tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21274982524059488922024-03-14T00:08:06.950-07:00Test DriveFollow my thoughts and adventures into the automotive world.SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-9775078948032159922020-07-12T13:20:00.003-07:002020-08-05T14:23:47.996-07:00We've moved!!<br />
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First of all, I'd like to thank our longtime readers for sticking with me. You've probably noticed that not a lot has happened since my last post. Well, a funny thing called life happened and as a result, I haven't had much time to post content, for which I am truly sorry. However, I've made a commitment to keeping my blog fresh with the kind of quality content you deserve: car reviews, a new DIY section and general information surrounding my thoughts of the automotive world. That said, I've moved all of my content to a new platform for greater visibility, more potential for growth and added ability to interact with all of you! You'll be able to subscribe to a recurring newsletter to know what's in the pipeline for future posts, snapshot opinions of automotive news as well as an exciting new branch of the blog that I can't announce just yet. Click <a href="www.flyguydrives.com" target="_blank">here</a> to visit the new website and also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deejaytopgun/?hl=en" target="_blank">here</a> to follow me on social media for the latest! As always, thank for you for your patronage and joining me as we take this blog to the next level!SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-32460456089038556702018-03-16T11:55:00.000-07:002018-03-17T12:48:27.488-07:00Short Take - 2018 Ford Fusion Titanium<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, I was given the chance to test a 2018 Ford Fusion Titanium model while my own '13 Fusion was in the shop for service. Having been updated for 2017, here was an opportunity to see the changes made up close and whether or not Ford has really improved on an already good car.<br />
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On the exterior, the '18's more chiseled and refined look is readily apparent. The grille has more of a rounded look and is slightly less garish than before. Headlights are squintier and now employ LED lighting as LED running lights (and fog lights). The side profile is largely the same while at the rear, a chrome strip now runs in-between the restyled taillights. Not a dramatic restyle,more of a subtle freshening that does improve on an already good looking sedan. Among its peers, the Fusion is still one of the most attractive mid-sized sedans on sale today.<br />
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Inside, the seats were fitted with nice cream leather, dashboard and areas surrounding the 8 inch touchscreen had a soft touch material similar to my Fusion. Disappointingly, harder, cheaper plastics still plagued areas below the regular touch points, such as the glovebox and console surround. Also annoying, the top half of the door armrests were outfitted with soft materials where you'd normally rest your elbow, but hard, cheap plastic immediately below that. The contrast was surprising,especially in the Titanium model where materials were supposed to be a bit nicer than my SE model. The transmission lever has been ditched in favor of a rotary gear shifter, obviously taking a page from Chrysler. This frees up space on the console and junks a major irritant of mine: the rocker switch on the transmission lever for manually selecting gears. Paddle shifters are now present on the steering wheel, a far easier way to manually manipulate the transmission.<br />
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Another huge change was the departure of the maligned and fiddly MyFord Touch infotainment system and the arrival of the new Sync 3 system. With snappier response and a more intuitive design, the system proved infinitely easier to use and with the addition of Android Auto and Apple Carplay, drivers have the choice of how to interact. Also gone are the touch sensitive surfaces below the screen, replaced with a logical array of buttons to manipulate the sound system, climate control and heated seats. Overall, the interior is still a nice place to reside. The front seats have good support, lacking only side bolsters to hold the driver in place during spirited driving. Rear seat space was also good, though the leather is slightly harder. Trunk space is roomy, though I did notice the handle on the inside of the trunk lid was no longer there. This might be nitpicking, but it was nice to not have to touch a dirty trunk lid in order to close it on my '13 SE Fusion by using that handle. A minor issue probably, but someone upgrading from a '16 to a '17 Fusion will notice.<br />
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Engine choices haven't changed dramatically during the revamp, save for the addition of the 325-hp, 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 in the new Fusion Sport. A 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder producing 180-hp replaced the 1.6-liter used in the SE model while the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder sees a 5-hp increase to 245-hp. Base Fusions can still be had with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder. All powerplants drive through a six-speed automatic which has been tweaked for smarter shifts. All-wheel drive is optional with the 2.0-liter and standard with the V6. A wide array of wheel sizes and designs are available from 16" up to 19". My Titanium tester sported machined alloy 18" wheels which nicely played off the Oxford White paint finish.<br />
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Setting off, the driving impression is not too different from the SE though there is a more solid, substantial feeling through the steering and seat. This Fusion felt a lot more smoother and planted, perhaps due to the addition of all-wheel drive. However, unlike the lighter SE, the Titanium's responses were dulled by its weight and unwillingness to quickly negotiate tight turns. The 2.0-liter's added thrust however made short work of spots in traffic and traction was never an issue. Turbo lag was inherent, but the newly tweaked six-speed automatic shifted decisively and always found the right gear, keeping the turbo four in the meat of its power band. Pushing the S button in the middle of the rotary shifter makes gear swaps snappier and holds gears longer. The overall impression of the Titanium model is more of a relaxed cruiser than corner carver which is just fine for most people. Drivers seeking more thrills will want to check out the Sport model. The Titanium was also well equipped with the aforementioned Sync 3 system including voice activated navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio and travel services, a power moonroof and Sony sound system. The Fusion starts at $22,215 for a base model with the 2.5-liter engine while my Titanium tester starts at $30,490 with an as tested price of $32,430.<br />
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Ford has done a good job building on an already good sedan. The 2018 Ford Fusion is still a competent pick in an ever increasingly competitive set of sedans. While it may not be the sharpest handling, or most comfortable out there, it does most things well enough to satisfy a broad swathe of people. However, with the popularity of crossovers reaching a fever pitch, the Fusion's greatest foe might not be the Accord or the Camry, but from the Edge and Explorer crossovers sitting across the showroom.<br />
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<i>Special thanks to <a href="http://www.pinesford.com/" target="_blank">Pines Ford</a> for aiding in this review!</i>SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-51384280831494023042016-11-03T07:32:00.000-07:002016-11-03T07:32:41.420-07:00The New Steed (Again!?)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Hmm, there's definitely more chassis than engine here."<br />
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After a few months of wheeling my new Ford Fusion during the daily grind, this is the statement that defines the driving experience. There's a solid platform underneath the car's attractive body but merely adequate engine to keep it moving. But wait a second, what happened to that black Lexus IS300 Sportcross? What's with the blue Ford? Let's get to it.<br />
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After a few months of Lexus ownership the IS300, unfortunately, started showing the effects of a prolonged stint on the dealer lot. You have to remember that in this wagon-averse country we live, an IS300 Sportcross gets quickly overlooked for the crossover/SUV sitting next to it. To count the number of repairs I've had to do over those months, I was understandably hyper vigilant to any weird noises and cues the car would make during any drive. One example was stretching its legs on a road trip to Orlando for a family event. Having completed replacement of the timing belt, water pump, thermostat and getting the OK from my repair shop on the belts and hoses, I felt pretty good that all the IS300's demons had been exorcised. Stopping at a rest area just short of my destination for a unscheduled bathroom break, I popped the hood to check the internals were still tied together. Turns out the car was STILL leaking coolant and from my quick inspection, the radiator (which was replaced the same day the car was bought) had a small leak. We did eventually make it to Orlando (having bought two bottles of coolant as an assurance) and on the return trip I tried a dollop of radiator leak sealant as a quick fix to get the car home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T'was good while it lasted </td></tr>
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Needless to say, my outlook on a long term affair with the Sportcross was rocky at best. Visual coolant and general engine checks became a familiar morning routine before starting my commutes. The last straw came while doing one of these checks that I noticed brown, mayonnaise-like goo underneath the radiator cap. At first I thought nothing of it but after seeing the goo pop up repeatedly, I started to become worried. Online searches indicated what I feared most, the very early beginnings of a head gasket failure. Normally this substance would be found under the oil cap but the IS300 showed no sign of this in that location and the oil was clean. Befuddled, I took the car to the repair shop where Frank (really great guy, look up his repair shop here) pretty much confirmed it as very minor head gasket leak. Yup, it's clear, the car's gotta go. Premature? Maybe, but noticing how my anxiety level rose ever so slightly while driving it, I felt justified. My good intentions of buying a low mileage, older car with such a rare quality ultimately backfired. Not even the prospect of upgrading the car's systems deterred my decision to sell it. So, I sold it and I have to say, I didn't lose too much (obviously the funds I sank into its tumultuous maintenance are lost).<br />
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Now, on to the new STEED.<br />
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Two days after selling the ill-fated Lexus, I welcomed my very first American-branded car to the garage. After browsing the usual used car websites and listings, I came upon this 2013 Ford Fusion SE located in Stuart, just over an hour away. Having had no luck the day before and almost falling victim to predatory salesmen and finance people (koff-HGREG-koff), I figured I didn't have much to lose by venturing outside my locale. The car had relatively low miles, the Carfax and Autocheck websites reported a clean and meticulously maintained history and while it may not be the ultra luxurious Titanium model, it was otherwise well equipped. Reading and watching reviews on the Fusion alluded to a Euro-designed Ford with attractive sheetmetal, a solid chassis with pseudo-sporting intentions and great fuel economy. While I was lukewarm to the MyFord Touch infotainment system based on previous cars reviewed, I applauded the placement of volume and tuning knobs. The other gives-me-pause moment came from the engine bay. This particular SE came equipped with the Ecoboost 1.6L turbocharged four cylinder and while it got good reviews for excellent fuel economy and having satisfactory power for the mainstream buyer, you, my readers, know I'm anything but mainstream. I was hoping to bag the more powerful 240 hp turbocharged 2.0L but I figured I'd be OK with the 179 hp/184 lb-ft of the 1.6L. Wouldn't know until I drove the thing.<br />
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And drove it I did.<br />
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The Fusion demonstrated admirably road manners. The platform was rock solid, almost Germanic in its stout and planted feel. My girlfriend came along for the test drive and she gave thumbs up for the ride quality. Taking some backroads, the Fusion wasn't as dive-for-the-corners maneuverable as the Sportcross (or even the Mazda6) but it never lost its footing. There would be an initial body heave when diving for a corner but then the SE's slightly starchier suspension would settle, enabling the Fusion to stay planted all the way through. Quick left-right movements of the steering indicated notable room for improvement and the 18" wheels and tires never protested, even as terminal understeer approached. That said, the weakest link in the Fusion's excellent chassis would have to be the engine. There just isn't enough oomph available to take advantage of the Fusion's good road manners. Making a comparison, getting the Lexus IS300 to accelerate at speed required the 5 speed auto to hold a town hall meeting before deciding on the correct gear before the engine came into play. On the other hand, the Fusion's newer 6 speed automatic was a willing partner, offering decently quick downshifts, if only the engine could muster more power. Getting the 1.6L anywhere above 4500rpm results in more noise than forward motion. This results in not being able to squirt into holes in traffic I could most certainly get into with the Mazda (and to an extent, the Lexus). By the time the engine gets up to give me power, the hole would disappear and I'm left letting off gas, the Fusion suddenly lurching in protest.<br />
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Perhaps the one thing I praise about the Fusion, other than its ride quality is fuel economy. Sit back, relax and be in no hurry to get to your destination and +28mpg is relatively easy to accomplish. On regular gas. The interior is comfortable, nicely appointed and soft-touch nearly everywhere (a notable exception being the door grab handle, hard, HARD plastic). The MyFord Touch system is actually quite easy to use once you get used to the touchscreen interface. What makes it easy in this particular SE model is the absence of the uplevel Sony sound system with its touch interface surfaces. The stock radio has actually knobs for volume and tuning. To be frank, I hardly use them as the radio presets are just a touch (or two) away on the screen, not to mention the secondary controls on the steering wheel. About that steering wheel, the gauge cluster is populated by two other LCD screens flanking the speedometer, themselves being manipulated by control pads on the 9 and 3 o' clock positions on the steering wheel. These screens are able to display loads of data such as fuel economy (instant or average), vehicle health, entertainment options and phone status. I've found this to be very helpful and as such, I've almost never had to use the touch screen.<br />
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To say the last few months with the Fusion have been a hoot isn't entirely correct. I think this proves that Ford has a legitimate player in the mid-sized car segment and the Fusion compares very favorably with its competitors. Sure, it could definitely use more power (ahem, Ford Fusion Sport with the 325hp 2.7L V6 anyone?) but the 1.6L is just adequate and rewards a light foot (which I'm just about adjusting to, thank you). I already have plans for upgrades, such as installing LED lighting in place of halogens and maybe a trip through the Ford Performance catalog. We'll see what the next few years brings and I will definitely try to post updates as the journey continues. For now though, not going to the gas station every few days is quite the experience!<br />
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<i>Special thanks to Maria Tamitis at <a href="https://www.treasurecoasttoyotaofstuart.com/" target="_blank">Treasure Coast Toyota of Stuart</a> for the amazing service! </i><br />
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<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-55035326645494743492016-05-05T17:43:00.003-07:002016-05-05T17:43:59.911-07:00Short Take - 2016 Nissan Versa SV<br />
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A lot of cars have passed through my hands in the many years this blog has been alive. Sports cars, family sedans, crossovers, pickups, you name it. However, the subject of this entry represents a first: the subcompact. In this category, which rose to prominence after America's first brush with $5/gallon gas sent its citizens scurrying for more efficient vehicles, sits the Nissan Versa. As a car that lays claim to the lowest new-car MSRP in the country, the Versa screams a good deal to anyone who wants a brand new set of wheels and not a lot of cash to spend. But just because something is the cheapest, is it really the better deal?<br />
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First, this Nissan Versa, redesigned in 2012 with a mild refresh for 2016, anchors the Nissan lineup at the entry point. Thus, it has to do battle with other subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit and Chevy Sonic. Approaching the Versa, Nissan's design language is apparent, if overly done. With its mini-Altima-like appearance, the body is amusing in the sense that it looks one size larger than the wheels, almost as if it's on stilts. My mid-level SV came with a looks-tacked-on spoiler on the trunklid and 15" steel wheels wrapped in high profile rubber. With one of the longer wheelbases in the segment leads a few of the Versa's selling points: a cavernous interior and trunk. I had room enough in the front seat but it was difficult to get comfortable. Try as I might, I could never get my seat positioned where I could comfortably sit behind the wheel. This was exacerbated by the hard plastics that usually signifies cheapness. Pretty much every interior piece, save the carpet, seats and headliner was hewn from the industrial grade stuff that aggravates your skin when touched. I could never imagine taking this car on trip more than hour and if a 300 mile trip had to be done, frequent pit stops to stretch would be in order. The driver's gauges are legible with bright back-lit LED lighting and the dashboard controls are easy to reach and manipulate. <br />
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Get in the backseat, however and there is legroom for days. Three people can sit there comfortably without rubbing shoulders too much, even if the front seat occupants are over 6ft tall. That said though, I don't believe they'd be sitting there more than once. Aside from the plasticky interior, The Versa feels tinny and hollow in construction. The doors are light and have little heft to them, plus, when underway, the cabin is very noisy. It's as if in its bid to create the cheapest new car, Nissan decided that sound-deadening material would be too expensive. For the price, this would be tolerable except for one thing: the drivetrain. A 1.6L four cylinder powers the front wheels through Nissan's Xtronic CVT (continuously variable transmission). Producing 109hp and 107lb-ft of torque, don't expect to get anywhere in a hurry, or quietly for that matter. Despite the Versa weighing somewhere in the region of 2400lbs, getting up to highway speeds takes patience...and ear protection. Gunning the throttle makes the CVT peg the engine to 4800 rpm and it'll stay there until the vehicle hits your desired speed. It sounds thrashy and the droning wears on after awhile. A 30 mile highway stint had me pulling my curly hair in agony wanting to get out.<br />
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While the front struts/torsion beam suspension gave a compliant, almost big-car-like ride, you can forget about the Versa being any fun to drive. What's that saying, it's fun to drive a slow car fast? Not in this case. The otherwise soft suspension gets totally upset when the Versa is driven with gusto. In hard turns, the car leans waaaay over, the tires scrubbing away and squealing at early understeer. The steering is lifeless, overboosted and numb. Quick left-right actions gave the feeling of disjointedness. Flick the steering to the right and you can count one Mississippi before the front wheels react. On the highway, the Versa is at the mercy of winds (and anything larger than itself passing in the next lane), making it difficult to keep it tracking straight. At 75mph, the engine does settle down a bit but that only makes every other noise more apparent. Road and wind noise all find their way in and good luck using the stereo to drown it out. Turning the radio above the mid level makes the sound distorted, no matter what medium I was playing. Bluetooth is standard but there was always a disconnect between the volume of the radio and the calling feature. On the highway, the volume was turned all the way up just to hear the other person speaking and I repeatedly found myself shouting to be heard by the caller. Between the radio's cheapness, the loud interior and laughable steering, I think the Versa is better suited to urban settings.<br />
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Which is a shame because, like other cars in this segment, the littlest Nissan actually gets pretty good gas mileage. Equipped as mine was with the CVT, the EPA rates the Versa at 31 city/40 highway and my average hovered around 34mpg during my time. In that area, the CVT pays dividends by using an almost infinite set of ratios to achieve the best fuel economy. If you can't tolerate its weird but fruitless simulation of a automatic transmission and the moaning it succumbs the engine to, you can spring for a 5 speed manual or an ancient 4 speed automatic. Which, unless your desperate, you might not want to since you'll have to go to the bottom of the barrel where the plebian base S model resides (manual roll up windows anyone?). Sure, at an as-tested price of $16,595 (including $835 destination) the 2016 Nissan Versa SV may seem like a good buy but this where "shopping around" comes in. I say this because there are other competent cars occupying the segment for about the same wad of cash. The aforementioned Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta for example, drive better, have higher quality interiors and boast similar EPA figures. The Korean twins Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio boast more standard equipment for the price and have better warranties.<br />
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Nissan did a pretty good job in building the Nissan Versa at a (very cheap) price. However, while other automakers have sought to make their subcompacts more desirable by making them more comfortable and refined, the Versa didn't get the message. Against the competitive set, recommending the Versa is difficult based solely on price. Unless you're dead set on biting into Nissan's low hanging fruit, there are much better ways to spend $17,000.SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-43217366306687882112016-05-04T12:46:00.000-07:002016-05-04T12:47:04.626-07:00The New(-ish) STEED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As you all know, I'm a huge car fanatic. It doesn't take much to get me started yapping about cars when someone asks, "What you think about *insert brand/make here*?" Also, as you may have found out (you didn't know? Catch up here) I've been without a car for a weeks now due to the negligence of distracted driver. My plan was to keep my personal car for a few more years before getting a car I really wanted but due to these circumstances, I've had to alter my plans a bit and go for a somewhat temporary stand-in. But what to buy?<br />
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My price cap was $10k and for that, my main focus (other than practicality and performance) was reliability. This car has to hold up for at least two years (more or less) to the rigors of my travels and beast-of-burden gigs while being relatively easy to work on myself. The 6 was virtually pain free for the DIY guy I am as most oil/fluid changes and tuneups were, though a bit arduous, mostly trouble free. I wasn't looking at SUVs/crossovers as most in my price range weren't my kind (I'm a wagon/hatchback lover). Sedans weren't frowned upon though they weren't my first choice either and even though I could've gotten another Mazda 6 (familiarity is a helluva thing) I figured I'd shake things up a bit. I found myself glued to websites such as cars.com, cargurus.com and Truecar and overtime, I narrowed my search down to two vehicles, the Ford Focus and Mazda3.<br />
