Generally speaking what are the better parts of town to say at. I do not want to stay in the slum section and wake up to find my M striped to the frame, as I have never been to that part of the country. So where would you recommend staying. Within 20 miles of the event would be nice. Thanks.
My guess is that speeding is pretty safe in Canada...unless the RCMP has found faster horses! Sorry my Canadian friends, Dudley Doright cartoons are still one of my fondest childhood memories. Anyone remember the name of his horse? No looking it up!
If I get caught doing 100mph in Canada, do you honestly think I will pay it. I'd just file it under chicken sh*t and be on my way. I dont do much travelin in Canada so let them come find me. Besides they cant stop eveyone in our Caravan of 30 300M's ---all doing 100mph! Now that would be a nice sight!
>>Dudley Doright cartoons are still one of my fondest childhood memories. Anyone remember the name of his horse? No looking it up!<<
"Hi Ho Tinfoil, away!" Anyway, the average speed on the local highways is 120kph. 110kph if you see a cop somewhere.
I remember when my Dad had his '93 Intrepid. It had the stock radio antenna, and also an amateur radio antenna. Due to the two antennas on the back, some people would pass cautiously thinking it was an unmarked cop car.
Just a thought. I looked at the demographics of the Detroit meet and came up with the following assuming that a good portion of the cars coming to the meet would be from the eastern seaboard. For instance: Boston to Detroit is 683 miles and from Detroit to Brampton is 217 miles and from Brampton back to Boston is 530 miles for a total distance of 1480 miles. Now if the meet were held in Toronto which is no more than 1/2 hour from the plant the total mileage from Boston and back would only be 1060 miles saving 420 miles of travel plus you could get up on Monday morning and only have to travel 1/2 an hour to get to the plant visit instead of the three hours from Detroit. Actualy no matter where your driving from you can't increase your miles as you have to make the trip to Brampton anyway. This just saves having to make the long trip on Monday. Also don't forget that your U.S.A. buck is worth a $1.60 Canadian. As I said, just a thought. p.s. We do have running water and paved roads in Toronto -:)
I agree with uxca300M, you all would save a bundle by crossing the border and staying in the Toronto area, great sites, great shopping, and also you don't have to worry about the RCMP because it is the OPP you have to worry about, and as uxca says we to have running water, plus the OPP will throw in the bread!!!!!!!! As a retired cop, I can tell you that the radar guns will give you a 10 Km. grace, so not to worry. My last trip to Edmonton I was going 160 Km which is 100 MPH, when my son pointed it out.( Who needs a stinkin badge!!!!!)
Used to live on the border, spent as many weekends as possible in Toronto. Nice place, great food, good museums, Eaton Centre, IMHO more culture than Detroit & worth it even if the cost is about the same.
I have to drive 2,100 (one way)miles and now you want me to drive another couple hundred extra? I agree a night in Winsor should be a little less expensive, but remember not all of us are driving from the east. I thought the idea was to go the the Cruise. I am glad you have paved roads and running water there
I think it is funny that some one on the east coast can drive 200 miles and be in the Midwest. And I have to drive 2,100 mile and still be in the mid west, go figure.
and the other half can go to Woodward. I have also been in Toronto and it is a fine city. And if you leave the wives home, the nightlife is great there too ;-). We can still all meet in Bramalea to pay ottoworker a visit. Its still a few months away so there's plenty of time for discussion.
My point was that if you were planning to go to the Brampton plant tour then you'd be doing the extra 200 miles anyway from Detroit even if your are driving in from the mid-west. For me it's easy. I live about 20 miles from the plant and about 230 miles from Detroit so no matter where it is I'll be fresh :-)
Besides the great night life we also have great hotels such as the Hilton's "Nap an Hour" or the Holiday Inn's " Sleazy Snooze" I also believe that it is now a law in Ontario that the hotels have to change the bed sheets at least once a month.
Just kidding... know that's not going to happen. Bet 100 M owners driving en masse would attract a lot of attention. M owners who couldn't do the whole drive could drop in & out along the route. Just a fantasy though.
Only last year the Ontario Government passed a law stating that sheets must be used on all beds in hotels. Apparently there were many complaints from tourists that the straw filling in the mattresses was sticking out of the burlap covering giving them rashes.
sigh!!!. got a ticket yesterday 104 km in an 80 zone. Two points and $115.00 bucks. I think we should start a petition to the gov. that 300M's should be exempt from speed laws.
