By the common gearhead, for the common gearhead.
“Common gearhead” is an interesting phrase, isn’t it? To some, it signifies the office warrior who spends his days in a cubicle and his afternoons under the hood of his latest project. To others, it describes the fanboy enthusiast, drooling over European exotics and American muscle between the glossy covers of Motor Trend and Automobile. But however we choose to embody the title of “common gearhead” every day, we all have one thing in common: a passion for man’s most spectacular automotive works of art and mechanical achievement.
I am a regular, everyday automobile enthusiast. I devour car magazines and blogs. I fantasize about cars I will most likely never drive, and plan for the ones I someday hope to own. I tinker with and service my own daily driver, and I treat her like she is worth ten times what Kelley Blue Book tells me she is. And no matter where I am going (or how much freakin’ traffic there is), I find enjoyment and solidarity in every drive I have the opportunity to take.
Currently, I’m a student at Northeastern University in Boston, MA pursuing a degree in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration. Outside of school and work, I sing in the Nor’easters co-ed a cappella group, and play any one of 6 different musical instruments. But between all of the classes and rehearsals and co-op (basically a 6 month paid internship for NU students), I fill my time with everything automotive: driving, servicing, reading, watching videos, playing Gran Turismo; you name it, I do it.
Admittedly, I don’t have the most impressive car history in the world, but what do you expect from a college kid? My first car was a 1999 Volvo S70, and it was a brick on wheels with a “turbo” that made it sound a lot meaner than it actually was. Nevertheless, a first car is a symbol of freedom and independence that you will always remember, no matter how shitty it was, and I loved it for giving me that freedom. I have since moved up to a 2006 Mazda3, and I’m obsessed with it. You’d be hard pressed to find a more fun everyday compact sedan. In fact, I challenge you to do so. The suspension is tight and surprisingly refined, the car is exceptionally well balanced in the corners, and the 2.3-liter 4-banger is punchy with plenty of low rev torque, making it the perfect car for getting to and from the office and darting along the back-roads of suburban Massachusetts.
I’m a regular, average guy, with an above average obsession for 4-wheeled dream machines, and I want to share my opinions with you. I’ll test drive and review the fun and practical cars that we’d all consider buying, and speculate on the beautiful and outrageous ones we all wish we could. If you like what you read, share my blog with your fellow members of Common Gearhead Nation (it’s gonna be a thing, just you wait). Feel free to shoot me an email anytime with questions, comments, or suggestions for future articles.
Now get off your computer and go take a drive somewhere. That’s what I’m about to do. Maybe I’ll even write about it.
-Brian
The Common Gearhead 