Thinking of getting a new ride

Front plates seem to suck no matter how you slice it!

And I think the Audi grille proportion has become way too big for the cars - it’s understandable to want to blend the 3 height breaks (lower fascia to bumper, bumper to hood, hood up to greenhouse) and so by breaking the bumper they hoped for a more fluid front end, but I think the monster grille is too overpowering.

BMW tried to blend in the other direction by taking the kidney grille upward onto the hood but that looked weird as well. It did, though, provide a nice island for front plates.

I think their most recent approach of spreading to the sides instead looks better (still a decent island for a front plate but a strange hood break line).

Too overpowering? I guess not everyone can handle awesome. :wink:

I think these are nice too. If I keep reproducing I could see one of these in the garage.

Last year I went to a performance up at Paine Field (near Boeing) in Everett WA where Paul Allen keeps his impressive stable of restored WW2 aircraft. Paul himself came to this demo in his super sick helicopter that he lands on the Octopus yacht. He brought a few friends, and had a driver take them all from the helo-pad to their private bleachers, driving in, you guessed it, a maroon-colored Flex.

Got rid of the S5 and replaced it with the new S3 with RS4 wheels. Loving it. Faster, lighter, cheaper, and 4 doors. I’m loving it. I miss the S5’s exhaust note and torque off the line, but the turbo 4 in the S3 is putting out 300 HP and is actually a couple of tenths of a second quicker 0-60… and the blue…





Looks great, Michael! The Audi S line is awesome…I just upgraded my 99 Maxima for a Scion FRS! Best handling I have ever driven with and the styling is incredible.


Nice, I see a few of those driving around here with the Japanese badging. There is actually a club of guys that modify these and the Subaru version. Nice car.

Nice upgrade, love the blue. I keep telling myself I’ll pick up a blue car and then wind up back at something gray scale…has happened 3 times in a row so far. I switched to a German of the smaller variety as well. Traded the 335 in for a M235i vert - after the horrible NY winter I needed to get more Vitamin D. Just added the matte black M3 competition wheels. The car’s actually a little bit heavier than the 3 series, but with the tighter suspension, shorter wheelbase and a bit more power it’s much more fun in the corners.

Nice work with those photos Mike. What’s that aircraft, a F-111?

Nice! We had a similar downsizing idea. I’m really loving having a bit of a smaller car.

Now I drive like his on the way to work :slight_smile:

https://www.facebook.com/252175018129981/videos/1084991804848294/

Thanks - yup F111. I live right by the old Grumman plant so there’s a lot of random aircraft floating around here.

These days “Small” Car is pretty relative. The A3/2 series is about as big as the old A4/3 series, but it’s about as good as we can do these days.

My back seat is more of a parcel shelf then something fit for humans.

I’ve been finding myself oddly attacted to the Nissan Micra and Mazda 2. I think the Micra is second lightest car available in Canada.

You can also buy the race version of the Micra from Nissan and race at the Grand Prix! Looked like tons of fun.

The new Miata looks phenomenal for anyone who really wants a light car. I’d be interested to see if I’d fit in one though. @ 6’4 I tried driving my sisters Miata for a few weeks and I had to compress my spine to fit into the car, and could barely see street lights when the top was up.

The idea of a smaller ride appeals!


Now back after nearly 3 years of hibernation, due to “other things”.

It was almost shocking to be back into something so nimble and swift.
In comparison to todays pocket rockets it can feel a little underpowered, though.

Perhaps I should get a 60ies sports saloon next to it for some calibration.

mo-i

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Yours is the Z, right? not the e30?

R

Of course it is the 320i !

Nice. Totally thought you had a Z a while back. Maybe it was someone else here, or were you taking care of one?

R

mo-i, you used to have a z4 coupe right, first gen? I still would like to own one of those some day.