July 17th, 2010, Features
“Collectable car”
The term use to mean that a car at two primaries attributes:
- The car was very desirable when it was first produced
- The car was built in limited numbers
No longer true. The collector car market has changed; high dollar automobiles from manufacturers like Ferrari, Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Duesenberg, Hispano Suiza and the like are not the only cars on today’s collector car menus. In today’s collector car arena - simple cars, cars that were really quite mediocre and even mass produced have become very desirable and some; very expensive.
Witness the Muscle car rage of the last decade or so. Who would have ever thought that a Mach 1 Mustang would be worth …..What!!??? How much for a 1967 Corvette? Are you kidding me? A Hemi Cuda sold for??!!!!! C’mon….have you ever driven one of these cars? They aren’t so great now and they certainly weren’t any better 30 years ago. But…..good ones are becoming increasingly more difficult to find; hence the substantial increase in value; economics 101…simple supply and demand.
Which cars will be the next great collectables? Again, we can not simply go off of the old recipe of desirability and limited production. Here is a list of cars that we believe will be big money cars in the years to come. Some will already require a sizeable bank account….Porsche Carrera GT
Is it the best Porsche ever built? If one is fortunate enough to own one now or if you have the dough needed to acquire one; do it! Current value $380,000 - $400,000
Careful on this one…have a qualified technician look at the car….the clutch replacement alone will cost dearly!
BMW Z8
Not the “old man” Alpina version with the automatic transmission, the Z8 with the real M5 engine and the proper gear box with three pedals on the floor. This is one GREAT car. We are of the opinion that the aesthetics of this car are nearly perfect and it is without question one of the finest Grand Touring cars built in the last 20 years. Good low mileage examples can be found in the $120,000 - $140,000 range
One of our most favorite cars-ever.
Ford GT
An absolute icon in the 60’s….the Ford that beat Ferrari at its own game. The new GT is a great car and hard to come by. It is a fantastic looking car and fortunately Ford was true to the old design. Hang on to your hats….these will go through the roof. Current value $170,000 - $180,000
1968-1974 BMW 2800 and 3.0 coupes
In our opinion and that of many others, one of the best looking cars ever built; ever! The BMW 2800 and 3.0 liter couples are simply beautiful cars that are just as pleasant to drive. These cars are already seeing a market surge, but, good cars can still be bought for less that $30,000…..but….not for long. Parts can be a little tough as the cars were built in pretty limited numbers. Rust is an issue.
1968-1976 BMW 2002
The car that started it all for BMW- here in the States. Though built in fairly large numbers, good rust free examples are becoming difficult to find as are some replacement parts. 2002’s have had an almost iconic following and have had for years. These are great little cars, great looking and really fun to drive. Good cars sell for $6,000 to $15,000 (really nice tii versions can bring a bit more) The VERY, VERY rare turbo versions are already big number cars.
1978-1988 BMW 633 and 635
Good cars can be acquired for reasonable money, but, it is important that one find a car that has been well maintained as they can be very expensive to repair. Another great touring car from the good fellows in Munich and well looked after; will run forever. $6,000-$10,000 can buy a pretty nice car. Later model M6’s are also on the rise. Great cars these M6’s but, they can be a wee bit expensive on the maintenance side of things.
1995-1999 BMW M3
Arguably the best M3 BMW has ever produced. Not as fast as the later cars and perhaps not quite as nimble as the original E30, but, bullet proof reliable, very forgiving, great looking and a fantastic track cars right out of the box. Look for well maintained examples. Parts are still readily available and good examples can be bought for about $10,000. An absolute bargain!
1978 -1988 Porsche 911
These are great cars and can still be bought pretty well, but, buy one soon! Early Porsche’s (1967 – 1973) are bringing huge money. These early cars are taking the cars from the 80s up in value. Good low mileage examples are becoming increasingly difficult to find and are already commanding a handsome sum, but, we feel they are still well priced. A good car will run $15,000 - $30,000 (depending on year) Coupes are more desirable that Targa’s. Well maintained cars are remarkably reliable and can be driven for years without major repairs. These are a great buy right now.
Porsche 914
Yes, the much unloved 914 Porsche! We have seen a serious resurgence in the 914 market. The 914-6 has been pricy for some time, but, watch out for the 4 cylinder cars.
They are prone to rust, be careful there. Good examples can be acquired for $6,000 - $10,000 and in our opinion, are currently a very good value; fun to drive too!
