They like it! And they quoted Foucault.
Showing posts with label Cars- Honda/Acura. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cars- Honda/Acura. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2022
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Central California Coast trip
I had to make a quick work trip down to San Luis Obispo this week. On the way back, I decided to take the scenic route-- Pacific Coast Highway. It was quite eventful.
I took Highway 101 down. It's semi-scenic, mixed in with farm land. When I got to my hotel, there were three '32 Roadsters parked in front of the lobby.
For dinner, I decided to check out nearby Avila Beach. You may recall that in the 1990s, Unocal destroyed the small coastal town with a massive oil spill. I went to Mersea, which was near the end of a pier. The meal was excellent. The old man sitting next to me at the bar hitting on the young bartender was not so excellent.
There is still a little bit of seafood processing done on the pier.
We have been watching Stanley Tucci's Italy food show on CNN and the scenery reminded me of Sicily.
The next morning, while I was checking out, I bumped into the owners of the three roadsters. I asked them what they thought of Plymouth Prowlers. They said that people are free to like whatever car they like, but a Prowler would not be invited to a '32 Roadster show.
This red example does not have a single part from the original 1932 model car. It has 700+ horsepower. 75 fellow Roadster are expected at the hotel that day for a meetup.
Instead of driving back up 101, I took Pacific Coast Highway. I stopped to see these sea elephants near Hearst Castle. The California sea elephants were hunted to extinction. A few animals from Mexico showed up here in the 1990s and the population fortunately exploded. It was cool to watch them with a bunch of amazed European tourists.
Near Big Sur, I grabbed lunch. The seafood platter was all frozen and out of a bag, and expensive. The gas wasn't cheap either. I saw a Bentayga and couldn't imagine how much a fill up would cost. At least the view was nice.
There were a few construction zones where everyone had to stop for long periods of time, and this is what the roadside looked like.
It's looking likely that I'll be getting the Alfa this summer. So this may be my last road trip with the Acura. At 90,000 miles, it drives like new.
Once I got back to civilization in Carmel, I came upon a broken down 240Z Scarab. The clutch had gone kaput. I offered the driver a ride but a tow truck was already on its way. I had never heard of a Scarab before. They have V8s. It looked like this:
And finally, I almost got hit by a taxi being chased by cops.
Wednesday, May 04, 2022
Early 90s Honda Accords
Today, I saw not one, but two Accord coupes on the freeway.
This is my favorite generation Accord. Probably due to a strong case of nostalgia. Motorweek was not thrilled with it when it was introduced.
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Honda HSV-010
I had no idea this car existed until I heard it mentioned in yesterday's New for '96 podcast.
Saturday, December 11, 2021
December 2021 Milpitas Exotic Cars & Coffee
Today, we checked out another Cars & Coffee, this time in Milpitas (it's a few freeway exits south of the Tesla factory). We thought we would be late, but this Countach arrived late with us. At the long red light, we could literally see the engine get hotter and hotter (the air above it got wavier and wavier).
The vast majority of the cars there were Lamborghinis and McLarens. This Ferrari GT car really stood out.
Everyone, including me, was gawking at this thing. It's apparently a kit car called the Superlite SL-C.
I like it a lot!
There were also a ton of anonymous looking Porsches. This Speedster popped out.
Alas, that Chevy S10 was not the EV version. I get the sense that the same Rivian keeps popping up all over the Bay Area, It's four dudes who probably work for Rivian, showing it off. They floored it at a red light and it was very quick. Very torquey.
No idea what this Ferrari is. I don't think I've ever seen one of these before.
Here's another one next to an iconic Diablo. @slirt tells me it's an SF90 Stradale, The only two older Lamborghinis at the show were this Diablo and that white Countach.
I had to walk back and take another picture of the SL-C.
Funny license plate.
The pedestrian Giulia Quadrifoglio was parked next to an Accord.
We are going to another meet next weekend.
Tuesday, December 01, 2020
My Daily Driver: @GeoffNews's One-owner, 229,000-mile 2000 Acura 3.2 TL
My ex and I bought it new. We’d cross-shopped the E46 323i, but the BMW dealer was super off-putting and the TL was a hoot to drive. We loved the power, the comfort, the incredible value for money, and the surprising economy (I racked up a lot of 30mpg road trips). Five years later, we sold it to my Dad as a replacement for his mid-90s Buick Park Avenue. This was his daily driver through his retirement, when it was demoted to second-car status. Dad can’t drive any more, so it came back to me in October of 2020 after 15 pampered years of (mostly) Acura dealer service and heated garage storage.
