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putaloadintrucks · 7 years

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A little problem

“We have a Problem Vic”

“Did Dodger get stuck in a ditch again?”

“No sir, worse”

“County coming down?”

“No.”

“Spit it out than, I ain’t got all day boy. I am old and need some rest”

“Both Rodger and Dodger are missing. They aren’t answering their radios.”

“Ah Fuck, You send that Cougar boy out to find them yet than?”

“Negative, he doesn’t want to help and to be frank, I am far too scared of him to try and push it”

“Fuuck, fine. I’m getting to old for this shit.” The sound of popping joints and creaking body work sounded through the station. Since Cougars arrival at the station earlier, it had been a various slow and boring week, with both sheriffs using the opportunity to catch up on paperwork, which Vic was happy for. Of course, something always did interrupt his relaxation it seemed, and two of his cops disappearing were sure made his fuel pump falter. Those damn boys better have not bitten of more than they could chew.

“ I want you to go to Rodgers last location, try to follow his patrol path. That boy never deviates away from it ever. I’ll try and look for Dodger, check his spot and see if I can find anything. If we can’t find them by the night, we call in the state police” Vic grumbled, Oliver nodding up at him as he gave a salute with his antenna.

“Yes Sir” he snapped, standing at attention for the older vehicle. Vic gave a huff, rolling his eyes as he pointed with his tire at the doors.

“What you waiting for, move it boy” he growled, Oliver zooming quickly through the doors, Hitting them enough force for them to rebound off the walls of the station as he zoomed up the pass to Rodgers patrol path. Vic sighed, stretching his aching, patched joints as he slowly lumbered out onto the lot. The cold winter air nipping at his axles as he sighed. That god damn boy better be dead for his sake. He mumbled softly as he began to head down the road, the strain off the wear on his repaired frame causing him discomfort as he drove up to the billboard. He humphed as he slowly drove around the corner, Dodger clearly not at his usual spot.

“Damnit boy” he growled as his eyes moved downwards, noticing the tire tracks in the dirt. He bent down , his eyes drawn to the starting point of the tracks. They sat deeper than the rest, meaning that Dodger had peeled out of there at a high rate of speed. Vic softly hummed, turning softly back towards the road as his eyes moved along it.

“Boy was chasing someone” he mumbled softly as he slowly moved down the road, his eyes darting from both sides of the road as he tried to see any sign of Dodger along the road. He felt and heard his radio buzz softly, his antenna reaching down and picking it up. “Yeah Oliver, You find him?”

“Yes sir, I did. It, ah, looks like, well um, he was ,uhhh, fucked.. Hard. He won’t tell me who, saying he deserves it for being an ass. But it’s hurting him when he moves so” replied Oliver, Vic loudly sighing as shook his hood. He knew that one of these days Rodger was gonna get him hurt.

“Tell him to suck it up and get back to the station. If necessary, get Cougar to help you” he grumbled, Oliver giving a loud Yes Sir from his end before the radio crackled and then died. Well, that solved one of his issues he guessed, but he would still need to find Dodger. He continued to move down the road, passing by the Inline as he did so, his eyes moving to examine the café as he went past. He saw one of the waitresses wave him down and motioning for him to come over. He slowed and turned into the station, the little Miata beaming at him as he pulled up in front of her.

“Hi Vic!” the bubbly little car said, a smile on her bumper as Vic gave a grunt.

“Hello Cyrstal, you need something?” he asked as the Miata beamed at him, nodding.

“Yep! You looking for Dodger? I saw him earlier at the old Rotary Motel lot. He was talking to an unhappy vehicle there when I passed on my way to work” she said, smiling as Vic softly rumbled, thinking this over.

“Can you describe the vehicle he was talking to?” he asked, watching the Miata’s smile slowly turn into a frown, a look of confusion slowly growing on her.

“N-No, I can’t. That’s.. weird, I’m usually decent with remembering cars. I know it was a Dually, but.. I can’t remember anything else” she mused, Vic raising an eye ridge as the Miata looked worried.

“If you can let me know, I’ll check the lot out. Knowing my look, he’s probably just sitting there after a fucking, relaxing before he heads back onto patrol. Thanks Crystal for the help” he said, giving the smaller car a nuzzle, one which she happily gave back with a soft murr.

“No problem Vic, come back any time” she beamed, Vic softly chuckling before he turned back to the road. The lot huh? He should have checked that first, it one of Dodgers favorite spots to pull over vehicles into. He continued to driving on, minutes passed by before a break appeared in the trees, signaling the gravel lot behind it. He mumbled softly, turning into the lot and noticing the multiple tire tracks visible. His eyes slowly followed them as them, almost not noticing the Car resting in the gravel ahead, the grey dust of crushed gravel blending his colors together. He grunted, slowly pulling up to Dodger, noticing his crushed Siren and the large dents on his hood and roof. The smell of sex was also quite noticeable, Vic shaking his hood at the smell as he pushed at Dodger.

“Wake up boy” he said, pushing at the cop again as Dodger gave a soft mumble, something along the lines of leaving him alone. Vic growled, slamming his tire on top of the Caprices already abused hood angrily. “ UP, NOW” he exclaimed, Dodger sputtering as his engine revved loudly. His eyes snapped open, franticly moving from side to side before the locked on Vic.

“V-V-Vic? What.. What happened” he whined as the soreness in his body came on in full force, especially toward his rear.

“You apparently had sex… again” he growled as Dodgers eyes widened softly.

“W-wh-what? I don-t, I-I-I don’t remember having sex” he said softly as he felt the stickiness that covered his under carriage, the cum having long dried mixed with gravel and dust.

“Well you did, I could smell it as I got closer to you” Growled Vic as Dodger whimpered softly.

“You-You don’t understand Vic. I-I remember everyone I have ever ha-ad sex with, every de-etail that happened. I can’t remember who it was I fucked earlier Vic, I can remember barely anything” he cried, Vic placing a tire as he shushed the panicking Caprice.

“Hey, Hey Kid its okay. What do you remember?” he asked as the Caprice whimpered softly, slowly struggling onto his weak tires.

“Dually I think, and his eyes.. his eyes scared me” he said softly as Vic helped steady the kid.

“Nothing else?” he asked, Dodger starting to shake his hood before his eyes widened.

“He knew my name, Vic. He knew my name. I’ve never meet that truck before, yet he knew exactly who I was” he whined, Vic pushing the kid back up straight as he threatened to fall over.

“You positive you have never met this truck kid?” Vic asked, Dodger nodding rapidly.

“Y-Yes. I never saw him before-before in my life” he whimpered as Vic sighed loudly.

“Great, just what we need in this valley. More fucking strange things happening” he growled out as Dodger gave a soft whimper, the tingling in his body mixing with soreness and general lack of energy.” We need to get you back to the station; your idiot brother pissed someone else off and paid the consequences, V8 Valley style apparently. “ Vic stated as Dodger gave a weak chuckle.

