FAIL!

Whatever you are doing, you are doing it wrong. Plastic-embrace it.

Really? The Second Chapter

I love the thought process of people sometimes. I think the "let's get it done" mentality was not inclusive of the Aston Martin DB9 (worth as much as some of the condos I am looking at.) If you have the money for that, why not get a cheap pickup for your "let's get it done" moments. FAIL!

Really?!

Not the car Old Stage Road. Don't drive your Saturn Aura on this road.

SAAB SAAB

Drove a 1999 SAAB 9-5 today...missed my Ecotec I4 turbo. Something just was amiss from the real SAAB. Odd as I was expecting to be more disappointed with my GM SAAB then the SAAB after actually driving on. I know I could get hate mail, but I was not missing anything but the new(er) deal.

Car Problems

Perhaps the perfect car is one that does not break down. However, that would be horrible for the car part/repair shop industry along with soap manufacturers.

Special Edition: Vette on the Rockies

Special Edition: People's Choice

Freaking Beak - 2011 Acura ZDX Thing

I really want to meet whomever "greenlighted" this car from concept to production at Acura. The Accord CrossTour I can ALMOST understand...almost...station wagon for those who dislike SUVs, the 7 dozen cross-over vehicles available, and want that extra passenger/cargo space. This $50k+ hunk of metal I am dumbfounded about:

best way I can describe this thing is: if I could imagine what it would be like to be a server blade within an HP C7000 BladeSystem, this has to be as close to that experience as I can fathom. Not sure that is a good thing if you are Human.

This is/was a nice gesture from Courtesy Acura as a loaner car while one of my cars was being serviced, and if Blat ever get's off his high horse you'll find out what car THAT is, hint: "drive it like you hate it!".

What do you get for $50k+ you ask?
Pluses:
- Its black on black
- Full glass roof kinda cool if you're into that sort of thing
- Navigation system, once figured out how to use is the best I have ever seen - even has traffic, weather, radar...a Navi after my own heart
- Cool adaptive cruise control for long commutes such as mine - it has front and side firing radar for collision management. Why would you need this? You get so bored driving it, you need this to ensure you don't plow into cars around you.
- Ball coolers/ventilated seats are the bomb
- Couldn't possibly ask for more audio options (XM-AM-FM, USB-IPOD, DVD, internal hard disk, etc)
Minuses:
- The engine is so uninspired I don't even care what it is - might be a 3.7L iVTEC, again who cares it moves this hunk slower than a 2003 Pilot.
- Suspension is a soft as you can imagine, you need the included SH-AWD system just to keep you from drifting off of the road since you can't feel it anyways
- It comes with side steps, I am not kidding you, which make it HARDER to get into and out of the vehicle if you are normal or tall sized person as otherwise they trip you or at least get your dress slacks dirty - fun!
- 20 MPG best HIGHWAY mileage (over 3 commutes). This is a HONDA product? WTF OMG!
- $70 to fill the tank with required premium fuel - again why it needs premium, the world may never know. Give this thing a turbo or two and justify the high-test!
- Did I mention it needs a turbo or extra 2 cylinders?
- Has so many buttons in the interior, most of which are mysterious icons, that I felt like my mom holding an iPhone for the first time? ("how do I get to the internet?" answer "press the button labeled Safari" retort "why?" response "it's what Apple decided to call the interweb...")
- The "BEAK" aka Acura's Power Plenum = hideous and please fire someone, anyone, over that...

I thank Acura for the trust in the loaner of a $50k+ vehicle, but no thank you. I hope the kick butt navigation system and perhaps the lazy boy adaptive cruise control make it into the forthcoming 2013 return of the RSX, but PLEASE keep the rest away from fattening your brand any further.

2 out of 5

-mesocyc-

Storm Shadow - Acura RSX Type S - Ultimate Delivery Rice

There are only two acceptable versions of the Acura RSX: Ninja (black), and Stormshadow (white). All else are FAIL or poseur. So, while at Cactus Flower in Pueblo, we spy this nice looking 02-04 RSX-Type S Stormshadow at "China Recipe" (yes that is the name) restaurant. I keep an eye on the rice specimine throughout dinner, I look away for a moment about 30 min in to meal, and it disappears. 15 minutes later it is back in all it's fart tip, rice rim, colorful spoiler post hole covers glory! I think that all Asian restaurants should have a Stormshadow or Ninja delivery vehicle on staff. Also for a Saturday night this place was doing a horrible amount of business! Could it be the name? Heck, call it Russian Surprise that this rate...who cares what you get as long as it is delivered by one of these! :)

-mesocyc-

PS - all due respect to my buds at ClubRSX in Colorado Springs!

