[s-cars] Mmmm, shifty business...

[Taka Mizutani]

I start work pretty early, so if I leave the house early enough, I can take
the "scenic" way in and out from work- early morning you can really do some
banzai runs on a really twisty road. The only downside is that the cops
sometimes lurk and wait for people like me so you have to be careful and
pick and choose your zones. If I was stuck on the highway in bumper to
bumper traffic every day going to and from work, then I would seriously
consider taking the Volvo to work- nice and quiet, decent factory stereo,
nice comfy seats, very nice place to spend time in.

The S8 and the X5 4.4/4.6/4.8 are a ton of fun, as are the Cayenne S and
Turbo and I'll have to include the Infiniti FX. I still wonder how much I'm
giving up with a slushbox in those cars, though. I guess you like the V8q
with a slush better than even the 5-speed? I helped a friend get a V8
5-speed, that was a nice car. With a tad more power, I would have bought
that from him rather than letting him sell it to someone else (like if it
had the 4.2).

Taka


On 4/23/07, QSHIPQ at aol.com <QSHIPQ at aol.com> wrote:
>
>  We just don't get to do that as often anymore Taka, a lot of reasons for
> that other than where one lives...  I like a driveline that is correct to
> the chassis, not sure I care if it's auto or manual.  Like the 83 gearbox in
> the urq has goofy spacing, but the 85 box is dead nuts on.  The merc autobox
> in the 928 I enjoy, but that same gearbox sucks when hooked up to the merc 6
> cylinder tanks.
>
> The 91 v8 quattro is one of my favorite autoboxes, as you can choose
> butter, bang or DIY.  And after many years with one, it's about the most
> predictable shifter I've been in.  And, when all those turbo cars are doing
> the bobble shift, you put your foot all the way to the floor and that poochy
> 3.6 with chip runs right to 6500 and bangs the next and the next.  With
> less than 300 hp, it runs with many turbo quattros without embarrassing
> itself, and at speed passing maneuver, a really big turbo is needed to show
> it tail.
>
> I found similar enjoyment in the S8, and the X5 sports.  The S600 I could
> barely hold my lungs from hugging the seat, and the 750il does a decent
> imitation in grand style as well.
>
> Get an autobox right with the engine and chassis, fun isn't missed.  Miss
> the engine and chassis with a slush, it's like ruining your next month with
> one piece of bad sushi at lunch today.
>
> SJ
>
>
> In a message dated 4/23/2007 5:49:40 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> t44tqtro at gmail.com writes:
>
> Paul-
> I like playing with the stick shift too much to give it up. Now that's an
> invitation to all sorts of abuse! :-)
>
> Nothing like doing a perfectly executed downshift, blipping the throttle
> just-so, getting the gears engaged smoothly and getting the timing between
> shifter action and clutch engagement perfectly. With the short gears of
> both
> Japanese cars in the garage, there is a lot of shifting going on. I have
> the
> option of taking a really curvy and fun road home- when traffic is light,
> there is the opportunity for lots and lots of up/downshifting, nailing the
> apexes, getting on the throttle at the right point, etc. IOW, pure driving
> enjoyment.
> ...
> Taka
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> See what's free at AOL.com <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503>.
>
>