Introduction to the author, and a little bit of this and that.

This is my first blog, ever, so bear with me as this progresses and changes over time.


First of all, allow me to let you in to my world a little bit.


My name is Dennis King and I have a Wife and 3 little girls. I work at Freeman Motor Co. as the Service Manager. I am responsible for reconditioning of all the vehicles we purchase and prepare for sale in our showroom. I am also responsible for working with outside customers to meet their service needs. Most of my clients are also people who have purchased vehicles from us.


I have been with Freeman Motor Co. for a year now. Prior to that I have been in the automotive industry in some form or another. I started in the mid 90's as a stereo installer for a local stereo shop in my hometown of Coos Bay, OR. but after 4 years of working in a town with no future, I took a chance and moved to Medford, OR. where I worked in the same field for another 4 years. After realizing that my future was bleak, I left to sell cars. I sold cars for a few years and moved in to the Service Dept. of a large local Ford store where I ended up becoming the Asst. Service Manager. This was a big move and a far cry from where I started. I was there for 2 years before the economy decided to go in to the toilet and I was forced to move.


So I packed up the family and moved to Salem, OR. It wasn't where I wanted to move but it was where I could find a job.


After 9 months of working at a local Nissan store, I was offered a position in Portland at Freeman as the Service Advisor. Now, a year later, things are growing and changing.


So what's the point of all this? The point is, if you are dense, is that I've been around cars for a while. A long while. I grew up helping my Dad work on the car. My Dad had plenty of car buddies and always had a copy of Car and Driver on the coffee table. Cars have played a major part in my life at almost every turn. That brings me to the reason for this blog. As part of my compensation, I am allowed to drive a car home. Not just any cars either. Fine European motorcars. The cars that, when you were a kid, your Dad would say, "You see that there. The only reason they drive that is because they want to look better than you." The truth is, they aren't better than you, they just like better cars than your Dad and his Oldsmobile. One day I will drive an E63 AMG, the next day I'll drive an M3, and then an RS6 may find its way to my shop. Now, it's not all obscure or sought after performance machines. There's plenty of regular European cars to drive home as well, like Volvos, Saabs, and the German staples, BMW and Mercedes Benz.


I also started enjoying cigars about 10 years ago and it has been a hobby that has grown over time. Part of this growth is from trying to find simple things that make life more enjoyable and part of it is based on budget. I used to own a car for myself and that was my project, my hobby, my stress reliever, and just an overall way to wind down. Now, I don't own a car for my own use so I don't have that project. Sure, my Wife has a car but it's more of a family hauler.




So there's a little info about the author. I look forward to your feedback and your subscription to my posts. I hope to post video reviews of cars that I drive, but for today, this is as far as it goes.