“Maybe that’ll remove the stick from his pipe now” he said softly as Vic gave a chuckle of his own.

“Maybe so, Lets get you back” he said as they moved to the side of the road. Before they could merge onto the road, they heard something. A laughter on the wind almost, dancing around their mirrors. Dodger whined, moving himself up against Vic.

“I-I-I know that laught-ter” Dodger said softly as Vic looked at the mess of a Caprice, his eyes darting back into the air as the laughter died down. He sighed.

This valley was getting weirder and weirder every week it seemed.

#Cars #Cars OC #Cars Fandom #Pixar Cars

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smoothshift · 5 years

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Car Enthusiast Buys a Tesla Model 3 Performance: It's an Electric Muscle Car via /r/cars

Car Enthusiast Buys a Tesla Model 3 Performance: It's an Electric Muscle Car

TL:DR: At its core, the car is a stereotypical amercian muscle sedan, but electric. And I think it’s quite cheap for what it is.

Let me preface this with a warning that in the text below I likely offended plenty of car enthusiasts and Tesla fans in some way. I apologize for that, these are just my personal views.

I’m your stereotypical car enthusiast. The latest eight new/used performance cars I’ve had were all stick-shift and either RWD or Turbo-AWD. A few were hatches/wagons. The last few were all RWD. Over the years I also co-drove a bunch of other fun cars (and lots of Miatas) at autox. I’ve had my Chevy SS for 4+ years now, and only recently got the itch for a new performance car to dailydrive. I ‘normally’ get the itch after less than two years, so the SS was/is pretty awesome. The new car had to be not slower than my SS and feel different/special enough to justify the switch. See the bottom for a list of cars I cross-shopped.

I was thinking of a BEV for a while. With the nearest Tesla service center 170 miles away I never really considered one. Until May, when a new service center opened in Toledo, OH, just south of the Michigan border and like 30 minutes away from me. Once I learned that, I made an appointment for a ‘demonstration’ drive in Troy, MI. Drove a base Model 3 with ‘premium’ interior and a dual-motor 90(?) KWh Model S to get a sense of acceleration and was sold. Ordered a black Model 3 Performance (P3D is how people call it on Tesla forums), with white seats and no extra ‘full-self-driving’ vaporware for an extra $6k. Picked it up about a week ago and drove it home from Cleveland. Been driving it every day since, have about 500 miles already.

Obligatory picture.

A perfect one-liner to describe it to an enthusiast: an electric muscle car. And I mean it in the stereotypical sense, ignoring good handling the Camaro/Mustang have these days. The best thing about the P3D is its acceleration/launch. It’s effortless, quite violent, repeatable, pretty thrilling (gotta make sure to have empty-ish stomach), and very usable in regular driving. For the money, it’s a ridiculous bargain. All the new cars I’ve tested in the price range are slower in a straight line. For all of them, to get their stated street acceleration you’d be risking ‘reckless-driving’ tickets for tire squeal/slip on launch. The rest of the car is okayish (to the point of me thinking getting a tacky license UMichigan plate that’d say Mehsla). Fit and finish is just passable (just like a lot of muscle cars), handling is decent but not spectacular, and the tires won’t last long if pushed. The basic autopilot I got is nice for highway cruising behind a truck on a nice sunny day to save electricity, but I wouldn’t trust it with anything else. The “self-driving capability” gives you enhanced autopilot which will change lanes by itself. I got to try it briefly on my test-drive and it was scary at how cautious and undecisive it was. I am virtually certain there will be no ‘robotaxis’ based on Model3s in a year. Not doable w/o plenty of LIDARs.

But the way the P3D slingshots from a stop makes a long list of minor annoyances (see below) kinda irrelevant. Now, people do get used to power. So, it’s possible that I’ll miss the noise of a V8. But at this point I’m not so sure. Think about why car enthusiasts are attached to the noise. Probably because racecar. Those have free flowing exhausts to go faster. But if you can go faster w/o the noise in the EV should you be attached to the noise? If so, just buy a Harley. Don’t get me wrong, I still like a nice exhaust since that preference got engrained deep into my brain over the years, but I think I’m gonna be fine w/o the engine noise in a car that’s fast w/o it. I’d prefer to have more responsive/communicative steering before the noise.

I’m not a Musk apologist, neither I’m a Tesla corporate fan. Probably closer to the opposite. At the moment I think the Tesla may not survive the next recession+stock market downturn on their own. So why did I buy one? Mostly because I think that at the moment TSLA stock investors are basically subsidizing Tesla customer prices. If Tesla had to stand on their own and show consistent profit margins, P3D-level performance would be a lot more expensive. Look at Audi/Jag new EV offerings. Slower/heavier/shorter range, tens of thousands of $$ more expensive. I took this as a sign of things to come: once Tesla brand gets acquired by a larger manufacturer, prices will likely go up because that’s what people pay for this level of performance from established manufactures. So, if you’re in a position to buy it, there’s a service center near you, and you have a warm garage (or live where there’s no real winter), go schedule a test drive, you might be surprised. Having another car as a back-up is a plus though.

I don’t want to make this a super-long post, so here's just a bunch of random points about the Model 3, some from an enthusiast’s point of view I haven't seen covered much:

Little need to warm-up before flooring it, at least during the three warm seasons, unlike normal cars which need 5-10 minutes to warm the engine/transmission oil (there’s still the differential fluid to warm up though)

The ‘Performance’ model is really all about straight line acceleration, especially the launch.

Almost no camber stock

No way to add more with stock hardware, no aftermarket hardware other than lowering springs or coilovers to pick up some much needed camber.

As a result, tracking/autox-ing requires stupid-high tire pressures not to kill tires very quickly, but they will still die just regular-quickly

Very limited aftermarket suspension options

Not much clearance to upper control arm for wider tires/more camber while staying close to stock offset.

Not much space in the wheel well to go wider w/o killing paintwork by having the wheels stick out.

Thick stud bolts, so many popular aftermarket wheels might not fit, despite a popular 5x114.3 bolt pattern. Weird shape of rear calipers that limits wheel choices further.

Has bigger Brembo brakes though.

Only tried the ‘track mode’ a handful of times yet. It’s a bit detrimental to street acceleration, and brake vectoring makes the turn-in a bit livelier. Haven’t pushed it yet.

Handling is pretty good, especially for the weight. It feels less heavy than my SS with Magneride in Track mode. The wheel has nice weight and very quick ration, but very little feed back. But you can hear the tires. The first time you hear those work the turn is a revelation previously muffled by engine noises.

It's pretty comfortable even with 20” wheels. Low center of gravity means the springs can be softer w/o much body roll.

The 20” wheels are reportedly very prone to bending, looking to change those out soon.

