Just over 17 years ago, on April 18th 2007, I posted a listing on my old blog of my top 5 cars. (If you want to take a look at that post, click here and scroll down to the 18th.) I thought it would be fun to revisit that idea and see what has changed since then, and what would make that list today.



In 2007, my list contained the following:
5. Jeep Wrangler
4. Dodge Charger
3. Mini Cooper
2. Aston Martin Vanquish
1. Ferrari 360 Modena and 575 Maranello

(I also had a "Grand Prize Winner!"...the VW New Beetle was my top choice...a sixth car in a "Top 5" list!)

As we prepare to look at the 2024 version of this list, let's first examine what has changed. You will see below that the Jeep Wrangler still retains a spot, as does the Ferrari 360 Modena. Gone are the Dodge Charger, Mini Cooper, the Aston Martin Vanquish, and the Ferrari 575 Maranello. Allow me to explain.

Dodge Charger
While I made mention of the fact that I had ridden in a Dodge Charger and was not disappointed, in looking back now, I remember being a bit bothered by what seemed like very small side windows and the lack of visibility out of them. While I wasn't driving the Charger at the time, I do have the recollection of feeling like I was peering out of a tiny window-slot in a German WWI-vintage tank. A similar thing happened with the second generation of the Ford Fusion which was released in 2013. I really liked the look of these when they came out, seemingly borrowing styling-cues from some of the Aston Martin models. However, after having one as a rental car, I changed my mind about them...though I still like their looks. I feel the same way today about the Dodge Charger. I like their looks, but in thinking back, I'm not convinced I'd like to spend much time inside of one.

Mini Cooper
In much the same way as the Dodge Charger, the Mini Cooper has appealed to me visually. From the exterior, the car looks zippy, quirky and fun. As a fan of small cars, this one has been on my radar for quite some time. However, I had the opportunity to drive a coworker's Mini, and I didn't enjoy the experience much. I'm sure if I spent more time in them, especially exploring the different models and generations, I'm sure I could find one that I really liked. Since there is a new contender for the zippy, quirky, fun-car on my current list, the Mini has to go.

Aston Martin Vanquish
The place the Aston Martin held on my 2007 list was likely due to my exposure to it on the big screen, in particular as a Bond car. To this day I still believe they are an attractive car, and would love to take a turn behind the wheel, but this one too has to leave the ranks of my current Top 5, its pleasing lines perhaps bettered, in my humble opinion, by the Ferrari 360 Modena.

Ferrari 575 Maranello
In 2007, I had already cheated by placing two Ferrari's in the number one spot. While I make no apologies for this, and as I plan on repeating my behavior with a different Ferrari model for my 2024 list, the Maranello will have to find a parking spot elsewhere.


The 2024 TOP 5 List
Making this list was actually more difficult than I had first imagined it would be. I have owned and driven a lot of different vehicles over the past seventeen years, that experience playing a major role in the vehicles that made the list today. Let's take a look.
I believe I have liked the Toyota MR2 since I first became aware of them. While the 1st generation is quite appealing in its own right, it was the 2nd generation that really wooed me. Looking for all the world like a tiny Ferrari, the MR2 seems to have a loyal following today. Edged out by my #4 choice simply because I have never owned one, the MR2 remains on my short list of candidates for a future ride


Possibly the quintessential modern roadster, the Miata needs no introduction. (In fact, enthusiasts have turned the name into an acronymn standing for: "Miata Is Always The Answer!"). I owned one of the first generation series, and that little car definitely put a smile on my face. It was small...a Honda Civic could block the view ahead. It was low. It could be a bit loud, especially with the top up. One doesn't get into a Miata, but rather puts it on like a pair of pants. These all may be true, but man was it fun! Whether I end up with another one of these someday or not, that little convertible will always have a special place in my heart.


Having owned three Wranglers over the past years, this rugged original side-by-side has earned its place on this list. While I enjoyed my YJ's and driving my friends' TJ, I think the right Wrangler for me was the 2018 JK 2-door. I bought it new with a manual transmission, crank windows and a hard top. That Jeep was the first vehicle that I ever drove off of the showroom floor! Though more into mall-crawling than rock-crawling, I appreciated that tough little short-coupled SUV. If the New Beetle was the iconic car of my early adult life, the Jeep Wrangler was the perfect fit for me right up to the point I got married. Whether local or cross-country, whether in good weather or bad, that little Jeep would go through anything. As Laurel didn't have an all-weather capable vehicle, and she doesn't prefer a standard transmission, I traded in the Jeep on a Subaru Crosstrek for her. I often wonder where my Jeep is today!


