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Cory Wolfe

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Everything posted by Cory Wolfe

  1. I know they're still eligible for federal tax credits, but I'm rather underwhelmed by the pricing.
  2. The roads here are worse than most of rural Pennsylvania's in my experience. The problem here in South Carolina is they rarely repave anything. The major ring highway around Charleston is essentially a cheese grater and will make any interior rattle show itself. I can't speak for Pittsburgh specifically, but we've taken the Y through Breezewood and Altoona en route to Dubois. As noted, it is somehow less compliant and more wayward than the 3. We took my first 3 to Detroit, however, which definitely has worse roads. I'm not sure which Model 3 you may have been in, but my SR+ with the 18" aero wheels has a fairly compliant ride by my standards (I do prefer a nice stiff ride). It's definitely not a luxury car ride, mind you, but I feel it's in line with the ATS I had (granted, it had run-flats) and not quite as uncomfortable as my GTI could be. Something like the WRX I test drove before buying it was way worse, as well. I will note that my newest 3 does have Michelin Pilot Sports and they ride better than the Michelin Primacy EV tires that usually ship with these. My first one had those and while it was slightly more harsh, it handled Detroit's ruins just fine. I can say that I wouldn't necessarily want to live solely with the Y there, however.
  3. So, on the topic of Challengers, my latest diecast arrived the other day.
  4. I'm slightly underwhelmed by the Escalade V. This entire generation doesn't really do anything for me, if I'm honest. I won't complain about the supercharger, though. I'm sure they'll sell every one. Strangely, I was just thinking about this the other day. I forget what prompted it, but it led me on a short little trip down wikipedia lane.
  5. All valid points. Whatever the cause, we can see that Camaro sales were pretty flat and segment leading for nearly the entire run of the 5th gen model. Sales slumped a bit when the 6th gen Mustang came out and then they never recovered after that. Perhaps the Mustang was simply stuck in a rut (the same rut that the Camaro is in now) prior to that 2015 redesign.
  6. True, he's certainly made Tesla what it is today, but I simply feel like he's trending higher on the crazy scale lately. His comments and actions seem to be more of a hinderance to Tesla. His latest earnings call and this move towards robotics give me doubt. Meanwhile, despite shocking the industry early on with the Cybertruck, Tesla will likely be beaten to market by nearly every EV truck introduced afterwards. Musk is a man of many broken promises and misguided priorities. Whoever can get the first sub-$30k EV that's not a penalty box to market will likely make the biggest mark.
  7. It feels strange to say this, but compared to the majority of the latest EV reveals, Teslas seem...almost normal. The Model 3, while seemingly unorthodox when it was revealed, is now the Camry/Corolla of the EV spectrum today—in more ways than one. Now, if only something could be done about Elon... Of all the EVs from mainstream manufacturers, the Hyundai Ioniq grabs my attention. They really nailed it with that one.
  8. South Carolina is the same way, BUT there isn't a traditional sales tax applied to vehicle sales, just a $500 max "infrastructure" fee. Short term you pay less, but it doesn't take very many years to surpass what sales tax would have cost. Yeah, it's definitely down to suspension set-up and tuning. Interestingly, ride quality is one difference I've noticed between the Model 3 and Model Y. The MY rides worse despite feeling slightly softer sprung. The M3 is more composed and comfortable; it even feels a bit more solid. The ride/handling is pretty similar to my old ATS. It's not overly surprising to me that demand for these is so high. I'm surprised it took this long. The Challenger is probably the most well-rounded of the three and has stuck with tried-and-true, well, everything. These days, it would be the one I'd buy despite the Camaro being a better fit for little ol' me. I almost bought one instead the Tesla, twice; both times a Challenger was in the running. Give me a nice wide-body Scat Pack in purple. They've been trending in the wrong direction ever since they switched to Alpha. It seems no one really wanted a smaller Camaro, especially after the refresh. Covid shortages likely put the final nail in the coffin. It's blasphemy, but I don't hate it. Upon my return, I sort of wondered what happened to him. I don't think I want, nor care, to know.
