The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder returns to the Mitsubishi lineup after a one-year hiatus as a 2009 model, with a full-power, convertible top that folds completely into a fully covered, self-closing bin. All with the driver doing nothing more than releasing a couple of latches and pushing a button.

The Spyder comes with a choice of four-cylinder or V6 engines, each available with manual or automatic.

The Spyder offers all the pleasures of open-air motoring with few of the displeasures. The top, especially, is a quality structure. It’s finished inside, with all the struts, pivots and bows hidden behind sound-deadening fabric. With it up, the interior feels and sounds much like the coupe, although perhaps a little claustrophobic. With it down, the steeply raked windshield pushes most of the air up and over the open cockpit, allowing almost-normal conversation; hats are just as essential for avoiding sunburn as for controlling wind-blown tresses.

Despite weighing about 200 pounds more than the coupe, due to bracing added in the conversion to a convertible, the Spyder gives up only one mile per gallon to the coupe in fuel economy in all but the top-level V6 with automatic, and that drops only two mpg and only in the highway estimate.

In pricing, the ‘07 Spyder actually costs less than its predecessor. The base GS model lists at $355 below the ‘05, the GT more than $2000 below the top ‘05 model, and both with more content.

Measured fun per dollar, the Eclipse Spyder is well worth a look for anyone shopping for a sporty convertible.

Model Lineup

The 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder is a two-door, four-seat roadster based on the latest Eclipse coupe.

The GS ($25,389) comes with a 162-horsepower four-cylinder engine and a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission ($900). Standard features include cloth upholstery; air conditioning; cruise control; the usual power accessories and fitments; tilt steering column; a premium, Rockford Fosgate, 650-watt stereo with AM/FM/MP3 capability connected to nine speakers and subwoofer; and 17-inch, flat-flanged, five-spoke, alloy wheels wearing all-season tires. The Leather Package ($980) adds leather-surfaced, heated front seats; heated outside mirrors; and a center-top dash display with ambient temperature and compass.

The GT ($28,269) comes with a 260-hp V6 with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic ($900). Standard upgrades on the GT are confined to the center-top dash display, an oversized exhaust tip and a red rocker cover on the engine. A Premium Package ($1730) adds leather-trimmed, heated front seats, automatic climate control, heated mirrors, six-way power driver’s seat, rubber-nibbed, aluminum pedals, and flat-flanged, 18-inch, seven-spoke, alloy wheels with all-season tires. A wind deflector is also available.

Also offered on both GS and GT are two premium paint colors, Satin Mesei (visualize metallic green) and Sunset Pearlescent ($130), over and above the more traditional red, white, silver and black (blue is slated for late availability). Mitsubishi has signed off on three dealer-installed equipment packages (i.e., installation not included), as well. These are an aero kit, with front corner airdams, sport side sills and rear wake modifier ($1820); an accessory package, with alloy fuel door, wheel locks and floor mats ($179); and an appearance package comprising the aero kit and appearance package ($1999).

Safety features standard on both models include dual-stage front airbags, front seat-mounted side-impact airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters, child safety seat anchors (LATCH) and antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution.

Originally Reported By: Tom Lankard

(888) 498-0660 – 1133 Motor City Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Contact Us Click Here for Videos

Overview

Endeavour was the ship commanded by Captain James Cook, hero of the Seven Years War, when he set off from England in 1768 to scientifically survey New Zealand and Australia.

Mitsubishi’s Endeavor has easier objectives, but far greater competition from others. The Endeavor is a midsize sport utility that seats five, with generous space in the front and rear seats. The rear seatbacks flip down to reveal a big cargo area with a perfectly flat floor.

In spite of its rugged appearance, Endeavor is built more like a car than a truck. Underway, the Endeavor handles well and offers a nice, smooth ride. Its drive-by-wire throttle provides responsive control, and its 3.8-liter V6 delivers adequate power, though the Endeavor won’t win many drag races. It’s available with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, but we much prefer the AWD model.

Barely six years old, the Mitsubishi Endeavor has been moderately facelifted for 2009. ABS with traction control is now standard. The standard towing capacity has been increased to 3500 pounds. And all Endeavor sound systems now include MP3 capability.

