Keep it moving

Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien

Voltaire

The most common translation for the quote above is “The perfect is the enemy of the good”, and it sums up the inability for us to leave things at good enough.  As car enthusiasts, we’re often addicted to perceived improvements and will buy new parts or even vehicles because we are convinced they will make us happier.  The most important thing you can do for your car is drive it every day.  To do that, you need to change the way you maintain and modify it.

• Do as much as possible for every project before taking anything apart on your vehicle
• Remove major components (such as suspension or the engine) as seldom as possible, and only if absolutely necessary
• Consider the time your vehicle will be off the road during installation as a part of the cost of an upgrade
• Focus on basic maintenance before upgrades

For the most part, manufacturers do things for good reasons.  They seek a perfect balance between luxury, economy, manufacturing processes, and performance.  Most of the time, they make a lot of sacrifices that many of us don’t agree with but for the most part, our engineers have done a pretty good job of building solid, reliable vehicles.

Give up trying to make the perfect final product, and keep your car on the road every day.  You’ll enjoy it much more if you’re driving it, rather than trying to overcome every shortcoming it has.  Small steps are the best way to improve it.  Also, before you begin any project, consider whether or not it’s really worth the time, money, and effort required to complete it.  Many times it isn’t.

Always remember:

a car on the road is worth three in the garage.