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Let's look at the Focus. From 2012, Ford's compact runabout has been thoroughly redesigned and now is a virtual clone of it's Euro version. The styling is a hit and after reviewing one a few years ago, the fun to drive nature catapulted it to one of my favorites. The infotainment system may be a bit infuriating (read: MyFord Touch) but over time, I could get used to it. The hatchback was definitely the better looking version versus the sedan which just has a frumpy look. The only point of concern was Ford's new 6 speed, dual clutch auto. Initial response to this was lukewarm when the Focus debuted and since my purchase would be first-second year (before Ford's mid-cycle refresh of 2015) I wasn't sure I'd be up to dealing with its quirks and potential bugs. Searches turned up quite a few and there was one potential that I seriously considered. However, there were a few items the dealer was not willing to compromise on. Without going into detail, let's just say some items you expect to be common sense when a car is reconditioned for sale were not important enough for the dealer to do. As a result, that deal fell through. Other things such as cars being for sale online but mysteriously being sold hours later when I showed up for a test drive (a dealer trick I later learned) dried up my enthusiasm.<br />
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The other potential, the Mazda3 was also an early contender. Say what you want about Mazda's goofy design language from 2009-2013 but underneath all those lines was a solid vehicle. I've always extolled the virtues of Mazda vehicles for their almost singular focus on driving excitement while never losing sight of other important aspects such as efficiency, practicality and ease of ownership. While the fire breathing Mazdaspeed3 did tempt me, I decided to cool it and get something less toasty. A few Mazdas nearby were either high in mileage or weren't priced competitively. A few early propositions, just like the Focuses (Focii?), somehow disappeared from the lots despite being confirmed present by the various dealers. Towards the end of my search I started factoring in ease of maintenance and revised the list a bit. One night while doing a search, this off-the-wall option popped up.<br />
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I couldn't believe it.<br />
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2004 Lexus IS 300 Sportcross<br />
Price: $7600<br />
Mileage: 68,160<br />
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This has to be a joke. Can't be real. Not only was the first generation IS 300 a hallmark in Lexus history, being the first legitimate Lexus product sent to do battle with the BMW 3 Series in the early 2000s, it was also a car that I had really, REALLY wanted to drive. Despite not being turbocharged, the IS300 packed the 2J-GZE 3.0L inline six of the vaunted Toyota Surpa sports car. This legendary motor was bulletproof in its durability and longevity and, with the addition of Toyota's VVTI valve timing gear, was even better. But all that despite all that, what really captured my attention was that this particular car, is a rarity, being one of only 3,000 Sportcross models sold in the U.S. A quick check of Autocheck and CarFax brought up no issues and confirmed this being a one-owner car, pretty much stamp on the originality of those low miles. Here, I thought, was my chance to actually test Toyota's vaunted reliability claims and some fun while doing so. First off though, I had to see the vehicle in person.<br />
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The following Saturday, after testing yet another overpriced Ford Focus, I went down to the small dealership to see the Lexus. Normally I pause at visiting small dealerships, but I figured, if this car is the real deal I at least had to verify it. According to one website, the Lexus had been on the lot for around 6 months, the price falling to its current number, a good indicator that the dealer really wanted it off the lot. Walking through the tightly packed lot (I swear the little parking lot behind my office is twice as big) I spotted the black wagon sitting next to a late model Altima and an also-rare Chevy Malibu SS sedan. Pictures didn't do it justice. While time has had its way with it, the wagon still sports a surprisingly athletic stance. The body showed no physical damage, a few small micro dents here and there but nothing outwardly visible as prior damage. Opening up the interior really tells he age of the first gen IS300. The dash looked worn and the plastic trim separating the upper and lower portions were heavily weathered with small scratches. sprinkled around. The plastic trim surrounding the 5 speed automatic transmission's gear leaver was even more weathered and the characteristic ball on top of the lever was missing (apparently these shiny balls are prime pieces). The leather on the steering wheel had portions peeled away but the seats were in surprisingly good condition despite the leather being polished to a smooth finish. Overall the interior was, despite its age, in very good condition. Even the Lexus brand first aid kit was still velcroed to its position in the cargo area, seemingly untouched. Early 2000s designs stood out: a cigarette lighter sat prominently in front of the gear shift lever, the small diameter 3 spoke steering wheel emphasized tastes of the time, the A pillars were thin and visibility was excellent front and rear. Compared to the GMC Terrain I had stepped out of minutes before, I had basically taken a trip back into time.<br />
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Mechanically, the car was sound (or so I thought, more on this later). The engine started right up and idled quietly and I could hear no untoward noises or indications of repairs needed. However, after idling for roughly 10 minutes one thing was apparent: the AC was not working, hot air spewing out the vents, Hmm, a major issue this being Florida and all, but a minor one the dealer was happy to sort out. A few of the things besides the AC not working: the radio antenna was broken (an expensive OEM repair I found out later), the radiator had a leak (also revealed later and repaired by the dealer), the brake rotors were warped, the clip that held the hood prop in place was broken and the 6 disc CD player didn't work (the cassette player, surprisingly, did). Oh, and apparently the dealer only had 1 key available. Hmm, almost a deal breaker but not enough to sway me. Test driving the car revealed the structure to be taut and rigid, no squeaks and rattles permeating the cabin and the transmission shifting comfortably and precisely. Sure, the 5 speed isn't as responsive as modern 6 and 8 speeds but at least it didn't fall all over itself and was one of the better transmissions of the day. It offered a manual shift function with buttons located on the front and rear steering wheel spokes. A "PWR" button sat next to the gearshift lever, a sort of Sport button that when pressed, switched the transmission's programming to change gears at higher rpms. The inline six engine still sounded turbine-smooth and balanced as any BMW six-pot. The ride was certainly firm, a tad firmer in fact than my departed Mazda but straight-line stability was even better. With the front wheels here unloaded of the engine's output, steering was sharper and more immediate. Plus, being hydraulically actuated (instead of the electro-steering of today), the wheel was rife with information, the texture and irregularities of the road feeding their way from the front tires to the driver's hands.<br />
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Back at the dealer, I analyzed the car again. The cargo space appeared to be roomy enough to haul all my gear for gigs and be comfortable enough for the long daily commutes I have. Plus, this being essentially a Toyota, with regular maintenance I'd be assured a relatively trouble-free ownership. Seeing this as an opportunity, I put down on the car and within a few days, it was mine. During the short week or two of ownership, several items need to be .<br />
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1) Doing any used car purchase, please, PLEASE have a certified mechanic do a thorough check on ANY car you're seriously interested in. I neglected this very important part of the purchase and I paid for it with a missed day of work and tow truck drive to a mechanic to have the radiator replaced (dealer warranty).<br />
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2) Newer cars are complicated and aren't as DIY friendly as older ones. Hence, I'd like to do as much DIY maintenance as I can and save some money. The 2J-GZE motor is a well known engine and, despite Lexus branding, parts are plentiful and affordable. Plus there's a solid knowledge base in the online IS community ready and willing to help with various information regarding maintenance, upkeep and possible upgrades (don't worry, I aim to keep the car stock where it counts). Oil changes may be a bit difficult (the oil filter is situated in a hard to reach area, meaning spills could be inevitable), spark plug changes will be a fight (just as they were in the Mazda) and this being a timing belt as opposed to a timing chain (look out 90k miles!) but at least this is stuff that's not outside my mechanical ability. I just need a garage to do it all in (heh).<br />
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3) As my brother has said, it's the little things that add up and it is certainly the truth here. While not everything has to be fixed up front, I've found little odd things that could be either fixed or upgraded overtime. One example is the interior lighting that, after owning the Mazda for the better part of 6 years along with stints in the Ram and Terrain, looks very austere and dim. Even at it's brightest setting, the interior still appears dark and the dome/map lights cast very poor lighting. An LED conversion will cure this and is currently in the works.<br />
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4) I'm a bit torn regarding the current stock radio. While the CD player isn't working and I'm about to put the cassette player to good use with an AUX cassette to play music from my phone (I at least have a dedicated 12V charger besides the cigarette lighter, praise Jah!) I'd like to upgrade it in some way. Having navigation isn't really an essential (that's what my phone is for) so that lowers the price point considerably and, of course, I'd be doing the installation myself.<br />
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Writing this marks a month since I've been driving around in the Lexus and I've gotta say, it's been fun. Some negatives? The inline six drinks premium gas and, while a strong motor, good gas mileage isn't its forte. It's going to take some getting used to seeing 18 mpg rather than the 24 mpg I'd regularly get in the Mazda. And the cabin is definitely a more, er, intimate space than the relatively spacious 6. But again, this serves as a test of Toyota's reliability and ownership experience I'll have with this rare car. Sure it might not have a manual transmission, but at least it's a hatchback and one I'm looking forward to many good memories with. Sorry tuners, no turbos or coilovers or beer-can exhaust systems here. This 2004 Lexus IS300 Sportcross is going to remain mostly stock.<br />
<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-6055240000175767112016-04-11T17:10:00.000-07:002016-04-11T17:10:06.067-07:00Long(-ish) Term Review - 2016 GMC Terrain SLT V6<br />
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Here's a head-scratcher for you.<br />
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What does it mean when a vehicle strikes you as merely subpar? All flash and little substance? To be honest, I struggled to write this post on the 2016 GMC Terrain SLT V6 I'd been piloting for just over a week. Compared to most other crossovers I've been either driving or riding in, this one is an odd thing. Being on the market for six years with nothing but an exterior nip-and-tuck to keep fresh really doesn't do anything for its appeal. After the first few days, I wanted to like it. But as time passed, the more I thought I might find something that impressed, the more I found the negatives overshadowing what little positives there were. Let's take a look see.<br />
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As before, the the Terrain was introduced in 2009 as GMC's entry point into it's all truck/SUV lineup which previously, only consisted of the Sierra pickup and it's SUV Yukon brother. The full sized, three-row Acadia was launched in 2008 followed by it's midsized, brother Terrain. Bear in mind, all of GMC's products started life as a Chevy product at some point. Back in General Motor's bad ol' days, it was nothing to take a Chevy Silverado, replace the bow-tie badges with GMC logos, sprinkle some chrome on the exterior and interior and call it a new new product. Nowaday's GM has learned it ain't foolin' anybody and today's customers who buy GMC products want to make sure their extra cash gets them a product that, while it may have common platforms, looks nothing like the Chevy that's across the street. The same can be said of the Terrain. However, GMC might have gone a bit <i>too far</i> in my eyes to differentiate this small crossover from its Equinox brother. Where the Equinox has smooth curves and corners, the Terrain is blocky and straight-edged. In profile from the sides, its borderline handsome and I'll admit, the black paint does wonders to accent the acres of chrome slathered on the exterior (and this isn't even the top, chrome-out dog Denali trim!). But, looking head on, the styling can come off as a bit polarizing, especially from the front and rear where the chrome surrounding the lower fascia is akin to applying glitter lipstick to a pug. No one is going to call the Terrain pretty, overwrought maybe, but a beautiful thing this ain't.<br />
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Inside, my eyes were assaulted even more by the bright, shiny stuff dashed around the cabin. The front seats felt comfortable and easily provided support the long commutes I'm currently doing for work. But comfort couldn't make up for the amount of chrome that attacked my eyes during the bright Florida afternoons. Chrome surrounds the gearshift lever, the cup holders, even the top of the transmission had a thick bar of the bright stuff surrounding the edge. While striking at first, getting past the chrome trim reveals low quality material on the dash and area below the instrument panel. Even though the interior feel is a let down on quality, it is still very spacious. Loading up for a DJ gig, all my gear fit in the cargo area and the rear seats folded down to accommodate even more gear. The infotainment system's placement is angled such that in direct sunlight, you can look at it, but good luck making out the buttons for the climate control. The instrument panel was nicely done, simple to read but a bit odd in that to manipulate the trip information display between the main gauges (which looks like an 80s display next to the larger touchscreen), the controls are on the central stack rather than on, say, the steering wheel. Perhaps the most frustrating part of the interior was the 6-7 inch infotainment display. While bright and legible and using every available inch of real estate, the touchscreen's placement is deeply inset under an "eyebrow" and makes for difficult use. For example, supposing you want to get to the previous menu. On the screen, the back button is in the top left corner and, while in motion, takes too much aiming and concentration to place your finger accurately. Yes, there are some redundant controls on the steering wheel and just below the screen but, if you're going to give customers the option of using the screen, at least make it user friendly (see Chrysler's very intuitive UConnect system). <br />
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On the road, the Terrain is anything but dynamic. The steering is heavy and lifeless with no communication to the driver as to what the front wheels are doing. The six speed automatic is dimwitted, never confident about its gearing and always taking a few seconds to make up its mind as to whether my foot stomp on the go pedal really meant full throttle or half throttle. At least the 3.6L V6 makes the Terrain feel somewhat alive. Sending 301 hp and 272 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels, from a dead stop, the Terrain responds admirably. Until that is, its asked to pass slower traffic once underway. The transmission hesitates for a few seconds as if conducting a committee to analyze the placement of your foot on the throttle. Then once it confirms you really want full power and starts to feed it in, you've already let off the gas in dismay that the hole in traffic you were aiming for is now gone. While making good power, (way more than the gutless 3.0L it replaces), the 3.6L is quite thirsty: I averaged 18 mpg with most of my drives being on the highway. And lest you think this is the same sonorous sounding 3.6L Chevy drops in the Camaro, well, it ain't, sounding grainy and coarse past 4000 rpm. Once settled in cruise, the V6 quiets down and the transmission, eager to get to top gear, lopes the engine along at about 1500rpm at 70mph. In this state, the Terrain is a pretty good highway cruiser. Once off the highway however and the roads turn twisty, it's easy to make the front tires howl in understeering protest. Plus, at over 4100 lbs, it doesn't like being thrown around anyway and will remind you of that with its aggressive traction and stability control system in a "what's your rush?" sort of way.<br />
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Despite being GMC's second best selling model after the Sierra pickup, the Terrain is in need of a major redesign. Being on the market since 2009 only adds to how aged the design is, especially with every automaker now dipping their toes in the red hot crossover market these days. With newer crossovers coming to market from seemingly every corner, each more advanced in some way than the other, the little GMC is slowly being displaced as an also-ran. Nothing less than a complete overhaul of the Terrain's interior, dynamics and styling will do to ensure it stays relevant without the need for massive incentives to woo buyers into GMC's showroom. If you're looking for a roomy crossover with good power and loads of cash on the hood, GMC's entry crossover might be worth a look. But being far from the top of class (read mediocre) makes spending an as-tested $33,245.00 on a Terrain without eyeballing the competition seem like a sour deal. GMC likes to tout its products as being "Professional Grade", but in this class, GMC needs to literally apply some professional grade TLC to the Terrain. SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-78733903632081067352016-03-30T18:11:00.002-07:002016-03-31T18:21:13.536-07:00Long(-ish) Term Review - 2016 Ram 1500 Big Horn Quad Cab<br />
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What happens when you take a strapping young fellow who's been driving sedans for the last 20 years and put him in a half-ton truck for a week?<br />
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I'll tell you what, he gains a new appreciation for those drivers who commute in these beasts on a daily basis.<br />
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Not that I've never driven a truck for a day or two before. Those times, the experience was um, hairy-chested feeling to say the least but, mercifully short when reality set in. This time around, an opportunity that was a bit negative at first, presented itself. Since my regular car, *ahem* the STEED, was totaled a few days prior and the rental car agency had no sedans available, I took a long look at a big Ram Quad Cab truck sitting in a corner and quietly whispered to myself, "YOLO!"<br />
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I decided that, barring the progress made on finding a permanent vehicle replacement, the Ram would serve as the all-purpose vehicle for a week. Walking around the truck, I began to take in its sheer size. The big cross-hair grille is front and center in all is chromed and slatted glory. Flanked by angled headlights with a large lower bumper (also chromed out) integrating fog lights at the corners, the whole 'face' just forward slightly. See this face taking up your rear view mirror and you'll be instantly intimidated to move over. Hell, if this truck were doing one twenty on the German autobahn, I'm pretty even more exotic material wouldn't hesitate to get out of its way. Being a Quad Cab (in Ram-speak), this 1500 half-ton model has four doors, two regular sized (but surprisingly light) front doors and two smaller doors behind them. Don't be fooled, this isn't a true crewcab design, but the interior is surprisingly roomy. The truck bed measures 6'4" in length and was not equipped with a bedliner, but the big, bright dual exhaust tips are nice styling feature and call out to the brawn under the large hood. Taken as a whole, this Ram 1500 seems to the "trucker's pickup" compared to it's rivals from Chevy and Ford.<br />
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Inside, however, you could be fooled into thinking the cabin belonged to a full sized sedan. Material quality exceeds that of many cars I can think of and storage space is abundant. The front space is occupied by comfortable bucket seats with a large center cubby, useful for storing folders and big enough to stash a small laptop. Three cup holders adorn the front of the cubby, large enough for you 7 Eleven Big Gulp. When maximum seating is needed, it folds up to fit a sixth person, though he'd/she'd better be of small stature and not mind a 5-10 minute ride to the store. A bench occupies the rear of the cabin but even there, space is adequate and, when not in use, can be folded up to reveal yet more storage space underneath. The dashboard is feels richer than you'd think for a truck and panel gaps and nice and tight. With the amount of 'RAM" and "Big Horn" logos dotting the cabin, you'll never forget what brand truck you're in. Instead of the big 8.4" screen, this tester was fitted with the one-step down UConnect package consisting of a 5" touchscreen with integrated Bluetooth and voice command. A smaller LED screen sits between the speedometer and RPM gauge gives a variety of vehicle information. One curiosity is the electronic rotary gear selector placed just under and to the right of the steering wheel. In such a large vehicle that's meant to work, operating the selector feels rather dainty. P, R, N, D are your choices with manual gear selection available by using buttons mounted on the steering wheel. Shift paddles would be a better choice but in operation, I imagine an owner would only use these buttons when towing something.<br />
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Speaking of towing, this truck is certainly equipped for the job. The 5.7L HEMI V8 rumbles to life on startup, scaring a some squirrels a few times. With 390hp and 407lb-ft of torque, the roughly 5700lb Ram feels surprisingly light on its feet and power is but a throttle tap away. Doling out the power is a ZF eight-speed automatic which, when compared to the five speed unit attached to essentially the same engine in a Chrysler 300C I tested a few years ago, feels much quicker in response to throttle inputs and was vastly smoother in operation. The ride was also much better and less busy than a 2014 Chevy Silverado I drove briefly a few months ago. Credit Chrysler for turning the truck world on its head and fitting the Ram's rear suspension with coils rather than traditional leaf springs. Though still sporting a solid rear axle, coil springs give a vastly improved ride and better wheel control than leaf springs and Chrysler engineers managed to preserve the Ram's load carrying capability, now rated at 10,490lbs. Pretty much equal to what Ford and Chevy boast. As an option, the Ram can even be fitted with an air suspension but this was absent on my tester. Still I was pleasantly surprised at the truck's demeanor on the road. You don't forget that you're driving something big and heavy but at the same time, controlling it is easy. It's not hard to get into a comfortable driving position and the doing so gives you a clear view of the corners of the big hood, though you're always conscious of blind spots. Backing up would be easier is a rear-view camera was standard but as this was also absent, I had to proceed with caution. You can easily lose a compact car behind the tailgate if you're not careful.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 390hp beast under the hood</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No leaf springs here buddy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These dual bazookas give voice to the HEMI</td></tr>
