I spotted a NEW (insert make/model) today!

ateixeira

Hilarious ... not new, but had to share.

They installed a new electronic speed trap on Canal Rd, I got 3 warnings in the mail, luckily no fines.

I guess the fines started coming out, and it looks like someone vandalized it. 2 cops were there today fixing something.

Well, guy in a Prius is in front of me, rolls down his windows and reaches his arm out. Instead of a peace sign, BOOM, middle finger! Waves it around, too. Hysterical.

I guess he got a ticket in the mail from them as well, but it was not a warning.

imidazol97

>They installed a new electronic speed trap on Canal Rd, I got 3 warnings in the mail,

Is that trap located in an area where speeding regularly occurs?
Is it in a location where the higher than the limit speed is actually dangerous?

ateixeira

Yes, average speed is definitely high there. It's almost like a parkway, but they set the limit at an artificially low 35mph. I'd say the 85th percentile is way up around 55 or so.

It's not a residential area, though. It parallels the C&O Canal, and the Potomac River beyond that. Bikes and joggers go on the other side of the canal, so zero pedestrians.

Dangerous? Not at all, IMHO. I've been driving on that road for 19 years and I have not seen a single serious accident, not one.

Local governments lose money on those, too, so it's very controversial here in MD. They make some money at first, then people figure out where to slow down, and then the revenues stop, but the maintenance costs remain.

By rule they usually have to be within a certain distance from a school, but the odd thing is there is no school there. There is a private school up on MacArthur Boulevard ... let me search.

No way, 2.6 miles away, not even close.

fintail

More cameras should fall to that fate, or worse.

imidazol97

Dayton City has put up speed cameras. One is on a 6 lane wide street with a separating turn lane in the middle and parking lanes on each side. The businesses and industry are long gone. It's safe to go over 35 on that 3 block strip close to the main post office sorting center.

Speed cameras--gotta make that money for the floundering city.

I suggested since the city says they aren't using them to make money, but to improve safety, that they send the money from the "fines" to the surrounding 5 counties. The locals will know the cameras are there--the out-of-towners will get caught because they don't know they're coming up. So the fine money should go to those counties for schools funding, e.g.

fintail

Only a handful of light cameras in my burb, and they are at intersections which can legitimately be troublesome at times. But when cities can't buy the tech and have to send zillions off to supposed "independent entrepreneur capitalist" etc etc etc organizations who get to own the machinery, all the while safety links are tenuous at best if existing at all, it makes one wonder.

Didn't see any new cameras or cars on the road today :shades:

fintail

I'd say complaining about a "stereotype" when said stereotype is justified is kind of looking for commotion

Pity Toyota, everyone is so mean to the maker of such great driving machines.

ateixeira

OK, so I looked closer and the camera is in DC. So forget the logic of putting them where they make kids safe.

Yeah, the same DC that re-elected crack-smoking Mayor for Life Marion Barry. Gotta pay for the crack some how!

They may make a movie about him with Eddie Murphy in the starring role. He would be PERFECT!

stickguy

or soon to be.

The Philly car show (highlight of my social season!) starts next weekend. I was looking at their website, they should have a lot of stuff I want to see.

for the wife, the Escape, mazda CX5, For C-Maxx. not sure about the next Santa fe, but I hope so.

And that new dart really caught my eye. not that I am going to buying anything new for me for a long time, but man, that pushed my buttons.

One thing I need to do though is get my wife off of her "I don't want a Ford" kick.

anythngbutgm

Few new CR-V's and a couple of new Civic Si's (sedans).

Also tried to check out the new Impreza but with the snow we got, the dealer was scrambling to move the inventory around for the plowtrucks. But I did check out a Premium hatch. Had the big sport rims, no roof, cloth interior (well done IMO, simple but well built), Auto tranny (36mpg)...

$22,600.

ateixeira

Saw a light blue Nissan Leaf this morning, and then a black Volt a little later (I keep seeing the same one, HOV sticker and all).

Also saw my 2nd CR-V.

andys120

Saw my first Chevrolet Volt outside of auto shows parked near a Medical office.

lemko

Spotted a bright yellow Chrysler 300 taxi! It's probably the first and only time I saw one being used as a taxi.

ateixeira

Volvo C70 convertible, with the new droopy front end.

Then a Lexus IS250 convertible.

Then an Infiniti G37 convertible.

Then a Benz E coupe, but with the sky roof.

Finally, a VW Eos, with the new front.

Pity it's damp and foggy!

fintail

The rare thing will be seeing any of those cabrios with the top down. They seem to sell to a group who loves the convertible image but are scared to feel wind in their hair.

Local MB dealer had a gorgeous CPO E coupe in the showroom, loaded, sable/brown with kind of a tan interior, odd combo and somehow it worked.

fezo

Today was a day where I could have had the top down which would have been the second time in January which for NJ isn't bad at all. Unfortunately I got a bit of a bug and napped instead. Dang!

That's a nice collection of cars. One of the reasons for ending up in the Solara is that for a convertible it has a nice trunk. Those folding hard tops tend to have enough room in the truck for a box of tissues.... (The classic for that was the original Miata.... but it's a Miata so who cares?)

lemko

...silver Mercedes CL 500...smashed-up on the back of a rolltop truck. Somebody's insurance just went up exponentially!

ateixeira

I had the top down today. :shades:

For me the rule is 40+ and dry, top down.

fintail

Being of that age, easy total I am sure. Insanely expensive car to fix.

ateixeira

I prefer the sedan for looks, which is odd because I've always liked the hatch/wagon better in the past.

anythngbutgm

Also saw another new Impreza this morning, Blue hatch with the premium wheels.

