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Comments
Hmm, I'm not sure that sounds encouraging. It's supposed to make you feel better.
But that's quite a bit of ingenuity there Steve! I'm impressed!
tom
She wants to jog with it, so that's out. And she's not a techie, at all, trust me. You still think 8 GB is too little? I doubt she'll have more than 1 home video on there, the one I pre-load for her!
I may actually get her a RIM PlayBook when those come out. It's the BlackBerry tablet, basically. Nice things about it:
* HD cam front and back
* USB and HDMI ports
* full flash support
* uses existing BBerry service, so no bills for service
The best is an iPod Shuffle. Tiny, nearly weightless, and you just clip it somewhere and go. However it's a poor all-around device but they are so cheap you might justify as an additional player.
The latest gen iPod Nano is a good compromise. It can't play games like a Touch but it at least can navigate content, whereas the Shuffle only plays a playlist or all files randomly.
The carrier is letting user piggyback their BB smartphone service onto the tablet? I'd confirm that - I doubt any carrier would give away the chance to charge for bandwidth.
BTW - does your wife know she can add music and movies to her BB??
Neither was my DW, and she has quite easily picked up how to use the iOS interface. Even the kids got the hang of it. I think that's part of Apple's success with these, they just plain work and are easy to use.
-Brian
Again, though, she's looking for one-second docking and ease of use, primarily for music.
my husband bought a Harman Kardon dock for iPhone, iTouch, iPod, etc. which we LOVE ... he kept looking online til he found an excellent deal ... talk about easy to use and great sound ...
works with all our i-stuff .. including some that's quite 'old' at this point
I love using it when I'm working around the house ...
Apparently, there are some potential issues with oil flow within that engine, that might cause some major problems.
All the more reason to give Subaru a year to work out the kinks in this otherwise promising motor.
Not the first time for a manufacturer - Audi's Q5 engine had water pump failures during its first year.
Bob
-Brian
Happy Wife, Happy Life. :shades:
Automotive News -- February 8, 2011 - 1:55 pm ET
DETROIT -- The U.S. Department of Transportation announced today that electric systems and electromagnetic interference did not play a role in the incidents of unintended acceleration involving Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles.
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110208/RETAIL05/110209749/1- 143#ixzz1DOhxeaBB
PS That's the 2nd major legal victory for them this year, the 1st being the $2.6 million win from the case against Dimitrios Biller of "Books of Knowledge" fame.
No more smoky burnouts! LOL
That will be the bigger change coming... pedal-placement standardization. That's the "beginning of the end" as this is a physical change intended to make all vehicles exactly alike in some fashion.
kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
Bob
I guess a Subaru is worse - it has to be flat bedded so damage could result from any front or rear town.
But many AWD cars do get towed, and if the tow driver drives too fast and too far, either due to ignorance or lack of concern, it does cost longevity issues in transfer cases and the like, later on down the road. Usually far enough down the road that it is next to impossible to place blame and liability on that particular tow job.
The lesson here is pretty obvious. Don't park anywhere risking a tow ticket, which would include near fire exits, snowplow clearing etc. It's the best way to hedge your bet.
BTW how does a bylaw tow driver put a vehicle in neutral without the keys??? If you lift tow any vehicle to impound which is in park with the parking brake on, something is going to get hurt. In Toronto, certain companies were empowered to "tow on sight" for a vehicle downtown in a no parking zone. They would call it in, and the bylaw guys would show up just in time to write the ticket and slap it on. I used to work as a security guard in the TD centre and the fastest time I ever saw was 57 seconds. Anyway, they always used tire web and rails to flatbed tow. Never once saw an incline.
Pretty funny. Suzuki used it in their ads.
Had a real blast today. A friend invited me and my fourteen year old son to go go-karting with a group, ostensibly for his daughter's twelfth birthday, but with a bit of business thrown in.
