Claudia Mcintosh

Many readers are familiar with the hit MTV reality show “Pimp My Ride.” As an avid fan, I have watched the team “pimp” many a “ride,” but if you don’t religiously tune in, let me catch you up. Every episode, the team members install anything from booming subwoofers to neon lights to platinum rims on worn-out cars, promising that “no matter how busted the ride is, they can turn it into a dope-ass date magnet.”

Usually, the team does the work for a guy desperate to have a car that he can pick chicks up in, but sometimes they do work for the sisters. In one memorable episode, they put a rotating shoe rack into the trunk of a girl’s transformed pink caddy. Having a nice ride is something that both men and women value today.

“I think that a lot of the time, girls have nicer vehicles than guys do because we keep them up. We’re all about the air fresheners and cleaning inside,” says Jennifer O’Donnell, a 20-year-old freshman animal science major from Lemmon.

Even though women may value cleanliness more than pimped out elements, guys like to have fun with their vehicles, adding custom detailing, gigantic tires, tinting to their windows-whatever it takes to personalize their rides. Owning a personalized vehicle isn’t necessarily cheap.

“I put a stereo in my car and lights under it, but after that, I went broke. I like it because it attracts a lot of attention,” says Jeremy Hoffman, a 19-year-old sophomore landscape design major from Rapid City. Hoffman’s 2002 Toyota Celica does attract attention on the SDSU campus at night because of its multi-colored changing lights. Like Hoffman, others see the investment of pimping a car as a wise one.

“Many first impressions are gained by the looks of a person’s car. A pimped-out car can be the difference between a girl giving you that interested second glance or the laugh that tells you she thinks you’re pathetic,” says Patrick Shaffer, a 19-year-old freshman biology/pre-dentistry major from Gregory.

If you are interested in pimping your car and have the bucks to shell out, you should pay a visit to one of the many tinting or detailing shops in Brookings. They take the guesswork out of the job, working with you to create a look for your vehicle that is as unique as you are. If, gentlemen, you are just looking to impress your date, a trip to the car wash might be all it takes to turn your vehicle into a dream machine. And remember, a new air freshener never hurt, either.