Driving: What It Really Means To Be a Petrolhead

Credit: Car Throttle

In the Beginning

For as long as i can remember, cars have been ingrained into my mind. 

Quite literally to the point that i have been naming off brands while i was still in my huggies. 

What started this? I do not know. Nor do i care. Cars are my escape. 

All throughout my teens and into my 20's i have perused the classifieds online. Is there anything better? Dreaming of the day i would pass my driving test, the freedom it would grant me. I'll remember that day forever. After working many tedious jobs whilst scrimping and saving the day finally came. 

I was the proud owner of a 2002 Volkswagen Bora. Serving up a mighty 75 Bhp from its muscular little 1.4, this was it. I had been at work the night before i was due to collect the car, a 12 hour shift from 8pm-8am. Needless to say, i was tired but that did not matter. 

Who needs sleep right? 

No exaggeration, i was awake for 46 hours without sleep those 2 days. It was the biggest heap of shit but it was my heap of shit. I loved that car and the freedom it gave me, i believe that to be the essence of what cars are about. The turning point in any young persons life when they have that freedom, to go and pick up their buddies and listen to music at obscene volumes. This a small portion albeit but that's basically how it went for me.

Jeremy Irons castle in Kilcoe, West Cork, Ireland.
He actually liked this photo on instagram, true story.

An Outside Perspective

Cars are viewed differently by everyone. To some they are merely machines built for transport, a tool for work or a method of making life easier. While they are all of those things, i believe there is something a little more to them. My cars have character, they have seen me through the worst and best times in my life, only to be pipped in loyalty by my dogs. That reliable old friend who you can turn to when life just gets to much, always ready to take you away from it all. 

They have this miraculous ability to unite the masses, giving a common ground that thousands if not millions of friendships have been started upon. Car culture all over the world is more popular than ever, with any video you can imagine being available on you tube. In Ireland, drifting and rallying have gone from strength to strength. As do the types of car associated with it, your Altezza's, Silvia's, AE-86's and the likes. These cars fetch prices far beyond what most 90's cars have seen in many years. A good Nissan Silvia selling for at least €10,000. 

Despite massive increases in insurance for a lot of older cars and high performance cars, they continue to be seen out and about at various meets and car shows. Even with the cost, people will pay what they have to in order to keep their cars on the road. Why? The smile you get when the hair on your neck stands up and you hear that 4 banger roar through the usual 6500rpm red line all the way to 9000rpm. Get behind the wheel of any Type R Honda and you'll see what i mean.

The 2 newest renditions being Honda's fist venture into forced induction.

My Plan

My plans for the future are simple. 

Continue to indulge my passion for cars. Better the world one small step at a time and finally, continue to bring you all my take on the automotive world from my very small corner of Ireland. 

Youtube fits in there along the way, somewhere or another. I need to work on my camera manner first. As well as finding a kind and generous dealership to borrow cars from. 

Anyone willing to lend?

I plan on at least one post a week, starting with my own cars and various other topics.

That reminds me,The Grand Tour is back tonight! Will you be watching? 

Let me know in the comments. 

Until then,
Aaron James.









Oh and welcome to Drivehub.