Model Lineup

Mitsubishi has simplified the Endeavor lineup for 2009, leaving only two trim levels: LS and Limited. Each is available with front-wheel drive (2WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). All are powered by a 3.8-liter V6 making 225 horsepower mounted transversely (sideways) and mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic manual shifting capability.

The LS 2WD ($26,599) and AWD ($27,999) come with the usual power accessories, plus a 140-watt sound system with single-disc CD player and MP3 playback, new brush-finish 17-inch alloy wheels with mud-and-snow-rated tires, intermittent rear window washer, roof rails, steering wheel controls, remote entry, full-size spare tire, and a remote tailgate release.

A new Road Trip Package for the LS ($2,000) adds a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with wireless headphones and remote, six-disc CD changer, an enhanced color dot-matrix information display (including compass, outside temperature, fuel computer, and maintenance recorder), sport-touch steering wheel, cargo cover, cargo net, and an alarm.

Limited 2WD ($30,799) and AWD ($32,299) add automatic climate control, premium cloth seats with power for the driver’s seat, 315-watt MP3-capable sound system with six-disc CD changer, power sunroof, the color dot-matrix information display, fog lights, crossbars for the roof rails, the cargo cover and alarm.

Leather upholstery is available with the Leather Plus Package ($1,400) that includes seat heaters and heated outside mirrors. The Family Entertainment Package ($1,200) for the Limited includes the DVD system, wireless headphones and remote control. Mitsubishi Active Skid and Traction Control ($995), an electronic stability control system, is available only on Limited AWD.

Safety features on all 2009 Endeavors include dual-stage frontal airbags and front seat-mounted side-impact airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), traction control, and a tire-pressure monitor. Curtain airbags are not available. Wear your seat belts as they are your first line of defense in an accident.

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We could name a number of midsize, import-badge sedans that ride comfortably and quietly, handle responsively, and offer an optional V6 that provides ample power for passing. All feature roomy, nicely appointed cabin space, and all represent good value in the family-car market. Mitsubishi Galant does all that, but offers sharp styling, the kind that turns heads in traffic. Not everyone will like what they see, but none of them will accuse the Galant of being a wallflower. The current-generation Galant was launched as an all-new model for 2004, and Mitsubishi has improved and refined it every year since then. New for 2009: The 2009 Mitsubishi Galant brings a freshened look outside, improved materials inside, and revised suspension settings designed to provide greater comfort and a more engaging driving experience. The 2009 Galant GTS gets a new five-speed automatic transmission. Also new for 2009 is a high-performance model called the Ralliart, with more horsepower, tighter handling, and sporty styling. Ralliart is Mitsubishi’s motorsports arm and has been a dominant force in the World Rally Championship, which includes the Monte Carlo and other famous events, and cross country endurance raids, such as the Paris-Dakar Rally. Mitsubishi hopes the Galant Ralliart will challenge the Acura TSX and TL, as well as the MazdaSpeed6. The Galant Ralliart seems a long way from the Galant VR4 rally cars so successful in the early 1990s, but so what? The more we drove the 2009 Mitsubishi Galant Ralliart, the more we liked it. It struck us as a comfortable, big midsize sedan with some sports appeal. It isn’t as agile as a MazdaSpeed6, but it’s roomier and more comfortable. It certainly isn’t as upscale or refined as an Acura, but it costs less. It’s an easy car to live with that does not give up comfort or convenience for its added performance. At times, it reminded us of a Chevy Monte Carlo (yes, we know it’s a two-door) and it seems nicer than a Pontiac G6. In any case, the Galant Ralliart was an enjoyable car that never annoyed us. And we’re easily annoyed. Galant has achieved across-the-board five-star ratings in the federal government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offset-frontal and side-impact crash tests. The insurance industry’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded Galant its highest ranking (“Good overall”) in its frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests. Model Lineup The 2009 Mitsubishi Galant comes in four trim levels, but they are not the same four as last year. The upper-middle LS has been discontinued, the GTS slightly demoted, and the new Ralliart added at the top of the range. Galant DE ($19,899) and ES ($20,999) are powered by a 160-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and come standard with a four-speed automatic transmission. Mitsubishi’s Sportronic system, which allows a semi-manual shifting when desired, is now standard on all Galants. The DE comes with air conditioning; height-adjustable driver’s seat; height-adjustable steering wheel; power windows, mirrors and door locks with remote keyless entry; 140-watt, four-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo; rear-seat heater ducts; carpeted floor mats; and an engine immobilizer. Standard tires are P215/60R16 all-season radials on steel wheels. ES adds ABS with EBD, six-speaker stereo with MP3 playback, cruise control, and a more deluxe cloth interior with a driver’s seatback pocket and sun visor extenders. Appearance upgrades include color-keyed exterior door handles, titanium interior accents, and ice-blue LED illumination for climate and stereo controls. ES options include the Sport Package ($1,000) with 16-inch alloy wheels, dark-bezel halogen headlamps, crystal ellipsoid rear lamps, a color-keyed rear spoiler, and the Ralliart’s Rockford Acoustic Design audio with Sirius satellite radio. The ES Premium Package ($2,000) adds leather seating surfaces, faux leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, power glass sunroof, auto-dimming rear view mirror with Homelink, and additional minor goodies. GTS ($24,999) features a 230-hp, 3.8-liter V6 and a five-speed automatic transmission with a Sportronic feature. GTS adds leather seating, faux leather and audio controls on the steering wheel, heated front seats with eight-way power for the driver, dark-bezel headlamps, fog lamps, and a tire-pressure monitor. The instrument panel features white-faced gauges and woodgrain accents. Front brakes are larger, while wheels and tires upgrade to 215/55R17s on 17-inch rims. GTS options include the Sun and Sound package ($1,000), which combines the power glass sunroof and Rockford Acoustic Design audio with an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Homelink transmitter, a security alarm, and more. Ralliart ($26,999) is powered by a 258-hp, 3.8-liter V6, with a sports suspension, upgraded brakes, and larger wheels and tires. It comes with the five-speed Sportronic automatic. Ralliart has a unique look inside and out. Upholstery is perforated leather, and the pedals are aluminum. All of the GTS luxuries are standard, plus automatic climate control, a power glass sunroof, auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, and a unique Rockford Acoustic Design audio system that includes the hardware for Sirius satellite radio plus a six-month subscription. Optional on Ralliart is a DVD navigation system with a seven-inch touch screen ($1,850). Safety features include dual-stage front airbags, side curtain air bags, and front seat-mounted side-impact air bags, and four-wheel disc brakes. All-wheel drive is not available. Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution start with the ES model. A tire-pressure monitor comes on GTS and Ralliart models.