I find myself driving it in a lot more relaxed manner w/o the engine growling me on.

Doing interior mods with the car plugged in/music playing/AC on is nice. In a regular car it’d require hooking up a battery tender and would still be no AC.

There's a considerable amount of condensation from battery thermal management and A/C. Make sure your garage drains work well.

Seats are fine for me. Felt a bit tight at first, but all good now. It may be a problem for bigger butts. Feels like driver’s seat has a hair more lateral support than my Chevy SS (low bar to surpass). Not performance seats in any way.

Pretty decent adjustable (in/out up/down) lumbar support.

Pre-warming/cooling the car via the app is nice.

Regen braking will come natural to stick-shift drivers. Feels just like driving in 2nd-3rd gears. Lift off the gas and the car slows deliberately but not too aggressively. There’s also a setting to make this feel more like a typical automatic car with some loss of efficiency.

Order to delivery was barely 10 days. Felt weird, in an instant gratification kind of way, after having to generally wait months for my recent new cars.

Rear visibility is pretty poor. Excellent view out of the front, however. No dash really opens up a lot of space for the eye.

Annoyances:

Automatic emergency braking and Emergency Lane Departure assist needs to be disabled every time you drive. I hope there’s a software fix to this at some point.

Software bugs. Had to reboot the screen a few times already. Those were while parked, but still annoying. But in general tablet for an interface doesn’t bother me at all. The software in generaly is pretty polished and intuitive.

Paint quality. Looked okaish at delivery. After washing the wax away, it was terrible. Caked in water spots on most of the hood (but not elsewhere). Spent whole Saturday polishing. Only got it to ‘passable’. Orange peel level is again similar to some of the Detroit products.

Jacking it up would be a pain w/o a lift. It only has 4 designated jacking spots, so no clue how one would jack one wheel and put a jack stand in there at the same time.

The car does not come with a spare, nor is there an inflator kit.

No seat ventilation/cooling. Seats can get pretty warm.

No ‘basic’ cruise control, only the ‘traffic aware’ one, which will come up on someone doing 10 under and sit there.

Today is the last day of my 7-day return window, and I’m keeping it. Just for reference, if one wanted to return, it could take 1-2 months to get their money back from Tesla. If one wanted a replacement car in that time, they’d likely have to get a new loan with their financial institution.

Now I just have to make sure not to get rear-ended. Cause that could lead to 2-4 months of wait for replacement body parts. Statistically, it’s a 2-3% probability event in a given year. I hope the situation improves in the future.

I’m definitely keeping my S2000 for raw feel and top-down driving. Not sure on the SS. It’s too nice to keep it as a winter back-up car.

For reference, here’s what I looked at before pulling the trigger on a Tesla: I’ve looked at a bunch of different slighly used C7 Corvettes. Non-Z06 ones didn’t feel different enough from my SS to justify giving up two doors for. The Z06 is awesome, but the power is not really usable below 40-60mph. It’s a waste of a car to daily it. The GT350 was the frontrunner for a while, but in the end it’s conceptually very similar to the SS with just a different noise (heavenly, yes). Also, living in Michigan, I see a least a couple GT350s every day. The ZL1 looks/visibility are not my cup of tea. The M3/4 is nice, but the sound they make during warm-up absolutely turns me off. I’d also want to do a euro-delivery if I were to get one, but doing that right now exposes one to risks of tariffs going up on euro cars over the next few months. Those are also quite a bit more expensive in livable configs. The M2c is somehow too small and too heavy for a compact car at the same time. If it was available as a hatch I’d own it already though. That pretty much exhausted my stick-shift options. Then I decided to widen the search to sigh automatics. I’ve looked at discounted new MY18 Alfa Quadrifoglios (got a CEL during a test-drive, lol), Audi TT-RS (the dealer wouldn’t let me launch it, naturally. It felt fast but not crazy fast otherwise, probably the most similar car in straight line performance). Also tried the G70 Sport. It’s pretty nice, but not for the price they are asking. I’ve tried a Hellcat Charger, and the 392 Charger a while back. Those are nice, but I’d rather supercharge my SS instead. Same feeling about the ATS-V. Throwing a blower on the SS was starting to look like a plan until I test-drove a Tesla. I was thinking of an electric car to daily for a while. In Michigan, GM doesn’t offer much in a way of sweet Bolt lease deals they have in Cali, and even for a recently-discounted prices I couldn’t get over how slow it is other than off the line. Didn’t consider the new Audi/Jag EVs, too expensive, too slow, too heavy.

#reddit #autonews #auto #cars

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jesusvasser · 6 years

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2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up

Despite all the wistful reminiscing about the demise of the Great American Station Wagon by enthusiasts too young to recall their mid-century heyday, truth be told most of those wagons weren’t really all that special. The average kids of the era were being shuttled about in ubiquitous land barges like the Ford Country Squire and Chrysler Town & Country. Few would have had any interaction with big block-powered rarities like the Mercury Colony Park or Chevrolet Kingswood Estate, let alone an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser with a stonking Rocket V-8, four-on-the-floor with a Hurst shifter jutting out from the floor in front of the bench seat, and its slick glass roof.

Imagine now for a moment how today’s sport/utility vehicles will be remembered some half-century hence. Ford Explorers and Jeep Grand Cherokees will be thought of as the Country Squires and T&Cs of the day, but thanks to the wealth of fire-breathing M and AMG-badged monsters, 707-horse Trackhawks and the like, the modern equivalent of the musclecar-era super wagon won’t be so rare. This leaves fun and engaging outliers like Mazda CX-5, which lines up well with the Vista Cruiser.

Yes, we know, their powertrains are wildly different, but stay with us here. The new CX-5 has been styled to help it stand out in a veritable sea of look-alike crossovers, much like the Olds wagon did. And it has decent road manners and ride quality, without trying to be a tall, five-seat MX-5 Miata, just as the Vista Cruiser wasn’t trying to be a family-size 4-4-2.

We actually had the past in mind when we chose to add a 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring to our Four Seasons fleet, though we weren’t thinking as much of classic wagons as we were of the 2013 CX-5 we also had in for a long-term evaluation. That first-gen CX-5 wowed us with how enjoyable it was to drive for a midsize crossover, and it never gave us a bit of trouble (though it spelled plenty for an unfortunate deer that struck it head-on). We wanted to see if the second-generation CX-5 could repeat the feat.

One feat the midsize Mazda crossover has been pulling off almost singlehandedly is levitating the fortunes the small, independent Japanese automaker. At one point during 2018 the CX-5 outsold Volkswagen’s Atlas, Tiguan, and Touareg combined. We don’t need to remind you that Mazda’s mainstream SUV sales help ensure a future for cars like the MX-5 Miata.

