Draco-REX

The Automotive Enthusiast equivalent of a mullet: Hybrid in the driveway, sportscar in the garage.

When I was first looking at them I got the Prius vibe from the styling also. But in person it looks a lot better. I do agree, however, that the 1st gen had a more unique style that I wish they had kept more of with the 2nd gen. I think it will look better with black or dark grey wheels. But the odd 5x105 bolt pattern limits the options. Yeah, I've had to make due. The STI sits at ZB's shop. The Lotus is in a storeage space now, but it'll end up in the garage at the new house. My daily I've been keeping in the garage at the apartment, but it's been a daily juggle with the wife's car getting it in and out. I'll be happy to stop doing that every day and having her in her own garage spot.

Pics as promised: I like black cars, but I think these look much better in white. The tail lights come with a light smoke to them from the factory. Going to get a different plate... The white really makes the black accents pop. On a black car they would just disappear. Played with Sport Mode a little. The gas pedal mapping becomes a lot more aggressive. I think it's also more ready to use both electric motors for acceleration. This car continues to surprise me with how much it doesn't suck.

I was looking at those. Unfortunately, they were way out of my budget for this. This one was really toe-ing the line, but getting what is essentially a new car for a used car price was too good to pass up.

I think some people are forgetting that this wasn't a straight up trade. I traded an expensive car to get a less expensive one and pay off my wife's car loan. Additionally I trimmed my budget by reducing my insurance premiums and eliminating a large portion of my monthly gas bill. As for my car switching, I've gone through quite a bit of upheaval with cars that I originally planned to keep for a long time. Everyone knows the story of why I don't have the BRZ any more, and frankly, if I had known my wife was going to buy a SUV when she did I would have been still driving the S5. Believe me, I had no idea 3 years ago that I'd be married and a homeowner in such a short amount of time. And the tl;dr of the review is "Suprise! It doesn't crush my soul!" No justification needed. But everything said and done, this is CR. If I was someone who needed a safe space, I certainly wouldn't be here. I did, in all honestly, drive up to a dealership with a supercar, and among a showroom filled with Corvettes, Mustangs, and Camaros, I drove home in a hybrid family car. So a little razzing is definitely called for. I'll just sob quietly while driving my Lotus. :fuckyeah:

CR Lolz.