Originally Reported By: New Car Test Drive

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God convicted me several years ago that when He does something good for me, it is a part of my testimony and testimonies are meant to be shared.  I’ve been sitting on this one for awhile now and only those who are especially close to me are aware of what God did in my life between the ages of 28-31.  I don’t know how to condense this story any more than I have, so it will be posted in several parts.  We’ll see as we go along how many posts it takes…

 When I was 11 years old, a special speaker came to our church and left a permanent mark on me.  I wish I knew exactly who she was, but all I remember is that she spoke at a mother-daughter banquet.  She talked to us young women about praying for our futures.  She said our parents could pray, but we had a responsibility to pray as well.  She pricked my heart as she challenged us to pray for our future husband and children.  She gave us specifics – for healthy, godly children; for a godly husband – the right husband.  I remember thinking that if I started praying that young for those things, I would have the BEST husband and the most healthy, whole, and godly children of anyone.  And so I prayed and prayed and prayed. 

Fast-forward 15 years to the summer of 2002 and you’ll find me at age 26, still single.  I had been given several opportunities to get married and had declined them all because they were not what I had prayed for.  I was holding out hope for the man who was sent directly by God to me with no question and no compromise.  Then a series of unfortunate events occurred and exposed the weakness of my faith, causing me to lose even more faith in church leaders than I already had.  I had what might be called a crisis of faith.  It’s not that I lost my faith in God; it’s more that I began to seriously question my own standards and whether my faith was actually “faith” or if I was some kind of narcissist who believed she was special and should have the best of everything.  I wondered if, in reality, God just expected me to use my common sense and instincts to find a good man and marry him – rather than wait for some “Divine appointment” to occur. 

