The Super Vette

A recent Car and Driver article refers to the new Corvette ZR1 simply as "Superman". That's quite a statement considering the other (super) cars in the same review where were referred to by their normal names.

They strapped some test equipment to it and recorded some numbers. Apparently it has the shortest stopping distance of any production car they have ever tested. The 1/4 mile time is little disappointing though, in my opinion (11.5 seconds @ 128 mph). The skidpad number is really good (1.07 g).

Read the test results here and about its likeness to Superman here.

Driving on the Edge, Part V

Yes, that is me in the black Vette

Highlights

• Past an ACR Viper and Ford GT.
• Past a few people on my "nemesis" list (red Solstice GXP, that mofo is really good).
• My friend Mike sold his C6 Coupe and showed up to the track in a new C6 Z06!!
• Past Mike a few times... :D
• R compound tires do not work miracles.
• I burned through my track pads on the first day and had to put my stock ones back on. :(
• My rotors are cracking. :(
• My friend Jason now has racing slicks on his Z06 and completely dominated the blue group (why is he in blue anyway?!?).
• The yellow group isn't as fast as I thought it would be.
• Mike on being an older guy in a Z06 being revved at by kids, "I used to have a loud car when I was young, now I have a fast car."
• Me on riding in my instructor's full tilt race car, "It's like falling, but I know he's in complete control."
• I did a textbook example of what to do when going off track.
• I did a textbook example of what not to do when going off track (see video). :(

So I had a really bad "off" in the last session of the weekend. I came out of ricochet too fast and put two wheels off and yanked on the steering wheel, then shot back across the track, all while someone was behind me. That is really really bad. Cutting across the track is very dangerous.

I know better than to shoot across the track like that. The day before, I went off track in a very controlled and safe manner, exactly like how it's suppose to be done. So what went wrong this time? Here are my best guesses...

• I was trying to impress my instructor (I had an extremely good session previously driving solo).
• I was not committed to going off track. I thought I could save it.
• We were driving the track backwards so corner worker stations were at corner exits instead of entrances.
• I freaked out because I thought I was going to hit the corner worker station. I lost my head and yanked the steering wheel to get back on track.

You've heard a million times not to do that (pull the steering wheels to get back on track). You've seen other people do it and told yourself, "I won't be that guy." But it all happens so fast. There is no time to think, just react. Unfortunately, I reacted to the panic of hitting something on the left, so I swerved out of control to the right.

Driving on the Edge, Episode 4

It was Corvette country out there this time.

I did my 4th HPDE this past weekend. It was awesome as usual. We did the 3.1 mile, 16 turn course at Motorsport Ranch.

No yellow for you!

I wasn't put in the yellow group this time, despite my last report card recommending so. It's ok though, I don't really want to be in yellow group until I have more capable tires.

No tires for you!

Ouch. I spent so much time and money getting r-compound tires and I didn't even get to use them! I bought track wheels literally months before the event, and I bought the tires about two weeks before the event, but what I didn't do was see if they fit on my car.

I spent all day Thursday and Friday before the event trying to get them to fit, but to no avail. They wouldn't clear the front calipers, so I ground the calipers down till they fit (long, painful and ugly). Once they cleared the calipers, I found they hit the A-arm at full wheel lock. Ugh! Luckily, Discount Tire took the tires back. I'm going to have to sell the wheels on the internet.

First day frustration.

I didn't really have an instructor the first day, which at first I thought would be cool, but something didn't feel right. Instead of blowing by everyone like last time, I felt like I was struggling to keep up. Nothing felt smooth, I was sliding all over the place, and I was just using my cars capabilities, instead of driving skill, to keep afloat.

For the last session of the day, they put an instructor in with me. He was admittedly not an advanced instructor and said I was doing fine.

Second day epiphany.

The next day I got paired up with an incredible instructor (Tony, I think his name is?). Within a few laps, he cleared up most of my mistakes, which were related to over aggression, going into corners too hot and thusly understeering the whole way through them, which reduces how quickly I could get back on the throttle for corner exit. I was also late and early apexing on a handful of corners.

