Anyone who knows me well knows that FIATs play a big role in my life. Yes, I’m talking about the car! I’ve been told every “Fix It Again Tony” joke around so go for it…I’ve heard it all!
My obsession with FIATs began when I got my first full time job the summer of 2012. My job required me to be on the road a lot, and I didn’t really trust my old Nissan Sentra to last for much longer at that point. I started shopping around for cars by visiting all of the dealerships, looking for something cute, comfortable yet affordable. I remember walking into FORD and telling the sales guy that I was interested in the Mustang but only had budget for a Fiesta…big difference!
One afternoon, I walked into a newly opened FIAT dealership in Montreal to check out what the hype was all about. New to North America, FIATs were completely foreign to me and I had no idea what kind of impact this car would have on my life. All I can say is that the minute I took it out for a test drive, I knew it would be coming home with me. I had been looking and searching for a car that actually made me FEEL something when I got in it…I didn’t just want another boring old sedan. The car I test drove was white, convertible and simply put, it had personality! It’s exactly what I was looking for.
I told the salesman that I would take it, but it had to be red and it had to be manual. It was great and all, except I couldn’t drive manual at the time. Ladies and gentlemen, I bought a $20K+ car that I couldn’t even drive. I’ve been told I’m a little crazy sometimes but it only seems to click when I start reflecting back on my past decisions!
Thanks to my mother’s endless patience and persistence, I managed to learn how to drive my new car in just a few days…thankfully I’m a quick study. I printed a small sign and pinned it to the back of my car that read “learning manual, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE!!”, which was extremely useful since I worked in Westmount, an area completely surrounded by hills.
Once I got the hang of driving my new car, I started to do some research on car clubs in Montreal and happened to stumble upon the Club Fiat Montreal web page. Although it was late in the season, I showed up to a car rally in September with my best friend Kathy (who I may or may not have saved under “Chief Sparkles” in my phone FYI). I had no idea what to expect or if I’d even be able to participate! Well, I was welcomed with open arms and encouraged to join the rally; a sort of “race” around Montreal with checkpoints and prizes for the winners. Together with Kathy as my co-pilot, and much to everyone’s surprise, we ended up winning 3rd place! Over the years, the members of the club have become an extension of my family and I am so incredibly grateful for having all of them in my life <3
Surprisingly, my FIAT influenced my life so much that it even led me to meeting my new hubby Franco! He is fortunate enough to own a vintage FIAT 124 Spider and decided to join the FIAT Club in 2015. I happened to be working at the registration desk when he arrived for our annual general meeting. I signed him up, handed him his new registration information and proceeded to stare at him for the ENTIRE meeting. We went for coffee 2 days later and the rest is history!!
We now own 3 FIATs (Franco bought a 2013 Abarth right after we met) and we are of course, still members of Club Fiat Montreal.
Keep in mind, one decision can completely change your entire life.
Jewels says
Love this post! What a great love story!