Living with Godzilla.

[GaToR]

Week 6:


Ever have a day where you feel one with your vehicle? Friday was one of those days for me... errr... us.


Soggy day, lots of traffic, cold-ish. And yet for some reason there was no place I'd have rather been than in mah cah.
The torque makes it fun, no matter how fast or slow you have to go. Such a wide powerband never leaves you wishing you had some open space. You manage better than everyone else.


Oh, and sliding around a corner in the wet induces some mild understeer. It is very communicative. There are no "oh shit!" moments like I've had in past rides. It tells you through the steering wheel "I'll forgive you this time, but now would be a great time to stop that silliness."

Today my love rating is a 5-out-of-5.

[ElZorro]

glad you're still enjoying it.

[GaToR]

Week 16:

Finally have enough data to comment a bit on public perception.

The car does get a lot of thumbs up. An Audi driver rolled down his window to ask how old it was, and then "enjoy it!"
EVO driver yelled out the window while passing me turning at a stoplight "nnnnnNNNNNice GT-RRRRrrrrrr"
And I get a lot of questions at gas stations.
Bunch of stories like that. Which is kinda cool.

But predictably... along come the asshats. I just never knew what type of asshat they'd be.

What do asshats do? They conspicuously ignore you.

While cruising on a 6-lane with cruise control engaged, an asshat will pull nose-nose with me and pace in the lane to the right.

Do they want to race? Nope.
Do they want to communicate? Nope.

They stare straight ahead like they don't know they're pacing you. Leaving you wondering WTF they're doing in what I consider the most dangerous place to be on a highway. I send the nervous wave, I raise an eyebrow as if to say "Yeah? What?" No response.

If this type of human behaviour happened at a restaurant, etc, it would go something like this:

Asshat: "Ehem. I'm ignoring you."
Me (curious): "That's nice. You can leave."
Asshat: "Hey, I'm ignoring you!"
Me (confused): "Okay.... leave."
Asshat: "I'M IGNORING YOU"
Me (concerned): "LEAVE! GTF away."

Or try this example. If the owner of some other sportscar or something pulled INTO a DCAWD cluster and just sat there with the engine running. Not coming over to say hello.

"Hey there, may we assist you?"
"No, I'm ignoring you all and your modified cars."
"Okay, you wanna come out and chat?"
"I appreciate it, but I'm just here to ignore you and cause confustion."
"Great. How about being a nice little ass and part ways. (see what I did there?)"

I never realized this was common discoutesy of expensive-car drivers. A shiny new CTS-V paced me for about 5 miles on the Greenway, and I even sped up and slowed down a few times and he kept matching my speed to the side.

A frigging BMW X5 M did it on 66. And just this morning an IS-F saw me in his rear-view, and slowed down so he could drive beside me.


I can understand making eye contact, whether to give 'the nod'.
I can understand revving the engine, or pipping one's speed to indicate the want to race (not that I'd oblige them off the track).

But what I can't understand is trying to parade their car alongside mine, like I would care. I've never experienced this type of behavior before, and its thoroughly creepy.

I tend to find the open road and pass quickly, and then maintain my 'cushion.' So to know there is someone blocking one of my escape routes should a meteor land in front of me is not cool.

Unless I know someone, or am trying to communicate with the person driving beside me, they need to GTFO.




That's my eyewitness report. Car is still perfect, except for the insatiable thirst.

[thermobox]

It's like you are starting a roving parade and they/you are at the lead. Maybe they hope others will congregate and you can have a happy lovefest down 95/267/66? Who knows. It's part of being in the "elite" class of cars, when a model is new or so expensive it's out of everyones league.
We (all 04 sti-03 evo) owners experienced it. The cars were new. Nobody new them or understood them. They would elicit the weirdest transactions from complete strangers. I was questioned at stops and while moving over five times just driving my car home from the dealership the first day. The asshattery has slowed to a snails pace because we are so strong in numbers now and more common place. I will gladly pass the torch to the zilla. Just try your best to stay out of harms way and keep your behbeh safe.

[GaToR]

It's like you are starting a roving parade and they/you are at the lead. Maybe they hope others will congregate and you can have a happy lovefest down 95/267/66? Who knows. It's part of being in the "elite" class of cars, when a model is new or so expensive it's out of everyones league.
We (all 04 sti-03 evo) owners experienced it. The cars were new. Nobody new them or understood them. They would elicit the weirdest transactions from complete strangers. I was questioned at stops and while moving over five times just driving my car home from the dealership the first day. The asshattery has slowed to a snails pace because we are so strong in numbers now and more common place. I will gladly pass the torch to the zilla. Just try your best to stay out of harms way and keep your behbeh safe.