Once Tony cleared up those issues and we were flying again, he then showed me some bad ass racing lines, and that's when the beat down ensued... ;) I had to start braking mid-corner to avoid t-boning and rearing ending the cars in front of me. My exit speed on one corner increased so much (15+ mph) that I went off the track at the next corner because I wasn't used to having to brake so much earlier and harder.

Feeling the fade.

For this event, I had some Hawk HP+ brake pad that I bought used off the internet. They are Hawk's most aggressive street pad. They weren't enough. I've gotten to the point to where I am aware of brake fade... and these faded noticeably. Tony suggested getting some Hawk HT 10 pads, which are considered racing pads, and just change them out right there at the track. Changing brake pads on a C6 is really easy, so I think I'm going to do that for next time.

Competitive?

Pre Tony in the car with me, there were some fast people/cars out on the track! I really have to be on top of my game to keep up with Jason and his modded Z06. A lady in a Porsche Cayman put the smack down on both of us though (she had r-compound tires and got bumped to the yellow group on the second day). There was a kid in a modded S2K that I caught up to, but couldn't claim an outright pass on. Then there was a spec Miata that passed both me and Jason!

The second day, I did much better. I passed both the S2k and Miata, but still had problems with Jason (duh). Didn't have a chance to try the lady in the Porsche again cuz she got moved to yellow.

Everyone else was a cakewalk. Here are some notable passes: two NSX's (these cars are massively overrated, imo), Cadillac CTS-V, Lingenfelter C6 (ooohh that felt good), normal C6, C6Z06 (ooohh, felt good too), lots of Lotus Elises, and a couple of Porsches.

I know it's not a competition, but it's fun to see how many people I can pass, and see if I can catch the people that pass me.

Pictures

Trailing Jason.

Now me in front!

He spends more time in front though... :P

Choo choo! Stuck in a train.

Train conductor? Na, that was a warmup or cooldown lap... ;)

That kid in the S2K was fast!

Catching up to a Z06 is a great feeling.

Passing a Porsche feels even better!

Dodge Challenger SRT8

"It's just an all around POS. I'd almost call it an egregious mistake by Dodge, except for the fact that nostalgic baby boomers will actually shell out the cash to relive their youth. I just hope they are prepared for disappointed and massive buyer's remorse when it sinks in that for $5k more, they could have bought a car with more hp, 1000 lbs less weight, and handling that will put a 911 to shame."

Is this a joke? No really, is it?

So, let's see what $40,000 (yes, that's forty thousand dollars) buys you from Dodge...

The Good

Hey, it's American, I like American (V8) cars. It's got some guts in the form of a 425 hp Hemi (that means absolutely nothing, btw) engine. It's got some nice big Brembo brakes, and also IRS.

The Bad

I personally think it looks ugly as hell. I describe it as looking like it's been carved out of a bar of soap. It's so soft and Tonka toy looking.

This thing weighs more than Kirstie Alley after she threw in the towel. Actually, that's not accurate. She isn't nearly as morbidly obese as this gussied up Dodge Charger.

It only comes with 20" wheels, which further degrades performance, but what really hurts is the absolutely pathetic tire size that comes on them: 245s all the way around.

Ok, so it's got IRS, but seriously... is anyone going to take this f-ing obese pig (4200 lbs) to a road course? I thought not, so why not go with a solid rear axle to save some money and actually help out at the drag strip (what this car was theoretically designed for)?

It only comes with a 5 speed automatic... cue hysterical laughter now.

The Ugly

How embarrassing is it going to be when you can't shrug off a bone stock Mustang GT which costs nearly half as much and has 125 less horsepower?

My third HPDE

All the Corvette guys took a group photo. That's me in the exact middle (third row, second column, green shirt).