Fiat 124 Spider
Fun little cars that can still be bought well. Be careful of rusty examples. Timing belts break often as well. We prefer the earlier small bumpered cars. Find some Abarth mods and these great little cars can be built into something quite quick. Fun car! Current market $6,000- $10,000 perhaps a tad more for the right car.
VW beetle up to 1967
Millions of VW Beetles were manufactured…millions, but, really good, unmolested early VW beetles are becoming very difficult to come by. Very early cars are already trading for substantial money. Good rust free examples are out there. There are those who feel that the 1967 model year car is THE car to have. Typical current value $5,000 - $15,000 for sedans. Restored convertibles….already big dough. These cars are easy to fix, easy to get parts for (for the most part) easy to work on. They are not however, fast J
Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce
The early boat-tailed cars are our favorites, but, they already command a pretty penny. Alfa continued building the little “graduate” well into the late 1980’s. These are very nice driving cars and though they are not real fast, can certainly be enjoyed for a weekend get-a-way up highway 101. Not a great deal of room for luggage….perhaps that was the plan.
Good cars can be bought in the $15,000 $20,000 range.
MGB and MGBGT
Another current bargain car in our opinion and we have always liked the looks of the MGBGT coupe…it is also just fun to say M G B G T…..
Great little driving cars….earlier cars with small bumpers are the way to go. Neat exhaust note, pretty comfy if you’re not over 5’10”…”we” are not. Still a pretty good buy at about $18,000 for a really nice coupe…a convertible will run you about $10,000 more.
1962-1966 Ford Thunderbird Convertible
We happen to really like the look of these cars. We also believe that these cars are currently undervalued. Really good examples of 1955, ‘56 and ‘57 T-birds can command upwards of $100,000. We strongly feel that these cars will do the same; maybe not tomorrow, but, some day soon. Current value $25,000- $32,000. (Note, do not include the 1962 and 1963 Roadsters…they are already expensive)
Datsun 240Z
The 240Z may have been one if the most under-rated cars ever. These were truly great driving cars and out of he box dominated the international road racing scene. Very good cars are becoming hard to find but they are still out there. A little known quirk about the 240 is that is was penned by the same fantastic designer who had penned the BWM 507……a certain Albrecht Graf Von Goertz. He also hand a large hand in he design of the Toyota 2000GT. Good 240’s can be found in the $18,000 to $20,000 range.
(Note: Thanks Google for some photos)
O.C.C.E.
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Over the years, we have had the good fortune to drive a number of exceptional cars and have written about a few here in these pages. Those of us who instruct with various driving schools whether it be with the BMWCCA, Driving Concepts or Precision Performance Driving, have had the good fortune and fantastic opportunity to drive world glass cars as they were meant to be driven; on real race tracks……pretty good work if one can get it.
We have also had the good pleasure to meet a number of wonderful students and not only drive their great cars, but also share the knowledge that we have acquired over the years and help them to become (as a good friend of ours says) “the driver that their automobile deserves”. We think that all of our instructor comrades would agree, teaching others how to dance with a 3,000 lb partner is a rather cool thing to do; particularly with those who “get it” rather than with those who “think” they already have it.
It was not until just earlier today however, that we started making a list of all the cars that we have been given the opportunity to drive on a race track, a real race track were one turns both left and right. It is a rather long list …..we may have missed a couple, but…….here goes:
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The 1950’s were arguably some of the finest design years for the American car industry; particularly for Chrysler. In the past, American cars had done very little for us, as we find ourselves getting a bit older, however, there is a possibility that we may have dismissed some pretty neat cars; or is it really just age? We have almost always been focused on European cars; why? To us, they were far more attractive, they handled better, they performed better; hell let’s face it- they were simply better cars.
A couple of years ago we were given the opportunity to spend a little more time around great old American built automobiles; Packard’s, Lincoln’s, Cadillac’s etc. They were however, pre-war cars and one could argue that by comparison, America was indeed manufacturing some of the finest automobiles in the world and American automotive craftsmanship was on par with some of the great European marques; perhaps even better. The time we had spent with these great cars opened our eyes to some of the later cars from this side of the pond, but, what really did it was spending more time with and driving some of the fantastic Chryslers belonging to John and Christie Lazenby. This story will focus on just one of their magnificent cars; the 1955 Chrysler New Yorker deluxe wagon.
