- 25,289
- Somewhere.
No, this isn't about the poor racing game. I've had the pleasure of test driving various cars around local dealerships all day, thought i'd share a few driving impressions. If anyone has impressions of their own, feel free to add. 
First on the order, a bone stock, base model Porsche Boxster, dark red over black interior, 2001 model. 217hp, 5 speed tranny. It was nice and sunny, so i asked if we could put the top down. Surprisingly friendly Porsche salesman agreed, and we were on our way. Obviously, i didn't go and run the crap out of it, but it was an enjoyable drive. The car has good throttle response, and brakes... well, it's a Porsche, so brakes are marvelous. The suspension is incredible, too. I took the car through a local back road, and although i stayed well within the speed limits, i've never had that much fun before on that road. It just goes where you want it to go, with such ease, it's a blast to drive. Hadn't it been for the 45 900$ (CAD) asking price, i'd have walked out of there with it. Can't imagine how much more fun the "S" is.
Went on my way up to the Toyota dealership, where i tested a black, 2002 Celica GT-S. It's probably because the Porsche was out of this world, but the Celica was pretty boring. It felt as if it had no torque. Looking at the spec sheet, it really doesn't (130 lb/ft, incidentally the same number as in the Integra Type-R, though the latter felt much zippier, from what i can recall at least.) Can't say i liked it very much, so i moved on to something else. For the 23 700$ they were asking, i'd much rather look for an Integra GS-R, or a 97 vintage Integra-R.
A very teal Mini Cooper S (or Biggie, as most people call them now) was on order next. 163 supercharged hp. BMini calls the color Electric Blue Metallic, i'd rather call it "I'd look better on a 50's Cadillac" Teal Metallic. Brand spanking new, with the panorama sunroof and the 17'' wheels, which do make the car rather cartoony. Interior is relatively spacious, though, with the sunroof, i had major headroom problems. Nevertheless, took the car for a quick spin. Good steering, good gearbox, good brakes. But god, that damned supercharger whines so loudly! It's reminescent of a race car with a gearbox with straight cut gears. The noise made the drive unbearable, so much i had to ask the salesmen if it was normal for it to whine that much. Apparently it is. At 37 000$+ CAD, i'd wish for more sound deadener.
I headed to the Subaru dealership as the final destination of my journey (that sounded cheesy, didn't it?) hoping i could drive a WRX STi, or at least get a good look at it. More on that in a few minutes.
First thing that caught my eye when i got there, a green, 1994 SVX. I've liked those things ever since they were new, and i really wanted to drive one at least once. It looked fantastic, as all SVXs do, of course. It pulled smoothly, it was quiet, and it got looks. A lot of looks. Shame about the auto tranny, it killed the driving experience a bit, but then again, this isn't a sports car, it's a GT. 12 500$ was what they were asking for, a bit much if you ask me.
I was a bit disapointed at first, i couldn't seem to find a single WRX STi on the lot. Just as i was about to go home, head hanging in shame, it popped up. It wasn't blue, it was black. In fact, there were at least 5 of them, in various colors (well, various is a big word, considering they come in 4 colors...), except, of course, blue. Funny how stealth they are when you see them in an "unusual" color. Requested a test drive, which i was rewarded with, surprisingly with little hassle. Got to love enthusiast friendly dealers.
So, how is it? Well, it made the Boxster feel like a tow truck. I'm still speechless, honestly. I never expected a stock car could be that fast, for that kind of money. This is Corvette/911/ performance, for tens of thousands less! I'm pretty sure the thing would stay close to a Z06, and it costs nearly 30 000$ less (CAD, of course. It was rated at 47000$ or so, the Z06 is at 76 000$ or so) From the outside, it's understated, in black at least. It looks menacing, yet it doesn't look too different from the WRX. The wing's there, the scoop's there, so what makes it look less agressive than the blue ones? The wheels, that's what. Subaru thought it'd be better to give the gold wheels to the blue cars exclusively. Other colors do with silver, which frankly, isn't quite as good looking. I'm sold. I want one, desperately. How much are kidneys going for these days?
