Dropping My Car, And Then Regretting It

The mechanic at my tire place may as well have just whispered a sweet sonnet in my ear when said to me "you really need to get those shocks and struts replaced." I tried to hide my smile, but it was no use. 

 Ask any real car guy, when something's about to go, it means a rare opportunity to replace boring stock parts with much better, cooler aftermarket equipment, and get your hands dirty in the process. As an additional bonus, if you do it cheaper than paying a mechanic, the wife acceptance factor does not calculate into the equation.

I know I wanted to drop my car just a little bit, in order to get the handling and fuel efficiency benefits. And, let’s face it, the Nissan Maxima has enough wheel gap to rival most 4x4’s.

That Instagram photo that never happened

 I started researching the best spring and shock combinations, and after much deliberation, purchased a set of KYB Excel GR2’s shocks and a set of Tein S-Tech lowering springs. Everything I read on the forums said the drop wouldn’t be too aggressive, and at 1.5” in the front and 0.5” in the rear, I figured I would be safe. It was like Christmas morning when my lowering springs arrived; they were in a huge box, sitting on my doorstep with a big Tein logo on them. I unwrapped the bright green springs from their box like a kid getting his first Nintendo, and resisted the urge to Instagram a shot of them, because, well, no one cares but me.

The worn strut after it blew

A few days later, I rolled over a bump, and heard a snap and a pop, and realized I blew my worn front strut. When I got home, fluid was splattered all over my wheel well, and I had to hose it off. The car literally bounced at every bump and didn’t feel safe to drive more than 40 MPH. Despite that, I packed up my shiny new car parts, and headed upstate to my friend’s house, where he had the tools to do the job.

Putting in an entirely new suspension was only about a three beer job, and my friend and I did it over the course of a Sunday. The old struts and springs had to be taken off, while the hardest part was working through a few rusty bolts. We used a spring compressor to get the new struts onto the new springs, mounted them, and we were done. It wasn’t the most difficult job, but it is something that needs to done with at least a little mechanical experience, and a lot of YouTube videos.  Additionally, it was extremely cost effective. An entirely new suspension cost me about $450 in parts, vs. the $1200 or so I would spend to have a mechanic do it with stock parts.

new suspension and springs

Riding home, I felt like the car was on rails. The car was so planted to the road with absolutely no body roll, I felt like a Ferrari blasting through the backroads with new found confidence. But the ride quality was jarring to say the least. I felt every little bump in the road like a slap, and I kept telling myself to wait until the springs settle…

Now it’s a month later, and the springs have settled. The drop on the car looks amazing; it has an aggressive stance that i love, but I’m starting to think it’s just too low for metro NY. I have to creep into my driveway at a perfect 45-degree angle to minimize the scraping, and speedbumps have become my new worst enemy. The parking garage at my office is doing construction, and we are now routed through a series of the nastiest bumps I have ever seen. Even at 2 MPH, I can hear my catalytic converter hitting them. I am now officially “that guy” who comes to a near complete stop before every speed bump, lest I do serious damage to my undercarriage. On the bright side though, the ride quality has significantly improved since the springs settled, and the handling is better, but not as good as when I first installed them.  Eyeballing it, I would say that the lowering rate was a mild suggestion, as I think it’s more like a 2’5” drop.

For now, I’ll live with it, although in a constant state of fear, vigilant of every pothole, railroad crossing and speedbump in the road. I'll embrace it because the car looks great, and the handling is much better. As for fuel efficiency, well that has yet to be determined.  I have to be careful when I park head-in to a curb, so I don’t rip off my front bumper. I’m looking for my next flip car, and I find myself passing over every entry listed as having “lowering springs” installed just because now I know this horror. My advice to anyone who does long commutes is to not drop your ride unless you are willing to deal with the consequences. 

                         

                           But damn it looks good. 

P.S. - Big shout-out and thanks to my buddy Ryan for helping out on this job.

1200 Mile Desert Road Trip...In a Chevy Sonic Turbo

Recently I participated in a press event for GMC as a photographer/representative for my client. The trip was all about the new GMC Canyon. The participants were bought to the back country of Southern Utah and St. George area to experience the truck in a series of adventures. I saw this trip as an opportunity for an epic road trip to see an old friend out in Arizona, and then make my way out to St. George Utah. Because they don’t look that far apart on a map, right? Wrong.

