Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Winter Returns To The Lou
Luckily, they got the roof on our new house and should have all the shingles done by now as well!
I'll post some pics when I'm at a real computer!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Just A Nice Sunday Drive
The wife has taken to working some overtime so I drove her in this morning, like a good husband should!
On the way back, I decided to stop by the local classic/antique/luxury car dealership, Daniel Schmitt & Co. and found quite a few gems in the rough of usual older, luxury and classic cars.
To follow my last couple of posts, the following pictures were taken with the 5 megapixel camera on the Droid. Pretty good pics from a phone, eh?
The first car that caught my eye was this 1980 slope-nose Porsche. I always liked the look and thought this was one of the coolest iterations of the 911.
The next “thing” that caught my eye…was this 1973 VW Thing. You have to love it when there’s a sticker on the dash that tell you to turn off the heater before you pump gas!
The gem of the day was this 1974 Jensen Interceptor. With an Italian-styled body and American V8, this British import was probably a whole lot of fun to drive…and practical too with that big hatch in back!With the light package on this one, it’s easy to imagine this as a rally car or maybe a 24-hour endurance racer.
Schmitt usually has quite a few older American cars, including many muscle cars and usually a big ‘ol bunch of Mercedes SLs. But today, they had three different pickups from a bygone era. First up is a 1950 Ford in a really nice red. I dig this truck because of the face…it looks like it came right out of the Cars movie!
There were also two Studebakers! One was hidden away form the rest of the vehicles for some repair work. But this 1962 Champ was right next to the Thing and looks ready for some work.
On another part of the property, I found this American Automotive icon…made famous last decade from its work in the movie Wayne’s World. It’s a a 1975 AMC Pacer wagon and, thankfully, when my dad worked for American Motors, he never brought one of these home. At least not that I remember. We did have a Gremlin and an Ambassador but that’s it. Now if I can only figure out a way to convince the wife that we need this…
Lastly, There was this 1966 Mustang convertible. There were quite a few Mustangs on the lot but this one stood out because it’s got the 289 V8 and a really cool interior. The best part? It has factory air! From 1966! But, at $33k, it’s a toss up between this and a brand new one with Sync, no miles and better reliability…Let me know which you’d choose!
Now for the “But wait there’s more” car. It’s a 1977 Oldsmobile Barris 70-X Toronado, made by world-renowned car customizer George Barris (Who created the original 60s Batmobile, KITT from Knight Rider, the Moneymobile form the series, the General Lee, … the list goes on!!!!). I couldn’t get a real good picture since it was in the middle of a closed showroom, so go here for more views. It’s the gold one in the pics below…and hurry in because this one is $20k off as of this writing…for the low, low price of $230k!!!!
I always love window shopping at Schmitt’s. Especially when they have such great gems! Stop by their home on the web and look around. You never know what kind of gem you’ll find!
And now, today’s Retro Review:
2002 Chevy Trailblazer
Chevy's New SUV is Ready to Rumble
by James E. Bryson
As the SUV war heats up, with at least 20 new models waiting to be introduced over the next year, automakers are trying to outdo each other with each new launch by making their respective vehicles bigger, better, stronger and safer than the other guys' products.
At General Motors, that mantra holds especially true for their all-new mid-size SUVs: the Chevy TrailBlazer, the GMC Envoy and the soon-to-be-defunct Oldsmobile Bravada. We had a chance to drive a two-wheel-drive TrailBlazer LT at a recent junket to Branson, Missouri, and we were quite impressed with the entire vehicle.
Inside, TrailBlazer is larger than the Blazer it replaces by leaps and bounds in every area. We found the seats to be comfortable, with plenty of leg and shoulder room for all passengers. The controls were stock GM, while not bad, we were hoping for a change in the GM corporate paradigm.
During our stay in Branson, we were treated to a couple of presentations on the new vehicle and some of the goodies the designers and engineers had put in to it:
The engine in the TrailBlazer is worth a note of praise. GM engineers have resurrected the domestic inline six-cylinder and have made it fuel efficient, quiet and powerful. The engine has 90 percent of its peak toque available from 1600 to 5600 rpm, it uses variable valve timing and throttle-by-wire to help achieve national LEV standards and it is extremely quiet. The idle is so smooth that even senior engineers tried to restart it. Because of this, there is a starter lock on the production model to prevent damage to the starter and flywheel.
The 4.2-liter inline-six in the TrailBlazer delivers 270 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque. For comparison, the 2002 Explorer V8 makes 240 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque; a difference of 30 horsepower and 5 lb.-ft. in Chevy's favor. The TrailBlazer should beat the Explorer at mileage as well. The estimated mpg for the TrailBlazer is 16 city and 20 highway, whereas the Explorer V8 is rated at 14 city and 19 highway. Not a really big difference but it's enough of one for Chevy to proclaim superiority.
The maximum oil change interval for the new engine has been extended to about 15,000 miles or just about double what every other manufacturer specifies. The engineering team was able to do this by using new oil temperature control technology. Another instance where Chevy can claim the upper hand against the competition.
Innovations abound with these new SUVs. Engineers decided to mount the engine lower in the engine bay for a lower center of gravity and better stability. To do this, a pass-through was made in the oil pan for the front drive shaft to go through, and at no cost to drivability.
