...of a toy brand. Yes, you heard me correctly. I will be analyzing the theology of the Bionicle universe, a popular toy line formerly produced by the LEGO toy company.
At its core, Bionicle's system is polytheistic, and thus inherently screwed up. Not only that, but there are several God-figures and devil-figures across the whole story. There are also several tiers of being in this universe.
At the highest tier of existence are the Great Beings. There are multiple Great Beings, and they are the creators of the Bionicle universe. They created a being called Tren Krom to watch over the new world after they created it, and then assembled Mata Nui, a Great Spirit, to take care of the world instead of Tren Krom. Tren Krom rebelled, and was banished. So now we have the Great Beings and the Great Spirit, each "gods" in their own right. Not only that, but the Matoran (the lowest level of creation that has not been corrupted to evil) appear to "worship" their respective Toa (which are like angels in their strength, and also in their ability to turn away from good and to evil) at the given Toa's Suva, which is a shrine.
Now, you were complaining about how messed up some out-there cults are? Ain't got nothin' on Bionicle. Despite that, it's still a rather nice sub-creation to mess around with and to read about, as long as you don't start actually looking for Nynrah ghosts to make you Skyblasters.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Modern Shelbys
As regular readers may know, my family is in possession of a 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT coupe. I've been trying to get a good video of it for a while, but it's simply not working, as YouTube insists my files are corrupted (they aren't). Happily, Motor Trend had a long-term tester of the convertible version of the same car, only ours has a full black interior and the base headlights.
It sounds even better in person. And BTW, those staffers that wanted a S*b*r* WRX ST* are nuts. Yes, those vehicles are dreadful enough that they shan't be mentioned in polite company. Stupid S*b*r*s.
Why, you ask, was I reminded of MT's long-termer? Because of this. I love it. It's like a GT350 for those of us who can't shell out the money for a real GT350. It's still expensive, but the GTS is as good as it gets for new Shelby Mustangs in the matter of price. Anyway, the Shelby GT was called the spiritual successor to the GT350 when it came out. So now, the spiritual successor of the spiritual successor of the GT350 will get walloped by a GT350? I'm confused.
GT500: "Who are you, thou other-lane occupier? Answer me, for I must know."
GTS: "I am GTS, son of GT, son of GT350."
GT500: "Oh."
It sounds even better in person. And BTW, those staffers that wanted a S*b*r* WRX ST* are nuts. Yes, those vehicles are dreadful enough that they shan't be mentioned in polite company. Stupid S*b*r*s.
Why, you ask, was I reminded of MT's long-termer? Because of this. I love it. It's like a GT350 for those of us who can't shell out the money for a real GT350. It's still expensive, but the GTS is as good as it gets for new Shelby Mustangs in the matter of price. Anyway, the Shelby GT was called the spiritual successor to the GT350 when it came out. So now, the spiritual successor of the spiritual successor of the GT350 will get walloped by a GT350? I'm confused.
GT500: "Who are you, thou other-lane occupier? Answer me, for I must know."
GTS: "I am GTS, son of GT, son of GT350."
GT500: "Oh."
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Only six more months...
...until I can legally drive a car on public roads. Aaaaaargh...
At least I've been able to get a moped license for the past year, as of today. Too bad I don't have a moped.
Yep, it's BBC's birthday. Surprised? So am I. At least as surprised as this guy. Maybe I can buy it and we can be surprised together.
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear BBC, happy birthday to me...
At least I've been able to get a moped license for the past year, as of today. Too bad I don't have a moped.
Yep, it's BBC's birthday. Surprised? So am I. At least as surprised as this guy. Maybe I can buy it and we can be surprised together.
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear BBC, happy birthday to me...
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The evening of 4/13/11, as photographed by BBC
Last evening, BBC went to his local Ford dealer, which is the one that has been mentioned in previous posts that leaves the doors unlocked on their cars. That might not be such a good idea for some of their cars *cough, 300C SRT8, yo, cough*. But before I get to that, I'll recap something nice that happened on my way to church on Saturday.
Our church is smack-dab in the middle of Fratboy Party Zone, which can result in woes around All Souls Day. The streets in that area are brick, and quite rough for certain vehicles that have very sharply tuned suspension that may or may not have the letters "S H E L B Y" across the back. But that's a tangent.
Anyway, we were traveling along one of these streets in the Mustang when I spotted a glorious form along the street. This is very unusual because aside from the occasional Mustang-that's-been-sitting-there-for-all-of-recorded-history and a Mini Cooper, the street parking consists of Corollae and Civics. I couldn't get a picture of said glorious form on our way to church, but on our way home...
