There used to be a time when I loved to trade in my cars for the latest showroom models. However, that all went on pause for over a decade when parenthood struck. In my case, the story of my transition from being a car enthusiast to indifference began with an incident in New York City that nearly cost me my driver’s license.
I was on my way home, driving back from the West Side, and was about to get on the 65th Street Transverse. Unfortunately, there was a very slow crosstown bus in front of me. Obviously, I decided to pass it. So, I downshifted my E46 BMW M3, stepped on the gas, and then sped up alongside the merging lane to pass the bus. But when I reached the end of the merge, a police officer appeared in front of my car with one hand pointed at me and another hand ready to unholster his sidearm. He shouted stop at me. Immediately, I hit the brake, cranked up my handbrake, reached for my registration, insurance, and drivers license.
“What do you think you are doing!” the police officer yelled at me. He was so incensed at what I did. I guess I could have run over him. I handed over my documentation and apologized profusely. I knew I was in deep trouble, so I started to think of damage control — like who to contact to get me off almost certain license suspension. Anyway, after a few minutes, the police officer came back, returning my document, and told me to leave. Apparently, my roadside stop had bottlenecked traffic to pile up on Central Park West, which was a problem for him, since it interfered with his ability to perform seat belt checks.
Realizing what just happened, I took it as a sign for me to change my ways. I had to be responsible, given my change in circumstances. So, the next day, I kid you not and hand over heart, I traded-in my E46 BMW M3 for a brand new Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum Edition. And so began my decade of automotive decline.
Over the next ten years, I bought a series of very uninteresting cars. In Hong Kong, I started out with a second generation Toyota Alphard and a F30 BMW 320i, and later traded them both in for a third generation Toyota Alphard and a G30 BMW 530i. In China, I had a F18 BMW 535il and a Toyota Estima. In New York, I traded in my Escalade for a Mercedes Benz GL450. And in Japan, I got J150 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. To be clear, I literally didn’t care about the cars I got because my drivers were driving them.
2017 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado in Hokkaido, Japan — my sole remaining “daily” from my period of indifference
Then came Covid.
Long story short, Hong Kong social distancing restrictions and lockdown scared the living bejeezus out of us into hightailing it out of dodge for the laissez-faire calm of the Pacific Northwest. It was a very high stress time, so many of my decisions didn’t push the envelope. I tried to stay consistent. So, when it came time to choose a car, I simply carried forward the same practical mindset. Thus, it was with this attitude that my indifference reached its apogee. Pragmatism made me get a 2022 Chevrolet Suburban High Country and a 2022 Subaru Outback. I know, the horror. But in my defense, this was during the height of the Covid inventory shortage, so the pickings were slim. I mean, I had to fork out a US$5,000 premium for my Suburban.
Now, if you’re wondering why I picked a Suburban, it is because I couldn’t get one in Hong Kong. In a manner of speaking, a Suburban, in all its 225.7 inches (5.73m) glory, is forbidden fruit for a Hongkonger — or rather reverse forbidden fruit from an American perspective. To be frank, I have been visiting the Pacific Northwest for well over four years before my escape from Hong Kong, and each time, I hired (rented) a Suburban. I never thought much about getting anything else, since what I needed each time was a people hauler. Plus, I was visiting was God’s country — a land with ample parking spaces and room to maneuver.
As for the Outback, I got it because it seemed very popular in the Pacific Northwest. That is a lesson in how not to choose a car.
Looking back, this indifference could have been the path I took for the rest of my life. But then, a fork on the road. A series of events happened, leading me back to my reconversion into the fold. My Suburban broke down after one year of use. The fuel pump failed which essentially bricked my truck. And to make matters worse, I could not get the truck into neutral for the towing because its electronic transmission required hydraulic pressure from the fuel pump, which was broken. Because of that, I had to wait an hour for a second tow truck capable of accommodating my situation. The only bright spot during this breakdown were the police officers keeping me company and directing traffic to get around me. Anyway, my Suburban was eventually towed back to the dealership. But alas, fate wasn’t going to let me off that easily. A week after the malfunction was diagnosed, I received a callback from the service department informing me that my new fuel pump was going to take at least six to eight weeks to arrive because of Covid inventory shortages. After that phone call, I made my decision to trade-in my Suburban.
2022 Chevrolet Suburban High Country being towed in Oregon
But for what?
To be fair to my Cherry Red Tintcoat Suburban, it wasn’t a bad truck — when it worked. It had a pretty sweet 6.2L V8, which shared the same architecture as GM’s LT-series engine found in the C7 Corvette’s 6.2L LT1. And for such a large truck, the magnetic ride control and air ride suspension system were surprisingly agile even on twisty mountain roads. That said, it was a miserable car to park or back up in town. And increasingly, I discovered I no longer needed to ferry around six passengers anymore. On most days, I only needed to drive one passenger with me.
