Some shy away from doors that open to unknown places. I have always been drawn to them. I don’t recall what caused my instant and all-consuming obsession to own a 928, this most-unloved of exotic Porsches. But once I got onto the roller coaster and the safety bar clicked down, […]
Author: Keith Martin
Keith’s Blog: Alex and Her Epic Motorcycle Ride
One afternoon in the early 1990s, we were on a Sunday drive to Mt. Hood in our Mercedes W123 240D automatic. Alex was just a couple of months old. We stopped at Merit Realty in a small strip-mall in Welches, and I asked the agent, “What do you folks sell […]
Keith’s Blog: Do You Ever Regret Selling a Car?
I saw this question posted on the FB site of Avants – Drive Everything. Avants is a free-wheeling membership group that exults in the fun of being behind the wheel of anything! It’s the brainchild of Adam Cramer. If you have any gearhead in your DNA it is worth exploring. […]
A Busy, If Not Boisterous, Market
Enthusiasts are buying and selling cars. Although the market is not boisterous, it is busy. The current COVID-19 situation has not eliminated or diminished our love of cranky old cars. Rather, it has caused us to find appropriate, safe ways to enjoy our cars and each other, all while modifying […]
Keith’s Blog: Which Car For a Kid: Alfa, BMW, Boxster or Miata?
I am planning for May of 2022. Bradley will get his permit then, when he turns 15. I have been plotting what kind of road trip we might take to celebrate this occasion. And what we might drive. Fortunately for his and my sanity, I have long-ago abandoned the notion […]
Keith’s Blog: Is It Just About the Hunt?
We’ve got a new car in our condo slot. It’s a 1991 Porsche 928 S4. Yes, a “Stuttgart Corvette,” a.k.a. “piggyback” or “the German Pacer.” I’ll have more to share once we have digested this acquisition, but as the car is still new to me, I am currently basking in […]
Keith’s Blog: The Ladder to Nowhere
I recall when we bought our first Land Rover Discovery. We were at a Silver Auction in Portland. My daughter Alexandra was in high school. The Disco had been entered by a local dealer known for the brilliant presentation of his inventory – sometimes referred to as “putting lipstick on […]
Keith’s Blog: The SCM Shuffle: MGC or XKE?
As I am still not able to drive a manual safely (although making progress), I have made it known that I am interested in classic cars with automatics. Consequently, I have done a deep-dive into a world of cars that I have actively disdained over the past few decades. Cars […]
Keith’s Blog: Why Four Cars Are All You Need
I’m wrestling with the “size” question again. What should a “right-sized” collection look like? And what should the philosophy behind the cars selected be? How many cars is enough? First, with a nod of the head to vintage car events, I would suggest you need two pre-1975 cars, one open […]
Back to the Basics
One year ago, my 12-year-old son Bradley and I were getting ready for a Caribbean cruise. We didn’t think twice about the flights from Portland, OR, to Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, FL. The lines at check-in didn’t faze us, nor did the wait to get through security. While short, the […]