DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Marcos At The Valley Green Inn

Q: How did you get your car?

A: After deciding that I wanted a Ford Fusion, I wound up falling in love with the Ford Escape. I just walked onto the lot and haggled a very nice lease deal.

Q: How would you describe your purchasing experience?

A: I got the car from Chapman Ford in Horsham. They were the first dealer I went to. Trying to play one against the other, I also went to Kennedy Ford in Conshy, Bergey's Ford in Ambler, and Faulkner-Ciocca in Souderton. Chapman wound up giving me the best deal. Aside from one of the sales managers trying to stare me down when I wouldn't budget from my monthly payment, the overall experience was pretty great.

Q: Where do you live?

A: I'm in Chestnut Hill, reppin' the 19118.

Q: How old are you?

A: My birth certificate indicates 32.

Q: What's your car's main use?

A: I bought the car as a commuter car, but it has become a family car.

Q: Tell me more about your commute to work. Where do you drive?

A: I'm five miles from my office. This is the first job I've had that I haven't been able to take public transportation.

Q: What's the best and worst part of your commute?

A: The best part of the commute is satellite radio. The worst part of the commute is when the traffic lights are ill-timed.

Q: What kind of day trips do you take? What's your favorite?

A: We take trips to Bucks County, where my mother-in-law lives. We also love going down the shore.

Q: Where's the furthest place you've driven to with this car?

A: Since it's still pretty new, we haven't really taken it out on the open road. I'd love to head back to NYC to kick it with all my old buddies.

Q: Do you have any rules in your car?

A: If you're going to eat, please choose something besides ice cream.

Q: What do you listen to in your car?

A: I sing my butt off. I do a killer rendition "18 and Life" by Skid Row. I try and listen to the news to be a grown-up every now and again, but I get impatient with monotonous voices that are always talking about bad stuff happening in the world.

Q: If your car had a human emotion, what would it be and why?

A: It would probably be proud. It's the first car I've ever owned—leased—on my own. Since it's a family car, it smiles at the thought of carting around a wife and two kids.

Q: How many miles do you think are in the life of your car?

A: Hundreds of thousands, but I plan on getting rid of it way before then.

Q: What do you think your next car will realistically be?

A: A Volvo XC90 or Audi Q7. Both are great family cars with an attitude to them.

Q: What about a dream car?

A: My dream car is an El Camino. I love how Chicano it is and I'd totally make it as Mexican as possible. Lots of airbrushing.