DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Ryan At Swinger's

Q: Hi Ryan. Welcome to Defend Your Ride Los Angeles. Your car is in really good condition. What do you use it mainly for?

A: I like it. It's been a great car for me. There is nothing that's really gone wrong with it. That's a big reason why I've kept it. Obviously it gets me around to and from work and wherever else I go. I use it a lot for just carrying a lot of things from golf clubs to musical instruments to everything. I'm a musician. I have a band. We play out a lot. So I put my piano, my guitars, amps, everything goes in it.

Q: And this Jeep's been with you all this time?

A: Since 2007. This was the first year that Jeep came out with a four-door. We went with the hardtop because of all the things I do keep in the car. I didn't want somebody slashing the back of it and pulling a guitar out of there or anything. The lease was a three-year lease. I ended up buying out the lease afterwards because I liked it so much and decided to keep it.

Q: How did you know you wanted a Jeep?

A: I got in a wreck, actually. Somebody totaled my other car, so I got a lot more money for it than what my car was worth. I never had a new car before. I knew they just came out with this Jeep. I went to drive it and really liked it. I've always kind of wanted a Jeep, but I didn't necessarily like the two-doors. When they came out with a bigger one that I could fit a piano in the back, I went for it. I got a great deal on it, too.

Q: What other things do you like about your car?

A: I love that I can take the top off. The back usually stays on because it's a little harder to do, but above the driver and passenger seats, you can take the top off in less than two minutes. It's really easy. It's great rolling out with the windows down and the top off, especially here in Southern California.

Q: Do you ever take it on road trips?

A: I've driven to Vegas with it a few times. Definitely, that's a fun drive. Sometimes I drive up to Malibu, out to the beach around here in L.A. The farthest I've driven is probably out to Phoenix. It's like a six, six and a half hour drive. I drove out there actually for the Super Bowl a couple years ago because I played at a party out there, which was fun. But yeah, that's about the farthest I'd want to drive it to.

Q: What did you like about that drive the most?

A: I'd never been out to Phoenix before. I like driving through the desert. Honestly, I like just cranking up the music, singing along, and kind of being by myself to have a couple hours to just chill and forget about work and everything else--just kind of rock out with the top off and the windows down.

Q: What do you tend to listen to in the car?

A: I like to listen to everything from current music to oldies. I like classic rock. I listen to that a lot. I jump back and forth between regular AM/FM and XM Radio. I try to pick up on the indy stations or old live Bruce Springsteen shows. Everything, I like everything. Well, whatever's not on a commercial.

Q: Does your Jeep have a theme song?

A: It might be like "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin. That's a good song to crank up and just roll around to!

Q: What's your general philosophy about driving in L.A.?

A: My general philosophy is that you cannot let traffic get you down. I mean, if you drive around, it's so easy to get mad at traffic and say, "L.A. traffic sucks," but just put on a smile, turn up the radio and get where you're going.