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On the highway, the Ram was relaxed and offered ample stability. Loafing along at 1400 rpm, I managed to get a constant 21 mpg on the instant fuel economy readout, the HEMI softly rumbling in the background. The 8 speed automatic certainly helps along with V8's standard cylinder deactivation system which shuts down four of the eight cylinders under light loads. The Ram would make an excellent road trip vehicle. In urban settings however, this 19 ft vehicle is a chore. A huge turning circle and a 140" wheelbase does not lead to a maneuverable machine. Not to mention running some in-city errands quickly dropped my fuel economy to around 12 mpg. Well, that an hearing the HEMI roar under full throttle is intoxicating, if not economical. (Yes, I have a heavy right foot). Despite, this in mixed driving over the course of a week, I managed to get 16 mpg. Not bad for a heavy, V8, four door truck. Sure the EPA rates this vehicle at 15 city/22 highway, but in the real world you'll probably get worse, especially if you use the Ram for its intended purpose.<br />
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At the end of the week, I asked myself if I could really live with this truck. Yes, I did have dreams of owning a boat one day and towing with a HEMI-powered truck to the docks. But honestly, this was a smidge too much truck for me. The 26 gallon fuel tank certainly helps to make fillups infrequent but still pricey and if your trips don't involve lots of highway travel and towing you're probably better with the standard Pentastar 3.6L V6. Sure it's no HEMI and it screams more than it rumbles, but rated at just over 300hp, it'll do 80% of what the uplevel V8 can. Plus it will get much better fuel economy doing so. In my week with the 2016 Ram 1500, while I enjoyed driving it, I also felt like I was doing it a disservice. This truck wants to work and my daily errands didn't offer much opportunity to really test the strength of this vehicle. That said, if you can afford the cost of driving it, it'll certainly do it's job well. And towing or hauling doesn't comprise much of your day it's all good. Just hearing that 390hp monster under hood will bring a smile to your face everyday. Hell, I'm still smiling.<br />
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<i>As of this writing, the search for a new vehicle is still ongoing. In the meantime, I've got another vehicle reviewing and I hope to complete the search pretty soon. Thanks to Omar at Enterprise!</i> <br />
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<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-8605825825208760372016-03-25T13:22:00.003-07:002016-03-25T13:31:26.633-07:00Long Term Update - Death of The Steed<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In happier times</td></tr>
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There comes a time in everyone's life when a car comes along. It doesn't matter if you're a lover of automobiles or if you see cars as just an object to fill transportation needs. Doesn't matter if it's your first car, or your fourth. There's a slight feeling of anxiety when you leave it in the shop for repairs, or (heaven forbid) you lend it to a friend for use. Just driving from A to B is an experience that no other car can provide. That sense of fellowship, of oneness, of knowing that this isn't any ordinary car. This is your car. <i>Your baby</i>.<br />
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Car enthusiasts are a peculiar lot. We speak of our cars as if they are living, breathing organisms. Sentient beings that seem to communicate on a level that only their owners can understand. When something is amiss, the owner can instantly tell. "The steering doesn't feel quite right," an owner would say, his front seat passenger looking on with puzzled eyes. "She's not pulling away like she usually does." Later on, he parks in the garage and an open-hood, on-the-lift session commences. Sure enough after some poking and prodding he finds the culprit: a small, hole in one of the vacuum lines. To other drivers, this wouldn't be noticeable, but to a car enthusiast in tune with his vehicle, every unknown nuance is mentally noted.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleek</td></tr>
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This is a long-winded way of me saying that, as of March 24, 2016, my pride and joy, my baby, my 2006 Mazda 6s, affectionately known as <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2012/08/long-term-2006-mazda-6s-aka-steed.html" target="_blank">the STEED</a>, is no more. While stopped in traffic, a distracted driver speared into the back of the car, sending it into the rear of the car in front. Two huge impacts which left the STEED in a slightly accordion-ed state. Luckily she was still able to start up, despite a heavy coolant and oil leak, and move to an open lot where the emergency services did their thing. Surveying the severe damage, I anticipated my insurance deeming my baby a total loss and, a few days later that was exactly the result.<br />
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I had refinanced the loan to pay for my flight instructor course and had just over a year left, after which, I planned to keep her around till the wheels fell off. During the last 20k miles (she was at 137k at the time of the accident), I was mulling replacing her after the lien had run its course. However, I became so involved in her maintenance, doing everything myself, that I felt a sense of ownership with her. Other than some HID headlights installed a few years ago, I elected to keep her stock. No fancy wheels (though I did consider some nice 19" RX8 wheels), no suspension alterations, no engine upgrades, no kajillion-watt sound system or body kits. She was elegant enough in her black paint and tinted (legal) windows. The slight paint defects and chips only added to her character. Perhaps the crowning jewel in my affection was that she was a rarity: how many four door sedans today can you buy with a V6/stick shift combo? Maybe a few BMWs, the old Infiniti G37 (before it became the Q50) but that's it. Even then, you're talking upwards of $40k brand new. No one buys a manual transmission anymore. Not even the used car market is rife with may options. Sure you can find the odd 4 cylinder/stick shift combo in some compact/sub compact offerings, but in the mid-sized category? Fuggedaboutit.<br />
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Mazda did an excellent job in designing the first generation 6. Even today, the styling still looks sleek and purposeful despite the lack of detailing in the sheet metal compared to current mid-sized designs. Low on power compared to current engines, 215hp was plenty when I had a manual transmission to play with. Driven in anger, the 6 was alert, playful, composed and a joy to drive when twisty roads presented themselves. Freeway ramps were huge fun, the steering communicating just how much grip was left as I approached the adhesion limit of the tires. Once understeer showed itself, backing off the throttle tucks the nose back towards the corner. Mulling along in a typical commute, I could easily average around 27mpg on the highway, once I kept it at 70mph or below. While refinement wasn't a strong point compared to even its competitors of the day, the 6 was still enjoyable and comfortable enough on long freeway trips. Carrying loads? A breeze. I baffled many when they saw I didn't need a truck to transport my music equipment. It all fit in the 6. <br />
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I shall miss her. For now though, the search is on for another vehicle, though there will never be another like her. In this day and age when tiny turbocharged engines are starting to replace the V6 and manual transmissions struggle to find a place in even sport cars, pickings are slim. Credit to Mazda for sticking to its guns and keeping the manual transmission alive, although even they have shunned the V6 (see the new CX-9, its V6 jettisoned in favor of a turbocharged 4 cylinder). As it stands, Mazda is leading in the poll to be the next car although I may have to put my V6/manual dreams to bed. The Ford Focus is also under consideration (an ST would be perfect if the price is right) as well as the Mazda 3 (tight backseat not withstanding) and 2008-2013 Mazda 6. A hard price cap is in place so we'll see what the next week brings. I'll update once a decision is made.<br />
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In the meantime, I'm trundling around in a rented 2016 RAM 1500 Big Horn pickup. Call it instant gratification, but I feel like a big rig driver whenever I haul myself aboard. And the sound that 5.7L HEMI makes on startup is glorious, which sounds even more so when I bury the gas pedal. Of course the downside to all this is fuel economy that averages in the low teens. Currently I average anywhere from 14.5-16.1 mpg but only because I'm doing my best egg-between-my-foot-and-gas-pedal impression. Stay tuned for the full review to come soon.<br />
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If you're not a car enthusiast, I don't expect you to understand. As a matter of fact, I can see you raising your eyebrow in whimsical fashion after reading all of this. But that's ok. Keep driving your vanilla flavored Corollas in indifference to what us car guys know. There will always be THAT car. <br />
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<i>Take a look back at the STEED's history <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2012/08/long-term-2006-mazda-6s-aka-steed.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2014/06/long-term-2006-mazda6-s.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2014/10/tales-of-steed-spark-plugs-n-coils.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-62478227080234687332016-03-14T17:10:00.002-07:002016-03-14T17:10:56.585-07:00Short Take - 2017 Jaguar XE-S<br />
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Do you remember the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_X-Type" target="_blank">X-Type</a>? That supposedly premium clone of the European Ford Mondeo that Jaguar tried to market as a BMW 3 Series competitor? Yeah, no one really does either and Jaguar would prefer to keep it that way. Now with Tata Motors as its parent company (and one that is willing to spend the necessary cash without the look-over-your-shoulder mentality of previous suitor, Ford), Jaguar has decided to lob a second, more proper dart at the bulls-eye that is the BMW 3 Series and, dare I say, they might've succeeded.<br />
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At the Jaguar Audition event, I was introduced to the new 2017 XE, a car Jaguar will use to anchor its lineup at the more affordable end, giving the mid-sized XF some much needed breathing room to do battle with 5 Series/A6/CTS/E-Class. Gone is the jellybean, doughboy style of the X-Type, the XE adopting the look of the larger XJ and XF with sprinkled cues from the F-Type sports car. Walking in to the main hall, the entire lineup (including the new F-Pace crossover of which an intro review is upcoming) was presented and taking all cars into account, the familial styling is instantly recognized. To say the XE is as beautiful as the F-Type would be a stretch. After all, we are talking about a three-box shape on to which Jaguar chief designer, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Callum" target="_blank">Ian Callum</a>, has to make the XE stand out in a sea of BMW 3 Series, Audi A4s and Mercedes C Class sedans. However, with the previous XF as proof of his master craft, I'd say he pulled it off. The sheet metal is drawn taut over the aluminum-intensive chassis and features clean lines, leaving any sort of intricate detailing to its more expensive brothers. However, cues such as the rectangular grille and tail lights inspired by the F-Type and J-blade LED running lamps inset into sinister headlights give the car XE its own Jaguar look.<br />
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As before, the all new, modular platform makes extensive use of aluminum to cut down body weight, although on the scales, it doesn't really show. Weighing some 3700 lbs, the XE is right up there next to the 3 Series. As a matter of fact, the XE's dimensions closely mirror that of Bavaria's finest, coming within an inch or two in length, width and wheelbase. Under the hood, however, is where the differences end. While the 3 Series, specifically the 340i, employs a silky turbocharged inline six cylinder, the XE shares the supercharged 3.0L V6 from the F-Type. In my XE-S example, the V6 stomps out 340 hp and 332lb-ft of torque through either the rear wheels or optional all-wheel-drive (coming later in the model year). Looking at the engine, I was amazed at how large and long it was. Then I remembered its 90 degree cylinder spacing is the same as that of the larger 5.0L V8 in Jaguar's uplevel sedans. As a result, in order to cut costs, Jaguar made both engines to use the same engine mounts. While most other luxury compacts have migrated to front struts and simple multilink rear suspensions, Jaguar went its own way and developed a double wishbone front suspension with integral links anchoring the rear. The result is a car with a ride/handling balance that many, more expensive cars struggle to approach.<br />
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Inside, the XE presents a simple, clean layout of all controls and a premium-feeling cabin. You won't find the larger XF's robot air vents doing there dance whenever the vehicle is powered up or down. However, the gear shift continues to be a rotary unit which rises from the center console when you start the XE. Gimmicky at first but forgettable after a few uses. I didn't play with the infotainment screen much but I can report that the unit is clear and legible, responding quickly to inputs. I'd much rather have dedicated, hard controls for simple functions as radio tuning or volume control but steering wheel controls make that largely a non issue. Sitting in the backseat, there was enough space to get comfortable and not feel cramped. It may not be a full sized car, but it's less cramped than say, a Cadillac ATS backseat. The leather front seats though are gorgeous and what they lack in bolstering for track use, they make up in support and comfort. The cabin overall feels very airy and open thanks to the low cowl and huge sunroof. <br />
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Pressing the glowing start button, my ears were met with the howl of the big 3.0L (bigger in size than the one in my Mazda 6). One thing Jaguar engineers know how to do is tune a car's exhaust and intake noise and if the F-Type is any indication, they've done magic in the XE. Turning the rotary shifter to D, we roll out of the parking lot along Opa-Locka airport's B-roads in Eco, one of the four settings that changes the car's mood according to the driver's wishes. In this mode, the XE's throttle response is dumbed down, the exhaust goes silent and the ZF 8-speed transmission falls in love with the upper two gears. Approaching an empty stretch of arrow-straight road, I switched the transmission one notch over to S and instantly, the XE felt racier. The display between the speedometer and RPM dial turned red, now displaying the current gear, the exhaust baffles opened up to create that characteristic (some might say obnoxious) engine bark that Jaguar vehicles of recent are known for and the steering effort increased and stiffened considerably. Flooring the accelerator, the XE dropped from loafing in 8th gear down to 4th and surged ahead, the exhaust doing its best impression of a NASCAR racer. Within a few seconds, we had left 40 mph in the dust and were now cresting 75 mph. Seeing an intersection rapidly approaching, I lifted off the gas and simultaneously engaged the steering wheel-mounted paddles. The ZF transmission responded smartly to my commands, all the while my ears were treated to the aural pleasure of the exhaust popping and crackling. This supercharged V6 may not have the smooth, turbine sound of BMW's straight six motors, but it definitely trumps them in terms of exhaust tuning. I must say, through all the ruckus of the road drive, Jaguar did an excellent job in nearly silencing the characteristic whine of the supercharger. It's only heard in the very upper reaches of the RPM range and I struggled to hear it during normal driving.<br />
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Jaguar's intention for the XE is to anchor its lineup at the affordable end of the market: allowing the driver a sports sedan while still being civil enough to take the mother-in-law out to dinner. In this role, the XE is a pleasure to drive. While the ride is firmer than most, it isn't punishing. The structure is vault-like in feel and the suspension only allows the worst road imperfection to filter through to the occupants. Even then, you'll know you hit a pothole by hearing a "thump-thump" as opposed to feeling it through your rear end. Back at the airport, I was given the opportunity to put an XE-S through its paces at small autocross course. First would be a flat-out speed run, followed by a hard stomp on the brakes for a long sweeping left turn. That left turn would suddenly become a sharp 60-80 degree left, then an acceleration run up to a series of quick right-left-right corners followed by another hard braking section. Once given the signal, I floored the gas and the XE jumped off the line, the transmission smoothly selecting gears before abruptly jumping off the gas and on to the brakes. Those binders bit hard and the XE quickly shed speed for the upcoming corner, the transmission smartly anticipating the corner and downshifting to the proper gear. Steering feel was excellent and about mid turn, I was able to get the tail out slightly to help rotate the car. Yup, there's definitely a hit of F-Type in the way the tail-happy way the XE attacked corners. However, the slide was manageable and easily controlled. Through the tight, twisty section of the course and under acceleration, the XE never lost its poise, deftly threading the turns with just enough throttle steer to keep the nose pointed in the right direction before coming to the end of the course. The last car I had driven in anger this way was a 2015 BMW 320d and it was uncanny how similar the XE felt. While yes, the BMW was diesel powered and would've been trounced by the XE in a straight line, the sporty goodness was certainly there, although I'd give the nod to the XE in terms of sheer all around enjoyment. The steering feel was better in the XE and while the BMW had a very slight tendency to float before taking a set, the XE was more buttoned down and willing to rotate with very little body roll.<br />
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While the unloved X-Type was a very expensive lesson, the 2017 XE proves that Jaguar is a keen learner. The only way to take on the established set is to have a premium compact, luxury sedan of your own and build it from the ground up rather than using the metaphorical method of trying ti turn a goose into a swan. Here, I think Jaguar has hit the target squarely. It also helps that, in its chase for more sales and volume, BMW has dulled the 3 Series to appeal to more buyers, making its perch very unstable. While the 3.0L V6 is a very good engine, it also inherits some of the thirstiness exhibited by its larger V8 brother. For buyers sensitive about fuel economy, Jaguar will introduce a new line of four cylinder engines dubbed 'Ingenium'. A 2.0L four cylinder in the 240hp range will be the base model, followed by a diesel engine based on the 2.0L four. To tackle the likes of M, AMG and Quattro GmbH, you can be almost certain of an XE-R/RS/SVR model to follow a few years later. With some $3 billion dollars spent on its development, the XE needs to not just bring the fight to BMW and the other German rivals (not to mention the very good Cadillac ATS), but be a great vehicle in its own right. Jaguar has a lot riding on this platform, what with the XF sedan and F-Pace crossover following up. In this blogger's mind, the 2017 Jaguar XE could perhaps be the new king of the hill. Your move, BMW.<br />
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<br /><i>Special thanks to Jaguar for the invite and making this review possible. I tried out for a commercial featuring the new Jaguar XE and the video can be viewed <a href="http://www.jaguartheaudition.com/Miami/15444871" target="_blank">here</a>. I make no bones of being an actor but hey, it was fun!</i><br />
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<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-67310806893500506482016-02-12T12:45:00.002-08:002016-02-12T12:45:53.067-08:00Short Take - 2016 Dodge Charger SXT Rallye<br />
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"That thing got a Hemi?"<br />
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Nope, it's got a <i>Pentastar.</i><br />
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What we have here is a Dodge Charger that looks like it's got a fire-breathing V8 under the hood. I'm behind the wheel of a 2016 Charger SXT with the Rallye Appearance package that, at least externally, does quite a good job imitating it's higher-up R/T brother: 20" wheels? Sport suspension? Trunk mounted spoiler? Darkened fascia? All present and accounted for.<i> </i>Right up until you press the engine start button.<br />
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That is <i>NOT</i> a Hemi.<br />
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What it's got is a 3.6L V6 pushing out 300hp and 264lb-ft of torque (up from 292hp and 260lb-ft, thank you Rallye package!) through an 8 speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. It neither sounds like a Hemi, or goes like one, but for 95% of the driving population, that's more than enough. Riding on the LX1 platform that was last revised for 2012 (but dates back to the Mercedes Benz W211 of the early 2000s), the Charger is getting elderly but you'd never know looking at it. Dodge sought to give the Charger a more Euro look for 2015, starting up front with a Dart-like face accented by a blacked-out R/T clip that, along with LED running lamps around the HID projector lights and in the lower fascia, gives the Charger a sinister look. The rear end is more rounded and, to my eye anyway, better integrates the 'race-track' tail lamps that identify the Charger as a Dodge product. The scallops along the sides that look tacky and forced on the 2014, looks smoothed in and better styled now. Those fakey-doo exhaust outlets now have a more styled appearance and while I wish the tailpipes were actually attached to them, that's just a minor nitpick from me. <br />
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The Charger is a full sized car and with that comes wads of interior room. Front passenger room is more than adequate and it was easy to find a good driving position. The front seats could've used more bolstering, but then that's why you'd by the SRT models. Rear seat room was spacious with ample leg and knee room and three passengers shouldn't have a problem on extended drives. With the revamped exterior comes a reworked interior and it certainly looks it. Behind the new three-spoke steering wheel sits a new gauge cluster that is at once, both nice to look at but slightly infuriating due to the small font of the numbers. However, the new TFT display between the gauges is a welcome addition. Front and center in the dash is the Chrysler UConnect 8.4" infotainment system that remains one of my favorites. The display is intuitive and has quick reaction to touchscreen inputs, the downside being fingerprint accumulation. The shifter, another sticky point of just a few years ago, has been revised to include actual detents based on gear selection so no longer did you have to look at the TFT display to see what gear you were in (take notes BMW). All in all, the interior feels pretty luxurious compared to the 2014 model.<br />
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Driving around some airport B roads, the Charger drives big but its firmly damped suspension helps it carry its weight with aplomb. It's only when you really lean into corners that you realize Sir Isaac Newton wasn't kidding. While the 300hp V6 doesn't allow for the tail out shenanigans of the Hemi, there's still enough power on tap to at least make the Charger sporting. One of the changes for 2015 is the Charger's move to electric power steering and three modes to change the steering feel: Normal, Comfort and Sport. Comfort mode makes the steering feel light and allows for easy parking maneuvers while Sport adds (artificial) heft and makes the Charger feel smaller than its 120" wheelbase would suggest. I did try to get the tail out (purely for testing purposes of course) and was able to, while using the shift paddles but 264lb-ft aren't enough to hold it out in a powerslide. That being said, the ZF-sourced 8 speed auto is a fantastic piece, offering seamless upshifts when cruising and quick downshifts when it detects you're approaching a corner. The paddles do work but don't expect dual-clutch levels of responsiveness from them. The brakes, single piston units front and rear, stop the big Charger with authority and exhibited little fade. Underway, the Charger is remarkably quiet and refined, the elderly Mercedes architecture showing itself with bank vault solidity and stiffness. Even though this is an elderly platform, kudos to Dodge (nee Chrysler) for the continuous refinement and tinkering to keep the LX architecture on par with new platforms.<br />
