Driving My 2005 Chevy Home and Other Baby Stories

Don’t be fooled by the title and the picture. I haven’t stumbled into a large financial windfall nor have I generated enough funds to buy a new Chevrolet Lumina, although there are times I wish I could afford its P1.3M price. Close friends kid me that I am now a member of the two-car family segment and they’re not referring to my 1993 Nissan Sentra and my 1971 Chevrolet Camaro but rather to my newborn son, Chevy Martin Dizon — who joins my five-year-old daughter Genevie Marie, (nicknamed "Vette" after the Corvette that GM or General Motors makes) as a new member of our car-crazy family. Thus, I now have a 2005 Chevy and a 2000 Vette, get it?

It was Vette who thought of her baby brother’s name after my wife Shawie found out we were expecting a boy. Vette got the name "Chevy" from my Camaro ("Dad, what’s the name of your ‘vroom-vroom’ car?") and "Martin" from her favorite Disney Channel cartoon series "Martin Mystery". My mom approved of the name only when I reassured her that Martin also stands for the patron saint of Santo Domingo church, St. Martin de Porres and that I vowed to drive my newborn son to Santo Domingo church before we go home from the hospital, as I did when Vette was born. So, that explains the picture, too.

It was likewise my good fortune that my friend and former colleague from my car dealership days, Dante Reyes, has joined General Motors Automobiles Philippines as their Sales and Marketing Manager. I told Dante about my son’s name and, being the creative guy that he is, lent me a Chevy to take my Chevy home. He also chose to lend me the Lumina, which means "light" since the new baby would light up my family’s life. Life really couldn’t get any sweeter, or more illuminating than that.

The 2005 Chevrolet Lumina, now fitted with more aggressive 16-inch wheels and 60-series tires (as opposed to the 15-inch/70-series wheel/tire combo it used to have), provided a safe, luxurious and tranquil cocoon to transport my baby and my family from the hospital to the church then to our house in Project 8, all in Quezon City. Baby Chevy was never stirred while we were in the Chevy Lumina because it glided smoothly on the road aided by its compliant and comfortable suspension system and luxurious and soft leather interior. The Lumina’s automatic climate control system kept the interior cool while its 2.5-liter V6 engine purred quietly and efficiently.

If my baby Chevy got spoiled in this Chevy, I think I got spoiled, too. The Lumina altered my initial misconceptions about its power, fuel efficiency (nearly 8 kilometers per liter with a V6 is, in my opinion, exceptional in our type of roads and traffic condition, especially during these times) and its overall image when compared to competing 3.0-liter V6 sedans — Honda Accord, Nissan Cefiro and Toyota Camry. That it’s suggested retail price is also competitively lower than these Japanese top-of-the-line executive rockets is another factor that works in the Lumina’s favor.

When we got home, it looked like baby Chevy let out a small sigh when we got out of the Chevy Lumina. Perhaps, he still wanted to take a longer ride in the car or perhaps it was only my imagination since I was beginning to fall for the car myself. But whatever the reason, Chevy was home and it was great that he got there in a Chevy.

My Motorcycle Magazine Baby

Some friends and keen readers have noticed that I have not been as prolific with my motoring stories for The Philippine STAR as I have been in the past. Nothing has changed, dear friends and loyal readers (if indeed I have any), it’s just that I’ve been busy working on my "other" new baby — MotorCycle Magazine. As the name suggests, it is a magazine dedicated to the Filipino motorcyclist, whether he rides a big bike, a cruiser, a super sport, a sports bikes, a café racer, a vintage bike, a standard bike, a scooter, a moped, an under-bone, a customized street bike, a chopper, a cub, a hopper, a pocket bike or a motocross racer.

The magazine will feature motorcycles new and old, test drives, articles on individual riders, bike clubs, celebrity riders, motorcycle tours and destinations, tech tips, safety riding tips, industry news and basically everything related to motorcycle riding in the country and will be written by writers who actually ride. MotorCycle Magazine aims to promote safety riding, responsible motorcycling, road safety, rider’s rights and local tourism as well as unite the more than two million motorcyclists around the Philippines, especially now that solo riders are no longer the minority.

MotorCycle Magazine will (hopefully) be out by the first or second week of December and will be sold through an innovative marketing system that will benefit its readers, who are targeted to be motorcycle riders as well.

