For many people owning a car or just having access to one is purely a matter of a transportation medium which can conveniently get you from Point A to Point B, and anywhere else you want or need to go, but amongst those are the real petrol heads, who harbour a passion for the motoring world. To those who are perhaps a little intrigued by this class of people, you might be surprised to find out what kind of experiences these real petrol heads actually live for. It’s mostly just a selection of the smallest details.
Enjoying the history of the automobile industry
It’s almost impossible to lay claim to being a petrol head without harbouring some love for the classics. That’s why there’s a vibrant classic cars industry all around the world, perhaps the most pronounced of which is that which exists around classic American muscle cars.
Being part of the production process
Being part of the production process can range anywhere from replacing a faulty or worn out part yourself all the way to perhaps visiting a factory where you can witness the vehicle manufacturing and testing process in action. As is the case with enjoying the history of the automobile industry, the next best thing to witnessing everything live is perhaps to simply watch a documentary about it in the comfort of your own home.
Being in full control of the driving experience
From around 2003 onwards, pretty much all cars rolling off the production line are more computerised than ever before, with something like the BMW Station Wagon from that year making for the last truly mechanical car from the manufacturer. Real petrol heads often wish they could go back to the days when they had to rely on their own skill to ensure the car handles correctly, avoiding the fight against automation technology such as computerised traction control and the likes. Basically the true petrol head doesn’t care for driverless vehicles.
Bonding with their own vehicle(s)
Ordinarily, something like sourcing a replacement Toyota key fob and then having to programme it at home might justifiably go down as a chore to the average consumer of that particular car brand and others, but to the petrol head this is something they’d look forward to. True petrol heads understand that nothing lasts forever and as part of the servicing and maintenance routine of keeping their vehicle alive and well, activities such as these form part of the bonding experience they have with their cars.
It’s all part of “taking care of your baby.”
Testing cars to their limits
If they haven’t illegally done it on a speed limited road they identified as devoid of traffic officers, it’s perhaps every true petrol head’s dream to one day visit the autobahns of Germany and experience how it is to legitimately test their car to the limits and utterly floor it!
Other ways of this testing-to-the-limits can take the form of drifting, seeing how far your reserve fuel tank can get you, etc.
