"Herbie" revisited

Well, there it is folks, the latest addition to the family: a new Bug convertible. New, at any rate, to me; actually it's a 2007 model that's now officially a year old, but it's new to me and that's what counts. Don't you like the "Herbie" face out front?

Its predecessor, also a Bug convertible from the 2004 era, had 50,000 miles on it, and I faced the decision of trading in the old one while it still had some value, or keeping it until the wheels fell off. That's the original no-brainer, in my opinion. So I sat down with my friendly VW salesman, had it approved by the family color administrator, and drove home in the new Triple White Beetle Convertible. (It's "triple white", should you be wondering, because the paint is white, the seats are white, and the convertible top cover is...well...white. Triple white.)

There's another difference other than color between this new Bug and the last one, which was gray (excuse me, "platinum"). I really preferred one with manual transmission, a stick shift, but they don't make them any more with the options I wanted, so the new machine has the perfect compromise: I get it both ways! The transmission can be in a smooth automatic mode, or by simply flipping the arm over a notch, presto: six speed manual. How good is that? It's almost an Anglican "via media" gadget.

Speaking of which, I need to mention its gadgets, for it has a few, much to my satisfaction. I have never met a button or a switch I didn't like, and which didn't immediately fill me with the overwhelming urge to press or flip or turn without the slightest clue as to the potential result. That's obviously an obsession which has caused some problems in the past, and I own being completely powerless in that respect. I can't resist.





Now, some of you, with more sophisticated vehicles, will find these gadgets old hat, but bear with me: they're new to me! Like the button, with a five-level switch, which immediately puts heat to the seats. Two buttons, actually, his and hers. The bun warmer, we call it. It's also a nice heating pad for sore muscles, and I really don't know how I ever got along without it.

Likewise the automatic convertible top which opens and closes at the flip of a switch. I'll sometimes be waiting at a long traffic light, and open or close it just for the hell of it! And it has not just a radio but a regular entertainment center: AM and FM radio, both satellite radio formats (XM is my favorite, but Sirius is a reasonable back-up), plus a sound system and speaker set-up which will outshout any boom-box on the road (after I take my hearing aids out).

As you can tell, I'm tickled with the new ride, and look forward to enjoying it. I have to drive to Americus, GA for a meeting later this week, and so I'm ready to hit the road. (That is, by the way, the reason for the day early posting of this week's blog.)