2005 Nissan 350z roadster touring

  Today I decided to treat myself to an indulgence that I love sampling whenever I get the chance. I've always been an admirer of sports cars with powerful engines, good handling, luxuries and good looks. The group that stands out for me in particular though is convertibles. I know I know I live in the Pacific Northwest and convertibles aren't really something that work very well here most of the year. I've always really enjoyed driving back country roads that wind through scenic forests, along rivers, up mountains etc. and let's face it, for that short window of time where the sun actually graces us with it's presence, this is simply the best place on earth to be.

   Today I grabbed the keys to one of the cars that I've always admired, pretended that it wasn't overcast for a moment and jumped in the driver's seat. I'm talking of course about the 2005 350z roadster, and on first glance it's plain to see why I've always admired this particular model. Nissan really went all out with this refined example of the legendary Z line. The massively flared wheel arches, paired with the rounded body lines make it plain to see that this car was designed with my kind of person in mind. The sleek, stylish headlights and taillights are angular and aggressive, while the aluminum, uniquely designed door handles bring a sense of elegance and refinement to the body.

   Inside the car you're greeted with hip hugging leather seats and an interior that continues that seamless mesh of aggressive performance and elegant luxury. As I inserted the key into the ignition and started up the 287 hp V6, I immediately felt like I was in a James Bond movie as a door in the middle of the dash started to automatically open and I was greeted by the LCD navigation and multimedia screen.

   After adjusting my electric seats to my liking, I set off and was immediately pleased by the powerful yet refined sound of the engine as well as the power that went along with it. As I headed towards the highway I couldn't help but noticed the grip as I went into each corner. So far so good then on all counts, but how is it to live with? Well sadly not everything is perfect here. While the heated, electric leather seats are comfortable, there is a fair bit of road noise that comes with the low stance. That being said, with the Bose premium sound system on the volume adjusts itself automatically as you speed up and turns itself down as you slow. Yet another 007 moment there, and although the sound system and navigation are top notch, the layout of the controls and buttons are fairly scattered and inconvenient. The horsepower is very nice as well but the automatic bump shift mode is quite sluggish if you're in the mood to shift like a race car driver. All these things are just me nitpicking though to be honest and overall I give the Z top marks in all areas.

   As with all good things, in the end I did have to hang the keys back on the board. Being a two seater makes the Z a little difficult to own when you have a family, but for the right person few cars will bring this much to the table. I know I enjoyed my review today and I hope you all enjoyed taking the journey with me as well. Be sure and join me again in The Fast Lane tomorrow.

2013 Mitsubishi i-MiEV all electric

      We continue in The Fast Lane today with our green theme. I spoke highly yesterday of the Nissan Leaf, with a promise to review it's rival today: The all new Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Of course I say new because that's what it is to us here in the U.S. Over seas however the i car has been in production and on sale for over five years now. You'll remember I greatly enjoyed the Leaf, so let's see how the i stacks up against it.
   As usual we start with our first impressions. The exterior of the i is a matter of some debate. Some see it as a European chic car that's stylish and unique, while others merely see a bug eyed little car on tiny wheels with no hood. I personally like the little i car and find it's styling unique and funky. I like the way the wheels are at each corner and the front of it looks like a smiling face. I like the color palette that Mitsubishi chose and find the Raspberry color particularly attractive. On first glance we're not so close to a regular car with this electric , but then again the swooping body lines are designed with function before form on this one, and aerodynamics were at the top of the priority list when it went to the drawing board.
  Stepping into the interior you're immediately greeted by the pleasant surprise of space. Looking at the i from the outside you expect it to be cramped and uncomfortable, but there's plenty of leg room both front and back, TONS of headroom throughout the whole car and very nice cargo space when the seats are upright and even more when they're folded flat. One point for the i car over the Leaf in the space department at least. We move on to the driver's seat, where we find a heated driver's side seat, blue tooth, navigation and all the standard amenities we've come to expect from new cars these days as well. As far as actual features the two electrics are pretty evenly matched although the Leaf is more sleek and futuristic, and the i has the option to choose what features you'd like to leave off. Driving the i is quite a bit more like a regular car in that you get an actual key instead of a button and an actual gear shift selector and handbrake instead of a joystick and button. Which is better? Well that's personal preference.
   We select D or Eco mode and head down the road. Straight off the bat, like with the Leaf we're greeted with silence, a bit more so in this model though to be fair because with narrower tires the road noise is significantly lessened. The visibility is excellent as well due to the large, tall windshield, side and rear windows. Power wise we're in the same ballpark though, lots of torque and plenty of top speed, perfectly capable of keeping up on the freeway. Ride is smooth and comfortable, although, since the range is a little less than the Leaf you're rarely in the car for long enough to get sore (unless you're stuck in Portland traffic). Parking is very easy as well due to the short hood, compact body and available backup camera.
  So far pretty evenly matched I'd say. The Leaf is more futuristic and sleek, but the i car is significantly less money. The Leaf has a bit more range but the i has a better warranty. The Leaf has more toys, but the i has more room and is less noisy. So which do you choose? Well from the driver's seat I'd say it's a great choice either way!
    In closing I'd just like to say how pleased I am to finally see a valid effort being put forth to save the environment and these two pioneers are paving the way for the future. Until tomorrow night stay green and keep in The Fast Lane.

