Counterman’s “Guess the Car” contest challenges our readers to solve an automotive riddle, for a chance to win $100. And each month, we receive hundreds of responses from aftermarket professionals trying to guess the model of the vehicle depicted.
The correct answer for the April/May contest is the Dodge Hornet. The winner is Miles Cross, a commercial parts pro at Advance Auto Parts in Colonial Heights, Virginia.
Now, let’s get to know the “Guess the Car” champion.
CM: How long have you been working in the auto parts business?
MC: I’ve been with Advance for 28 years full-time.
CM: What do you like most about your job?
MC: I like helping the customers find the parts they need. … I live in the same town that I grew up in, so everybody that I deal with I grew up with. Now that the younger kids are starting to take over their parents’ businesses, it’s pretty interesting to see the different styles of how they lead their business and how some of it’s the same as their parents.
CM: What’s the strangest question a customer has asked you?
MC: I’ve had a lot of them over the years. The most recent one was an older gentlemen who came in and asked how much tire shine was. I told him it was $9.99 for the can that he had. He said, “Can I just spray my tires with it and bring it back to you?”
CM: What’s the coolest car you’ve ever owned or worked on?
MC: I had a ’77 [Ford] LTD. I brough it from a guy who worked with my dad when I was in high school, and it needed an engine. We were into the big cars in my area that I’m from, so we put about $9,000 worth of engine and transmission under the hood, and rear gears. It was one of the fastest cars in town for a long time, and all my friends still talk about it.
CM: Do you have any interesting hobbies? What do you do for fun?
MC: Me and my wife like to go to different places and enjoy the different areas. We drive to Williamsburg a lot and take the ferry that goes across the James River.
CM: What’s your dream car?
MC: I can’t fit into it, but I would love to have a Ford GT.
