Yes, We Also Talk About Cars

OK, so head dude Chris and I will get into these conversations about cars via chat (since we live about 1200 miles apart), and we both thought, why not put them on the air (so to speak).

One of my first concerns was what to call it … which lead to this conversation:

Christopher: Like an “Around the water cooler” type thing

Tony: Yeah, like that … or around the pit wall or in the paddock, or in the garage or something …

Contemptibly banal, I know – BUT HEY!!! CHECK OUT OUR LOGO!!!!

Isn’t that tre’ cool? Doesn’t that just show that we’re hip, and with it, and now? Really, that logo shows that what Gerry Lopez is to The North Shore, we are to cars. So honestly, why not share our diamond-bright perceptions on all things automotive with you, the little people?

Common sense, breading, common decency, ethics, writing ability, a basic understanding of mechanical engineering, a basic understanding of engineering in general, a basic understanding of of our own limitations to be specific, and knowing when to give into that little voice in your head, whimpering, ‘please dear God, stop!’, to name just ten.

But hey, if that didn’t stop me in college, why should it now?

Anyway, here’s the first thrilling installment:

Christopher: Hey Tony, got a minute?

Tony: Sure, what’s up?

Christopher: Couple things…

First, I like your recent post

Tony: Thanks … you started it.

Christopher: Also…I’ve had a couple people looking on the site for BMW info and realized I really don’t have much on there about them. Do you like BMW?

Tony: I like them enough … not that crazy about their styling though, which has been consistently terrible for a while now.

Christopher: Yeah that’s my problem with them too…have any suggestions on getting some articles up there about them?

Tony: Well, the main problem (lately) has been that everything they’ve been pushing at shows on in press releases has been an SUV of sort or another. Of course, the F1 season is starting here in 3 weeks, and BMW is doing a BIG push (i.e. lots more team funding, best wind tunnel on the planet, that sort of thing). But road car wise, they’ve been a little quite.

Christopher: Very true … well, the M3 coupe was pretty sweet.

Tony: Yeah, very … those things are all over the place here … sort of the car that every Silicon Valley tech geek gets when he gets a raise. They’re sort of filling the roll that the Boxster was playing a decade ago: get hired by Microsoft, go buy a Boxster.

Christopher: haha

Tony: Seriously … when I was at MS, you cold always tel when the latest shipment of them would have come into Bellevue Porsche/Audi, because all of a sudden, there’d be 6 or 8 new ones in the parking lots.

Christopher: That must have been interesting.

Tony: Or frustrating, depending on how you want to look at it … never liked they ergonomics in those, but they’re still fun enough.

Christopher: Never actually been a Porsche fan, believe it or not, but they’re getting better.

Tony: Me either … for starters they got all that weight WAY back there, so the handling is less than forgiving. And that’s for starters. Another problem I’ve kind of had with Porsches isn’t really the cars, but the people that drive them (and I realize that’s not entirely being fair).

Christopher: I understand, believe me.

Tony: The problem is that Porsches are JUST cheap enough that any half way successful real estate agent or medical device salesman can go out and buy a Porsche and show the world what a success he is.

Christopher: This could make a good article

Tony: Which is sad really … because if you can figure out the handling, they are phenomenally quick cars, that are really really well screwed together, and they have a great racing pedigree … but I know that I’d be “the asshole in the Porsche” if I owned one. Actually, it would make a good article … we could have a virtual round table and post it every Friday (or something).

Christopher: Yeah they’re technically great cars, but you’re right. You’d lose count of the middle fingers after a while.

Tony: Ouch!

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