I ended up falling in love with a guy from church who was a good, solid, Christian man.  He was financially responsible, funny, professional, intelligent, well-educated, and honest.  We were friends for several years before we dated.  I had never been romantically interested in him until one day a switch flipped inside me and I suddenly was.  I couldn’t explain the switch and thought it must be from God.  After a year of dating, we got engaged and began pre-marriage counseling.  It was then that we realized that we weren’t actually a good match for each other.  It was extremely painful, and we tried really hard to make it work.  He thought it would be fine to keep dating indefinitely and continue working on our issues.  I thought if we were going to keep working at it, we might as well do so married.  At an impasse, we broke up.  To say my heart was broken in a million pieces is not overstating things.  I was devastated.  I was now 28 years old and no closer to my goal of marriage and children. 

During the time that we were trying to work things out, I got very sick.  I ended up in the hospital with what they finally diagnosed as mono and severe tonsillitis.  I was physically weak for about a year following that sickness.  At the same time, nearly every one of my closest friends moved away.  The cost of living went up dramatically and my salary did not, leaving me so financially strapped that I began selling my furniture and anything I didn’t absolutely need in order to pay bills.  I sold my beloved VW Jetta and drove my parent’s old, beat up Chevy Corsica.  On top of everything else, things at my job suddenly turned sour. 

I had worked for the same Christian publishing house for six years and loved my time there.  I had been in the seminars department for three years when my boss retired.  The woman who replaced her didn’t get much training and struggled to manage the department.  I tried to help her, teaching her everything I knew about the job.  I liked her and thought we had a good relationship, but somewhere along the way things changed.  She suddenly turned on me and found something wrong with everything I did.  For four months I was under a vicious attack, but nothing could be found against me so I maintained my job and had the support of her superiors.  But a person can only take that for so long.  It was extremely humbling.  One of the most painful things about it was that my co-workers, who I had been very close to over the years, were forced to turn their backs on me to preserve their own jobs.  Only one of them stood with me. 

I had also been very active in my church for several years.  We had a Sunday school class of 400-500 people (crazy, I know…) and I was the volunteer social activities coordinator.  We did all kinds of fun things and I loved it.  We were led by a dynamic preacher who was an assistant pastor at the church.  He ended up leaving the church due to moral failure and that blew our group apart.  Many stopped attending the church and our social network basically disintegrated. 

I was at the end of my rope.  This was the winter of 2003/2004 – one of the darkest times of my entire life. 

But the good news is that something positive always seems to come out of those dark times.  I had always kept journals, but during that especially difficult time, it seemed I couldn’t get through a day without writing.  I wrote page after page, pouring out my feelings and discovering that I was able to figure things out on paper a lot better than in my head.  As I wrote, it often felt like a Divine hand was guiding me and the words that came to the page were from some other place inside of me – a place I couldn’t find any other way. 

It was during those times of journaling that I gained the courage to do what I knew God had called me to do.

The beginning of my dream is very hazy, but it becomes more concrete the closer to the end.  I think my dream was very “long” in that I have forgotten the beginning’s details, but remembered those that are more recent.

Dream:

I was at a castle-like building that reminded me of the abbey in “Sound of Music” crossed with a post-apocalyptic movie (pick your favorite).  It was very dark outside, unnaturally dark–like after a nuclear blast, or in a sci-fi movie, even though it was daytime.  I was in a class of some kind, and there was a woman named Sarah with me the entire time of my dream.  I had a mission: I had to get my family and my pets to this location as soon as possible. I don’t remember why, but I had a really bad feeling.  While at this castle, I interacted with a lot of people from my past, but none that stuck out to me.

I drove back to Rain Dance Court to pick up my family (but only my Dad, little brother Ryan and our 4 animals).  Sidenote: My mom did not appear in this dream.  Second sidenote: we don’t have 4 animals; we have one dog, Gracie, who is a miniature Schnauzer).  The scene on Rain Dance Court was classic post-apocalyptic destruction.  Houses up and down the street were on fire, it was dark, no one was left on the block, etc.  I was driving a black VW Jetta with a manual transmission.  I got Ryan to help me with getting our pets in.  Gracie was first, although in my dream she was a larger breed, like a hound.  She kept bounding up to lick me and play with me, like she normally does.  I had to chase her to get her to go into the car, because she didn’t want to initially.