As it happens, I am in Toronto right now for five days of business. (Will try to fly the Canadian flag on my posts while I'm up here.) Never been here before, and don't know that I'll have much time for pleasure (what was someone saying about that nightlife?). I didn't realize the Brampton plant was so close. I don't imagine they run tours on a routine basis . . . .
You have a radar detector? I never had one before, but it's saved me several times with my M. Don't leave home without it. I think there are some reviews at http://www.radartest.com
Well, I'm gonna give this gadget a try. My brother-in-law installed one in his GMC Pickup truck and said it does make a difference. We'll see what hit does for my 300M. If it doesn't work, I got 30 days to send it back.
Also, I was reading over at the 300 Club forums that the tranny is a power draining thief. It basically takes our 250 horsepower and only gives around 170 to wheels. That seems pretty dramatic. Has anyone considered a mod for the tranny?
Welcome to Toronto. If your staying downtown your only about 21 miles from the Brampton plant. As for the night life I kinda got past that stage. Night life for me is a glass of warm milk and a couple of pre-soaked chocolate chip cookies at around 10:00 pm As for the radar detectors, there illegal up here. Maybe mikeyjohn (a retired Duddley Dooright) could advise on how to best hide one in the 300M
Re:My UCONN grad wife is in a great mood. For the first time in 15 years I've got her going to sports bars with me. I'll be sorry to see the Final Four end.
Jeez! I've been spending the last 15 years trying to convince my wife not to go to sports bar with me.
>...Brampton plant...I don't imagine they run tours on a routine basis...
Actually, the plant doesn't run tours, but any employee can apply to take up to 8 people through at a time.
>a radar detector?... Don't leave home without it...
Be aware that the Ontario Provincial Police have "radar detector detectors" in some cruisers and can confiscate and fine users as soon as they find one turned on.
Just noticed in the plant news from last Thursday, for '03 we'll offer a PT Cruiser with a 4 banger turbo. 215 hp, 245 ft lb, 5 spd stick or 4 spd auto. I can see Neon owners lining up at the parts counter already...
I agree a caravan from San Diego to Brampton would be nice, except for, when 30 300M's have to all pull into a gas station to fill up. During the Carlsbad meet we had 9 and had some trouble keeping them all together (those left turn lanes are killers for this). I could shoot a vidio of it using my rear Camera, just need to hook up a VCR to it. Imagion 42 hours of Video of 300M's driving across the country. Can you say Zoom Zoom.
Welcome to Toronto. Hey if you get time and you want to swing by for a tour , email me at and we could try and hook up for a tour one night this week. Not sure if you were going to be coming back in Aug with the rest of the group.
Sorry about the summons, too bad about the points. Plead not guilty and plead insanity, it sometimes works. Radar detectors are not illegal in Alberta, but they were at one time and we used to confiscate them. Anybody considering buying one please save your dollars or send them to me. I have seen the new units and I defy anyone to beat them. My wife tells me if you want to avoid a ticket ease off the gas. I guess there is some merit there. We are currently having a blizzard here and it is a total whiteout. So much for spring.
If you get a small vial sent to you from San Diego, take it into a closet and open it alone. There will be just enough warm air in there for one person.
Roger--I had seen the McAllister M and called them last week, but they only sell clear body shells of the M, for someone else to prep. I told them I wasn't into RC, just wanted that car in the picture. They would not sell me the prototype that is used on their site even though I told them it didn't need the guts just the body and wheels. Thanks for the info tho.
Equal-- Added Equal to the tires this weekend. Took about 45 minutes for 5 wheels and they had to balance them as part of the deal. Cost about $65 and about a 70 mile drive to get it done. I wasn't having a problem with the 245/50-17 Goodrich Comp TAs, this was just a preventative measure. Did have an argument with the place that did the work over the proper air pressure for the tires. I was running 34 psi per the place I bought them last month, and the guy doing the Equal treatment insisted on 44 psi, which is the highest cold wheel temp per the sidewall. After the ride home, which was stiff, I dropped the pressure to 36 psi after speaking with the original seller who again insisted that 34 was about right. Will have to get a hold of Goodrich to see what they say. Both tire companies are big chains, and both guys appear to have a lot of experience, but I have never run tires at more than 33 psi before, and certainly not above 40.