Day 1

I flew into Vegas on an early morning flight, as this would be the base of operations for the journey. In hindsight, I should have just flown into Phoenix, but hey, that would be thinking ahead.  I immediately made my way to Enterprise to pick up my car. I always loved Enterprise because they let you pick your car in your class, and I needed to get a GM vehicle.   In addition, they rent cars with unlimited mileage, and I skip the line as a fleet member.

Then she arrived, clean and shiny, with only about 4000 miles on the clock, a 2015 Chevy Sonic LTZ hatch. Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with small cars, the Chevy Sonic is a 4-door compact car with a tiny 1.4 liter engine. I was hesitant at first, and considered paying the extra money and upgrade to a Cruze or Impala, because frankly I couldn’t imagine doing over 1000 miles in this little econobox. But then a gleaming badge caught my eye on the rear hatch: “Turbo” it whispered to me, and I gave into that sweet siren’s song and decided to give it a spin.

The cabin was surprisingly well appointed, and I paired my phone with the infotainment system for navigation before I left the rental lot.  I was happy to find other standard features that were surprising for a car in this class, such as power windows, AC and seatbelts. Missing though were some key things like seats that were adjustable in multiple ways- for example, there was no recline option, only a lever that adjusted the seat position for back and forth tilt. Rolling out of the lot, I exited the Vegas Strip, and made my way onto The 15 Freeway. I hit the gas, and felt the pure exhilaration as all 138 ponies were let loose from their cage. Since Vegas is a city of high rollers, I curbed the urge to smoke the Ferraris and Lamborghinis that were passing me, who were obviously on the hunt for a challenge. However, since I really didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, I resisted and continued my journey.

After passing the Hoover Dam and crossing the Arizona state line, I hit the open road. Route 93 was hundreds of miles long, and was where I would be spending the majority of my journey. The speed limit was between 65 and 75, so I eventually let the cruise control take over, until the straight desert road started twisting through the desert canyons. The handling at low speed is surprisingly nimble, but at higher speeds I was a bit hesitant of sharper turns. I grew accustomed to hitting the gas pedal hard when I spotted a large hill, fully well knowing I would need all of the power I could get to maintain a safe speed up the incline. But of course, these rapid elevation changes are not the typical kind of driving your normal teenager or early 20-something who purchases a Sonic would expect.

About an hour in, I really started to explore the Chevrolet “MyLink” radio system. I had never liked touchscreens, but this one grew on me. There were physical buttons on the wheel for most controls in addition to touch screen, and pairing was a seamless operation. The system was actually great, and made this long road trip quite enjoyable, as I was able to pull music from my phone and iPod, and talk to my wife and check in with the office through the phone.  The My Link system was totally way more than I would expect from an economy car, and actually beat many modern luxury cars in terms of connectivity and operation.  The radio audio was also surprisingly decent, and I had visions of thrashing the Sonic through a cow pasture to the tune of Fun’s “We are Young” like they did in that Super Bowl Commercial. That didn’t happen.  The main driver display was also a funky design that I grew to love. The speedometer was big and digital, while the tach was a traditional needle. I was wishing for a temperature gauge while driving 7 hours through a 110-degree desert, but thankfully, I didn’t need one.  The display also held info like MPG, and fuel range, which was a little helpful. But like most machines, I didn’t totally trust it because of that whole Skynet thing. Additionally, 3 days in, I found out that there was actually a backup camera, and opening the glovebox revealed a USB port and auxiliary jack. Win.

Here’s the thing about driving through a desert when no one is around you for 70 miles in any direction, and you just got done watching “The Hills Have Eyes” - Range anxiety becomes a real worry. I picked the Sonic up with a full tank, and the range readout was on 310 miles to empty. Not bad, but not the fuel economy I would expect. I stopped to fill up twice on my journey, even though I was slightly under half full, just because I didn’t know when my next opportunity would be. The first time I filled up, the bill was 13 bucks. Yes, 13 dollars. The reason the range was so small was because the car actually had an itty-bitty gas tank, of about 12 gallons. The trip computer told me I was getting about 30 MPG, which seemed low for a car of this size, even while blasting at 75 MPH with the AC on. But then something magical happened. On my third fill-up, the range mysteriously shot up to nearly 400 miles, and my MPG skyrockets to about 38 MPG. This welcome change would stay with me for the rest of my journey.  