Well, saw a deal I couldn't pass up. A 2016 Volt Premiere, fully loaded, with only 205 miles on it at 10K under the price of a new one. I've been thinking about what to do with this DD issue for quite a while, but I do admit this was very fast even for me. Pics tomorrow, but I did drive it for over 100miles. It's not an exciting car, but that's not what it should be. It is very comfortable, responsive, and rather good. Performance: Might as well get this out of the way. It's a 150hp, 3500lb car; no way to disguise that. However, it makes 294lb-ft of torque. So while it may take 8 seconds to hit 60mph, it does get up and go very well. I had no problem making passes and never felt like I had to wait for a downhill passing zone. Highway merging is no problem either. While I no longer have a WMD at my command, I don't feel like I lost any daily capability. Cornering isn't terrible either. I was behind a Focus ST on a long on-ramp and while I'm sure he wasn't going 10/10ths, he wasn't being casual about it either. I pushed the car and it didn't have a scary amount of body roll and it felt very stable. I think it's the big battery pack mounted low and in the middle. Frankly, a couple sway bars, an inch of drop, and some stickier tires could make it a rather fun ar in the twisties. Hell, with all that torque down low, it might make a fun cone-dodger too. I was pleasantly surprised. Though if someone does something silly like actually make performance suspension bits for the Volt (about as likely as a Trump kissing a gay mexican) I don't think I'd bite. Comfort: Gotta admit, it's pretty comfy. The lack of power seats was a bit surprising, but that was probably a weight concern. While the seats don't hug me like the Caddy's Recaros (really, not many OE seats can, power or not) I didn't have any numbness or discomfort on a 2 hour drive. The driving position is nice with pretty good visibility (by today's NHTSA standards). The ride is "supple but firm" whatever that means. Really, the suspension soaks up bumps without feeling soft or bouncy. Thumps are pretty audible, but not annoying. Honestly, after the Caddy's mag-ride suspension, everything is going to pale in comparison. But I had no complaints. No issues with headlight visibility either. If anything I wonder if they might be aimed a touch high. But that might be because I am used to the really low aiming of the HID Subarus and the V. Automatic high beams is neat, but not something I think I'll use. Convenience/Features: Collision warning. Ehh.. Why? Lane keeping assist. Kinda neat, but I can certainly live without it. Essentially if the car detects you about to leave your lane without any intended steering input, it'll actually nudge you back into your lane. It's not disruptive or sudden, but you could find yourself fighting it if you are the type to let yourself drift into the next lane when you want to change lanes. Parking assist. Haven't tried it, not sure I trust it.. The touchscreen interface isn't terrible. It's responsive and the display is clear and smooth. I haven't tried Android Auto yet, but bluetooth integration worked great with Spotify. It even re-started playing Spotify after making a pit stop, something that my previous Bluetooth streaming cars/devices didn't do. I do like the mvChevrolet app. I can check the charging status of the car and even see the mileage/efficiency numbers on my phone or laptop with the car off. I think it only needs the Basic OnStar plan to work too, so that's cool. The other OnStar features I have no interest in and won't be paying for. The Tesla-style "hatchback" is handy too. I had to pick up some moving boxes on the way home and it was convenient. There is a wireless charging pocket for your phone. It under the armrest and my Note 5 only fits if I pull it out of its case and leave the armrest open. Not a very well thought out design considering the Note is now the same size as the 6 and 7, and the big iPhone. Hopefully the USB ports output enough power to keep it charged with GPS, Music streaming, and other stuff running. Styling: I have to admit, I think I liked the 1st gen styling better. It looked more unique outside, and more high-tech inside. The 2nd gen exterior looks more like a normal car with maybe some "generic hybrid car *cough* prius *cough*" mixed in. But after I spend some time looking at it in person, there are a lot of interesting styling touches. And the Iridescent Pearl Tricoat white paint really makes the black trim pieces pop. I think this car will look great with black wheels and some tint. Interior is a bit of a letdown. It looks very normal. I have no idea why GM chose to put a conventional gear selector in this car. And the cool waterfall console that the 1st gen had has been swapped for a really average looking console. I also don't know why GM tilted the touch screen forward. It makes the reach for the top of the screen just a bit farther and a little awkward. Seems a really weird choice and I keep wanting to pull the screen back to make it vertical. Efficency: So this is the centerpiece. I left it in normal mode with no changes to any EV/ICE settings. It drove 100% on battery until the charge ran out and then the engine started. While the 2016 Volt should have a range of 53miles on battery alone, I only got 33. But that was 33 miles at 75mph, way above the 50mph limit for optimal range. So it did a pretty good job. I'll get a better idea of the range as I drive it more. When the battery is "empty" the ICE is started and used to generate more power and, if needed, add some torque to the drivetime. The engine really just kind of does its own thing. It's best to just turn the radio on and ignore it, really. On the way there, the V burned about 6 gallons of gas. The Volt only burned about 2.5 on the way back. With the heat on, radio going, lights on, Nav running, 78mph cruise, and generally not caring about efficiency, I managed about 40mpg. Not bad. Combined was around 50 if I remember correctly, and that includes about 30 minutes of sitting in the car with it on while the OnStar people tried to get everything set up and working. Plans: Nothing big. The usual tint and clear bra, and a nicer set of summer wheels with some eco summer tires. I may dip/paint the stock wheels black for winter use. I doubt anyone will make lowering springs, but if they do I may get a set to reduce the wheel gaps. "Why would you do that to a lame hybrid?" Because looks.