Whoot! Just finished my 3rd HPDE this past weekend. It was a blast as usual! Every time I get back from one, it just rekindles my fire and passion for the sport (which tends to die down between events).

Chasing down an NSX.

I did really well, I think. I passed (I would guess) about 40 cars and only got passed twice. The two that got me were my pit buddy Jason (~570 hp C6 Z06) and someone in a modified Porsche Cayman S (racing slicks and engine mods). To be perfectly honest, Jason got me twice and the second time an instructor driving a Porsche 911 took the pass with him even though I only signaled to Jason. I stayed with him though and eventually returned the favor... :)

Jason in front and me about take my position back from the 911.

Mike (C6) and Justin (Mustang GT) were there again. Always nice to see those two familiar faces keeping me company in the pits. This time Mike's son Brady was there, sharing Mike's car. It was funny to hear the three of them talking shit to each other the entire weekend. Out of the three, Justin was the fastest, then Brady, then Mike... each about 2 seconds faster than the next (per lap). Justin cracks me up. He's a super nice and jovial guy, but he's pretty competitive (in a friendly way). He always jokes about how it is a competition, despite how many times the organizers emphasize that it's not... ;)

Justin likes to change his passing signal into "the bird" right as I go by... I usually return it... ;)

Two interesting things my instructor taught me. First, I'm driving too hard a lot of the time. I'm driving at 110% and roasting my tires which leads to overall slower times in the end. He said to back off a bit to keep the tires from getting greasy towards to the end of the session. Second, he said that I'm taking some corners artificially fast... the car's computer (competition driving mode) is saving my ass. So the latter half of the event was driven without the computer at all (zero traction control and zero stability control).

I enjoy driving solo (see shit eatin' grin), I find it strangely relaxing.

As much as I want to pretend I'm a good driver, I'm not... none of us really are at this level. We're just extensions of our instructors. They show us the racing line and give us their opinions on how to take each corner, we memorize it, then it's just a matter of how much balls we have and how capable our cars are. Lucky for me, my car is on the top of the food chain and I have shockingly? surprisingly little fear of wrecking it. :)

Hunting down a G35 Coupe.

It's also a little depressing going to these things. A lot of the people into racing are usually wealthy (it's an expensive sport), and I'm reminded of how little money I make and how I simply can't afford to take it to the next level, despite how badly I want to. Wheels, racing tires, racing brakes, trailer and a place to store the trailer will cost several grand... of which I don't really have. Sigh.

2008 LS3 Corvette Oil Change

I always forget what I need to change my oil, so this is just a shopping list to remind me in the future.

• Mobile 1 5W-30 Synthetic Oil 6 Qt
• Mobile 1 M1-113 Oil Filter

Prices of aforementioned items at Walmart...

• 5 Qt jug - $21.97
• 1 Qt bottle - $6.57
• Filter - $9.18

Total cost is $40.83.

I hate shopping at Walmart, but they have a killer price on the 5 qt jug of Mobile 1.

Mythbusting: Corvettes are big and heavy

It's not a "muscle car" and it's not heavy just because it is American.

Lotus Exige S                      2,077 lbs
Honda Civic Si                     2,886 lbs
Porsche Boxster S                  2,987 lbs
Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera  2,998 lbs**
Porsche 911 (997) GT2              3,175 lbs
Ferrari F430                       3,196 lbs
Corvette                           3,217 lbs
Nissan Z Nismo                     3,350 lbs
Subaru Impreza WRX STI             3,395 lbs
Dodge Viper SRT10                  3,445 lbs
Ford Mustang GT                    3,450 lbs*
Porsche 911 (997) Turbo            3,494 lbs
BMW M3 (E92)                       3,500 lbs*
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X      3,585 lbs*
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640       3,670 lbs**
Dodge Charger SE                   3,727 lbs
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano            3,722 lbs
Nissan GT-R                        3,836 lbs*
BMW M5                             4,012 lbs**
Dodge Charger SRT8                 4,160 lbs

Note, all cars listed are model year 2007-2008 (the latter if possible).