Sarah was in the passenger seat with me, egging me on (to what I don’t know, but that’s the sense I got).  At some point, I pulled the VW Jetta into the driveway, too close to my Dad’s white car, and scratched the VW.  I jumped out to check the damage, and I noticed a large white scratch across the hood of the VW, and small black scratch on the white car.  I backed up the VW Jetta and pulled it out to the road to get hide the evidence.  My dad walked out of the garage and sees me, and I started lying about the scratch, remarking about the little model car that had appeared somehow.  It was about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide (same as the real car), but with white paint all over, and a grid pattern on its windshield and windows.  I asked my Dad what he was going to do with the little car, but I don’t remember the answer.  Then I said I had to go.  I went back to the car, and found Gracie in the back seat, acting very differently.  The manual transmission in the car became an automatic transmission (which I thought was normal).  Something clicked, and I whipped the car around to leave the house.  I opened the door and pushed Sarah out of the car.  She was temporarily stunned, but she said that I could only do that because I had a Bachelor’s degree.  She said if I really wanted to get rid of her permanently, I needed a Master’s degree.  I was horrified at that thought because my older brother, my little brother, and my mother do not have Bachelor’s degrees and would be “undefended.”  The last image of the dream was of a figure floating beside the driver’s door about 3 feet off the ground while wondering how to help my family.

Then I woke up.

Analysis:

I’m not sure where to begin!  Here’s what I know: I think the reason the setting of the dream was post-apocalyptic is because I love disaster movies.  It is so interesting to me to see the “what ifs” of disasters, such as a nuclear war, or pandemic.  The VW Jetta is prominent because I would love to have that car someday, and because a new car has been on my mind because my current car cannot carry kayaks.  It had a manual because I am a big proponent of driving stick–it’s so much more fun!  Lastly, the Bachelor’s degree/Master’s degree issue is because I am looking at grad schools right now, so education is definitely on my mind.

What I don’t know: Everything else.  This dream was really messed up!  I get the sense that Sarah was evil, because she had dark hair and cackled when I threw her out of the car.  What I can’t understand is why I let her into the car in the first place–maybe I was tricked?  I don’t know why my mom was not in the dream at all, nor my older brother Scott.

All this, and I wasn’t even on anything.  This is reason 4,756 why I don’t do drugs.

Yakima Q-Towers

We had a customer come into the store this morning with a 1996 VW Jetta Gls.  She wanted to get a roof rack system installed and a ski/ snowboard attachment.  She mentioned the  Yakima Q-tower system, instead of the Thule 444 specialty rack, because she was more interested in the Yakima Fat cat 4 ski/ snowboard attachment, than the Thule Flat Top 4, because the Yakima Fatcat 4 had a lower sleeker, more aerodynamic look to it then the Thule.  Also if she was more interested in keeping to all the same  brand  so she could go with the Yakima Sks One Key system.

Yakima Fatcat 4

Once we installed everything on her car, we realized there was something missing.  So we mentioned the Yakima 38″ Fairing.  We told her that it would cut back on wind noise that would be funneled through the rack system on the top of her car, and that it would give the rack a really nice look to it.

Yakima 38" Fairing

]]> http://allaboutrenton.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/kings-transmission/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:17:43 +0000 misslynar http://allaboutrenton.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/kings-transmission/

After having my “check engine” light on for as long as I could remember, I decided last week it was time to get the Silver Bullet fixed. Yes, I am one of those people who gives a name to their car, always have, always will. Anyways, as a girl and as someone who knows close to nothing about cars taking my car into the shop is not something I look forward to. Fortunately for me I found King’s Transmission here in Renton.

Being that we live in the highest of high tech times just about every car on the road is equipped with some computer that alerts you when something is wrong with that very annoying “check engine” light. I consider this light my own personal nemesis. I took my car to King’s and they diagnosed a few problems, that are common for VW Jettas, and was told what repairs were needed to fix it. While Dan was explaining what was wrong with my car I did not feel stupid or that he was talking over my head. He explained everything in a language that I could understand and I really liked that.  I was quoted a price for the labor and part and when all was said and done that was the price I paid. Dan, my wonderful service technician, told me that if my nemesis returned I could bring the car back and he would diagnose it again for no charge. Another great example of a local business giving excellent service. Sure enough two days later the “check engine” light was back on.

I took my car back to King’s and it was diagnosed with some car disease that I don’t really care to remember and once again I was told up front what was needed and how much it would cost and that is what I paid. When I picked up my car they showed me the parts that they replaced,  showed me where they were damaged and I have to say that my nemesis has not returned and my car is driving awesome.