It is many years since I had ridden (driven seems a bit too fancy as a description) a kart and I had immense fun. My shoulders and upper arms are throbbing from the strain, but it was a real buzz. I was intrigued to see how well my son, who has never driven a Kart, or indeed anything other than a bicycle, mastered the whole experience.
I was amused to find that the two consistently fastest were me and a colleague who rides a motorbike. I would claim some expertise from my youth and the bike rider has the whole cornering thing well sorted.
The Kart that I used in one round was slow with dodgy non-progressive brakes, requiring a different cornering technique (hard application to get the tail sliding, followed by instant acceleration and reverse lock though the slide - notably slower than two foot brake/throttle control). The thing which intrigued was that I have not had to control a car like this for 30 years (since a cart sprung Mitsubishi Galant Wagon I sold in 1982), but the technique was instantly remembered. My upper arm muscles told me about the strains though.
When I got back in the Kluger (Highlander) afterwards, the controls felt incredibly light. I guess the Kart was the first vehicle that I have driven in 25 years without power steering and boosted brakes.
What a great day out!
Cheers
Graham
Bob
Haven't ridden a cart for 33 years. Should do that soon for a giggle.
Bob' you should definitely give it a go sometimes. The totally raw control is something which takes you right back to dodgy cars of your youth.
Mind you, my neck and shoulders are telling me all about it, this morning
Cheers
Graham
First, he hits a deer. Fixes the car up.
As soon as he gets it back, a car and Semi wreck next to him, and he ends up caught up in their mess. His 2004 Legacy was totalled. He walks with some minor bruises and a scrape on his shin.
So...we go car shopping on Saturday.
Criteria - $20k or so, preferably new, AWD a must, manual trans a must.
He wants to check out an SX4 first so we hit a Suzuki dealership. He finds it a bit small, I sort of expected that, him coming from a Legacy and all, but I say drive it anyway. We go out, drive about 200 feet, and....
CRASH! Crazy guy in a beat up Sonata tried to pass on the left when we were making a left turn. Totally insane! Knocks our front bumper, hood, quarter panel, and headlight. He loses door trim, but it's one of many dents so he probably won't even fix it.
Long story short, the guy admits fault (passing on the left with a double yellow line is clearly a no-no), we all go back to the dealership, Manager takes our info including me as a witness.
Anyone ever had that happen to them? Get hit while on a test drive?
I was so freaked out. He didn't really like the way it felt, not substantial enough, also not big enough inside.
Kia Sportage - you can only get a manual in base models with FWD, but we took one out anyway. I have to admit, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. It had too much squat and dive, but the clutch and shifter were smooth, and power was adequate. Visibility backing up is simply awful, but the price gave me reverse sticker-shock: $19.2k list. We both liked the styling inside and out. A very nice budget ride. No moonroof, which he wants, so it would need some upgrades at a minimum.
Kia Optima - while we're there I suggest he try one since he plans on testing a Legacy, to give us a point of reference. Again, FWD, but we do find a manual and take it out. Oddly, this was the opposite - I did not like it as much as I thought. It's very isolated, soft. Not a driver's car at all (it's supposed to be sportier than the Sonata), and probably better suited to an auto trans. The clutch and shifter aren't as smooth as the Sportage's (weird, it being a car and all). Visibility is better, but still not great. Another price under $20k, wow, just WOW for value. It lacked AWD, a moonroof, and alloys, though. Still a lot of car for the money, but I'd recommend it to your aunt Edna.
We could not find a Forester with a manual, believe it or not. He's looking BTW, if anyone knows if there's one in the DC area.
Finally, we drove a Legacy 2.5i manual. He did, actually. He like it better than the Optima. It felt familiar, only heavier and more substantial, he said. Tons more room inside than his, and very comfy and maybe a tad more upscale than his 04 was. He liked the clutch and shifter better than Kia's. So it stays on his short list, along with the Sportage.
Monday he's hoping to drive a manual Forester. The 2.5X Premium is ideal for him - he wants a manual, but with a moonroof, and of course AWD. It's the only vehicle in his price range that meets those 3 criteria (any others I missed?). Fitz said they have 5 manuals coming in this month.
