der Bayerische July/August 2020 - 28

S E L F - R E F L E C T I O N

A Car Enthusiast's Journey
O

By Mike Bevels

and putting it back together, eventually
ver the past few months my life has
giving it back to my Dad, who still drives
slowed down considerably. Due to
it to this day. Weird, I know. I guess you
the stay-at-home order issued by
have to own one to understand. Looking
the state of Virginia as a result of the
back to the start of my car hobby, I spent
global pandemic, the only time I leave my
about a decade obsessing over Audis.
house is to go to the grocery store or to
The decade after that I obsessed over
go to work. In addition to schools being
Subarus. Currently I obsess over BMWs.
closed, my kids' activities have all been
Regarding my car hobby, how did I
postponed or cancelled. On a positive
end up where I am today? Calling it a
note, I've found that I'm spending much
"hobby" almost seems to diminish it as
more quality time with my wife, Sara, and
it's much more than that. I've always had
my kids, Avery and Carter. Our lives
a passion for cars, but admittedly when
weren't exactly "hectic" before, but as
I first got my driver's license I knew very
anyone with small children knows,
little about how cars actually worked.
activities stack up and it seems like you
I was eager to learn more so I started my
only have time to keep looking and
moving forward. With this newfound
(Top) My 1991 318is caught in the reflection off the CIT building in automotive education by joining a local
slower change of pace, I find myself
Herndon . (Above) Avery and Carter helping to swap wheels and tires. Audi enthusiast club (at the time I was
taking time for self-reflection.
driving a 5-speed-manual Audi 90).
What kind of cars do I gravitate toward? Well, like a lot of car enthusiasts I attended club "install days" where people came together to fix and upgrade
I like what I grew up seeing on the road, which for me means the cars of the other members' cars. Project after project I learned more, I gained more
1980s. At this point in my life I think I enjoy seeing a really clean "modern confidence in my abilities, and my automotive passion increased. My friends
classic" more than the latest supercar, but perhaps I'm desensitized to introduced me to autocross, High-Performance Driver Education (HPDE), and
supercars after living in the DMV area my whole life. Also, I love wagons (or car shows. Eventually, I sold the Audi and moved onto Subarus. I started
"tourings" for everyone else in the world). I still have fond memories of riding hosting my own "install days" and helping out local club members.
in the rear-facing seat of my parents' silver Volvo 240 wagon as a child. Within
When my daughter, Avery, was born in 2014, I decided to sell my Subaru
the last decade, my Dad actually bought a very clean Volvo 240 wagon, which STi and start looking for something more comfortable and refined. In 2015
he drove for a while and then gave to me. I spent a couple years taking it apart I became part of the BMW family by taking delivery of a new 2015 328xi M

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