Also saw 2 truckloads of new CR-V's and then a truckload of new Camry's (and a Venza hanging off the back).

fezo

Oh, you dog! You are just enough south of here to get the better weather, though I will admit it is over 40 here.....

fintail

Saw a 2012 Rio 5 door

ateixeira

They ought to stuff the turbo engine from the Veloster in that thing...budget sleeper.

ateixeira

In my dad's driveway.

He picked up a dark copper S model, Pentastar V6, folding hard top, last Thursday. Fully loaded with GPS, heated leather, Boston Acoustics sound, etc.

fintail

That would be amazing.

I hope your dad is keeping the new car for the long haul, I have to imagine short term resale on those is scary.

ateixeira

I expressed the same concern in the CCB thread! Funny.

Link: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef2c24d/23567#MSG23567

Looks like you've read it already.

$33.5k paid OTD today, $22k value tomorrow.

I paid $22k for my PRHT 2008 Miata and I bet they're already worth about the same money!

fintail

Sounds right. He'd hate that Miata no doubt....he's the perfect demographic for the Chrysler, and I hope it serves him well and is problem free. The more domestics that can perform, the better.

ateixeira

He'll probably put 4k miles per year on it, so it should last a while.

He has an 01 Outback with ridiculously low miles. They kept it since it's been trouble-free. He has a long, hilly driveway so I doubt the Chrysler will make it out if it snows.

stickguy

noticed over the weekend that I am seeing quite few 500s around here now. Must be selling some. There is one in my office parking lot, and saw a few different ones parked in driveways.

fintail

Sunny day boulevard cruiser - exactly what the car was made for.

Maybe by the time he is finished with it, you'll be old enough to want it

ateixeira

Oh, that was below the belt!

That's the car I'd rent if we went to Florida for a week. I wouldn't want to drive it daily even if he gave it to me.

Well, I might leave it at the beach condo, and only use it while I'm there. I'd need a battery tender for the off-season, though.

fintail

Just wait another 25 years, you won't be wanting to get in and out of that Miata :P

stickguy

That's one reason (a big one!) that I don't have mine anymore. Too darned painful, especially since I just did not fit.

ateixeira

It may not take 25!

fintail

On somewhat different ends of the spectrum, today I saw a new C coupe and a trunkback Versa.

lemko

...new gray metallic Infiniti M37x with temporary plates at work.

kyfdx

It's very nice looking... .hate to think of the depreciation hit that guy is going to take..

texases

Strike 1 - waiting at a light, a BMW X6 drives by - "why buy that instead of an X5 or 5er" I think..
Strike 2 - 10 seconds later, a 5 GT goes by in the opposite direction - ugh...
Strike 3 - Now I hear that BWM's doing the 'GT' thing to the X3, creating the new X4... :sick:

fintail

Money, taste, and sense don't seem to have positive correlations :shades:

ateixeira

It will be worth 50% of MSRP the day after he buys it.

40% the 2nd day.

ateixeira

I was behind a new one of these, it had more chrome on the rear bumper than you see on most Lincolns. Not one, not two, but THREE (!) strips or chrome on the bumper itself. One a step/protector, two at the bottom that appear to surround non-functioning exhaust outlets. Actual exhaust smoke was exiting from below the bumper.

Wonder if that's a cheesy dealer add-on or what?

fintail

Sounds like an add-on to me. There's a late base IS250 that lives near me - by the plate I think it is about 8 months old. Has all of the chrome pillar and window frame trim you can imagine. Looks just wonderful.

Saw yet another C coupe yesterday, they seem to be selling OK.

ateixeira

Hmm, I dunno, it's on this one, 2nd photo shows what I'm talking about:

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/05/2012-mercedes-ml350-bluetec-w-onandoffroad-pa- ckage-quick-spin-review/

Not sure if it's standard on the BlueTec or if that's the off road package.

Direct link to image:

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-mercedes-ml350-bluetec-w-onandoffroad-packag- e-quick-spin/#photo-4716547/

I know Americans love chrome but I hate the stuff.

AMG is different:

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-mercedes-benz-ml63-amg-la-2011/#photo-461690- 7/

tifighter

Speaking of this review, I was surprised to hear that MB was going to bring this off road version to the States. Seems to be opposite of what most others are doing, save for its platform-mate the Grand Cherokee...

ateixeira

I wonder how much they have in common underneath...

fintail

Oh, that's not how I imagined it. Yeah, looks like a bling package. Chrome came back into style...whitewall tires have to be just around the corner now

ateixeira

Chrome wheels are worse - more unsprung weight.

At least spinners came and went quickly...where's the roll eyes emotorcon?

lemko

I was out at lunchtime and passed by a house that had a car under a cover in the driveway. The cover was falling off the car and revealed a brand-new black Mercedes E63 AMG with the hood all stomped in, the glass all busted and the wheels missing! If that was my car, I'd be inconsolable - insurance or not! Good God, you can't have anything nice in this city without some knucklehead messing it all up! Thank God, my Cadillacs are in secured storage for the winter!

ateixeira

Maybe he was a Fund Manager and lost the life savings of all the people who vandalized it.