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As this is the SXT level, what you lose in power compared to the fire breathing uplevel Hemis (5.7L, 6.4L 6.2L Hellcat) you gain back in gas mileage. The EPA rates the V6 Charger at 19 city/31 highway and I averaged a respectable 26 mpg during my few-hours long flog...er, testing. All wheel drive is an option though it saps fuel economy by 1 and 4 in city/highway respectively. The 2016 Dodge Charger SXT Rallye is a big car and harkens back to a time when full sized, rear wheel drive cars ruled the road. While crossovers are the it-thing today, the Charger still gives its driver all-American bragging rights over plebian Accords and Camrys, if not at the dragstrip. For those chops, Dodge will gladly point you to the 707hp SRT Hellcat in the corner. <br />
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<i>Many thanks to Ernie for helping facilitate this review!</i><br />
<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-9883575839142015702016-01-06T12:10:00.001-08:002016-01-06T12:10:21.095-08:00Short Take - 2015 Dodge Dart<br />
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Ahh, the Dodge Neon. The automotive equivalent of a caveman, next to the more advanced Japanese set (to say nothing of the equally ancient Chevy Cobalt), it was a decent runabout of a compact car. However, in SRT form, it was the king of the sport compact car segment. What it lacked in the finesse of the Honda Civic Si/VW GTI set, it more than made up for in brute force. Whereas the Si was a high rpm VTEC screamer and the GTI brought a high tech 2.0L turbo, the SRT4 was armed with a large bore, fire spitting 2.4L with a large turbocharger. Like bringing a sledgehammer to a katana blade fight. So American.<br />
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But alas, the Neon was too rough-edged a thing to survive for long, popular as it was. Enter the quasi-SUV Dodge Caliber to take up the reins in 2007. But the Caliber came to market at a very weird and hostile time, not to mention it couldn't hold a candle to the quality of its competitors. From 2007 to 2012, the Caliber soldiered on, holding the compact candle for Chrysler while it divorced from Cerberus Capital Management Group (who we're pretty sure abused the company) into the welcoming arms of Fiat. Finally, we thought, here's a chance for Chrysler to finally get the love and tender care it needs to shine. The first product of this marriage would be a compact car based on the excellent platform of the European Alfa-Romeo Guilietta compact, slightly altered for bulky Americans (i.e. wider, longer).<br />
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Built on the Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW) platform, the Dart is on the larger side of the compact segment. However, designers did a fine job in differentiating it, not just from the Guilietta, but from pretty much everything else in the segment. If you squint really hard, you can see some elements of the Neon design in the body. From the rising belt line and large windshield in the front 3/4 view to the neat rump and large glass area. Resplendent in black paint and murdered-out black wheels, my tester was, err, murdered out. Tint the windows and you'd have a properly sinister, yet handsome looking compact. The headlights are large, yet (again blacked out) squint into a squashed Dodge cross-hair grille with a gaping maw down below, flanked by brake cooling ducts with integrated fog lights. Around back, the brake lights from Dodge's now signature 'race track' pattern that are unmistakable for anything else but a Dodge. Taken as a whole, the Dart looks purposeful and while not exactly pretty, is a good looking car.<br />
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Inside, things get even more interesting. The race track pattern on the tail lights is reflected in a lighted ring around the instrument cluster. The instruments themselves are large and easy read and feature a large LCD between the speedometer and tachometer for trip and vehicle information. The 8.4" UConnect system was large and as user friendly as the automotive press suggests. Bright, clear and with quick response to touch inputs, the system was a joy to use (take note Ford). The seats featured premium black cloth and while the fronts were wide and offered good support, I was a bit surprised at how little space there was in the back. For a compact car than on the larger side of the class, the Dart's backseat was short on legroom, despite having good width for elbows and shoulders. For comparison sake, the Toyota Corolla offers a huge backseat with limo-like legroom. Headroom was on the low side compared to others in the segment, but at least the materials were quality. Everywhere you're likely to place your hand felt decent to the touch, if not plush and luxurious. Occupying the driver's seat, all controls fell readily to hand. Interior wise, the Dart is a huge improvement over the Caliber's Rubbermaid-like cabin and felt like a larger car than it was, which some buyers will appreciate.<br />
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Under way, the Dart also drives like a larger car. Powering the front wheels is the 'Tigershark' 2.4L inline four cylinder, mustering 184hp and 172lb-ft of torque through a standard six speed manual transmission (a six speed automatic is optional). On an empty stretch of road, I timed a 0-60mph run from a standstill in a tick over 8 seconds, right in the thick of the compact segment. On the outside, revving the engine gave a somewhat pleasant exhaust note but cresting 4500 rpm the note turned thrashy and coarse. Though the 2.4L will rev willingly, it's not an engine that sounds particularly good doing so (see Honda Civic for that). On some curvy roads and long sweepers, the Dart's Guilietta-based platform shines though. The strut-front and multilink rear suspension take a set and the Dart hunkers down through the corner. This being the SXT model, the suspension is softer but with a hint of Euro firmness that fought body roll at the limit. Understeer ultimately prevails, but the Dart didn't urge me to push it harder. Opt for the GT model and the suspension is even starchier though ride quality may suffer. Grab it by the nape and the car will play along, but it doesn't have the always-willing-to-play character of the Mazda3. While the Corolla will insist that you DESIST from any shenanigans behind the wheel, the Dart will prove entertaining and willing. However, the Dart is in its element loafing along at 70mph, the suspension doing its best Dodge Charger impression, soaking up bumps and giving a big-car ride. The steering is quick but was at times lifeless with little feedback on how far I was pushing the Dart. The six speed manual had long throws and I'd sometimes catch 4th when downshifting to 2nd. <br />
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While the Dart's driving dynamics aren't top of the class, it will satisfy the technogeek with it's veritable list of standard and optional equipment. I can't say enough about the user friendly nature of the UConnect system and the availability of things like heated seats, satellite radio, rearview camera, Bluetooth, navigation and heated steering wheel. My black SXT tester came standard with the 2.4L/six speed manual and from there, was equipped with the Blacktop Package (black 18" wheels, black fog lamp surrounds, black exterior mirrors),8.4-Inch Touch Screen UConnect Group (Illuminated Instrument Panel Surround, iPod® Control, Remote USB Port as well as the aforementioned 8.4 touchscreen) and elements from the Rallye Appearance Group (Active Grille Shutters, black Crosshair grille with black surround, dual rear exhaust with bright tips, fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, touring suspension, rear stabilizer bar, underbody aerodynamic treatment). As tested price is $21,128 (including $995 destination). As value or money, the Dart ix excellent for the price. It's a decent drive and includes a plethora of technology that nowadays is essential for any modern car buyer. If you're looking for a driver's car, you could do worse (ahem, Hyundai Elantra) but as an all around daily driver, the Dodge Dart is a great choice. Mopar fans clamoring for a return of the SRT4 will have to wait till 2017.<br />
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<i>Hat tip to Doug for helping to make this review possible!</i><br />
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<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-21090424818909852382015-05-14T18:16:00.000-07:002015-05-14T18:16:49.595-07:00Short Take - 2015 BMW i3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you've noticed BMW's products getting a tad soft and pudgy, you're not alone. I recently had the chance to drive a 428i Gran Coupe (yes, that's a thing now) and, comparing it and it's turbocharged 2.0L four cylinder engine to an E90 328i sedan drive some years ago, the difference was stark. The silky, snarling naturally aspirated inline six of that old 328i and the nimbleness of the chassis coupled with the telegraphic steering wheel were all now masked by a noticeable layer of fat. Sure the 428i was still nimble and sporty enough, but you had to work more to extract that signature BMW driving magic as opposed to having it right at the surface with the old 328i. And while the turbo four was plenty powerful and much more fuel efficient, it's character was one of indifference.The driving press was left scratching their collective heads. Has BMW lost it way? Now with the launch of its new <i>i</i> brand, the signs were even more ominous.<br />
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How was BMW going to explain this seemingly blasphemous course shift?<br />
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What started with BMW dipping its toes into the hybrid market has now turned into a headfirst dive into the electrified driving future. Purists will cry foul and point to this car as clear evidence BMW has lost its "Ultimate Driving Machine" wits, but the manufacturer isn't budging. Rather than think of the i3 as blasphemy (hard as that was for me not to do), I decided to be open-minded as I was handed the keys at a recent driving event.<br />
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Approaching the <i>i</i>3, I couldn't help but notice how futuristic it looks. Imagine a utopian future where mobile pods are the primary means of transport, now place this car in that thought and it's not completely out of sorts. Even if the roundel wasn't pasted on the hood, the kidney grill (which isn't really a grill) and the shaped headlight stack as well as subtle design cues still point to this curiosity being a product of Munich. Tall 19" wheels are promising until you notice the ultra skinny 150/90R19s wrapped around them, all the better for the least rolling resistance possible. The i3's upright stance and design are as unconventional as they are intriguing. The door entry has no B pillar and the rear door is side hinged, suicide style The rear hatch area is one piece glass with the tail lights sitting underneath. The belt line is similarly funky with an, 'up, down, up, then down again' style that's bizarre yet eye catching. This isn't a beautiful car, but then again neither was the 2nd generation Toyota Prius and we're pretty much used to that car's styling.<br />
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Where the i3's looks are, well, unique, it's structure and chassis are remarkable for sheer engineering prowess. Utilizing what BMW calls its "LifeDrive" (yes, really) construction process, the manufacturer was able to bring a concept called the "skateboard platform" to production. Here, the chassis is one unit while the passenger cell is another. Simply put, it's the next generation of body-on-frame construction involving aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced plastics. The skateboard, or Drive Module, houses the 450lb 22kWh lithium ion battery pack while the electric motor is housed as the rear and supplies 170hp and 184lb-ft of torque at zero rpm. The entire Drive Module is made of lightweight aluminum with only steel components being some suspension bits and pieces. The passenger cell, called the Life Module, is fashioned from carbon fiber with the side panels made from composites. The entire car weights just over 2600lbs (without an optional range extending gas engine) and, with other BMW models, the weight is split 50/50 front to rear.<br />
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The i3 is marketed as a city and as such, my drive was done around the streets of central Hialeah. In this setting, the i3 is in its element. Torque from the electric motor is right-now there and give the car a peppy feel. See that hole in traffic? Prod the gas, er, throttle and the i3 will make it The ride was pretty compliant and visibility was excellent. Too excellent on some occasions. Driving the i3 through the city is almost like driving a Lamborghini Aventador in terms of the looks and stares you'll receive. On one occasion, I was stopped at a traffic light and one of the street vendors who was walking between the cars, selling bottled water stopped directly in front of the i3 and looked it up and down. After about four minutes of intense scrutiny, he gave me a nod and continued on his way. This happened about three more times during my drive and while a bit unnerving, is something an owner should get used to.<br />
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The tinny feeling I was half expecting while sauntering through town never materialized. The structure is vault-rigid and doesn't feel or drive like a science experiment. The steering, while electric, is quick and precise, imparting good response without feeling darty and while the skinny tires make no pretense to be sporty, they otherwise were grippy where it counted. Turn hard enough and the rears will skip through corners (not enough contact patch) but non-defeatable stability control will kick in to right the car. At normal speeds, even though there's a brake pedal next to the throttle, it is quite easy to drive the i3 using the throttle alone as long as you can anticipate stops. Lift off the throttle and the electric motor's regenerative braking will kick in to slow the car to a stop, during which energy is recaptured and routed back to the battery. The torquey nature of the electric makes stoplight drag racing addictive, but you'll only end up depleting the battery more rapidly.<br />
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Unlike other BMWs, there's no Sport or Sport+ mode to select as, this being an electric city car, only EcoPro and Comfort modes are available with an EcoPro+ mode new. In other words, if you want get hooliganish, Comfort mode is your best bet as the car provides full power. EcoPro trims off throttle response, increases regen braking and EcoPro+ shuts of the air conditioning and uses a display on the dash to remind you that the i3 isn't an M3 so quit the tomfoolery. Another quirk about the i3 is that, unlike conventional cars, there's no creep if you ease off the brake. If your feet are completely off both pedals, the car won't move unless you tease the throttle.<br />
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Inside, the i3 is a tad less polarizing than the exterior, but still a bit aloof. The column mounted shifter requires a learning curve, in that it doesn't move up and down. Rather, the capped end of the stalk rotates: forward for drive, back for reverse. A button on top of the rotating end engages park while another on the fixed portion turns the car on or off. Having driven other BMWs that day that have their own fiddly shifters, this was almost infuriating. I had to concentrate on the display to make sure I was in the correct drive mode before moving the car. The rest of the interior is quite airy and spacious, almost like a living room. This being a zero emissions vehicle, most of the interior materials are fashioned from recyclables. There were some surfaces that I thought looked a bit cheap but the strip of wood that lines the dashboard looked pretty good and, running under the infotainment screen and driver's info screen give the car a techy, yet classic feel. This might be a city car, but it's a quality interior and is almost concept car-cool.<br />
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Starting at $42400 sans destination ($46250 with range extender), the i3 isn't cheap by any measure although federal and tax incentives can sweeten the deal. As long as you're prepared for an alternate lifestyle, the i3 could very well be the easiest EV to live with on a daily basis. The charge time is a reasonable three hours plugged into a 220 volt circuit (in your garage), or 30 minutes from a fast DC charging 440 volt circuit and yields a range between 80 and 100 miles. And even if you're of the range-anxious sort, the iDrive navigation system can learn your driving style and predict whether or not your destination is feasible given the amount of charge the battery has. As always, your mileage will vary based on your driving style and while the i3 has a 93 mph top speed, highways aren't the its ideal environment. While the i3 may sit at the polar opposite of BMW's other models, it is no less a BMW as all of manufacturer's core values such as lightness, solidity, driving dynamics and quality are present and accounted for, except that they're encapsulated in a completely different concept. No, the i3 isn't the Ultimate Driving Machine in the sense of canyon carving, tire smoking dynamics. Yet, on my short drive, I couldn't help but find the concepts that make those same canyon carving, tire smoking dynamics possible. Look at is this way: while the M5 is perfectly capable of driving in the city, it will always keep you aware of the nuclear bomb under the hood and will you to take it to the track where all 560hp can be unleashed in full. The i3 on the other hand, will handle a track (if you ask nicely) but would rather you keep it within city limits where its quick responses, demure size and efficiency are able to shine.<br />
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The i3 is indeed an impressive piece of engineering from BMW and as their first ground-up EV offering, hints at what the German outfit has in store for the market. Now if only I could get the keys for the i8....<br />
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<i>Many thanks to Rich Beam, Byron, Julien, Clippy and the entire staff for putting on an impressive day. Special shout out to Byron for his exceptional coaching and knowledge!</i>SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-80527178587628080872015-01-23T14:22:00.000-08:002015-01-23T14:28:05.277-08:00The Return of V - 2016 Cadillac ATS-V<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcHJ3GrMTeM/VMLIAQEBNOI/AAAAAAAALb8/WDmnM9whilg/s1600/atsv1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcHJ3GrMTeM/VMLIAQEBNOI/AAAAAAAALb8/WDmnM9whilg/s1600/atsv1.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe</td></tr>
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In a previous post, you were introduced to Cadillac's new assault on the compact luxury sedan market, the ATS. Since its introduction, the well designed and engineered sedan I drove has spawned a coupe version that, while lacking the visual prowess of the outgoing CTS Coupe, still packed the performance and luxury that sees Cadillac meeting the German competition head-on.<br />
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And they're not done yet. <br />
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Feast your eyes on the 2016 ATS-V, the instrument with which Cadillac aims to give the BMW M3/M4 and Mercedes C63 AMG a bloody nose. While the standard ATS sedan and coupe are excellent purveyors of the refined 'Art & Science' design theme, the V treatment has given the cars an aggressive streak without being garish. Sure they're designed to be stealthy but next to their tamer kin, the V variants won't go unnoticed. Elements like a deep front splitter, heat-extracting hood vent, larger cooling brake ducts, quad tailpipes and a duck-tail spoiler along with larger 18" wheels (more on this) aim to up the ATS-V's visuals and work particularly well on the coupe (long lambasted for being too tame next to the outgoing CTS coupe's dynamic persona).<br />
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Of course, the ATS-V isn't all show and no go. Every opening and orifice on the front end is functional with tasks of either aiding downforce or cooling the uprated and tuned version of the 3.6L LF4 twin-turbo V6. Producing an estimated 450hp and 455lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels, this motor features such exotic elements like titanium connecting rods, new titanium turbos, higher flow fuel injectors and wet sump oil system that has been tested at withstanding up to 2 gs of lateral acceleration. A high flow, quad exhaust system announces the motor's presence (annoyingly with prerecorded sounds played back the sound system). The driver will have a choice of either a traditional six speed manual (hooray!) or GM's new eight speed automatic (same as in the new Corvette) to shuttle power to the rear end, which itself comes with an electronic limited slip differential to help put down the blown six's massive power.. The automatic boasts settings that vary response and shift times, which GM says were benchmarked against Porsche's PDK dual clutch transmission. Interestingly, shift times are boasted at being quicker than the Porsche unit while being able to slur through gears like, well, a proper Cadillac. The six speed manual will feature GM's 'no-lift shift' algorithm and automatic rev-matching for those of us that talk the talk (for the rest of us, the feature can be switched off).<br />
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The ATS' Alpha chassis has been thoroughly altered for V duty, boasting additional rigidity through a stiffened front structure (a hollow aluminum plate that stiffens the engine cradle while also serving as an aerodynamic underbelly tray). A 50 percent stiffer suspension setup at all four corners enhances roll stiffness while third-generation Magnetic Ride Control dampers feature faster reaction times (now altering damping every inch of road travel versus three inches before) while being 40 percent stiffer than before. Of course, road damping can be dialed back for a cushier experience but even at its softest setting, the ride will still be "performance oriented". On both the ATS-V coupe and sedan, the front tracks are slightly wider than their tamer brethren while the rears are slightly narrower, enhancing turn in and rotation through corners. Wider 18" Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires sized <span class="paragraph">255/35R18 front and 275/35R18 rear are mounted on lightweight forged wheels to decrease unsprung weight at all four corners. Expecting bigger 19" or 20" wheel options? Don't as Cadillac felt altering the suspension balance for heavier wheels would compromise the platform's excellent dynamics. </span><br />
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<span class="paragraph">Tasked with halting all that power are giant steel 14.6", six piston front brakes augmented by 13.3", four piston rear units. Will fancy, shmancy carbon ceramic brakes be optional? According to Cadillac chief engineer Dave Leone, the standard brake setup works so well, that carbon ceramics were deemed as an unnecessary expense. That said, customers shouldn't expect a dedicated track package as Leone says, the ATS-V is <i>THE</i> track package. To further back up this claim, the exterior visuals have been beefed up in a functional, non-garish way. To cool the blown motor, the grille area has increased by 50 percent with extractors and gills allowing hot air to escape the engine bay. A convincing hood bulge with heat extractor helps to give the LF4 clearance while a deep front splitter, brake cooing ducts, side sill extensions and rear diffuser give the ATS-V presence. An optional Track Pack will be available that adds additional downforce via a deeper front splitter and larger rear spoiler, along with extensions forward of the front wheel wells and deeper side rocker panels.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2016 Cadillac ATS-V Sedan</td></tr>
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<span class="paragraph">Inside, Recaro sport front seats will be standard as well as real carbon fiber and suede trim. The Corvette's Performance Data Recorder will also be available so you can record your Lewis Hamilton-antics. It works by using a small, forward mounted camera and records video and in-car audio to glovebox-mounted SD card. It also records parameters like throttle and steering inputs as well as braking points and lateral acceleration. Unfortunately, Cadillac'c CUE user interface system will also be standard. If you read my earlier ATS entry, you'll understand that the less said about that infuriating system, the better. </span><br />