2011 Nissan Leaf

   Welcome back everyone! Today we're going green with the all electric Nissan Leaf. The fact is that gas prices have become absurdly expensive over the past couple of years, and there are a lot of options on the market designed to save us money at the pump. Ideally we'd want to have a car that operates exactly like a normal car with no dependency on fossil fuel. The Leaf is one of a couple options that's getting very close to achieving that goal.

   Starting out we look at the exterior of the vehicle. In the past all electric cars have been slow, ugly and impractical. On the exterior, though, the Leaf blends in with it's surroundings to the point where if you didn't know what you were looking at you'd think it's just another funky looking Nissan. Granted I'm not a huge fan of the massive headlights and the long vertical taillights, but overall it's not bad looking either. So far so good then, it looks like a normal car walking up to it. But what's it like on the interior? Well in a word, it's cool. The instruments are minimalist on first glance with a large screen for all the gauges and another screen for the navigation system. Touch the power button, though, and the whole interior lights up with blue LCD gauges and the navigation shows a color map with points of interest including charging stations highlighted. The "shift" knob is a stubby little joy stick with park, drive, reverse and Eco modes on it. Once you get past the gadgets though it's just a normal hatchback again. Comfortable seats, plenty of leg and head room and an adequately spacious trunk.

   All of this so far is exactly what we wanted to begin with, but how does it drive? When in drive it's eerily quiet and you become a little hesitant to let off the brake, and once you're rolling down the street it's more of the same. No noise and no gear shifts make it feel very strange at first, though not in a negative way, but once you start to get used to it, it really feels like any other car. Jump on the highway and the road noise is a little loud, but it does drive, even at highway speeds,like any other car. Amenities include climate control, blue tooth, GPS and more. Range is the biggest question on these cars of course. At up to about 100 miles per charge it's pretty good for most people. For longer trips you'll need a level 3 charger and about 30 minutes of charging time, but it's mostly targeted towards daily commuters and if you're planning on doing any travelling to speak of you'll need a second car.

   Overall I think we're well on our way towards the future. The technology's still in it's infancy but for the time being the Leaf is a good choice for most people. Downsides? maybe give the option for a base model instead of getting all or nothing, road noise is a little annoying and it's not good if you travel. That's just me nitpicking though and I think it's a very impressive machine. Tomorrow we'll be driving it's main competition, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Until then try to stay in The Fast Lane.

2000 chevrolet camaro z28

   Welcome back to The Fast Lane! This time I chose a car that I've always wondered about. The 2000 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. I had never really had any experience with this specific car until now and I always wondered if it was really as good as I'd always heard. So I grabbed the keys and headed out to decide for myself.

   I started out walking up to the exterior of the car, and so far I was impressed. The sleek body lines reminded me of Chevrolet's legacy: the mighty Corvette. The low slung body and large rear spoiler told me this car was all about performance and maybe even handling. The twin exhaust screamed high horsepower. Needless to say I was ecstatic to finally get behind the wheel of this monster. I opened the driver's side door and was amazed at how long and heavy it was, and got into the driver's seat. Once again I was impressed to see that the driver sit's practically on the floor it'self, a feature seen in many high performance machines to lower the center of gravity. I began to situate myself in the cabin, and was pleasantly surprised to see leather seats and electric controls. As I continued to look around though I was more and more disappointed with the cheapness of it all. Everything was plastic and felt like it was about to break off in my hand. I reminded myself that it was a muscle car, however, and assumed that Chevy spent all the money under the hood. I turned the key and was delighted with the thunderous roar of the engine, and the violent shake that came with it. I smiled and put it into gear and set off.
   Driving the car at slow speeds proved to be unimpressive, uncomfortable and loud, but that'd all be worth it as long as it didn't disappoint when your foot goes to the floor. I waited at the light to get onto the on ramp to the freeway and when it turned green I stepped on it. I was immediately sideways and let off the throttle. I tried again and the same thing kept happening. Things were going badly so far with no traction control, but I reminded myself that all true driver's cars had no aides. I decided it must be about either handling or straight line performance. I finally was able to accelerate without spinning the tires and  put my foot down. The engine made a thunderous scream and I braced myself for the G forces, but none came. The disappointment increased, and I thought maybe they'd at least gotten the handling right. They didn't. The body roll was terrible, the body was much too long, and there was a terrible combination of over and under steer. The steering wheel itself was too big and too heavy, and the turning radius was bad.
   In short I was very disappointed with everything about the car. Oh and the day was rainy as well and the T-tops that I had looked forward to were a cool touch, but they leaked. The long heavy doors and the seat on the floor made it impossible to get out of the car when I was parked next to another car. I opened the hood to see if there was something wrong with the engine and found technology from 50 years ago, only slightly tweaked. As the name of this blog suggests I like fast cars, even if fast is all they're good at. Unfortunately all this car is for is show. Join me again next time, hopefully this time in The Fast Lane.