* Curb weight not listed by manufacturer.
** Dry weight.

Kudos to a Car Dealership?!

I admit... I'm usually the first to lambaste car dealerships. They seem all too quick to screw you over with voided warranties, ridiculous repair bills, damaging your ride in the repair process and last but not least, joyriding in you precious auto. But I actually had a good experience at Henna Chevrolet of Austin recently.

I had fried my brakes at a recent track event, and was planning on eating the costs and buying $700 worth of brake upgrades, but Aimee, a buddy of mine, and some members of Corvette Forum suggested that I try to get them replaced under warranty by playing dumb to the whole "track event" thing. So I decided to heed that advice... here's how it went...

Day 1

"No no no, not at all... I just take it on some mildly spirited joyrides in hill country, sir. What is this 'track' that you speak of?"
"Well it is a wearable part, a tech is going to have to check it out and see if it's bad enough for warranty repair."

Day 2

"Is it done yet?"
"We need to have another tech look at it."

"Is it done yet?"
"We need to have the head tech look at it and make a decision."

"Is it done yet?"
"We need to have the service manager look at it and make a decision."

Day 3

"Mr. Bottaro... after examining the tire wear and brake wear, it is apparent that this car has been run very hard at a track. (long pause, me sweating bullets) ...but that's ok, it's ok to take this car to the track. The service manager, who is an avid track enthusiast, personally suggests that you upgrade to aftermarket brakes if you continue to track your car like this. That being said, we will repair your brakes under warranty twice before you're on your own."

Ok, first off, I feel like a complete douchebag for lying to the service writer's face about not tracking the car. Second, wow... very cool!

Merry Christmas to me!

Apparently my car's six track days has taken its toll, as seen by the picture (click for larger image). In case you don't know what you're looking at, there are two nicely cut grooves in my driver side front rotor. The same two grooves are starting on the passenger side, but aren't as deep yet.

What could have caused the brake pads to wear down so quickly (the car only has 5000 miles)? Well for starters, track time is very hard on brakes. Some people claim they can destroy pads in just a single track day! I'm too wet behind the ears for that. I suspect it had to do with my car participating in back to back to back sessions without any cooldown in between (me driving, instructor driving with me, Aimee driving, instructor driving with Aimee).

So now I have to get new pads and rotors, and as long as I'm replacing parts, I might as well "upgrade", right? :D

Here's the shopping list...

• DBA 4000 Series slotted rotors (front) - $349.90
• Hawk HPS brake pads (front) - $102.95
• Hawk HPS brake pads (rear) - $74.95
• StopTech braided stainless steel brake lines (front) - $72.00
• StopTech braided stainless steel brake lines (rear) - $68.00
• ATL Type 200 brake fluid (2L) - $21.98

Grand total... $689.78. Merry xmas to me... sigh... :(

My History of Cars (Part 3)

Finally... the Vette post.

I don't know why it took me so long to finally make this post. I think it's because there is so much, really too much, to say.

Let me start off by saying... I love this thing as much as a human can love an inanimate object. While almost everyone will tell you that buying a new, expensive car is one of the worst financial decisions you can make, I will tell you that it is the best purchase I have ever made, straight up. It's one of those things that brings me enjoyment everyday. I look forward to waking up in the morning just to drive it to work. Before taking the plunge, I thought I would be riddled with guilt and buyer's remorse, but infact, the opposite happened: I love it more and more with each passing day. Even Aimee, who swore she would break up with me if I bought it, loves it. She drives it to her gym, to the grocery store, to the mall, etc. Hehe, I think that's pretty cute hot.

This car is the best bang-for-your-buck sports car, period. I'll probably never own a Ferrari, hell, I'll probably never even own a Porsche 911, but owning this Corvette gives me 80% of the performance of the Ferrari (and 110% of the Porsche) for a tiny fraction of the cost. It is truly an everday, everyman's sports supercar.

