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Comments
I have to get a new rear window. Someone threw something through it last night and set the interior of my car on fire. Of course, I have to find out if the car's a total loss first though.
-Paul King
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#21511 of 21519 What??? by chikoo May 23, 2003 (11:11 am)
"The jetta is on fire. Now you can go get the new chrysler u have been talking about."
-Nick
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Paul, I hope you tossed the lighter fluid in a dumpster and sent your clothing to the dry cleaners! I guess you don't have to worry about the balloon loan any more, sheesh!!!
-lovetrain
Good luck Chow-chi. That should be fun.
So I guess that's why we haven't seen Dale much. Must be out practicing how not to hit cones.
Yeah, if you East Coasters take a look in the western sky Saturday morning and see a bunch of orange cones flying around, you'll know Dale is on the track. Should be pretty exciting.
Meade
Pete will kill 0 cones and come in 5th place.
Chow-chi will kill 0 cones and come in 11th place.
Drive really fast!
Just kidding. Actually, they have a couple of driving clinics that you can do before you actually do your timed runs. I did the Brake and Turn clinic and it was USELESS. Do not bother waiting the one hour in line for the Brake and Turn clinic or the Slalom clinic. Your best use of time while waiting for your scheduled run time will be doing the Practice course they have a couple of times.
Also, the Mazda 6 you will be driving is an autostick. You have to start off in Drive but as soon as you take off shove it to the side and get into 2nd gear once you feel the steam run out in 1st. Then, leave it there.
Other than that, just try to drive as smoothly maniacal as possible. You are going to need to take the car to the edge of its abilities and keep it there.
BTW, I ended up placing 2nd in the Novice Class and 43rd overall at the Dallas Rev-It-Up with a score of 592.
Good Luck!
Keep it in 1st and 2nd...you will most likely not even reach high enough speed to use 3rd gear; don't worry about revving the engine too high - that's what the limiter is for. When you approach the turns, brake before the turn and accelerate through the corner. If it's a tight corner, downshift to 1st and run it all the way to the redline and shift. Zoom-zoom!
Hope this helps.
Spent the day hanging with Pete and Chow-chi, getting too much sun, and getting a little sick in the turns.
--test-drove a Miata (A/T)....twice.
--did all the little clinics and practices.
--did my two competitive runs withOUT eating any cones or going off the course. And in the second run, I even managed to shave 4 seconds off my abysmally low first time. :P
--got yet ANOTHER speeding ticket after the event. I guess I was so revved up I didn't notice the speedometer inching towards 90. Too bad the state trooper did.
It was still a great day, though.
And I managed to find a comfortable position for me in the RX-8 w/o moonroof. I don't fit in the rear (too tall a torso), but I fit OK in the front. As with most hardtop sports cars, visibility out the back and rear-sides is poor. Front is good. Engine is very smooth and quiet (we talked the Mazda rep into revving it for us). It looks even better in person than in print.
There were lots of folks out there and most cars in the parking lot weren't Mazdas, so I think Mazda is generating a lot of interest with this type of event. Lots of non-competitors were there to watch and test-drive the production cars on an easy auto-X course (mash accelerator, mash brake to a stop, then take some curves and slalom). The 6i is definitely easier to toss than the 6s with its lighter nose. The MSP Protege would kick the 6 in the auto-X, but the 6 has some really high handling limits (I could've and should've pushed harder), especially with the Falken tires they put on them. They must go through truckloads of tires with these events.
Too bad the cars will be sent to the crusher. I was hoping they'd auction them off afterwards, with stickers and logos still attached. They still sounded perfectly fine (I noted about 3000miles on the odometer on one), but they are treated pretty roughly.
Oh, they put both 6i and 6s in the competition courses (the 6s had the V6 emblem on the front doors). Doesn't seem to make much difference in the end. I had both during my timed runs (6i, then 6s).
Man, I came nowhere close. At least I didn't get a ticket for speeding afterwards (sorry, Dale). BTW, Indianapolis is one big speed trap, in case you ever pass through the area.
Also...I have to say this to Dale as a result of her postings leading up to the event:
IN YOUR FACE DALE!!!
Out of 1684 competitors at the event, Dale managed to get herself into the last page of the competitors. I, on the other hand, ended up #187 out of 1684 or top 11%!
So Dale, looks like you should have been out practicing instead of talking smack! :-)
Sorry about the ticket Dale. I don't wish that on anyone.
