DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Jimmy At Corti Brothers

Q: How long have you owned it?

A: I'd say coming up to two years.

Q: Where did you get it from?

A: I got it at a car dealership in Roseville. It was a pre-owned car.

Q: Your experience was good?

A: The car I really wanted to get was a '93 Mazda RX7. They don't make those anymore. This is kind of the latest that they have, which is a rotary engine. It's different from a piston engine.

Q: How many miles have you personally put on it?

A: I gotta think about that. Maybe four or five thousand miles already on it.

Q: What are you doing at Corti Brothers today?

A: Just to pick up a sandwich.

Q: Those are some good sandwiches.

A: Yeah, they're really good.

Q: What neighborhood do you live in?

A: I live down by Freeway I-5.

Q: How old are you?

A: Twenty-five.

Q: What's your car's main use?

A: Everyday use, from just going to work to being a taxi to just having fun.

Q: Do you drive people around a lot?

A: Yes, I do.

Q: How much time do you spend in your car on an average day?

A: I would like to say almost my life now. I'd say about a good seven to eight hours a day.

Q: Wow. What do you do all day?

A: Driving. Just driving from place to place. Like I said, I'm a taxi now, taxi for family, taxi for friends, or just wanted to get out of the house.

Q: Why do drive everyone around a lot?

A: Just because. As long as they pay for gas, it's all good.

Q: What's the worst part about your commute?

A: Besides paying for gas, nothing really, just gas. That's about it. Otherwise, it's a joy just driving.

Q: What's your favorite day trip from home?

A: I don't do really do it that much because it's expensive to drive up there, but driving down to Fort Bragg, from Sacramento to Fort Bragg.

Q: Nice! What do you do there?

A: My family owns a cabin, so I just go over there and enjoy the day up there. It's a nice drive going up the coast.

Q: How long does it take you to get there?

A: I think it's either a four or five hour drive.

Q: What was your first car?

A: It was a 1990 Acura Integra.

Q: How long did you have it for?

A: I think I had that car for three months. Then it got stolen.

Q: What?!

A: Yeah. Stolen the day before Thanksgiving.

Q: Oh no! How did it get stolen?

A: Apparently Acuras, the early models, are easy to break into, so that's what happened.

Q: What do you like to listen to in your car?

A: I listen to anything from hip hop to classical music. I've got Frank Sinatra from the Rat Pack. I got his music in there, to a little bit of jazz. Like I said, I listen to any type of music.

Q: Does it depend on your mood?

A: A little bit. I try to stay away from music that would get me to go, "Alright, let me step on the gas!"

Q: What kind of emotion would your car have?

A: A little aggressiveness, just a little.

Q: Why do you say that?

A: Because it's a car that doesn't really have that much torque. Because it's a rotary engine, it has no torque. It wants to get up there and just zip right through, but it just takes its time. It's like, I'm getting there, I'm getting there, alright I'm there! You just gotta fight it.

Q: What's your absolutely dream car?

A: Like I said, a '93 Mazda RX7.

Q: Still holding out for that?

A: It's hard to get. I could find one, but somebody would already have it tuned down and it's like, no, I just want the basic stock, like a virgin car. But it's hard to come by.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about your car?

A: It's very hot in the summertime because it's all black with black leather seats. But other than that, that's about it. It's just a fun little car.