Day 2-3

My ride from phoenix to Utah was amazing. I left at 3 a.m. to make it to Utah by noon. It was cool enough that I could drive with the windows down, until the sun came up. I drove the Joshua Tree Scenic Highway (Rt. 93) through Arizona during the sunrise, which was a surreal experience. Seeing the sunrise on the rock outcroppings with the cacti silhouetted was gorgeous, and surely something I will remember for a long time. I didn’t have to stop for gas until I hit Las Vegas, and then I made my way into Utah. The drive to St. George, Utah was equally gorgeous, with the road dipping into fiery red canyons and long, straight expanses with distant mountains. The Sonic had no trouble keeping up with the 75 MPH speed limit, and was quite comfortable on the freeway.

Day 4

When I made it to Utah and met up with the GMC team, my tiny Sonic was dwarfed by the Canyon pick-up trucks. I struggled to keep up with them on the highway, frequently flooring the accelerator to not get left behind the group. Then the trip took an unexpected turn-off road. The activity was canyoneering, and the route to the mouth of the canyon was about 45 minutes up through the Dixie National forest. No problem for a capable 4WD pick-up, but big problem for a front-wheel drive Sonic.  The ride was harrowing and white knuckle, as I struggled to maintain a safe line, and keep the ass of the car from sliding off any one of the numerous hairpin turns. To make matters worse, the dust plumes kicked up by the trucks made my visibility about 20 feet.  To my left was a cliff with about a 300-foot drop. To my right, sheer rock face, and ahead of me was no room for error. After this nerve-wracking ride up and down the valley, I was relieved the Sonic made it out without even a scratch…and then I realized I left my camera bag with my lenses up at the canyon entrance, so I had to go back up and do it all over again. The best part about this was the confused stares and looks from the other jeep, FJ cruiser and other 4WD vehicle owners on my way up the mountain, clearly surprised to see this tiny car going all Tanner Foust on the trail. So the lesson here is this -  no matter what they say, any car can go off-road…as long as it’s a rental.

I did get a chance to ride in the GMC Canyon, and I was surprised by the level of refinement inside the cabin, augmented by the trucks aggressive lines and good looks. The design straddles the line between useful functionality and comfortable utility, with 4 doors, and ample backseat and great cockpit tech. Little things like steps near the back tailgate and a powerful enough 3.6 liter V6 engine make this pickup truck into a comfortable highway cruiser, and an off-road bruiser.  I guess that’s a secret that’s known by middle America, which is that pickup trucks can actually be used for commuting, and quite successfully.  

Day 5

The ride from Utah to Vegas went pretty fast, and the miles ticked by quickly on the 15 freeway. I took a detour through Arizona’s Valley of Fire for some more sightseeing and looked forward to boarding a plane to get back home.  I was a little worried about being hit with a cleaning bill for the car, as taking to the trail made the car dirty -  dirt was literally piled over the emblems, and even the inside of the door sills had a layer of dirt in them.  The girl at Enterprise was surprised by the mileage I put on, but assured me that “people come back with cars way worse than this all the time”. This makes me think about the abuse that rentals endure. I reluctantly bid my little Sonic goodbye, and felt a tear come to my eye -  we had been through a lot together, and she never let me down.

In conclusion

But this is the point where I get existential. At some point in the journey, I was reacquainted with my inner peace. With nothing around me for miles, I remember why I fell in love with the open road. For years, I have been flying out west on my way to Seattle, Vegas, LA and SF. I have always looked down at the vast desert, and seen the long, straight roads cutting through the landscape below, and have wondered what it would be like to blast down them. I now know the answer, and its very long and boring. Over the long trip, the Sonic and I had become good friends, and I came to appreciate this small car and all it had to offer. I came in to the relationship with lower expectations, and left pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of the car.