I got a 2008 Z51 Coupe. It is rated at 436 hp, but realistically makes about 40 more hp at the rear wheels than a 2005-2007 model. It also uses a different (and better) transmission than the previous model years. Also for the 2008 model year, GM addressed a long standing gripe against the Corvette (numb and poor steering feel) by tweaking and modifying the steering column, which is nice, but I don't necessarily think it's BMW or Porsche caliber yet.

I opted for the HUD, Z51 and dual mode exhaust options. The HUD is pretty cool... it projects driving information (speed, RPM, lateral g-force, etc) onto the windshield, much the same way a jet fighter does. The Z51 package is the track and road racing package which includes a race tuned suspension, oil cooler, power steering fluid cooler and close ratio transmission. The dual mode exhaust is expensive, but worth it... the mufflers have a computer controlled valve in them that opens at 3500 RPM and unleashes that deep American V8 growl... :) Perfect for people like me who typically like to keep a low profile, but still like to cause a raucous on occasion.

The car performs phenomenally on the track, capable of beating high end supercars 3x it's price. I'm not going to lie, the car is way beyond my ability as a driver, but I still love that it can beat the pants off most any other car out there in the hands of someone more competent.

I also love all the extra little things about owning a modern car. I love the keyless, wireless entry and ignition. I never have to take the key fob out of my pocket. The doors "unlock" when in range and "lock" when out of range (actually they don't lock or unlock persay, they simple won't open if the key fob is out of range). HID highlights are awesome; even better, they are automatic (they turn on/off according to how much daylight is present). Memory seats/mirrors are sweet, especially when there are two primary drivers. Telescoping steering wheel, auto exit seat positioning, auto dimming mirrors, completely electric doors and trunk release, XM radio, etc... blah blah, the wireless key fob is awesome. Yeah, I know I already said that, but it's so awesome, that I honestly think every car should be that way.

There is so much more to say about this car (and how I feel about it), but this post is already running long, so I'll just leave you with the standard performance statistics.

• 0 to 60 in 4 seconds flat (2008 model year)
• 1/4th mile in low 12 second range (2008 model year)
• 0.98 lateral g's in the skidpad*

* Holy Jesus, that number is so good, I must provide a source for integrity.

P.S. The roof comes off (completely off, not like a t-top), so I more or less have a convertible whenever I want... how cool is that?? I actually use this feature a ton more than I thought I would. It's very nice.

Godzirra!! (broken Engrish accent)

• 3.8L twin turbo v6
• 473 hp / 433 tq
• super high tech AWD system
• 0-60 in 3.5 secs
• 1/4th mile in 11.7 secs
• 7:38 Nurburgring time
• $70,000 estimated price

For all you out-the-know non-car people, those performance statistics are utterly amazing for that price tag, especially that ring time...

So why do I hate it?? Ok, I don't really "hate" it, but something about it pisses me off. No, it's not the fact that it knocks my beloved American car off it's pedestal. It's not because I want it but can't afford it either. It's because of all the damn hype and PS2-armchair-racers.

God, I've never heard so much hype and smack talk over a car before. From Nissan claiming that they are targeting the half million dollar Porsche Carrera GT, to MotorTrend's latest "Corvette Killer" cover story, to the endless JDM fanboy comments on Autoblog... it has simply ruined the car for me. It's no longer just a new, badass world beater made by Nissan. Now it's some monstrosity used to fuel internet flame wars, power the hype machine, and bring out the insecurities of every lesser sports car owner (like me!*).

There is just too much stigma attached to the car for me to ever consider buying it. It's what every pimply, Gran Turismo playing, Fast and Furious watching teenager has wet dreams about.

Still I have to give credit where credit is due. Those performance stats are incredible, and kudos for Nissan for not reincarnating this "legend" into some flaccid underperformer.

* That ring time is suspicious. For starters, it was made with a preproduction car. Plus Nissan spent like a year with it at the ring. You give me 365 laps around the ring and I'm bound to get one really good one... :P Then there is ubiquitous cut slicks debate, hehe.