Despite my radical Ford fan-ism, I just LOVE these Chargers. The local Chrysler dealership (which still has its 1970s-era Plymouth signage up) sold their 2011 R/T a little while back. From the outside, it looked just like this one, except it was Toxic Orange.
But enough of that. Let's get to the main event!
I had read about this GT on the dealer's website, so I was eager to see it in person.
Your humble author really ought to remember to keep himself out of pictures of reflective surfaces. The extra "California Special" lettering struck me as a nice touch, as standard Mustang GTs don't have that lettering. (not a regular GT, but it has the standard emblem)
Nice custom wheels on this example.
RED INTERIOR! AAAAAAHH! So awesome, the car can hardly contain it.
Even on the doors!
And the back seats too!
This was a very nice shifter to play with. The aftermarket knob helped, although the shifting action is generally good in these cars. I was also pleased to see that the brake was up, as this is the same dealer that the episode with the Cobalt occurred.
This pile of candy-cane colored glory is a 2012 GT500. Notice the evil smile.
The slightly darker portions of the steering wheel, parking brake handle and shifter boot are suede. It adds a wonderful effect to the interior, conjuring up images of racing wheels like this one. The nav screen is a nice touch, but of debatable value. I don't think I would shell out the $2,340 to get it if I was to buy my own GT500.
I would, however, pay extra for these. So awesome!
The dealer has had this one in the showroom for a while. It's a 2011, black with no stripes (that I can see).
The engine hardly fits between the shock towers, due to either a small engine bay, a very wide 5.4, or both.
The massive intake feeds cold air into the blower, which is that gray ridged thingermajig on top of the engine. It's a huge device.
Back outside the showroom, I encountered this V6. Clean lines, largely due to the lack of ornamentation.
This 2010 GT was hit by a passing car when it was on the curb, and has been repaired. The dealer marked it down $10,000.
I'll take it. I love red interiors, especially when they have glass roofs above them like this one. It's even an auto, so anybody could be comfortable with it.
This 2010 GT is fairly unremarkable for a GT, until you get inside...
Premium interior... the brake's up... shiny pedals... no nav... very nice.... wait, what's that?
CUE BALL SHIFTER! OH MY GOODNESS, I LOVE IT, I MUST HAVE IT! *hyperventilating*
It has shiny ponies on the doors, too!
And stripes on the seats, along with louvers in the windows!
I crammed my (relatively) large (for the back seats) frame into the back seats for this picture, during which time I noted that although my head was against the window glass ("What's that burning smell? I have a headache. Are we there yet?"), the leather was quite soft, and very comfortable.
Ah. That's pretty nice too.
Wait... THAT'S not a Mustang!
Gotta love a shifter that disputes the old myth that P R N D L stands for "Prindal". The paddle shifters may look small, but in real life they hardly fit behind the steering wheel. It gives the wheel a nice meaty feel.
Nice gauges. It says "TAURUS" in the speedometer, just in case you ever forget what car you're driving. I liked the light color, but was disappointed because when I shut the door, the gauges didn't go back and forth like they're supposed to.
I knew that some Fusions will send their dials back and forth, and I wanted to capture it on film and post it, so I went to a Fusion sitting behind the Taurus. (BTW, the only videos I got that day were of some shifters and myself happily messing with the crank windows in the back of a certain vehicle.)
No pictures for the inside of this one. It wasn't too remarkable. The MKZ right next to it was about this distance from the Fusion: I I
That's not very far.
Just a random Sport Trac interior. Nothing to see here, move along.
Now THAT is an interesting gauge cluster. I like it. Very... Klingon.
"Engage." *zoom*
I love this interior, but... what is it? Can't be a Fiesta (I've been in those)... it's not a Fusion... not a Taurus...
It reminds me of a flight deck... or a shuttle from Star Trek: The Next Generation (ugh)... what is it?
IT'S A EURO FOCUS! YAY!!!
Hang on... that doesn't look right...
Argh. Never mind. It had crank windows in the back, which amused me very much, as yours truly had never worked a crank window before. Hopefully I can return and OOH SHELBY!
*ahem* Never mind that, our Shelby just got home. Now, I hope I can return and get more pictures, because I may actually get to ride in one of these, as a family member may test drive one. That should be fun, as the only vehicles I've ever test-ridden are a 2010 Mustang V6, a 2010 Mustang GT, a Honda Pilot, and said Shelby. That's it.
I climbed out from the back of the Focus, having had lots of fun with the crank window, and noticed everybody else looking about a Chrysler 300C SRT8. Most of them had disgusted looks on their faces.
Not too hideous, right?
Never mind. The steering wheel reminds me of an old leather belt I happen to have worn a few times. It does not exactly feel very nice. The gauges are trying to look like classic watch dials, which they're not doing so well.