Regards and ZOOM ZOOM,
Pete
Dale, you didn't notice your speedometer approaching 90! You don't drive a Maybach. I'd think you should notice that in Protege. You weren't pulling a Jason were you?
Chow-chi, you should have pushed it! But fun was the name of the game so that makes it a good day.
And Pete, that's a pretty good finish. I'd have been more than happy with that. That is of course, if they bothered to come to Pittsburgh, which they didn't, those stupid people.
Sorry to hear about the ticket Dale - but still - Zoom Zoom! Just go easy - I doubt you can afford a third.
On a related note - in 5 (or 3) days - my only ticket will edge into having occurred 3 or MORE years ago, meaning I *might* get a small break on auto insurance soon. If I can avoid tickets - had a few close calls already this summer!
So - who else is going to be at the DC Rev-It-Up? I think my friends and I will be there mid-morning Saturday, but I'll have to check my email confirmation! I think registration is still open, if anyone else wants to enroll!
Anyway - there's apparently lots of other stuff to do (test drive other cars, attend clinics, pick up brochures etc) for casual visitors or Mazda/motorsports enthusiasts there!
If the rear-view mirror is in the way, shove it up against the windshield. You won't need it, and you need the frontal visibility.
Turn off TCS (below and to the left of the steering wheel). Start the manumatic in 1st and slam it into 2nd about a half-second before you think you'll need it. Stay in 2nd.
Feather the pedals. Slamming like I sometimes did only makes your maneuvers sloppy. I forgot to keep a light touch on the acclerator through the slaloms to maintain momentum and lost time there.
Get a feel for the 6's handling limits on the other courses. Keep as much momentum as you can.
They have colored cones amid the sea of orange cones to help you locate the apexes. Try to memorize them your first time through.
Raymond: Yeah, I knew I was going fast, but I had been trying to keep things at a sedate 82 mph. Guess I got carried away.
Pete: Okay, okay, guess I deserved a little of that. I still had fun, though. :P
Were any other pro owners from the board there? Saw a bunch of Mazdas in the lot. I parked next to two 6'es (one I knew the owner of, the other - I wish - huge but tasteful titanium wheels, custom 2-tone interior, excellent wax/detail job). Also saw lots of Miatas and RX'es parked together. The Pros/P5's were scattered around the parking lot. The other other board ('new car' club) has some pix & discussion threads. Apparently there are some really awesome drivers in the region.
As for how I did - well, the less said the better. I ignored the oft-repeated advice to drive smoothly (lotsa hard breaking, standing on the pedal, and lots of tire squeal), and for one of my runs - forgot it in Drive (instead of 2nd gear with the Manumatic). Got 36.xxx and 35.0xx seconds (35x and 400 flat being the respective scores). Just about 45th percentile for DC, and nationwide. But considering how many people seemed to have loads of auto-xing experience - not too shabby for my first time ever
Also got thrown out (politely) of the test drive tent for being very serious about finding out just how good the Mazdaspeed Pro is (let me tell you - it kicks f&^%&^% ^%^!). If they had put that up for the runs (the actual Auto X course) - it would have kicked the 6's Y^&^! Highly entertaining, perfectly set up, and loads of fun to drive. Ride's a bit rough for a daily driver (I slowed down while returning to the tent to appease the officials, not that it helped!) - but something I might live with for the fun quoetient
The clinics were cool and fun as well - learnt a few things. I didn't do my slaloms (clinic, test course or actual course) too well, but feel like I had turn-in braking, apexing and accelerating out of turns buttoned down by the end of the day - heck, its just (like) the way I drive
I was only riding shotgun on the Mazdaspeed Protege test drive, but I could tell it would've beaten the 6 handily on the same course. The 6 is good, but the MSP is better. Of course, the ride is noticeably stiffer too.
Now, watch your tires and brakes wear down faster.
Got a lower gas mileage on the 6 after my last fillup (which included the drive to and from the RevItUp event as well as some additional driving the next day). I did make a couple of friends in my car nervous when I made the tires squeal a few times - hey said they'd hoped I'd start taking it easier on the new car, after driving the Pro pretty hard (turns and curves - mostly!). Yeah, right!
