Recent Comments:
Harley-Davidson kills off Buell, will sell stake in MV Agusta [w/VIDEO] {Autoblog}
Oct 15th 2009 4:05PM If this is true, why is there a page up for the 2010 Blast?
http://www.buell.com/en_us/bikes/blast/#
;-)
Nearly 7,000 2008-2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Ralliart, and Sportback Ralliart models recalled over fuel pipe crack concerns {Autoblog}
Sep 18th 2009 7:33PM I don't think they have. I paid $30K for my Evo X GSR with 0% financing through Mitsubishi. With another $3000 for a Perrin Stage III setup my car now has 411hp and 423 lb ft of tq. $33K for a car with those numbers, AWD, and one of the best traction control systems out there (until you turn it off and have fun) isn't a bad deal IMO. I would EAT a 135 dollar for dollar, on straight or twisty roads.
That being said, I did cross shop with a 135i. I couldn't find a 135 (vs the na 1 series) for less than $40K, and having to pay $3000 for a "real leather" option in a BMW was just stupid to me. Base 135 comes with no "luxury" options (no leather, no nav, no RFID key, etc.) By the time you get a 135i with enough options to make it "luxury" over the Evo, you could buy a 335i with the same options as that 135i. 335i is more practical, and just as fun to drive as the 135i. 135i feels "small" when you try to put stuff or people in it, but doesn't feel any "smaller" than the 335i when you start going around corners. 335i as competition for the Evo X I can see, but 135i is a joke. Evo X dollar for dollar will smoke them both in terms of performance, mods included.
Evo X is a lot nicer outside and in than an Evo IX, and I've driven the new STis... I would much rather have an 04-05 STi than the new ones. Looks better, better mods available, and I'm not a fan of all of the mechanical failures (ring lands, rods, etc.) that are happening with the new STis. That's really "hush hush" among the Subie community though and nobody wants to acknowledge it.
I've had the Evo Stage III'd out for the past 9600 miles, some of which are track miles, and I've had zero problems.
VIDEO: Four new GM commercials airing this weekend, check 'em out early {Autoblog}
Sep 18th 2009 7:12PM "The GM of GMC doesn't mean General Motors."
Actually, it does:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_%28automobile%29
Z Corporation debuts "world's most affordable" portable 3D scanner, still more expensive than your car {Engadget}
Sep 17th 2009 6:47PM Wow... you're so awesome. I wish I paid too much for a souped up Volkswagen Golf.
iPhone OS 3.1 enforcing Exchange device encryption, only supported by iPhone 3GS {Engadget}
Sep 11th 2009 3:09PM I upgraded to 3.1 on my 3G last night. We have Exchange 2007 running on Server 2008. I've been sending and receiving emails all day under my Exchange account with no issues. This is news to me.
Chrysler officially done building engines with Hyundai, Mitsubishi {Autoblog}
Sep 11th 2009 9:36AM Hell I can't even hit 20 mpg with that piece of crap engine, but that may be because mine makes 411hp/423tq. ;-)
REPORT: Subaru considering using more CVTs {Autoblog}
Sep 9th 2009 4:38AM I wouldn't. They tried that with the Evo X. Two things happened - 1.) people like me, who bought the GSR model because it has a proper manual, want a 6 speed manual box (like the STi has) and 2.) as soon as you get above 400hp in the dual clutch manual Evo X MR, the clutches in the trans start to go. Problem with this? The trans is sealed and isn't even serviceable by the dealer. The ECM for the transmission is INSIDE the transmission, so when the clutches go, the whole transmission including the ECM have to be replaced. Cost for the trans is about $4500, plus installation at the dealer. And yes, the dealer HAS to do it because the ECM in the trans needs to be mated with the ECU for the car via the computers that the dealers have. This vs. the normal clutch and pressure plate in my X, which has been holding up to 411hp nicely for the past 9000 miles, and even when I need to replace it is a day with a few buddies, some beers/pizza, and $600.
REPORT: Subaru considering using more CVTs {Autoblog}
Sep 9th 2009 4:33AM Eeehh.... CVTs have been around since the late 1800s/early 1900s. Subaru didn't really "pioneer" anything to do with CVTs. The design was already there, they just stuck it in a road car (at the same time as Ford put one with a better design in to the Fiesta in Europe.)
REPORT: Subaru considering using more CVTs {Autoblog}
Sep 9th 2009 4:22AM the4thheat - Have you ever driven in the snow? I live in Michigan. For most of my driving live I've lived on roads that get plowed MAYBE once a week in the winter for part of my hour long commute to work (1 hour in good weather). I've thus far owned 34 cars - a healthy mix of (mostly) cars, a van, a truck or two, and a couple SUVs - with a healthy mix, of automatics and manuals between all of them.
Driving in sketchy situations is "normal" here in the winter months, and I can easily tell you that one has FAR greater control with a manual transmission in the snow than with an automatic, no matter what "wheel drive" the vehicle is. In an automatic, the car kicks down when I apply power (which in a RWD car is suicide on ice), changes gears in the middle of a corner (upsets balance, again suicide), and doesn't let me manually shift in to a much higher gear than normal to "creep" across really sketchy road surfaces without having to worry about spinning tires and sliding either the front or the back end around.
If you have to "worry" about shifting, then you're probably either a horrible driver, need to get off the phone or put your burger down, or need to really learn how to drive a manual transmission before getting online and bashing them. Driving a manual trans should come as second nature to anyone who has done it for more than a week - even my wife doesn't even think about it in her manual Accord, it's just second nature to her.
TomTom iPhone app officially costs a Benjamin [w/VIDEO] {Autoblog}
Aug 17th 2009 6:41PM See... you're obviously missing something here. Granted Google maps does work fine on the device with GPS. I used it just this weekend and it did it's job... until we drove in to an area with no cell signal. At that point Google maps lost connectivity and was 100% unable to download maps. It was then that we were all staring at a grey on grey grid with a blue dot moving across it, which was absolutely worthless to us.
If this app puts the map data on the phone, then it'll work even if there's no data signal (or very low data signal - Gmaps sucks with 1-2 bars), since GPS works regardless of data connectivity. I think it's a much better solution, and as stated above, I always have my phone with me... I hardly ever carry around a standalone GPS unit... so if I'm in a friend's car and we get lost... etc.