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<span class="paragraph">Pricing hasn't been set as of this writing, but expect the ATS-V to go on sale in late spring of 2015 with a price that competes with the German establishment. With the ATS serving as an excellent base and competing well with the regular BMW 3/4 Series, the V variant looks set to be the perfect M3/M4 killer. All hail the Star Spangled Banner!</span><br />
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<span class="paragraph"><i>Images courtesy of <a href="http://www.cadillac.com/" target="_blank">Cadillac.</a></i></span><br />
<span class="paragraph"><br /></span>SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-54863705028409374332014-10-02T14:05:00.000-07:002014-10-02T14:05:07.190-07:00Tales of the STEED - Spark Plugs 'n Coils<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fexPYbQgRYY/VC2lgzprMKI/AAAAAAAAKgI/dJ_NRQBf9YI/s1600/IMG_20140927_093504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fexPYbQgRYY/VC2lgzprMKI/AAAAAAAAKgI/dJ_NRQBf9YI/s1600/IMG_20140927_093504.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spark plugs, ignition coils and intake port gaskets ready to go!</td></tr>
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My back still hurts.<br />
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What was supposed to have been a 3 hour repair job, turned into 8 hours of wrenching. All to save a few hundred dollars in repair costs. See, some 10,000-20,000 miles ago, my Mazda 6 started experiencing *ahem* cough symptoms. No not literally coughing, more like stuttering. I noticed that whenever I tried to go full throttle at low rpm (usually below 2000), the car would start hesitating, as if trying to clear its throat while slowly pulling away. For example, the car is loafing along at a steady 65 mph with the cruise control engaged. If I decide to add 5 mph to that cruise setting without downshifting (and by pressing the ACCEL button on the cruise control area) the car would commence subtly bucking, stuttering and wheezing all the way to 70 mph before settling down again. It's a totally unnerving to experience. Every. Time.<br />
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After browsing numerous forums, YouTube channels and talking with mechanics, three diagnoses were possible: 1) fouled spark plugs/ignition coils 2) vacuum leak 3) clogged fuel injectors. I ruled out the fuel injectors pretty early, deeming that a serious case since the car has downed its fair share of fuel injector cleaners since being bought (FYI: the fuel you purchase already has additives to keep fuel injectors clean). Next item was to check for a vacuum leak. Feeling around the different hoses, listening for the distinctive <i>hiss </i>of escaping air turned up nothing. So considering the car's age and that the spark plugs/coils had never been replaced I zeroed in on that being the cause. Some forums mentioned a possible oil leak that might enter the spark plug chambers, thereby inhibiting the ability of a spark to be created and causing a cylinder to misfire. With that, my project was set. Here's how it went down.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engine Cover, gotta remove this first.</td></tr>
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Opening up the engine bay, I'm faced with an engine cover. Take that off (held down by three nuts) and the engine block itself becomes visible. The front three spark plugs are right there (in your face) and after loosening up some electrical connectors are quite easy to replace. But wait you ask, where are the other three? Well, they're buried under the plenum/throttle body assembly towards the rear of the engine bay against the firewall. To get to those three involves first removing the battery and airbox. Why? So the multiple hoses and electrical connectors can be removed BEFORE you can even think about removing the plenum and its eight bolts. This, my friends, is where the fun begins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gpPynk5wx7k/VC2mohzB9_I/AAAAAAAAKgY/f2GsR7uJPq8/s1600/IMG_20140927_094703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gpPynk5wx7k/VC2mohzB9_I/AAAAAAAAKgY/f2GsR7uJPq8/s1600/IMG_20140927_094703.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the cover off, the forward bank of spark plugs/ignition coils are exposed at the bottom of the picture, just right of the oil dip stick.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f787lCbxI9M/VC2movlSzqI/AAAAAAAAKgc/F7myO3MBdDc/s1600/IMG_20140927_101754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f787lCbxI9M/VC2movlSzqI/AAAAAAAAKgc/F7myO3MBdDc/s1600/IMG_20140927_101754.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Airbox and battery removed, the throttle body is visible (cloth underneath throttle body is catch any coolant from disconnecting the hoses.</td></tr>
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<br />
A total of 6 hoses (2 coolant and 4 vacuum I believe) are attached to the plastic plenum. Most were a breeze but two of the hoses were located underneath the plenum in an awkward area that was difficult to reach. To make matters worse, while I was able to remove the metal clamp that holds the hose on the fitting, the hose itself remained fused to the fitting. It took me over an hour, using a flathead screwdriver, to reach under the plenum and slowly pry the stuck hose loose before finally pulling it off. My brother, bless his heart, took care of the other hose (by this time my arms were like wet noodles). With the final hoses off and the eight bolts fastening the plenum to the block loosened, we were able to slowly and carefully remove the plenum, taking care not to bend or hit the EGR valve that inserts itself just behind the throttle body. This reveals the six intake ports along the middle of the block where "vee" in V6 comes in. Immediately, the ports were stuffed with paper towels to prevent any debris falling down them. The three rear plugs were finally visible and were replaced, one after the other, and were fitted with new ignition coils.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4LQdvMBygk/VC2ntu76O1I/AAAAAAAAKgs/W9xloZc--w8/s1600/IMG_20140927_103352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4LQdvMBygk/VC2ntu76O1I/AAAAAAAAKgs/W9xloZc--w8/s1600/IMG_20140927_103352.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A better view of the ignition coils. (Instead of having a distributor and ignition wires, each spark plug has its own dedicated plug-on ignition coil)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P6coJPzAt9g/VC2ntawlz0I/AAAAAAAAKgo/6XzIbA8hgSE/s1600/IMG_20140927_103406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P6coJPzAt9g/VC2ntawlz0I/AAAAAAAAKgo/6XzIbA8hgSE/s1600/IMG_20140927_103406.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the hoses that had to be disconnected from the plenum (they put up a fight)...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YyjAbdzfLAQ/VC2ntSMlUeI/AAAAAAAAKgw/c5In0_pe7uM/s1600/IMG_20140927_103420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YyjAbdzfLAQ/VC2ntSMlUeI/AAAAAAAAKgw/c5In0_pe7uM/s1600/IMG_20140927_103420.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...so did this coolant hose. Notice the metal clip is off but the hose itself looks fused to the fitting. Prying with a flathead screwdriver eventually fixed this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Let's back up a bit. Remember that shuddering, stuttering noise the engine made when accelerating below 2000 rpm? While inspecting the front bank of spark plugs, I found the culprit: oil. As you can see in the image, oil not only coated the entire lower half of the middle spark plug, but got past the seal and made its way up the ignition coil itself. This, I reckon, caused the cylinder to misfire, temporarily confusing the engine's ECM and causing the engine itself to hesitate. Where did the oil leak originate? My best educated (read: layman) guess is that the valve cover gasket (the rubber seal that keeps the engine's oil within the block, around each piston and prevents it from leaking into the spark plug chambers) was bad. Which means if I was going to permanently fix this, I was going to have to further disassemble the engine, something I had neither the parts, time (or strength) for. Not only was oil found in the middle spark plug hole, but to a lesser extent on the forward right plug as well. The best course of action at this point was just to take an old (CLEAN and LINT FREE) cloth, wrap it around the extension of my socket wrench and stick it down each hole, trying to mop up as much oil as I could. Having satisfied myself that the holes were mostly clean, only then did I install the new plugs and coils. Luckily, the rear bank of plugs showed no signs of the oil leak (whew). <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NhpAlaTjxdM/VC2om3LD9BI/AAAAAAAAKhI/9lqb-ab_TJ0/s1600/IMG_20140927_113930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NhpAlaTjxdM/VC2om3LD9BI/AAAAAAAAKhI/9lqb-ab_TJ0/s1600/IMG_20140927_113930.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the middle, forward spark plug. Notice the amount of oil and it's up to the socket fitting.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c0jUvbCfggE/VC2omzrLuLI/AAAAAAAAKhA/3jMMvVS6e7E/s1600/IMG_20140927_115414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c0jUvbCfggE/VC2omzrLuLI/AAAAAAAAKhA/3jMMvVS6e7E/s1600/IMG_20140927_115414.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the middle spark plug hole. This was the worst of the six.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jeutuXM2iQ/VC2omw6vcpI/AAAAAAAAKhE/VjNH-gqZkzk/s1600/IMG_20140927_115357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jeutuXM2iQ/VC2omw6vcpI/AAAAAAAAKhE/VjNH-gqZkzk/s1600/IMG_20140927_115357.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three old plugs. The middle by far was the worst.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lXkocyyteWk/VC2p1DfStMI/AAAAAAAAKiA/zNgQ3EMetfw/s1600/IMG_20140927_135536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lXkocyyteWk/VC2p1DfStMI/AAAAAAAAKiA/zNgQ3EMetfw/s1600/IMG_20140927_135536.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the plenum off, the intake ports are visible (stuffed with paper towels to prevent anything falling in them)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtjMQdJh9Mo/VC2p0MBE_QI/AAAAAAAAKhw/F0-oo1ZpS5o/s1600/IMG_20140927_135603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtjMQdJh9Mo/VC2p0MBE_QI/AAAAAAAAKhw/F0-oo1ZpS5o/s1600/IMG_20140927_135603.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rear bank of spark plugs/ignition coils are now visible.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmbYSVISiMM/VC2p0ER-q0I/AAAAAAAAKh0/jqysPtqF_fA/s1600/IMG_20140927_142805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmbYSVISiMM/VC2p0ER-q0I/AAAAAAAAKh0/jqysPtqF_fA/s1600/IMG_20140927_142805.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lower three spark plugs came from the rear bank, they're in far better condition but I changed them anyway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
While the engine was partially disassembled, I took the opportunity to do an old-fashioned tuneup. This involved cleaning the throttle body, cleaning the MAF sensor, changing the intake port gaskets, cleaning the EGR valve and basically topping off all the fluids. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u5zkDkO9OOc/VC2pTpbnx3I/AAAAAAAAKhY/Q8Q0zD_aJR8/s1600/IMG_20140927_142823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u5zkDkO9OOc/VC2pTpbnx3I/AAAAAAAAKhY/Q8Q0zD_aJR8/s1600/IMG_20140927_142823.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleaned the crud off the EGR valve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQrlZtqO39A/VC2pToetqbI/AAAAAAAAKhg/8Oj4u0Ynb8U/s1600/IMG_20140927_143823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQrlZtqO39A/VC2pToetqbI/AAAAAAAAKhg/8Oj4u0Ynb8U/s1600/IMG_20140927_143823.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Replaced the intake port gaskets (old ones are green)...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8HulWPpsqE/VC2pTdO5U4I/AAAAAAAAKhc/OCDjhX-VxXI/s1600/IMG_20140927_143853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8HulWPpsqE/VC2pTdO5U4I/AAAAAAAAKhc/OCDjhX-VxXI/s1600/IMG_20140927_143853.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and cleaned the throttle body.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Then came the process of putting everything back together, which you could imagine, was a lot easier. The trick is, just as in the beginning, taking things slowly. I sorta didn't and in my haste, I managed to misplace a small vacuum hose. Thinking it was unnecessary, I fired up the engine which in turn, voiced its disapproval of the unfinished repair by surging to 1500 rpm for a few seconds before allowing the revs to fall below 600 rpm (just above stall). It would repeat this action until I shut it off and spent the next few minutes trying to locate the errant hose. My brother's fresher arms eventually located and placed it back on it's fitting before I tried again. Everything seemed fine until we noticed a small coolant leak underneath the engine. A quick check of all the hoses we had taken off turned up nothing leaking there, so we assumed a bit of coolant had leaked out of the hoses while they were off (possibly while topping off the reservoir). We performed a bench and then a road test and checked again afterwards and the leak seemed to have stopped. See the video below for the results.<br />
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<br /><br /><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/s_vi/rL94GOIHuTc/default.jpg?sqp=CKT3tqEF&rs=AOn4CLDKl8pmhq4GWG35tA9uOJ-rhFsg7Q"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/rL94GOIHuTc?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/rL94GOIHuTc?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<br />
All in all it was a good day. People look at me a bit crazy when I tell them I work on my own car. For myself, it's more gratifying to know you've accomplished something that the majority of the population would rather pay someone else to do. But it's also a win if you save on the labor costs involved. Had I just given the STEED to mechanic, the labor cost would've far exceeded the cost in parts. Unless I'm diving deeper into the engine (eg. changing a timing belt or porting cylinders), I'd rather read forums (Google is your best friend here), look up how-to videos and read manuals on how its done. In many cases, your car's owners manual (that thick book taking up space in your glove compartment) has a wealth of information on your specific car's operation. It not only helps when you want to do stuff yourself, but it also informs on what your car needs so you don't get swindled by the a predatory mechanic. Believe me, it pays dividends to have even a basic knowledge of your car's inner workings. If your car happens to run on just four cylinders, your job will be that much simpler.<br />
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A few dozen Tylenol pills later and my back and knees feel better. As of this writing, the STEED still feels fantastic. Will I be doing again? Not before I've had a chance to tackle the valve cover gasket. That, for now, is another Saturday in the making.<br />
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<i>My eternal thanks to my bro Roger who stepped in when my back and arms cried uncle. </i><br />
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<b>FOOTNOTE: </b><i>MY (Model Year) 2003-2007 V6 equipped Mazda 6 cars are a pain to work on. The majority of markets where the car was sold offered powertrains no bigger than the 2.3L 4 cylinder. As a result, North America's version offered a Ford Duratec 3.0L V6 that barely fit in the engine bay. This, my friends, led to a host of ungodly body contortions in order to reach, pull and disconnect the various hoses, bolts and nuts that held everything in place. If you're mechanically inclined, working on any engine is a relative breeze. However, if you're a layman like myself with more enthusiasm than skill, give yourself time and patience. A second pair of eyes and hands always helps. Always check with a certified mechanic before doing any job on your vehicle, and remember, the Internet has a wealth of information.</i><br />
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<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-60664476072999699812014-09-11T15:56:00.000-07:002014-09-14T08:08:44.122-07:00First Impressions - 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rHWFat-7Oe4/VBIkmJo-eAI/AAAAAAAAJ5c/DQPCZQIX3dU/s1600/mx5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rHWFat-7Oe4/VBIkmJo-eAI/AAAAAAAAJ5c/DQPCZQIX3dU/s1600/mx5.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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There's just something about the classic British roadster that warms our hearts here at Test Drive. Long hood, short rear deck, compact size and the ability to put the roof down are attributes we almost fall down over ourselves to worship as the hallmark of how proper motoring should be. Forget thoughts of practicality, luggage space and the like. When we want to go out for a Sunday drive to tackle some twisty roads, we almost inevitably reach for a set of keys that start up a roadster of some kind.<br />
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Since 1989, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has been the go-to car for drivers who want simplicity, tautness, nimbleness and open skies. The last time the Miata was redesigned in 2006 (eons in car years), Mazda has steadily upgraded the car, but not to the extent that its soul was diluted. Sure, you could argue that compared to newer cars, the current NC (chassis code name) Miata is sorely lacking in amenities. Navigation? Nerp. Satellite radio? Nope. Bluetooth? Only for calling. Hell, the cabin barely has space for cup holders, let alone to store your smartphone. Younger drivers might balk at such inconsistencies, but long-time Miata lovers praise this almost extinct level of simplicity that doesn't detract from the reason you're sitting in the driver's seat in the first place. That said, compared to Mazda's recently revamped lineup, the Miata is the sole vehicle (other than the dead-car-driving Mazda5) that looks sorta out of place, still sporting the Joker-like grin of Mazda's previous design language. Fresh off the success of the new Kodo design style and Skyactiv technology, Mazda has now brought the full weight of these attributes to bear on the Miata.<br />
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At first glance, the 2016 Miata doesn't appear to share much with the rest of the lineup. You could say we were expecting some version of the 2015 Mazda3's face to be grafted on the front end with the rest of the body following suit. A more detailed look at the images reveal Mazda's styling intent for the Miata: lower, wider, aggressive/assertive. Where the NC Miata is a tidy package in its own right, the new ND is more visually interesting to look at. The front end is almost impossibly low, barely passing front end crash regulations, the headlights follow suit, being placed lower in the front fascia and flanked by aggressive side air inlets for the front brakes. Mazda engineers placed the engine as low and as far back as possible, allowing designers to style the front end for that signature, shark-like look. The fenders, previously afterthoughts on the old Miata, are now prominently styled and flow from their peaks at the top of the front wheels back through doors and towards the rear end where they curve dramatically around the car's rump. The more we stared at the rump, the more "Jaguar F-Type" kept staring back. Just like that British sports car, the Miata's rear end features wide and defined rear fenders and slim tail lights that would make Ian Callum, Jaguar's head honcho of design, blush.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xL9D5WdWUes/VBIlwJo8xlI/AAAAAAAAJ5k/9PONkqM9vNA/s1600/mx51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xL9D5WdWUes/VBIlwJo8xlI/AAAAAAAAJ5k/9PONkqM9vNA/s1600/mx51.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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Weight is the enemy of performance and to that end, Mazda went gung-ho on bringing the Miata back to its roots. While the current NC Miata is no tub-o-lard at around 2500 lbs, the new ND car chops a pretty significant 200 lbs from that weight, literally inching it closer to the original Miata. Increased use of ultra high-strength steel and a sprinkling of aluminum pieces has endowed the Miata with a stiffer, lightweight and compact chassis. The wheels are also not oversized and, we suspect, will be no larger than 17 inchers, even as options. These cars were never about high-horsepower engines (even the last Mazdaspeed Miata barely broke 180 hp from its turbocharged 1.8L engine) so we have no reason to expect the new Miata to be any different. We do expect Mazda to power the ND Miata with a SkyActiv engine, the 2.0L 155hp four cylinder currently doing duty in the CX-5 and Mazda3 being the likely candidate (though we expect a bit more power to be extracted for its new duty). The upcoming Mazda2's 1.5L four banger is another motor, perhaps forming the base engine with the 2.0L being the uplevel option. With the Miata's lightness enhanced, the driving experience should be even more driver-focused and slot car-like than the current model.<br />
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Interiorwise, the new MX-5 will be light years ahead of the current model in terms of infotainment and connectivity. Expect features like navigation, Bluetooth music streaming and calling, and satellite radio to show up (as well as Mazda's rotary controller on the center console). We wouldn't hold our breath on others like lane departure warning, radar cruise control and City Stop to be anywhere on the options list (remember this is supposed to be a lightweight car). Storage space, another Miata-negative, may improve slightly though from the interior shots we were able to look at, it seems there's no glovebox and perhaps no cupholders. We think Mazda will at least, in a nod to the smartphone world we live in, provide space to store your device as well as USB slots to power the things. <br />
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Like the engines, pricing has yet to be announced. We don't even know if the Miata will be offered as a hard top or a PRHT (power retractable hard top) model like the current car, though with a take rate of 52% versus the soft top model, we're pretty sure Mazda will offer the option if not sooner then later. While it may not have the giant resources of its competitors like Honda and Toyota, Mazda's newly independent status and its small stature allow it to focus its resources on what matters: the driving experience in all its products. With the new MX-5 Miata, Zoom Zoom truly lives on.<br />
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<i>Images courtesy of <a href="http://blog.caranddriver.com/2016-mazda-mx-5-miata-first-drive-report-sort-of/" target="_blank">Car and Driver</a></i> <i>and <a href="http://mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=J12" target="_blank">Mazda</a></i>.SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-57821154919561439622014-08-29T14:57:00.001-07:002014-08-29T14:57:24.171-07:00First Impressions - 2015 Dodge Challenger<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ojHAp_tp7-4/VADynxN0b4I/AAAAAAAAJqI/qCGiwDDv6yU/s1600/hellcat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ojHAp_tp7-4/VADynxN0b4I/AAAAAAAAJqI/qCGiwDDv6yU/s1600/hellcat2.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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If the 2015 Dodge Challenger is a bullet shot across the respective hoods of the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang, then the new SRT Hellcat is a Tomahawk missile grazing the bonnets of the Camaro ZL1 and the Mustang Shelby GT.<br />
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In other words, this Challenger does indeed have a Hemi. And oh, what a nuke of a Hemi it is.<br />
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Seven hundred and seven.<br />
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7.0.7.<br />
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Let those numbers sink in. The most powerful V8 Chrysler has ever created, produces 707 stomping, rampaging horses and 650 lb-ft of torque. That, my friends, bests the paltry 580hp of the Camaro ZL1 and trounces the 662hp from Ford's Mustang Shelby GT. Viper fans should look away right now, not even the 640 hp/600 lb-ft 8.0L V10 in SRT's crown jewel can stand up to the supercharged fury of Chrysler's 6.2L Hellcat V8. Shoehorned under the hood of what, to my eyes anyway, is the most direct reinterpretation of the classic muscle car from its heyday, the 2015 Dodge Challenger has officially taken the crown.<br />
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You can almost hear the collective jaws of Ford and Chevy engineers hitting the ground in Detroit.<br />
