Introduction
This story proves that I had too much time on my hands when I was younger. Moreover, I must proclaim that I have always been, and will always be, a big-time data lover!
This story also conclusively proves that I am diligent in my data recording, even over many years (see my other post regarding my ongoing 12-year kid height project). However, please don’t judge me for these quirks (2021 update – I think Doug Demuro stole this word from me!). If you are reading this and appreciating the commitment it took me to record this data, you probably are a data lover like me!
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Background
Here is the story offered to you, even at the risk of propelling myself into the archives of the most significant data dorks known to humankind.
I was in my early 30’s, and I got a new car. It was a nice car, a 1996 Nissan Maxima SE, a manual 5-speed, black on black leather, 3.0 L engine that purred as smooth as any engine ever created. I’m not kidding. In retrospect, I only remember feeling the engine running one time, at a stoplight, and the engine blipped ever-so-slightly. I saw the tachometer jump just a little. I felt the perturbation for a microsecond. Other than that, I never felt the engine running – ever. I couldn’t hear it; I couldn’t sensel it moving at all. I always had to check the tachometer to see if it was running. If I accidentally popped the clutch and the engine stalled, I couldn’t tell it. I had to check the tachometer to find out if it was running! Even at over 130 mph, it was as smooth as any baby’s skin you have ever felt. OK, enough reminiscing. Now back to the story.
I wanted to record key performance metrics for this vehicle due to its rarity. Since only one percent of Maximas were produced in 1996 with a 5-speed manual transmission, I found the car interesting from a data perspective. This project required recording all gas fill-ups, the total mileage, and location information. I know that you are wondering if I was crazy at the time. I even wondered why anyone would want to do this.
Creating the Plan
First, to do this, you have to establish a plan. Secondly, you have to visualize a database structure to hold the essential data elements needed for the job. You have to know what you want to record from the first day of ownership. You can’t get this project correct without thinking about the plan beforehand.
I admit that this was a deliberate plan. It wasn’t premeditated in the cunning, murderous way, but rather, it was scientific premeditation. Since I was (and still am) quite scientific, it made perfect sense.
I thought that one day I’d publish the data, sell it to Nissan, and they would make a great commercial about the story! Of course, none of that happened because I didn’t have access to Tableau at that time, the internet and social media didn’t exist like they do today, and I couldn’t determine who to send the story to at Nissan. Granted, I did try to get someone at Nissan to pay attention to my long-term, scientific automobile performance study, but frankly, no one gave a damn.
When I think about that time, I remember that no one could believe that I was recording this much information on my own time. My friends ridiculed me, scolded me for being a dork, and even told me that I needed to find better things to do with my time.
After a few years, I retreated from this verbal lashing and became a reclusive data collector. I no longer told anyone about my grand plan and fantastic database. I was clandestine in recording the data. Rather than whipping out my Maxima journal as I did in the early days, I secretly recorded the mileage and other information on the back of the gas receipts since they already had the number of gallons purchased and the total price paid.
Later on, I slid that information into the database when nobody was looking. This project continued for so long that people forgot I was doing it! Ultimately, nobody cared that I was able to keep a spreadsheet around through years of computer hard-drive failures, through a myriad of fill-ups in states across the US, through rain, snow, hail, and near-miss tornadoes.
The project stopped when I sold the car to the first person that inquired about it on 10/5/2005. The project lasted 3,102 days (8.49 years). There were 444 fill-ups made, 152,796 miles driven, and $8,485.82 was spent on gas.
Now It Is Time For Part 2 of the Plan
Lucky for you, I thought about this file when I awoke this morning. I have even better news for you!
I was able to find my spreadsheet without too much effort. Now I can complete my original vision!
I now have this blog, I have Tableau and the internet. Nobody can stop me from telling my story.
Maybe Nissan will be interested in making that commercial!
Somehow I have managed to carry this data along with me for another 2,819 days, or the past 7.7 years, bringing the total experimental duration up to 6,333 days, or 17.3 years!
This data sat in hibernation, waiting for this day to be UNLEASHED.
Unfortunately, you will have to wait until I can find time to create Part 2 of this story. I promise it won’t take another few years for me to finish my masterpiece.
About the Car
Before I go for today, I have two offerings for you:
The Inside of the Car
On Dec 16, 2000, we drove the Maxima on a stormy day. These photos were taken with a Kodak DC240 digital camera, with 640 by 480 pixels (.3 Megapixels). The camera cost was about $300, and the car mileage was 82,500. Our memories are priceless.
The Outside of the Car
The previous summer, and we took a vacation to Colorado. Here is the car set-up for camping. With the Thule transporter on top, the bike rack on top, and the rear bike rack, we were able to take two adults, two kids, and four bikes across the country with all the camping gear needed to have a great time. We took this picture with a Nikon E3100, with 1600 by 1200 pixels (3 Megapixels). The camera cost about $300, and the car mileage was 135,950. Our memories are priceless.
The Rest of the Story
Click here to read the rest of the story. Thanks for reading!
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