And while we adore the Miata, an area where we’ve had some issue with it as well as the CX-5 is in the motivation department. The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four with 187 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque under the hood of the CX-5 sounds good on paper and likely offers more than adequate power for most of its intended customers. But we’re not most buyers. We wanted more go.

“Mazda is outperforming its competitors on every front when it comes to look and feel at a given price point,” senior editor Nelson Ireson says. “The only thing that’s not leading the game is powertrain tech, and that’s pretty obvious once you get behind the wheel.

“It’s not that it lacks power so much as it lacks low-end torque, requiring a good thrashing to make the hustle of a quick merger or short on-ramp,” Ireson continues. “That, in turn means engine noise and vibration, which spoils the polished, controlled, sorted vibe found in every other aspect of the CX-5.”

At around 8.6 seconds to 60 mph, the CX-5 gets up to speed acceptably, but as Ireson and others on staff found out, it lacks some giddy up in situations where you could use more of it.

“My biggest complaint is that the car’s dynamic proficiency highlights its lack of power, especially for passing on the freeway,” social media editor Billy Rehbock says.

Some editors wondered whether the 227-horse turbo four from the CX-9 would fit under the CX-5’s hood, perhaps as some sort of Mazdaspeed version (remember those, Mazda fans?). There is one other engine option coming soon (or at least we keep hearing it is) for the 2019 model year, however, in the form of Mazda’s long-awaited 2.2-liter turbodiesel four, which is tentatively rated at 173 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It should add the low-end grunt Ireson was looking for while marginally increasing fuel efficiency over the gas-powered engine.

Speaking of mpg, during our time with the CX-5 we recorded an average fuel economy of 24.5 mpg, which limboed under the EPA’s 26 mpg combined figure. It’s not all that surprising though considering how much we normally keep the hammer down around town—all in the name of evaluation, mind you.

“Could it use more power?” editor-in-chief Mike Floyd asks. “Of course, but then you start to sacrifice miles per gallon, and that’s a bad idea from a selling point perspective.”

Feelings throughout the staff were basically reversed when the subject turned to the CX-5’s dynamic chops. Although some thought it a bit softer than the first-gen model given its bigger dimensions and tuning that seemed more toward the comfort end of the spectrum, the new CX-5 was lauded for its precise steering that offers more feedback than most of its segment competitors, and overall poise on all manner of pavement.

Ireson sums up our thoughts well: “Ride quality is a careful balance of snappy handling and bumpy-road comfort. The steering is the crossover equivalent of extremely sporty, which is to say, not like you’d find in a sports car, but much closer to that ideal than the usual pile of mashed potatoes served to crossover drivers.”

The sentiment was much the same when the topic turned to the CX-5’s exterior style, which featured a killer Soul Red Metallic sheen on our test vehicle and attractive 19-inch rims. Praise was nearly universal for the Mazda’s sheetmetal, a design that takes some chances but generally speaking works instead of sticking out for the wrong reasons. It’s one of the key differentiators between the CX-5 and the rest of the midsize crossover crowd.

“Mazda continues to be at the forefront of design in the segment, and the new evolution of this design language is even cleaner,” associate editor Conner Golden says. “The CX-5 also looks a fair bit more expensive than it really is.”

That premium feel at an affordable price point philosophy extended to the interior. Materials had a near luxury look to them, and yet weren’t so precious as to worry about the effects of the sort of family travel for which this two-row SUV is intended. Given the comfortable cabin seating was swathed in a bright “parchment” white, keeping it clean was a bit of an issue, but thanks to a proper detailing it looked pretty much good as new when we turned it in.

It wasn’t all roses when the inside was mentioned. The familiar Mazda family of controls, including the rotary center dial that scrolls through audio, navigation and the like, received mixed reviews. ““There are some wonky things about the rotary dial infotainment setup,” Floyd says. “But it works. Screen seems a bit small given the competitive set [7-inches].”

At least one editor was unimpressed with the tiny sunroof. But for just north of $34,000 all in, the Grand Touring model was praised for its generous list of standard equipment and impressive suite of safety tech. Says Floyd, “I was impressed with the full-stop adaptive cruise control, and the head-up display also has a blind spot warning that’s pretty cool looking.”

The L.A. staff mostly used the CX-5 as a daily commuter, weekend errand-runner, and for the occasional short trip, but it got a cross country workout thanks to yours truly, who drove it north by northeast, through Reno, Nevada, and on to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before heading back to the Motor City.

Once there, the Mazda CX-5 often had its back seat folded, with sheets, blankets, and doggy beds protecting the interior from a surfeit of collie hair. (There were frequent stops at powerful car wash vacuum stations.) My wife and I also used it to help relay an adopted dog to his new owner. Thanks to the CX-5 and Above and Beyond Transport, an English setter named Murphy had a comfortable ride from Detroit to Marine City, Michigan, his last 50 miles of a journey that began in Goochland, Virginia. We also used it for a couple of 360-mile round trips to our “Up North” cabin with the big dog in the family, a 100-pound rough collie.

During its 19,000 plus mile stay in our care, the CX-5 proved absolutely trouble free, with the only maintenance being a couple of oil changes and switching on and off a set of Bridgestone Blizzak winter rubber that we sourced from our friends at Tire Rack.

Rehbock nailed the team’s thoughts on our overall experience with the 2017 Mazda CX-5 well: “Perhaps no other affordable crossover fulfills our magazine’s mantra of ‘No Boring Cars.’ The CX-5 was never a punishment to drive. It boasts precise steering, well-tuned suspension and good throttle response,” he says. “I liked Mazda’s easy-to-navigate infotainment system. The white leather chairs were comfortable, supportive and stylish. The metallic red paint is one of the best colors on sale, and it’s a shame more cars don’t wear it.”

Chalk up at least one young enthusiast who will have fond memories of this family wagon some four or five decades hence.

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring

AS-TESTED PRICE $34,435

ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm/185 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic

LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine AWD SUV

EPA MILEAGE 23/29/26 mpg (city/highway/combined)

L x W x H 179.1 x 72.5 x 65.3 in

WHEELBASE 106.2 in

WEIGHT 3,655 lb

0-60 MPH 8.6 sec

TOP SPEED N/A mph

OUR CAR

ODOMETER START/END 563/19,345

GALLONS OF FUEL USED 756.36

OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY 24.5 mpg

TOTAL FUEL COST $2,403.66

AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.18

MAINTENANCE 3x Oil change/inspection, $209.17

RECALLS AND TSBS None

OUT OF POCKET 4x Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, mounting and balancing, $765.70 Remount original all-season tires, $95.00

OUR OPTIONS

Premium Package, $1,830 (Head-up display with traffic sign recognition, power passenger seat, driver seat memory, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, windshield deicer); Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint, $595; Rear bumper guard, $125; Retractable cargo cover, $250

The post 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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jonathanbelloblog · 6 years

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2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up

At around 8.6 seconds to 60 mph, the CX-5 gets up to speed acceptably, but as Ireson and others on staff found out, it lacks some giddy up in situations where you could use more of it.

