[MegEtc]

We all know about breaking in our Fiestas mechanically (Owner's Manual, Page 5), but what about, um, psychologically? Does anyone else plan out the first song they'll play, or the route they'll drive home from the dealer, so that you and the car become One? Do you have objects that you have to bring into the car before you drive it?

I stayed up late last night choosing my route home from the dealer. I worked out a whole route on a pleasant back road to a mountain about 60 miles away, then up and down the mountain, then back through my county's huge agricultural district, and then down the road that runs along the river. Finally, a trip along Mansion Row and then some stop-and-go through the center of town, and home. Photo ops galore!

Now I've got to settle on a song. That is going to be so tough. When my best friend and I bought matching Oldsmobile Aleros in 2001, she used Santana and Rob Thomason's "Smooth" and I used the Wiseguys "Start the Commotion." But I'm not feeling the techno this time.

 

[BRGT350]

Like every car I have ever bought, it will spend its first night being worked on. Sadly, it will hardly be driven for a few days while I take it apart. For the car to become mine, it needs to reflect what I want it to be. When I bought my Focus ZX3, I installed a new intake, pedal pads, wheels/tires, and graphics in the first few hours of ownership. The SVT Focus got a different shifter and Sirius radio on the 1st night. The Fiesta will get cleaned, detailed, and then put on jackstands. The wheels, bumper cover, chrome trim, and pedal pads will all be removed. The factory wheels will be replaced with 17" Axis wheels. The chrome will all be covered over and reinstalled. The bumper covers come off so I can get the trim removed for wrapping. The rubber pedal pads will be swapped for alloy ones. All of this is planned for tonight. Next week will be busy installing the 3D Carbon body kit and spoiler. Then, the car is ready to debut and be driven.

 

[Nels]

How about "I can't drive 55" followed by "Detroit Rock City?"

Actually, I'll probably be listening to one of my podcasts by RC Sproul or James MacDonald. If music, probably some Matt Maher or Steven Curtis Chapman.

 

[Casca]

The Cult : Electric

Route? Shortest route and easiest on the motor. I'd like keep the RPM's @ 3k (not sure on that, but pretty sure pushing 4k+ on a new motor isn't good....so no mountain roads for now). I want to buff out all the spots that I want clear bra'd and then get it clear bra'd so not much driving for fear of the rock chips till the clear bra goes on.

 

[blurbyu]

It's a little embarrassing, but my Mom and I have this tradition that started accidentally when she bought a shiny new 1991 Tempo.
During the test drive she wanted to check out the radio to see how it sounded.
The song that happened to be playing was "I'm to Sexy" by Right Said Fred.
As luck would have it, the night that she took delivery "I'm to Sexy" was playing yet again.
Ever since then, my Mom and I both have made it a point to play that song when taking delivery of a new car. It's a small tradition and kinda silly, but it makes us smile.

The only other thing that just about everybody in our family does is drive it to our Grandparents house so that my Grandpa can check it out. He's 87 years old and has loved cars his entire life and truly appreciates checking out the cars that his children and grand-children are driving.

Long story short... When I get my next new car, I will probably go pick up my Mom and play "I'm to Sexy" on the way to my Grandpa's house. Grandpa and I will go for a little ride, and if he wants to, he can drive the car back home. Then I'll take my Mom back home(letting her drive if she chooses) and then go cruising on my own. I won't plan a route, I'll just go wherever the car takes me.

 

[iamz]

For me, no radio at all for the first couple hundred miles until I get a good feel for how the engine and transmission sound in normal operation. Then I'll be able to use that as a baseline for anything that sounds odd or wrong in the future.

 

[MegEtc]

Long story short... When I get my next new car, I will probably go pick up my Mom and play "I'm to Sexy" on the way to my Grandpa's house. Grandpa and I will go for a little ride, and if he wants to, he can drive the car back home. Then I'll take my Mom back home(letting her drive if she chooses) and then go cruising on my own. I won't plan a route, I'll just go wherever the car takes me.

That's not embarrassing - that's awesome. If I still had a Grandpa, I'd totally do that, too.