Carded a guy with a 99M just like mine on Friday night at a gas station. Turns out he works for Chrysler in Indy. He is interested in doing duals so he may join the club and check out SDMikes layout which I told him would probably be on there. He has had his M for a year, bought it used, and it had 59K miles on it. He was running Badyears. He asked if anyone had shimmy problems with the tires. When I stopped laughing and told him the sad tale of Badyears & Ms, he said he might be looking for new tires too, although the ones he had on the M loooked fairly new. He also had non-chrome style wheels, which I had never seen on the M. He liked my mods and the striping. Nice guy, hope he joins the club.
Dream Cruise. Russ Klass should be back from an Easter trip soon and he will get stuff up on hotels etc, pretty soon I think. Last year we stayed at the Dearborn Hampton Inn. The area is definitely more suburban than urban. I walked to dinner one night [about a half mile from the hotel] and felt safe in doing so. Vandalism and theft should not be an issue if we stay near the little suburb cities that sponsor the Dream Cruise along Woodward Avenue. For those who are considering going, but are concerned about the extra mileage, etc., I have to say that the Cruise was the most spectacular car event I have ever seen. It was incredible, and worth the extra time/day to attend if possible. I did not get to see everything last year, there was so much, and I am really looking forward to trying to do so this year. I may actually go up a day earlier, like Thursday, just to see some of the pre-event stuff and car auctions that go on Friday. This year I intend to do the "cruise" on Saturday--early-then park and gawk at all the great cars. If you do it by 9am it is a whole lot less populated than by noon time. Doing it with 20-30 Ms would be nice. Another factor to consider is the Customs/Immigration line going from US to Canada or vice versa. I have heard that delays at the crossing points can be significant; but Russ who lives in Buffalo and goes over the border often should have a handle on what to expect. [photo id anyone?] Sorry for the length of this post, just catching up.
How are you liking the Goodrich Comp TA's? My Kumho 245/25/17's aren't wearing very well. Hasn't even been a year and I'm going to need to replace at least 2 of them within a few months. (I knew they wouldn't last as long as "non performance tires" but didn't expect them to go that fast) I would like to go a little higher profile anyway keeping the width, and it's hard to find something in that size.
by the way, I run the Kumho's with 37/38 psi which is what Discount Tire originally put in them when I bought them and it seems to work pretty good on that tire.
LOL! I'm a great straight man! There was a method to my madness. As I am currently unemployed, she generously paid for the beer and snacks. Maybe if you made your wife do the same you might find yourself a little more slack! ;>) Silver
Blonda--The Goodrich Comp TA's are ok. Actually, I liked the ride of the Dayton Daytonas I tried first a little better but since the mfg said not to put that size [245/45-17s] on the 7" rims, I had to change over, and only the Goodrich Scorcher [has the colored stripe in the tread--blue, red or yellow] and the Comp TA's were rated in 245/50-17s size that would fit the 7" rims. I was reluctant to do the Scorchers,-- really a weird tread design, so it had to be the TA's or new rims. Easy choice cause I really love the razorstars [with the medallion mods]. I really have no complaints with the Comp TA's so far, but the Daytonas were cheaper [$120 per vs. $150 per] and felt more "aggressive" if that makes any sense. The Comp TA fifth wheel also barely fits in the trunk well, as in "jam it down and lean on it" [I may cut some carpeting out of the well to get it in easier] whereas the Daytona tire fit in easily. There is not much product out there for the 7" rims, even if you go down to 235's. It will be interesting to see how the Comp TA's wear once I get the right damn air pressure in them.
SDMike--Take a look at www.equalauto.com I figured I would take a shot at them with the Badyears, but never got around to it since the closest place that could do it here was 70 miles away and I was approaching 35K on the tires. Since the Comp TA's are new, I figured I would try the stuff. Car seems smoother at the slow to middle speeds, but I haven't done 80 mph in it at 35 psi to see how it feels, I was at 44 psi when I was driving home from the tire place. No shake, but a little stiff and I felt every bump. Will advise after a decent test period at 35 psi, or whatever Goodrich tells me to use. I e-mailed them the question this am. I hope they don't whimp out and say "Check with your local dealer."
Thanks for the info. I'll ask you for an update in a few months when I'm ready to buy. Comments on the Goodrich's on on Tire Rack seem that the tread wear is pretty good (at least better than what I got on the Kumho's). I don't have the full size spare, unfortunately, so I don't have to worry about fitting them in the trunk.
I go to the Detroit area several times a year for business. I was just up there and in Windsor a week ago.