Though this is my own loose analogy, it seems that what the VW Beetle was to Germany, and the Mini was to Britain, the Fiat 500 was to Italy. With a pedigree stretching back to the late 1950's, the Cinquecento (pronounced cheen-kweh-CHEN-toh) has become as classically Italian as the Vespa scooter and espresso. Over 3 million examples of this tiny little car were produced by the time production ended in 1975. In 2007, Fiat re-introduced the 500, this time as a retro-inspired remix of the original, like Volkswagen did with the New Beetle and BMW did with the Mini. In 2011, Fiat had returned to the United States after a 27-year hiatus, and the 2012 500 was introduced to the American market.

Fast forward to January 2020. After trading in my beloved Jeep, I was wanting to pick up something else, something fun. As my interest had been piqued by electric vehicles, specifically their touted simplicity and lack of maintenance, Laurel and I ended up with a 2016 Fiat 500e, the "e" standing for electric. At the time, it was the electric drivetrain, coupled with a low entry price, that found me herding the little Fiat around the confines of our valley. However, the more I drove it, the more I began to appreciate the Fiat 500 itself, not just its method of locomotion.

As mentioned, I have an attraction to small, quirky, zippy cars. This has been seen in my owning a VW New Beetle (and two older Beetles before that), the 3 Jeep Wranglers, as well as my interest in the Mini Cooper. All of this seems to find an intersection in the little Fiat 500!

We now come to 2024. One of the joys of living in a scenic area is getting out and enjoying it. With this in mind, I've been looking for a replacement to the Fiat 500e, something with a bit more range. While the "electric experience" has been quite successful, I believe we will return to a gas-powered vehicle. My current thought is to get the "angry" Fiat 500, the Abarth, as seen in the picture above. We haven't made the plunge yet and I have yet to drive one with a manual transmission, but should that prove satisfactory, Laurel and I may be enjoying the countryside from another Fiat 500 in the near future!


Ok, once again I have chosen two Ferrari's for spot #1 on my list. The 360 Modena still remains the pinnacle of my automotive tastes. I've never driven one, ridden in one, or even been up close to one. Yet, I can't help seeing a picture of a 360 and instantly falling for it all over again. The predecessor to the Modena is the F355 and I find it to be a very attractive Ferrari as well. (Of course if I was to name drop the Testarossa or the 308 that Tom Selleck drove in Magnum PI, well, who could blame me?) As an aside, I visited the Ferrari website today, and I dislike every model that is currently available!

In conclusion...
As I mentioned previously, putting together the list of my top five cars proved to be much more difficult than I had anticipated. The current occupants are based much more on my own experience than just magazine articles or web reviews. And, my tastes have changed somewhat over the years as well. I hope you enjoyed this list as much as I did in putting it together!

Laurel and I enjoy reading and are both currently involved in a couple of books. After finishing Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge, I picked up a copy of Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman...a book I read back in grade school. Laurel has been working her way through some of the Trixie Belden-series lately, but is currently reading Against All Odds by Irene Hannon.

For those of you that know me well, you know I enjoy computers, especially what would be considered "retro" by today's standards. Towards the end of January, I dug out my circa-2001 Dell Inspiron 4000 and the original 10GB hard drive that came with it. After installing the drive, I proceeded to do something I haven't done in a long, long time...I did a complete installation of Windows Me edition! What a trip down memory lane to see those screens again!

"Why is a Christian's character like Christ's character? Only for this reason, that he is joined and united to the Lord Jesus. Why does the branch bring forth grapes? Simply because it has been engrafted into the vine, and therefore it partakes of the nature of the stem. So, Christian, the only way whereby thou canst bring forth fruit to God is by being grafted into Christ and united with him. If you think you can walk in holiness without keeping up perpetual fellowship with Christ, you have made a great mistake. If you would be holy, you must live close to Jesus."

from Gleanings Among the Sheaves by C. H. Spurgeon

Getting a new puppy has been on the radar for some time. After having to put down Boots, we started looking a little more seriously. We were thinking of either a Corgi, or a Corgi-mix of some kind (like a Cowboy Corgi). After doing some looking locally, we saw a listing for an eight-week-old female Corgi about 20 minutes north of our house. Laurel inquired about her and the seller answered all her questions as well as shooting a short video clip of the puppy in action! The following day, Laurel headed up to see her in person...and the rest is history! Laurel picked the name Lizzie, a reference to the protagonist of Jane Austen's novel, Pride & Prejudice. Lizzie has been a great pup so far, and it has been fun to see how well she and Millie get along!