I'm leaning towards my song being "Home" by Marc Broussard in honor of my Fiesta's nav abilities.

 

[Corvair]

If it ever gets here, this is the plan. If I pick it up on a day off, I'll put the check book in my Hawaiian shirts' pocket and the trade ins title and go to the dealer. I'll leave the radio off for while to listen to the car over various roads and driving conditions. Also try the A/C and heater and heated seats and anything else. I'll but a few hundred miles on it the first day.

Stuff that will be put in shortly after I get my car is my car towel, quart of oil and a few of those "green" bags. I'll check the tire pressure, and put the gauge in the glove box. I'll also put a pen and pencil and a small note book and a few maps.

I should add, only my wife and son know I'm getting a new car!

Dan
The wait has been way too long and still haven't gotten here.

 

[Jazzdog]

years ago as I was cleaning out my lease car for turn in I found a little rubber frog in the back seat so I tossed in in the new car. Was something we picked up at a zoo for my son.

After a while I moved Pete (named as we had just seen O' brother where art thou) to the top of the IP facing rearwards - told my daughter Pete was keeping his eyes on her when she borrowed my car which was often as she had a POS beater car. One night she made an ill advised left turn and got T boned, GMC Jimmy tire hit her square on Rt rear wheel. Nobody hurt but she commented that Pete never moved during the accident.

Been in every vehicle since then, will be in my Fiesta when I get it.

 

[BobosCurse]

My only ritual will be to move all the crap out of the third stall of the garage so my Fiesta can have it's own bedroom, away from the kids and their bikes.

 

[LMTech]

The ritual for the last 3 new cars I have bought are pick it up at the dealer and drive it home and hand the keys to my wife because they have all been her new cars I just get to pay for them. The Fiesta is my new car though and since it has been so long since I have had a new car I don't know of any rituals I will use.

 

[ibinubu12]

Drive it home, park it in the driveway. Go to sleep. Wake up the next morning and test it out on the way to work. I've never bought a car that I didn't know enough about to not be really surprised by it. I usually don't even get those "now where's that preset button" pause when you reach for your old car's ____ control out of habit.

 

[cat]

After I pick my car up, I'll be taking it on a 300-mile drive home. Yeah, that's how strongly I feel about supporting Michigan's economy.

 

[BRGT350]

and we in Michigan like the support!

 

[MegEtc]

Stuff that will be put in shortly after I get my car is my car towel, quart of oil and a few of those "green" bags. I'll check the tire pressure, and put the gauge in the glove box. I'll also put a pen and pencil and a small note book and a few maps.

You just reminded me - when I started driving my Dad's 1991 Taurus as a teenager, he gave me my very own tire gauge as a not-so-subtle hint that I can't ever bring it back to him with low tires (or an empty tank). My Dad passed away a few years ago, but that tire gauge is one of those sacred talismans that I never actually use (Lube Center, yo) but I can't ever drive without.

It's the last thing I pulled out of my Alero when the tow truck came for it, and it's the first thing I'll put in the Fiesta. *sniffle*

 

[Scotty_Pimmpen]

It's going to be Slick Rick all the way home.

 

[cat]

and we in Michigan like the support!

I couldn't buy a car in any other state. It would just feel... wrong. It's just too bad that I'll still have to pay the difference in sales tax once I get it back to Illinois.

 

[PowerShift]

I'll put in the Waffle House map that I picked up in the early days of my 1999 Escort. Even though I haven't eaten at one of those in like five years. Used to be my favorite road food.

 

[LMTech]

I have decided that the first song will be AC/DC Back In Black since mine will be Tuxedo Black with Black Leather. After that I will let the SYNC system mix and match from the other 32556 other songs on my iPod. I am wondering how long it will take the SYNC system to initialize the iPod. It took 20 minutes to do it when I bought my wifes Focus but at least it does play music from the iPod while it's doing the process so you don't have to drive in silence.

 

[eRic]

my new car ritual is finding out the friction point in the clutch and what rpm is needed to launch quickly without bogging or excessive wheel-spin.