2. What has your ownership experience been like?
This is the best car I have ever owned. After racking up more than 229,000 miles, the TL still starts right up and winds out smooth. All of the electrics still work, including the car’s only option: the built-in navigation system that was cool 20 years ago … but now feels very N64. The exterior and interior have held up well too, except for a little clearcoat failure on one door and a couple of cracks on the driver’s seat. When I got the car back, Dad included a folder full of maintenance and service receipts, covering everything from a transmission rebuild in 2016 to a timing belt service just 20,000 miles ago. The gearbox is still a little dodgy — apparently Honda transmissions of this vintage are made of glass — but I’m determined to keep it on the road as long as I can.
3. What is your fondest memory with this car?
I have two. Back in 2005, I drove the TL from Chicago to Dad’s home outside Detroit to deliver it to him … which was a three-hour blast that included talking my way out of a 90-in-a-70-zone speeding ticket. The other one is the drive back to Chicago when I picked it up from Dad and remembered why I loved it so much the first time around. It was like getting reacquainted with an old friend.
4. Why do you love cars?
That’s like asking “why do you breathe air?” I just always have. I grew up in Flint, and both of my grandfathers worked for GM. Mom and Dad aided and abetted my interest by taking me to dealership lots on Sunday mornings and car shows in the dead of winter, and to this day I’m drawn to cars from the early-to-mid-70s era when I first realized that vehicles were more than just appliances, but could be both a means to escape and an outward expression of the owner’s personality.
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If you would like to participate, just answer the above four questions and submit one to three photos of your daily driver to milhousevanh at geemail. Thanks and have fun!
Saturday, August 01, 2020
Thursday, July 16, 2020
July 16 blog
On July 3, I had a minor sore throat. So I tried to get a Covid-19 test. I couldn't book it online. I couldn't book it by phone. Frustrated, I just went to a drive-through testing location at a random parking lot. They would not test me without a reservation. I pleaded and they made an exception.
Today, THIRTEEN DAYS LATER, I got my result back. I don't have coronavirus. America is so screwed.
I went to Berkeley today to pick up some food and parked next to this GM house. There's a GMC Caballero, a Chevy conversion van, and a Corvette.
And this Honda caught my eye. I think the guy also has a BMW.
I really want to do this drive along Cape Mendocino (westernmost point in the Lower 48) by the end of this month.
Today, THIRTEEN DAYS LATER, I got my result back. I don't have coronavirus. America is so screwed.
I went to Berkeley today to pick up some food and parked next to this GM house. There's a GMC Caballero, a Chevy conversion van, and a Corvette.
And this Honda caught my eye. I think the guy also has a BMW.
I really want to do this drive along Cape Mendocino (westernmost point in the Lower 48) by the end of this month.
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
July 13 blog
A few things to report this Monday.
First, I saw this Saturn in front of the bank. The clearcoat is a goner. But the wheels look new.
And look what I found at the drug store. I had to get it. My mom had a yellow five-door version of this Civic in Taiwan. I still remember the license plate number: 11-9129.
And about that Cars and Coffee from last weekend. I saw Mike Musto, his beard, and his Dodge.
I thought I saw Jason Cammisa's Ferrari 308 GT4 at the show, but his wasn't black. @slirt later showed me this post. Cammisa brought his VW Cabrio instead. And he described the show as one of the best. It will be interesting to see if this Cars & Coffee gets more popular. I think it was well attended just because there has not been a car meet anywhere in four months.
First, I saw this Saturn in front of the bank. The clearcoat is a goner. But the wheels look new.
And look what I found at the drug store. I had to get it. My mom had a yellow five-door version of this Civic in Taiwan. I still remember the license plate number: 11-9129.
And about that Cars and Coffee from last weekend. I saw Mike Musto, his beard, and his Dodge.
I thought I saw Jason Cammisa's Ferrari 308 GT4 at the show, but his wasn't black. @slirt later showed me this post. Cammisa brought his VW Cabrio instead. And he described the show as one of the best. It will be interesting to see if this Cars & Coffee gets more popular. I think it was well attended just because there has not been a car meet anywhere in four months.