The good thing about a straight engine configuration is that one side is hot (exhaust) and one side is cool (intake), making packaging decisions easy. They put all the electronics and temperature sensitive equipment on the cool side and everything else was positioned on the hot side. This extends the life of the components and aides in accuracy of the computer equipment, which is extremely sensitive to heat.
The hood on the TrailBlazer is made of bake-hardened steel. The hood hardens in the paint booth under the baking lights to help in crash worthiness and durability. The newest rallying cry at GM is the use of hydroforming on structural pieces and frame rails. This process produces superior integrity and strength to the molded pieces and helps suspension engineers by giving them a stronger structure on which to mount the suspension pieces.
To make the frame rails, a piece of steel is put into a die and water, compressed to 50,000 psi, is shot at the steel to force it into the shape of the die. The end product comes out of the die better than with any other technology. Hydroformed rails can be found on newer GM cars and trucks, including the Corvette and the recently redesigned Silverado and Sierra trucks. The engineers claim that the entire TrailBlazer structure is as strong as a European sedan because of this new technology.
The 4X2 TrailBlazer LT performed flawlessly on a drive through the hills and valleys of the Ozark Mountains, which is probably why the staff picked those roads for us. We were quite impressed with the comfort level and drivability of this new vehicle. We were even impressed with the off road ruggedness of the two-wheel-drive model we were driving. The staff led us onto an old logging road just before lunch. The terrain led us up and down through the hills and the rocky road gave us an appreciation of the new chassis and suspension. Not once were we afraid of getting stuck; though one group just ahead of us got caught on a tree limb. Luckily, they were in a 4X4 and were able to clear the obstacle and warn the rest of us about it.
As you read this, GM will be offering an optional DVD player with a 7 in. drop-down screen for those long rides with the kiddies…or those times you need peace and quiet and have to go out to your vehicle to find it. It is the first DVD in a mid-size SUV offered as original equipment.
You can get a two-wheel-drive TrailBlazer LS for just $25,155.00, while the top-of-the-line four-wheel-drive LTZ will start at $33,730.00. Expect a large amount of standard items on the base models and high-end bits like the aforementioned DVD player to be available for you to customize the vehicle as you see fit.
Since the TrailBlazer and its cousins are such new models, there have been no crash tests performed by the regular agencies. In an interesting turn of events, the Blazer, which the TrailBlazer will eventually replace, will be sold through the 2003 model year, because of strong sales, according to GM press materials.
The 2002 Chevy TrailBlazer is an exciting entry in the SUV market because it is one of the most capable, comfortable and powerful vehicles in its category. GMC can be proud of itself for finally having a competitor worthy enough to take on the Explorer. We can't wait to see how the battle unfolds.
Once again, thanks for stopping by!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Another Sunday In "The Lou"
On a lighter note, we had a great dinner the Sandra Lee would be proud of! (look her up if you don't get it) And, much to Vikki's surprise, we had mixed veggies with snap peas potato wedges and red pepper chunks and it was delicious!
So there!
Mom would be so proud!
More next time!!!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
This IS The Droid I’ve Been Looking For!
If you’re not living under a rock, or in an Afghani cave, then you may have heard about the newest “smart” phone offered by Verizon; The Motorola Droid (name use officially licensed by Lucas himself…or, at least, his company.)
For the last 18 months, I’ve had a pretty decent experience with the LG EnV, eve though I’m currently on handset numero three! You see, these EnVs have a problem with the connection through the hinge and the screens sometimes don’t come on and the phone locks up badly at other times. Number three, though, has been really good…until a couple days ago when the interior screen stopped working and I had to power it off then back on. No too terrible, but there was also a problem with the outside lights coming on when you grab it from an off angle.
So it was time for a new phone. And luckily for me, the stars aligned: The Droid came out and I was able to get permission from the boss!
Some of the standout features of the Droid are a 3.7 in. (diagonal) touch screen with 440X854 pixels, compared with 320X480 for the iPhone. It has a slide out qwerty keyboard that has some convenient keys like “@” and “?” that you don’t need to hit “alt.'” for, which is really nice.The Droid has built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, along with an included(!) 16 Gb micro SD card and a very easy to use voice search feature that works really well! Find full reviews here and here.
After a few days with Droid, I can say it’s pretty awesome! The phone works great! I called my buddy in Michigan and he said it sounded like I was on a landline. And the other “smart” stuff is totally awesome!
Since this phone is based on the Android operating system made by Google, the Droid seamlessly syncs with all my gmail contacts and is another way to see my Google Calendar, read through Google Docs and basically not have a reason to not keep in touch!
There are also apps you can get through the Android Marketplace for everything from Facebook and MySpace to Amazon and so much more. I got an app for my bank, a barcode scanner for easy price comparison shopping on the fly and even a level!!! I know what you’re saying now, though, “but it doesn’t have nearly as many apps as the Apple App Store”. My answer to that?? It’s been practically proven that 95% of the apps in the Apple App Store are worthless and just a waste of time. ‘Nuff said!!
Is the Droid worth the money? That’s up to you. Once I found out my corporate discount applied to the data plan for “smart” phones, I was there! And the Droid, with the rebate and my new every two credit, came out to be about $50 more than the Samsung Rogue I was looking at. And for the greater functionality and paying about the same per month, the Droid it was!