I had a $50 offer from Ford to test any car, so we said "why not?" and tested an Escape. Loaded up V6 automatic AWD. Very boxy, trucky, old school. Seems very dated, a good decade or two behind Subaru's current style and even further behind Kia's forward thinking style. Suspension was stiffer, oddly, so not too much body roll but the ride wasn't even close to the Kia or Subaru. The kicker - price was $36k. We both left there laughing.
Ford's gotta be kidding. I think we'd both pick the Kia or Subaru even without the price advantage. The Escape needs a full redesign 5 years ago. I don't get how they can use the same platform for $16k rentals and near $40k hybrid Escapes.
I think they will move the Escape over to fleet sales at some point and eliminate it from the lineup. They have so many overlaps in their market I think.
-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
No Kizashi test drive?
Bob
Best to get all these crashes outta the way before he gets his new car. I'm confused about something. The Sportage was 2WD? for 19200? So the AWD will put him way over the 20k.
He should likely also drive the Tucson...altho, seems to me that is auto as soon as you go AWD...nevermind...frigging idiots. I have run into the exact same thing lately. The Opt is a surprise.
Tucson's seem to be thirstier than owners thought they should be. Same 2.4 in that Sportage, so check around. Also, never assume anything. If he decides on the Sportage, make sure he drives an AWD one.
Also shocked the Escape was so harsh. Isn't it only 3 years old? Maybe/likely had huge rims with rock tires, idiots..who buys this crap?
Looking forward to your account of the stick Forester. I hope to dribve one also myself this week if the wx stays nice.
Glad you guys were ok..tighten up those belts till the dark shopping clouds have passed.
Bring over the Ford Kuga.
He wants to be able to pick up our parents from the airport - so think 3-4 people and about 4 suitcases. Even the Legacy might be a tight squeeze.
A stick apparently has been decided to be a late availability option. Or at least here they decided to offer a stick along side the cvt. Big bucks and a poorer dealer presence for you guys even more than here.
Sportage was FWD, yes. Problem is, with AWD you're forced in to an automatic. Paddle shifter won't do it for him, he really wants manual. If it's an automatic he still doesn't care for paddles.
Escape had big chrome wheels, surely part of the silly pricing. You sit VERY high up, so your head bobs back and forth and side ways. Doesn't feel car-like the way the others do.
When I say ~20k I mean $8000-22000 or so, used or new, maybe even a little more if he finds the right car.
Ideally he'd want something new and under $20k, but he won't get a moonroof for that much.
Bob
Here's the location, it was all back roads:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=prichard+rd+and+amhe- rst+ave+in+wheaton+MD&aq=&sll=39.034653,-77.042913&sspn=0.015701,0.038495&ie=UTF- 8&hq=&hnear=Amherst+Ave+%26+Prichard+Rd,+Wheaton-Glenmont,+Montgomery,+Maryland+- 20902&z=16
Bob
He slowed down due to a pot hole, had his left turn signal on, and slowly turned to the left.
The guy in the beater Sonata (REALLY beat up, badly) attemped a high speed pass on the left. Speed limit is 25, no passing zone. Crazy move.
He admitted fault, there wasn't even a discussion about it.
My brother and I were both in shock, "what the &*$% just happened?"
It was a total non-sensical move by the Sonata.
His insurance called me today for a statement. They're not challenging anything, just wanted to confirm his story.
He said he thought we were doing a U-turn, but how could he even have known that given we didn't turn even 1/8th of a circle? Funny guy, trying to deflect blame.
If we'd done a U-turn, he would have hit us HEAD ON!
However I've driven 125cc shifter karts before and they are great fun. Some months ago I tried to convince a Crew member to buy one... to no avail.
Audi 4/5 series
Subaru 4 cylinder
all the others are base models only, if that.
-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
Will keep you posted.