Technology

I hate it! I have a MacBook Pro with i5 CPU, 4GB memory, and solid state hard disk, and after 30 minutes, I THINK I have my photos from my iPhone about ready to post for my first "random car". I really don't know how Blat stays so organized that his pictures are always ready to post...rant rant rant. Time is the fire in which we burn...
-mesocyc-

Random Photo: Problems with the Matrix

Two poorly parked Acura MDXs with nearly the same stickers in the exact spot on both SUVs.  A glitch with the matrix?

The Raptor

When someone says raptor, you might think lofty, majestic birds of prey or cunning predators with agility.  What probably is not coming to mind is the sheer power of  411 horsepower with 435 lb ft of torque with the burbling hum of a V8 engine tearing up the countryside as if it were a hot knife through butter.  But, that is what Ford has built.  I know we just discussed the F150 in an earlier post, but this is different....decidedly different. The Raptor is what HD is to TV.  It is that different that it really is not the same thing.  If you have to haul some hay to feed your cows, get a F150.  If you need to escape the hoard of zombie robots coming to kill all humans, steal a Raptor. 

If I had to buy a truck, this is THE TRUCK I would buy.  Oh, and if this does not come with enough power, there is always a supercharged version out there.  It is so damn cool I had to give you Top Gear to present it.

Top Gear Video via YouTube-The Hennessey VelociRaptor

Breaking 100,000 Miles

Breaking 100,000 miles in a car is a monumental event in the ownership in a car. It separates lesser cars from real cars.  Until they reach this point, they just might fail.  Once they reach this point, you know you have a car that will last. Kinda like adolescence to adulthood.  Yesterday, the Drakken (aka the 2005 Saab 9-3) broke 100,000 while I was driving into the driveway.

The GoCar

Interesting concept in vacationing was seen recently, and I am still not sure about from a self discovery perspective.  But, that is a topic for a different blog.  GoCar implies this is an actual car. Moped or car?  Some states call these little critters a car and others a motorized, low powered motorcycle and tricycles.  You be the judge, but it has seat belts and a two stroke, 49 cc motor that takes it up to 35 mph for tourists.  In comparison to actual cars, it is decidedly lacking.

If you need to go see the sites of a specific tourist site, it might work. Vacation time is so valuable, I would want more power to get to my destination.  Power is all.   Imagine double or triple the motor in this thing....oh yeah.

Check them out here: http://www.gocartours.com/.   I will continue to my stumbling around and finding things that are out of the way.

The Supra

The Toyota Supra (Mark IV) was one of the best street cars in what I will term the "golden age" of street racing where competitors would have been Integras, NSXs, 300ZX, RX-7s and the ultra rare Skyline or the random half Honda CR-V with NOS.  Sold with forced induction (and then even more with a second turbo) and shit-ton of torque, it became one of the classics.  Even now, it is highly coveted and prized especially when in great condition.   Those who have only driven on in the many video games find themselves jealous of those you have enjoyed the rare privilege of being at the helm of this beauty.

For those who only know these from some Hollywood movies, you are fail!  This is one of those that harks back to that age where one could just push down on the accelerator and go with smoke and squeal of burning tires in the background.  It just looks fast sitting there with its whale tail and exhaust...this is a car! 

SFO Special: Random Pics

SFO Special Report: Stock Top

When parking at the hotel last night, I came upon this Beetle.  At first, I was thinking Roman Meal, but instead it is Stock Top Brewing.  Effective?  Well, it caught my attention from a parking lot away.

Enjoy this one around the Bay.  

Review: The Aveo

After driving the 2010 Chevy Aveo LT for the past 24 hours, I have to say it is a major improvement from the Chevy's I rented in the past.  It seems that Chevy shaped Saab and Saab has changed Chevy. The quality of the build is good.  The creature comforts are not half bad.

Now for the reality. The Aveo is power starved even at this altitude (which is near sea level).  I am not used to having to floor a throttle down in a car to make it up a hill. 

Throw in a turbo, update the interior and improve the accessories and one could sell this as a small Saab.

Where the tires touch the pavement: I give it 2 out of 4 cylinders.  Almost there, but still a long way to go.