Hopefully I will be this enchanted with Droid in another six months…
And now for today’s Retro Review:
2003 Mercury Marauder
Ford's Answer to the Impala SS…A Few Years Too Late
by James E. Bryson
It's the adrenaline rush of knowing the officer is behind you. That is the reality hitting us square in the head when we're out on the open road. That rush can make you feel cranky, agitated, or worse. The relief comes when the officer passes you and goes on to someone else.
Now imagine having that power all to yourself.
This is not what Mercury engineers were thinking, at least not that we know of, when the made a few changes to the venerable Grand Marquis that transformed it into the ultimate cop car look-alike. Or, maybe they wanted to make a new Bluesmobile. Whatever the case, the 2003 Mercury Marauder is one bad machine that, with a bit more oomph down low, could be the ultimate sleeper car for late night street racers.
The Marauder is a blacked-out Grand Marquis with little chrome, except for the wheels and a few trim pieces, and not much flash. But that's the point. Stealth performance could be the tagline for the Marauder ad campaign. Even the grill is all black, with an elegant chrome Mercury moniker in its center.
Inside, the Marauder is all business with comfortable, supportive seats covered in fine gray "Nudo" leather, a legible gauge cluster with satellite gauges in the full-length center console and a fitting floor-mounted shifter that belies the performance attributes of the Marauder more than the monochromatic color scheme (take your proof in some of GM's offerings of late). The totally fake carbon fiber treatment on the doors and dash are forgivable in this car because of its sporty nature, though wood accents would have lent a more luxurious air to the vehicle.
We really liked the seats, front and rear. The nice aspect of such a large car is the room it affords to all passengers. We also found the driver's seat to be comfy and somewhat suited to spirited driving. These weren't Mustang quality, mind you, but they performed better in most ways than the standard Grand Marquis seats would have.
One small complaint about the front seats, for this price range at least, was the lack of seat heaters. It's a small complaint, but for a car that can be beaten by a Honda Civic to 60 mph, a warm tush might give us a little solace.
The rest of the interior is packaged well. The instruments are easy to read and have a sporty flair to them. We also liked the bright "Marauder" that lights up at night in the speedometer.
In the trunk, we found a nice little surprise: a plastic trunk organizer that was functional, if a bit bulky. The bulk comes from the organizer taking up the depth of the trunk. Thankfully, the spare tire was placed on a shelf and out of the way for most of what you'd put in there. When we needed a little extra space, the organizer came out easily and freed up the deeper part of the trunk entirely.
Under the hood is Ford's potent 4.6-liter V8 making 302 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque. While this seems like a lot on paper, the reality of the Merc's high weight and the lack of low-end grunt (peak torque comes at a high 4300 rpm) means slow straight-line acceleration, for a muscle-bound brute. But don't get the message wrong, the Marauder will hit 60 in a respectable time, just not what we were expecting.
Mid-range traipses to passing speed are adequate, but there is always that want for more power.
And, the lack of low-end torque severely limits burnouts because they are nearly impossible without some water on the road to loosen grip.
Speaking of which, cornering traction and ride control are excellent in the Marauder. Mercury's engineers should pat themselves on the back for a job well done with the suspension settings and the amount of control the Marauder commands. Compared with the old-person ride of the Grand Marquis, the Marauder is a powerful European sedan looking for its next victim.
We found ourselves hitting corners faster than in other "family" sedans and a few more sporty cars. The Marauder should be the benchmark for Ford performance sedans in the future.
The only time the suspension was not appreciated was over particularly harsh bumps and imperfections in the road. Though, those experiences were not overly bad, just reminders that this is a performance-oriented cruiser, not your daddy's Grand Marquis.
By now, you're probably asking yourself, "What's it cost?" Well, get ready for this one: Our test Marauder, with only $550 in options, stickered at $35,045.00, including the obligatory destination charge (which was $705 for this Merc).
The real question then becomes, "Is it worth it?"
Well, we'll leave that up to you. Just remember that for similar money , there are plenty of little rockets out there, though they won't give the people around you on the highway a scare thinking you're Smokey on the prowl for his next revenue raising interlude.
With what this car represents, it's a shame that it couldn't directly compete with the old Chevy Impala SS. Lord Vader, you could have had two choices.
And today’s Car Of The Day:
Say hello to the Aluminum bodied Ford Shelby GR1 concept shown at the 2005 North American International Auto Show. The GR1 had a 6.4-liter V10 with over 600 horsepower and over 500 pound-feet of torque feeding the rear wheels and was reportedly good for 0-60 in under four seconds. The jury is still out if this was better than the GT…but the GT didn’t have a sleek aluminum body!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
A Labor/Labour Day to Remember
There’s nothing like taking that end-of-summer road trip. Hitting the highways in search of the last grasp of Summer and the last fun before the reality of Fall and Winter hit.
