Car Enthusiast

If you open a dictionary and look up the word “enthusiast”, it is defined as a person who has

high interest in an activity or subject. A car enthusiast is a man or woman who has high interest,

passion and has good knowledge about cars. Car enthusiast loves every aspect of cars down to

the very last detail such as mechanics, interiors, history, brands, chassis codes, experiences

with their car, personal driving style, and respecting views of other people when it comes to

cars. Cars are extensions of their being. They know cars, they love it and they live it. A real car

enthusiast does not see a car as a machine for travel; they see cars as a companion.

In the Philippines, the car scene is too big and not everyone who is part is a legit enthusiast. Peers usually

form a car group in order to talk about the same age generation of cars they have or just really formed it out

of friendship. Iori Suzuki, a car enthusiast in the industry, had a good idea to make a small group in order to

narrow down the people who think they are real car enthusiasts and for them to thoroughly discuss all

aspects of each vintage or modern car to expand each one’s knowledge. Thus, the car group, The Alliance of

Car Enthusiasts was created. Iori’s friends joined the group and later, these friends invited other people who

share the same passion for these machines. Moreover, narrowing it down to a small group makes everyone

comfortable with each other. Communication became easier and misunderstandings were avoided.

Members of groups of car enthusiast feel that the group they belong to is their home. The group

understands each other and is eager to interact because of the shared passion, curiosity and interest for four

wheeled machines. Car enthusiasts speak a language that normal people don’t understand, but within their

group, they understand each other perfectly. Car enthusiasts never have to explain themselves to each other.

Car enthusiast cannot spend a day without doing anything car related. They talk about cars, look at

beautiful car pictures or read new automotive news about it. Some car enthusiasts wash their cars daily

even though they are tired or they go home late. They also check how the car drives and the noise that it

makes to make sure that the car has no problems. They make sure that the car has enough gas and has

the right tire pressure daily.

The Group

What they do each day?

DOS DON’TS

• Respect your car and other’s cars •Be a showoff

• Know about cars and the industry •Get mad when your car is problematic

• Enjoy the company of other car enthusiast •Watch car shows for the girls

•Use hydraulic steering! (only a car enthusiast would understand)

• Drive a manual

• Have knowledge about cars and the industry

DOS AND DON’TS IN BEING A CAR ENTHUSIAST:

• IT’S NOT A REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A CAR.

INTERVIEW Q1: Do you have a car? What parts do you love most about it?

!Ken Cruz: Yes. Everything, from the hard work

I’ve put into it and the memories and experiences.

Most memorable would have to the evolution of

my car for 5 years from what it was when I got it to

what it is now. It’s irreplaceable. I’ve customized

the headlights, bumper, fog lights, horn, intake,

headers, down pipe, muffler, coil overs, wheels,

tires, sound system, steering wheel, and shift key.

Alex de Leon: Yes I do. What I love about it is

probably not something everyone will understand.

Aside from its’ power and easy handling, I love it

because it’s ‘someone’ who has always been there

for me. He’s someone I can trust and someone who

has never let me down. Yes, most of us see our cars

as something more than an object. He’s sort of the

Abet Martinez: Hell yeah I have a car. Its a 2009

Lancer Cedia 1.6. I love the fact that its a car that

nobody would pick against its competitors, i love the

hydraulic steering, i love all its aspect in general!

Aaron Leang: I drive my sister’s 2006 Kia

Picanto. Yes it’s a small, underpowered car but it

is fully mechanical. The driver-car interaction is

just so precise. It does what you tell it to do

immediately. This made me think why the

manufacturers decided to go with electronic

systems rather than mechanical systems.

Ken Cruz: On a daily basis, I check how the car drives. I also check how the car handles the way I

drive it and investigate on the noise that it makes. I also make sure that the car has enough gas and

the right tire pressure. Every week, I clean the car inside and out. I also check the engine break,

fluids and wires.

!Alex de Leon: Aside from the usual maintenance, which is the change oils every so kms. I wash

him myself everyday. I do it even if I’m tired or sick or if it’s really late. I also detail him myself every

few months or so. Well simply put, everything I can do in the car myself, I do it.

!Aaron Leang: I wash it at least once a day. I make sure nothing scratches it. I treat it as if it was a

living being.

!Abet Martinez: Clean it, maintain it in car shops.. wax it.. and make sure oily hands, out of the

Q2: How do you take care of your car?

Alex de Leon: I have 4 dream cars. And this is in order:

!a) Yellow Mazda RX-7 Fd3s Spirit – R version (Type A) :

my reason for liking this one is really simple. This was

my childhood. The first car show to ever impact and

perhaps fuel other car enthusiast is initial-D and this was

one of the cars there. Except the one that keisuke owned

wasn’t a spirit R.

!b) Midnight blue Nissan Fairlady 240Z S30 : The fairlady

is one of the most iconic Japanese cars ever since it’s

sort of one of the pioneers of Japanese sports cars. It

was one of the cars that started the long nose trend.

!c) Black Nissan skyline R32 GTR: my reason for liking

this is because it’s one of those sportscars that can be

easily used as a daily car.