Small Displacement Biker Group’s Baby

Speaking of "babies", an executive of the largest motorcycle manufacturing company in the country nearly killed the baby of the Philippine Motorcycle Federation and Philippine Scooter Federation when he said in a popular talk show on ANC that he views 100cc motorcycles as "unsafe" to take on the expressways. Perhaps it slipped the industry executive’s mind that the motorcycle and scooter federations are trying to convince authorities through legal procedures and negotiations to allow motorcycles with displacements of 100cc and above to use the North Luzon and South Luzon expressways. As of now, only 400cc bikes and above are admitted into the toll ways and the Federation, through MotorcyclePhilippines.Com and its 200,000 members, would like to prove that "it’s not the motorcycle but the rider" that determines whether smaller bikes are safe to ride in the expressway or not.

The motorcycle company executive blurted out in the same show that he thinks that 100cc bikes cannot reach 100kph; effectively saying that his products, including a popular model which is now the market leader, are unsafe and inadequate. His prejudiced statement on the show, as well as those of his riding school consultant and supposed riding buddy, gave motorcyclists a black-eye. A lot of riders have complained that they should have been more accurate with their statements since they were representing the entire riding community in that show. Tsk, tsk… loose lips sinks ships, so they say in the navy.

My Other "Other" Baby

Finally, my 1993 Nissan Sentra is the other "other" baby that’s been keeping me busy. In line with the times, fellow journalist Dino Ray Directo III and I thought of a project that would "pimp" a beat-up everyday car (my Sentra) and make it look as good (or even better) than new. Body work and painting has just been finished by the Jaguar and Land Rover Service Center (through the graces of Jaguar president Wellington Soong and son Marc) using DuPont paint (thanks to Alvin Dee and Alvin Uy) in a metallic Jaguar Radiance Red hue that approximates the original Flamingo Red 1993 factory color, except it’s much, much nicer. I must say, the final paint finish exceeded my expectations and the work of the Jaguar and Land Rover Service Center, especially the excellent follow-up work of Gene Bonifacio, is exceptionally commendable.

Nissan Motor Philippines, through Product and Marketing manager Raymond Tribdino and National Service manager Jon Gutierrez sent some parts I needed for the B13-771 Sentra and will also work on some needed mechanical repairs. The car will be tricked out by the After-market Mafia with Concept One wheels from Wheel Gallery, a subtle exterior enhancement from A-Toy Body Kits and Thule/EGR Philippines, improved lighting from Xenon bulbs, a killer Sony Xplod sound system to be installed by G Audio, a Momo steering wheel from Perfect Circle and if my wife permits, a lowered H&R or Nismo suspension system. Watch out for my complete report on the finished "pimped" Sentra in these pages in about a few weeks from now.

What do you know? In lest week’s Backseat Driver inbox, there were more complaints than any other comment. Sign of the times? Here are some of them.

What is your opinion on Khaos Super Gas Saver? — 09277166641 (As we have yet to try the product out ourselves, we cannot give an assessment. Our apologies.)

I hope that the MMDA and the DPWH will widen the road in front of Iglesia ni Kristo along Commonweath Avenue in Quezon City. — 09176956248

RCGG buses use the Ortigas side of Robinsons Galleria as a terminal and it seems to be okay with the MMDA. — 09158349133

Please ask the police to apprehend travelling PUJs without headlights at night! They’re very dangerous! — 09209079919

The pedestrian crossing under the flyover along Katipunan Avenue and Aurora Boulevard is a cause of traffic along the area. PUVs eat up the middle of the road just waiting for passengers! — 09198341297

Can someone explain to me why roads go rocky and damaged six months after being "repaired"? It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money! — 09195239992 (Sorry, no one can explain. But, yes, we agree, it is a waste of taxpayers’ money.)

Road 4 Project 6, in Quezon City ginagawang parking terminal ng jeepney drivers, perwisyo! — 09228150066

Is it legal to tow a vehicle park in a sidestreet in Parañaque without a single no parking sign posted? Who and where can we file a complaint? — 09192381091 (It would be best to take your case to the traffic management group of the City Government. It’s bound to be a long process, though.)

Speak out, be heard and keep those text messages coming in. To say your piece and become a "Backseat Driver", text PHILSTAR<space>FB<space>MOTORING<space>YOUR MESSAGE and send to 2333 if you’re a Globe or Touch Mobile subscriber or 334 if you’re a Smart or Talk ’n Text subscriber or 2840 if you’re a Sun Cellular subscriber. Please keep your messages down to a manageable 160 characters. You may send a series of comments using the same parameters.