dalparadise

At the risk of starting another shitstorm, I would like to report on my progress for anyone who might find it interesting.

I went for a test drive in a nicely optioned 09 Corvette -- it was an automatic, NPP exhaust, head-up display, 3LT -- way more add-ons than the car I was considering. I found I liked the add-ons a little too much and thus, they pushed the car out of my price range. So, it was clear that the base 1LT idea wasn't going to work.

Even so, I wouldn't have liked living with that car, as many of you advised me. True, the acceleration, sound and rock-solid feel of the drivetrain and suspension said "ticket me" at every opening in traffic. This is truly a well manufactured car.

But it doesn't seem to source the finest materials for areas outside the engine bay. The carpet in the cargo area was a gross bellybutton lint consistency. The leather must be sourced from something other than a traditional animal. Plastics in the interior were flimsy, though there have been great strides made in dressing up this cockpit. I really like the carbon-fiber-look center console with chrome accents. Very nice looking, but not enough to save the design. The space in back is longer and wider than a Z, but not as deep. It seems, therefore, less usable, if that matters to anyone. The out-gassing plastics smelled a little funny, too, like Pasadena, TX on a muggy July night.

The instrument presentation, however, is like a clinic on how a car should look. It's ironic that I loved the HUD so much that I rarely even looked at these eye-pleasing gauges. The auto shifts were clean and crisp with the paddles -- not so much with the fully auto, but whatever. And when the dual-mode exhaust opened up, it was awesome. At 3500 rpm or so, a valve changes the tone and back pressure in the exhaust and the V8 roars. Very nice.

The car handled well, accelerated like a beast and stopped on a dime. The ride was a great mix of sport and touring -- very impressive. My tester had only 5 miles on the ODO, but I could feel the body wanting to flex. It's too big, heavy and powerful. It's a GT car that's wound so tight it performs like a proper sports car. To me, throwing that kind of mass around is asking for trouble of the squeak and rattle kind. It felt dated in this respect, like a design much older than just five years.

So, in a nutshell, virtually all your advice was confirmed. My new car will be a daily driver, so a modicum of practicality must enter the equation. The Vette is the antithesis of "practical" for anyone other than a race driver, superhero or aging gigolo.

I went from there to my Nissan dealer. I have been waiting for the 370 Roadster to arrive before making my decision, but am now tired of that plan.

My dealer has a 2010 Coupe and a 2010 Roadster coming in, both in my desired configurations - Sport/Touring/6M -- and color choice, for November/December arrival. I went ahead and put my name on the coupe, but will take a look at the Roadster, if it gets here first (which it should).

It looks like I'll be legit in a matter of a month or so!