In the mid 1950’s Chrysler started producing truly great American cars. Chryslers Design staff was headed up by Virgil Exner and with Exner’s excellent eye began producing fantastic looking cars, perhaps the best looking cars offered by any US manufacturer at the time. Included in the 1955 model year line-up was the 1955 New Yorker Deluxe wagon.
The 1955 New Yorker wagon was built in very limited numbers as only 1036 were manufactured. They were also very expensive. In 1955 this car would have cost a hefty $4,800. If we consider that an average home could be bought for about $12,000, this was one very, very expensive station wagon and most certainly not intended for the masses. There may only be a handful of these cars left; some suggest about 10.
The car was equipped with a 331cid V8 hemi that put out a pretty stunning (for the time) 250 horse power coupled to a Powerflite transmission with a dash mounted gear selector.
This car:
John and Christie’s New Yorker is finished in its correct Canyon Tan with Desert Sand interior, is believed that the 53,000 showing are correct and the car may have more of a story to tell as it seems a certain Cecil B. DeMille may have owned this very car. He was known to have had one and this car was found in Studio City – seems to fit. What is also interesting is that the car was found with a holster mounted under the diver’s seat; Coincidence? This wagon drives like….well… a wagon, but, a very stately wagon… it is such a great looking car and has so much presence….we like it – a lot!
O.C.C.E
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April 20th, 2010, Features
Tuesday was bitter-sweet as U27 headed to a new home; I’ll miss having the car though it will be going to a well seasoned vintage racer who most certainly has the talent to drive it well. A2Z and I had lunch with its new “custodian” today. Over lunch, the topic of “tribute cars” came up and we agreed that this car, though not the real 1968 championship winning car, was as close as anyone could possibly make it and THAT is what attracted its new owner. With Tony, Mac and Don all being consulted in the build (those who built the original some 42 years ago) it may be the best and perhaps only time that the same group of guys were brought together to bring a truly great car back to life. The big applause however, goes to Marc Zurlinden…race car builder extraordinaire…well done Marc; truly, well done!!!
On a side note, Marc…..those on that other web-site that we both admire so very much…..well, they can kiss our lilly white butts! 
Sure would have liked the chance to drive this fantastic car on a track just once…….the smile factor must be enormous.
O.C.C.E
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March 29th, 2010, Features
Today would bring me home and my adventure across the US to an end; kind of sad really and though it was a great road trip, it is nice to be home; very nice. The trip ended up being a total of two thousand five hundred and eighty five miles and today- the longest; yet, one if the nicest drives of all. It was also the day that the Arizona Highway Patrol and I would meet; officially.
I needed an early start this morning if I was going to make it home as last night I had stopped just as I had crossed the Arizona State line from New Mexico. I still had to cross Arizona, stop and see my good friend Marc Jones and drive from Scottsdale- home.
I got up early, real early, walked outside the hotel room in a t-shirt and jeans and DAMN…..it was cold! Nineteen friggin degrees cold! I did not know it but Springerville Arizona is located at an altitude of just above 7,000 feet. I hit the remote start button for the car and the engine sprang into life. This also meant that the heater and the heated seats came on as well…nice! Ok Steve….it is a truck, though a very nice truck! I’ll get back to that.
I had a quick bite to eat, loaded up on my drug of choice, coffee, and headed down the mountain. I had never been to the White Mountains of Arizona, but, I will be going back!
If you have not been…go! I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking.
Heading down the mountains and into the valley, before Mesa and Scottsdale was fantastic. I had seen the Arizona desert before, but never in the spring. wild flowers blooming, rich, green-fantastic. So fantastic, that I was simply in awe and NOT watching the ol’ speedometer….you know, that little round gauge that tells you how fast your vehicle is traveling. Well, camera in hand (most of the shots on this entire trip were taken this way…do not try this at home and only professionals drivers on a closed course should attempt this….etc.) I was focused on the road and which direction I should point the camera for my next shot. Look….there is just no-way too look through the view finder and drive…it can’t be done…so I would just point the camera and press the shutter button….Anyway I got a glimpse of “him” in the rear view mirror. I had just gone under an over-pass and saw the car. Shit! How fast was I going? Don’t know. Pretty fast? Yup! 80 plus…Oh, double shit! I pulled in behind a truck and set the cruise at 65…yes, the posted speed limit and waited. By the way…no license plate on the truck….no plate frame or paper plate from the dealer; nothin’. Hell, I should have just painted a big friggin bulls-eye on the back!
