It’s a Guy Thang.

I have a certain type of appreciation for cars. It’s a girly type of appreciation: I enjoy nice-looking cars and cars that have nice gadgets and, of course, cars that look like they are smiling.

I’ve never had the type of appreciation for cars that a typical teenaged boy has (rightfully so, I guess, my being a girl and all). The older boy bought his first car* early last fall, and he has spent some of the little free time he has had since then researching cool things to put on the car, like snazzy (sorry, that’s a mom-ish term, isn’t it?) headlights, custom-made wheels with his personal logo metal-worked into the center (yes, I’m serious), and other things I can’t think of at the moment.

At first I was telling him, “I don’t understand why you think you should put all of that money into a car that cost what it did. Why not wait for your NEXT car, which will no doubt be a step up, and then fix it up? After all, you have part of your college to pay for!”

He replied with one of my least favorite and most vague answers: “Because!”

Oh, I see.

Jim reminded me that it’s a guy thang** and that I was probably wasting my breath. He was totally right. I felt a little bad for harshing the kid’s mellow, even though it was unintentional, and since then I have just nodded my head and smiled when he wants to share his big plans with me.

But the snazzy headlights and the custom-made wheels with his personal logo metal-worked into the center will have to wait. After taking the car in to a mechanic to see if a professional could find the source of an oil leak that won’t quit, it was discovered that he has a major (though non-emergency, thank goodness) repair to take care of. The professional mechanic’s estimate was more than twice what he paid for the car, so it’s going to be a job taken care of in our garage, with the help of his dad, who knows quite a bit about this kind of thing, and the car manual he’s been reading constantly.

He has started buying the parts that he and Jim need to get it all done, and in the next few weeks I’m going to be seeing a lot of this***:

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Keep your fingers crossed for them!

*with his own money.
**To be completely honest, he said “thing”. Jim would never, EVER say “thang”.
***Of course, they’ll both be working under the hood and not in the back seat or under the back hatch. But you get the idea.

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©2010 Suburban Scrawl

10 Comments

  • Tara R.

    When my son turned 16, his dad and I got him a 'project car.' Once it's overhauled (though it will probably never be completely finished), the extras will far out price the actual car. It has been a great dad/son bonding project. I stay out of it, cuz it is totally a 'guy thang.'

    Good luck to your men folk in making the repair.

  • Soccermom

    I have a son who will be 16 soon. He is lucky cause he is growing up in a family that knows about cars. My dad owns a body shop and used to race cars.

    I think it's important to have things to buy to better your car. It is a direct reflection of them. I don't think it's just a guy thing. It's about taking pride in something that is all yours. 🙂

  • Jason @ The Devoted Dad

    I remember having to fix my cars with my dad when I was young. It as good father son time- one of the projects was replacing a head gasket- oh, those were the days- now I would pay to have it done!

  • Heather

    What a bummer (but a great learning experience for him too)! That being said, I bet he will have such a better appreciation for his car (even more so than he already does!)

  • Mrs4444

    That's very cool! Fortunately, Kyle isn't a car repair kind of guy. That said, he has gone out of his way to remove the Honda symbol 5o replace it with a Transformers symbol (which he's had to replace once because someone STOLE it!haha)

  • Michelle

    Custom logo? Do share. That sounds way cool. Much more cool than I ever was.

    You're lucky either or both of them know anything about cars. My husband is really useless when it comes to guy things like that. *sigh*

  • Mom24

    That's wonderful that his Dad can help him. Mark swears, and I agree, that he's missing that gene. Also, the arthritis in his hands makes something like that impossible.

    Hope it's all better soon.

  • Huckdoll

    Don't mind me, I still can't get over the part where you said you like cars that look like they're smiling, LOL.

    Toooo funny!

  • nycgirl0501

    I think the translation to Snazzy is "cute boy in a cool car = girls".

    But don't fret the "personal logo metal-worked into the center" reminds me of his mom and how she put her personal touch into this world 🙂

    He'll be fine! Plus what a great father/son bonding moment!

  • Sue

    I think he should make and sell custom logos for people's wheels! How cool would that be? Oh, wait, I just touched upon my male side in being excited about wheels on my car.
    Dang, don't tell anyone ok?