  9. Nice builds! Love the Beretta. Here is some of my collection.
  10. Hah, right. Tesla ownership definitely has its negatives, the biggest of which is probably Elon. Many owners blindly worship the Haus of Musk which leads everyone else to believe that any owner must as well. While I think he has definitely had some radical ideas that have led us to where we're at now, it might be time for him to step back and perhaps abmit he was wrong about certain things (*cough* FSD, *cough* removing radar, *cough* v11 software). One of my biggest regrets is selling my old diecast collection about 10 years ago. I had about 100 cars and I let it go for a few hundred. Some of those cars really ballooned in value and it would cost me 10 times the amount I sold it for to rebuild the collection exactly as I had it. Right now I'm back up to about ten 1:18 scale, about 150 Hot Wheels/Matchbox cars, and a handful of others that fit in-between. Unfortunately my latest super rad purchase was damaged by USPS...
  11. Thanks, Drew. I'm going to try to be more active this year. Outside of being a lurker in a few Facebook groups, I don't participate much in any automotive discussions these days. The last few years have sort of drained my passions a bit. 2021 was at least a bit of a return to the norm for me with more frequent trips to Cars and Coffee and beginning to rebuild my diecast collection. Photography is still on the back burner for the most part, so I'd like get out and do more with that this year. We shall see...
  12. I have no interest in reading through all these posts just to add my point, so bear with me if these points are redundant. The last two pages or so have certainly been interesting, at least. For me, what I personally hate is that if I go to a manufacturer's website, build a vehicle and find said vehicle in inventory (far-fetched these days, but...), I'm given a price for that vehicle. Until you contact the dealer directly or arrive at the lot, there's often no indication online there may be a markup. Worse yet, I could place a reservation/order and have a market adjustment added after the fact in order to take delivery. The point to be made with a direct-to-consumer sales approach, at least for me, is transparency and consistency. When a manufacturer raises the price, it's clear and consistent. You're not placing an order and being surprised with a higher price upon delivery either. The flip side is losing the ability to potentially haggle for a lower price (not likely in this market, but worth mentioning). This model also likely directs more profits towards the manufacturer, for better or worse. Though not directly comparable, it's not far off from the strategy that has fueled CarMax's success in the used car market. 🤷
  13. So here's another "checking in" post after 3 and a half years away. I find it difficult to stay interested enough to keep up with social media these days so excuse the absence. I'll try to keep this one short and sweet. I can't quite remember, but I believe my last update came when I was still in Michigan. Anyways, as I alluded to in that post, I ended up relocating to Charleston, SC after exhausting my options around Detroit. For work, I've now completely switched industries, transitioning into home energy. It pays the bills, so I can't complain about that. Once again, though, I might be looking for yet another destination to call home in the next year or so. The Southern lifestyle has it's advantages, but I don't think it's for me. On the automotive front, it shouldn't come as any surprise that I've added a few more to the list. If I didn't mention it previously, I sold the ATS and daily drove the Miata for a while. Eventually I picked up a 2014 Mazda6 to use for my temporary job. To make moving easier, I sold that one as well before heading to SC. I then picked up a cheap beater in the form of a 2002 Lexus IS300 to live out my 2JZ fantasies. After those fantasies turned out to be a bust (I managed to buy the neediest one apparently), I jumped ship to something completely different. Before I get into that, I should note that I still have the Miata after 5 years and 3 months. It now has 165k, a new clutch, and one rust-repaired quarter panel. Shortly after moving south the clutch pilot bearing started going out which necessitated it becoming a garage queen for a while. It's now back in service but really doesn't get driven much, having only added 5k miles to the odometer the last two years. Lately, I've wrestled with the thought of selling it, but each time I get serious, I can't go through with it. This brings me to Tesla. I'm now on my second Model 3 after a transformative test drive in the fall of 2020. I always keep an open mind when it comes to choosing cars, but I really didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Switching to electric hasn't been as much of a struggle as I initially feared, either. We've even added a Model Y to the mix, leaving the Miata as our sole gas-powered vehicle. With that said, here's the current lineup. Cheers!
  14. Seeing as I never daily drove the ATS, I'll have to compare the Miata to the GTI. The Magnificent Montego Miata: Purity. No electric nannies or interference between the car and myself. No distractions. Reliability. In a similar time frame and mileage, the GTI required $6k in repairs alone, more than the total cost to purchase the Miata and the sum of its maintenance to date. Handling. 2293 lbs, 50/50 weight distribution, double wishbone suspension at all four corners; It's a smile-maker. Sun's out, guns out. It's all about that roadster life. Affordability. Beyond the savings earned from the low-cost of the car and it's habit of not breaking, overall running costs are dirt cheap. Gas, insurance, maintenance, etc.; This car can be ran on a shoestring budget. The Great German GTI: Power. There's a lot to be said about VW's now legendary TSI engines paired with a DSG. Simply effortless acceleration. A class above. The aura of this car eluded more high-class than you'd expect for a reasonably-priced hatchback. Superb interior materials and fit/finish for the class that still holds well against new vehicles. Look at me, look at me. This is still my favorite generation of Golf VW has ever released. Perfect combination of attitude and class. Niceties. The Miata's purity is nice but some days you just want to be coddled with heated seats, insulation, and a decent set of headlights. Utility. Four totes, two duffle bags, a Chihuahua, and a passenger?! This is not the life of a roadster owner.