It was with a little trepidation that the Wife and I set out for adventure, fun, good food, good friends and good relatives. Yes, we made the trek to the north. The little town known as “The D”, thanks to T-Baby and her hit single, “It’s so Cold In The D”. After you sit through the song, go here to see a response…
So out we set with not much of an itinerary and a lot of road before us. Our first stop was our favorite little winery in the sleepy Southwestern Michigan town of Coloma, Karma Vista. We were inside, tasting the new wines, when it hit me that we’ve been patronizing Karma Vista for the last 5 years. It was here that we spent a glorious afternoon on our honeymoon tour of Michigan wine country. What makes Karma Vista so special, besides the great wine, wonderful location and great owners in Joe and Sue Herman, is the titles of the wines themselves: Gunzan Rose, Pink Side of the Moon, Starry Starry White, Moondance Merlot, Watusi Red…are you seeing the pattern?? So yes, we bought a case but it’s not all for us: We gave two bottles to E & M for boarding us, two bottles are for C & J for watching the girls and two bottles are for A & S for a housewarming gift. Generous, no?
Another cultural schooling came Friday when we crossed the border into Canada to visit the wineries of Pelee Island and Mastronardi. Each had a great selection of great-tasting wines and beautiful surroundings. The interesting thing about the Ontario wineries was the extra step undertaken to ensure the wines are of the utmost quality and use only grapes grown in Southern Ontario. Here’s an excerpt from the Canada South Wine Tours explaining their system:
In 1989, Canada adopted a designation system known as the VQA system (Vintners Quality Alliance) which was initiated by the winemakers of Ontario in recognition of the importance of having standards against which Canadian wines could be measured against the wines of other countries. The system was modeled after the French system which is based on origin and identifies specific geographic areas that have been singled out as having characteristics favorable to the cultivation of grapes. Essex County was officially identified as having two of Ontario’s three Designated Viticultural Areas. The two areas were named Lake Erie North Shore (mainland) and Pelee Island (Island). The third area in Ontario is Niagara, there are also 4 DVA’s in British Columbia. Since then, a growing number of vintners have been reclaiming the soil and the region’s reputation by producing some of Canada’s best wines. Today there are approximately 1,000 acres of grapes in the Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island Designated Viticultural Areas.
So we didn’t exactly buy a case in Canada but that’s OK since we were worried about the duty tax we might pay for any extra bottles over the 9 we purchased. Thankfully, we sailed through the border!
Our next big even came Saturday night when we went to see Jack Scott and his band perform at the annual Hamtramck Polish Festival. The band performed admirably, playing some of Jack’s greatest hits including “Burning Bridges”, “Leroy/Greaseball” and “Geraldine”.
Yes, my friends, life is good…
And here’s today’s Retro Review!!
2002 BMW 330xi
Ultimate Driving Machine Indeed
by James E. Bryson
There are times when you have to ask yourself what you did to deserve such wonderful treatment…driving any BMW will get such a response. Us auto reviewers get to drive a lot of nice cars and trucks but when we get something like a new BMW, it makes us giddy. Why, you ask? Because, when BMW calls its cars the "Ultimate Driving Machines", they aren't kidding. From the Mini up to the new 7-Series, BMW makes the most driver-oriented, fun-to-drive, best handling cars this side of the racetrack.
The only downside is paying out the wazoo for the privilege…but we digress.
The last 3-Series Bimmer we tested was the new-for-'99 328i sedan. It was a remarkable car with excellent road manners and good looks to boot. This time around, we got a chance to sample the all-wheel-drive machine called 330xi.
From its tight steering and quick responses to the way it coddles you in any of the seats to its striking lines and muscular haunches, the BMW 3-Series is more a piece of art than mere automobile.
Topping out at over $43-large, our tester was well appointed and never left us with anything less than a huge grin every time we got out after a drive. Nothing less than a spectacular car can produce such emotion and vigor.
BMW is a favorite of many enthusiasts and for good reason: The company builds the best road-going cars available. As an example of this, we were driving about one wet day and went to take a corner, which the Camaro SS we recently drove coerced us to slow down through. The Bimmer begged us to go faster than we thought possible through this particular corner and got us in and out with no drama and had us wanting to drive all the really twisty roads Greater St. Louis has to offer.
Inside, BMW made a comfortable, luxurious cockpit into a thing of beauty. The leather on our test car was perfect without so much as a stitch out of place. The seats were European comfortable (read firm) and were infinitely adjustable. The rear seat was a bit small and wouldn't be very comfortable for those over 5' 10" or so.
The quality of the materials and switchgear was impeccable; as well it should have been for the price and for the reputation. For, you do not purchase a Bimmer for its price. You purchase a Bimmer for its status and pedigree. Or, you purchase one because it makes the seat of the pants a happy place.
The seats were European firm, but with a softness that made long drives comfortable. All switches were easily reachable and felt substantial to the touch. You really feel the luxurious quality of this car in every facet.
In normal, everyday driving, the 330xi is docile except for lurching from a complete stop, despite every effort. Talk about a touchy throttle! We did find, after spending a few days behind the wheel, that if you wait a second or two after releasing the brake that you can control this lurching a bit better, but it didn't clear up totally.
German engineering has been celebrated for many, many years and the 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine in our tester was one of the best in the world. It's silky smooth and produces plenty of power to move this one-and-one-half-ton car to 60 mph in less than 7 seconds (according to manufacturer specs). It sure felt that fast and there was plenty of power on tap to pass on tight two-lanes or to hurry out of any corner.
Needless to say, we drove our test loop twice in this car, just for the grin-factor.
Our 2002 BMW 330xi tester topped out at $43,035.00, which included $645 for the destination charge.