I think 180 MPH is a little optimistic, don't you? So is 6,250 RPM, especially for a 6.1L V8. Maybe the hemi-heads help with attaining higher revs. Typically, fuel shutoff is a couple hundred RPM after the visual redline so a late shift won't hurt the engine or transmission, but with such a large engine, I'm skeptical of the practicality of revving that high in everyday driving.
The seats look nice, at least. They don't feel nearly as nice as you would think, though.
I try this shot with a lot of cars, and always if I have time. Usually it looks good, but not so much in this case. The new 300 really tries to attain the class of its predecessor from the 1950's, but ended up a rapper's dream car instead. Hopefully the 2011 refresh can help with that. Here's an idea, Chrysler: raise the price. Rappers can't afford high-priced cars. If they could, they'd just buy real Bentleys instead of buying 300s and putting Bentley grilles on them. Just a thought.
That's all for this post; I hope that you've enjoyed reading it!
Our church is smack-dab in the middle of Fratboy Party Zone, which can result in woes around All Souls Day. The streets in that area are brick, and quite rough for certain vehicles that have very sharply tuned suspension that may or may not have the letters "S H E L B Y" across the back. But that's a tangent.
Anyway, we were traveling along one of these streets in the Mustang when I spotted a glorious form along the street. This is very unusual because aside from the occasional Mustang-that's-been-sitting-there-for-all-of-recorded-history and a Mini Cooper, the street parking consists of Corollae and Civics. I couldn't get a picture of said glorious form on our way to church, but on our way home...
Despite my radical Ford fan-ism, I just LOVE these Chargers. The local Chrysler dealership (which still has its 1970s-era Plymouth signage up) sold their 2011 R/T a little while back. From the outside, it looked just like this one, except it was Toxic Orange.
But enough of that. Let's get to the main event!
I had read about this GT on the dealer's website, so I was eager to see it in person.
Your humble author really ought to remember to keep himself out of pictures of reflective surfaces. The extra "California Special" lettering struck me as a nice touch, as standard Mustang GTs don't have that lettering. (not a regular GT, but it has the standard emblem)
Nice custom wheels on this example.
RED INTERIOR! AAAAAAHH! So awesome, the car can hardly contain it.
Even on the doors!
And the back seats too!
This was a very nice shifter to play with. The aftermarket knob helped, although the shifting action is generally good in these cars. I was also pleased to see that the brake was up, as this is the same dealer that the episode with the Cobalt occurred.
This pile of candy-cane colored glory is a 2012 GT500. Notice the evil smile.
The slightly darker portions of the steering wheel, parking brake handle and shifter boot are suede. It adds a wonderful effect to the interior, conjuring up images of racing wheels like this one. The nav screen is a nice touch, but of debatable value. I don't think I would shell out the $2,340 to get it if I was to buy my own GT500.
I would, however, pay extra for these. So awesome!
The dealer has had this one in the showroom for a while. It's a 2011, black with no stripes (that I can see).
The engine hardly fits between the shock towers, due to either a small engine bay, a very wide 5.4, or both.
The massive intake feeds cold air into the blower, which is that gray ridged thingermajig on top of the engine. It's a huge device.
Back outside the showroom, I encountered this V6. Clean lines, largely due to the lack of ornamentation.
This 2010 GT was hit by a passing car when it was on the curb, and has been repaired. The dealer marked it down $10,000.
I'll take it. I love red interiors, especially when they have glass roofs above them like this one. It's even an auto, so anybody could be comfortable with it.
This 2010 GT is fairly unremarkable for a GT, until you get inside...
Premium interior... the brake's up... shiny pedals... no nav... very nice.... wait, what's that?
CUE BALL SHIFTER! OH MY GOODNESS, I LOVE IT, I MUST HAVE IT! *hyperventilating*
It has shiny ponies on the doors, too!
And stripes on the seats, along with louvers in the windows!
I crammed my (relatively) large (for the back seats) frame into the back seats for this picture, during which time I noted that although my head was against the window glass ("What's that burning smell? I have a headache. Are we there yet?"), the leather was quite soft, and very comfortable.
Ah. That's pretty nice too.
Wait... THAT'S not a Mustang!
Gotta love a shifter that disputes the old myth that P R N D L stands for "Prindal". The paddle shifters may look small, but in real life they hardly fit behind the steering wheel. It gives the wheel a nice meaty feel.
Nice gauges. It says "TAURUS" in the speedometer, just in case you ever forget what car you're driving. I liked the light color, but was disappointed because when I shut the door, the gauges didn't go back and forth like they're supposed to.
I knew that some Fusions will send their dials back and forth, and I wanted to capture it on film and post it, so I went to a Fusion sitting behind the Taurus. (BTW, the only videos I got that day were of some shifters and myself happily messing with the crank windows in the back of a certain vehicle.)