Key stats for the road trip:

•  Frames captured on my Nikon D5500: 624
•  Miles traveled - 1230 miles
•  Enterprise bill for the car $276.44
•   Average MPG -35.8
•   Money spent on gas: $96.12
•   Vultures hit: 1 (he came out of nowhere)
• Tumbleweeds hit: 2
•   Cans of Starbucks iced coffee: 9
•  # of Spotify playlists: 6
•   # of days it took me to find the hidden USB and Aux ports: 3
•  Times lost: 0
•   Times the Sonic went to an actual Sonic: 2
•   Breakfast burritos consumed: 4
•  # of times I thought I was going to drive off a cliff: Like at least 5
•  Times “Turn the Page” came up in shuffle and I totally rocked out: 4
•   Existential reckonings: 2
•  Average speed: 78 MPH (75 MPH speed limits!)
• Most travelled road: Route 93
• Time zones: 3
• Times the Sonic went Super-Sonic :0

A Great innovation that not enough car companies are using - Adaptive brake lighting

I'm on the GW Bridge the other day in stop-and-go traffic. The pace picked up a little bit, and I am following a late model BMW 535. He brakes suddenly, and I just barely miss rear-ending him. The only reason I didn't? He had a secondary set of adaptive brake lights, a brighter, secondary set of brake lights that illuminated to let me know he was braking hard.

The implementation seems simple enough; depress the brakes hard enough or panic stop, and an extra, brighter LED / bulb is activated to warn the driver behind you. The result is saving a few precious milliseconds that could be the difference between a short stop and a costly insurance deductible.

So the question is, why doesn't this kind of innovation, and other ideas make their way into more cars if it's clearly safer? For example, many VW Jettas have a feature that blink the brake lights when at a standstill, so you don't get rear ended at a traffic light. Recent Ford Mustang models also have sequential tail lights that indicate the direction of turn, which is also helpful.

In the last 50 years, the biggest innovation in brake lights has been the high-mount stoplight, which was so effective it was mandated into Federal law.  There are a lot of NHTSA regulations governing the illumination of brake lights, but for now the luxury car makers like BMW, Mercedes and Audi are leading the way. It will be interesting to see where this technology goes.

New Lincoln Continental (Will be Huge In China)

If you haven't noticed yet, Lincoln is in what you might call a bit of a renaissance. They have a new brand identity, and a stellar ad campaign which some love, some hate, but everyone remembers. Possibly the best thing about the new Lincoln is its bold new designs as of late, starting with the MKZ a few years ago which had one of the sexiest rear ends in modern sedans. It's good to see that bold attitude continuing.

Today they announced a new concept for the NY Auto Show, a modern take on the classic continental. It low, wide and screams luxury. It has LED's all around, an aggressive stance, and new technology like "Light Through Chrome" taillights and an adaptive sunroof. A design cue worth noting, it has a new smaller grill; a move which hopefully indicates a future design direction.

But here's the honest truth. This car is not for US buyers and it likely won't sell well here. But in China where big american cars are luxury and status, this car is sure to be a hit. Domestic automakers are continuing to turn toward China's booming market to make a profit, and create models that appeal to this market.

The continental is no exception.



info and photos from Newspress USA


Press Release
LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CONCEPT SHOWS THE FUTURE OF QUIET LUXURY AND UPCOMING FULL-SIZE SEDAN



-Elegant, effortlessly powerful and serene, the Lincoln Continental Concept signals the brand’s all-new full-size sedan coming next year and the future of quiet luxury
 -Lincoln Continental Concept integrates technologies designed to create better drivers, rejuvenate and entertain passengers, including all-new, Lincoln-exclusive 3.0-liter EcoBoost® engine, patented 30--way seats and premium Revel audio system
-New Continental Concept introduces E-Latch door handles, LED matrix headlamps with laser-assist high beams and SPD SmartGlass® tinting sunroof

NEW YORK, March 30, 2015 –Lincoln today introduces the Continental Concept, signaling an all-new full-size sedan coming next year and the future of quiet luxury.

