Drive in, Pt 4

Commenter Garthor sends in his daily driver. In his own words:

 Let me tell you about what I believe to be the best of the daily drivers so far.  This is the 2010 Mazda 3 hatchback from the hertz fleet.  This means it has a very sporty 2.5L dohc I4.  Doesn't sound like much, sure but at almost 170 base hp it will top most cars in its class without turbo superchargers, blowers, or other heavy modifications.  And the suspension is tuned just right for taking corners at top speed.  In fact the differences between this and the mazda speed 3 are few and far between, and I believe mazda has outdone themselves with their motto "if its not worth driving, its not worth building".  The 2.5L is no gas guzzler either, I have a meter on my dash which reads out regularly at between 23 and 24 miles per, which means not only is it sporty, but also affordable to drive on a regular basis.

You will notice the interior is not half bad either.  Bucket seats hug your posterior, even when you are sitting in good old California's bumper to bumper.  The tech savy will also notice blue tooth, a very important feature here in California (a no talking while driving state).  This also means that with my android, I can pick what I listen to when I'm sitting in traffic be it Pandora or radio.  The version I have came with some additional readouts as well, which will help you keep track of nice things like gas milage, and when the car needs its next maintenance.  The car weighs the perfect balance between zippy and practical.  With 5 seat-belts in the cabin area, and a roomy hatchback trunk (plus 60/40 rear split seats) its the perfect size for just about any occasion.  Back to performance... The triptonic sport shift goes up to 5, plus overdrive, and traction control is as easy to turn off as a single button press.  When looking between this car, and its big brother the speed 3, the only real difference I can tell is the speed three has a 2.3L (slightly smaller) T4, which adds about 100hp on my standard hatch.  Meaning my 2.5L, once I tune it up a little (ie add a turbo supercharger, and maybe a cold air intake) should get almost 300hp at my best estimate... not bad for such a little car.

Bacon Explosion

For New Year's Eve, commenter Garthor (a longtime friend of mine) invited my family over to his parents' for dinner and celebration. Such a momentous occasion called for nothing short of the most succulent of Bacon and Pork products.

I am, of course, referring to the Bacon Explosion. Go ahead, click on the link for the recipe.

I'll wait.

As you can see, it has been my longtime dream to construct this most delectable of foods. For those of you too lazy to click through the link, it consists of 2 Lbs of Bacon, 2 Lbs of sausage meat, bbq sauce, time and love.

Anyway, I decided to post pictures.



Done wrapping the log up. Note the bbq rub on top.

On the grill. Note: since we didn't have a smoker, we decided to rest the log on a hickory plank. worked pretty well



After being drenched in Stubb's bbq sauce, it's ready for consumption!


The grisly aftermath. Sorry the light wasn't too good on this one.

Evaluation: next time, I'm going to use a different rub, since this one was a liiiiittle salty. Other than that: GOOD HEAVENS ABOVE IT WAS DELICIOUS.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Iron, why in God's name are you posting about Bacon? Isn't this a car blog?"

To answer your question, I direct your attention to the tagline at the top of the blog, specifically to where it says "and the things that move us". I dunno about you lot, but I find Bacon to be very, very moving.

Detroit Auto Show News

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

What? NO I'm not too late to be singing that. It's auto show season, you big dummy! What car guy doesn't love drooling over the new stuff the automakers are planning on coming out with? ...Well OK, if you're a Mopar guy you haven't got much to look forward to that's new. Take the Chrysler 200, aka the Polished Turd, aka the refreshed Sebring. Seems the Mopar boys have been let loose a bit and have decided to warm up the little beigemobile. Sort of. The Super S pack for the 200 is pretty much just a trim and appearance package for the car, which makes it look..I dunno, a little less horrible. There is also a Stage 2 package in the works, which will include uprated suspension and brakes, but still nothing done to the (admittedly very good) Pentastar V6 engine underneath. So at least it'll handle a little better.

However all this still strikes me as lipstick on a pig. You can call it your date if you want, but I don't think you're fooling anybody. Judging by the number of 200s I've seen driving around (Hint: I've seen more Chevy Volts than Chrysler 200s on the road) I don't think anyone's buying it.