Best reactions come mostly from the blue-collar crowd, which is absolutely fine with me. Last time after I was leaving Tysons, a whole family gave me the thumbs up from their Ford SUV. Cool.

Its the ones that could afford a GT-R but decided their money was better spent on an X5M that engage in the most volumous asshattery.

My thought was that if there were to be a love-fest, we'd at least look in each others' direction, give the nod, and rock out to "People all over the world, join hands. Start a love train. A love train."

I really wish I had thought to whip out the camera while being 'escorted' by the CTS-V. Spikey hair, popped collar, the works. A true Clarksonian 'cock'.
Its more like they want to steal the thunder (for which I could care less). Perhaps they were expecting more of an uproar over the ///M badge on their X5, and are trying to compensate

Can't get no GaToR love.
Sigh...

Thanks and will do for sure.

[scheherazade]

Lol, "Look a us cool guys, maybe when we form a larger group you'll be more likely to notice us - and how cool we are"

Maybe they feel envy.
The others you mention are nice cars (I'd probably enjoy having either of them), but it's not like they will be the main feature of a video game.

X5M has had a luke warm reception from "M" guys, some calling it badge corruption.

And the CTS-V seems confused. I could almost see something like :
"I really wanted a vette, but chicks think they're for old people and I really just want to get laid... so I got the caddy".
(Funny how a cadillac can seem more 'for young people' than a vette).

GTR is just hot.
Its focused, it's styled, and it performs.
And even though it's not 'cheap', it seems the least 'badge whored' car in its class. It comes off as 'real'.

They could be your fan club

-scheherazade

[GaToR]

Lol, "Look a us cool guys, maybe when we form a larger group you'll be more likely to notice us - and how cool we are"

Maybe they feel envy.
The others you mention are nice cars (I'd probably enjoy having either of them), but it's not like they will be the main feature of a video game.

X5M has had a luke warm reception from "M" guys, some calling it badge corruption.

And the CTS-V seems confused. I could almost see something like :
"I really wanted a vette, but chicks think they're for old people and I really just want to get laid... so I got the caddy".
(Funny how a cadillac can seem more 'for young people' than a vette).

GTR is just hot.
Its focused, it's styled, and it performs.
And even though it's not 'cheap', it seems the least 'badge whored' car in its class. It comes off as 'real'.

They could be your fan club

-scheherazade

They are like the monsters in that Simpson's Halloween episode; that if you ignore them they die.

So they stick their nose where I have to look at it. Negative attention is good attention, right?

I'm fine with their cars, no disrespect intended. If that's your thing... have at it. But I got this car for me, myself and I.

The only reason I'd ever sprint up next to a Ferrari would be to give them 'the nod.' I'm not interested in being patronizing.

So when I imagine the pricks riding along side me, I imagine they are imagining running me off the road.

[GaToR]

Week 18: Almost SFW edition

No, it has not escaped my attention that I tend to get excited when talking about a feature of a car that is awesome.
For example, some might remember my opinion of the torque output of the BMW 335d. "Giddy as a schoolgirl" isn't much of an exaggeration. And the interior of the Lexus IS-F might solicit a, "the dude is on ecstacy" response.

Though recently, the frequency of the giddy druggy feeling when talking about a car is more, and all centered around the GaToR.
And while I apologize for my excessive openness recently, it really cannot be helped.

I think if I had to watch myself talk about her, I'd find it amusing how lame I sounded.

So I'm just going to put this out there for the sake of near-clarity; words might come close to describing how spectacular a catch she is. Might.


Parental discression advised:

There's an 'understading' this car has of its drivers' fantasies invlolving curves. She was just made that way. After a few trips around the block, you begin to fully appreciate what she's willing to do to keep the relationship steaming.

In terms of the straight and narrow, she's been there and done that. And while she'll has the potential to go down that path as well as any, she'll take the road that is best described as 'kinky' in a hearbeat, and be all the more pleased to do so. So mix it up! Go fast, turn hard.

Imagine a partner both as eager to please as be pleased. Neither dominating, nor able to be intimidated. Just "hey there sexy, what would you like to do today?" There's a relationship being built here not solely on looks, or conversation, or making public appearances. It is best when we find ourselves alone together.

I stare out the window wishing I was driving it. Sitting there like the girl-next-door sunbathing (however cold) pointing towards the open road... "C'mon, lets go have some fun. Don't leave me waiting!" The best part of my day IS the drive home.

___________________

I may be a writer of goofy things, but I am dead serious that this car's engine and suspension, seats and steering wheel, might as well have been designed by my hand especially for me. It's the real deal, the whole package. When I had dreams about driving cars, before ever driving this one, they felt like this. As far as I'm concerned, Kazutoshi Mizuno is a #$&%* genious.

Overall, I'm still undecided...