!d) White Audi V10 R8 Spyder: This is one of the

supercars that can be used as a daily.

Q3: What is your dream car? Why?

Aaron Leang: 2002 Honda NSX-R - The Honda

NSX-R is the most surprising car I’ve learned

about. It is so mechanical, so lightweight, so fast

even with the lack of proper supercar power, it

can actually beat cars with 2 times its power

(Lamborghinis and Ferraris).

Abet Martinez: Mercedes Benz SLS AMG.

Why? Because its freaking gorgeous all

throughout!

Events:

For a car enthusiast, a car is not supposed to stay

in a garage. Cars for them are art pieces and these

machines are best appreciated when they are on the

road. Thus, Jeiven Perez, owner of the Sushi

Machine Garage, created the Sushi Run.

He intended the event to be a means of seeing his

favorite cars, a 240Z or a Hakosuka Skyline on the

road. His main reason, however, was to hold a run for

him and his friends to push their cars to the limit on a

monthly basis. He recalls telling a friend that he’ll run

with just three people, but a lot of car enthusiast

came with their machines and made each meet more

beautiful and memorable, which is something more

than he imagined.

Sushi Machine Garage, also known as the Sushi

Factory to car enthusiasts, is located in Makati and is

a normal car shop by day. Although on the first

Saturday night of each month, it becomes a meeting

place for a special group of people who share a love

for classic Japanese cars. It serves as a gathering for

them to catch up with old friends and meet new

enthusiasts. It is also as a venue to appreciate these

well-built machines, which are considered pieces of

art. The selection of machines mostly come from the

'70ss and '80s series of Japanese automobiles, but

there is no restriction on what a car enthusiast can or

cannot bring.

!

At midnight, the group takes off for Alabang

to give their rides a run on the highway.

Although most of these classics had some

performance work done, the gathering is not a

street race. Most importantly, the group is

always advised and reminded to stay within the

legal speed limit.

Car enthusiasts definitely feel a rush seeing

all their cars run together even if they only travel

at 100 km/h. They are pretty to look at, but are

more admirable at speed. There is also a sense

of satisfaction for them as they hear the

machine’s engines make sounds in sync.

Once the group reaches the meeting point,

usually a gas station, their cars are parked and

left to rest. Their drivers, on the other hand,

share stories and updates about their car’s

power and upgrades and their thoughts of soon

to be featured cars in the market. The drive

takes no more than 25 to 40 minutes to

complete, but it is the sense of being together

with cars and fellow car enthusiasts that gets the

group to stick around and keep coming back to

the Sushi Run.

Sushi Run

Sushi Run

Tänaybürging 2014

Tänaybürgring was like a relaxed typical weekend drive in the province but the difference was the

covered distance by the drivers. This year, the events route is around 200 kilometers from start to

finish which required drivers to pass by a terrain of mountain roads, farmlands, and small rural towns.

An entire day was needed to accomplish the route.

!Team A and Ozawa JDM organized this year’s Tänaybürging 2014, in partnership with the Open

Heart Foundation. Around 150 people arrived with 70 different kinds of cars, such as sports cars,

SUVs, and sedans, were brought to the event. With an assembly time of 7am at the Shell station near

Marcos Highway, attendees were given a quick briefing on the course. They reminded each one that

this was not a street race. No type of reward will be given for finishing first, yet a “Spirit of the Award”

will be given to one participant and a special Tänaybürgring sticker was given to those who finished

the long and exhausting drive.

Tänaybürging 2014

Driving up to Tanay, Rizal, first stop was the cliff side overlooking the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Since the terrain was mountainous and steep and the cars had to go up, it was important for the

drivers to let their machines cool down. Keeping them cool is important in any long drive to avoid

accidents and breakdowns. Especially in Tänayburgring, which is an endurance rally trip for car

enthusiasts. While letting the car’s engine rest, drivers and guests had conversations about the route

and their cars. Moreover, the one of the event’s goals was to raise funds for the Open Heart

Foundation and the organizers sold car themed t-shirts of their own designs and gave all the

proceeds to the charity.

!Afterwards, they drove to a road climbing up Lake Caliraya, which is a quiet and peaceful

countryside. The finish line was in Nuvali, Santa Rosa, Laguna. An option to take the route of Los

Baños towards San Pablo through the town of Majayjay was given to avoid traffic. In spite of that,

others chose to extend the route further and passed through Tagaytay. The event concluded at round

4:30pm as most had arrived to the finish line. The day was an exhausting for the car enthusiasts and

their machines yet it was a fulfilling drive to unwind and be one with their cars.

On the 17th and 18th of October 2014, Toyota

Motor Philippines took circuit racing to a new level as it

stages the third and final leg of the Vios Cup in

McKinley West, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City with a 1.8

kilometer makeshift race course.

It is one of the country’s top anticipated motoring

competitions. From 30 Vios racecars lined up at the

track last race, seven new drivers will be added,

namely Alex Belena, Bombi Palilio, Jason Go, Ramon

Tanjuatco, Rene Sta. Romana, Gov. Umali, Migual

Diaz, and Sen. JV Ejercito. A total of 37 racecars for

the final leg will be divided into two grids based from

the results of the Qualifying Round today. Champions

from the previous legs will compete with Celebrity

racers under the Media All-Stars category.