News from Cadillac

According to this article from Autoblog, GM is moving to address the Escalade's rather infamous reputation for being the most stolen vehicle in the USA. They're adding several new features to the SUV to help prevent theft, including factory wheel locks, an upgraded PASSKey system, an incline sensor to tell when the truck is being towed, and a shock sensor delicate enough to pick up a shattered window. This is all well and good of course, but there's no word on GM solving the problem of selling Escalades to drug dealers that live in bad neighborhoods where a big flashy vehicle is most likely to be ripped off.

Drive in, Pt 3

And we have our first non-blogger drive in entrant. Reader Sabre sends in the following. In his own words:

Greetings, everyone, this virtual drive-in is strictly speaking not about a daily drive but I was kindly asked to write it nonetheless. :-) You'll see very soon why.



The car is a 2000 model E39 BMW M5, owned 50/50 by me and my brother, and the reason it's not an actual daily drive is because it's on the road only for 6 months /year, to avoid the harsh and damaging winter. On top of that, high fuel costs make it an expensive drive so cheaper alternatives are necessary to avoid us from going bankrupt. And in case you're now wondering where the land of harsh winters and high fuel prices is, it's Finland, Europe  - and hence this drive-in will likely have a non-US angle to it thanks to the differences in our respective automotive cultures.

Anyhow, on to some E39 M5 technical details for the uninitiated - I cannot claim to have performed any measurements on the car, so any performance figures have been lifted for various sources. The M5 is essentially a 500-series BMW with a naturally aspirated 4.9L gasoline V8 fitted on it, with the engine putting out 394bhp / 294kW of power and 369 lb-ft / 500Nm of torque which are obscenely high figures in comparison to any typical cars over here, albeit the figures might not appear so crazy to US readers. ;-) Gearbox is 6-speed manual Getrag, as the M5 was never sold with an automatic, and as a final touch the power train has a limited slip differental to alleviate issues with wheelspin. Top speed is normally electronically limited to roughly 150 MPH / 250 km/h but this is only due to 2 "gentleman's agreement" between German car makers and the German government, so the limited is often disabled as is the case this time as well - with the limiter disabled, the top speed is around 180 MPH / 300 km/h.


However, despite the performance figures, the M5 is a gentle beast as long as you can deal with the somewhat finicky clutch which doesn't let you slip the clutch disc much, seeing how one can drive it casually like any typical sedan without the need to be especially careful and ground clearance is great enough to make it suitable for roads which may not be completely level (or paved). Hence, it can function as a daily drive with no extra considerations - but when your right foot gets that serious twitch and you tap the "Sport" button for faster engine response, you can easily blast from 0-60 MPH (or 0-100 km/h) in less than 5 seconds and 120 MPH / 200 km/h can be reached in roughly 17 seconds. In other words, more than enough to smoke nearly all cars and many motorcycles over here behind when necessary, and blazingly fast when overtaking someone on the highway.
Which is pretty good for a car which officially tips the scales at roughly 3980 lbs / 1790 kg with the driver and is by no means an extreme sports cars... this pretty much defines the driving experience with the M5 which is akin to a huge lump of quicksilver in traffic, due to how there's practically always sufficient power available to zip around at whatever pace you want. And since we only use (low-profile) Michelin Pilot Sport tyres under the M5, handling is great with very little restlessness or strange sensations I'm used to when driving crappier cars, albeit hard cornering is not the M5's strongest suite due to the heavy body which puts stress on the bushings - but it's by no means troublesome, and BMW has further prepared for maniacs by fitting the S62 engine with a system capable of altering oil flow with magnetic valves to prevent oil starvation in situations with high lateral G-forces.


The same refined feel continues in the interior which is rather dark with planty of black and gray leather leather combined with black plastic and brushed aluminum, and there's some nifty of attention to detail - such as how the leather on the steering wheel has been stitched with red, blue and gray thread which are the BMW M-Sport colours, and how the gear stick has a lit shift pattern. Of course, even the 'base model' BMW M5 was well-equipped with everything from power windows and front power seats to a CD changer and parking control, and the original owner had chosen extra options like GPS navigation, double-thickness side windows for exatra sound proofing, sun shades for the rear windows (electric for the rear window, manual for the rear side windows), and some other things I've forgotten. Honestly, all the equipment underlines the idea that you're driving a luxurious saloon and not a sports car or a muscle car, especially when driving along a sunny road with the front seat hugging you, climate control humming and classical music flowing from the speakers while coasting along the road with precious little noise disturbing the journey.
Furthermore, some of you might have noticed that in the photos the M5 shows some 2002 model options - and it has indeed been retrofitted with various 2002 model options like bumpers, lights, instrument cluster and the newer 16:9 navigation cabin unit. Not everything has been upgraded, for example the 2002 model had forward- and rear-facing parking control while the 2000 model only has a rear-facing one.