No pictures for the inside of this one. It wasn't too remarkable. The MKZ right next to it was about this distance from the Fusion: I I
That's not very far.
Just a random Sport Trac interior. Nothing to see here, move along.
Now THAT is an interesting gauge cluster. I like it. Very... Klingon.
"Engage." *zoom*
I love this interior, but... what is it? Can't be a Fiesta (I've been in those)... it's not a Fusion... not a Taurus...
It reminds me of a flight deck... or a shuttle from Star Trek: The Next Generation (ugh)... what is it?
IT'S A EURO FOCUS! YAY!!!
Hang on... that doesn't look right...
Argh. Never mind. It had crank windows in the back, which amused me very much, as yours truly had never worked a crank window before. Hopefully I can return and OOH SHELBY!
*ahem* Never mind that, our Shelby just got home. Now, I hope I can return and get more pictures, because I may actually get to ride in one of these, as a family member may test drive one. That should be fun, as the only vehicles I've ever test-ridden are a 2010 Mustang V6, a 2010 Mustang GT, a Honda Pilot, and said Shelby. That's it.
I climbed out from the back of the Focus, having had lots of fun with the crank window, and noticed everybody else looking about a Chrysler 300C SRT8. Most of them had disgusted looks on their faces.
Not too hideous, right?
Never mind. The steering wheel reminds me of an old leather belt I happen to have worn a few times. It does not exactly feel very nice. The gauges are trying to look like classic watch dials, which they're not doing so well.
I think 180 MPH is a little optimistic, don't you? So is 6,250 RPM, especially for a 6.1L V8. Maybe the hemi-heads help with attaining higher revs. Typically, fuel shutoff is a couple hundred RPM after the visual redline so a late shift won't hurt the engine or transmission, but with such a large engine, I'm skeptical of the practicality of revving that high in everyday driving.
The seats look nice, at least. They don't feel nearly as nice as you would think, though.
I try this shot with a lot of cars, and always if I have time. Usually it looks good, but not so much in this case. The new 300 really tries to attain the class of its predecessor from the 1950's, but ended up a rapper's dream car instead. Hopefully the 2011 refresh can help with that. Here's an idea, Chrysler: raise the price. Rappers can't afford high-priced cars. If they could, they'd just buy real Bentleys instead of buying 300s and putting Bentley grilles on them. Just a thought.
That's all for this post; I hope that you've enjoyed reading it!
"You're late."
C&D should have hurried up and posted this evidently non-embeddable video of the P4/5 Competizione being given some quick test laps around Vallelunga. It mixes Vivaldi's Winter with the sounds of the Ferrari 4.0L V8 being wrung out. Definitely worth a watch.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Darth Cobra and Luke 5.0walker
1974 Mustang: Come to the dark side, 5.0.
2011 Mustang: I'll never join you! You killed my father!
1974: No, 5.0. I AM your father.
2011: No... that's not true... that's IMPOSSIBLE!
1974: Search your feelings; you know it to be true.
2011: N - *pause* Well, actually... no. Really. We have absolutely no relation, since you're based on the Pinto and I have my own bespoke platform.
1974: No, no, no, dear son. I was built to bring back the spirit of our forefather, the 1965. Ever since the 1967, we had been getting larger and larger. I took it upon myself to solve that problem, and if that required me to go to *ahem* somewhat demeaning lengths to do so, that would be my mission!
2011: But you forgot the V8. That's sort of important, and why Cousin Probe didn't kill off our entire family line.
1974: Ah, Cousin Probe. You and I both know that we agreed not to talk about that... unpleasant incident. Do you remember what the agreed penalty was?
2011: *stammering* That the next guy who talked about it got a 2.2L swap?
1974: Yes. Thankfully, you're not the first. The guy who said it last was already a 2.2 dirt-track car, so we didn't feel the need to downgrade him further. But this is off-topic. Anyway, I AM YOUR FATHER!
2011: I think you settled that yourself when you said that the 1965 was our forefather.
1974: Shoot.
2011: I thought so. Let's go have some gasoline. Will you take 87 or 89, and with lead or without?
1974: 87 octane, with lead. Oh, thank you! This is nice stuff. Is it that Shell nitrogen stuff?
2011: Nope, it's 100% gas. No E10 for us!
*at this point, both 1974 and 2011 drive off, with 1974 and 2011 poking fun at each other's 2.73.1 axle and California smog equipment, respectively*
2011 Mustang: I'll never join you! You killed my father!
1974: No, 5.0. I AM your father.
2011: No... that's not true... that's IMPOSSIBLE!
1974: Search your feelings; you know it to be true.
2011: N - *pause* Well, actually... no. Really. We have absolutely no relation, since you're based on the Pinto and I have my own bespoke platform.
