Welcome To Blues Travels

Have you ever wondered why there are photos of xxx Paris Hilton doing all sorts of naughty, sexy things in cars other than Volkswagens? I have. In fact, I’ve given this a lot of thought lately, and frankly I’m insulted. The question is, why not? Why hasn’t our sweet, talented, demure, ever-so-flirtatious and cute Paris Hilton ever been spotted cavorting in a Volkswagen naked? Isn’t The People’s Wagon good enough for her? That’s what I wanna know.

Let’s face it, Paris Hilton spends so much time in various states of undress that it’s a wonder she hasn’t been spotted riding a donkey naked, let alone driving around with her bits and pieces hanging out in a Volkswagen. I mean, I think we can all agree that pubic, errrr, public nudity is not a problem for Ms. Paris, yet I have never seen her scantily clad and honking the horn of a GTI. Have you? This is a problem for me.

Let’s keep it real for a second. Paris Hilton has been seen practically naked in or on just about every other car on the planet. If you have followed her “career” as much as I have then you know it’s true. The girl just cannot keep her panties on, and she proves it whenever she has even the slightest chance. My beef with Paris Hilton is not that she refuses to grow up and conduct herself with some degree of class. Oh no. That’s not it at all. It’s that she is being discriminatory. Paris and her little starlet buddies need to do just a little more in the area of equal opportunity advertising for Volkswagen!
Read the rest of this entry »

VWvortex and MotiveMag

Blues Travels is about a lot of things, as can be seen by a quick scan of either sidebar. Yet, if you spend any length of time at this site it becomes readily apparent that this site is also about my love of Volkswagens. It should therefore come as a surprise to no one that as a proud owner of a Volkswagen R32 I belonged to some of the more popular online Volkswagen communities.

Sadly, I must report that if you are a Volkswagen owner, and you are looking for a nice Volkswagen community to be a part of, I must steer you away from VWvortex and MotiveMag. My own experiences at these two Volkswagen communities was just not very positive.
Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts
2008 Final Verdict Part 1

Most of my dissatisfaction with the 2008 VW R32 derives from the fact that I was spoiled rotten by the 2004 version. With the 2004 model, VW had done what was in my mind the impossible. They had managed to find the perfect balance between sophistication, performance and sporty style with a healthy shot of testosterone thrown in, and all for a price that was a mere steal when you consider what you would normally have to pay to get such a perfectly blended mix of attributes. So, when it was announced that 2008 would see a follow-up to the 2004 R32 I was thrilled, and for lots of reasons. Sadly, as more and more facts surrounding the 2008 model leaked out I became increasingly concerned.

Well, the 2008 R32 has now arrived, and while I am clearly unhappy with some of the choices that were made in the development of the 2008 Volkswagen R32, make no mistake about it: the 20008 Volkswagen R32 is, simply put, an incredible car on it’s own merits.
Read the rest of this entry »

When I think about buying my first new car I cannot help by grow sentimental. The images of that day are so vivid. It was a little more than three years ago. I had just purchased a Volkswagen R32 from Terry Volkswagen in Lynchburg Virginia.

I can clearly remember the feeling I had sitting there in the driver seat of this Deep Blue Pearl, 2004 VW R32. My hands were wrapped around the thick steering wheel. The throaty dual exhausts growled quietly behind me. The instrument panel loomed ahead of me, just inches away from my face. I can remember thinking that I could not wait for the sun to set just so I could see that Indiglo Blue backlit display panel come to life. The 6-speed shifter fit nicely in my hand. The R-Line pedals in the floor board gripped the bottoms of the soles of my tennis shoes and the car was begging for me to take it home. The long way home.
Read the rest of this entry »

In a recent post entitled The 2008 Volkswagen R32 Review, yours truly ranted and raved not so much at the 2008 Volkswagen R32, but the review of said vehicle and author of said review in Autoweek.

My frustration with Volkswagen, as well as my incredulousness at people like Patrick Paternie of Autoweek Magazine who fail to “get” the 2004 R32, has only grown with the passing days and weeks.

Still, when it was brought to my attention that Flow Volkswagen, Mazda and Audi of Charlottesville would be getting their hands on a 2008 R32, I was excited. Not so much because I could finally see the new R32, but because I could finally validate my concerns, or adjust them accordingly.

I have been upbraided for judging the 2008 R32 before I ever saw it up close, so all my critics will be very happy to know that tomorrow I am going to get my first up close and personal look at the new VW R32. If I am pleased with the car, I will issue an apology and sing it’s praises far and wide. If I am not pleased with the car, I will destroy it. I will rip it to shreds. I will eviscerate it, right here on my blog. Or, I may just say nothing at all. It all depends on how I feel after wrapping my hands around the steering wheel tomorrow.

God Speed.

First of all, let me say that I have yet to drive the all new (and I do mean ALL new), 2008 Volkswagen R32. Still, this is in fact a review of that very car. Just what gives me the right to post a review of a car I have yet to drive? Well, I think the fact that I owned a 2004 R32 gives me the right to say just about anything I damn well want to say about the 2008 R32. Plus, this is my web site and I can say anything I please.
It’s good to be the King.
Read the rest of this entry »

It has been so long since I have posted here. Far too long. I had such high hopes for this blog and my future.Of course, I still have high hopes and the book that is my life is not yet finished. The chapters are clearly unfolding in suprising ways.
Read the rest of this entry »