Finally, from the point-of-view of someone who like to do at least basic repair jobs by himself, the E39 M5 has proved out to be surprisingly uncomplicated to work on despite the relative complexity of the engine and other parts of the car. So far me and my brother have replaced the spark plugs, replaced the MAF units (mostly just in case, due to the former owner having put in unsuitable air filters) changed all oils (engine, gearbox, differential) and repaired the VANOS variable valve timing system solenoid packs (new rubber seals, solder repairs), along with a number of minor electrical repairs, and there have been no unwanted surprises or difficulties. And despite being soon 12 years old, it's in excellent condition, with no rusted parts, chipped paint, dented body panels, or malfunctioning equipment, so it has been a joy to work with due to not having to battle with huge issues or nasty wear-and-tear.

And that's it, I can't think of anything more to say, and I hope you have enjoyed my comments about the M5 - the car which can be either used as a comfortable daily drive or to leave other cars in the dust, depending on what me and my brother happen to like. :3

Thanks Sabre! Hopefully, there's more to come!

Drive in, Pt 2

Hey kids, continuing the 2011 Annual Drive In with my daily drivers.

Sportin' new rims and tires, with a new stereo, my 2003 Corolla is ready to roll.

Now, we've been down on the Corolla in the past here, but my hats are off to my little blue buggy, now that I've gotten it updated, it's a pretty decent daily driver.

I got her back in 2008 with about 74,000 miles on her. I had just started an outside sales job, and I bought this car for its chief traits: fuel economy, reliability, and that it handled way better than my old hand-me-down '96 Suburban. And believe you me, this car is reliable.

How reliable you ask? Well, for starters, despite it being an incredibly bad idea and not recommended, I never took it in to get serviced during the year and a quarter I worked in outside sales (mostly due to the fact that we were so wrapped up on prospecting and making sales, trivial things like social life and sleep were often overlooked). During this time, I put about 50,000 miles on the car, and it still ran like a dream. Other than the regular oil changes, tire replacement, etc, the only thing that's really gone wrong with the car was over this Thanksgiving, when the starter went out. Currently, she's got about 174,000 miles on her, and that's a pretty good record for me.

Performance wise, it's not much to write about, but with the right tires on her, it corners well, and can hold its own in the twisties (particularly up highway 9, one of the best driving roads around). There is understeer, but it's also very predictable, and the short gearing offers decent acceleration.

Mostly why I'm proud of this car is this: Despite the Corollas typically being a penalty box, any one of this generation of Corolla is a good buy for a few reasons:
1) The 'new' generation has the same engine and transmission, practically speaking.
2) Any of the 'new' technology on the 'new' Corollas can be easily had on a previous generation for thousands less in terms of aftermarket upgrades.
3) The car is reliable as all get out. I'd bet good money this particular version will last long enough to the point where my kids are driving it.

That said, this isn't my favorite of our family cars. I present to you guys a TWOFER!!!

This is our other car, and the one we more commonly use on family outings. For the less knowledgeable amongst you, this is a 2010 Mazda5, and it's head and shoulders better than my Corolla, and indeed the '06 Jeep Liberty it replaced.

Yes, it looks like a minivan, and technically it is. It does have sliding doors, and a hatchback. It has three rows of seats, good for seating six people.

However, it's fairly small. At its tallest, it only comes up about 5 feet or so, and the wheelbase is as near as makes no difference to the Corolla. Plus, it has the same suspension, transmission, and 2.3 liter engine as its little brother, the Mazda3, arguably one of the best handling cars for the money. And this baby handles and drives like a dream.

The 5 speed manu-matic is crisp and intuitive, the steering is very responsive, with no dead spots and it's easy to put it where you want it. The suspension is firm without being rock hard (which is often not the case). Plus we can fit both my child's seats, two strollers, and a week's worth of groceries in the back (with the rear seats down).

