I didn't crash

[caffeine]

But I did test the anti-lock brakes of the rental 2008 Dodge Charger. They work very well. I was traveling East on 27/18 at a leisurely 70 mph and I saw the signs to watch for cross-traffic. I was watching for cross-traffic. I saw the fuel truck slowing down in front of me and turned off the cruise control and braked lightly. Then I realized the truck was stopping to make a left into the service station. I don't fucking care how fast the Charger goes 0 to 60. What I care about is that it goes from 60 to 0 very fast without skidding or losing control.

Dodge/Chrysler cannot build a decent commuter car, but let them build a heavy, powerful, cruising car, and they do a pretty good job. A couple weeks ago it was a rental 2008 Volvo S40. This is the one that Ford is building on the same frame as the Ford Focus? and Mazda 6. It looks like the other "S" models, but compared to a friends slightly older S60, the S40 is crap. Lots of road noise and nothing very impressive. The dash is not presented well, and the combo heat/AC/fan/stereo controls are on a fake-wood front panel that has wasted space behind it. Also, when you put on the defroster (windshield), it kicks the fan to full. And you cannot put heat on both the floor and the defrost Crazy.

The Charger does not get great mileage. 21 mph City, 28 mph Highway. But it has low road noise, and very smooth to drive. And as I mentioned, good brakes. It has a comfortable cockpit and mostly easy to access controls. Except the wiper blade controls are on the left side of the steering wheel instead of the right.

Compare either of those to the Mazda 3. Now that is crap. Cramped cockpit, knees jammed against the console and window-roller. And for a car 10-years newer than mine, had just as much road noise.

Comments

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

Damn that's scary. Good thing the baby Jeebus was looking out for you.

rental car

[krisyk.livejournal.com]

Why are you in a rental car??

I've seen a bumper stickers which says not to drive faster then your guardian angel.

Glad you are safe.

much krisy

Re: rental car

[vanaabegra.livejournal.com]

Business road trip to Cedar Rapids, IA. The MN Office is responsible for Minnesota and Iowa. We have active projects in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, staffed from St. Louis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and here. I will have two active projects there (90%+ remote work) and some Project Management. Some people call it program management, since I will have another PM rolling up his set of projects as one of my projects. Trust me, it is easier to see on paper. Well, except that I took about 5 pages of notes yesterday (holy crap, was it just yesterday I was there?).

As for why the rental car, it is more cost-effective to rent a car for 2 days and pay for gas than to pay the mileage costs. Plus it saves my car, and I can drive something new with Cruise Control (as much as I love my car, cruise control makes road trips much nicer). The Volvo from a couple weeks ago had about 50 miles on it, the Charger had about 13000.

Re: rental car

[krisyk.livejournal.com]

Are you enjoying your new job. It sounds very busy. Matt took a new job in southern california (I'm not sure if I told you this already) and we are moving to the OC in June. Now you have a place to stay in southern california -- and I'll have a new victim to drag to Disneyland.

How is everyone at home???

Wish I could have seen you and MLE at Christmas but quick in and out this year -- didn't see much except snow and snow.

much love kk