  15. I was rather underwhelmed by the specs of the new Forte upon its release, but this GT sounds like a compelling package.
  16. As I near 30, it's a strange feeling to realize that many of you may remember this photo I originally posted here in 2005.
  17. I'd test it out, but apparently Novi isn't in close enough proximity to Detroit. 🤔
  18. Thanks, guys. Having my first full week to myself since starting the job has made me realize just how little time I've had away from it.
  19. It's been a while since I've last checked in so here's a short update since my last post. After a little over 2 years with Car and Driver, I am now back on the hunt for employment/trying to get back into the grind as a freelancer. Unfortunately, my position (and a dozen others) was cut two weeks ago due to a restructuring effort. It was sudden and completely unexpected for those who were let go and those who weren't. While I'm sad to leave the company, I'm remaining positive with the hope that better opportunities lie ahead and wish everyone there well. I couldn't have asked for better coworkers. That said, I'm still in Michigan—For now. Josh and I have been mulling over a move to Charleston, SC. The job prospects for automotive digital media there are slim, but I'm willing to try something new if need be. Luckily for us, if we do decide to move, we have a good amount of positive equity in our house after remodeling it. While we love the house and the Detroit metro, the cost of living is absurdly high here. On the automotive front, I still have the ATS (I never did post a complete gallery) as well as the Miata. Josh still has his Murano. The Cadillac, now at 17k miles, has had its share of minor quality issues since purchasing it. Most notably is a rough idle that the local Cadillac dealer insists is normal. I'd like to disagree, but to be fair, the loaner ATS they gave with only 30 miles on the odometer had a similar, but less-pronounced, idle issue. Beyond that, I've had multiple noises in the suspension checked out, the adaptive headlights sometimes aim themselves too high/low and I have to take issue with the interior fit and finish after the plastic cover for the windshield sensors fell off on my way to work one day. Finally, CUE is also as frustrating as everyone has said it is. Sometimes the system is so slow to boot up that I'll be a mile down the road before the navigation loads. On the whole, it's required less warranty repairs than the GTI thus far so I'd consider these fairly minor annoyances. The car is still a joy to drive (I wish I bought one with a manual, however) and attracts attention everywhere except metro Detroit. The Miata, on the other hand, has been phenomenally reliable for its age and mileage. This is especially true after 2 years of solid commuting year-round, including two winter seasons. Since purchasing the car, it's only needed maintenance items (brakes, fluid, filters, spark plugs) up to now. Last month, the catalytic converter finally needed to be replaced and with it, I installed a used cat-back exhaust. It should also be noted that it is due for a new valve cover gasket as it has started leaking, at just under 150k miles. This might be the first car I willingly hold on to for more than a couple years—It's just that much of a joy to own. Finally, I am now the father of two Chihuahuas instead of just one. At the beginning of the year we picked up a brother for Chloe, naming him Enzo. He's a holy terror. So, what's new with y'all?
  20. Thanks! So far the only aspect of the car that I'd consider a downgrade is the transmission, but it's hard to top a DSG. Otherwise, it feels like it has pretty similar performance to the GTI without its harshness. When I initially test drove an ATS, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. I didn't expect to like this color combination, either, but it seems to fit the car well.
  21. Thanks! Here's another quick garage pic since today doesn't look any better.
  22. Thanks! I guess it has been a while since I've been on here. Time sure does fly... I've had the Miata for a little over a year now. Anyhow, I traded my GTI in on that ATS yesterday. It's a very lightly used '15 2.0t with 9k miles on it.
  23. Also, long time no see! More pictures to come once the weather cooperates.
  24. I can't wait to actually see this. It looks great, even if it's a bit of a mish-mash of styling cues.
  25. The design is exactly what they needed to do with this model. It actually looks a class above the Equinox for once. The push-button transmission on the other hand... Who actually wants that? It seems like a huge miscalculation with its unergonomic design. Seriously... there are plus and minus buttons for gear selection. WTF.
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