With the metrics of my life changing again, a feeling long forgotten, lost in the years of responsibilities, had resurfaced and relumed. I only really needed to drive myself, and occasionally, I may need to drive three other passengers. With that in mind, I embarked on looking for something new. So, I started to do my research — happy in the thought that I can once again trade-in my cars for the latest showroom models. However, what I discovered wasn’t all smiles and sunshine. In the years of my indifference, the automotive industry had changed.
There literally wasn’t a single new model I wanted to buy as my daily driver. I hated everything new. I didn’t want an SUV or a crossover. I wanted a less sizeable car that I could daily in the snow with a smile on my face. The only car fitting that description was the Volkswagen Golf R. Unfortunately, I did not take a shining to the Golf R. I found it too much of a compromise in favor of practicality at the expense of putting a smile on my face. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good car. Unfortunately, it wasn’t great at anything. Then I thought about the Subaru WRX. However, it didn’t come as a hatchback. Of course, there was the GR Toyota Corolla, if I wanted to pay for the dealer’s premium — no thanks — once was enough! I also thought about the new Porsche Panamera Sports Turismo Turbo S and the Audi RS6 Avant. But, I found them too expensive — even before the dealer’s premium. And they were too big. It seemed hopeless. I couldn’t find anything that crossed all my boxes.
Then I found it — a 2017 Ford Focus RS Mountune. It was almost perfect, except for one problem. I haven’t driven a manual transmission for close to fifteen years. It was very unnerving. However, it was the car that made the most sense. And it’s not like I have never driven a stick shift before. I mean, how hard could it be to get back on the bicycle, as the expression goes. Well, it took some effort to get me out of my comfort zone. On the test drive, I rode on the clutch. I couldn’t rev match on the downshift. I forgot how to drive at low traffic speeds. And I forgot about finding the bite point. Even so, I only stalled once. It was a horrible test drive — except — something happened to me. For the first time in such a long time, I felt energized behind the wheel of a car. It was fun — really fun. And it made me remember the joy I used to have driving. Anyway, I was sold. All it needed were roof racks!
2017 Ford Focus RS in Wyoming
Of course, Covid restrictions eventually ended in Hong Kong. So, I moved back again. Unfortunately (or fortunately) my two cars in Hong Kong, having been neglected for a very long time, were in an awful state. Let me just say that both cars reeked of mildew. Hong Kong is a very humid city, in case you didn’t know. In any event, this setback presented itself as an opportunity for me to trade-in my cars for something better. But what?
Given the opportunity, I knew I had to satisfy the itch that every American car enthusiast dreams of scratching. It was time for me to buy some forbidden fruits — desirable cars that never came to the United States. So the first car I wanted to get was the G81 BMW M3 Touring. I found one in São Paolo Yellow. Interestingly, car buyers in Hong Kong do not like sports wagons, or rather, did not believe the extra premium makes sense for downgrading a sports sedan into a practical car. Well, their disinterest is my gain, and I was able to negotiate a good discount from an ocean away. Yes, I was purchasing this car sight unseen. I mean, how bad could it be? It was new. I was still tying up loose end in the United States. But then, at the last minute before I signed the purchase contract, I asked the dealer about the Apple CarPlay. To my surprise, I was informed that BMW in Hong Kong does not have Apple CarPlay. So, on the eleventh hour, I pulled out of the deal. I was very upset because I really wanted to get, what I thought, was the ultimate forbidden daily driving fruit.
Thus, it was back to foraging online again. It was horrible. There wasn’t a single new car I wanted to get in Hong Kong, let alone getting my elusive forbidden fruits. Being away from Hong Kong for so long, I didn’t realize how much the city had transitioned to Chinese EVs. As a result, the offerings from legacy automakers were noticeably less — except for their EV offerings. I mean, Hong Kong is the only city I know in which the Mercedes Benz EQS isn’t looked upon with derision. Of course, I could have toed the line and followed the trend. To be fair to Chinese EVs, many of them are really good cars — I mean really good! As a mode of transportation, nothing beats a good Chinese EV. However, I am a dinosaur who loves fossil fuel. And so, with my extinct petrolithic mindset, I soldiered online foraging for a suitable car.
I thought about getting a GR Toyota Yaris. But Toyota Hong Kong no longer sold them. And, I couldn’t find one used or in the gray market. Then I thought about a Mercedes Benz C63 Touring or an Audi RS4 Avant. But both Mercedes Benz and Audi stopped making those models for Hong Kong. Then I found a listing for a second hand B7 Audi RS4 Avant. Unfortunately, it was already sold. For months, I was searching and searching, until I got a referral to a preowned Mercedes Benz dealer who found me a long forgotten and deeply discounted 2020 Mercedes Benz A45S AMG stashed away in their warehouse. Like the G81 BMW M3 Touring, Hongkongers do not think the premium for a hothatch makes sense. Obviously, I jumped on it. It was after all another forbidden fruit that never came to the U.S. So, I flew over to Hong Kong to test drive it. It was amazing. Immediately, I fell in love with it. I just wished it came in a manual, like my Focus RS. Although, I am happy that it didn’t come with the canards on the front bumper.