Base price for the 330xi is $35,740.00. For that much money, you get a whole lot, including the sweet engine; four wheel ventilated and ABS-equipped disc brakes; Dynamic Brake Control, which intervenes during emergency braking to help achieve the shortest stopping distance; all-wheel drive; Dynamic Stability Control, which helps the driver maintain control of the car when he or she gets a little out of hand in the corners; 17-inch alloy wheels; and all the luxury appointments you can stomach.
If you need more stuff and have the money to burn, we'd suggest starting with the option our tester was equipped with: For starters, we had Topaz Blue Metallic paint (a beautiful shade, to say the least) for $475; a cold weather package that includes heated front seats; headlight washers, a split fold-down rear seats, a ski bag and a rear arm rest ($1000); and the premium package that includes leather upholstery, power glass moonroof, "Myrtle" wood trim, auto-dimming interior mirror, rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlights ($2900). The automatic transmission (sans manumatic control since BMW doesn't offer it) was an extra $1275, along with $300 for run-flat, all-season tires, $700 for xenon headlights, which we highly recommend.
For what you pay, the BMW 3-series is the best thing going. There are a lot of new, and some old, competitors out there, but they never really seem to hit the mark in quality materials, solid engineering or fun-to-drive factor.
The 330xi is one amazing machine that truly adds flavor and grace to the 3-series lineup. Now, if we could only get them to put a manumatic in it…
And here’s the Car of the Day: It’s the Chrysler Crossfire, first seen at the 2003 NAIAS.
It’s shape is interesting and how can any self-respecting car-lover not love the boat-tail effect on the rear end?
Based on the Mercedes-Benz SLK mechanicals, the Crossfire is well=appointed and comes with a potent V6. The convertible was even sexier…too bad it’s now out of production.
Driving Miss Vikki
In my last post I told you about our trip to the great mitten state and a little about our adventures up there. Well, what I didn’t mention was the car we drove.
As with other long trips, we rented from the locally-owned rental fleet (look it up if you don’t know) and to my surprise, they only had a few cars available…on a Wednesday night! Well, since we were heading up to the Detroit area, home of the UAW and the domestic auto industry, I asked for an American-made car but all they had was a couple of pickup trucks. I don’t mind driving a full-size truck but I wasn’t really interested in getting 15 miles per gallon on a 1500-mile trip.
So my choices were either a Honda Accord, Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry. Not a big fan of the continuously variable transmission found in the Altima, so that was out. And Camry’s to me are the blandest of the Japanese sedans, so that was out. So the Accord it was. 
We actually liked it. We found the trunk to be spacious, if not a bit oddly shaped…we thought we were missing something since we filled the trunk and had room to spare…and we had almost nothing in the back seat!
Since it was a rental, we didn’t expect much in the way of options and we weren’t disappointed. When we get a car from the manufacturers press fleet, they’re usually the top of the line, heavily optioned and with the highest trim level and biggest engine. Not so with a rental.
Our car had the four-cylinder engine, wheel covers rather than alloys, and cloth seats. It also had the base radio with CD player and no automatic climate control. It was a basic car, but one that did it’s job very well.
The Accord handled quite nicely and was well-composed on the highway, with little to no bobbing and weaving over expansion joints or minor undulations. Cornering was good as well, which was a nice surprise and made the trip that much more fun.
One of the nicest surprises was getting 31 miles per gallon over the course of 1500 miles. If we had a V6 and more upscale trim, that number would have been a bit lower. However, with the vehicle optioned as it was, we made out really well. Of course, that number was bolstered with us driving over 1000 miles solely on the highway.
So yes, the Accord is a well-built, American-assembled car and is a good value for the money.
And now, today’s Retro Review:
2002 Mazda MPV ES
Cargo Ergo Zoom Zoom
by James E. Bryson
There seems to be a feeling that when you get older and start your family that you need to make certain sacrifices like quitting the bowling league or not going to your favorite sporting events as often. Another sacrifice, made mostly by men, is the purchase of the "family" vehicle, be it a wagon, SUV or minivan.
In its most recent media blitz, Ford-owned Mazda has been working diligently to transform its image from Japanese also-ran to first-rate car company. To do this, they have added more sportiness into all vehicles, including the staid-but-venerable MPV minivan.
We spent a week with a top-'O-the-line MPV ES and found it to be capable, comfortable and worth its price. We also found that it is indeed a sporty little van with a fairly high "Zoom Zoom" factor.
Inside, we found comfortable seats with good side bolsters to keep you planted in tight corners…at least the tightest corners you might want to venture into with an almost-two-ton van. On the flip side to the seats, we found the seat belts a pain to use at times; they seemed to get in the way and were difficult to reach without turning around.
The two-tone dash is opulent, but the darker tone on top flows onto the doors…seems like a bad decision because of the large gaps between dash and door. We did find all important controls well placed and easy to use. The last little niggle we have with the interior was carbon fiber accents which are sharp but seem out of place in a mommy-mobile
We have nothing but kudos for the engine, transmission and ride characteristics of this van. We were pleasantly surprised at the plentiful power and smooth operation of both engine and transmission, the former a high-tech V6 and an electronically controlled five-speed automatic for the latter.
