I have recently come to the conclusion that I don’t fit in with the majority of Joburg people, whose lives are dictated by the fact that they need to spend huge amounts of money in order to be happy.
One of the main reasons that this has made itself obviously apparent is because of Red Rocket.
Red Rocket is my car; it’s a 1997 Toyota Conquest. My first car, bought 2nd hand, with cash.
Jokingly called Red Rocket (RR for short) by my cheeky cousin, the name seems to have stuck.
Driving around Joburg, in a sixteen year old car with over 220000km’s on the clock is, well, not the ‘in’ thing to do. You just HAVE to keep up with the Joneses.
If you haven’t (A) guilted your parents into buying you a new car (a 2008 model or newer) or
(B) are up to your eyeballs in debt, paying off a car “you really can’t afford” – then you most certainly can’t be part of the hip and happening crowd.
Phew! I am so glad I’m not. 🙂 If that’s the entrance criteria, imagine all the other things one would need, just to ‘fit’ in.
Although no one will actually come out and say that they judge you by what you drive, it seems it’s pretty much the case in our consumerist society.
I have heard of a number of people recently with new cars and unexpected problems.
Electrical, transmission (limp mode etc) and other problems too difficult to diagnose.
I then I realize how fortunate I am, RR doesn’t have fancy gadgets or electronics, aircon, electric windows or even power steering. (I can hear you wondering why I love the car so much…)
Let me explain… Every time I turn the key in the ignition, I know without the slightest doubt that RR will get me to where I need to go, and back again, without a problem.
I’ve just done a 3000km road trip to the Namaqualand and back in Red Rocket and he didn’t skip a beat. But then every petrol station attendant who has begged to buy the car, would tell me he knew that as a fact already.
It’s amazing the impact your first car has on your thoughts for future vehicles, because one day (when I’m big) I’ll get the bakkie I dream of: and yup you guessed it, and it’ll be a Toyota too.
Here’s to RR and his 223376km’s of problem free driving, allowing me to go places and see some of the remarkable sights our country has to offer <3
That old slogan – Everything keeps going right, Toyota – well it seems pretty darn true. 🙂
(A big thanks to Luke Kemp for the use of his images)
(Ps. The RKT number plates aren’t real. I’m not that vain)
12 Comments. Leave new
We’ll have to change your name from Little Ash Cloud to Little Motor Mouth. Love your sentiments. You’re smack on the dot. Keep looking at the important stuff. Enjoyed this, Ash, and lekker shots, Luke.
Thanks so much Doug.
Yeeeeeehhhhhhhhahhaaaaaaaaaaaa now that is a super blog, well done cloud
Tim Neary The Nature Journal For radio, print and video http://www.neary.co.za
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Thank you Mr Neary.
And I thought all cars were definitely female. HOW did you finangle the number plate? Must be Luke!
RR obviously didn’t hear about that when he was being assembled. 😉
Good job, Little Ash Cloud and the RR (I agree with your sentiments wholeheartedly!) – oh, and to LJK 😉
Thank you! <3
Well done not feeling that you need to compete in most cases individuals don’t own their cars, the banks do. When I met my husband he drove an Opel Monza (1992). He is an engineer but turned down a job because the company who wanted to hire him said that he could have the job on condition that he got a smarter car. The Monza took us on a 11000km honeymoon trip to Botswana and Namibia without problem. It had almost 500 000km on the clock when we passed it on to my daughter.
Wow! That’s brilliant!
Thanks so much for the comment, good to know there are still real people out there. Not driven (excuse the pun) by our snibbish society.
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