1974: No, no, no, dear son. I was built to bring back the spirit of our forefather, the 1965. Ever since the 1967, we had been getting larger and larger. I took it upon myself to solve that problem, and if that required me to go to *ahem* somewhat demeaning lengths to do so, that would be my mission!
2011: But you forgot the V8. That's sort of important, and why Cousin Probe didn't kill off our entire family line.
1974: Ah, Cousin Probe. You and I both know that we agreed not to talk about that... unpleasant incident. Do you remember what the agreed penalty was?
2011: *stammering* That the next guy who talked about it got a 2.2L swap?
1974: Yes. Thankfully, you're not the first. The guy who said it last was already a 2.2 dirt-track car, so we didn't feel the need to downgrade him further. But this is off-topic. Anyway, I AM YOUR FATHER!
2011: I think you settled that yourself when you said that the 1965 was our forefather.
1974: Shoot.
2011: I thought so. Let's go have some gasoline. Will you take 87 or 89, and with lead or without?
1974: 87 octane, with lead. Oh, thank you! This is nice stuff. Is it that Shell nitrogen stuff?
2011: Nope, it's 100% gas. No E10 for us!
*at this point, both 1974 and 2011 drive off, with 1974 and 2011 poking fun at each other's 2.73.1 axle and California smog equipment, respectively*
"There's been a lot of debate about that..."
What am I talking about? Perhaps one of the classic automotive rivalries? Mustang vs. Camaro? Ford vs. Chevrolet? F-150 vs. Silverado? Sienna vs. Odyssey? Prius vs. Insight?!
No.
Rather, I am talking about John Hennessey's credibility. Some say he makes unreliable junk that doesn't even make the advertised horsepower. Some say everything he makes is like manna from heaven in its perfection, like God left his garage door open and the first HPE-tuned Viper fell to earth.
Me?
That answers my questions. Sounds too good to be evil. Oh, while we're posting videos of Corvettes on dynos...
No.
Rather, I am talking about John Hennessey's credibility. Some say he makes unreliable junk that doesn't even make the advertised horsepower. Some say everything he makes is like manna from heaven in its perfection, like God left his garage door open and the first HPE-tuned Viper fell to earth.
Me?
That answers my questions. Sounds too good to be evil. Oh, while we're posting videos of Corvettes on dynos...
Who would you think it is?
You're sitting there, researching for your oceanography paper, and suddenly a Lexus RX300 rolls up your driveway. That would be normal, except that your family doesn't own an RX. It's a 1999ish model in a mineral color. A guy hops out and knocks on your door.
Do you:
A) Go into "apocalypse mode" and get out the weapons to fend off the zombie attack,
B) Tell everyone to conceal themselves and wait out the attack with bated breath, or
C) Do something really stupid and open the door?
If you answered B), you acted as BBC did. Unfortunately, BBC didn't get to show off his anti-zombie kung-fu skills, as the attackers were not zombies, but...
...door-to-door missionaries.
Darn. That was anticlimactic, wasn't it?
Do you:
A) Go into "apocalypse mode" and get out the weapons to fend off the zombie attack,
B) Tell everyone to conceal themselves and wait out the attack with bated breath, or
C) Do something really stupid and open the door?
If you answered B), you acted as BBC did. Unfortunately, BBC didn't get to show off his anti-zombie kung-fu skills, as the attackers were not zombies, but...
...door-to-door missionaries.
Darn. That was anticlimactic, wasn't it?
Visitor Milestone
I was my own 356th visitor! YAY!
Now, maybe I can convince somebody to give me an original VW Beetle so I can see how hard it is to make it into a 356 replica. It should be pretty hard; it's not like they share any major mechanical components or anything!
What?
Now, maybe I can convince somebody to give me an original VW Beetle so I can see how hard it is to make it into a 356 replica. It should be pretty hard; it's not like they share any major mechanical components or anything!
What?
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
BBC takes a trip
I recently went up to *redacted* in *redacted*, *redacted* so *reeeeeeeedacted*. On the way, we stopped over at *redacted*, hereby known as El Mucho Biggo Dealer (EMBD, for short).
These three are of the same 2011 GT500 in Kona Blue. This one is different from the other pictures in that it is from a different dealer from EMBD, but still from a large place. The reason I don't have more pictures of this one was because there were suspicious individuals (salesmen) hanging around, and as I appear somewhat older than I am (I've been offered test drives before), I get accosted by sales guys on a regular basis. I didn't want to deal with that, so I got a set of hurried pictures, hopped into the minivan, and got out of there.