While there are a few nice places to stay in downtown Detroit, they're pricey, and can be really hit or miss in terms of service. If you're concerned about your car, I'd steer clear of downtown. Actually, if you have any mechanical empathy, you're going to hate driving in Detroit. It has to have the worst roads of any city in the U.S. I think most folks will be happier staying in the 'burbs.
Windsor's not a bad place to stay, and pretty cheap. Casino Windsor is pretty nice, as are they Hyatt and the Hilton. The Casino is a big draw, so rooms might be tough to find. Crossing the bridge or the tunnel can take some time during peak hours. Coming back takes longer than going over. Along with your driver's license, you should have a passport or a birth certificate, even though they won't always ask for it. They'll probably do a light look through your car, but you might also get waved over for an in-depth search. Be prepared to spend some time if that happens.
Toronto is a beautiful city, but, as others have pointed out, it's not exactly a stone's throw from Detroit.
Radar detectors are illegal in Ontario. The folks at the border are usually pretty nice at pointing that out if yours is in plain sight. I do not know if they will confiscate them as they will in Virginia here in the states.
As far as speeding tickets go, the police will gladly accept Visa, MasterCard, or cash. Or, they'll be happy to keep you as a guest until you can figure out a way to post your bail, which is equal to the amount of your fine.
Comments
M
Easyrider300M ;-)
>>Dudley Doright cartoons are still one of my fondest childhood memories.
"Hi Ho Tinfoil, away!"
Anyway, the average speed on the local highways is 120kph. 110kph if you see a cop somewhere.
I remember when my Dad had his '93 Intrepid. It had the stock radio antenna, and also an amateur radio antenna. Due to the two antennas on the back, some people would pass cautiously thinking it was an unmarked cop car.
http://www.thestar.com. On the left hand side got to"features" and click on archives. On the right hand side just type 300M in the search box.
Followed by scores RCMP patrol cars in prolonged chase!
Now THAT would probably get us some coverage on the nightly news. And if we were REALLY radical we might even get a movie made about us.
Rick
assuming that a good portion of the cars coming to the meet would be from the eastern seaboard.
For instance: Boston to Detroit is 683 miles and from Detroit to Brampton is 217 miles and from Brampton back to Boston is 530 miles for a total distance of 1480 miles. Now if the meet were held in Toronto which is no more than 1/2 hour from the plant the total mileage from Boston and back would only be 1060 miles saving 420 miles of travel plus you could get up on Monday morning and only have to travel 1/2 an hour to get to the plant visit instead of the three hours from Detroit. Actualy no matter where your driving from you can't increase your miles as you have to make the trip to Brampton anyway. This just saves having to make the long trip on Monday. Also don't forget that your U.S.A. buck is worth a $1.60 Canadian. As I said, just a thought. p.s. We do have running water and paved roads in Toronto -:)
fastdriver
Easyrider300M
sigh!!!. got a ticket yesterday 104 km in an 80 zone. Two points and $115.00 bucks. I think we should start a petition to the gov. that 300M's should be exempt from speed laws.
they'd probabley make it on time.
Also, I was reading over at the 300 Club forums that the tranny is a power draining thief. It basically takes our 250 horsepower and only gives around 170 to wheels. That seems pretty dramatic. Has anyone considered a mod for the tranny?
As for the radar detectors, there illegal up here. Maybe mikeyjohn (a retired Duddley Dooright)
could advise on how to best hide one in the 300M
Jeez! I've been spending the last 15 years trying to convince my wife not to go to sports bar with me.
LOL... GO UCONN!!!!! 20-15 at 9:04 PM EST!
fastdriver
Actually, the plant doesn't run tours, but any employee can apply to take up to 8 people through at a time.
>a radar detector?... Don't leave home without it...
Be aware that the Ontario Provincial Police have "radar detector detectors" in some cruisers and can confiscate and fine users as soon as they find one turned on.
I can see Neon owners lining up at the parts counter already...
Equal-- Added Equal to the tires this weekend. Took about 45 minutes for 5 wheels and they had to balance them as part of the deal. Cost about $65 and about a 70 mile drive to get it done. I wasn't having a problem with the 245/50-17 Goodrich Comp TAs, this was just a preventative measure. Did have an argument with the place that did the work over the proper air pressure for the tires. I was running 34 psi per the place I bought them last month, and the guy doing the Equal treatment insisted on 44 psi, which is the highest cold wheel temp per the sidewall. After the ride home, which was stiff, I dropped the pressure to 36 psi after speaking with the original seller who again insisted that 34 was about right. Will have to get a hold of Goodrich to see what they say. Both tire companies are big chains, and both guys appear to have a lot of experience, but I have never run tires at more than 33 psi before, and certainly not above 40.