We felt like this combination should be put into a Miata or something where the broad power curve and correct shift points, mated to a competent suspension, would be more sporty, and possibly more fun. (Really, who are we kidding? This van was a blast to drive and has the capability to haul all your stuff and some people to wherever you need to go with style, class and sportiness.)
Many nice features:
· Regular windows in both rear sliding doors.
· Power sliding doors.
· And the 3rd row of seats folds flat.
Competent, good design? Yes. Strong performer, good handling? For the most part. Would we suggest it to people? Definitely. Top of its class? Quite possibly.
We found the MPV to be a nice little van on the whole.
And the car of the day is…
Say hello to the Chevy Nomad. This concept was based on the same platform that gave us the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky.
It’s an attractive vehicle that GM dropped the ball on. Instead of following the market studies to the “T”, the General could have been building cars like this that people really want and want to drive.
The Nomad was gorgeous from all angles and was infinitely more practical then either the Solstice or Sky, though it’s no convertible.
Check out the pics and you be the judge…Should GM have built the Nomad alongside the Solstice/Sky? Do you think if General Motors built more interesting products like this that they wouldn’t be in the predicament they are in now?
Enquiring minds want to know…
Windows Makes A Comeback!
So, finally, Windows7 has come out. It’s been a long, arduous process but well worth the wait.
I bought two prerelease copies, the price was too good to pass up - $50 a piece – one for me and one for the wife. I’ve ported all my stuff over to the newer computer and am using it to write this post. I really dig Windows7 and can’t wait to get more familiar with it and the many new features it promises.
The install process went really smoothly and I had no problems doing a “clean” install with the upgrade discs I bought. The real issues started with the second computer…I had to switch the CD and DVD drives around and have had a couple problems – one with the computer seemingly frozen while copying data form the archive and another when it rebooted and didn’t find one of the hard drives, which caused it to error out…at least no BSOD’s yet!!
Now we have two fully functional, works better than ever PC’s in the house. Next step it to show the wife some of the new features that should make her world a little easier place to live.
I’ll keep you updated as living with Windows7 becomes more normalized.
And now, today’s Retro Review:
2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK
Yes, I know a little German
by James E. Bryson
I always like going home to Detroit. I get to see my favorite friends, close family and other special people in my life.
Back in early May, I was chatting with my friend Steve and told him I'd be coming for a visit before Memorial Day and he said, "Great, I should have THE car by then!"
Let me give you a little background. Steve, who is well over 6-feet tall, has been looking for an exciting, well-handling car for over a year with little consideration to budget. He had ordered a Honda S2000 and decided that it was too small. He then looked at the BMW Z3 (too small again) the Porsche Boxster (you guessed right if you said it was too small), and the Mercedes-Benz SLK.
As a former automotive journalist-turned-regular-laborer, I though it would be interesting to get an owner's side of things. So I asked him to send a message with some of his thoughts and they will be peppered throughout this review.
"I've always wanted to own a convertible," he said is his message. "I've planned and saved for it for years. I didn't plan on owning an Mercedes-Benz, it just worked out that way."
After a lot of time hemming and hawing over this monumental decision, Steve took and chance and settled for what he thought was the best car for him.
"I finally settled on the Mercedes-Benz SLK320, V6 power, touchshift semi-manual transmission and just enough room for my big ass," Steve said. "As a journalist I absolutely loved this car calling it the 'perfect car for a weekend getaway.' Today, my opinion remains the same but the car has been improved."
"My time as a journalist taught me that happiness was a very important factor in my purchase. I looked at everything on the market eliminating them all for one reason or another," Steve said in an e-mail afterward.
Fortunately for you and me, Steve is the generous type and we went out on a clear, warm Friday afternoon for a little bit of what we in the industry call "ride & drive".
The SLK is quite the comfortable car. With the top down and the wind in our hair, we had a chance to really get a look at the interior: Nice leather seats and leather wrapped steering wheel and shift lever. The seats were more of a European-style (read: firm) with myriad adjustments and the recently restyled dash is now more user friendly and looks better than on previous models.
But the best part of the SLK's design has to be the ever-so-clever retractable hardtop, which balances coupe-like silence, security and rigidity with open-aired driving in half-a-minute.
Though the two-tone interior treatment has been kept, it is more toned down than previous models and is actually quite nice.
The center stack of controls, HVAC and radio dominate, has been upgraded to allow for more ease of use and looks much better than previous SLKs. We applaud MB for modernizing their interiors over the last few years.
Power from the normally aspirated V6 comes on soon and strong for this heavy little car. With 215 horsepower on tap, we had some fun trying to stay out of trouble with the local law enforcement agencies.
Yours truly was quite impressed with the neutral handling of the V6 SLK. We were able to take tight corners with ease and just a hint of understeer towards the tire's adhesion limits.
The suspension, while on the sporty side, didn't treat us as harshly as we would have thought on Michigan's weather-beaten roads.
"It doesn't bottom out on every pothole like it would if I got the sport suspension," Steve said at a local eatery before our drive.
Dislikes for the car were few, to say the least, but they were fairly major to the owner.
"It does have flaws," Steve said. "Right knee room could be more plentiful; my knee is sandwiched tightly between the steering wheel and center console tunnel. The steering wheel only telescopes, no tilt! And the trunk is too small limiting luggage to a couple of small bags at best."