Oh, and it looks like a catfish.

Dyno Tuned the Vette

I got my car dyno tuned at 21st Century Muscle Cars. John Page (the shop owner) is very friendly, accommodating and knowledgable. Kenny K., who did the actual tuning, is extremely friendly and owns his own C6 which he modified (headers, cams, etc) and tuned himself.

I was expecting to dyno at 390 rwhp stock and gain about 5 rwhp from the tune. Instead I dyno'ed very low for an LS3 (364 rwhp) and gained 30 rwhp from the tune. Apparently my LS3 C6 is an anomaly and came from the factory pig rich (AFR for the first dyno run was below 10.0), which accounted for the low horsepower.

Most LS3's are 390 stock and gain 5 from a tune. I was about 365 and gained 30 from the tune. Either way, end result is 395 rwhp... so I shouldn't be too concerned, right? Right??

Btw, for you non car people out there, 395 rwhp means my car makes about 445 horsepower. Hell, let's just call it an even 450... :)

2008 Sub $100,000 Test Drive List

Corvette C6 Z06

Test drive? Hell, I might even own one of these someday.

Porsche 911 Carrera S

I'm not really a Porsche fan. I think they are kind of ugly, somewhat pricey for what you get, and a bit overrated by the magazines. Still, I want to see what all the hoopla is about. Btw, I would have put the 911 GT3 on this list instead, but it is $7,500 over budget.

Lotus Exige S

I will probably never own one of these because they make terrible daily drivers, and I'm not wealthy enough to have a $60k car that is strictly a toy. Still I'd want to test drive one just to see what a true, dedicated track car feels like.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

What, I can't have a ricer on the list? This car has garnered so much respect from rags, as well as the enthusiast community, over the years that I'm curious to try out it's latest incarnation. Also, I have little experience with AWD cars, so I want to see what that is like.

Honda S2000

Owners seem to love them. I've never heard a bad thing about an S2000 from an owner, instead they rave about them. The car is very high strung with very little torque, so I'm curious to see what makes them so good.

Honda Civic Mugen Type R / RR / Si

This is the car I love to hate. :) How can people call it a sports car? It's FWD for crying out loud! It's chassis' primary design function is that of economy! You can't just take an economy car, slap a bunch of performance parts on it and call it a sports car! Still, it has somewhat of a cult following... that has to count for something, right? I just want to test drive one so that my bashings have more credibility, ha!

Saturn Sky Red Line

I have a weird obsession with this car. I know it's not that great of a performer, but I love it's edgy design. They always catch my eye and it takes me a second or two before I realize what they are. Some would argue that it is a sporty little roadster because it's based off the same platform as the Pontiac Solstice.

Ford Mustang GT500 KR

Though I've kind of lost interest in drag racing, I'm still a Mustang fan. I wanna see what this car has on my previous beast. Also, I have read some articles that say it can keep pace on a road course, though I speculate it's via sheer horsepower.

My History of Cars (Part 2)

Fast forward a few years. I've graduated from college, been working a couple of years (long enough to not be making chicken scratch anymore) and my Prelude is on its last leg. It had all sorts of problems. The suspension was completely shot, some part of the engine was cracked and was leaking oil onto a belt, it had major trouble idling, and it had a dent that had started to rust. My friends and family convinced me that I was stable enough to take on a car payment, though I was very reluctant to.

I wanted something sporty, but kinda nice... I was thinking G35 Coupe. I test drove one, along with a few other entry level luxury cars, but was left disappointed by their acceleration. This was about the time that the S197 (2005) Mustang was all the rage, so I gave it a try... and I was instantly hooked on American V8's. Also, the price was very right (compared to the entry level luxury cars)... :D

The S197 Mustang is a great car. Most people don't know that because they don't know jack about cars. All they know is stupid stereotypes that they see on TV. Well, here's a brief overview. The S197 is a complete redesign from the ground up. It shares almost nothing with previous generations of Mustang. It's weight distribution is near 50/50, it's chassis is worlds stiffer than previous generations (100% or 50% stiffer, I can't remember), and it has a whopping 300 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque!