What's nice in this car are the creature comforts as well. For instance, the first two rows of seats are made up of captains chairs. The week before Christmas, we drove overnight to Riverside and then came up the next day. During the whole 1200 miles round trip, my tail was nice and comfy in the driver's seat, which is often an issue for a c-segment car. The stereo has an auxiliary input jack, and, as a neat trick, adjusts the volume automatically with the road noise. For trips to Ikea, all four rear seats fold down flat, so you can fit anything up to a decent sized sofa in there.

Sadly, not 20 minutes after that picture was taken today, we got sideswiped in a hit and run at a stoplight. Fortunately, whether the hit was light enough or the car stood up to it, everyone's ok and the car is still going strong.

I love this car, and nothing is going to change it. I would heartily recommend a Mazda5 for anyone buying a family car today. Has enough room to haul your stuff, and an absolute dynamite platform to go hooning around mountain roads on the weekend.

Welterweights, Pt3

Welcome back from the holidays, ladies and gentlemen. I hope everyone had a good time. Now that the wrapping paper is cleared away and I have recovered from an egg-nog induced coma, it's time to resume the high quality of blogging that you all have come to tolerate.

For those of you joining us for the first time, this is the 3rd post in a series covering and comparing C-segment cars, their strengths and weaknesses. We have already covered 5th and 6th place (the Toyota Matrix and Corolla, respectively) and are down to our final four.

I should mention at this level of competition, it's harder to quantify which of these cars will finish where. So, without further ado, on with the show.

4th Place: 2011 Nissan Sentra


Seen above in it's SE-R trim, the Sentra on paper looks like a pretty solid performer. Starting off at about $16k, and topping out the range at just over 20k in SE-R and SE-R Spec V trim, the Sentra Bakes a lot into its Value proposition, and makes a creditable showing in this segment.

Where to begin?
First, for the comfort and tech oriented individual, it is possible to have a leather interior (a $900 option that comes with heated front seats), not to mention a very handy infotainment system, which is optional, but recommended. The standard stereo unit, while it does feature an Auxilliary input, could be transported from the 1980's in terms of style. Even with the old fashioned styling of the standard stereo, it does offer information as to what song is playing on the radio, which is also a nice feature.



Power comes from either a base 2.0 liter engine that cranks out 140 hp and 147 ft/lbs of torque, or a 2.5 liter 16 valve engine that cranks out either 177 hp and 172 ft/lbs of torque (SE-R) or 200 hp and 180 ft/lbs of torque (SE-R Spec V, which is manual only). All the power is delivered to the wheels in the form of either a 6 speed manual or Nissan's X-Tronic CVT (which in SE-R guise comes with paddle shifters). On its own, the CVT (or Constantly Variable Transmission) provides smooth shifts and power delivery, though you do have to poke it a bit (in the spirit of full disclosure, I haven't driven one with the paddle shifters, so I suspect that stodginess is mitigated somewhat).

All in all, for a basic commuter car, the guys at Nissan have made a pretty good example of the segment. And even the high end, sporting versions don't cost much north of $20k without incentives, so the price is bang on for today's consumer.

So why did it place fourth?

A few reasons. First, while the ride quality is right for this segment, the steering feels light and the car doesn't feel quite as planted as some of its competitors (though, to be fair, I haven't tested the SE-R levels of the car. I would imagine with the suspension upgrades, it would feel more sure of itself).

There's a few other reasons, mostly nit-picky, but this is where we start to pick nits. The interior, while offering some nice creature comforts, is still rather drab and bland, and like the Corolla, somewhat dated.

The driver ergonomics are a little funny as well. For instance, while steering wheel mounted controls for the audio and cruise control are mounted on the steering wheel, some of the buttons are oddly placed and, thus, force you to move your hand to operate them (the worst culprit is the volume buttons, which are located down around 7 o'clock on the interior of the wheel). While this may seem like a minor detail, it DOES affect the way you drive.

There's something else, however.

The Sentra is a pretty capable performer, I don't intend to imply that it isn't. However, the only real selling point that the car has at this level is that it's cheaper than its competition. While this is an important consideration, any salesman will tell you that price alone isn't what makes a sale. Features and personality are.

Bottom Line: A higher quality of Vanilla.

Driver's Pick: Either the SE-R or SE-R SpecV. Both cost about the same, and you'd be hard pressed to find a performance c-segment sedan for less.