Re: S4 still available in San Francisco

["Daniel Hussey" <dan_hussey@email.msn.com>]

>>  Isn't that a point of having a demo!???  Sure, they want people to be
able
>>  to drive it hard....  heck, I wouldn't buy one without really seeing
what
>it
>>  could do!
>
>A few years back, friend of mine took a 3rd gen. Mazda RX-7 out for a test
>drive.  At one point during the test drive, he was going around a sweeping
>curve at just under 100mph -- actually, it was a highway overpass -- when
the
>salesman suggested that he must have some racing experience because he
seemed
>to be a pretty good driver.
>
>My friend admitted that he did race cars but allowed as how he didn't
usually
>do too well because he crashed a lot ... he said the salesman went white at
>that point and demanded that he return the car to the lot immediately.  He
>ended up buying an M3 instead because his employer would only give him a
car
>allowance on cars with four doors...  :^)


That is a funny story.  An M3 sedan is my dream car, so I'd have to give him
credit.... not your typical 4 door hauler.  Well, it will haul all right!
Although, I think I might take an S4 over it.

Anyways, reminds me of when I spotted a Dakar Yellow Volvo T5R sedan on a
CarMax (big used car superstore) lot in Atlanta.  Guy comes out and says can
he help me.  I said "Yes"... "I want to drive it" pointing to the Yellow
slammed to the ground 17" Pirrelli P-Zero equipped Volvo.  He says, ok, let
me grab the keys.  He comes back and we go for a ride (a friend is with me
who was realling looking for cars).  He has to drive out of the lot as per
regulations.  He gets on the highway and is driving pretty fast, so I figure
this guy must be ok with whatever I do.  It was the coolest.  When I sat in
the driver's seat, my friend (in the back) mentioned to the sales guy that
"I like to drive fast" and "you might want to put on your seatbelt".  I just
remember him quickly scrambling to buckle the seatbelt as I nailed it,
pulling away from the stoplight!  I was doing about 115 or so on the highway
in traffic and the car was very stable.  I was talking to him calmly and he
seemed tense or something.  Anyways, I get off the higway back at Mansell
and tell him I'm not ready to give it back just yet.  I want to find some
twisties.  He gets this "Oh god" look on his face as continue at 90 down
Mansell Crossing in the midst of traffic.  It was awsome!  Almost more fun
just to watch the expression on his face!  :)  Then, of course, CarMax
style, he asks if I am going to buy the car (just plain out and asks, "So
you going to take it home?").  I politely say, "Car was impressive, but I'm
going to wait for the next generation when they give it AWD."  ;^)  I will
take a V70XC though!!!!  ;^)

OK, not that I condone driving that fast in traffic, but I promise it was
all done safely.  I didn't cut anyone off and I do use my blinker, and I
don't crowd people.  And, keep in mind, normal Atlanta traffic (when moving)
travels rather quickly...like 80 mph.

The best was talking to a car salesman at Palm Beach Motorcars, Ltd who is a
dealer for Aston Martin among other exotics.  He was telling us about some
older retiered race guys who came in to test drive a car.  He said he
doesn't normally get scared, but he said he about peed his pants!  He said
"There is only one way those guys know how to drive a car... and that's with
the foot all the way to the floor!"  He said it was scary, but in
retrospect, it was very exciting.

Later,
Dan