“My biggest complaint is that the car’s dynamic proficiency highlights its lack of power, especially for passing on the freeway,” social media editor Billy Rehbock says.

“Could it use more power?” editor-in-chief Mike Floyd asks. “Of course, but then you start to sacrifice miles per gallon, and that’s a bad idea from a selling point perspective.”

Chalk up at least one young enthusiast who will have fond memories of this family wagon some four or five decades hence.

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring

AS-TESTED PRICE $34,435

ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm/185 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic

LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine AWD SUV

EPA MILEAGE 23/29/26 mpg (city/highway/combined)

L x W x H 179.1 x 72.5 x 65.3 in

WHEELBASE 106.2 in

WEIGHT 3,655 lb

0-60 MPH 8.6 sec

TOP SPEED N/A mph

OUR CAR

ODOMETER START/END 563/19,345

GALLONS OF FUEL USED 756.36

OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY 24.5 mpg

TOTAL FUEL COST $2,403.66

AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.18

MAINTENANCE 3x Oil change/inspection, $209.17

RECALLS AND TSBS None

OUT OF POCKET 4x Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, mounting and balancing, $765.70 Remount original all-season tires, $95.00

OUR OPTIONS

The post 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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eddiejpoplar · 6 years

Text

2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up

At around 8.6 seconds to 60 mph, the CX-5 gets up to speed acceptably, but as Ireson and others on staff found out, it lacks some giddy up in situations where you could use more of it.

“My biggest complaint is that the car’s dynamic proficiency highlights its lack of power, especially for passing on the freeway,” social media editor Billy Rehbock says.

“Could it use more power?” editor-in-chief Mike Floyd asks. “Of course, but then you start to sacrifice miles per gallon, and that’s a bad idea from a selling point perspective.”

Chalk up at least one young enthusiast who will have fond memories of this family wagon some four or five decades hence.

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring

AS-TESTED PRICE $34,435

ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm/185 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic

LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine AWD SUV

EPA MILEAGE 23/29/26 mpg (city/highway/combined)

L x W x H 179.1 x 72.5 x 65.3 in

WHEELBASE 106.2 in

WEIGHT 3,655 lb

0-60 MPH 8.6 sec

TOP SPEED N/A mph

OUR CAR

ODOMETER START/END 563/19,345

GALLONS OF FUEL USED 756.36

OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY 24.5 mpg

TOTAL FUEL COST $2,403.66

AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.18

MAINTENANCE 3x Oil change/inspection, $209.17

RECALLS AND TSBS None

OUT OF POCKET 4x Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, mounting and balancing, $765.70 Remount original all-season tires, $95.00

OUR OPTIONS

The post 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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carandreviews-blog · 7 years

Text

Subaru BRZ 2017

The 2017 Subaru BRZ is as yet an anomaly in Subaru's generally all-wheel-drive lineup, however I'm happy; the market for reasonable back wheel-drive execution autos is now too thin.

For the new model year, the BRZ gets a not insignificant rundown of updates both styling and mechanical in nature. It's the greatest arrangement of changes for the BRZ since its beginning in 2014.

The BRZ was created nearby the Scion FR-S, which is presently sold as the Toyota 86 (the Scion mark has been ended). The two had a great deal in like manner, having a similar motor and wheelbase, and for 2017 the "Toyobaru" twins keep on moving in lockstep. In spite of the fact that their styling updates are distinctive, both autos get comparable mechanical updates. The main distinction under the skin is the last suspension and guiding tuning, which each organization does all alone.

In case you're searching for a reasonable back wheel-drive sports auto, the market is thin. The BRZ contends with the 86 (obviously), the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Fiat's 124 Spider.

The BRZ keeps its same essential shape, so it's still in a split second unmistakable in spite of styling updates all around. It resembles a companion who got a makeover on an unscripted television appear; you can at present reveal to it's them, yet everything has gotten somewhat more honed.

Beginning starting from the earliest stage, the BRZ's standard 17-inch composite wheels have another 10-talked outline with dark plan components that are exceptionally appealing. The front guard has additionally been refreshed, and there are two new standard outside components for 2017: a back spoiler and upgraded fog light groups with LED headlights and daytime running lights. The Limited trim includes standard LED foglights.

Both the 86 and the BRZ got a progression of mechanical updates for 2017, including a slight power help for manual models: The 2.0-liter four-barrel boxer motor now makes 205 drive and 156 pounds-feet of torque when combined with the six-speed manual transmission. In BRZs with the six-speed programmed (which is discretionary just on the Limited), yield continues as before, at 200 hp and 151 pounds-feet of torque.

Manual models additionally get another slope begin help framework that holds the BRZ in position on a grade, to anticipate rollback, until the driver gives it enough energy to advance. Its last drive proportion has additionally been brought down for the sake of enhanced speeding up, Subaru says.

There are likewise updates to the suspension, including a thicker back stabilizer bar, refreshed loop springs, refreshed safeguards and included support to a few focuses the skeleton, for greater unbending nature. Subaru additionally says the BRZ's solidness control limits have been brought while up in Track mode to take into account more dynamic driving.

Coming in the winter of 2017 is a Performance Package for manual Limited models that includes Brembo brake calipers and bigger rotors; Sachs safeguards; and 17-inch, dark aluminum-composite wheels.

The 86 (then called the FR-S) used to be the unrulier of the twins, with a stiffer suspension and a penchant to turn its back end around immediately. The BRZ was the more flexible and agreeable one — a superior day by day driver. Presently, however, in the wake of driving the BRZ and 86 inside fourteen days of each other, it's reasonable the new 86 has been restrained in its retuning, while the BRZ has gone the other course. It's currently the more keen instrument.

The current year's progressions are the primary huge updates to the BRZ's underpinnings since its introduction, and they've given the new BRZ a discernible edge. It feels both more honed and more planted, with faster hand over and surprisingly better adjust. Despite the fact that regardless it has those thin tires, the suspension and skeleton refreshes make it have a feeling that it has more grasp. The six-speed manual that came in my test vehicle was as yet a joy, with tight tosses and a very much weighted grasp pedal.The BRZ does, in any case, still have an Achilles heel: that motor. Everything encompassing it has enhanced so much that it's highlighted the way that there isn't sufficient power (particularly torque) for the more vivacious driving the auto needs to push you toward. Its shorter last proportion doesn't change the way that when you quicken regardless you need more — and it feels like the auto could deal with additional with no issue.

I drove the BRZ on surface lanes, in gorge and around the enormous track at Willow Springs. It was reliably magnificent a fraction of the time; if all slopes pointed down, the BRZ would be almost great. In any case, what goes down...