Hey - interesting that you have inside tire wear too - I had tiny bit of extra wear on the (left front) Falkens at first rotation because I really enjoyed all the left turns my different routes into and back from work took me through
If you consider the 4-cylinder 6 or the upgraded (2,3l) Mazda3, you can't go wrong
Meade
OK - I need sleep.
Dinu
I'm not sure that was really an analogy. More like a silly person trying to be funny. :P
That must be a new record.
Dinu
Just FYI - I no longer own a Protege. I sold it (Saturday, but picked up by buyer yesterday) for a satisfactory price.
Gave me 3 and a half years of flawless service, and lots of fun (especially with the many minor/major add-ons I made). I drove it around a bit over the wekeend, but realized that having another fun Mazda meant I wouldn't miss it as badly as I would.
Can I still continue to post here?
ps: This buyer wanted to see an inspection report, so I had an unbiased mechanic inspect it. I didn't even tell the mechanic (although the garage owner knew) I was the seller, not the potential buyer, as is typically the case with a pre-purchase inspection. It came back with a super clean bill of health, and the mechanic tells me - "Buy this car - its one of the cleanest cars its age, and a better deal than more expensive stuff that isn't any better". How d'ya like that?
Glad you got a decent price for your car. I don't think you'll miss it at all considering how nice your new car is.
Although there is always some sentiment when a car is gone. Although I was so ready to dump my 11 year old Civic, I was still kind of sad the day we picked up the Element and left the Civic sitting at the dealer.
Wonder what that car is doing today?
The buyer called saying the CD changer didn't work. Turns out we never went through how to use the head unit to control the CD changer! So I know he's ou on his super-long commute (like 80 miles round trip). Hopefully the car provides him the same fun, (and if he doesn't care about fun, at least) reliable service it gave me!
Whew. That was a big chunk of change. Not as big as a new car though.
Seriously, their new machines are pretty nice. The G5 is still expensive, but it's made the older G4 minitowers even cheaper, though they pale in comparison to the G5 towers. I think the eMac makes a very good business machine, though it is aimed at home and education users.
3-5-6-8, he keeps missing numbers.
Too bad I have more than 4GB of compressed music (yes, all from my own CDs, for any RIAA-drones lurking around here).
My new computer with much faster ripping, compression abiblity will be here today or tomorrow, so I'll be able to finish the rest of the cd's.
Now to get a portable for all that music. Wife bought me a Muvo for Christmas which I love for the gym, but I need a hard drive player for the car and or whereever I happen to be.
I personally like the control layout of Alpine head units (big rotary dial, larger buttons close to the driver-side), but didn't find one with a front AUX-in jack for a price I was willing to pay. But here's hoping more car stereo vendors will be supporting iPods (as well as other portable music players).
Got to plow through a 2' snowdrift this morning, that was fun. Passed an Audi 6 Quattro this afternoon that was going a wonderful 10 mph on reletive clear roads.
Bloodied my fingers knocking ice from the hood and wipers. I love winter, but today is just a bundle of fun. Some people driving too slow, some too fast, some can't see while others can't stop.
Yee Haw!
Took the afternoon off to toboggan with my daughter. We had fun, but she got tired of walking back uphill, so we came back a bit ago and finished scraping off the sleet from our driveway.
At least the snow and slush washed off the paper pulp from my Pro! However, with only about 5.5inches of ground clearance, it was a bit of work getting over some of those snow drifts and mounds created by the snow plows at intersections.
Funny thing is a warm front followed the snow, so it's about 40F today. A lot of the stuff is melting. But tomorrow morning's commute will be bad as the schools will be open again and there'll be plenty of iced-over roads.
Anyway, I passed by the park this morning on the way to work and most of the snow has been worn away or melted. That was a good use of vacation time.
But it was great weather, as you said. We were a bit overdressed for it, so we got pretty sweaty. But we wore waterproof stuff, so we didn't get soaked through like many did. Ski bibs are great for sledding, especially when braking or ditching (you'd be suprised how much snow gets under your clothing). Washed every bit of outerwear afterwards. You never know what you've gone through in a public park, especially one where people walk their dogs.
Thank goodness for compact cars like the Pro. Got the toboggan in fine, and getting in and out of that mess of a parking lot was fairly easy. Just had to wait for the cumbersome minivans and SUVs to get themselves turned around (otherwise, you'd have to back out of the lots; they're long and narrow, with spots on either side in a herringbone pattern) so I could get out of the lot.