I have not had a speeding violation since 1976; high school. No kidding! Now, I am gonna get lit-up. Sure enough…lights on-CRRRRRAP. I turn on my e flashers, pull over and have my license out before he gets to the window. “Do you know how fast you where going” he asks? I swear to God (the guy looks pretty cool) “I have no fucking idea” I said! He grins….but just a snicker of a grin…He is NOT laughing! Cool, but, it ain’t over yet! I hand him my license, my business card and the dealer plate and tell him…” I am driving home from North Carolina after picking this truck up for a client … I just got caught up in the scenery…I am really sorry”
He checks the stuff out. I stand at the back of the truck…take a couple of flower pictures…these here. He gets out of the cruiser, walks up, hands me my license and the dealer plate and says “You might want to slow it down, have a nice day”. That’s it? Cool! I shake his hand and thank him.
I stopped in Scottsdale and saw my good buddy Marc. We had a bite to eat, caught up a bit and I drove the rest of the way home. I did run into a bit of traffic in Riverside….It was bound to happen once in 2500 miles!!!
The truck, a very nice 2009 Tahoe-I have to admit….I like it. I am not normally a truck guy but, I’ll be the first to tell you that it was comfortable for this long journey and I actually came to like it. It handles well for a big vehicle and with the 6.2 liter motor, it goes! There were times that I had wished that I were in something else just because the roads were just so much fun…. After reflecting a bit however, had I been in anything even remotely exotic ….I’d be writing this from a cell.
I gotta go to bed…Thanks for listening!
O.C.C.E
Klaus
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March 28th, 2010, Features
This morning; perfect. Clear, sunny and 38 degrees, my kind of day! I love cold clear days; they’re just the best…
Ok, sorry Texas and Texan’s. I gotta be honest with you, I was not looking forward to driving through the rest of your boring State…yeah , I know, don’t mess with Texas and all that crrrrap, but, damn…OOOOOOOklahoma was getting flat and boring, I think y’all ended up with some of the s^& they just didn’t want.
I will admit however, that I had one of the best steaks in my life last night in Amarillo at a place called the Hoffbrau Steakhouse, a pepper crusted sirloin; it was great!
Driving from Amarillo into New Mexico was about what I had expected. As I started getting closer to Albuquerque though, the scenery picked up and the mountains still had some snow. I had also come across another section of Route 66, some of the old signs are pretty cool. I stopped for some lunch in old town Alburquergue, it really is rather nice…real artsy-fartsy and one of the places on this trip that I would like to go back to and spend more time in with my honey.
I reset the Navigation and as I entered I-40 asked myself …”is this what I really want to see” and “do I really want to go all that far North and through Flagstaff?” I searched for another route and the Navigation system suggest a “shorter mileage route” but longer time and - through Phoenix. I wanted to stop and see my good friend Marc in Scottsdale anyhow ….so…I punched it in. Ok…navigation is a cool option! I got off the I-40 at the hwy 117 exit, fueled and asked the nice lady behind counter if (in her opinion) it would be worth the extra time to go west via the 117. She said “it is a prettier drive”, that’s it.
I start driving west on the 117 and the road is fantastic, there is no-one on it…I like that!
The geography starts changing pretty dramatically and all of a sudden I find myself in the El Malpais National Conservation area…..un-friggin-believable. I could have spent hours there, it was just fantastic- the lady at the gas station never said a word!! This is why I took this trip; this is the stuff I wanted to see.
After a taking a couple of thousand pictures, it was back in the car and back on the road. I drove for another 2 plus hours and never saw another car heading west….not one! 4 trucks passed me going the opposite direction. The speed limit is 55…right! This is a section of highway that is perfect for all of us track heads…it has elevation changes, corners that you can see a half-mile through, no-where for the police to hide… it is simply a prefect road and only the second time that I found myself on this trip (the first in the Smokies) going through a list of cars in my head that would work really well out here; my old Lotus, Robert’s Noble M400 (yum), Leighton’s’ Lamborghini, Mecey’s Porsche and finally Darren’s Porsche CGT…..I though about the CGT for a long time. This road, that car, the glorious symphony that comes with it at full chat……oh my.