Friday, July 10, 2020
July 10 blog
Lots of cool cars spotted, and more!
Last night, my wife had a craving for Rainbow Sherbet ice cream, so I schlepped to the local Safeway. I found these Spam patties and fries in the freezer section. What?! Has anyone tried these?
During the morning commute, I followed this Integra sedan. It's clean, sure. But I took this picture because the plastic bumper cover has no blemishes. Has this person ever street parked this car in the last quarter century?
When I picked up dinner for the family at the Vietnamese place near my office, this rare Saab 9-4X with a dealer plate was parked outside. Outstanding!
Finally, on the way to the freeway, in front of the Alfa Romeo dealership, was this 1991 Gelandewagen for sale.
Finally finally, Mike Schlee has a new car blog that really resonated with me. Mike was a long time writer for AutoGuide. He's now with Subaru corporate. Recently, he started his own blog and has been posting regularly. It's like a throwback to fifteen years ago when so many of us started our own little personal car blogs. I encourage you to check it out.
Last night, my wife had a craving for Rainbow Sherbet ice cream, so I schlepped to the local Safeway. I found these Spam patties and fries in the freezer section. What?! Has anyone tried these?
During the morning commute, I followed this Integra sedan. It's clean, sure. But I took this picture because the plastic bumper cover has no blemishes. Has this person ever street parked this car in the last quarter century?
When I picked up dinner for the family at the Vietnamese place near my office, this rare Saab 9-4X with a dealer plate was parked outside. Outstanding!
Finally, on the way to the freeway, in front of the Alfa Romeo dealership, was this 1991 Gelandewagen for sale.
Finally finally, Mike Schlee has a new car blog that really resonated with me. Mike was a long time writer for AutoGuide. He's now with Subaru corporate. Recently, he started his own blog and has been posting regularly. It's like a throwback to fifteen years ago when so many of us started our own little personal car blogs. I encourage you to check it out.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Teddy bears from Acura
My toddler and I have a project. We write to one car company a day, asking for a sticker. So far, we've written to VW, Toyota, Chrysler, Acura, Ford, Chevy, and Jeep. Only Acura has responded. They didn't have stickers, so they overnighted(!) a teddy bear.
I tweeted it and Derek K, former editor of TTAC, sent me a photo of the Acura teddy bear his dad got him 25 years ago.
I tweeted it and Derek K, former editor of TTAC, sent me a photo of the Acura teddy bear his dad got him 25 years ago.
Tuesday, April 07, 2020
My Daily Driver: @mikurubaeahina's Honda Prelude
1. How did you come to the decision of buying this car?
I had been daily driving my Supra, with a leaky roof, welded diff, no heat or A/C, leaking PS fluid, etc, for about four months, and I really needed a chance to work on it, but since it was my only working car, I was hesitant to start taking it apart in case I couldn't get it fixed and back together over the course of a weekend. I knew I needed a new daily, so I actually went and looked at getting a brand-new Mazda 6, which I considered to be the "responsible" course of action. The dealer treated me like absolute garbage and hit me with 14% APR despite having extremely good credit, wouldn't tell me the rate (I had to do the math myself), then suddenly dropped it to 7% when I complained, etc. I ended up walking out after four hours at the dealer. At the same time I had been shopping for a 6, my friend from Indiana had listed this car for sale as he was trying to thin out his collection in preparation for a move. I had always wanted a Prelude, I love Y49, and it's a manual, so I decided to book a one-way Spirit flight and drive the car home, all for less than the cost of the down payment on the new Mazda.
2. What has your ownership experience been like?
Overall, pretty great. It had some wiring issues because, like all classic Hondas, it had the harness shoddily messed with to put a stereo in at some point, but my girlfriend is an EE with good soldering skills and fixed those issues for me, and that was really the biggest problem I've encountered. It's pretty drop dead reliable for the age, gets 27 mpg on 87 octane, is stupidly cheap to insure, and the interior quality on vintage Hondas is absolutely one of the biggest draws for me - it has nearly 160K on the odo and the inside looks basically new still.
3. What is your fondest memory with this car?
Definitely the initial trip home. https://prime-excel.