I modded the hell outta that car:

• twin screw supercharger (Saleen Series VI)
• all the crap that comes with a supercharger upgrade (injectors, MAF, spark plugs, intake, etc)
• full Roush stage 2 suspension
• 4.10 differential gears
• short throw shifter adapter
• second fuel pump
• Xenon headlights
• CAI (pre supercharger)
• throttle body space (pre supercharger, waste of money)
• two sets of wheels (MB Motorsport VR5S, Body Coddington Smoothie 2)
• big tires BFG KDW2 255 in front and 285 in back
• Borla Stinger (S-Type) axle back exhaust

The car was a beast (420 rwhp / 400 rwtq). Because of the low end torque of the twin screw supercharger, combined with the steep 4.10 gears, traction was a major issue. I could lose traction in 1st gear just by stabbing the gas... without using the clutch! 2nd gear was a gamble too. Because of this, I could never get a decent time in the quarter mile. The best I did was 13.2 seconds. I could have done better with some stickier tires, but then I'd worry about other parts of the drive train breaking (if the tires stick, all that torque has to go somewhere, right?).

And that's what I was always worrying about, things breaking. For you see, when you modify a car, you pretty much throw your warranty out the window. It makes sense. If you add 200 hp to a car via a supercharger, then the engine explodes, why should Ford float the bill?

Regardless, modding is still extremely popular. It allows people to buy "cheap" cars and "cheaply" raise their performance level. For instance, average Joe out-of-college can't usually afford a Porsche, but he can probably afford a 350Z and to mod it to reach Porsche level performance. The big trade off is the warranty (and thus peace of mind).

Peace of mind is worth a lot.

My History of Cars (Part 1)

I'm the kinda kid who grew up on toy cars and racing video games. Yeah, I had the Lamborghini Countach poster on my wall, as well as that Vector poster, ubiquitous to many young kids' rooms. I played the hell out of Gran Turismo 1 and 2, and I still play racing video games today (Forza Motorsport 2 on Xbox 360). As long as I can remember, I've desired fast sport cars.

In college, my mommy bought me a used Honda Prelude Type SH. It was lowered, and had intake and exhaust. At the time, I thought that car was shiznit!! ..but that era was also my rude awakening to 4 banger imports. It's very hard to squeeze power out of such small displacement engines. I distinctly remember saving up enough money for a turbo for the 'lude and asking a well known Houston tuner how fast it would make my car. He said it would maybe shave 1.0 to 1.5 seconds off my quartermile. Haha, ridiculous! A freakin' $5000+ turbo kit, and my car would go from 15.5 seconds to 14.0 seconds. What's the point? Why bother going from really slow to just slow? So I bought a used Honda CBR 600 F3 (a crotchrocket / sport bike) with the money instead.

Ahh how young and naive, I was back then. My perception of the car often greatly exceeded its actual capabilities. Still, I loved that car and got into lots of trouble with it (pulling a 540 on 2222 comes to mind).

VTEC... what a joke. Of course, at the time, I was like every other young ricer who equated VTEC to a sudden large surge of forced induction boost. Hardly. It gives what? 10, maybe 15 lb-ft of torque? Even that is generous.

And yes, I was that ricer with the obnoxious exhaust. How embarrassing in retrospect! To my credit though, at least I didn't have the huge coffee can exhaust. I had the dual DTM style exhaust. It was Tanabe DMT Medallion to be exact. Heh, nothing like loud and slow, eh? Hehe.

Don't get me wrong, I mean no offence to anyone into this kind of stuff. It's just a style that I moved away from and I like to laugh at myself in the past. I respect all kinds of car enthusiasts and modders and think it's great that they are into it, regardless of what "style" they are into.