So, if you are like me and hate taking your car into the shop because you think you  are going to be taken advantage of you should consider going to King’s Transmissions.

King’s Transmissions is located at 10909 SE Petrovitsky Road and their phone number is 425-272-0429. King’s is a full service repair facility offering everything from transmissions - of course- to brakes, oil changes, clutch repair and they are an Authorized Emissions Specialist facility as well.

Does the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI belong on an eco-friendly SUV blog, in this writer’s opinion, yes, it does! Ok, so the truth is, the Jetta Sportwagen belongs more to the station wagon category than the sport utility category. But, I figure if Americans can call the Subaru Forrester a SUV then we can consider the Jetta Sportwagen a crossover, wagon/SUV. This wagon has many of the same features as the other eco-friendly SUVs; family –friendly, excellent fuel efficiency, and as green as they come.

VW is the creator of the turbocharged direct injection (TDI), the technology that is used in their modern diesel engines. This technology is used widely in Europe but is now making its way to the U.S. The 2009 Jetta Sportwagen TDI meets the new federal diesel standards in all 50 U.S. states. This past summer, Volkswagen of America announced that the IRS has approved a $1,300 tax credit for consumers who buy the Sportwagen TDI. The base model starts at just $18,999.

If you’re looking for a sporty SUV the Jetta Sportwagen TDI, is not for you, but if you’re jumping on the green bandwagon, literally a wagon, then the Jetta couldn’t be more perfect. It gets around 29 mpg city and 40 on the highway. It has an energy impact score of 11.9 barrels of petroleum per year, has a low carbon footprint of 6.4, received an air pollution score of 6, and the EPA considers it a Smartway vehicle with a greenhouse gas score of 8.

Overall, the Jetta Sportwagen TDI is getting great drive reviews from families and single drivers. Actually, it’s difficult to find cons about this vehicle. Drivers are saying it’s roomy, easy to handle, smooth, and above all is easy on their fuel wallet! The Sportwagen also comes with many of the modern technologies for music, movie watching, and more. In addition it has dozens of safety features. To learn more about the Jetta Sportwagen TDI check out a VW dealership and go for a wagon ride!

You ever have one of those days where it seems like everything is going wrong?

The downfall of my day started after work. I volunteer at a homeless shelter and am responsible for running several after-school programs for elementary-high schoolers. I’ll tell you, some of these kids have an attitude that I would never wish upon anyone. I feel for these kids, but they act out of rebellion and it’s absolutely uncalled for. Because of their behavior, they have driven out volunteers and even the lead program coordinator. Anyway, the second hour of my program, I had a rough time trying to keep the teens under control. I left feeling flustered, but kept my spirits up knowing that I was about to hit the gym with my beloved Marcus (we motivate each other, which makes it enjoyable to work out).

I picked up Marcus and we hit the road. He started to explain to me that he was frustrated with the Internet speed at my apartment. Just before I had picked him up, he was working on a time-sensitive issue for work and couldn’t seem to get the job done quick enough. The Internet was apparently going at an all-time slow speed due to the fact that I had downgraded to save a buck. Deep inside I felt kind of guilty that my decision made him feel this way, but I wasn’t letting it get to me. Or was I? Little did I know…

Anyway, we arrived at the gym. A side note: I must say I had my best work out since I joined several weeks ago. I ran 3 miles in 35 min; almost a 12 min/mile. While this may not necessarily be a great time, this is great for my own personal goal. I’m slowly working toward a 10 min/mile without getting cramps. I’m notorious for getting those while I run; it all comes down to breathing from what I hear. Overall, the gym was a positive experience, until I got in the car to drive back.

I’m driving us home and my dad calls me to tell me that he just got his new VW Jetta (great news!). He tells me that he’ll be picking it up tomorrow. The only problem is he works in Arlington, but lives in Delaware where the new car awaits. He proceeds to tell me that some of my stuff is in his trunk and needs to be moved ASAP into my car, so that he can have an empty car to trade in tomorrow. The only time that I can get the stuff in the trunk is tomorrow morning before he leaves for work at 6am. Great, looks like I’ll be leaving my house at 5:30 to do 5 seconds worth of transferring items. Mind you, while this conversation is taking place, I’m still driving and of course, someone proceeds to cut me off. A few cuss words later I come to the realization that I am an aggressive driver.