Overall, the A45S is a ridiculous car. It has over 100hp per cylinders. It jumps from 0 to 60 mph (100 kph) in about the same time it takes a 2020 Mercedes Benz AMG-GT to get to 60 mpg (100 kph). And the noise it makes, it’s amazing. Plus, it’s small and practical — though to be frank, it is about the same size as a W201 Mercedes Benz from the 1980s and nowhere as small as the first generation A class Mercedes. That said, by the standard of today, it’s small and it is a riot to drive.
2020 Mercedes Benz A45S AMG in Hong Kong
Still, the G81 BMW M3 Touring itch left unscratched preoccupied me. But as the expression goes, when a door closes, a chalet window opens. A new opportunity presented itself. Fate brought me to Switzerland, where I can finally pursue my dreams of getting some of these forbidden fruits, which I cannot find or get in Hong Kong. I could get a B7 Audi RS4 Avant or an E46 BMW M3 CSL or even some DTM version Mercedes Benz. I mean, where do I start?
I decided on the G81 M3 Competition Touring as my first indulgence, since that was what I wanted to get in Hong Kong. Furthermore, I knew which one I wanted to get. I wanted an Isle of Man Green with Fiona Red or Tartufo brown interior. Unfortunately, I could only find one in black interior. Of course, I could have optioned one out and waited a few months. But, I needed to get one quickly, so that I could fit it with snow tires before the start of winter. If not, I wouldn’t be able to make it up the mountains for the ski season. So, I settled for the black interior. Besides, I think I was anxious to finally drive the forbidden fruit I wanted all along.
But of course, there really isn’t anything particularly better about the G81 M3 Touring vs the G80 M3 and G82 M4. They are all intrinsically the same cars — give or take some differences between performance versions. That said, the G81 M3 Touring isn’t burdened with the stereotype afflicted upon the G80 M3 and G82 M4. Where the G80 and G82 can be viewed as yobbish and immature, the G81 is typically viewed as more serious and mature. In that way, the G81 M3 Touring seems more refined, since its wagon form conveys purpose and responsibility while the G80 M3 and G82 M4 conveys indulgence and independence. Invariably, this sets apart the G81 M3 Touring as a multi-function tool from the G80 M3 and G82 M4 as an aspirational track toy.
In any event, I kind of regret of not getting the B7 Audi RS4 Avant as my first forbidden fruit in Europe. Personally, I believe the B7 RS4 Avant is the absolute perfect daily driver. It is after all a six speed manual with a V8 that Jeremy Clarkson praised as one of the top three engines of all time. But, I digress. Had I picked one from the start, I would still need to figure out how to fit it with an integrated Apple CarPlay system and a reverse camera. I know, it sounds sacrilegious. However, I have become so accustomed with it that I can’t live without it anymore.
2024 BMW M3 Competition Touring in the Swiss Alps
I know I am fortunate to have the opportunity to daily drive in North America, East Asia, and Western Europe. In doing so, I have taken advantage of how I choose my cars. I mean, it makes no sense getting a car that can be purchased anywhere around the world. If given the privilege to scratch a petrolhead’s itch for forbidden fruits, why not do it? And essentially, that is what I did — except in the United States. Unbeknownst to Americans, there is no such thing as forbidden fruits from the United States. Even my Suburban, which I previously described as forbidden fruit, can be imported into Hong Kong, as long as it has been converted into right hand drive.
Contrary to popular beliefs, desirable American cars are actually sold around the world. In Hong Kong, I can get the right hand drive versions of the Ford Mustang GT, Ford Ranger, or Jeep Wrangler. And in Europe, I can get any desirable American cars from a Dodge Challenger Hellcat, a Ford Shelby Mustang GT350, a Ram TRX, or even my Chevrolet Suburban High Country. Given that, the priority to get a U.S. car in the U.S. isn’t that imperative, given that those cars are not all forbidden fruit in Asia and Europe. However, buying it in the U.S. will be significantly less expensive and more culturally consistent. That said, it’s always cool to see a right hand drive Mustang in Hong Kong or a Ford F150 Raptor in Europe, despite how culturally out of place it is.
Still, I probably won’t buy a U.S. car in the U.S anytime soon. The build quality just isn’t up to world class standards. Remember the fuel pump on my Suburban? It is not like I didn’t try to support made in America. But what about my Ford Focus RS? Well yes, it is an American brand. However, it is technically a European car, since it is made by Ford of Europe. Given that, what daily driver should one buy in the U.S.? In short, pretty much whatever you can get in East Asia or in Western Europe. That means, any premium European or Japanese car if you want a higher quality car. And if you don’t really care about quality and want affordable horsepower, displacement, and cylinder count, then made in America it is.