117 ends at the 60, yup, same 60 and heads into Arizona. I crossed the Arizona line and have stopped in Springerville for the night…I already asked…no, Jerry does not live here, only looks like he does J
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March 27th, 2010, Features
Slept like a rock! The Ozark Inn and Restaurant in Ozark, Oklahoma has some of the best beds I have ever slept in…soft, goooshy, warm, great feather pillows…nice- and all for $50 bucks! Took a nice hot shower dressed and walked across the gravel parking lot for breakfast; God I love this, and there it was, an all you can eat breakfast buffet (you must pronounce the ‘t”) Eggs scrambled in bacon grease, bacon, sausage, hamburger patties grits, tater’s, French toast, buckwheat pancakes, biscuits and bacon grease gravy…as Daffy Duck would say DaRooool. The biscuits had that nice layer on the bottom, not burnt, not crispy- just a bit chewy and with that gravy….OMFG!
Billy Joe Bob and his eighteen cousins (whose family tree goes straight up) were all there at the trough too, and they we packin’ it in baby. There is no-way that restaurant made money today….just no-way, hell they lost money on the gravy alone! I can put some groceries away, but these boys, they are in a completely different league. I’d say there were about 20 of ‘em in thar, some with their wives; I think. Had to be that 15 of ‘em where wearing bib-overalls. If any one of these guys were to walk out of a Guess store wearing a new Guess shirt………I dunno……I’d “guess”- three-eighty-five?
I stayed off I-40 first thing this morning as Ozark is located at the intersection of hwy 23 and 64 west. Turning left out of the parking lot (after a little giggle I might add) I headed west on 64; fantastic! Once past Fort Smith, I hoped back onto I-40; it was time to make up some ground.
The day had started pretty nice but, the weather turned as I got closer to Oklahoma City and it turned down right nasty shortly there-after. The winds kicked up and I do mean kicked up! Semi Trucks were actually leaning over to their left and then it started coming down. I don’t know how those guys were keeping these things on the road. I would bet it was blowing 50+. Right before leaving Oklahoma I found the Route 66 museum and had to stop and take a look. Unfortunately there is not much of the old road left, but, the museum is cool and I drove the old road to the Texas line.
Amarillo tonight…maybe a good Steak?
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March 26th, 2010, Features
Overcast skies and rain started the day today. I was hoping it would not stay that way for the entire days drive. The further west I went the better the weather got, then blue skies and sunshine until night-fall. It was a bit cold, 43 degees cold…well digger ass cold!
I planned the drive last night. I would take I-40 West to Nashville and from there take the old hwy 70 west. I think the 70 is the 2 lane road used to travel west until the I-40 replaced it. This detour was on purpose however, as my intent on this trip is to SEE the US not just drive across it. I was pretty sure that the scenery was not going to be nearly as interesting as yesterdays and though I was right, it was still a great drive.
I turned off I-40 as planed and got on to hwy 70. It was fuel time…the car gets pretty darn good mileage. Steve, I have decided to keep you guessing for another day. J There is something that I have discovered about the South; Southern hospitality does indeed exist.
The drive into Nashville happened while many were still on their way to work. So, when I fueled there were a number of people at the service station…fuel, coffee- the typical gas stations stuff. The difference is that everyone (I do mean everyone) says Thank you ma’am, yes sir, no ma’am, yes please and no thank you. Hey, I love California like everyone else, but damn, it sure is nice to see and do and we should all do more of it! The rumor about Southern food being great however, WRONG….the food sucks, until tonight, more on that in just a moment.
Hwy 70 finally brought me back to I-40 just west of Memphis. I was thinking about stopping and sayin’ hello to the old boy, not. Through Memphis and over the mighty Mississippi (always wanted to say that) and into Arkansas. Arkansas started of rather flat and ugly. It got better; much better. Andrew, I am starting to hear Banjos too man…pretty darn scary….
Getting hungry, I started looking for a restaurant again. I found one called “The South Park Restaurant” …no joke. I was going to take a picture of the place. I actually walked in, took a look at what was being served and left, I was NOT going to eat crappy food again…not today anyhow. Then I saw it…..a sign, in German. A Restaurant at a Swiss winery…could it be…REAL food?? I followed the sign to the Wiederkehr Winery and Restaurant, about 4 miles off I-40 in Altus Arkansas. A nice filet with béarnaise, German potatoes, green beans, fresh bread and a great cup of coffee; fantastic! Seems the Winery has been there since 1880 and is the oldest in the region.
The car? It hauls ass when you want or need it to…getting on the freeway is effortless, it pulls like a God damned train!
Steve….I just read that you believe you have broken the code…really? How? Enlighten us please….