:: sigh ::

Marcus and I arrive home to start prepping dinner. He immediately tells me in a serious voice, “I know you’re going to be angry with me, but I have to tell you…” I’m thinking, “Oh God, what happened? Is everything okay?” He points to something on my coffee table and as I come closer I notice a slight dent. Looks like the slow internet really affected him. Turns out he took out his frustration on a coaster that was lying on the poor, innocent IKEA coffee table. I was noticeably disappointed and returned to the kitchen to finish making dinner. As we discuss temper issues, I’m making a ham and cheese melt in the toaster oven. Marcus, being the affectionate man he is, goes to grab something in the fridge and leans over to kiss me only to bump his head on the fridge door handle.

Strike #1.

I turn around to console him and he trips over his foot and bangs into the fridge door. *insert laughter here*

Strike #2.

The toaster oven dings and I attempt to remove the pipping hot sandwich with my fingers. However, Marcus stepped in to help and we both ended up slightly burning our fingers.

Strike #3.

At this point, with the thought of “nothing going right” brewing in my mind, I got short and asked Marcus to go sit down. For the next 5 minutes, I finished making my dinner and joined Marcus on the couch. We looked at each other and silence spoke. A slight smile formed from our mouths and we chuckled.

It’s these times that your attitude can make a difference. I smile at Marcus explaining that I am disappointed, but that it is nothing different than a child crying to mommy and daddy about breaking a beloved household item. He apologized and promised he’d make it up to me starting with a new table (com’on now? a new table, I don’t think that’s necessary).

Moral of the story? A slow internet yields a small dent in a $50 IKEA coffee table and tells a great story about the simple nuances of life that can tick us all, or at least Marcus

To Marcus: thanks for letting me blog about our life, I love you more than words can describe.

I bought my first new car in 1996. A 5-speed VW Jetta GLX with a sunroof and an arrest-me red paint job. My weakness for horsepower and German engineering had almost led to the purchase of a used Porsche 944, but the Jetta was a more prudent choice and I knew it. And by the time I bought it, I’d mostly outgrown my need for speed — at the time I was driving a BMW 325is that felt, I’m a bit embarrassed to be able to say, absolutely rock solid up to 130mph — but the Jetta handled beautifully and had impressive pep.

I redlined her only once, in 2004. Megan was just under 2; I used to take her to a really really wonderful music class for toddlers that was fully worth the hour’s drive out a two-lane highway of the rural variety. We were on our way back and I pulled off into a remote farm driveway to do something with her – a snack, maybe. I backed out, oriented straight, and had just shifted into third gear when I looked in the rearview mirror and saw a white car crest the hill behind us going way, WAY, WAY too fast.

I punched the accelerator flat, and the pitch of the engine hit treble as I watched the road and the rearview simultaneously, bracing for impact.

A car inches (at most) from your bumper affords you a startlingly good view of its front-seat occupant. He was young, and the look on his face made me know that he’d never, ever again drive that road that recklessly fast. It took my adrenalin many miles to settle; I can only imagine how he felt. Those 6 cylinders may not be the greenest thing around, but I owe them a debt of gratitude.

When I drove home last night, the odometer clicked over and six digits displayed for the first time. It’s a digital readout, and it was still at 100000 when I parked in the garage, so it felt right to sit for a bit, remembering. Two boyfriends, a husband, a carseat, a new garage, another carseat… it’s been twelve good years.

German engineering means she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. I can’t wait to see what the next years will bring.

Happy 100th, Baby

Check out this video.  It will give you comparisions of the real world fuel consumption of todays most fuel efficient vehicles: the Toyota Prius, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, the Ford Focus, and the Smart FourTwo.

Want to improve the fuel economy of your current vehicle, take a look at a few gas saving products like performance chips, the Fitch Fuel Catalyst, performance car air filters,

Lançado há 28 anos, líder de mercado desde 1987, o Volkswagen Gol finalmente passou por uma grande reformulação, algo que não acontecia desde 1994 e estão equipadas com os motores 1.0 e 1.6. E comprovou na prática que, se o Gol atual já é o mais vendido, o Novo Gol deverá nadar de braçadas frente à concorrência.