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Before we get too far ahead, let's examine the rest of the refreshed Challenger lineup. Six years on the market have done nothing but cement the Challenger as one of the most faithful muscle car reproductions on the road today. Sure, the S95 Mustang had its day in the sun, now being replaced by a futuristic 2015 redesign and the Camaro is certainly aggressive but nothing has the absolute presence and charisma as a Challenger pulling in to the parking lot. As a result, marching orders for Dodge designers were simple: take nothing away from the car's looks.<br />
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On the exterior, it seems they did indeed leave well enough alone, until you look at the finer details. The tail light is now split into two distinct elements with LED lighting instead of the original full width unit. Wheelbase remains the same and up front, LED halo rings now surround the quad headlamps. The grille is a tad thinner and now split in two, mimicking the rear tail light, the hood sports a distinct power bulge while moving the functional hood vents forward a tad (a Shaker hood is optional on V8 models). A deeper air dam and an optional splitter on performance models rounds off the exterior changes. A variety of new heritage colors like Sublime, B5 Blue and Tor Red are also available to give your Challenger a more classic look.<br />
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Under the new body, Chrysler has reworked the greasy bits by using an aluminum differential and ditching the old car's hydraulic steering for a new electric unit. Also gone (thankfully) is the dimwitted 5 speed automatic, replaced by the excellent TorqeFlite 8 speed automatic with paddles on all Challengers, giving the ability to rev-match on downshifts when in manual mode. The 6 speed manual returns on R/T and SRT models. Engine choices are largely carry over with the base powerplant remaining the stellar 3.6L Pentastar V6 with 305hp while R/T models carry the standard 5.7L Hemi V8 with 375hp and 410lb-ft of torque. SRT models however see the greatest changes as Chrysler has now split that model in two. Standard SRT 392 Challengers retain the 6.4L Hemi V8 now subtly upgraded to 485hp and 475lb-ft of torque while the suitably named SRT Challenger Hellcat gets the supercharged Hemi.<br />
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Inside, the Challenger is also extensively redone. A 7 inch thin-film transistor screen is sits between the tachometer and speedometer in the driver's gauge cluster and is able to display a variety of information including performance pages, navigation prompts and vehicle info. The center stack is also redesigned and includes Chrysler's much heralded UConnect telematics system on either a 5" or 8.4" display. Other modern niceties include a standard rear view camera, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, forward collision alert and adaptive cruise control. The seats themselves are new, sporting either cloth or Nappa leather on upper trim models with the option for heat/cooled surfaces. A performance seat option is available which includes thicker bolstering along the sides and aluminum trim attempts to lighten the interior.<br />
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But its the other SRT Challenger, the Hellcat, that will get Chrysler enthusiasts blood pumping.To make this beast, SRT engineers first threw out all of the standard 6.4L's oily bits, leaving just the bare cast iron block. The engine was then destroked to 6.2L but strengthened cylinders, forged pistons and a massive 2.4L supercharger provided by IHI (the same outfit that provides superchargers to Mercedes) were added. The supercharger, routes incoming air through four heat exchangers (one for every pair of cylinders) before stuffing it into the intake ports. The twin-rotor design gulps air through an Air Catcher inlet, basically a hole punched into the driver's side inboard marker light and spins up to 14,600 rpm.<br />
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Everything about the SRT Hellcat is extreme. Chrysler had to develop new dynamometers that were capable of not only testing but handling the Hellcat engine's prodigious torque. Over two million hours were devoted to ensuring the Hellcat's durability in extreme weather and everything a customer could throw at it. Repeated high speed runs were made as well as a stressful 24 hour running period, but the engine never broke a sweat. Hard to believe this is a series production engine.<br />
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The Challenger's body was suitably toughened up to handle the engine's power. A three stage adaptive suspension system allows the driver to tailor the drive experience and is accessed through the SRT Performance Pages app on the UConnect infotainment screen. Chrysler's 8HP90 eight speed auto (built under license from ZF) was also upgraded with larger and stronger internals. The six speed manual from the Viper is also available and also upgraded with its own oil cooler to handle the Hellcat's ferocity. Armed with <span class="paragraph">P275/40ZR20 Pirelli P Zero Nero tires, the 20" forged wheels will struggle to put down all 650lb-ft of torque (the rears that is) but their stickiness will work with the firmer suspension to tame the Challenger's still-porky 4400 lbs when the roads get twisty. Inside, the SRT Hellcat benefits from all the interior upgrades apparent in the regular 2015 Challengers. The lucky owner will be presented with two keys. A black key, serving as the valet's key, limits the engine to just (!) 500 hp and 4000 rpm, locks away SRT Performance Pages while setting the suspension to Street mode and deletes first gear (if your teen wants to drive, THIS is the key to give 'em). The red key on the other hand, opens up all the above.</span><br />
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<span class="paragraph">If 707 hp has you already salivating, the price will have you rushing to your nearest Dodge dealership. The SRT Hellcat with the standard six speed manual will have a base price of $60,990 which includes $995 for destination and a $2100 gas guzzler tax. Opt for the eight speed automatic and the gas guzzler tax drops to $1700 but tacks on $1995 for two pedal set up. Not only is the SRT Hellcat America's most powerful mas produced car, but it's the most affordable car with a horspower rating above 700. The only other cars to..err...challenge the SRT Hellcat's numbers are in the realm of super-hyper exotica. Cars like the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta (731 hp) or LaFerrari (950 hp) or McLaren's P1 (903 hp). The Lamborghini Aventador? A paltry 691 hp. Hell, even Chevy's upcoming Corvette ZO6 can only muster a preliminary 650 hp. Let's face it folks, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is now the defacto bargain of the year as far as dollar-per-horse is concerned. It will be pretty interesting to see how Ford and Chevy will respond to Dodge's latest volley in these muscle car wars.</span><br />
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<span class="paragraph">For now though, make my Hellcat black please.</span><br />
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<i>Edit: We've recently learned that Viper boys need not fear the wrath of the Hellcat as SRT engineers have heard their cries of anguish and will seek to restore the Viper's place atop the SRT hierarchy by possibly supercharging the 8.4L V10. No, the Hellcat Hemi won't fit as the Viper's hood is much too low. Also, those who'd like the practicality of four doors need not worry as the also-updated-for-2015 Charger will also inherit the Hellcat under its hood. Yay!</i><br />
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<i>Images courtesy of <a href="http://www.drivesrt.com/" target="_blank">SRT.</a></i>SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-42951720699045435062014-06-18T16:51:00.000-07:002014-06-18T17:09:24.269-07:00First Impressions - 2013 BMW M5<br />
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<i>The following article is an earlier post done for another website that is no longer in business. I've moved it here in an effort to consolidate all of my posts. Consider it ride back in to time. Enjoy!</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013 BMW M5</td></tr>
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It's been 40 years since BMW's secret skunkworks M Division has been pumping out uber powerful, yet subtly styled cars for the discerning executive driver. The kind of driver that wants super car performance without drawing attention to himself. Since it debuted, the M5 has been the de-facto bogey by which all other pretenders to the crown of super sports sedans are judged. Through each generation, the M5 offered opulent levels of luxury with seating for five, while packing enough horsepower and handling to make even the stalwart Ferrari jock think twice before a challenge.The last generation E60 M5 packed a Formula One inspired, high revving 5.0 liter V10 which powered the rear wheels with 507hp at a screaming 8200 rpm redline. Naturally aspirated, high revving engines have been a BMW M hallmark ever since the outfit's inception. Equipped with a fast shifting 7 speed sequential gearbox, the E60 could sprint from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds while belting out the closest thing to Formula One race car's engine wail. Despite this performance, the E60 was often derided as being too raw (one of my personal favorite qualities), too complicated (3 settings for the engine, 11 settings for the transmission plus countless others for varying systems) and the dimwittedness of the transmission when not going balls out. Basically, the M5 worked extremely well on the track but felt misplaced at saner speeds and calmer settings.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2005-2010 E60 M5</td></tr>
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Enter the new F10 model, which BMW probably wouldn't admit as much, but addresses most of the E60's minor (okay, major) shortcomings. Gone is the high revving-but-quite-thirsty V10 and herky-jerky SMG single clutch transmission, replaced by a new "M TwinPower Turbo" twin turbocharged, directed-injected, 4.4 liter V8 engine and an equally new seven speed dual clutch transmission to dole out the twin-turbocharged engine's impressive 560hp and 500 lb-ft of torque (more on this impressive yet major departure of an engine later). The basic 5 Series chassis has been substantially revised with an aluminum-intensive suspension (the rear components mounted in a rigid cradle to alleviate the flex of rubber bushings), an electronic version of the M differential which can split torque between the rear wheels for maximum grip, a tuned hydraulic steering rack (because the standard electronic unit lacked feel) and six piston brake calipers <i>per wheel</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013 BMW M5</td></tr>
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One of the more peculiar traits of the new F10 M5 is the engine's lack of aural character, at least compared with its raucous predecessor. The E60's V10 had such character that it made the hair on your skin stand up every time the driver touched the gas pedal. The new forced induction V8 on the other has hand is almost too refined. M engineers allegedly tried everything to alleviate this muffling effect of turbocharging (and the isolating effect of the 5's platform) by employing a number of options such as routing the intake housings closer to the firewall and cabin, installing microphones next to the intake and piping the sound directly into the cabin, none of which worked to their favor. They finally decided to use recorded sounds of the engine revving through its range and playing the sound back through the sound system in tune with the driver's placement of the throttle. Artificial yes, but it could be worse.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013 BMW M5 Interior</td></tr>
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One thing this new M5 improves on is in the electronics area. The E60 driver was simply overwhelmed with settings for everything controlling the car and no simple way to access or change them. This was the effect of the oft-derided iDrive system. The new F10 seeks to change this with simpler settings and easier access to them with either buttons or a simplified version of iDrive. Where the previous SMG transmission had ELEVEN (how quickly would you like your head snapped off?) settings, the V10 having THREE (how much power do you want?) settings along with a myriad others (some as trivial as allowing timer settings for the interior/exterior lights...really?), the F10 pares all of this customization down to the driving details in four simple modes: Economy, Comfort, Sport and Sport+. In Economy and Comfort mode, the transmission and suspension are tuned to make the M5 as docile as a regular 528i, the transmission slurring between gears (shooting for the highest in Economy) and the suspension absorbing bumps and giving a very compliant ride. Switch to Sport and the engine note becomes noticeably angrier, the transmission swaps gears more aggressively, steering gains more load and the suspension firms up. Sport+ stiffens up the springs even more, adds even more heft to the steering and turns the M5 into an apex eating, turn gobbling, straights chomping monster. These settings are programmable through two M buttons on the steering wheel, allowing the driver to customize and store preferences (easier done here than in the E60). North America can take comfort in the fact that unlike the previous M5 which offered a manual transmission late in its life cycle, one will be offered in the new F10 from the start (without the penalty of not being able to switch off traction and stability control completely...and the heavens rejoiced!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013 BMW M5</td></tr>
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Now, about that engine. Why turbos? Why forced induction? Why abandon a central theme important to M heritage by throwing away natural aspiration in favor of turbocharging? If you're an M enthusiast you can recall some time in BMW's history when uttering the term "forced induction" in a BMW building was akin to showing the Nazi sign. At Buckingham Palace. While dining with the Queen. It was unthinkable. Well, you'll have to get over it and cut BMW some slack. We now live in an era where fuel isn't as cheap as it once was and the reduction of vehicle emissions is now a central part of every automaker's R&D. The Germans are not immune to this and in order to comply with ever tightening emissions regulations, BMW has had to forego this central tradition (if you need any more proof, the next M3 will also use some form of turbocharging while downsizing from its current V8 back to a six cylinder). However, it's not all gloom and doom. With the new turbo V8 comes a new emphasis on economy. The S63B44Tu is an evolution of the S63 engine (itself a M-ified version of the regular N63 4.4 liter in 550i/750i sedans) used in the X5 M/X6 M high performance SUVs. As such, it boasts 30% better fuel economy ratings than the old 5.0 liter V10 of the E60. Sure the engine redlines at a tamer 7200 rpm, but for that you get 53 more horse over the old V10. Much more impressive is the jump in torque from 383lb-ft to an even 500lb-ft at a more accessible 1500rpm and the torque curve is as flat as the Great Plains. Drivers of the old M5 take notice: revving is not required but if you do, hang on.<br />
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Despite the F10 M5's gain in weight (thanks to the 5 Series architecture being based on the larger 7 Series) BMW has worked hard to minimize this penalty by using as much lightweight materials as possible throughout the car. Aluminum comprises the hood, fenders and doors as well as ultra high-strength steel through much of the chassis. Still the M5 comes it at a porky 4250lbs, some 200lbs heavier than the outgoing E60. Continuing the M tradition for Q ship styling, the M5 sports subtle exterior tweaks over the regular 5 Series that only the M faithful will identify at a distance. Larger air intakes at the front, larger fender flares framing 19 (or optional 20) inch wheels, a lowered suspension, the signature quad pipe exhaust and a subtle trunklid spoiler along with a sprinkling of M badges are among the calling cards for this cruise missile on wheels. Compared to the Bangle-esque styling of the E60 with its dramatic, flame surfaced exterior, the F10 model is quietly exotic. In many ways, it recalls the executive yet wolf-in-sheep's-clothes styling of the cult-status E39 model.<br />
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The 2013 BMW M5 should be on sale as of this writing at an MSRP of $90,795 (including $895 destination/handling). Go crazy with options like the Driver's Assistance package which includes systems such as blind spot warning, lane departure warning, side and top view cameras; the Executive package which further enhances luxury with heated rear seats and steering wheels, power trunklid, soft close doors plus a DVD entertainment system with screens in the front headrests (in case the kids get bored with your track driving) and you're looking at a price tag of well over $110,000. Eye watering for sure but look on the bright side, that Porsche driver in the next lane will never know what hit him.<br />
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<i>Images courtesy of <a href="http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/vehicles/2012/M/M5Explore.aspx" target="_blank">BMW</a></i>SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-7413587488430672052014-06-18T14:25:00.000-07:002014-06-18T14:25:31.056-07:00First Impressions - 2015 Ford Mustang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're a fan of sports cars (or any car for that matter) saddled with live axle rear suspensions,stop reading right now.<br />
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The 2015 Ford Mustang is perhaps the most widely anticipated car this year, next to the Chevy Corvette Stingray. And for good reason. The sixth generation pony car marks not only the 50th anniversary of the model, but also the first fully comprehensive redesign since the Fox body took the reins for the Mustang's underpinnings in the late 1970s. And with the redesign, comes a beautifully sculpted body that takes its inspiration from the Evos concept of 2012. While Ford shied away from diving into the deep end of the retro-design pool (like the 2005-2013 S197 generation), subtle cues in the body details and lines link the new Mustang to its predecessors. Let's indulge shall we?<br />
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First let's get this out of the way: the 2015 Mustang isn't simply a 2-door Ford Fusion although the snouts do look similar. The design mantra first and foremost was "get it right". That said, almost nothing from the previous generation was carried over, giving designers and engineers the freedom to get the proportions of the new car right. Fifty years of out-of-proportion looks and 1970s-era platform nip-and-tucking are swept out the door with the 2015 Mustang's stunning new looks. A brand new platform, lighter and stronger than before provides a suitable anchor for the new independent rear suspension featuring a sophisticated multilink design (take that Camaro). The front end is fitted with struts featuring a ball jointed design that improves ride isolation and steering feel while allowing for bigger brakes to be fitted. The wheelbase is carried over but everything else was altered: the track was widened, the hood and roof lowered while overall length is a tad longer giving the Mustang a true performance stance.<br />
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Outside, the 2015 Ford Mustang looks like no other. The shark-like snout features the pony emblem front-and-center in the grille while the headlights are slimmed and menacing, made all the more so by three diagonal light stripes in each bezel. The wide lower intakes add to the width of the car and the hood features details such as creasing that begins at the snout and a domed look to emphasize the power lurking beneath. From the side, the Mustang has heavy details in the sheetmetal with a character line that begins at the top of puffed-out front fenders, runs down the side just below the window and is then carried up over the similarly widened rear fender ending at the tail. The rear end is signature Mustang with individual, sequential three-light bar vertical tail lights framing a blackened center with the chrome pony emblem again in the center (GT models will have the letters 'GT' instead). Below that, a diffuser is framed by twin exhaust pipes. Overall, the exterior design is clean, crisp and new age edgy. On first glance, not only are you assured you're looking at a Mustang but the design featured subtle cues that hark back to previous generations for example, the blacked out B pillar and the angled rear end. Low, mean, ready-to-pounce-on-Camaro-and-Challenger. Apt descriptors.<br />
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Inside, the Mustang finally leaves the 20th century behind in favor of higher end materials and a clean, sophisticated. almost aviator-like theme. Longtime Mustang owners will sing kumbaya at the sight of such advanced features as remote start, keyless entry, tire pressure monitoring and a track app for GT models which includes launch control. They might be divided at the thought of a drive mode selector coming between them and pure driving bliss but the majority should welcome the feature. With the selector, drivers will be able to choose between three stages of stability control thresholds, throttle input, steering feel, traction control and shift points on automatic equipped models. Row-your-own-gears Mustangs will also feature a new rev-match option similar to the kind on Nissan 370Zs. Of course, Sync and MyFord Touch are options as well as an abundance of USB and 12V ports.<br />
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No Mustang would be worth its pony emblem without a lineup of engines to match the aggressive looks. With the 2015 model, the engines are more or less carried over with a few tweaks and one brand new option. First, base Mustangs carry on with a 3.7L V6 with 305hp and 280lb-ft of torque hooked up to either a 6 speed manual or 6 speed automatic. If you need a V8 in your life, the GT is your model and it carries a tweaked 5.0L V8 with engineering from the Boss 302 program. Expect output to exceed the current model's 420hp and 390lb-ft of torque with your choice of either a manual or automatic, both also featuring 6 speeds. The real big news under the hood will excite those who long for a return of the SVO badge fitted 80s-era Mustangs. For the first time since 1986, the Mustang's engine bay will play host to a turbocharged inline four with EcoBoost technology. Displacing 2.3L, the new mill will produce 305hp. matching the 3.7L V6 but trouncing it with over 300lb-ft of torque. A twin scroll turbocharger along with direct injection and variable timing along the valves are at the heart of this new engine (which will see duty in the upcoming Focus RS).<br />
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Pricing for the 2015 Mustang has elevated slightly. Base V6 models with manual transmissions start at $24,495 (add $1195 for the 6 speed automatic). The base EcoBoost model will begin at $25,995 (premium EcoBoost models will sticker for $29,995) while the base GT will open up at $32,925. The most expensive Mustang will be the GT Premium which starts at $36,925 and, of course, a wide range of options will be available. All MSRPs include a destination charge of $825. Convertible Mustangs will follow within a year of release with a a few thousand more greenbacks tacked on to their MSRPs. What would my ideal Mustang look like? Starting with a base GT with the 6 speed manual (while the EcoBoost is an enticing option, a V8 just sounds more proper and I like rowing my own gears) I'd add the GT Track Package for $2495 (includes front strut tower brace, gorgeous black 19" wheels with summer tires, larger radiator, Brembo front brakes, heavier duty front springs, a Torsen rear limited slip differential and deletion of the rear spoiler...who needs it?), a Reverse Parking Sensor system for $295 (can't scratch the paint) and the Recaro Cloth Front Seating for $1595. All in, we're talking a track ready Mustang for $37,310. Oh, and let's not forget that it would be painted in black....cuz that's just how I roll.<br />
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<br />With a huge sweep of the broom, Ford has redesigned and re-engineered the 2015 Mustang in such a way that it is primed for the next 50 years. With styling that looks toward the future, cues that provide a glimpse in its past and swathe of engines that are powerful as well as efficient, the 2015 Ford Mustang looks set to take the muscle car wars to the next level. If your heart is still set on live axles, you'd better get a move on to your Ford dealer to catch the last of the 2014s. Otherwise, welcome to the 21st century pony car. <br />