2012 Nissan Maxima

    Welcome back to The Fast Lane! Today I thought I'd treat all the senses and go with a car that I've been admiring since the new body style came out. Today we're looking at a 2012 Nissan Maxima. Past models have been somewhat lackluster and run of the mill, but this new body style intrigued me and I thought I'd try it out and see what all the fuss is about.
   For starters let's take a look at the new body. The sleek lines and raised wheel arches have a hint of the old Corvette styling, that paired with the aggressive looking headlights and taillights make this car look sporty, but somehow it still maintains elegance and class. Chrome is scattered over the body tastefully on the door handles, grill, trunk handle and window surrounds, but fortunately Nissan didn't go over the top with the bling.
  Given that this car is a flagship/luxury sports sedan you expect perfection. I'm happy to say that it doesn't disappoint on the performance front. The 3.5 v6 is ample power and the handling is good for a car of this size. The manual shift mode is fairly slow but that wasn't a huge issue for me given the driving style this car encourages. The cockpit is clad in leather and woodgrain (unless you go for a base model) and there are plenty of amenities that's you'd expect with a luxury sedan such as power heated seats and available options such as power telescopic steering wheel, gps, backup camera, bluetooth and more.
   Ride quality was quite good with average road noise for it's price bracket. dual climate control also ensures comfort and a complaint free environment for both driver and passenger sides. The ride height is ideal as well, accommodating people of all heights and allows for easy entry and departure from the cabin.
   Overall I'd say that the Maxima is an excellent choice for someone who wants a high quality luxury sedan for a great price. I hope you enjoyed todays review and be sure and join me again tomorrow in The Fast Lane!

2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse

   Welcome back to The Fast Lane! Today marks my first review for this blog. Today I took some time to drive a 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I decided to write about this car first because it's one that I've admired from day one. I first saw the third generation in a tv ad while I was in high school. I remember drooling over the sleek elegant body, the impressive performance and the features that it offered. When I first walked onto the lot at Alan Webb Mitsubishi I made a beeline towards a third gen Eclipse and immediately took it for a test drive.

    The car that I drove was a fairly standard model equipped with the 2.4 liter engine and the automatic transmission with bump shift technology. Cool blue lighting illuminates all the gauges and dials on the dash, and hip hugging seats keep the driver and front passenger secure during cornering. The body on the 2012 was designed to incorporate designs from both previous eclipses with the blacked out roof and other current models with the front grill design hinting towards the Evolution. The 2.4 engine with the automatic transmission is suited for the driver that wants a stylish sports car with fairly good performance to cruise the roads with while maintaining fuel economy. For the driving enthusiast, I recommend the GT model with the 3.8 v6 with a manual transmission. Handling is decent with some under steer as can be expected from a front wheel drive car, the ride is average stiffness for cars in it's class. Unlike most sports cars in this class the Eclipse has a back seat that is tight but usable. Options included sunroof, heated seats, leather, Rockford Fosgate premium sound system, power drivers seat, climate control and more.
    Overall the Eclipse was more than I expected seeing those TV ads years ago. I wish there was enough back seat space for a baby seat, but I hope to someday own one of these great machines. I hope this review was thorough and informative and I only wish you could experience the car in person. Until tomorrow, stay in the Fast Lane.

Welcome to The Fast Lane!

    Hey readers! I'm Joe Lackey, a car enthusiast/gear head/car salesman. I've decided to dedicate at least one posting a day on a different car that I personally will drive and review. As a salesman for both new Mitsubishi's and pre owned vehicles of every type I have driven hundreds of cars, trucks and SUVs, therefore I feel like I can accurately provide detailed information on vehicles that will appeal to all consumers and/or enthusiast.
   So whether you're car shopping, interested in new technology or just enjoy driving and reading about cars, then this is the blog for you! But first you should know a little about me. I have spent many years abroad in Papua New Guinea and Greece, and have visited many other parts of the world as well. I have dabbled in several professional fields, but found my way back to cars at a large auto parts chain. I spent several years there improving my knowledge of cars, engines and sales. I moved on to car sales and found my calling.
    Over the years I have also had several projects in the form of cars, trucks and motorcycles. My mechanical skills are above average, which enables me to do my own work on my projects and daily drivers as well when I can spare the time away from work and family.
   In closing to this introduction you can expect detailed reviews on all makes of vehicles on the market today. I will post photos of as many as I can, and will respond to requests if possible. Welcome to The Fast Lane!