É verdade que equipamentos como pára-sóis com espelho, banco do motorista com ajuste de altura, controle interno manual dos retrovisores laterais, relógio digital e ajuste de altura dos cintos de segurança dianteiros, que antes eram impensáveis em modelos populares, estão lá de série.

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Hi there

It will cost too much money to get the diesel cleaned up from the veggie oil inside the fueling system so I’ve come up with a plan. Here me out. I’m going to insulate my little one car garrage, park the JEtta inside and heat the Garage up with space heaters to try and get that veggie oil moving. I’ll most likely have to to a bit of mechanics too like change the fuel filter and clean out some lines.

oatmeal

Today has been a very interesting day! Before noon, Oatmeal informed Blyss that their car is not fixable. As a result of Oatmeal’s experimentation, the poor VW diesel jetta will no longer run and the cost of trying to fix it and clean out the veggie oil jellie is far beyond what the car is worth.

So we are planning a house warming- fun(d)-raiser so we can find a new car as we need one for work and esp for when our new baby Phoenix arrives! Please stay tuned for invites and for further details.

Then shortly after Oatmeal went to work, Blyss received the call of her career from the head of casting at Cirque du Soleil. They wanted her for an 11 month contract for one of their shows. Unfortunately, Blyss had to turn down the contract for now as she is and Oatmeal are presently pregnant.

Hopefully, she will be able to perform with them in the near future.

Toodles for now

Blyss

Blyss and Oatmeal are environmentalists! Blyss rides an electric bike called, “Petite Cherie” and Oatmeal drives a diesel VW Jetta that he likes to run on bio diesel. This weekend Oatmeal decided to try and make his own fuel for the car out of veggie oil. He spent all of Saturday creating a system and filtering veggie oil that he was given from a local restaurant. He thought he had come up with a great way to run a car, save the environment and help us save a few pennies. However, when we took the car out on to the highway it began to sputter. Our poor car not only smelled like a fish and chip shop but it also started to spurt out a thick smelly smoke and started to jump along the highway. We pulled over as our car was not happy and we tried to sort out our situation.

Fortunately Ed, saw us as he was driving by on the other side of the highway. He took the time to get off at the nearest ramp and come back to assist us! What a beautiful soul! He told that as he drove by he said it was a picture perfect Kodak Clown moment. Two clowns broken down on the side of the road, looking into the engine of our poor sick car. He said he couldn’t do anything but assist us.

Oatmeal explained to Ed what he had done and his system for filtering and making his fuel, Ed very kindly replied, “Biodiesel is made by professionals, not clowns!”

Thank goodness we all have a sense of humour and like to laugh! We joked around for 45minutes while we waited for the tow truck driver and prayed that he would not be afraid of clowns.

Finally the tow truck driver arrived, dropped Blyss at home to pick up our very expensive gas guzzling van to follow Oatmeal and our sick car being towed to the mechanic.

We are still waiting on our car’s prognosis and hope and pray it will not cost too much to fix it!

We hope you enjoy our pictures of the fiasco and the lesson we learned!

There are currently two ads competing for my Ad I Hate Most award. The first is probably going to be off soon as it’s Cricket World Cup related.
If you’re not sure which one I’m talking about check in between matches – patriotic music playing in the background while our boys get dressed; fans waving flags and then…some bimbo sliding on a SA top while doing the requisite hair flip.
After Graham, Polly, Ntini and co have run (slow motion no less) down the passage we see girlfriend jiggling up and down so her ample cleavage can be shown across the nation. Nice.
The second one, which is definitely getting my knickers in a well-defined knot, is the VW Jetta ad where the loser asshole calls his date telling her he’s on his way then gets “caught” in a carnival. He then proceeds to shake it with all the scantily clad women while his date waits. Hours (I presume) later he rocks up at her house, and she, only after seeing his car, lets him in.
WHAT THE F^&*!?
This is 2007 yet we still see this sexist bullshit on our screens. In a country where staying alive is an achievement this is a small thing to be irked about but, dammit, I get into a furious frenzy every time I see it. I can’t believe women are still treated as brainless bimbos who are only good for jiggling what their mama’s gave them and being so shallow they’d let a guy get away with anything because they have a cool car.I’m preparing to go to war.