It is almost April, but it feels like April. It has been raining rather constantly for about two weeks now, and I’m starting to get a bit of the cabin fever. I suppose it isn’t all bad…I am getting a lot of writing done. And luckily a break in the weather allowed me to travel up to Dover, New York, and meet some crazy old hot rodders. They told me stories about the old Dover Drag Strip, and how even though it closed 35 years ago, these guys (and a few girls) still get together every year.

Which makes me realize that there doesn’t seem to be that kind of camaraderie among car enthusiasts anymore. Within individual brands…absolutely. I wrote a piece about two men who met on a Mustang forum, one of whom needed a kidney. Their shared interest in Mustangs probably saved a life. People are very devoted to their brands, perhaps moreso now than ever.

But now there is this show, The Forum Wars, which basically pits two shit talkers against each other. I love talking trash, especially in Modern Warfare 2, but should a television show really be rewarding a bunch of shit spewers? Why do I want to see two loudmouths with admittedly nice cars trying to out-penis each other on TV? I’ve defiantly talked shit regarding cars, but this show is driving a wedge between brands, rather than bringing people together. The first episode features two cars, a NISMO 350z, and  Shelby Mustang GT. They are going to compete against each other, first in a drag race, and then on a road course.

Both cars have a strong following, but it is less about the “car”, and more about the “brand”. My Ford is better than your Nissan, or vice versa. While both cars have a lot in common…rear-wheel drive, sporty handling, similar prices, determining which car is better, and settling an online grudge match via a television show…it just seems forced. Put either guy in the other’s car, and they’ll both still have smiles on their face at the end of the day. Both are great cars, but they are complicated to the point that you almost need an engineering degree just to change the spark plugs…so I can’t really blame them if they don’t know the ins-and-outs of their own cars.

The hot rodders, they laugh about their old grudges and grievances against other brands. They were all diehard one-brand enthusiasts back in the day, but now they just accept a car for what it is, instead of griping and complaining about what it isn’t. And these guys know their cars better than the people that built them. These guys are true car enthusiasts, who take pride in their cars but nod with respect whenever someone pulls up in a mean-sounding Bowtie, Blue Oval, or Mopar.

But most people don’t seem to want cars anymore anyways…they want personal transportation with all the latest media and entertainment doodads. 70% of people rely on someone else to change their oil, and only 10% of America can drive a manual transmission-equipped car. The art of driving is dying, and it seems as though people care less and less about their cars, and more and more about their brands.

If Apple really wants to make bank, they’ll come up with an iCar.

I love shit talking, and I love rivalry between brands. But I think there just isn’t that much to be all that competitive about these days. With enough time and money, you can make any car beat any other car. I’ve seen Civics beat Vipers. It wasn’t like that back in the day. These guys, they came up with their own parts if no one made what they need. This 350Z and Mustang guy…chances are, they probably don’t even change their own oil. But they probably know where the nearest certified lubrication expert is.

What kind of enthusiast is that?