Not long ago, MTV had a very popular series known as ‘Cribs’, which saw the cameras touring the estates on which celebrities lived. One of the dominant themes that stood out in the homes and the cars shown was the fact that no expense was spared to ensure that a relaxed therapeutic atmosphere, punctuated with copious amounts of computer-managedentertainment facilities, was created.
We love cars; we also want to sit in luxury’s lap, rocking to the soulful melodies of Stone Love sound system while watching Mission Impossible 8! The solution that the more passionate auto enthusiasts arrived at was simple, but brilliant – create a home away from home – in the car, packed with all the necessary goodies which would guarantee a multiplication of the fun factor.
Essentially, a car can be modified to suit any pleasure or leisure need that exists. In Jamaica and the Caribbean we might not go as extreme as ‘Pimp My Ride’ but we will still modify to satisfy!
Survey says one of the more popular modifications auto-enthusiasts embrace, relates to entertainment systems. Jamaicans are known the world over for their love affair with music and local fabricators have devised rather ingenious ways to cram fifty speakers and several thousand watts of power into ridiculously confined spaces.
Buzzz Magazine spoke to several auto-enthusiasts to find out which modifications were done to improve their ride and enhance their entertainment and leisure lifestyle.
Marvin owns a 2000 Honda Accord. Music is his oxygen, so the factory-provided, technology-challenged radio was stifling his ‘swag’. So a plan was crafted. A few trips to a popular ‘sound man’ and fabricator, led to several ‘specs’ speaker boxes being built.
All of the necessary hardware – amplifiers, equalizers and other weapons of the trade – were acquired, and after several days of ‘wiring’, a solid, LL Cool J-booming system, rocking two massive square, bass Kicker speakers and four Eminence mid-range speakers, was created. When asked why he wanted a sound system in his ride, Marvin didn’t have to search long for an answer. He paused, then said, “For enjoyment.”
Reggae music’s greatest icon, Bob Marley sang, ‘I want to disturb my neighbour.’ Marvin is more than accommodating with this sentiment and willingly entertains his neighbours. Recently he and a friend were invited to provide the musical selections (using the car sound system) at a house-party in Portmore.
Females take gender equality rather seriously. They will not be outdone and while their motives might be different, they still dive into modifying their ride. Sonia is a mother of two rather active children, so to keep them occupied but relaxed on each road trip, an entertainment upgrade was required in her 2002 Honda Odyssey. A folding, flip-screen, entertainment control unit (radio/CD/DVD), which eases itself seamlessly from the dashboard was installed and a 10 inch DVD monitor was given a new home in the roof of the mini-van. With their own Carib-5 experience, the children cannot help but be delightful angels, and which parent wouldn’t want that?!
Rochelle is a banker. She handles millions in assorted currency daily, but in her words, “I always want music in my system.” Her ‘fix’ is best had in loud amounts, so her 1998 Honda Civic was given a minute makeover with a few speakers and adequate watts of power. Wrapped in her dark glasses and exploring the ‘bob your head’ routine, Rochelle is now as happy as a lark, immersed in the pulsating, hard- hitting sound of bass!
Minor affordable modifications are a mere phone call away and with electronic stores scattered everywhere, you are only a few dollars away from proclaiming loudly, “Mi car tun up!”
But it’s not just about the music and the video aspect – even though those are the most popular kinds of modifications done to a personal vehicle. Retro-fitting your ride to make it more comfortable or user-friendly might entail removing the back seat and installing a cooler and a fold-out picnic table along with your ramped up speakers to make a beach lyme or country run with friends more enjoyable.
A lot of people use their vehicles for their businesses or their little side ‘hustlin’ and have learned to modify their ride to accommodate their line of work, like the mobile garage which will come to you to sort out your car wherever you are, or mini vans that open out into trendy boutiques complete with railings for hanging clothing and display cases for jewelry and accessories.
The bottom line is this…unless you are rolling in money, a vehicle these days is more than just a luxury for most people and has become a necessity that will have to double up for business or entertainment purposes to justify their purchase. So figure out how to get your ride to work for you and modify away!