Item dreams, stuff you wish you could have

[wellington1869]

At least it would be a less-disappointing tranny surprise.

nicely done

[instantkamera]

i agree actually, i find tiptronic annoying. My b-in-law's audi TT had tiptronic. Didnt like it at all, i left it in automatic mode most of the time. Just not the same without a clutch pedal for your left foot.

but it might let me rev up the engine a bit in this case and see what the engine's got.

Possibly, although I felt the lag and feel on the second gen tiburon I spent a good amount of time driving 'tip on made for a ****ty driving experience. Spent all the time in D.

I sure would like to try a "real" Semi-automatic transmission:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_transmission

Despite superficial similarity to other automated transmissions, semi-automatic transmissions differ significantly in internal operation and driver's "feel" from manumatics[tiptronic] and CVTs. A manumatic, like a standard automatic transmission, uses a torque converter instead of clutch to manage the link between the transmission and the engine, while a CVT uses a belt instead of a fixed number of gears.

Like, say, on a Ferrari.

no its a zipcar rental.
Nice thing about zipcar is they have some intersting models you can rent for very cheap. I want to try the Mini and the BMW 3 series as well (both available at zipcar).  Never driven a beemer. Will get around to it in next few months.

That is coool. ZIPCAR in the T. I was unaware... may have to check it out.

[instantkamera]

I have always dreamed of building a full hockey arena in my backyard, for personal use.

[wellington1869]

I sure would like to try a "real" Semi-automatic transmission:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_transmission

that sounds intriguing.

That is coool. ZIPCAR in the T. I was unaware... may have to check it out.

its a great deal if you only drive occasionally, and super cheap. Check it:

-free gas! free insurance! nearly unlimited miles! and starting at $8/hour.
-variety of locations to pick up the car. For me, for instance, the zipcars are located 2 blocks from my home. They're spread out around town in various locations, usually near campuses for instance.
-there is an annual fee (I think around $75 - BUT - most colleges will subsidize it (my college pays $50 of that), and even most corporations have deals (my friend who works at the world bank says WB pays entire $75 for her). Also there are e-coupons floating around for that annual fee (like half off and etc).  
-you can share one zipcar with like four of your friends (split the costs, and all of you register as drivers on the same membership card).

But the best part is actually the car selection they have, which is very interesting (they also have neat utilitarian stuff like the Scions, and cutting edge stuff like hybrids).
I also want to drive the hybrid models they have. I was a passenger in a hybrid prius but have never driven one.

[wellington1869]

I have always dreamed of building a full hockey arena in my backyard, for personal use.

I'd like my own personal clay court (tennis) in my backyard.

[TheSoulhunter]

Right now...



Besides this: My dream house and a mint 60s mustang (plus free gas, lol)
For fun: A invisibility-cloak and a time machine

[wellington1869]

I knew someone with the first-gen Mazda 3 wagon - hatchback, whatever - with a full manual. Very nice car, I doubt you'll be disappointed unless the tranny ruins it somehow.

just got back from a 3 hour mazda3 voyage.

This is the actual car I drove:



Pros:

-this is an impressive automobile
-BROAD power band, torquey as heck, peppy as heck
-tiptronic: not as annoying as the audi's tiptronic! was fun for about 5 minutes before i got bored and put it back into auto. But thats 4 minutes longer than I enjoyed the audi's. (Nothing beats a standard manual of course, as far as driving fun goes.)  
-i'd be proud to own one
-extremely comfy seats, firm ride (slightly jarring over potholes but mostly just supple)
-quality-everything, from door-thud to switches and knobs
-this zipcar happened to be brand new, about 100 miles on it, with temporary license plates and new car smell.
-bought some lumber from home depot and the inherent utility of the "hatchback" design shone through once again

Cons:
-has the turning radius of a drunken elephant. Seriously. My honda turned like a shopping cart. The mazda3 needs a 6 lane highway to perform a u-turn.

-looks are a bit controversial. Taken as a whole, its not a bad looking car, but its not the down-to-business look of the gti. I like the clean utilitarian lines of the gti or the conservative sleekness of the focus. The mazda is, well, curvy, all over. The headlight bubbles, the backlight bubbles, curves curves curves. The side scoops, the front-end grin. Everything bulges or scoops or smiles.

