Fulfilling her dream
To some, cars are simply a mode of transportation, a piece of machinery that gets people from one place to another. But cars can be many things: a means of self-expression, a pesky and expensive project, or the object of one’s dreams.
For Amira Madineh, senior, computer science major, having a sports car was her dream. Born in Syria, Madineh moved to Wolcott. Having a car may seem common, but to others, it’s a luxury that’s hard to afford.
“Just to have my very own car was a dream,” says Madineh, “It’s so hard to buy a car back there [in Syria].”
When she was a freshman and commuter student, Madineh set her eyes on a Mustang.
She asked for one that year but says her father would not let her get one because of the difficulty of driving a rear-wheel drive car during the winter. So, instead, she bought a Toyota Highlander.
From there, Madineh moved quickly into a Nissan Rogue, a GMC Yukon and a Toyota Corolla Cross, the last of which she had for four months.
“I like to change cars a lot,” says Madineh.
After getting into an accident in August, and with payment by her insurance company, Madineh decided it was time for a new car.
She had two cars in mind, a Dodge Charger, or the car that had been on her mind for years: a Ford Mustang. Ultimately, she decided on the Mustang, saying the price of the Charger was too high.
“I bought it because when I wanted to buy it, my dad said no,” Madineh says.
After, she exclaims, “I got it, I finally
got it!”
Despite her father’s refusal, Madineh was determined.
“This is my life. I’m working, I’m paying for it, so I’m going to buy this,” says Madineh.
Since purchasing the car in August, Madineh has put just over 2,000 miles on the odometer.
As a full-time student, tutor and pharmacy technician, Madineh works long hours to be able to afford her car.
“When people see that I have this car, they think that I’m rich,” says Madineh, “but I’m not rich at all. I just work hard.”
Her work has certainly paid off. Madineh’s 2020 Kona blue metallic Mustang packs a rumbly 2.3-liter turbocharged engine, producing 330 crank horsepower and 350 lb.-ft of torque. It is an engine described by Ford Motor Co. in 2019 as being the “most powerful 4-cylinder sports car offered by an American automaker.”
The car has a muscular and intimidating stance and the sound to back it up. It features an active valve performance exhaust that changes the sound and level of noise when Madineh puts her car into sport mode, which she often does.
The ambient lighting package is also one of her favorite parts of the car. At night, the car’s interior becomes a visual experience. Madineh opts to keep the lights blue, in the theme of the car’s exterior, but red suits her too. When she steps out, a light placed in the door projects a Mustang onto the ground, proudly displaying to those around her the kind of car she’s arrived in.
“If I didn’t enjoy my time now, when would I enjoy it? In my 30s or 40s?” says Madineh.
While her experience as a new sports car owner has been mostly positive, Madineh expressed that being a woman into cars presents challenges.
“I don’t think that I feel welcome from other people at all. When they see a lady driving a sports car, they just want to pass me, or for example, if the road was a two-lane, they just drive in the middle to not let me pass them,” says Madineh.
Despite this, Madineh hopes to see more women get into cars. To her, enjoying cars is a hobby and not something that defines the entirety of
her identity.
“I would love to see more women interested in cars because when I see an expensive car or a racing car with my friends, they’ll be like, ‘it’s not cool to talk about cars at all,’” says Madineh. “I’m into cars a lot, yes. But I’m also into fashion; some don’t think that. It’s fine to be into both.”
For those looking to get into cars, Madineh says they can start anywhere.
“Even if you have an old car that no one might be interested in even looking at, you can change it and rebuild it,” says Madineh.
A back up camera, a new car stereo and stickers are things that Madineh says are available for a low price.
Madineh loves her car, but the one thing she would change about it is its engine. Upon her initial search for a Mustang, she wanted to spring for the Ecoboosts’ big brother, the 5.0-liter V-8 Mustang GT, which has 100 more crank horsepower than her current car, and nearly the same increase in lb.-ft of torque as well.
“I wanted the 5.0, but if I wanted to order it, it would’ve taken six months to eight months, and I need one right away,” says Madineh. “By that time, I’d rather just wait for the new one, the 2023.”
That’s exactly what Madineh plans to do; her eyes are set on the 2023 Ford Mustang EcoBoost. The car is confirmed, but its new facelift is yet to be revealed. According to Ford Authority, a popular source on new Ford vehicles, it will house the same engine as Madineh’s current car, with updated engineering.
Until then, Madineh will continue to enjoy the car she spent years waiting for. Madineh says that a few more months spent waiting for the next one won’t hurt because, like the car, they’ll go by pretty fast.
By: Tyler Fisher