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<i>Images courtesy of <a href="http://www.ford.com/cars/mustang/2015/?fmccmp=lp-future-top-hp-mustang" target="_blank">Ford.</a></i>SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-75232619848870974672014-06-03T21:56:00.003-07:002014-06-03T21:56:48.672-07:00Long Term: 2006 Mazda6 S<br />
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The STEED has finally hit the100,000 mile marker, after an ownership tenure that has spanned just over 5 years. The momentous occasion happened, rather low key, the night of Memorial Day on my way back home from a food charity event. Having left the church, I looked down on the odometer and noticed I was a few miles shy of the milestone and I could potentially hit it that night. Opting for the long way home, I careful managed my routing with the result being the odometer turning to the magic number just as I pulled into my complex. I'll say this though, getting there over the last half decade has been mostly a smooth affair with moments of hair pulling thrown in.<br />
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As I've stated in my last <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2012/08/long-term-2006-mazda-6s-aka-steed.html" target="_blank">long term update</a> (which was, yes I know, the first), most of the maintenance was hands on with the more difficult, complex tasks left to the experts. Oil changes were done strictly at 3000-5000 mile intervals and with only synthetic oil, a coolant flush was done at around 75,000 miles and the brakes are still pretty strong, even after not being touched since the 85,000 mile marker. Overall, the STEED still feels tight as a drum, rides like a champ and the transmission still snickety-snicks from gear to gear with rifle-bolt precision and action. That's not to say all is well with her though.<br />
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Let's start with the engine. Even after five years of exuberant driving, it sounds pretty much how I got it. Which is to say, as throaty and balanced as a port injected, Duratec 3.0L V6 can sound when attached to a manual transmission. However, since the 81,000 mile marker, I've noticed the engine tends to lug when at low speeds between 1000-2000 rpm. If you've ever tried to accelerate away from a slow speeds in high gear (say 4th or 5th) without bringing the RPMs up, then you know what I mean. Only this happens even in 1st or 2nd gear. If I goose the throttle too heavily before bringing the revs above 2000 rpm, the STEED will hesitate as if the engine is misfiring, before smoothly going up the rev range. While upshifting I've had to be careful not to let the revs fall below 2000 rpm, lest I go through another round of apparent cylinder misfiring and 'check-engine-light-flashing' before the engine finds its voice again. Delving through the Mazda forums, I've read up a few reasons for this. One specifies bad spark plugs, another suggests a vacuum leak and still another thinks bad ignition coils. First thing I'll try are the spark plug replacements which (according to a DIY Youtuber) aren't as simple to do. Why? The first generation Mazda6 was not originally designed to have a V6 engine. Then-partner Ford insisted on having a V6 engine to satiate US consumers and as a result, the Duratec 3.0L V6 was shoehorned into the bay. This doesn't leave a lot of space under the hood to perform a lot of DIY work (still a lot easier than a Volkswagen GTI though).<br />
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Another, particularly annoying, item on my to-repair list is the climate control system. It conked out about 2 years ago around the 70k mark and when I took the car in for diagnosis, I was told it needed a new compressor (!). Hearing that such work along with the parts themselves would cost just shy of $2,000 I opted for a second opinion which slashed the repair cost in half. The cost was slashed even further when the mechanic noticed that the clutch which engages the compressor was at fault. This led to a very cool 2013 summer season....right up to Thanksgiving when the AC went kaput, yet again. With the repair warranty already expired I'll be taking the car back to the repair shop and hope (and pray) that it's just the compressor clutch again. Seriously, it's not even fully summer yet and already daytime temperatures are already exceeding 90 degrees. There's only so much that driving with the windows down can do; which, interestingly enough, has lead to the next item up for repair: the headliner.<br />
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Yes, the mouse-fuzz material that lines the ceiling of the roof is slowly starting its downward journey towards my noggin'. It's not as bad as it sounds, and a dose of 3M glue has stymied the deterioration somewhat. But before long, the central area around the sunroof is going to start sagging and I'll have no choice but to replace the entire headliner. Besides, it looks wrong driving and seeing the material flapping away in the breeze.<br />
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Other items? Well the headlights have become clouded and hazy, this despite repeated uses of 'headlight restorer' products. I've been toying with the idea of replacing the headlights outright with new, state-of-the-art LED units, IF they can be acquired at reasonable cost (swapping them should be a no brainer). One particularly annoying (and ill-timed) repair I had to make was to the water pump, which failed just over 98,000 miles (the same day and literally a few hours before my flight to begin the <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2014/05/west-coast-road-trippin-arrival-day-one.html" target="_blank">West Coast Road Trip</a>). It was one which I had meant to coincide with the timing belt replacement, the two big-ticket items that are usually performed around this time. Despite all these, I still thoroughly enjoy driving her and she has been otherwise very reliable. Passengers never stop gaping at the fact that this is a manual transmission (one of my students apparently has never seen one before...kids these days). The performance minded drivers that have also been passengers have expressed a hint of jealousy that a 4 door sedan with a V6 can be had with three pedals. At the moment, I have no desire to part with her and I'm hoping with a bit of luck and time that all her present maladies will be repaired. Don't get me wrong, it's hard not to be tempted by newer metal (<a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2013/02/short-test-2014-mazda-6-touring.html" target="_blank">the new Mazda 6</a> has certainly caught my eye) but the fact that the six cylinder/three pedal sedan combo is no more sort of compels me to cherish what I have.<br />
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Here's to another 100k STEED!<br />
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<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-92222230779330170622014-06-03T21:30:00.001-07:002014-06-03T21:30:09.006-07:00Short Test - 2014 Audi RS5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"You ok boss?"<br />
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"Yeah, I good."<br />
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Cruising around some B roads, I remarked at how smooth the ride was. This being a performance car, the Audi RS5 I was piloting rode quite comfortably in Comfort mode, though the firmness in the suspension was apparent.<br />
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"Switch it to Dynamic mode."<br />
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"Ok, sure."<br />
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A few seconds later: "Holy %#$!"<br />
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Through the bottom of my seat and the steering wheel in my hands, I felt the RS5's personality do a pretty dramatic shift. Everything suddenly felt tense. Gone was the docile steering, the soft (relatively) ride, the purring of the engine in the distance and slurring of the transmission through the gears. The suspension got tighter, the throttle got touchier (the exhaust got notably louder), the steering went extra firm and the transmission dropped a gear as if anticipating a corner. And then I got the nerve to goose the gas. In an instant, the dual clutch transmission dropped to second gear, the revs swung to the far right of the 8200 tachometer and the cabin was positively filled with the glorious sound of a naturally aspirated, direct injected 4.2L V8 clearing its throat and belting out a ferocious battle cry. Or it could've been the sound of Zeus firing off multiple lightning bolts milliseconds apart in Hades' direction. All I know is that the Bob Marley song being piped via Bluetooth through the fantastic sounding Bang and Olufsen audio system suddenly became irrelevant.<br />
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Bob Marley being irrelevant doesn't ordinarily happen. Bob Marley being turned down doesn't ordinarily happen.<br />
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This wasn't an ordinary occasion.<br />
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I'm behind the wheel of a 2014 Audi RS5, the tip of the spear as far as the A5 lineup is concerned. Gone is the dinky 2.0L turbo four of the base A5, gone is the supercharged 3.0L V6 puppy of the S5 and in their place sits a Quattro GmbH-tuned 4.2L V8, fortified with direct injection, forged pistons, a strengthened aluminum engine block and a screaming 8200 rpm redline. All in, output registers at 450hp and 317lb-ft of torque routed through a seven speed, dual clutch transmission to all four wheels via Audi's signature Quattro all wheel drive system.<br />
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Outside, you can tell the more aggressive nature of the RS5 relative to its tamer stablemates by eyeballing the lowered ride height as it sits, hunkered on its massive 20" wheels. The Daytona Gray paint is also an RS5 exclusive and, though a tad plain, goes quite nicely with the silver-finished mesh grille and the forged aluminum, turbine wheels. A positively bonkers front splitter underlines huge intake openings, themselves framing the one-piece grille and topped by Audi's signature LED running lights. Looking at the RS5 from the side, "ready to pounce" would be an accurate descriptor. At the rear, large dual oval exhausts announce the RS5's presence and frame the lower diffuser. Equipped with the Sport Exhaust option, the 4.2L V8 becomes deliciously raucous with every dip of the throttle, opening flaps in the mufflers and enticing you to drop a few gears just to hear the motor's pops and crackles on overrun.<br />
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Despite the meager torque figure, the Quattro AWD system makes this car seriously quick. From a standstill, booting the throttle pressing you into the cosseting seat as the RS5 rockets forward with nary a hint of wheelspin. Just all four tires digging into the asphalt like a cheetah in full acceleration. The free revving nature of the engine makes it quite easy to hit the redline before you realize an upshift is necessary. Attacking a tight corner reveals just how nimble this chassis is when equipped with Rear Sport Differential. Just like the <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2013/10/short-test-2013-audi-s4.html" target="_blank">Audi S4</a> I tested last year, the differential can route power between the rear wheels, adding more torque to the outside wheel when cornering to aid in rotating the car. Unlike the S4 however, the RS5's huge tires cling to the road with such alacrity that there was no wheelspin to be had. Just the relentless acceleration through the corner and a planted, confidence-lending feeling. Yes, you have to ignore the initial brain command to back off the throttle once the first hint of understeer shows up but bury the throttle mid-corner and the RS5 rewards you by tucking in its nose and thrusting you through the apex and on to the straight, the V8 on full boil.<br />
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Once back to calmer, saner speeds with the Audi Drive Select switched to Comfort, I had a chance to take in the RS5's sumptuous cabin. Bumps are felt but don't make their way through the sports seats to your behind and the exhaust, which was all LeMans racer a few minutes ago, is barely heard in the sumptuous cabin. Audi cockpits are arguably the industry standard when it comes to quality and design and here the RS5 doesn't disappoint. Leather is buttery soft and the seats are at once supportive and comfortable for long distance stints. The steering wheel is grippy and features paddle shifters that fall easily to hand while the gauges are legible and easy to read at a glance.This being a coupe, rear seat room is marginal at best but surprisingly I was able to sit behind myself without too much trouble. Wouldn't want to take a road trip back there though.<br />
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With a base price of $69,600.00, the RS5 does battle with the likes of BMW's new <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2013/09/first-impressions-2014-bmw-m4.html" target="_blank">M4</a> and the outgoing Mercedes C63 AMG. To that price, my tester was fitted with the $750 Matte Aluminum Optic package which features the silver finished grille, aluminum painted front splitter and silver finish 20" wheels on summer tires, Sport exhaust system with black outlets for $1000, the $2750 Driver Assist Package that brought adaptive cruise control and dynamic steering and the always-brilliant $4000 Audi MMI navigation package. Other doodads pushed the as-tested price to $79,600 (destination not included).<br />
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If you're a fan of naturally aspirated engines, you'd better order your Audi RS5 pronto as this is the last and only place you'll still find the magnificent 4.2L V8 in all its unboosted glory. While Audi's new 4.0L twin-turbo V8 is a marvelous piece with big horsepower and greater efficiency, the 4.2L still has it on the ropes with a sound that is earsplittingly good. The RS5 might be getting on in years but its designed has aged beautifully and still offers enough performance to make that M3/M4 driver in the other lane think twice.<br />
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<i>Special thanks to Mr. Khan for his time and support!</i><br />
<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-48256169820083936512014-05-16T16:36:00.001-07:002014-05-16T16:36:33.505-07:00West Coast Road Trippin' - Day Seven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today was going to be a great day.<br />
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No, it was going to be an totally awesome day. Long one, but awesome nonetheless.<br />
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After saying our farewells to the Golden Gate Bridge, we went in search of a place to eat, figuring we'd just start heading south (and staying true to our bond of not eating commercial...support small business folks!). Taking the I-280 and then the CA17 south, we decided to make a pit stop in <a href="http://www.town.los-gatos.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=515" target="_blank">Los Gatos</a> and fuel up, on food and to top off Big Sexy Grey's (the Challenger's) 19 gallon tank (California fuel prices are insane but not the worst we'd seen that day...just wait). One restaurant that caught our eye was <a href="http://www.doubleds.com/" target="_blank">Double Ds Sports Grille</a> since it was located just off the highway and right across from a nearby gas station. Filling our bellies on a Carne Sada sandwich (me) and Artichoke Chicken (Roger...fancy). we then topped off Big Sexy Grey and continued on CA17 with Roger at the wheel towards Monterey and the beginning point for our epic Pacific Coast Highway run.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger doing windshield cleaning duty in Los Gatos</td></tr>
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The drive to Monterey gave us just a taste of what we would encounter later that day. Seaside farms, beaches right next to the road and undulatimg tarmac at times served to exercise the Challenger's suspension in preparation. Monterey itself wasn't that interesting in my view but that was probably due to my salivating at what lied beyond. So after taking a brief break at a nearby beach, we switched places and headed off.<br />
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We hit school traffic (this was a Thursday after all) heading out of Monterey and for a few miles, the drive was uneventful. It didn't get interesting until we were well past the small town of Carmel and headed into Point Lobos State Reserve. The road opened up and before we knew it, we were viewing what it's like to see mountains unwittingly meet the ocean. The scenery was breathtaking and the road was incredible. There were various points along our route called vista points and turnouts where anyone can park their cars right up to the cliff (or beach) and explore the surrounding area. We stopped at a few of these, thinking each was the best view but it really didn't matter: it seemed like just when we found the perfect point for taking photos, down the road was another, even better location. In some areas the cliffs were jagged and steep while in others, the terrain rolled gently from the road into a beach. The cliffs ranged in height from just above sea level to over 1,000ft, as high as I fly my aircraft at Tamiami airport. Along the way, we saw an elephant seal colony (they stink even worse than cow manure), dipped our toes in the Pacific Ocean at one of the many almost-deserted beaches (Roger collected a bottle of Pacific sea water and sand to bring back) and came reeeeaaaallllly close to driving off the edge of the road. Anyone undertaking what we did better have nerves of steel. If you've never driven along cliff-side roads with no guardrails, you will have ass-pucker moments. Our stops were short and quick, just enough to take in the scenery and snap a few "yes-we-were-really-here" images. Briefly, the road took us away from the coast through the redwood forest of <a href="http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/" target="_blank">Big Sur</a> but the road was no less challenging for the, uh, Challenger. One observations we made was that Mustangs littered the road here. At one of our
stops were quite taken aback to see just as many Ford Mustang convertibles as
there were minivans surrounding our Challenger. But seeing Big Sexy Grey stand our proudly in a sea of lower vehicles, we were confident we made the right choice. Another confirmation was seeing some of those Mustang pilots eyeing our Challenger quite jealously as they either pulled in to park or departed with a tire chirp. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Sexy Grey stands proudly</td></tr>
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The drive itself was pretty spectacular, this part of the PCH being all I read it to be. Blind turns, good straights to wind out the big Pentastar V6 and enough elevation changes to almost cause worry regarding how well the transmission would hold up. I kid you not, the five-speed automatic was poor at this sort of exuberant driving. I was using manual mode most of the time but it didn't matter. One example was approaching a hairpin turn while playing cat-and-mouse with one particular black Mustang convertible. Using Autostick I downshifted to second gear in preparation, hoping the transmission would hold the gear through the corner. It downshifted alright, but midway in the turn it upshifted itself <i>into FOURTH</i>, bogging the engine and making me lose any momentum I had to help accelerate out of the turn. Seeing the Mustang I was chasing pull out a significant lead I nailed the throttle, hoping to get V6 back into its power band so I could use what adequate horsepower there was to get the big Challenger up and running after the disappearing Ford. Over the last few days with Big Sexy Grey, I had gotten used to the soft suspension and skinny 18" tires, coupled with the quick steering rack but the transmission had me cursing each time one of the many Mustang convertibles along our route caught up with us. I'll give it to the Mustang driver, he doesn't have much to worry about as his car is a few hundred pounds lighter than Big Sexy Grey. I, on the other hand, had to be fully conscious of her weight as I sawed at the wheel, trying to place her on the correct line while cornering and praying her brakes would halt all that momentum. Didn't matter though, I always caught up to his tailpipes, ensuring he'd always have a rearview mirrorful of Challenger face glaring at him<br />
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Enough about the car, you might be saying at this point. Did you take pictures? Did you shoot video?<br />
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Here's your answer:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just outside an elephant seal colony</td></tr>
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After a few hours we made it down to the end of our route at Morro Bay, partially exhausted but with a sense of accomplishment. Morro Bay is sleepy and quiet seaside town with its most prominent feature being the <a href="http://www.slostateparks.com/morro_rock/" target="_blank">Morro Rock</a>, a large volcanic plug that is tied to the mainland via causeway. We wanted to visit it but time was against us since we needed to be in Bakersfield that night (plus it was getting pretty dark and the tours had already ended). After exploring the road directly next to the harbour (and remembering our earlier experience with "authentic Chinese food"), we settled on getting dinner at <a href="http://roseslanding.com/" target="_blank">Rose's Landing Cafe</a>. Taking in the NFL draft on their large big screen monitors, we chowed down on fish burritos (Roger) and chicken fettuccine (me...yes, I was feeling fancy).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some factory or powerplant</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Morro Rock landmark</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even Embracadero is down here</td></tr>
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By this time, night had fallen so Roger took piloting duties and nosed Big Sexy Grey northward along CA41 to CA46 and finally I-5 towards our resting spot for the night in Bakersfield. Remember that earlier bit about California's extraordinarily high gas prices? Just outside the city, we passed a gas station which was selling fuel for $5.09/gallon. That's FIVE DOLLARS folks...and not premium either. Good ol' regular, the stuff our Challenger had been feeding on for the last six days. It took a while for us to collect our jaws off the floor and resume navigating to our hotel. And then Tupac's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wBTdfAkqGU" target="_blank">California Love</a> came on the radio. Sure we were nowhere near Compton or Los Angeles, but the song was just as appropriate as we pulled into our hotel...in Bakersfield, CA. Sleep was calling to us and we knew tomorrow would be an equally epic day. Desert run? Vegas baby?<br />
<br />
Yeah baby.<br />
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<i>More video will be available on my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr9EPWvq3BG1nQnJoXVzK1g" target="_blank">Youtube</a></i> <i>channel so subscribe already!</i>SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-70432499878485130022014-05-09T02:45:00.000-07:002014-05-09T02:45:07.753-07:00West Coast Road Trippin' - Day Six<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the Bay Bridge</td></tr>
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San Francisco is a pretty awesome city.<br />
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By the time we left the room (and the Challenger parked for the day), it was after 11am. Our plan was to head downtown by MUNI rail to Fisherman's Wharf at Embracadero, walk the piers, see the sites and be tourists for a day. First of all though, we needed food. Roger took the lead and suggested we hit up Chinatown for some "authentic" Chinese food for lunch. After reaching Embracadero,we explored the Asian part of the city a bit before settling on an almost literal hole-in-the-wall eatery called Gourmet something or another.<br />
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The less said about that place, the better. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Challenger gets the day off while we exercise our feet</td></tr>
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We made our way down to the piers and strolled up to <a href="http://visitfishermanswharf.com/" target="_blank">Fisherman's Wharf</a>, passing a number of seafood restaurants, Alcatraz tours and all manner of shops and such in the process. Being as Roger and I both share an allergy to all things shellfishy, we decided against upsetting our tummies any further and did some shopping. We also saw the famous <a href="http://www.pier39.com/home/the-sea-lion-story/" target="_blank">Pier 39 sea lion colony</a>, visited the <a href="http://www.exploratorium.edu/" target="_blank">Exploratorium</a> and rested our feet with some light drinks at <a href="http://fogharbor.com/" target="_blank">Fog Harbor Fish House</a>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger admiring the sea lions</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently at times, the colony numbers in the thousands.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seafood bars litter the place</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic part of the wharf</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infamous Alcatraz</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice decor</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bay Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger trying to figure out where the heck the train left us</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Gate Bridge in the distance</td></tr>