Michinobu Sugata, the President of Toyota

Motor Philippines, said that “The Vios Cup Series was

put up not just to relive the long years of Filipinos

passion for Toyota cars, but also to promote and

develop Philippine motorsports as a major sports

spectacle by bringing car racing events closer and

more accessible to the people and ultimately make the

country as a top venue for international motorsports

events.”

Toyota Motor Philippines prepared full-day

programs and activities such as the track day

competitions and fun outdoor games suited for all ages

and prizes for the winners of the games. The event will

have various OPM bands that will rock the 2014 Vios

Cup final race and a free live concert by Pulso, Yolanda

Moon and the performance of Up Dharma Down. The

two-day event started at 10:00 AM. Admission is free

and open to the public.

2014 VIOS CUP

The 1.8 kilometer makeshift race course.

The fun outdoor games.

The stage where the concert will be held.

The 2014 Vios Cup is in cooperation with

Bridgestone and supported by Denso, Brembo, Motul,

Rota, OMP, TRD, and AVT. There were booths for these

companies and various Toyota dealerships in Metro

Manila wherein visitors can inquire about the Toyota

cars, parts, accessories, and services. There were also

displays of Toyota cars such as Altis, FJ Cruiser,

Fortuner, Innova, Vios, and Wigo.

Despite the heavy rain during the 2nd leg of the

Vios Cup last July; the racers still proved that they

could show their skills on the wet track. Jason

Choachuy of Toyota Balintawak was on top for the first

and second heat scoring a huge strategic point

advantage heading into the third round. However, the

point system of the final race will double up, which

gives everyone a last chance to improve their

championship standings for the 2014 Vios Cup. The

racecar driver with the highest cumulative points,

including the deductions implemented by the

Automobile Association Philippines, from the last race

will be declared as the overall champion. The prize for

the champion is a brand new Vios 1.5G M/T, second

placer receives P400,000.00 and third place receives

P200,000.00.

The booths of various dealerships in Metro Manila

The displays of Toyota cars.

CONCLUSIONWHY DOES THE SUBCULTURE OF CAR ENTHUSIASTS EXIST?

Socialization:

It is an easy way to socialize and meet new people.

Based on the articles provided, car enthusiasts have events wherein all those with the

same interest and love for cars will gather together. It is also inevitable on their part to meet new

people. It is a gateway of possibilities of friendship with people who share the same hobby. It is a

culture that promotes unity.

Sense of Belongingness:

The culture provides a sense of belongingness.

No man is an island.

People need a group where they feel like they belong. For people like them, every time

they meet up with fellow car lovers, they know that they are actually part of that group. The way

they talk about cars make them feel as if they have their own language wherein not everyone can

understand it. They are in a world where all of them can relate to one another. Car enthusiasts

can express their ideas and all those who are listening can understand. It is unlike the times when

they talk about machineries and friends would listen however not get anything at all.

For them, by being a car enthusiast, they also become part of a community with same

interest and mindset.

Control and Freedom:

The culture promotes control.

Car enthusiasts like to be in control. By driving, they can choose how fast or slow they want

to run. They can also choose the parts or gears they want to change, improve or remove. There is

a sense of ownership and it makes them entitled to do whatever they wanted to do with it.

It also empowers them to have freedom.

Also, there is that feeling of being free. Driving anywhere without any restraints smells like

freedom for them. Nothing could dictate what they have to do.

With this social and psychosocial necessity in each person, certain subcultures exist. It provides

security as well as motivation to these people to continue doing what they love to do. With the

advancement of technology and the growing number of people who are getting in cars, it is no

wonder that the subculture of car enthusiasts exist among all ages.

Relationship and Attachment:

The culture builds instant relationships with attachment.

For a car enthusiast, his car is like family for him. They often compare it to a person. They

trust these pieces of machinery especially since it’s the thing they are on a daily basis. They even

treat it as a friend because unlike living things, it never lets them down. It doesn’t feel right when

they are neither driving nor reading or talking about cars.

There is a certain bond between a car enthusiast and his/her car. With the years they spent

together, they manage to build these memories with it. There is also an attachment to the others

enthusiasts. They become a group of people who understands them especially in something as

important to them as cars.

Safe Haven:

The culture acts like a safe blanket.

Being around the people who are into something they like, they feel secured. They don’t

need to restrain themselves because they know that those who surround them will understand

them. The culture created a bond between these enthusiasts to relate with each other in the

hobby they shared. The community they created became their safe haven. A place where they are

doing what they love surrounded by people who can relate to them. It is a place where they are

motivated and at the same time, they are also inspiring those who are on the same page. The

culture makes them feel accomplished as person.

Amity Lim Lorraine Limlosuy Nikka Lei Kikuchi

Kamiekah Nakamura Claudine Rojas

The World of Car Enthusiasts

WHAT’S INSIDE: SUSHI RUN TANAYBURGING VIOS CUP 2014

OCTOBER 2014

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