Carded a guy with a 99M just like mine on Friday night at a gas station. Turns out he works for Chrysler in Indy. He is interested in doing duals so he may join the club and check out SDMikes layout which I told him would probably be on there. He has had his M for a year, bought it used, and it had 59K miles on it. He was running Badyears. He asked if anyone had shimmy problems with the tires. When I stopped laughing and told him the sad tale of Badyears & Ms, he said he might be looking for new tires too, although the ones he had on the M loooked fairly new. He also had non-chrome style wheels, which I had never seen on the M. He liked my mods and the striping. Nice guy, hope he joins the club.
Dream Cruise. Russ Klass should be back from an Easter trip soon and he will get stuff up on hotels etc, pretty soon I think. Last year we stayed at the Dearborn Hampton Inn. The area is definitely more suburban than urban. I walked to dinner one night [about a half mile from the hotel] and felt safe in doing so. Vandalism and theft should not be an issue if we stay near the little suburb cities that sponsor the Dream Cruise along Woodward Avenue. For those who are considering going, but are concerned about the extra mileage, etc., I have to say that the Cruise was the most spectacular car event I have ever seen. It was incredible, and worth the extra time/day to attend if possible. I did not get to see everything last year, there was so much, and I am really looking forward to trying to do so this year. I may actually go up a day earlier, like Thursday, just to see some of the pre-event stuff and car auctions that go on Friday. This year I intend to do the "cruise" on Saturday--early-then park and gawk at all the great cars. If you do it by 9am it is a whole lot less populated than by noon time. Doing it with 20-30 Ms would be nice. Another factor to consider is the Customs/Immigration line going from US to Canada or vice versa. I have heard that delays at the crossing points can be significant; but Russ who lives in Buffalo and goes over the border often should have a handle on what to expect. [photo id anyone?] Sorry for the length of this post, just catching up.
by the way, I run the Kumho's with 37/38 psi which is what Discount Tire originally put in them when I bought them and it seems to work pretty good on that tire.
LOL! I'm a great straight man! There was a method to my madness. As I am currently unemployed, she generously paid for the beer and snacks. Maybe if you made your wife do the same you might find yourself a little more slack!
;>) Silver
SDMike--Take a look at www.equalauto.com I figured I would take a shot at them with the Badyears, but never got around to it since the closest place that could do it here was 70 miles away and I was approaching 35K on the tires. Since the Comp TA's are new, I figured I would try the stuff. Car seems smoother at the slow to middle speeds, but I haven't done 80 mph in it at 35 psi to see how it feels, I was at 44 psi when I was driving home from the tire place. No shake, but a little stiff and I felt every bump. Will advise after a decent test period at 35 psi, or whatever Goodrich tells me to use. I e-mailed them the question this am. I hope they don't whimp out and say "Check with your local dealer."
While there are a few nice places to stay in downtown Detroit, they're pricey, and can be really hit or miss in terms of service. If you're concerned about your car, I'd steer clear of downtown. Actually, if you have any mechanical empathy, you're going to hate driving in Detroit. It has to have the worst roads of any city in the U.S. I think most folks will be happier staying in the 'burbs.
Windsor's not a bad place to stay, and pretty cheap. Casino Windsor is pretty nice, as are they Hyatt and the Hilton. The Casino is a big draw, so rooms might be tough to find. Crossing the bridge or the tunnel can take some time during peak hours. Coming back takes longer than going over. Along with your driver's license, you should have a passport or a birth certificate, even though they won't always ask for it. They'll probably do a light look through your car, but you might also get waved over for an in-depth search. Be prepared to spend some time if that happens.
Toronto is a beautiful city, but, as others have pointed out, it's not exactly a stone's throw from Detroit.
Radar detectors are illegal in Ontario. The folks at the border are usually pretty nice at pointing that out if yours is in plain sight. I do not know if they will confiscate them as they will in Virginia here in the states.
As far as speeding tickets go, the police will gladly accept Visa, MasterCard, or cash. Or, they'll be happy to keep you as a guest until you can figure out a way to post your bail, which is equal to the amount of your fine.