Elegant, effortlessly powerful and serene, the Continental Concept blends meticulous craftsmanship and technologies designed to create better drivers and provide passengers with a more relaxing and entertaining environment inspired by first-class travel.

“Luxury at its best is about simplifying and quietly exceeding expectations, rather than being the loudest statement on the road,” said Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company president and CEO. “The Continental Concept showcases the promise of quiet luxury from Lincoln going forward. It also is a strong indication of what’s to come next year as we introduce our new Lincoln Continental full-size luxury sedan.”

With a sleek silhouette and a new centered chrome grille, the Continental Concept signals the arrival of a new face for Lincoln. A raised Lincoln badge is surrounded by a span of repeating polished aluminum Lincoln Star emblems.

E-Latch door handles tuck discreetly in the clean vehicle beltline. The door handle technology also provides for elegant entry. The doors open effortlessly with the touch of a button positioned on the underside of the door handle wings and close quietly.

“Some brands talk about ‘the machine,’ ” said Kumar Galhotra, Lincoln president. “Lincoln is different. For us, it is about more than the machine. It is about what our vehicles do for our clients.”

New technology is a hallmark of the vehicle. It starts with the vehicle sensing your approach and lighting up to greet you inside and out.

Outside, signature full-width tail lamps feature advanced light-through-chrome technology. Powerful LED matrix head lamps with laser-assist high beams reduce glare and improve visibility.

Rhapsody Blue metallic paint calls back Lincoln Continental’s signature color.

Inside are the brand’s most sensual materials ever, including Venetian leather seat and door panels, Alcantara® seat inserts and armrests, satin headliner and shearling wool carpet. Rose Gold trim around the instrument cluster provides warmth. Bright chrome trim on the instrument panel adds contrast.

Ambient lighting enhances the interior, creating a serene environment. Soft-gold LED lights glow from the center console and from the halo light overhead.

Patented 30-way Lincoln-designed seats use a new-to-market design that conforms to passengers’ sizes and shapes. The passenger-side rear seat can fully recline by moving the front passenger seat forward with the touch of a button.

From a panel mounted on the through-center console, rear passengers also can control climate settings and the Revel Ultima audio system, which allows passengers to select from three surround-sound modes: Stereo, Audience and On-Stage.

Rear-seat comfort is further highlighted by an SPD SmartGlass® tinting sunroof, which allows passengers to control heat from direct sunlight. With the touch of a button, the glass can cool the vehicle interior by as much as 18 degrees Fahrenheit, while blocking 99 percent of UV rays.

Rear-seat passengers also enjoy the convenience of a tablet-supporting lap tray that deploys from the through-center console. It also features a champagne storage compartment. Detachable, hand-crafted Venetian leather travel cases are mounted to the backside of the front seats.

Under the skin, the Continental Concept is powered by a Lincoln-exclusive 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost® engine. It also features Lincoln Drive Control ride-enhancing technologies and Adaptive Steering. The car rides on polished-aluminum, painted-pocket 21-inch wheels.

Driver assist technologies include Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Enhanced Park Assist and a 360-degree camera that displays on the MyLincoln Touch™ screen.

“The Lincoln Continental name is associated with iconic beauty and elegance,” said David Woodhouse, Lincoln design director. “Capturing those qualities and building upon them drove us as we crafted this thoroughly modern sedan concept.”

The Lincoln Continental Concept is at the New York International Auto Show, which opens Wednesday for members of the news media.

Tolls going up. Again. Effective March 22nd

Once again the MTA is raising tolls on all of the river crossings in Metro NY.
Most crossings are going up about .50 cents to a dollar for cash payers, and slightly less for EZ Pass.

The new rates go into effect at 2 am ET on March 22, 2015.

Passenger car toll increases:
Throgs Neck / RFK Bridge /Midtown Tunnel 
(Cash / EZ-PAss)
$7.50 / $5.33 increased to $8 / $5.54
Verrazano Bridge (one way tolls) 
$15 / $10.66 increased to $16 / $11.08

To put this in perspective of inflation, I started commuting in about 2005, 10 years ago. At that time, the toll rates were $4 each way for the major crossing, double that for the Verrazano. That means in 10 years, we have seen a 100% increase, doubling the toll rate at the crossings. More information here.

