers to Volkswagen Cabriolets as 'Bitch Buggies', and although I consider them cute, I wouldnt consider owning one.

No, now I would.











In reality though, I was never really a Volkswagen fan, even though I had owned one briefly (a 77 Rabbit. Leaked oil, and unreliable beyond a 20 mile journey, but much grin-inducing fun) and had much fun with another (my best friend's blue 77 Super Beetle which also leaked oil and other sundry fluids).

But nothing special among Beemers and whatnot.

Then one day, while wandering through a VW dealership on my way to owning a Dodge Omni GLH (dont remind me), I was induced into test-driving a black GTI.

And as they say, my world-view (and legal driving status) changed from that day on.

Whoo whee.

Memories were brought back as I walked up a Berkeley street and saw a pristine example of that car...








My conversion was whole and total. To this day, I consider those smoked-grey and silver star-petaled alloy wheels the prettiest things next to the ones mounted on Ferraris.

The other day, I saw my car, a metallic silver Rabbit GTI..






Just looking at a parked example, I can still hear in my mind the metallic burble from those fat pipes.

True. Doesnt look like the legends they are, but much satisfaction was gotten leaving unbelievers with their jaws dropped open. Heheh.

Even though I later owned swifter and more capable examples of the GTI, there is nothing like your first one.
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Other cali VW pics I took cuz - well, I like Vdubs.,





(Off a Vdub camper van.. which, for such a relatively rare vehicle, is quite a common sight around Berkeley and the East Bay.)



Couldnt resist, a classic Vdub hippie van.







The young man was prolly wondering why I was taking a picture of the front of his car. Not a narc, just memories.

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While Im on the 'car' theme

Random Cali personalized license plates






















Ouch.





Natch.