So while its not a bad looking car by any means, for myself I'd probably still take a GTI (or scirroco, or ford focus hatch) with their cleaner lines. Just a personal aesthetic preference. But I have a feeling the mazda3 is probably a much better value for the money and is likely every bit the same quality, if not better.

Next time i'll take either the Mini or the beemer been wanting to try them out too.

[Input Nirvana]

Right now...

Show Image

Besides this: My dream house and a mint 60s mustang (plus free gas, lol)
For fun: A invisibility-cloak and a time machine

Agreed. 60's Mustangs Rule.

[wellington1869]

drove my first hybrid.

had to unexpectedly go to queens. I'm getting too used to jumping into those zipcars. so convenient.

This time the civic hybrid was available. My first drive of a hybrid!  

The civic hybrid gets 40 city/45 hwy mpg. Not bad.  It also (unlike the prius) is built to be as unobtrusive as possible, for instance, not a plug-in, and its electric motor is only an 'assist'. It auto-recharges itself from the gas engine, I believe, and from regenerative braking.

Driving impressions:
-95% the experience of a normal car. As it was designed to be.
-the two biggest things you notice:
a) engine shuts off at stop lights. This is a little weird at first. It starts up soon as you release the brake with your foot, and starts up nearly instantly and very quietly. However if you're in a hurry and slam on the gas (as manhattanites tend to do), the car will lurch a little cuz its still starting up when you do that. This was probably the most noticeably 'hybrid' aspect of driving this car.
b) on highway, when you accelerate, you can hear a whirring that comes on and fades as you let off the gas. I presume this is the elec motor winding up to provide its 'assist'.
c) the dashboard is normal looking except for the extra gauge showing charging/assist status of the batteries. (kind of like having a turbo, i suppose).

-looks just like a normal civic - which i liked - no weird body panels like on the prius.

-not a lot of pickup, as might be expected, if you step hard on the gas. Though it wasnt overly annoying to drive either, its fine if you're not in a hurry.

[wellington1869]

driving the audi tt again (in chicago for a few days).

-its nice to hit 60 in 5 seconds
-but you know, i rarely ever need to
-yea the tiptronic isnt great
-other nitpicking: steering feel is 'remote'. acceleration isnt linear (the turbos come on abruptly). its hard to get into and out of the car (have to fold yourself into a pretzel).

on the other hand it looks like a million bucks. I'll be honest tho, i'd prefer a crx or miata, i'd consider them to be more fun and easier to live with.

I like cars that are 'responsive' (a vague term, i know). (Just means they're peppy and you get a feel for the road and things work linearly so you have the feeling of control and feedback).  As opposed to raw power.  
I also like creature comforts, which many pure sportscars tend not to have so much. Like being able to get into and out of it easily

[instantkamera]

Miatas and TTs are both chick cars, IMO. I MIGHT drive an s2000 (I have, actually).

[wellington1869]

Miatas and TTs are both chick cars, IMO. I MIGHT drive an s2000 (I have, actually).

I know some guys who have the miata, but i'll let them know they're girly men

s2000 is a nice looking car, i'd prefer its looks too. What were your impressions from driving it?  Doesnt it rev to like 9k or something? Honda always seems to make motorbike revving  low-torque cars, its my one big complaint about them. I like low end torque.

[instantkamera]

yeah it's seriously like two crotch rockets glued together, but it goes like stink. I wouldn't buy one though.

What I really want to try is VW's new diesel version of the GTI ... GTD. You want all your power at the low end?

GTD   1,968 cc (120 cu in) I4 turbo (CBBB)
170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) @4200
350 N·m (258 lb·ft) @1750–2500   

Doesn't have quite the horsies that the GTI does, but A LOT of torque and plenty of power overall to make that a quick little SOB.

[wellington1869]

yeah it's seriously like two crotch rockets glued together, but it goes like stink. I wouldn't buy one though.

What I really want to try is VW's new diesel version of the GTI ... GTD. You want all your power at the low end?