Mileage evaluations are 21/29/24 mpg city/roadway/joined with the manual and 24/33/27 mpg with the programmed. Premium fuel is required.

#subaru #brz #2017 #review

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smoothshift · 5 years

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My Journey to a GT3 via /r/cars

My Journey to a GT3

I wrote the following in response to a comment about how to choose the right sports car. It ended up turning into a love story of how I ended up in a GT3.

If you're interested in a long read about my journey, please enjoy. :)

For my part... back in 2010 or 2011 or so I decided that I really wanted a roadster. I've always loved driving and spent my 20's in the sport compact modified car scene. By then though my car (Sunfire GT) had been sitting in my garage collecting dust for nearly 4 years and I'd replaced it with something that out performed it in every way (Mazdaspeed3) so my long term plan of some day taking it back out and continuing to work on it wasn't seeming all that worthwhile anymore.

So I made up my mind to get a roadster and started squirreling away any money I could. I had a list of cars to consider, starting with a used Miata and going all the way up to a Corvette. It would end up coming down to how much money I saved and that would all depend whatever circumstances life might throw my way in the following few years.

I'll never forget the moment in October, 2011, as I was sitting at work and probably checking Jalopnik or some other car blog, when the first spy shots came out of the new 981 Porsche Boxster.

I fell in love. I blogged about it. http://www.notweasel.com/index.php?entry=entry111006-152510

Little did I realize at the time that it would be the beginning of the journey that lead me to where I am today, hustling a GT3 around race tracks.

Here's what I said at the time: "I have hereby decided that if I'm made ridiculously wealthy through a lottery win this weekend, I will certainly buy this car as my daily runabout."

As the next few years went by and I kept saving, I started knocking cars off the list. It definitely wasn't going to be a $10k used Miata. I was past the S2000 and the 350Z. I was getting up into Z4, Corvette, and Boxster territory. The Jaguar F-Type was announced, and was immediately in contention. I sat in a Z4 at an autoshow and hated just about everything about it, so that fell off the list.

I dropped the idea of the Jag when there was no manual available, so it ultimately came down to the Corvette or the Boxster. I was still in love with the look of the Boxster but my wife liked the new C7 and it was too great a package to just ignore.

The experience with the Z4 left me afraid that the same might happen with the Boxster. I convinced one of the reps at an autoshow to let me sit in one and couldn't be more relieved that everything about it just felt right. It wasn't awkard like the BMW was. There were no strange controls in places I couldn't reach them. It just all worked.

It was down to the final two. I started calling up GM dealers and, I kid you not, NOBODY would offer the least bit of help in letting me test drive a Corvette. The told me I could go ahead and order one and that, when it came in, if I didn't like it I didn't have to take it. The whole scenario was ridiculous and that's how the Corvette was off the list and the Porsche was the last man standing.

FWIW, I never did get to drive a C7 until last summer, when my friend brought his up from Baltimore. If I'm honest, had they let me drive it back then, I may well have bought one. It's an absolute blast to drive!!

But they didn't, so I didn't. I went to a Porsche dealer and they were more than happy to let me take a Boxster for a test drive, as well as a Cayman S to feel the difference in power between the two.

It blew my mind. The SA drove it first and he went around a highway onramp faster than I'd ever been in anything before. I couldn't believe it. When I took over the driving, I didn't drive it nearly as hard as he did and was still grinning ear to ear when we got finished. And then I found out the car was running on winter tires!!

It was somewhere around this time that Porsche announced the GTS versions of the 981 and that was that. I didn't actually end up buying from that dealer as trying to work out pricing with them turned into an endlessly frustrating process, but that was the moment I knew exactly what I wanted.

I think that was in April or May of 2014.

I took delivery of my Boxster GTS in December of that year.

As part of the deal, almost without even mentioning it, my SA (who is awesome to deal with) signed up up for Porsche Club of America (PCA). That small detail would end up changing my life and marked both the beginning and the end of my Boxster ownership.

I looked into what the club offered and thought a track day was obviously the right thing to do with a Porsche. I'd done plenty of drag racing and a bit of autocross in my 20's so getting onto a proper race track sounded like a ton of fun to me. And it would be.

In April of 2015 I did their Introductory Driving School and later that year I'd do my first full blown track day.

Here's video from that day. I'd never had so much fun in my entire life!!

https://youtu.be/D05PWxlPgBw

I wrote about it here and then continued to document my track days for the next few years:

https://www.planet-9.com/981-cayman-and-boxster-competition/110545-i-did-my-first-de-amazing.html

Now, outside of track days, I used that car for everything I could other than daily commuting. I went on cruises. I did a 5 day, 3000 km rally, I took it for a track weekend at Watkins Glen. I took it on road trips and cottage weekends. I loved everything about it.

If you want to know what it's like to drive a Boxster GTS, this video is EXACTLY spot-on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1LhUzL3qdU

But there was a slight issue.

I found more and more of my time was either doing track days or looking forward to track days. The Boxster was a phenomenal car and I loved evening drives with the top down but a convertible isn't really ideal for a track day and when you're on track with a pile of 911's and you want nothing more than to chase them and keep up and see if you can drive as well as they can, having a Boxster can end up being a little frustrating.

And then rumours started flying that the next GT3 would go back to having a manual transmission and would still have a naturally aspirated engine and might possibly be the last one ever to have both those things. We know now that the next one probably will as well, but that the time it was a very real chance that it would be the end of an era and if you didn't get one, you might never get one.

Up until then, I'd been pretty responsible about all this. Saving up and not over-extending myself and making sure all my other priorities like electricity bills and retirement saving were covered before I blew a big wad of cash on my car.

This was different though. If I didn't dive in and make a go of this, the opportunity might be lost forever.

I won't get into all the details of how I begged and pleaded and groveled to even be allowed to buy the car at all, as that's a whole story unto itself, but you can see the end result above.

I took delivery of the GT3 in April of last year and had it on a race track at the beginning of May.

So I went from really wanting a roadster to enjoy long drives on back roads with the top down to being a full-blown track rat with a giant wing on my car. :)

Things change. Enjoy the journey!!

#reddit #autonews #auto #cars

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jonathanbelloblog · 6 years

Text

2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up

At around 8.6 seconds to 60 mph, the CX-5 gets up to speed acceptably, but as Ireson and others on staff found out, it lacks some giddy up in situations where you could use more of it.

“My biggest complaint is that the car’s dynamic proficiency highlights its lack of power, especially for passing on the freeway,” social media editor Billy Rehbock says.

“Could it use more power?” editor-in-chief Mike Floyd asks. “Of course, but then you start to sacrifice miles per gallon, and that’s a bad idea from a selling point perspective.”

Chalk up at least one young enthusiast who will have fond memories of this family wagon some four or five decades hence.