You know, I was looking at these. My mother has a Volvo and it's a surprisingly good car. This would be a good choice, but I need to get the Caddy sold, so don't hold off a potential sale for me. Yeah, I realized I implied they were AWD as I was headed to bed last night. But as you pointed out, that's not the biggest issue with that choice. I think the time spent in the other cars will shake me of that. That one's RWD. I found a manual AWD 4, but it's 16 years old and has 100k miles. When it comes to automatics, one thing that drives me out of my mind in frustration is gear hunting. I can't imagine an 8-speed Chrysler transmission would help. And also, it's a Mopar... I've come to hate car shopping for BMWs. The number of dealerships that can't tell the difference between a manual and an auto is insane. Makes me wish I could report listings... Either way, the 535 is a nice car, but I'm seeing examples in the 90K range. Which goes back to my original concern, how insane is buying a high mileage BMW or Audi? The more I think about this, the more concerned I am about the super short 1.5mi commute to work. I think that would slowly kill any engine I have. That makes the Volt look better and better. However, I could afford one slightly higher than my budget as I would be cutting out a large portion of my monthly fuel bill. But then.. FWD. FWD in the snow is actually kinda scary to me.

So we're buying a house, and we decided it was a good time to give our budget a good cleaning. Looks like we're going to eliminate or greatly reduce our car payments. I don't want to part with the Lotus just yet, so the Caddy has to go. I don't want to sell it, but I don't really have a choice. I'll miss it; being able to cruise in comfort while having a tactical nuke under my right foot is not something I'll forget. It kills me that every time I get what I plan to be a long-term car, something comes up and I have to sell it. Because I have to essentially make two cars from one, my budget is limited. I have a few ideas so I figured, why not run them by CR? What could possibly go wrong? :lolguy: Ideally, I'd like a manual, AWD, and some luxury (heated seats ftw), all for under $20k and preferably under $15k. The first two cut down the possible candidates like the Grim Reaper at a retirement home rave, the price puts cyanide in the punchbowl. So here are some of the choices I'm looking at: BMW 3 series X-Drive or Audi A4 Quattro. Pros: Ticks all the boxes. Cons: To hit the price point, I'm looking at high mileage. BMW M3 (E36/E46) or Audi S4. Pros: All the boxes More fun than the above. Cons: Even higher mileage. For both of these choices, I'm looking at 70K+ miles. Seems like a bad idea. I'm not afraid to work on my cars, but I'm worried I'm just asking for headaches with these choices despite them being the most enjoyable. Subaru Legacy GT (08-09) preferably spec.B. Pros: Ticks all the boxes I know these cars and already have some parts. Cons: Frankly, they're overpriced. High miles. I just don't like how the newer big-bodied Legacy looks, so I'd be looking at 8 year old cars with a lot of miles. While a Legacy would work well, I have owned one before and I'd like something new and different. Mazda RX-8 Pros: Haven't driven a rotary before Fun driver's car Cons: Not AWD Reasonable mileage examples are in my price range. I know there's a lot of hatred for the Wankel, but it's always intrigued me. Unfortunately my new commute to work (2 miles or so) will probably kill the engine in short order. The wildcard! Chevy Volt Pros: Plug-in hybrid means I'd burn ZERO gas going to work and back Low mileage examples in my budget Electric motor means short drives are ok Cons: FWD Auto (ish) Normally automatics drive me up the wall. But the Volt is primarily electric so there's no gears. No gear hunting means the car is essentially direct-drive so it responds more like a manual. I test drove one and it wasn't all that bad, surprisingly. I still have to deal with FWD, but I've got other fun stuff to drive. Now what insanity should I inflict on myself?

Only place with Amsoil on the shelf too. I'm surprised they went under; the store at Sawmill was always packed. Had to be some mis-management.

We've been looking at flooring options for our new home. From what I've learned, while Bamboo is cheaper (and sustainable if you're into that), it has a much higher expansion rate than hardwood. You have to keep the temperature and humidity somewhat stable or allow for the floor to expand which would mean gaps at your baseboards.

http://ih2.redbubble.net/image.16209364.9749/sticker,375x360.u1.png

$400 coilovers? That blows my mind. The Civic aftermarket must be really different than what I'm used to, or those are 100% junk. Normally just passable coilovers start at $1000 with good ones starting around twice that. If you want something drivable I agree with Geeesammy, a good (not slammed) set of springs and struts is the way to go. Frankly, I think a nice conservative drop looks and works best: http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/3234/3489/33084244041_original.jpg?v=2

There was thread on this a while ago. If i remember correctly, the consensus was Ingersoll Rand was the best choice. Ugly, but the most powerful for the quality.