Our only other real complaint was the lack of any lumbar support in the seats.
"The seats themselves are stiff, but are slowly breaking in," Steve mused. "You sit very low in the SLK which means elbows on the windowsill is not comfortable."
The sticker price for our tester was $48,345.00, which included a base price of $44,800.00; the automatic transmission with/touch shift ($1300); K4 Value Added Package which included xenon headlamps, headlamp washers and heated seats ($1580); and destination charges ($665). The only other option, which was dealer installed to boot, was a trunk-mounted CD changer (no in-dash unit is available) that cost more trunk space but was a worthwhile entertainment-oriented investment.
With these specific options and no sport package, which Steve opted not to get because he thought it diminished the ride, the SLK320 turns out to be a fine grand touring car for those weekend getaways and for cruising main street on a warm summer night.
The Car of the Day is:
The Volvo 3CC concept from the 2005 North American International Auto Show.
If you look closely, you can see the resemblance to the C30 coupe that went on sale a couple years ago. Obviously, Volvo didn’t keep all the styling of this show car, but it’s easy to see the development.
Too bad they put normal doors on the C30!
Again, thanks for stopping by!!!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I’m baaaaack!
Boy how time flies! Sorry about the break but it’s difficult taking an 8-week Master’s level course in statistics…when you’ve never had it before!
I understood the many concepts and actually liked doing some of the formulas and getting the correct results(sometimes!) but whoa boy, talk about a rough time trying to remeber all that and trying to apply it to real life examples.
Anyhow, after all the time and effort put in I was able to squeek by with a B-. Not my best performance, but for never having a stats class in my life, I think that’s OK.
On to other business…
It’s time again for the Tokyo Motor Show and here’s an email I got from Mitsubishi PR:
Subject:
Mitsubishi Media Alert 10.22.09 - AutoWeek Editors Honor the Best of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show
Date:
Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:34 AM
AutoWeek Editors Honor the Best of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show
The AutoWeek Editors' Choice Awards recognize Best in Show, Best Concept, Most Significant and Most Fun
DETROIT. October 22, 2009 -- The AutoWeek editorial staff announced today its 2009 Tokyo motor show Editors' Choice Award winners.
For more than a decade, the AutoWeek editors have walked the show floors in Detroit, Geneva, Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo, selecting winners in four categories: Best in Show, Best Concept, Most Significant and Most Fun.
The 2009 AutoWeek Editors' Choice Award winners for the Best of Tokyo are:
BEST IN SHOW: Honda CR-Z Concept 2009
AutoWeek editors made their decision on Best in Show in less than two minutes of discussion, in part because the pickings at this year's show were fairly slim. Yes, we've seen the CR-Z before, when it was first announced at this show two years ago. And we loved it then, too. Now that it's closer to production (this was labeled a concept as the production two-seat version we get in the states next year will be shown in Detroit in January), we love it even more. With a 1.5-liter gasoline engine fitted with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology, CR-Z will be the first hybrid with a six-speed manual gearbox.
"We hope that makes CR-Z a different kind of hybrid, one that returns as sporting of a driving experience as the CR-Z's design promises," said AutoWeek Editor and Associate Publisher Dutch Mandel. "Even though this is a concept, we'd love to drive this car just as it sat on the stand, cool wheels and all."
BEST CONCEPT: Toyota FT-86
Gone are the Supras, Altezzas and MR-S models of the past, but the FT-68 Concept could be their spiritual successor if Toyota president Akio Toyoda has his way. This promising concept sports car is a two-door four-seater powered by a 2.0-liter Subaru flat four driving the rear wheels, all for less than $30,000, if and when it comes to market.
"Precious few 'sports' cars offer this combination of powertrain and price, so we can't wait for the production version to deliver on this concept's promise," said Mandel.
MOST SIGNIFICANT: Mitsubishi PX-MIEV Concept
In a show bereft of exciting world introductions, most companies at Tokyo attached a lot of significance to their work on electric vehicles and hybrids. Out of that field, we picked the PX-MIEV not just for the fact that most of what you see will appear as the next-gen Outlander, or that the PX-MIEV is essentially Mitsubishi's Chevy Volt-like range-extender hybrid that will be on sale by 2013. More important is that the hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain telegraphed by this concept will also find its way into all future Mitsubishis, including the Lancer.
"This is the first building block to a future hybrid Evolution," said Mandel, "and that's a highly significant development for enthusiasts."
MOST FUN: Yamaha EC-f
Yes, it's a motorcycle. It's also the first time we've ever selected a motorcycle as best of anything at a car show.
"The pickings were slim at Tokyo, but this thing just looks fun," said Mandel. The colorful little Yamaha is an electric commuter bike made for easy riding, accessible to anyone of any age. Technical data was scarce, since the bike is mostly a styling exercise. But the idea of a stylish electric scooter has us thinking there must be a worldwide market for this kind of fun.
For more information on the Editors' Choice Awards, past winners and extensive Tokyo motor show coverage, visit www.autoweek.com or be sure to pick up the Nov. 16 issue of AutoWeek.