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring

AS-TESTED PRICE $34,435

ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm/185 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic

LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine AWD SUV

EPA MILEAGE 23/29/26 mpg (city/highway/combined)

L x W x H 179.1 x 72.5 x 65.3 in

WHEELBASE 106.2 in

WEIGHT 3,655 lb

0-60 MPH 8.6 sec

TOP SPEED N/A mph

OUR CAR

ODOMETER START/END 563/19,345

GALLONS OF FUEL USED 756.36

OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY 24.5 mpg

TOTAL FUEL COST $2,403.66

AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.18

MAINTENANCE 3x Oil change/inspection, $209.17

RECALLS AND TSBS None

OUT OF POCKET 4x Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, mounting and balancing, $765.70 Remount original all-season tires, $95.00

OUR OPTIONS:

The post 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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jesusvasser · 6 years

Text

2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up

At around 8.6 seconds to 60 mph, the CX-5 gets up to speed acceptably, but as Ireson and others on staff found out, it lacks some giddy up in situations where you could use more of it.

“My biggest complaint is that the car’s dynamic proficiency highlights its lack of power, especially for passing on the freeway,” social media editor Billy Rehbock says.

“Could it use more power?” editor-in-chief Mike Floyd asks. “Of course, but then you start to sacrifice miles per gallon, and that’s a bad idea from a selling point perspective.”

Chalk up at least one young enthusiast who will have fond memories of this family wagon some four or five decades hence.

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring

AS-TESTED PRICE $34,435

ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm/185 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic

LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine AWD SUV

EPA MILEAGE 23/29/26 mpg (city/highway/combined)

L x W x H 179.1 x 72.5 x 65.3 in

WHEELBASE 106.2 in

WEIGHT 3,655 lb

0-60 MPH 8.6 sec

TOP SPEED N/A mph

OUR CAR

ODOMETER START/END 563/19,345

GALLONS OF FUEL USED 756.36

OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY 24.5 mpg

TOTAL FUEL COST $2,403.66

AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.18

MAINTENANCE 3x Oil change/inspection, $209.17

RECALLS AND TSBS None

OUT OF POCKET 4x Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, mounting and balancing, $765.70 Remount original all-season tires, $95.00

OUR OPTIONS:

The post 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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eddiejpoplar · 6 years

Text

2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up

At around 8.6 seconds to 60 mph, the CX-5 gets up to speed acceptably, but as Ireson and others on staff found out, it lacks some giddy up in situations where you could use more of it.

“My biggest complaint is that the car’s dynamic proficiency highlights its lack of power, especially for passing on the freeway,” social media editor Billy Rehbock says.

“Could it use more power?” editor-in-chief Mike Floyd asks. “Of course, but then you start to sacrifice miles per gallon, and that’s a bad idea from a selling point perspective.”

Chalk up at least one young enthusiast who will have fond memories of this family wagon some four or five decades hence.

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring

AS-TESTED PRICE $34,435

ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm/185 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic

LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine AWD SUV

EPA MILEAGE 23/29/26 mpg (city/highway/combined)

L x W x H 179.1 x 72.5 x 65.3 in

WHEELBASE 106.2 in

WEIGHT 3,655 lb

0-60 MPH 8.6 sec

TOP SPEED N/A mph

OUR CAR

ODOMETER START/END 563/19,345

GALLONS OF FUEL USED 756.36

OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY 24.5 mpg

TOTAL FUEL COST $2,403.66

AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.18

MAINTENANCE 3x Oil change/inspection, $209.17

RECALLS AND TSBS None

OUT OF POCKET 4x Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, mounting and balancing, $765.70 Remount original all-season tires, $95.00

OUR OPTIONS:

The post 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Four Seasons Wrap-Up appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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eddiejpoplar · 6 years

Text

Our Four Seasons 2017 Mazda CX-5 Goes to Michigan, Part One

Even before our Four Seasons 2017 Mazda CX-5 and I could hightail it out of Greater Los Angeles for its second cross-county journey, this time a one-way trip to Michigan, it was clear this relatively humble compact sport/utility is what BMW’s “SAVs” aspired to be—a tall utility with good ride and good handling.

A good ride is far more important on these cross-country trips. There has not been time to forage far off the Interstates in search of Blue Highways, though my escape from SoCal took me along beautiful, and (for California, especially) quiet Highway 395 along the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. The first day’s drive took me from Automobile’s El Segundo HQ to Reno, Nevada, and one route suggested by the Apple iPhone would have been 526 miles. It was I-5 to I-80, via San Jose and Sacramento. I might have chosen a side trip west, swinging by the Bay Area city of Fremont to skulk about the Tesla factory and check up on early Model 3 production, but my only goal for that first day was to make it to Sparks, just outside of Reno, by Tuesday morning to switch into winter tires from our friends at Tire Rack.

Northbound Highway 395 through the communities of Lone Pine, Big Pine, Bishop, and Mammoth Lakes provided a serene road trip experience you can’t find in Coastal California. At times, I felt like I was back in British Columbia, north of Vancouver, where (in the early ‘90s, at least) you could drive along Highway 97 for half an hour before another car came from the other direction.

No, US-395 is not nearly that desolate, but when you’re driving solo, the beautiful Sierra Nevadas and the cloudy, darkening blue skies feel more comfortable and soothing than a sea of taillamps ahead of you. There’s too much open road ahead to feel rage when a big, lumbering SUV blocks the passing lane as its driver sends text messages.

Perhaps that’s what the Mazda CX-5’s nav system was thinking when it routed me onto the lonelier road. Though it might not be as quick as I-5/I-80 in, heh, good traffic, this route to Reno is actually 37 miles shorter, measuring 486 miles total.

My first fill-up was in Inglewood, as the CX-5 had about 10 miles of range when I picked it up from HQ Monday morning. My second was in Big Pine, California, 289 miles later, for 24.7 mpg—decent for a large-compact SUV, though not exceptional for one with a 2.5-liter I-4.

The 187-hp four-banger has been the popular Mazda SUV’s only major shortcoming, since El Segundo HQ took delivery of the CX-5 last June. Yes, yes, you’re thinking about how the hallowed Miata always has been underpowered; but while the current MX-5 is short of the CX-5 by 32 ponies, it’s more than 1,300 pounds lighter. And the 2019 Miata is in for 26 more horses, just six short of the much-bigger SUV.

“It sort of caught me off-guard the other day with how slow it was out of the gate, when I was trying to get up to freeway speed,” said editor-in-chief Mike Floyd last fall, when he recorded commuter mpg in the low 20s.

A “sport” button jacks up the throttle response, though the button’s purpose doesn’t readily come to mind when you climb into this compact SUV, even though it’s right there, just below and to the left of the six-speed automatic’s gearshift. You’ll try it a few times then figure it’s probably not worth the extra hit to fuel efficiency.

