They say that every American man has a love affair with his first car. I don’t know if that is really true but the decision to part with the Batmobile after 20 years was like deciding to shoot my horse after it broke a leg. It was something painful, but something that needed to be done. She was getting a little old and harder to maintain in these difficult economic times. I hated to part with her but that last estimate of 1500 bucks for a new ABS braking pump was the kicker. And this was after dropping 900 bucks for a new transmission sensor control. Between maintenance, garage, insurance, and gas I was spending a ton of money per month that could be better spent on other stuff. Despite all that it is not an exaggeration for me to say that it was like losing an old friend.
People that know me are aware that this is the end of an era for me. The Batmobile, aka “The Black Max”, was the very first thing that I bought when I graduated from college and got a real job. I purchased it brand spankin’ new off of the dealership floor. I didn’t even haggle with the salesman. I walked in and told him that I wanted that car and he needed to make it happen today if he wanted the sale. Needless to say I paid more for it than I should have. But I didn’t care. That is how it is sometimes with your first car.
After 20 years there are so many memories and good times surrounding that ride. I took my wife on our first date in that car. I drove both of my children home from the hospital in that ride. Drove cross country twice in the Max as I shopped around my demo at various Hip-Hop conferences. That car allowed me to carry my moms back and forth to the hospital as she underwent chemo. And these are just the stories that I can mention in polite company. The Batmobile was a bad ass pimped out 1990 Nissan Max with all the trimmings and she will be missed. And before you ask, yeah… I cried like a lil’ bi%@h as they carted her away.