So that's why, if I get enthusiastic and my volume knob breaks off when referring to her, please remember that these are my actual thought, with a little artistry added in for clarity, not for embellishment.

[Sabre]

lol, keep up the great writing... It's like reading a love novel... but one I like reading, haha

[PGT]

still liking it now that the weather has broken??

I'm toying with the idea of selling my STI and buying a 2dr something. <scratches chin>

[GaToR]

still liking it now that the weather has broken??

I'm toying with the idea of selling my STI and buying a 2dr something. <scratches chin>

Yup,

I struggle to find fault in any aspect that wouldn't be true of any car, particularly one of this type.


What would look at if you did, out of curiosity?

[PGT]

I sat in a GT-R yesterday. I had plenty of legroom but it appears I'm 3 inches too tall. That, or the seat wasn't all the way down. Since the sales guys at Nissan of Chantilly would rather stand at the front counter and lean on it than help a (real) potential customer, I have no way of knowing.

I went across the street and drove the new A6 3.0T and S5. Both were impressive cars in their own way. I'm undecided about what I want and what budget would be. Fast, AWD and with a back seat for my 2.5yo. That's about it.

All that depends on selling my car, or, parting it out (which I may end up doing).

[GaToR]

I sat in a GT-R yesterday. I had plenty of legroom but it appears I'm 3 inches too tall. That, or the seat wasn't all the way down. Since the sales guys at Nissan of Chantilly would rather stand at the front counter and lean on it than help a (real) potential customer, I have no way of knowing.

I went across the street and drove the new A6 3.0T and S5. Both were impressive cars in their own way. I'm undecided about what I want and what budget would be. Fast, AWD and with a back seat for my 2.5yo. That's about it.

All that depends on selling my car, or, parting it out (which I may end up doing).

A lot of buyers told the same story. Must be due to the number of requests they get in relation to that car, that they can't take anything at face value until money has changed hands.

FWIW, NAGTROC is 10x the resource of the NNA dealership network. We tend to be a real owner's club, in that we do a lot of Q&A, and patch the holes in the dealer-ship (see what i did there). Most GT-R test-drives are actually done by NAGTROC members as a pay-it-forward, since we know the dealers are to skeptical to allow it.


Service on the other hand, I've found to be excellent. They treat me right, at least.

If you're in the market for a GT-R, you can come get better acquainted with mine.

[GaToR]

Update: Week whatever.

[/end cryptic message]

[Sabre]

Lunch sometime this week? Definitely wanted a ride

[GaToR]

Lunch sometime this week? Definitely wanted a ride

PM / text me in regards to tomorrow / this week.

[Mr Kleen]

[complacent]

If I see a request to change your screen name to something italian and prancing-horse like, I swear to ....

[GaToR]

If I see a request to change your screen name to something italian and prancing-horse like, I swear to ....

[Cereb Daithi]

If you are looking for a buyer I might know some folks interested. A few of the docs I work with have expressed interest in owning one

[Mr Kleen]

I don't think I have any plans for Sunday...

[complacent]

Actually, Ford was kinda targeting where I might find myself with the Raptor...


A supersports car was my way of getting some enjoyment out of the suburban life until I had enough career experience to break out of the burbs and get 11 acres, a dog and a dirtbike.

Amen I say to you, no car can compete with a mud-slinger getting 10 feet off the ground. (2 wheels, 4-wheels, rally car, sport truck, whathaveyou). So I won't fight this inevitability any longer... gimme some mud!


The GT-R may be the perfect car for someone in that market. And for about 5 years, I've been in that market and achieved the perfect car (briefly). But different strokes for different folks. I've always had something else in mind.

I tip my hat to you, good sir. Congratulations, that is a fine realization of a boyhood dream.

[GaToR]

I don't think I have any plans for Sunday...

Pm incoming.

[GaToR]

I tip my hat to you, good sir. Congratulations, that is a fine realization of a boyhood dream.

Thank you. If all goes well, I'll be upgrading from a GT-R to (in order of importance):

Jetski (large, 2+ seater, fast)
Dirtbike (4-stroke 250cc. Yamaha YZ250F or similar)
Cruiser (M50 stays in VA with my old man. Considering M109R )
ATV (4WD, automatic transmission, winch)
Snowmobile (turbocharged 4-stroke, Yamaha Apex or similar)

I can have way more fun with any of those than I can with a street car.

[GaToR]

If you are looking for a buyer I might know some folks interested. A few of the docs I work with have expressed interest in owning one

My interested party got rejected by the bank on his credit wasn't good enough to put his name on the lease.

If any of them are interested in taking over a lease, PM me and I'll give you my contact info for them to get ahold of me.

Fairly simple process as far as 'renting' a car goes.


Thx.