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After waltzing up and down Embracadero, we so wanted to get that taste of kung pao out of our system that we decided to have a late lunch at <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/nakedlunchsf/" target="_blank">The Naked Lunch</a>. A short walk from wharf area, this sports bar and grill has an interesting menu that apparently changes daily and a no-nonsense atmosphere to it. I had their staple, farm-fried chicken sandwich while Roger elected for the burger-of-the-day. While I have no doubt the chicken sandwich is absolutely scrumptious, this time around it was less than stellar (the chicken could've been left in the fryer a little longer) and probably further aggravated my already-karate-chopped stomach. Nothing a cold IPA can't assist with.<br />
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We were scheduled to leave San Fran' the next day, but we couldn't bid adieu without at least sampling the city's nightlife. Roger suggested we hit up a hip hop club that was relatively close by. Called <a href="http://www.thedoubledutch.com/" target="_blank">Double Dutch</a>, the place boasts a pretty rad interior design, one that I'm sure will appeal to my DJ counterparts. As you walk in, you're met with a wall made almost entirely of vintage boombox radios on one side, while the bar itself sits opposite. The wall above the bar, is decorated with pictures of hip hop icons like Naughty-By-Nature, Run DMC, Ice Cube, etc. The DJ spun pretty well, though the transitions could've been better (my DJ criticals would not be contained) but everyone there seemed to be having a good time. Knowing we had a full day ahead, we stayed an hour before returning to our base (hat tip to Phil!).<br />
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Did I mention we got a parking ticket during our day trek downtown? Apparently we parked Big Sexy Grey in an area (adjacent to our base) where street cleaning happened during a specific time. It just so happened that while we were gone, that's when the street cleaning happened. Parking in this city is tough, man. The parking instructions alone, left for us by our host had us triple and quadruple checking our spots to ensure we weren't breaking any laws and parking by any green, yellow, blue, red or black sidewalks.<br />
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In that order. <br />
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We had a pretty good day all the same. Check out the video below for our views on Day Six as well as what's to come on Day Seven when we tackle the famed Pacific Coast Highway:<br />
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<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-22366863198982223882014-05-07T20:26:00.000-07:002014-05-07T20:26:18.580-07:00West Coast Road Trippin' - Day Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once again, a hat tip has to be extended to our more-than-gracious Santa Rosa host, Tamara. Not only did she allow us to couch surf for the night, she also pretty much planned our next day as far as sites and eats.<br />
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And, oh boy, did she nail it.<br />
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First off, we needed breakfast. Never mind it was already an hour later than we intended to leave (around 11am if you really must know), we were going to make it to breakfast and that was that. Her first suggestion to start the day was a Mediterranean eatery called <a href="http://www.eastwestcafesantarosa.com/" target="_blank">East West Restaurant</a>. We were greeted by our beautiful and friendly waitress, Christina (please forgive if I misspelled your name if you see this) and, it being a gorgeous day, we elected to eat outside.<br />
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With breakfast on my mind, I opted for the Mediterranean Omelette: a three-egg wonder stuffed with mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, feta cheese and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember, with country potatoes and sourdough toast on the side. Washed down with Jasmine Chai tea, it was a relatively healthy meal that didn't leave me feeling...heavy. Roger chose the French Toast combo with scrambled eggs, artichoke chicken sausage (fancy) with some multi-named iced tea. The meal was, in a word, delicious. Along with the great weather and fantastic service, the day couldn't have gotten off to a more awesome start. After ordering a meal to go, we thanked our waitress and set out south to Tamara's office to drop off some lunch (hey, it's the least we could do) then headed west to our first sightseeing stop of the day: the <a href="http://www.korbel.com/default.aspx" target="_blank">Korbel Winery</a> in Sonoma County.<br />
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Now, I know what you're all probably thinking: what's so special about the champagne we pop every New Year's Eve? Trust me, so were we, but it turns out there's over a hundred years worth of history inside that bottle in your cupboard. We were shown a brief video about the history of the winery and then led through the original building used to actually make the wine, as well as shown the time-consuming methods used to blend and bottle the product. At the end of the tour, we were treated to a complimentary tasting of the four lines of champagne made at the winery (we both took part in that last bit) from driest to sweetest. We also learned that Korbel makes much more than just champagne, such as brandy and actual wine. You won't find them for sale at retail stores however as they can only be purchased at the winery. Hey, believe me, if we could we would, but we're flying back, so we didn't.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old way of prepping, corking and labeling</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World's largest champagne bottle and glass</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The full line of products</td></tr>
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So what were our thoughts? Here ya go:<br />
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Following our wine tasting stint, we pointed the Challenger's nose westward to Tamara's next suggested stop, the actual west coast, specifically Doran Beach. Taking the 116 road west linked us up to the California 1 aka one part of the famed Pacific Coast Highway. While the road there might not have had the same, hilariously hairpinned and blind curves as the road Roger took the previous night, there was still plenty of turns and braking/accelerating events to make the drive interesting. Of course, the Challenger is a pretty big car, bigger than the Mustang, bigger than the Camaro. As a result, you can't argue with physics. Instead of deftly swinging the Challenger's nose through tight turns, I was more herding the big car. The brakes were decently strong and the power from the big V6 was adequate to pull us through the corners. But as Roger alluded to previously, the big failing part is the 5-speed transmission. At anything more than 6/10ths, the Challenger falls over itself and the transmission's slow response to prods of the go-pedal exacerbates this. The steering is quick, but the body takes a while to settle once's the nose starts swinging into the desired direction. Anyway, having never seen the Pacific shoreline (at least enough to appreciate it), once we arrived our collective breaths were taken away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Challenger looks just about right here</td></tr>
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The views were utterly breathtaking. If this is what the Pacific Coast Highway has in store for us a few days from now, we'll most certainly take it. This, my friends, is what road tripping is all about: going somewhere you've never been to see things you've never seen. And we enjoyed every flippin' minute of it. The images don't do these views justice. It was windy, like 40-50mph windy, the air was cold and salty, necessitating the donning of our jackets. Plus, even though the cliffs we were on were perhaps 100ft above the water, the pounding surf was enough to spray salt water that high up on our faces. And even then we still reveled in the natural wonder. It had us both feeling...exhilarated. <br />
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There are a ton more photos and video we took, a lot more than I can post at the moment. You can catch some of the videos posted here as well as others on my YouTube channel. After a an hour or two of soaking in the views, we made our way to the third leg of our Santa Rosa excursion to the town of Sebastopol where we cooled our heels at the <a href="http://russianriverbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Russian River Brewing Company. </a>We wanted to take the tour but elected instead to just rest a bit. Toasting to a pretty awesome day thus far, we chowed down on some chicken wings then started the southerly drive to our date with San Fransisco. It was around 6:30pm when we arrived at the Golden Gate Bridge (we were annoying our friends Tiffany and Kerrie on the phone at that point so not many images were taken at this particular milestone). Yes folks, we've finally made it to the town of cable cars and Rice-A-Roni. We were pretty beat but knew one of the first things to do was update you guys on our trip since we've missed a few days. You can read all about Day Four <a href="http://mytestdrives.blogspot.com/2014/05/west-coast-road-trippin-day-four.html" target="_blank">here</a> and since we've just completed Day Six and our tour of the city, that update will be posted soon. That night we felt peckish so we made a late night run to an In-N-Out Burger joint a few miles away. No frills is how I'd describe the place and the food. The ingredients were fresh and the burger patties were well cooked. Our bellies full, we headed back to our staging area (hat tip to Phil at airBnB for the comfortable room!) to rest up for the next day's activities. </div>
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The trip has been pretty spectacular so far.</div>
<br />SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-44855932864875045872014-05-06T23:44:00.000-07:002014-05-07T00:15:07.501-07:00West Coast Road Trippin' - Day Four<br />
<i>Not only does Roger take the wheel of the Challenger this time around, he also takes the reins to the blog for this update (hey, he needs to share his perspective as well too, right?)</i><br />
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God bless Marlon for staying up so late to write the last blog post. I wish I had his determination, then maybe I would have finished blogging about my trip to Japan last year.<br />
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Anyways, I'm taking over just for this one time, easy now since we've pretty much fully acclimated to our current time zone.<br />
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It wasn't until the morning when we woke up that we realized just how damned tired we were from all the activity in Seattle and Portland earlier in the day. That, and the beds at the Holiday Inn Express in Eugene were flippin' <i>fantastic</i>. We managed to somehow crawl out of bed in time to take advantage of the free breakfast included with our stay and check out before noon.<br />
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We spent the first part of the day taking a self-guided tour of the University of Oregon's campus (our hotel was conveniently located right across the street). As a proud University of Florida alumnus, I simply had to check the place out and compare it to my home campus in Gainesville. I will say this- Phil Knight's money is plain to see in all the athletic program's facilities, but everywhere else... let's just say not so obvious. Overall my impression of the campus was "mehhh". One building that wasn't built yesterday with Nike money that was really impressive was the Museum of Art. Granted, we didn't go inside the building, but from the outside the gothic touch to the architecture was rather fetching, and helped the building stand out from its relatively drab neighbors. As a gesture of respect to our fellow D1 competitors, I went around Chompin' in front of as many major landmarks on the campus as I could:<br />
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I didn't chomp the museum; that would have been disrespectful (and I liked it).<br />
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After we got our fill of dirty looks sent our way (and a couple head nods from peeps who know what the heck is up) we stopped by the Duck Store just off the main campus to pick up a keepsake- Leninade!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tastes like suffering and starvation, with just the right hint of sweetness! (Made in the USA)</td></tr>
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Overall Eugene and Gainesville have a lot in common as cities built more or less around the flagship universities of their respective states- there are the schools, and not a whole lot else- but the nature surrounding them is pretty sweet.<br />
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We probably stayed in Eugene a little too ducking long though (sorry, couldn't resist), so when we finally hit the road it was almost 1:30pm local time. We were a little behind our VERY loose schedule. From this point on we had an almost 8 hours total of driving time ahead of us to get to our base camp in northern California. I took the wheel for this leg of the trip.<br />
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Thankfully, the ride to the border was anything short of boring- it was amazingly picturesque with fairly sharp changes in grade and temperature. We spent a good portion of the trip to Medford, OR (where we made our first pit stop) dodging trailers and popping our ears. We finally made it to our exit and drove towards downtown looking for somewhere to eat.<br />
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One thing we probably haven't mentioned earlier is that this trip is almost as much about food as it is about the road itself. With that we shall introduce Vinny, owner of <a href="http://www.paisanspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Paisans Pizzeria</a>.<br />
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Marlon and I ordered a couple slices of pizza with garlic bread and a pair of lemonades to wash it all down. Specifically, I had a meat pizza slice that was loaded- no, <i>gloriously burdened</i> with what must have been six different types of meat. Marlon went a bit more traditional with a slice of pepperoni that he couldn't have finished faster if he was being chased by hyenas in the Serengeti. The real star of the show though, surprisingly was the garlic bread. My friends, this was no mere garlic bread, with Italian bread toasted with plain old garlic, salt and oil/butter. No, this was something more, with freshly grated parmesan, oregano, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and some other stuff that added up in flavor to more than the sum of its humble ingredients. Toss in what was clearly the BEST DAMN MARINARA SAUCE IN THE WORLD for dipping, and it's a wonder why he hasn't franchised this place. If you like pizza and you happen to be in Medford, check this place out.<br />
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We cleaned our plates, high-fived the owner on the way out (greasy hands and all) and hopped back in our steed to continue our journey.<br />
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We crossed the border into California not long after and, besides gazing at the awesome beauty of the terrain, realized just how severe the state's water shortage was. Approaching just north of Lake Shasta, while taking in the scenery, something about the lake itself seemed...well, out of place. Then it hit us: the water line was <i>waaaaaaaaaaaaay </i>below where the tree line began. I'll let the video below tell the story:<br />
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Shortly after we shot the video, we did some <a href="http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/01/18/californias-drought-situation-in-pictures-what-a-difference-one-year-makes/" target="_blank">research</a> and what we found was pretty shocking. The landscape was literally changing before our eyes and we witnessed it for ourselves.<br />
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After a having a good long gawk, we hopped back into the steed and noticed that we were not going to make it to San Francisco that night, which was probably for the best anyway and not really our intention to begin with. After a quick call to our friend in Santa Rosa (about an hour north of San Francisco) with the hopes of having a spot to crash for the night, we continued on as darkness fell. Once we had our confirmation from Tamara (shout outs to Tam'ra :-)), we were faced with a major decision- continue on I-5 (which was the major highway we had been on since we left Seattle), or divert west along a 2 lane highway with no street lighting that goes into the thickly forested mountains of Northern California, filled with deer and bears and probably wolves or some shit. We stopped for gas and contemplated our next move. Marlon leaned towards staying on the highway, but ultimately left the decision to the man at the wheel. I of course gave in to my more adventurous side and decided to head for the hills, into the unknown where nothing but the blackness of night laid ahead for certain.<br />
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Now, I was not sure what I had gotten us into, but WHOOOOOOOT it was fun! We finally had a chance to put the Challenger through its paces as a supposed sports car:<br />
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We somehow made it through all those twisties without Marlon tossing his cookies and landed at our new base camp in Santa Rosa safe, sound and utterly sapped. After talking over the plan for the next day with some great input from our most gracious host (and some local wine- we were in Sonoma County after all) we tapped out. The next day was going to be epic...SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127498252405948892.post-9427473412682006532014-05-05T01:15:00.000-07:002014-05-05T01:15:11.386-07:00West Coast Road Trippin' - Days Two and Three<br />
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Your eyes do not deceive you.<br />
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That, dear readers, is NOT a Dodge Charger but rather its two door counterpart, the Challenger. How did we arrive at this vehicle? Well first, let's back up some 36 hours prior. Let's start with the events of Day 2, just after I posted the last update.<br />
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On Saturday, after doing a bit of grocery shopping for Marsha, Roger and I went into town to meet up with Cristina and catch the last of Warriors/Clippers basketball game and all of the Hawks/Pacers game at a hole-in-the-wall bar called Auto Battery Bar (don't know how the name got coined). We then headed to Century Link field to see the Seattle Sounders MLS team face off against the Philadelphia Union. By this time, Seattle's usual overcast, rainy weather returned and let's just say I underestimated how utterly wet the weekend was going to be. It wasn't torrential rain mind you, just pocket after pocket of steady light to moderate rain that, after standing outside for a few minutes, would just leave you drenched. It was a long walk and a bus or two from Auto Battery to our pregame pit stop at <a href="http://www.fuelseattle.com/" target="_blank">Fuel</a> Sports Eats & Beats bar so you can imagine that we'd be soaked....well, one of us anyway. I had the bright idea to leave my actual rain jacket (I only brought a light jacket and a fleeced hoodie) so ill-prepared was my middle name that day. Luckily, after meeting up with Marsha and heading inside the stadium, I managed to get some of the last ponchos from the guest booth so I wasn't <i>totally</i> soaked.</div>
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The game itself was very exciting. Seattle sports fans are arguably some of the loudest and most hardcore in the country and, as far as I've been told, they value their MLS team over their NFL counterparts (who, as a reminder, just won Super Bowl). After going one up on the Sounders, the Union defense crumbled against a non stop surge by Seattle, leading up to striker Chad Marshall shooting the game-winning goal in the latter part of the second half. Needless to say, the atmosphere was electric and contagious. </div>
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Leaving the stadium, we decided to head back to Fuel to take in the Mayweather vs Maidana boxing match, where Marsha took her leave (she'd been working all day and was understandably exhausted). Once the match started, it was clear that among the viewers battle lines were drawn. The Argentinean contingent was extremely vocal in their support for Maidana while the majority of the Mayweather camp was in the upstairs area (we were holed up somewhere in between). Roger, being the boxing aficionado he is, gave us a play-by-play on each round, breaking down the techniques each boxer was using and coming to the (rather obvious) conclusion that Mayweather was winning. There were some that didn't take kindly his views, especially one guy who for some reason or another, was hung up on Mayweather not fighting Manny Pacqiao a few years earlier. After a heated discussion, they both agreed to disagree (Cristina and I were just silent obeservers lol). </div>
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Feeling a bit famished (and because Roger mentioned the word 'burger' at some point), Cristina took us up Capitol Hill to a new burger joint called Freddy Junior's. Basically, they sell slider-sized burgers and hot dogs at very reasonable prices along with no frills and a very simple menu. The burgers themselves were tiny bites of awesome flavor (if you're ever in the area, go for the Kahuna burger with grilled pineapple...delicious). After a filling meal, Roger and I were feeling...well, tired. A shot of Red Bull quickly woke us up and explored Seattle's nightlife, stopping by <a href="http://thebarboza.com/" target="_blank">Barboza</a>. Maybe it was the DJ in me, but the music (a mix of hip hop and EDM) sounded a bit more bassy and ultimately distorted for my tastes (hat tip to Selecta AJ and DJ Valho for the insight) but in any case, we enjoyed ourselves. Before long though, exhaustion started to set in and we called it a night.</div>
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Sunday morning saw us packing our stuff, bidding Marsha a heartfelt farewell and heading south to SeaTac Airport for our date with the steed to begin the road trip. After a bit of a snafu, we were presented with wide choice: full sized (which we had reserved), luxury or SUV. Again, we initially wanted a Charger but spying two Challengers lurking in the shadows (and the Enterprise attendant giving us a heck of a good deal), we decided on the Charger's two-door brother. I'll let the following video explain our decision:</div>
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So yeah, we got a deal and we took it. Besides, we're in vacation mode baby. Roughly two hours later, heading south on the I5, we arrived in Portland, OR and explored a bit (not to mention bought a cheap aux cable and a car charger since neither of us brought ours and after an hour or so we got tired of AM/FM radio).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Trailblazers' NBA arena</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pose off</td></tr>
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Afterwards, we headed just over an hour south to Eugene, OR where we're currently staying for the night. Day 5's plan should see us exploring the University of Oregon's campus (Roger obnoxiously wearing his Gators shirt) before resuming our trip south. Next update, we each break down our personal reasons for undertaking this odyssey as well as upload a few more photos. Who knows? You'll probably get more hilarious videos. Until then, I'm beat. It's 1:15am here (my body is still insisting it's three hours later) and we gotta be up early.</div>
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Till the next update!</div>
SupaManhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347153273784295343noreply@blogger.com0