Jeep

I'm a Chevy guy.

Over the years, I've owned more Chevrolets than anything else. I've owned a couple of Caprice, a couple of Luminas, and currently own an Impala.

I've had other vehicles, too: Nissan Sentra, Mercury Cougar, Pontiac Grand Prix ... but I'm still a Chevy guy. My last four have been Chevys. My next will likely be a Chevy.

What brought all this up?

Spent a few days in Chicago this past week. And rented a car.

Usually, I rent from Hertz. Don't rent often, but having dealt with different companies, I've never had a problem with Hertz. I can't say that about the others I've used. And, to be fair, I have't used a lot of others. Never Avis, for example. No reason, just haven't. And, until recently, hadn't used Enterprise.

When someone backed into my car at a ball game last August, I ended up being furnished a car from Enterprise.

They furnished a car at the directions of the other insurance company. I didn't care for the car. It was okay except it was too small for my fat ass.

Still, Enterprise treated me fine. So, when we needed a car for the Chicago trip, I used Enterprise. And, since they showed that I'd be able to get an Impala -- I drive an Impala, remember -- it seemed perfect.

Well, guess what?

That's right. They didn't give me an Impala.

They gave me a Jeep.

A Jeep.

Sure, it used to be an American vehicle.

Used to be. It's owned by the Germans. Nothing wrong with Germans. If I was German, I'd be thrilled. But I'm not. I'm American. And I wanted an American car. Like an Impala.

I'd driven a Jeep before. Years ago. Didn't care for it. It wasn't mine. Not my kind of vehicle.

This Jeep drove okay. But it was a Jeep. Not an Impala.

Sure, some folks like Jeeps. But it's not my idea of a vehicle I want to drive.

I was really looking forward to driving an Impala. You see, not only do I like my Impala, I know where everything is.

The turn signals. The windshield wipers. The cruise control. The radio controls. The lights.

All that stuff, I know where it is in my car.

But in a Jeep, everything's different.

So, when I get the vehicle -- and yes, I did ask for something else, say, an Impala -- I had to spend the first few minutes -- several minutes, actually -- learning where everything is. Because, driving in a strange city, I don't need to be trying to figure out where any controls are; I need to know where everything is.

To be honest, it rode a lot better than the last Jeep I drove. But still, it's not my kind of vehicle.

I'm a Chevy guy.

XM

Got a new car back in December. I like the new Chevrolet. It's what I wanted in a car. So, we got it.

It's the first car I've had with a CD player built-in. So, that tells you about the level of importance ... or lack of importance ... I put on the music system in a car. I mean, after all, it's just a car.

Oh, sure, I've upgraded car stereos ... or added where one didn't exist ... in the past. Lots of times, in fact. But this one came with CD, AM, FM ... and XM.

Now, I've looked at XM in the past. Decided against it. I mean, after all, it's just radio, right? I get John Boy and Billy in the morning on Columbus' Rock 103. And, since they play songs by folks like Linkin Park, Pantera, Foo Fighters, Papa Roach ... well, you get the idea. Not my kinda music. Sure, some Pink Floyd or Aerosmith, too, but too much of that other crap for me to listen regular.

Boomer 95.3 is more my taste in music. So, as far as I was concerned, I was set in regards to car radio. And having a CD player was a bonus.

Of course, I have an iPod that I got in August. Been adding songs to it along and along. Got over 1000 now.

And, a few months ago, I got one of those FM adapters for the iPod. You know, the kind that sits in the cup-holder and plays the iPod through the radio. Like a Mr. Microphone. (Remember? "Hey, good looking! I'll be back to pick you up later!")

I know, not the best way to listen to songs, but at least I could play my iPod in the car when I wanted to.

But, darn it, the new Chevrolet -- it replaced an older Chevrolet -- had the cupholders in a bad spot for the iPod-radio thingy.

But, it does have an aux input.

But, there's no convenient place to put the iPod where I can glance at it or hit the "next" button without taking my eyes off the road for too long a period of time.

So, what to do?

Well, I decided to try that "XM" button. I mean, we got three months free, so why not?
I've discovered "60s on 6," "70s on 7," "The Heart" (23), "Deep Tracks" (40), "Top Tracks" (46), "Big Tracks" (49), "Soul Street" (60), and others.

Lots of songs I like.

The other day, I was in the car with The Wife, listening to XM. And they played a song I liked. And had on the iPod.

"You know," I told her, "if I had the iPod hooked up, I could be listening to this very song right now."

She gave me the look I expected.

It became a running joke. Every time XM played something I had on the iPod, I'd say, "If I had the iPod hooked up, I could be listening to this very song right now."

And I said it a lot.

I'd still be looking at ways to mount the iPod without cutting a bunch of holes in the dash. But I'd still be hearing songs on XM that I had on my iPod.

So, now I'm trying to decide if I want to spend the money for a different hookup for the new car so I can play the iPod. Or if I want to pay $12.95 a month for XM.

I'm leaning towards paying the $12.95/month.

That way, in addition to hearing the same songs that are on my iPod, I'll also hear other songs I forgot about, and can go buy them from iTunes to put on my iPod.

After all, spending money to find other ways to spend money is the American Way.