Tonight, in the Ozarks, tomorrow…tune in J
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March 25th, 2010, Features
What a great start to this trip across our country. There are a vast number of auto dealers on the West Coast who could learn a thing or two from dealers here in the South. I am talking about how they do business and treat customers; fantastic! I am going to refrain from showing pictures of the sales person and the dealership as it would give away the car…..tune in tomorrow for that.
Larry Clayton from the dealership picked me up this morning after a nice leisurely breakfast at the “DOWNTOWN” Marriot…Larry is a very likeable guy…I am sure he does well there. As we walked into the dealership he asked if I wanted a coffee, handed me the keys to the “car” as I had asked to take a look at it. It was parked up-front, detailed, fueled and ready to go. I’ll give you this much….It is Black…it was detailed VERY well.
Happy with the car, I was introduced to Tracy; I think she is either the finance manager or office manager. She had all of the paperwork ready to go…no bullshit, no sell you this, sell you that…just done and ready to sign. Nice! I then met Jeff Davis the used car manager and who I had worked with and then of course, Dee. Dee had spent a great deal of time answering emails and getting everything done….Thanks Dee!! What a great bunch of people….THIS is what dealerships should be like. I am however, going to have to learn a new language; Southern. DAMN!
What I had expected to be a 3 hour ordeal (it would have been in California) ended up being about twenty minutes. Larry walked out to the car with me and started showing me how things worked….he was just so darn nice and helpful.
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March 24th, 2010, Features
Having been involved in the automotive business and racing for a number of years, it has been my good fortune to have visited nearly every race track in the US. The bad news is that I have always flown in and right back out, never really leaving me the opportunity to “see” the countryside- the whole countryside; until now.
My good friends and customers Wick and Alli have acquired a car through my shop, Exclusive Motors (that IS what I actually do for a living) and I am fortunate enough to be picking it up for them in Greensboro, North Carolina and driving it back. What kind of car? Well…not what you would normally think of or read about here at OC Car Enthusiast, but, I am going to leave that alone for a day or two and let your minds wonder a bit…we have driven some pretty cool cars though….Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren, the new Lotus, a new M3???,…hmmmm
The trip stated today flying out of Orange County. You know, I used to love to fly…it just isn’t a great deal of fun anymore. Flew out on Delta…nice enough folks, clean plane, but, charging extra for luggage….F&^%%$$(&^^% and that is exactly what I asked them at the check in counter…..are you F*&^%n kidding me!!!??? By the way, should anyone want to take their significant other out for a very expensive meal, take them to the airport………….. for a sandwich.
The flight(s) were actually ok, though I did have to change plans in Atlanta. If you have not been there, Atlanta is a HUGE airport with miles between gates. I love the way connecting flights are managed there. You could not put two gates further apart from one another. Actually asking the gate dude in a rather sarcastic but joking tone…” Is there any way that you guys can put the gates further apart” about brought him to tears he laughed so hard. It can be a hike! Note: Take your jacket off first.
I land in Greensboro, grab the luggage (cool it came with the plane, having to pay extra for it, I’d go friggin nuts if they lost it now) and head to the Kiosk to arrange a ride to the hotel via the Marriot shuttle. Pick up the little phone handset thing and press the button on the kiosk for the downtown Marriot, the DOWNTOWN Marriot. See there is a Airport Marriot as well…had to make sure we pressed the right button. Nice lady at the other end of the phone says “just wait outside…the Marriot shuttle will pick you up”….how cool and she was just soooo pleasant- gonna like the SouthJ Three Marriot shuttles stop and I tell them the Downtown Marriot, the driver’s say…oh, this one is for the Airport Marriot. After a while…..not going to say how long exactly … called the Marriot….the Downtown Marriot. Oh, we don’t have a shuttle from the Airport sir…pardon me? I asked. But I just talked to a nice gal a while ago who said you did”. “No you did not sir, I was told” “yes, I called” “No sir, not here” …….This is gonna get uuuuuugly! TAXI!!! We’re already thinkin’ Gonna light this guy up! Who is your boss? Do not argue with me God damn it….I am German and I just paid extra for luggage.
Get to the hotel and Jay is ultra cool! I am really sorry sir he says, you’re right, the kiosk is messed up, I have upgraded you to a suite, breakfast is on us…anything else we can do for you”? Nope…Jay and the Marriot rock!
Tomorrow morning we pick up the car …
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