Engine Search

“Nobody walks in L.A.,” goes the saying. The city’s sprawl and its lack of a comprehensive public transit system make car ownership a necessity, while its image-conscious culture takes necessity into the realm of obsession. We parked ourselves at the Inglewood branch of CarMax, the nation’s biggest used-car dealership, and talked to a few motor mouths about wheels past, present and future.

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Kristina Notaro

Engineer

Debra Notaro

Student

Westchester

What are you looking for today?

Kristina: An Audi for my daughter.

Why an Audi?

Debra: ‘Cuz it’s cute.

Kristina: Safety.

Tell me about your first car.

Kristina: In high school, my parents bought me a Subaru Brat. Everybody used to jump in the back, and we’d drive on the beach, which was illegal. I got stuck in a riverbed with my boyfriend, who my parents hated. I was Debra’s age, actually.

Are cars a big obsession in L.A.?

Debra: Oh, yeah. It’s all about the hip, the happening, the celebrities. I never want to move from here.

Kristina: She goes to high school, and the kids have Hummers!

If money was no object, how would you “pimp your ride”?

Debra: Rims are silly. But leather interior, a spoiler. Those are cute.

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Rosie Rodriguez

Yoga instructor

Manhattan Beach

What are you doing here today?

Selling my car, a 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I got a new car, the new Land Rover LSE.

Tell us about the old car.

I had it for five years. I bought it from my sister and brother-in-law. I brought it from Colorado behind a U-Haul through a blizzard. It’s kind of sad. When I got it, it was in mint condition. I was tough on it. One time a girlfriend had too much wine and she sat on a to-go container. It was garlic butter scampi everywhere.

Does the old car have a name?

No, but the new one does: Lucy the Land Rover.

If money was no object, how would you pimp your ride?

I’d put the DVD in for kids, but no drastic pimpage.

What car would you be?

[My fiance] thinks I’d be a Mini Cooper. A speedy, crazy little whip-around. He’s probably right.

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J.T. Moye (with daughter Yana)

Gymnastics school manager

Los Angeles

What are you looking for today?

An SUV, like a Jeep Grand Cherokee or an Explorer.

Most fun thing about car shopping?

My daughter, who thinks “33” is “33 dollars” instead of “33,000.”

Give us a memory of your first car.

The first I ever bought was a Dodge Charger. I was driving to an audition, and somebody rammed my driver’s side. I missed the audition for “Sesame Street Live,” but I got it later. I played Grover for three years.

Are Angelenos car-obsessed?

Totally. I’ve met people on freeways. This woman says, “Take this number.” Her mom was next to her, kids were in the back. I said, “Did you just pick me up with your whole family in the car?!” She said, “As long as you’re not married!”

Do you live in the fast or slow lane?

The fast lane. I’m always making deals. I’m producing a movie, “allahvsgod.com.” See it.

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Bill Hoversten-Davis

Writer

Los Angeles

What are you looking for today?

A car that’s dependable, economical and sporty. I had a BMW that’s on its last legs, or last wheels. It’s sporty, but it hasn’t been dependable. It continues to drain me.

Tell us about your first car.

I had a beauty. It was a ’66 Toronado. I was 17. It was only $550. It had flip-up headlights, a cylindrical speedometer, front-wheel drive. [It was] way ahead of its time.

Are Angelenos car-obsessed?

It’s amazing how many people derive their personal value from what they’re driving. There’s [also] an increasing amount of road rage here.

If money was no object, how would you pimp your ride?

Tastefully. Leather interior, maybe some mahogany on the dashboard.

How about one wild thing?

One of those espresso makers, in the trunk. I could do some tailgating.