This sort of lackadaisical acceleration almost defines any naturally aspirated compact utility, though perhaps we were expecting more from the erstwhile Zoom Zoom brand.

“I’d rather drive an MX-5,” online editor Ed Tehaney wrote, “but the CX-5 offers Zoom Zoom with a lot more room room than a Miata.”

Tahaney also lamented, among a few other nits, our tester’s handsome perforated Parchment (cream white) interior color as “very stylish, but not kid- or pet-friendly.”

El Segundo HQ had seven dogs among its staff when it took delivery, while the single staffer comprising the Automobile Detroit Bureau has three dogs—all collies. Once I would get the Mazda CX-5 to Michigan, its second row would be flipped down almost all of the time. High-powered car wash vacuums are a must.

But first, I had to get it there. I drove north before driving east so I could get Tire Rack to install a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks ($765.70, including sales tax, mounting and two-years roadside protection) on my way to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to drive the Nissan 370Zki and Armada Snow Patrol ahead of the 2018 Chicago auto show—this was still the middle of The Endless Winter, remember.

Tire Rack’s Sparks, Nevada, facility is a warehouse only. It neither sells nor mounts tires for retail customers of any kind, but I had no free time and knew I’d be white-knuckling it over the Rockies about the beginning of February, relying only on Predictive I-Active all-wheel-drive and the factory installed Toyo A30 mud-and-snow all-season tires. Given a choice between front-wheel-drive plus Blizzaks, or AWD plus all-seasons, I’d take the winter tire option every time, so the winter-AWD combo seems unbeatable.

The Blizzaks were mounted on the stock wheels and the Toyos would occupiy about two-thirds of the cargo compartment for the remaining 2,650 miles to the Detroit Bureau in Royal Oak, via Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Davenport, Iowa, New Berlin, Wisconsin (to visit parents) and through Chicago and Northern Indiana.

But first, an unscheduled side trip. Tesla’s Gigafactory is maybe three miles from the office park housing Tire Rack’s Western warehouse. Let’s see how close we can get…

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Touring

MILES TO DATE 14,477 PRICE $34,435 ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-vavle I-4/187 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 185 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine AWD SUV EPA MILEAGE 23/29 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 191.1 x 72.5 x 65.3 in WHEELBASE 106.2 in WEIGHT 3,655 lb 0-60 MPH 8.6 sec TOP SPEED N/A

The post Our Four Seasons 2017 Mazda CX-5 Goes to Michigan, Part One appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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jesusvasser · 6 years

Text

Our Four Seasons 2017 Mazda CX-5 Goes to Michigan, Part One

This sort of lackadaisical acceleration almost defines any naturally aspirated compact utility, though perhaps we were expecting more from the erstwhile Zoom Zoom brand.

“I’d rather drive an MX-5,” online editor Ed Tehaney wrote, “but the CX-5 offers Zoom Zoom with a lot more room room than a Miata.”

Tahaney also lamented, among a few other nits, our tester’s handsome perforated Parchment (cream white) interior color as “very stylish, but not kid- or pet-friendly.”

But first, an unscheduled side trip. Tesla’s Gigafactory is maybe three miles from the office park housing Tire Rack’s Western warehouse. Let’s see how close we can get…

Our 2017 Mazda CX-5 Touring

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smoothshift · 7 years

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My 1996 Suzuki X-90 AKA "The Shitzuki" via /r/cars

My 1996 Suzuki X-90 AKA "The Shitzuki"

First off I apologize for the shitty pictures! If there is enough interest I will work on taking better pictures. Stock

I bought this bone stock RWD 5 speed only a few spots of rust that need touched up but very straight and clean. Suzuki built these on top of the two door Sidekick frames and there were just over 7,000 sold in the US between '96 and '98.

What is interesting is to compare this to 'The Answer', Sacrilege I know.

Stats 1996 Miata 1996 X-90 Curb weight 2293 2391 HP 1.8L 16V DOHC133 @ 6500 1.6L 16V DOHC95 @ 5600 Wheelbase 89.2 86.6 Trackwidth F/R 55.5/56.2 56.1/56.3 Final Drive ratio 4.10 4.625 Body width 65.9 66.7 Length 155.4 146.1 Height 48.2 60.5

And that is where any similarities end. The Suzuki is on a ladder frame, has a solid rear axle, 4WD was an option, and you can actually Tow half a ton with it, albeit very slowly. It is not particularly sporty in stock configuration and is in fact downright tippy since it sits so high. I refer to it lovingly as the Shitzuki per the title. Really it could be the Miata's cousin with Down Syndrome. But still a blast to drive with the T-tops stowed on a warm sunny day cranking good tunes. In fact I daily drove it for about a year, with snow tires in the winter of course. but then the Autocross bug looked my way, winked and we began to talk.

Well it turns out the X-90 isn't even listed in the SCCA rule book but the Sidekick is... under the banned vehicles for rollover concerns. Well the tech guy looked at the rule book with me and we measured the track width vs height and the chart said there was jsut too much risk based on their handy little chart. So I was a little bummed out but determined to rectify the issue and see what potential this chassis had.

First modification on any car is wheels and most importantly tires. The stock alloys have great winter tires on so I found a set of 15x8 steel wheels cleaned and painted them white. OK, OK I paid someone to sandblast and paint. I had 195/50R15 BFG Sport Comp 2's installed with balance beads inside to keep the wheels pretty. Now I was onto something. These tires have just a tiny bit of stretch to preload the sidewalls. I picked this combination per this Wonderful article on MotoIQ. The combination of high grip and responsive tires made a night and day difference in the handling of the X-90 with one issue. The stock suspension was still allowing a fair amount of bodyroll which led to low confidence in cornering ability and stability.

Springs from a 4 door Sidekick/Tracker gives a higher rear rate and allowed me to preserve my stock springs and cut for increased rate and lower height. Now I already lost 2.3 inches of tire diameter giving just over an inch of height drop. With just under two inches of ride height drop, as measured by fender height on each corner through the cut, install, measure, repeat process, I am now rid of the 4x4 status. It sits very close to the bumpstops but whats the famous saying? "Any suspension works as long as you don't let it." For all the good and bad it now rides like a gokart and is phenomenal fun on smooth winding backroads.

I apologize I don't currently have pictures of it lowered but I can certainly do so if demand is there! My next planned steps are this spring see if they will allow me to autocross. I need to find Koni Yellows, yes they made them for this platform, and modify the shock mounts and bumps for more travel at this lower ride height. Later in life if I keep the car long enough I plan on adding power either by swapping in a possibly boosted Suzuki 2.0 I4, a 2.3 Duratec, or if I can afford at some point a rotary engine.

I hope you enjoyed my diatribe on my car! Please ask any questions I will try to respond as promptly as I can!

#reddit #autonews #auto #cars

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