AutoWeek magazine is a fortnightly automotive-enthusiast publication based out of Detroit, Michigan, and is one of nearly 30 titles published by Crain Communications Inc. Through its print and online products, the AutoWeek brand is symbolic of core automotive passion and is a must read for those living the automotive lifestyle. AutoWeek delivers by-the-minute news and updates on www.autoweek.com while taking an in-depth look at all the latest happenings in the primarily subscription-based publication. AutoWeek provides readers with more information more often, giving readers their fix before the other guys even start their engines.
Images
Mitsubishi PX-MiEV Concept
Mitsubishi PX-MiEV Concept
Mitsubishi PX-MiEV Concept
© 2009 Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
I find this email totally interesting since it showcased different manufacturers, not just Mitsubishi. Cool!
Thanks for keeping up and I’ll get back to the regular format next time!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Driving Miss Vikki
In my last post I told you about our trip to the great mitten state and a little about our adventures up there. Well, what I didn’t mention was the car we drove.
As with other long trips, we rented from the locally-owned rental fleet (look it up if you don’t know) and to my surprise, they only had a few cars available…on a Wednesday night! Well, since we were heading up to the Detroit area, home of the UAW and the domestic auto industry, I asked for an American-made car but all they had was a couple of pickup trucks. I don’t mind driving a full-size truck but I wasn’t really interested in getting 15 miles per gallon on a 1500-mile trip.
So my choices were either a Honda Accord, Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry. Not a big fan of the continuously variable transmission found in the Altima, so that was out. And Camry’s to me are the blandest of the Japanese sedans, so that was out. So the Accord it was. 
We actually liked it. We found the trunk to be spacious, if not a bit oddly shaped…we thought we were missing something since we filled the trunk and had room to spare…and we had almost nothing in the back seat!
Since it was a rental, we didn’t expect much in the way of options and we weren’t disappointed. When we get a car from the manufacturers press fleet, they’re usually the top of the line, heavily optioned and with the highest trim level and biggest engine. Not so with a rental.
Our car had the four-cylinder engine, wheel covers rather than alloys, and cloth seats. It also had the base radio with CD player and no automatic climate control. It was a basic car, but one that did it’s job very well.
The Accord handled quite nicely and was well-composed on the highway, with little to no bobbing and weaving over expansion joints or minor undulations. Cornering was good as well, which was a nice surprise and made the trip that much more fun.
One of the nicest surprises was getting 31 miles per gallon over the course of 1500 miles. If we had a V6 and more upscale trim, that number would have been a bit lower. However, with the vehicle optioned as it was, we made out really well. Of course, that number was bolstered with us driving over 1000 miles solely on the highway.
So yes, the Accord is a well-built, American-assembled car and is a good value for the money.
And now, today’s Retro Review:
2002 Mazda MPV ES
Cargo Ergo Zoom Zoom
by James E. Bryson
There seems to be a feeling that when you get older and start your family that you need to make certain sacrifices like quitting the bowling league or not going to your favorite sporting events as often. Another sacrifice, made mostly by men, is the purchase of the "family" vehicle, be it a wagon, SUV or minivan.
In its most recent media blitz, Ford-owned Mazda has been working diligently to transform its image from Japanese also-ran to first-rate car company. To do this, they have added more sportiness into all vehicles, including the staid-but-venerable MPV minivan.
We spent a week with a top-'O-the-line MPV ES and found it to be capable, comfortable and worth its price. We also found that it is indeed a sporty little van with a fairly high "Zoom Zoom" factor.
Inside, we found comfortable seats with good side bolsters to keep you planted in tight corners…at least the tightest corners you might want to venture into with an almost-two-ton van. On the flip side to the seats, we found the seat belts a pain to use at times; they seemed to get in the way and were difficult to reach without turning around.
The two-tone dash is opulent, but the darker tone on top flows onto the doors…seems like a bad decision because of the large gaps between dash and door. We did find all important controls well placed and easy to use. The last little niggle we have with the interior was carbon fiber accents which are sharp but seem out of place in a mommy-mobile
We have nothing but kudos for the engine, transmission and ride characteristics of this van. We were pleasantly surprised at the plentiful power and smooth operation of both engine and transmission, the former a high-tech V6 and an electronically controlled five-speed automatic for the latter.
We felt like this combination should be put into a Miata or something where the broad power curve and correct shift points, mated to a competent suspension, would be more sporty, and possibly more fun. (Really, who are we kidding? This van was a blast to drive and has the capability to haul all your stuff and some people to wherever you need to go with style, class and sportiness.)
Many nice features:
· Regular windows in both rear sliding doors.
· Power sliding doors.
· And the 3rd row of seats folds flat.
Competent, good design? Yes. Strong performer, good handling? For the most part. Would we suggest it to people? Definitely. Top of its class? Quite possibly.
We found the MPV to be a nice little van on the whole.
And the car of the day is…
Say hello to the Chevy Nomad. This concept was based on the same platform that gave us the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky.
It’s an attractive vehicle that GM dropped the ball on. Instead of following the market studies to the “T”, the General could have been building cars like this that people really want and want to drive.
The Nomad was gorgeous from all angles and was infinitely more practical then either the Solstice or Sky, though it’s no convertible.
Check out the pics and you be the judge…Should GM have built the Nomad alongside the Solstice/Sky? Do you think if General Motors built more interesting products like this that they wouldn’t be in the predicament they are in now?
Enquiring minds want to know…