Offical rates and more info on MTS' website here:
 http://web.mta.info/mta/news/hearings/2015FareTolls/FaresBT.html

The #1 Tip for Winter Weather Driving

Black ice, snow drifts, chunks of ice hurtling off trucks, and a few feet of snow. This winter is not kind to Northeastern commuters. While this is slightly bothersome, the real annoying part is that friend  we all have from up north who thinks he's bulletproof in the snow, and wants to constantly remind you of the fact. But even he probably knows that the single most important thing about driving in any kind of inclement weather is your tires.

Sure, there are lots of techniques and tips for driving in the snow, but none is more important than that layer of rubber that goes between you and the road. Lately I see a lot of automotive websites dismissing all wheel drive (AWD) cars, and preaching the necessity of snow tires. But the fact remains that snow tires just aren't practical for most people. This is of course unless your daily driver is a high-torque RWD sports car, or you live in the snow belt. But for the rest of us, we make due with our all season rubber. As for the AWD, it has its place, and that's smashing snowbanks and climbing icy hills.

Last winter was really rough for me, because I did not have adequate tires. There were times when I couldn't even get out of a parking spot after a snowfall. So this year, I did some online research and then made a call to Mavis Discount Tire to make an appointment.

Tires for my car are very big and very expensive. Also, I'm what you call a "spirited" driver, so usually a decent 245/45/18 runs me more than 200 dollars. I normally get my favorite tire, a Bridgestone Potenza RE960 AS, which are about $270 a pop. Since I needed 4 and my family needed to eat this month, this wasn't going to happen.

After talking with the service manager, I settled on a set of Goodyear Eagle GT's for $125 each, a significant savings. They came highly recommended, and after looking them up online, I was willing to take a chance.

And boy I'm glad I did. They have a mean asymmetrical tread pattern, they have a little flare which gives the appearance of an aggressive stance, and the sidewalls aren't too busy. But more importantly, they grip. They hold traction perfectly in the rain, and haven't hydroplaned yet, and with the snow we have experienced, I'm remarkably sure footed. I have had other people spin in front of me while I easily dodge them. My car puts 300 HP to the front wheels, which usually makes my immobile in the snow, but this year I have yet to get stuck.

So here's the moral of the story. Don't skimp on tires. they are literally the only thing between you and the road. Don't feel like you have to buy the most expensive, but it does pay to talk to someone who knows a thing or two about rubber and do some research before making the investment.

I'm an Absentee Father. But That's OK, Because I Drive a Four-Door Sports Car

Lets get something straight. The Nissan Maxima does not get the love it deserves. Not from the auto press and not from car enthusiasts. Any commuter would be hard pressed to find the combination of power, luxury and reliability at a decent value that the Maxima offers. That's probably why the nameplate derives such fierce loyalty, and I have owned 3. That being said, I'm very excited about the announcement of the 2015 Maxima, which was briefly teased at this year's Super Bowl.

Now I'm sure you have seen the commercial by now. Some people even understood the correlation that this super-cool racecar driver is a family man who chooses the sporty 4DSC Maxima as his personal ride. Unfortunately, they chose to use "Cats in a Cradle" as a soundtrack, whose opening note inspires guilt and anxiety in pretty much every father who wishes they could spend more time with their family. Not the kind of marketing message I would want to send, but I hope it works for them.  

But damn, its sexy. Official photos were released today. It has a very muscular front end and rear haunches that are reminiscent of Infiniti models, yet somehow different. It also takes design cues from Nissan's current lineup, with boomerang lights, while that grill fascia really needs to be available in a matte black. I'm a little nervous about the high beltline and visibility, but I'll reserve judgement until I take a test drive.

Photos from Newspress

As for the powerplant and technicals, no one knows what that will be, but I'd  venture guessing either a 3.5 or 3.7 liter V6, mated to a CVT. I don't think we will see a platform beyond FWD, as Nissan still relies on Maxima upgraders for the survival of the Infiniti brand.

The car is set to debut at the NY Auto show in April, and I'll be there.


information via http://www.newspressusa.com/