What a beautiful car. Interior:
I put it in gear for these pictures. Having considerable experience with S197 Mustang interiors, I found this example to shift solidly, and the interior was free of nasty smells (besides carpet cleaner, which a fellow browser could smell. I couldn't, but I am currently afflicted with a cold so my opinion doesn't really matter). I am bothered by the way the steering wheel feels in this era of Mustang and Nissan Z car. They tend to feel quite rubbery after some time sitting in the sun. Ours is garaged, so it doesn't have this issue. Would this steering wheel issue stop me from taking the car if it was offered to me? No.
(yes, my psyche is deeply disturbed by the Car Fox. So I blurred him out. *shivers* Now it's after me....)
The EMBD has three G8s now, but at the time of this picture they only had two. All are 3.6 V6 models. This was one of them, somewhat obviously. I love the styling of this car, but certain relatives of mine hate it. That doesn't bother me too much.
I liked the feel of this interior. It was my first time sitting in a G8, so I had to familiarize myself with everything inside. It felt very well screwed together...
...except for the rear doors, which made a tinny noise when I shut them. It reminded me of the noise that a Ford Crown Victoria's driver door makes when you shut it. That was an unpleasant surprise, as was the recent news that the G8 turns into a reliability nightmare if it gets in an accident, but hey - this one has a clean *shudder* Carfax! *Psycho theme*
Oh my. This would be the perfect Competition Orange Mach 1 if it weren't for the purple window tint, which is more evident in the interior shots. The Shaker scoop is as awesome as always.
The tint is most visible on the passenger's side of the dashboard and on the corresponding side view mirror. Notice the cool gauges, "Comfortweave" style seats, aluminum pedals, and cue ball shifter. All are throwbacks to the original Mach 1. Speaking of that shifter...
It's in the Reverse position in this picture. I took a video of the shifting action, but upon uploading to YouTube, it was apparent that it was not good enough to post (credit the extremely cold temperatures, and the fact that BBC does NOT have steady hands). Also note the bezel around the shifter; doesn't seem stock.
I sense a bit of competition on the lot. A drag race of this Trans Am WS6 vs. the Mach 1 would be interesting to watch. Also, make sure to have a look at that Ram Air hood!
The seats, while almost going over-the-top with the side bolsters, didn't feel any nicer than the thrones in the Mach 1. Something odd that I noted was that in all my time sitting in cars of many ages and market segments, I have never found a shifter I couldn't get my (sizable) hand around. Until this Trans Am.
This picture doesn't even begin to illustrate how odd the shifter feels, mostly because there isn't a whole lot of shifter in it. I mostly took this picture for the '80s-tastic radio instrumentation. Speaking of instruments....
Note the C5 Corvette-style gauges.
Oh, shoot. I seem to have uploaded another picture of that Trans Am's interior. Let me delete... hey, wait a minute! That Cavalier-esque shift knob... those (rather comfy, especially for being 11 years old) cloth seats... that strange, undecipherable name on the radio... it seems to remind me of something, but I can't quite place it.
Oh. That's why. Please note the awesome (you can find it by following the green arrows) and move on.
What I was thinking in real time is the best way to express how I feel about this Camaro. Let's see:
"Hmm... I've seen this one on the website before. Let's check it out! I like the grille, as well as the other body mods. I think I'll have a look at the interior." *I open door*
"AAAGH! WHAT is THAT SMELL?!"
"Oh... that would be the great disease that plagues so many cars across the country, feeding upon their resale value and draining the money of its owner due to medical bills.... cigarette smoke." *slams door*
Aaah... Ford chemicals make a much better smell than cigarette smoke. This was a fresh-off-the-truck 2012 Mustang V6 Premium automatic convertible. The price? $34,464.
When was the last time you saw an interior like this in a V6 pony car?
The wind was ferocious, so I was blown about and thus the picture wasn't on center. The car still looks glorious, though.
I tried one of my favorite angles for our own Shelby Mustang and V6 Mustang. It works pretty well on a 2012, too.
After that, and a brief cruise around the Mazda lot ("Why won't this Miata open?! I want to drive the Miatahahaha.... *sobbing, wailing, and gnashing of teeth"), we headed home.
Or did we? I spied this 2012 Mustang V6 (actually, we all did. Grabber Blue is not exactly the most subtle color you can pick), and hopped out to get pictures. Sticker price? A hair shy of $23K. Of course, it had cloth seats and a manual transmission (translation: base), but it was still awesome. Besides, the only options I truly need on my car are a heater and A/C. Truthfully, if it's a convertible, you don't even need A/C. Just put the top down and presto! Instant A/C. (I intend to avoid sitting still more than absolutely necessary)
(not pictured: 2009 Honda Accord Coupe LX-S. I sat in it to avoid a *redacted* edition Mustang V6, and I knew it was a manual. I think it may have been in a bad accident, because the shifter is WAY off to the right. Felt very strange to operate. Ran it through the gears and hopped out. Not a bad looking car by any means, but in the price range that it's being sold in I'd look elsewhere.)
