car show results

Nothing spectacular to report aside from the fact that traffic to and from the car show is horrible. But back to the subject at hand...

Overall, nothing too spectacular. One trend that I'm noticing that I don't really like is how all the car companies are now covering up parts of the engine with metal and plastic plates. Sure, it looks nice (sometimes), but that's just one extra thing to do if I want to change the spark plugs or switch a sensor. In the long run, that's called annoying.

What's worse is that some companies (like Mazda, for example), do a pretty crappy job at it too. Sure, they cover up virtually *everything*, but just handling the panels, it became immediately clear that these things weren't just annoying, but also a liability. Ok... maybe not a liability, but if the panels aren't constructed well enough, they're just going to vibrate like crazy (loud as hell) every time the car idles. Great! I do like the Mazda 3 though. Good looking car, decent performance, and cheap!

So some of you are probably wondering what cars I'd be interested in, so here you are. In the cheaper category (under $20k), my favs are the Scion TC followed by the Mazda 3. The TC is a nice car. Has the most open engine compartment (which for me is a plus), and it's got decent performance mated with a neat interior. The full glass top is definitely a plus (unless I roll over the car.... then I might die.). Besides, it's clearly endorsed by my friend TC Chau, which trumps all. Another good runner up is the Honda Civic Coupe. I like Civics, and they look a lot better than those new Accords. Hopefully when they redesign it for next year it looks as good or better. The concept Civic Si is also pretty cool. A lot better than the current one.

For the pricier category (~$30k), the Acura TSX takes the top followed by the Infiniti G35. The G35 is a beautiful car that has some incredible features. However, Acura still wins because it too is cool, a bit more practical, and I know the car well. If you haven't noticed the trend here, cars get bonus points if they are easy for me to maintain.

Pricing anomaly of the show: The Dodge Charger. $38k. OK. If I had $38k, would I really buy a Dodge Charger? Survey results:

Dan: BMW 330
Paul: Acura TL or TSX (coming in $10k under the $38k budget... may use that to get a Kia Sedona and Kia Rio just to prove to people that you can buy one get one free)
Ivan: Eh... don't remember what he wanted... but it definitely wasn't the Dodge.