DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Maria At Shutters On The Beach

Q: Hi Maria. Welcome to Defend Your Ride Los Angeles. How did you know that you wanted a Honda Accord?

A: I wanted a red car. When I was looking for one two and a half years ago, this was the prettiest one I found. I knew I wanted a Japanese car. I knew that Hondas are pretty good, so I was thinking Honda or Nissan. I didn't want a Toyota. I had a Toyota previously and it was the worst car I ever owned!

Q: Have you ever had any problems with this one?

A: So far, so good. I think I've personally put about 35,000 to 40,000 miles on it. I drive a lot for work. I'm a brand manager for Proctor & Gamble. I go from Santa Monica to Woodland Hills.

Q: Why is your car called Winston?

A: It was my first dog's name. He was a wonderful, smart dog. I decided to name my car after my dog. I know that normally people name their cars with a woman's name, but it's a guy.

Q: Where is the farthest you've ever driven in Winston?

A: I think the farthest I've gone is San Francisco this past September. It was a five day trip over Labor Day weekend. I wanted to see Big Sur, so my roommate and I decided to go to make a drive up north. It was a five-day drive because we were stopping at different places and staying overnight. Strictly driving, it was probably maybe eight, nine hours on the road. I really liked the views.

Q: You didn't want to drive right next to the cliff going south?

A: Well, you know, I'm European. I'm from Poland. We have narrow roads, so I can manage that. I prefer just taking the shorter route on the way back.

Q: Have you gotten into any accidents in this car?

A: I got hit recently in a parking lot, but without me being present. That pissed me off because someone didn't leave a note, so right now I have to go through my insurance. I didn't fix it yet. It's in the making.

Q: Is there anything else about your car you like?

A: I like how my car was designed so that it's red on the outside and beige on the inside. I think it's a really nice color balance. That's pretty much it. It's reliable. It gets me places. I'm trying not to live by the L.A. standards of you are what you drive. But, you know, reliability in this place is really important. Having a car in L.A. is a huge enabler for everything else. My car makes it all happen.