After that, we REALLY went home.
Haha! Silly me, I should have said "we REALLY went back to my hometown"! My sincere apologies. This Challenger is, despite its awesome stripes, a simple SE, so it's the V6 for this guy.
Note the chrome fuel door. I don't have any pictures of the interior (ever since this dealer sold its 2011 Charger R/T, it has had this Challenger locked), but I've sat in it before. It's the same as the other Challenger SE on the lot; namely, very gray. It's almost nautical in that there's a rather large-looking steering wheel that makes no pretense of being sporty, a long hood to look over, and boat-like acceleration and handling (that is to say, not too much of either). At least it rides nicely.
I've been reading about these little guys for a while, but this is the first Chrysler 200 I've ever actually seen. Let's take a look inside:
I raised the parking brake (ever since that episode with the Cobalt, I've been weird like that), and it was very light. It's down in this picture. The car felt very solid and secure, with the doors making a nice thunk when they shut. The seat leather was nice, definitely outclassing a number of its competitors in that aspect.
The dials didn't go back and forth when I shut the door! The Ford Fusion has the 200 beaten in that respect.
I know this picture is blurry; it's like that because I had to hurry up and was hastening to get pictures for this post. From what I've read, the transmission in this car is very slow and dim-witted, taking your requests through the -/+ gate as suggestions rather than commands. At least said shifter looks good and feels meaty in the hand.
Classy plow truck, that. I bet the employees at this dealer just fight like crazy over whohas to is condemned to is rewarded with getting to drive this thing.
As can be expected, this vehicle is privately owned, but I saw it during that particular excursion so I'm putting it up.
We have something of a debate over whether or not this is a real SLK55. It doesn't make a whole lot of "55" or "AMG" noises. There's a "C63 AMG" in town that sounds NOTHING like this:
Of course, it never gets driven hard enough to make nice noises like that. Just trundling around town. It's the same way with this SLK, and the Aston Martin DB9 in town.
That's all I have to say for now; thanks for reading!
These three are of the same 2011 GT500 in Kona Blue. This one is different from the other pictures in that it is from a different dealer from EMBD, but still from a large place. The reason I don't have more pictures of this one was because there were suspicious individuals (salesmen) hanging around, and as I appear somewhat older than I am (I've been offered test drives before), I get accosted by sales guys on a regular basis. I didn't want to deal with that, so I got a set of hurried pictures, hopped into the minivan, and got out of there.
What a beautiful car. Interior:
I put it in gear for these pictures. Having considerable experience with S197 Mustang interiors, I found this example to shift solidly, and the interior was free of nasty smells (besides carpet cleaner, which a fellow browser could smell. I couldn't, but I am currently afflicted with a cold so my opinion doesn't really matter). I am bothered by the way the steering wheel feels in this era of Mustang and Nissan Z car. They tend to feel quite rubbery after some time sitting in the sun. Ours is garaged, so it doesn't have this issue. Would this steering wheel issue stop me from taking the car if it was offered to me? No.
(yes, my psyche is deeply disturbed by the Car Fox. So I blurred him out. *shivers* Now it's after me....)
The EMBD has three G8s now, but at the time of this picture they only had two. All are 3.6 V6 models. This was one of them, somewhat obviously. I love the styling of this car, but certain relatives of mine hate it. That doesn't bother me too much.
I liked the feel of this interior. It was my first time sitting in a G8, so I had to familiarize myself with everything inside. It felt very well screwed together...
...except for the rear doors, which made a tinny noise when I shut them. It reminded me of the noise that a Ford Crown Victoria's driver door makes when you shut it. That was an unpleasant surprise, as was the recent news that the G8 turns into a reliability nightmare if it gets in an accident, but hey - this one has a clean *shudder* Carfax! *Psycho theme*
Oh my. This would be the perfect Competition Orange Mach 1 if it weren't for the purple window tint, which is more evident in the interior shots. The Shaker scoop is as awesome as always.
The tint is most visible on the passenger's side of the dashboard and on the corresponding side view mirror. Notice the cool gauges, "Comfortweave" style seats, aluminum pedals, and cue ball shifter. All are throwbacks to the original Mach 1. Speaking of that shifter...
It's in the Reverse position in this picture. I took a video of the shifting action, but upon uploading to YouTube, it was apparent that it was not good enough to post (credit the extremely cold temperatures, and the fact that BBC does NOT have steady hands). Also note the bezel around the shifter; doesn't seem stock.
I sense a bit of competition on the lot. A drag race of this Trans Am WS6 vs. the Mach 1 would be interesting to watch. Also, make sure to have a look at that Ram Air hood!
