March 2006

Mike Watkins
(aka TheDodgeGuy)

Hello DOC Members, a little bit about myself. I grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and still reside in the area 32 years later. For a city in Wisconsin, it's considered medium sized at about 70,000, but comparatively small next to places like Chicago, NYC, etc. I've toyed with the idea of moving somewhere else, but I'm pretty comfortable here. I'm happily single and there are no plans in the foreseeable future to change this but, if someone comes along, you never know.

I've been interested in anything that had an engine for as long as I can remember. I played around with small engines on lawn mowers and whatnot back when I was barely old enough to get one started with my own strength! My parents (and some relatives and neighbors) never had to bother with cutting the lawn when I was younger as I always enjoyed doing it, and it was a perfect testing ground for a mower that I'd be fixing up.

When I got older, my interests gradually shifted to cars and things related to them. I had a small detailing business when I was in high school and, though it didn't make me much money, it was still more fun and profitable than flipping burgers somewhere. I still have all my equipment and use it to maintain my vehicles as well as my family's.

I got started in the automotive sales business shortly after getting out of school and have been doing it pretty much ever since. I was hired on at a small car lot as a detailer and lot hand and, in later years, as a salesman at a different dealership where I'm still employed today. I now have the title of General Manager and oversee the operations of the dealership as well as selling the majority of the vehicles on the lot. Kind of a jack-of-all-trades if you will. I also have my ASE certification for Master Automotive Technician, even though it's not required for the job I have, it was something that I wanted to do. I can wrench on cars with the best of ‘em.

In my free time during the summer, I help a friend of mine out with his race car doing whatever needs to be done from swapping engines, to checking air pressure in the tires. I'm his one-man pit crew so to speak. We also go to other races together as spectators and have met some big names over the years as they were starting out.

Recently I've been studying to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Out of anything that I've done in life, this is by far the most important! It's a gift that nobody can ever take away and I'm very thankful that I was given the opportunity.

I bought my 2001 Durango SLT for use as a daily driver. I've had many Chrysler products over the years, and they tend to be my favorite. I had toyed with getting one some time ago, but ended up getting a total of four Jeeps first. The Jeeps were more affordable at the time and got better fuel mileage (or so I thought) even though I always liked the styling of the D since the day it came out. When it was time to get rid of my last Jeep Grand Cherokee, I was kind of undecided between a Dakota and a Durango but, after finding just the right D, the idea of a Dakota was looking like less and less of a reality and I finally bought the D I have now. I don't plan to use it for much more than a passenger vehicle but it's nice knowing that the capability to do so is there if it's needed.

I knew about the DOC for some time now as I was introduced to several members at an event I attended in Chicago with the Jeep club there. Their annual Toys For Tots run had opened up to other 4x4 clubs and that's when I found out there was a club for Durango owners that was similar to what we had for Jeeps.

I joined the DOC as a Gold Member within a week of taking delivery of my D and have enjoyed my stay greatly. I like to be able to help out other members if they have questions I'm able to answer and to just have a good time with others of a similar interest. I look forward to meeting some of you in person at local and possibly national events.

I was absolutely astounded when I found out I was nominated as March 2006 DOTM. I never thought I'd receive the DOTM title since my D is about as stock as stock can be, aside from the radio, which still looks stock. I feel honored that the BOD voted me as DOTM and sincerely thank everyone who was involved in the decision.

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