Doesn't have quite the horsies that the GTI does, but A LOT of torque and plenty of power overall to make that a quick little SOB.

dude i've *seriously* considered the GTD. If i dont get the GTI, it'll definitely at least be the GTD.  Ya, those torque numbers look fantaastic, and its MPG rating is very, very good (like in hybrid car range) too.  I'm hoping they'll also eventually build a diesel-hybrid (which i imagine should get mileage in 70mpg range! and still feel normal and peppy to drive).
It'll happen.

The only thing about diesel - I suggested the GTD to my b-in-law who's looking at hybrid cars right now - but he says diesel is very expensive? Is that true? I dont know diesel prices vs gasoline prices.  If thats true, it would offset the great gas mileage a bit.

[instantkamera]

dude i've *seriously* considered the GTD. If i dont get the GTI, it'll definitely at least be the GTD.  Ya, those torque numbers look fantaastic, and its MPG rating is very, very good (like in hybrid car range) too.  I'm hoping they'll also eventually build a diesel-hybrid (which i imagine should get mileage in 70mpg range! and still feel normal and peppy to drive).
It'll happen.

The only thing about diesel - I suggested the GTD to my b-in-law who's looking at hybrid cars right now - but he says diesel is very expensive? Is that true? I dont know diesel prices vs gasoline prices.  If thats true, it would offset the great gas mileage a bit.

right now in Canada (Ont) diesel is cheaper by about 3-5 cents a litre. It does go up and down, so it is occasionally higher, but the mileage(kilometrage?) is still enough to make up. My friend routinely filled a tank and got 1000+ Km on her 2002 TDI, at the time that was 2 tanks of gas in any other car.

[EverythingIBM]

Actually, another thing I wanted was a "Баян" (bayan), it's a Russian accordian, but I like the sound of them best:


Doubt I'll ever get one. A harpsichord oddly enough seems more feasible.

[wellington1869]

right now in Canada (Ont) diesel is cheaper by about 3-5 cents a litre. It does go up and down, so it is occasionally higher, but the mileage(kilometrage?) is still enough to make up. My friend routinely filled a tank and got 1000+ Km on her 2002 TDI, at the time that was 2 tanks of gas in any other car.

thats what i thought. I dont remember seeing diesel prices being much higher than regular gas.

[wellington1869]

Recently played passenger in a 1972 Ford LTD.

Responsive? Who the #@$# cares? I'd take that over literally any currently-built car.

my parents had a gran torino from the 70s. I learned to drive on it in the late 80s.  It was about as 'responsive' as an aircraft carrier, but I know the appeal you speak of.  It was majestic going down the street.  




They definitely dont make 'em like that anymore.

[hate]

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallingwater
- ibm t221
- good mental health

[EverythingIBM]

#2 can be solved with this:
http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/

[netwebber]

No wish list would be complete with out her.

I watched "Almost Famous" last night with her as the cutest airline stewardess!

I saw her in concert last month (She and Him). The girl needs a sammich. Great voice, though.

Do love those brunettes with blue eyes.

[EverythingIBM]

I'll be sure to bring a sammich to the concert.

You're just asking for it:


Ballmer'll bring his too!

[Concerto]

I'd give my left egg for a Kuba Comet TV set (left):



Sadly there are probably only 20 units left, and they sell for several thousand €€€ ... :-(

Source: http://www.jukebox-world.de/Forum/Archiv/Schweiz/Chantal.htm

[itlnstln]

If you're not watching where you're going around that Kuba Comet, you might just lose your left egg anyway.

[Flybye]

#1
Mazda 787b.  I would love to either have this car, or at least build a replica with the same 4 rotor.


#2
Porsche 993 GT1 Street car


#3
Bugatti Veyron


#4
1970 - 1973 Pontiac Trans Am

[Ekaros]

Encylopaedia Britannica... Paper edition Have to get one some day.

[EverythingIBM]

Show Image

Encylopaedia Britannica... Paper edition ;D Have to get one some day.

One time I was actually bored enough to read a few...

Honestly, does anyone ever use those? They seem to be more-so of a decoration.

Now if they were good books... that's a different story. Get it, "different story"?

[itlnstln]

All I remember about Encyclopedia Britannica was this douchebag hocking them:

fs=1&hl=en_US">

[wellington1869]

I had World Book.

lol i had world book too. The 1975 version picked up for free by my dad from a local library sale.
As long as the paper topic was one from before 1975, I was all set.