I am not a car expert; I just play one on TV.
"Expert" is a pretty strong word, and I cringe a bit when people describe me as such. Having only been in this industry for six years, I learn something new every day. I think that's what people like about my reviews and my personality.
I definitely don't know everything, and what I love the most about my job is being able to share the things that I learn along the way with my viewers and readers, representing the "average consumer" looking for the kinds of things that typical drivers would want to know. And since most car purchases are made by (or at least heavily influenced by) women, I have been able to offer a very "female" perspective on my reviews.
Growing up, I would spend hours in the garage with my dad while he fixed up his baby (read: a 1948 Ford). Getting dirty and bonding with my dad was a highlight of my childhood. Learning the basics about crankshafts, pistons, carburetors, and seeing the inner workings of his "baby" were my first steps into the world of automobiles.
Spring time was filled with attending picnics at the Alberta Ford V8 Flathead Club with my family and hanging out with the owners of some beautiful classic automobiles. Our summer vacations as a family always included a road trip somewhere, and as soon as I was old enough to get my learner's permit, I was behind the wheel.
I never had the boy band posters on my bedroom walls; instead, I had a purple Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari GTO, Porsche 911 Carerra and, of course, Herbie the Love Bug!
Learning to drive a manual transmission was an incredibly stressful time in my life; and my parents'. The one thing my dad always reminded me was that if I ever wanted to own a Lambo, I would need to be able to drive a stick! He forgot to remind me of the price tag on one, but at least it gave me the motivation to keep on practicing and to learn a skill I'm grateful I know so well today.
My first new car was a purple Pontiac Sunfire GT. Guys may laugh at this... but as a woman, things like colour are actually very important. We are very different consumers and have a different list of priorities when we shop for a car. Safety, fuel economy, comfort and, yes, even colour and design will trump horsepower and torque for most women.
The most important thing I've learned in the last six years is that there is always more to learn. Just when I think I understand fully how a combustible gasoline engine and all its parts work, something new comes along. Hybrid engines and electric-powered cars have completely changed how we drive.
Over the years, I bet I've driven at least 300 different cars and trucks. The Mazda MX-5 (aka Miata) is one of my all-time favourites, but it's not really the most practical car in the world. My fingers are crossed that I can spend the rest of my life doing what I'm doing.
The greatest car I've ever driven? As I write this, I would have to say the Audi R8. My most memorable experience with this job? That is a bit of a tough one. Getting a VIP invite to the Porsche Roadshow was amazing, however, learning how to drive a Ford Model T was a day I will never forget.
There are not a lot of women on this side of things and when Auto123.com asked me to start doing some writing for them, I jumped at the opportunity to expand my horizons even more.
Recently, I started to compete in "Figure" competitions, so between cars and going to the gym, I keep pretty busy.
That's me in a nutshell. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming; I get paid to test drive cars. I just got home from a Mazda event, and my bags are packed for a trip to test drive a new product from BMW. Never a dull moment in my life.
"Expert" is a pretty strong word, and I cringe a bit when people describe me as such. Having only been in this industry for six years, I learn something new every day. I think that's what people like about my reviews and my personality.
I definitely don't know everything, and what I love the most about my job is being able to share the things that I learn along the way with my viewers and readers, representing the "average consumer" looking for the kinds of things that typical drivers would want to know. And since most car purchases are made by (or at least heavily influenced by) women, I have been able to offer a very "female" perspective on my reviews.
Growing up, I would spend hours in the garage with my dad while he fixed up his baby (read: a 1948 Ford). Getting dirty and bonding with my dad was a highlight of my childhood. Learning the basics about crankshafts, pistons, carburetors, and seeing the inner workings of his "baby" were my first steps into the world of automobiles.
Spring time was filled with attending picnics at the Alberta Ford V8 Flathead Club with my family and hanging out with the owners of some beautiful classic automobiles. Our summer vacations as a family always included a road trip somewhere, and as soon as I was old enough to get my learner's permit, I was behind the wheel.
I never had the boy band posters on my bedroom walls; instead, I had a purple Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari GTO, Porsche 911 Carerra and, of course, Herbie the Love Bug!
Learning to drive a manual transmission was an incredibly stressful time in my life; and my parents'. The one thing my dad always reminded me was that if I ever wanted to own a Lambo, I would need to be able to drive a stick! He forgot to remind me of the price tag on one, but at least it gave me the motivation to keep on practicing and to learn a skill I'm grateful I know so well today.
My first new car was a purple Pontiac Sunfire GT. Guys may laugh at this... but as a woman, things like colour are actually very important. We are very different consumers and have a different list of priorities when we shop for a car. Safety, fuel economy, comfort and, yes, even colour and design will trump horsepower and torque for most women.
The most important thing I've learned in the last six years is that there is always more to learn. Just when I think I understand fully how a combustible gasoline engine and all its parts work, something new comes along. Hybrid engines and electric-powered cars have completely changed how we drive.
Over the years, I bet I've driven at least 300 different cars and trucks. The Mazda MX-5 (aka Miata) is one of my all-time favourites, but it's not really the most practical car in the world. My fingers are crossed that I can spend the rest of my life doing what I'm doing.
The greatest car I've ever driven? As I write this, I would have to say the Audi R8. My most memorable experience with this job? That is a bit of a tough one. Getting a VIP invite to the Porsche Roadshow was amazing, however, learning how to drive a Ford Model T was a day I will never forget.
There are not a lot of women on this side of things and when Auto123.com asked me to start doing some writing for them, I jumped at the opportunity to expand my horizons even more.
Recently, I started to compete in "Figure" competitions, so between cars and going to the gym, I keep pretty busy.
That's me in a nutshell. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming; I get paid to test drive cars. I just got home from a Mazda event, and my bags are packed for a trip to test drive a new product from BMW. Never a dull moment in my life.