4. Why do you love cars?
I am a strong believer that for an enthusiast, a car is a mirror that actually reflects who we believe ourselves to be. I think that owning a car that you know isn't necessarily the smartest daily driver, or a good investment, invariably ends up being a unique window into the personality of the person who made the choice to own it despite those factors. In my case, my Prelude is a reflection of who I would like to be: pragmatic without losing sight of individuality or fun. I get to have a relatively reliable and inexpensive car but I still get to own something that I see maybe one or two others on the road of per year, tops.
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If you would like to participate, just answer the above four questions and submit one to three photos of your daily driver to milhousevanh at geemail. Thanks and have fun!
Monday, April 06, 2020
My Daily Driver: @ferio_252's Honda Civic
1. How did you come to the decision of buying this car?
This 1999 Honda Civic has been in my family since new. It was my brother's old car, and naturally I took ownership from him.
2. What has your ownership experience been like?
I'd like to say driving a Civic has been 100 percent trouble free but I'd be fooling myself. Blissfully ignorant me learning how to drive found that neutral drops in the rain are fun but discovered I was slipping from first to second a couple thousand miles later. A gamble on a used $150 automatic transmission fixed that. I'm reminded that I forget to put in a new main seal with that tranny every winter with a few drops of oil on cardboard in the garage.
Lower it they said, it will be fun they said. I've replaced two ball joints since thanks to an aggressive 2.25 inch drop.
Lower it they said, it will be fun they said. I've replaced two ball joints since thanks to an aggressive 2.25 inch drop.
There are a few more instances where, if I let stock sleeping dogs lie, the Civic would be A-OK. The running theme is you can throw a lot of shi* at Hondas, even opt to use cheap parts, and they'll keep chugging along, returning 30+MPG, no problem. They call imports Japanese legos and it's true. Repairs are straightforward and in my experience, light on the wallet if you're handy. Last odo check is 243,670.
3. What is your fondest memory with this car?
The last year of college some friends and I went to Disneyland and a few other parks one weekend. On the drive back it was the middle of the night and there were five us in in my Civic, the trunk with all our luggage. Most of everyone was napping or just looking out the windows enjoying some cheesy pop/emo whatever from an album of burned CDs. The D-series was doing the most, stuck in mostly second, up the Grapevine and down the other side. It was just a lovely little moment, everyone happy.
4. Why do you love cars?
Cars means freedom, it gives its owner the option to go wherever, whenever.
Paulo runs this website.
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If you would like to participate, just answer the above four questions and submit one to three photos of your daily driver to milhousevanh at geemail. Thanks and have fun!
Thursday, April 02, 2020
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
My Daily Driver: @VenomLance's Honda Civic
1. How did you come to the decision of buying this car?
I bought my 2008 Honda Civic after my previous cars (a 1996 Toyota Camry V6 LE and a 1985 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo) became too expensive to fix. It was my first car that I didn't buy from Craigslist or off the side of the road. Plus, things like anti-lock brakes and more than one airbag seem like cool ideas. I just walked into CarMax one day and pointed to the nearest Civic that fit my price range. I chose the Civic specifically because essentially every generation of Civic is good. They're reliable and cheap to maintain. Also, my family has owned upwards of 20 cars within my lifespan and this is the first Honda. Might as well see what Honda is all about.
2. What has your ownership experience been like?
My Civic is not an interesting car. It blends in like the appliance that it is. It is not fast and the 140hp 1.8L engine will get it to highway speed in "enough" seconds. That said, it does have a handbrake and says "VTEC" somewhere on the engine. I have thrown it around many empty church parking lots and barreled down many dirt roads. I would much rather drive a slow car fast than drive a fast car slow. At some point I painted the grille black but I don't remember why.
3. What is your fondest memory with this car?
I drive my Civic nearly every day and most of the time it fails to leave any lasting impression on me. Given the ubiquitous nature of 8th-gen Honda Civics, I've lost it in parking lots and my car doesn't stand out at all. But, I once drove from Baltimore to Detroit and managed to get more than 40 mpg. So that's something.
4. Why do you love cars?
I love cars because a parasite shaped like a Dodge Aries has lodged itself in my brain and in an effort to replicate itself, has hijacked most of my cognitive function.
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If you would like to participate, just answer the above four questions and submit one to three photos of your daily driver to milhousevanh at geemail. Thanks and have fun!
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