If your house is connected to the public sewer, just pour it down the drain chased with a lot of water.

Have fun with it! I love my V Coupe. I wanted to keep it for a long time, but I'm going to have to sell it soon.

Going to put together a sim racing setup in the new house since I'll finally have the room. Can't wait. The custom input designs (handbrake, switch panels, etc) really get my interest.

Probably outside your budget for a good one but: http://img.feedfloyd.com/media/post/thumb-2/6198c216c82749bdea1ac290eadf7284cbdb4e67.jpg Late 60's Lincoln Continental hardtop. *drool* Always wanted to resto-mod one and turn it into a long-distance cruiser. Just point it at a coast and go....

Toyo just came out with the R888R. From what few reviews I've seen so far, the new tire has more grip and is supposed to improve upon the shortcomings of the R888. It also seems to come in some hard to find sizes too.

Per Hammy/Rosberg, I think Hammy is the better driver, but Rosberg has the better attitude. I think Rosberg made a smart decision. He has a family now, and a F1 career is a massive commitment. But he could still do other forms of racing that aren't so travel-intensive. Doing LeMans once a year could scratch that itch.. I'm a fan of Vettel. I think he and Kimi are excellent drivers and the Ferrari just isn't up to the task. Ever time Ferrari took a step forward, Mercedes would do the same. They had a 2 second gap last year, made up those 2 seconds in development, and ended up with a 2 second gap again this year. Hopefully the new rules will shake things up enough to make things competitive again. But for best driver on the grid, my vote goes to Alonso. When Ferrari sucked, he'd carry that car on his back and make his way up the field. With McLaren/Honda he's done wonders, scoring more than twice the points of Button and finishing in the top 10 overall with that boat anchor of an engine.

The future of the auto industry is going to be greater and greater complexity. Cars need to be more and more efficient as well as become more and more integrated into our mobile lives. The only way to achieve this is through greater integration of the various parts of the car. However, there will always be room for the enthusiast to modify the car. If it can be repaired/maintained my human hands, it can be modified by human hands. Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow will always hold true for fueled cars, and electric drivetrains will always have room for more windings, more volts, more amps. As far as the computers go, there are a large number of people out there that you'd have to strap down and sedate to keep them from cracking the encryption on them. The VAG-COM community is very impressive, and Vorschlag found someone to make an interface that bridges GM's LS ECU with Subaru's CAN-BUS for their BRZ/FRS swap kit. As the on-board complexity goes up, more and more of these people will rise to the challenge. Will cars become obsolete like a phone? No. Your old brick phone still works as a phone, just like your iPhone 7. The problem lay is the OTHER stuff your phone does; you can't play Angry Birds on your old Nokia. But does it matter as much that an older car doesn't have Nav? Probably not. As long as the government doesn't do anything stupid, your carb'd 69 Camaro can share the road with a 2025 Mercedes S-Class. Even the cars between those extremes won't become obsolete. The modifications and knowledge that were pioneered when they were new will still work years later. Going forward though, SEMA and the EFF need to start working closely together. The first fight will be keeping it legal to modify the on-board software/firmware that runs the cars. That needs to be paramount. The second hurdle will be keeping it legal for people to drive their own cars if they wish. That may not become an issue in the near future, but it WILL eventually, and it's a hurdle that must be cleared or the auto enthusiast will disappear.

I liked it. I think the fact that the show is very similar to Top Gear makes people think it should be as smooth and polished as Top Gear was. But while the Three Blokes are the same and have their chemistry down, the rest of the show is a whole new beast. It will take a little while before the entire cast gels. I think it will get better from here.

I had Performance Auto Spa do the tint and clear bra on the V. I'm very happy with the result. Automotive Appearance Pros did good work when I had them do stuff for me. But that was a while ago. Due to some bad experiences, I can't recommend Quality Window Tint any more. For new wheels/tires Best One is the current CR hook-up. Repairs/powdercoating/etc is still Wheel Medic, I believe.

This is bad ass. Can you do aluminum? If so, I already have a project this would be perfect for. I won't be able to mock it up until Spring, so I hope you'll still be taking on small projects then.

I currently drive a RWD car with winter tires, but nothing beats a good AWD car with winter tires.