The seats, while almost going over-the-top with the side bolsters, didn't feel any nicer than the thrones in the Mach 1. Something odd that I noted was that in all my time sitting in cars of many ages and market segments, I have never found a shifter I couldn't get my (sizable) hand around. Until this Trans Am.
This picture doesn't even begin to illustrate how odd the shifter feels, mostly because there isn't a whole lot of shifter in it. I mostly took this picture for the '80s-tastic radio instrumentation. Speaking of instruments....
Note the C5 Corvette-style gauges.
Oh, shoot. I seem to have uploaded another picture of that Trans Am's interior. Let me delete... hey, wait a minute! That Cavalier-esque shift knob... those (rather comfy, especially for being 11 years old) cloth seats... that strange, undecipherable name on the radio... it seems to remind me of something, but I can't quite place it.
Oh. That's why. Please note the awesome (you can find it by following the green arrows) and move on.
What I was thinking in real time is the best way to express how I feel about this Camaro. Let's see:
"Hmm... I've seen this one on the website before. Let's check it out! I like the grille, as well as the other body mods. I think I'll have a look at the interior." *I open door*
"AAAGH! WHAT is THAT SMELL?!"
"Oh... that would be the great disease that plagues so many cars across the country, feeding upon their resale value and draining the money of its owner due to medical bills.... cigarette smoke." *slams door*
Aaah... Ford chemicals make a much better smell than cigarette smoke. This was a fresh-off-the-truck 2012 Mustang V6 Premium automatic convertible. The price? $34,464.
When was the last time you saw an interior like this in a V6 pony car?
I tried one of my favorite angles for our own Shelby Mustang and V6 Mustang. It works pretty well on a 2012, too.
After that, and a brief cruise around the Mazda lot ("Why won't this Miata open?! I want to drive the Miatahahaha.... *sobbing, wailing, and gnashing of teeth"), we headed home.
Or did we? I spied this 2012 Mustang V6 (actually, we all did. Grabber Blue is not exactly the most subtle color you can pick), and hopped out to get pictures. Sticker price? A hair shy of $23K. Of course, it had cloth seats and a manual transmission (translation: base), but it was still awesome. Besides, the only options I truly need on my car are a heater and A/C. Truthfully, if it's a convertible, you don't even need A/C. Just put the top down and presto! Instant A/C. (I intend to avoid sitting still more than absolutely necessary)
(not pictured: 2009 Honda Accord Coupe LX-S. I sat in it to avoid a *redacted* edition Mustang V6, and I knew it was a manual. I think it may have been in a bad accident, because the shifter is WAY off to the right. Felt very strange to operate. Ran it through the gears and hopped out. Not a bad looking car by any means, but in the price range that it's being sold in I'd look elsewhere.)
After that, we REALLY went home.
Haha! Silly me, I should have said "we REALLY went back to my hometown"! My sincere apologies. This Challenger is, despite its awesome stripes, a simple SE, so it's the V6 for this guy.
Note the chrome fuel door. I don't have any pictures of the interior (ever since this dealer sold its 2011 Charger R/T, it has had this Challenger locked), but I've sat in it before. It's the same as the other Challenger SE on the lot; namely, very gray. It's almost nautical in that there's a rather large-looking steering wheel that makes no pretense of being sporty, a long hood to look over, and boat-like acceleration and handling (that is to say, not too much of either). At least it rides nicely.
I've been reading about these little guys for a while, but this is the first Chrysler 200 I've ever actually seen. Let's take a look inside:
I raised the parking brake (ever since that episode with the Cobalt, I've been weird like that), and it was very light. It's down in this picture. The car felt very solid and secure, with the doors making a nice thunk when they shut. The seat leather was nice, definitely outclassing a number of its competitors in that aspect.
The dials didn't go back and forth when I shut the door! The Ford Fusion has the 200 beaten in that respect.
I know this picture is blurry; it's like that because I had to hurry up and was hastening to get pictures for this post. From what I've read, the transmission in this car is very slow and dim-witted, taking your requests through the -/+ gate as suggestions rather than commands. At least said shifter looks good and feels meaty in the hand.
Classy plow truck, that. I bet the employees at this dealer just fight like crazy over who
As can be expected, this vehicle is privately owned, but I saw it during that particular excursion so I'm putting it up.
We have something of a debate over whether or not this is a real SLK55. It doesn't make a whole lot of "55" or "AMG" noises. There's a "C63 AMG" in town that sounds NOTHING like this:
Of course, it never gets driven hard enough to make nice noises like that. Just trundling around town. It's the same way with this SLK, and the Aston Martin DB9 in town.
That's all I have to say for now; thanks for reading!
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