First on the order, a bone stock, base model Porsche Boxster, dark red over black interior, 2001 model. 217hp, 5 speed tranny. It was nice and sunny, so i asked if we could put the top down. Surprisingly friendly Porsche salesman agreed, and we were on our way. Obviously, i didn't go and run the crap out of it, but it was an enjoyable drive. The car has good throttle response, and brakes... well, it's a Porsche, so brakes are marvelous. The suspension is incredible, too. I took the car through a local back road, and although i stayed well within the speed limits, i've never had that much fun before on that road. It just goes where you want it to go, with such ease, it's a blast to drive. Hadn't it been for the 45 900$ (CAD) asking price, i'd have walked out of there with it. Can't imagine how much more fun the "S" is.
Went on my way up to the Toyota dealership, where i tested a black, 2002 Celica GT-S. It's probably because the Porsche was out of this world, but the Celica was pretty boring. It felt as if it had no torque. Looking at the spec sheet, it really doesn't (130 lb/ft, incidentally the same number as in the Integra Type-R, though the latter felt much zippier, from what i can recall at least.) Can't say i liked it very much, so i moved on to something else. For the 23 700$ they were asking, i'd much rather look for an Integra GS-R, or a 97 vintage Integra-R.
A very teal Mini Cooper S (or Biggie, as most people call them now) was on order next. 163 supercharged hp. BMini calls the color Electric Blue Metallic, i'd rather call it "I'd look better on a 50's Cadillac" Teal Metallic. Brand spanking new, with the panorama sunroof and the 17'' wheels, which do make the car rather cartoony. Interior is relatively spacious, though, with the sunroof, i had major headroom problems. Nevertheless, took the car for a quick spin. Good steering, good gearbox, good brakes. But god, that damned supercharger whines so loudly! It's reminescent of a race car with a gearbox with straight cut gears. The noise made the drive unbearable, so much i had to ask the salesmen if it was normal for it to whine that much. Apparently it is. At 37 000$+ CAD, i'd wish for more sound deadener.
I headed to the Subaru dealership as the final destination of my journey (that sounded cheesy, didn't it?) hoping i could drive a WRX STi, or at least get a good look at it. More on that in a few minutes.
First thing that caught my eye when i got there, a green, 1994 SVX. I've liked those things ever since they were new, and i really wanted to drive one at least once. It looked fantastic, as all SVXs do, of course. It pulled smoothly, it was quiet, and it got looks. A lot of looks. Shame about the auto tranny, it killed the driving experience a bit, but then again, this isn't a sports car, it's a GT. 12 500$ was what they were asking for, a bit much if you ask me.
I was a bit disapointed at first, i couldn't seem to find a single WRX STi on the lot. Just as i was about to go home, head hanging in shame, it popped up. It wasn't blue, it was black. In fact, there were at least 5 of them, in various colors (well, various is a big word, considering they come in 4 colors...), except, of course, blue. Funny how stealth they are when you see them in an "unusual" color. Requested a test drive, which i was rewarded with, surprisingly with little hassle. Got to love enthusiast friendly dealers.
So, how is it? Well, it made the Boxster feel like a tow truck. I'm still speechless, honestly. I never expected a stock car could be that fast, for that kind of money. This is Corvette/911/ performance, for tens of thousands less! I'm pretty sure the thing would stay close to a Z06, and it costs nearly 30 000$ less (CAD, of course. It was rated at 47000$ or so, the Z06 is at 76 000$ or so) From the outside, it's understated, in black at least. It looks menacing, yet it doesn't look too different from the WRX. The wing's there, the scoop's there, so what makes it look less agressive than the blue ones? The wheels, that's what. Subaru thought it'd be better to give the gold wheels to the blue cars exclusively. Other colors do with silver, which frankly, isn't quite as good looking. I'm sold. I want one, desperately. How much are kidneys going for these days?
Still, though, it's 467 times nicer than my 'L'. Our neighbor just got a new Z4, and I've been meaning to ask him to let me drive it, but I probably won't. I know he'd let me as he's let me drive all of his other BMW's, and his son's BMW's, but I've already driven a black 3.0 Z4 so this wouldn't be anything special. I had a test drive in a '97 wingless red Supra TT scheduled for today, but it's f-ing raining so I'll have to reschedule. I'm interested in purchasing it, but it's been around the block more times(high mileage) than Doug's mom.
