Test Drive

[78]

My 19-year-old son and I both love cars. It's a mutual addiction. Our best times together are spent out kicking around dealerships on weekend afternoons, looking at cars, shooting the shyt with the salesmen and occasionally taking one of them out for a test drive.

So we stopped in at Maserati of St. Petersburg yesterday afternoon. They had a low-miles 2012 GranTurismo S of casual interest, white with black wheels and lots of carbon fiber. 443 hp, 376 lbs of torque, nicely appointed, a gorgeous rig begging a test drive.

I hadn't even put the car in reverse when the sales associate was warning me to avoid scraping the curb while I backed out. There was a center island in the road leaving the dealer lot. He warned me of that, too. The guy was getting on my nerves. So I decided to take matters into hand.

We got on a long, desolate stretch of road behind the dealership and I jumped the pedal. Plenty of giddyup. We were at 130 and climbing when the guy started begging me to back off the pedal. My son was in the backseat going, "He usually likes to take it up to 170." I finally let off at 145. I had to scrape his limp body off the headliner.

No complaints the rest of the way back to the lot.

 

[grengadgy]

My 19-year-old son and I both love cars. It's a mutual addiction. Our best times together are spent out kicking around dealerships on weekend afternoons, looking at cars, shooting the shyt with the salesmen and occasionally taking one of them out for a test drive.

So we stopped in at Maserati of St. Petersburg yesterday afternoon. They had a low-miles 2012 GranTurismo S of casual interest, white with black wheels and lots of carbon fiber. 443 hp, 376 lbs of torque, nicely appointed, a gorgeous rig begging a test drive.

I hadn't even put the car in reverse when the sales associate was warning me to avoid scraping the curb while I backed out. There was a center island in the road leaving the dealer lot. He warned me of that, too. The guy was getting on my nerves. So I decided to take matters into hand.

We got on a long, desolate stretch of road behind the dealership and I jumped the pedal. Plenty of giddyup. We were at 130 and climbing when the guy started begging me to back off the pedal. My son was in the backseat going, "He usually likes to take it up to 170." I finally let off at 145. I had to scrape his limp body off the headliner.

No complaints the rest of the way back to the lot.

 

[pilot-in-fla]

My 19-year-old son and I both love cars. It's a mutual addiction. Our best times together are spent out kicking around dealerships on weekend afternoons, looking at cars, shooting the shyt with the salesmen and occasionally taking one of them out for a test drive.

So we stopped in at Maserati of St. Petersburg yesterday afternoon. They had a low-miles 2012 GranTurismo S of casual interest, white with black wheels and lots of carbon fiber. 443 hp, 376 lbs of torque, nicely appointed, a gorgeous rig begging a test drive.

I hadn't even put the car in reverse when the sales associate was warning me to avoid scraping the curb while I backed out. There was a center island in the road leaving the dealer lot. He warned me of that, too. The guy was getting on my nerves. So I decided to take matters into hand.

We got on a long, desolate stretch of road behind the dealership and I jumped the pedal. Plenty of giddyup. We were at 130 and climbing when the guy started begging me to back off the pedal. My son was in the backseat going, "He usually likes to take it up to 170." I finally let off at 145. I had to scrape his limp body off the headliner.

No complaints the rest of the way back to the lot.

Great way to teach a 19 year old responsibility - not.

 

[NVGator]

What was the price point?

 

[LagoonGator68]

 

[grengadgy]

So your answer is.........

 

[LagoonGator68]

So your answer is.........

I call rhino shiit...

 

[78]

Great way to teach a 19 year old responsibility - not.

I'm not going to get into it with you. You're entitled to your opinion.

 

[bradgator2]

What did they want for it?

 

[78]

72k out of warranty. Not worth the risk. I was more curious about the car than anything.

 

[pilot-in-fla]

72k out of warranty. Not worth the risk. I was more curious about the car than anything.

I wouldn't go for it. I heard they let customers drive the cars illegally and improperly.

 

[78]

I wouldn't go for it. I heard they let customers drive the cars illegally and improperly.

Illegally, yes. Improperly, no. Someone needed to blow the carbon off those plugs.

 

[oxrageous]

I wouldn't go for it. I heard they let customers drive the cars illegally and improperly.

I'm sure you have never exceeded the speed limit or rolled a stop sign in your life.

 

[pilot-in-fla]

I'm sure you have never exceeded the speed limit or rolled a stop sign in your life.

Sure -- but I've never done 140+ on a city street.

I've gone 118 on the Autobahn but, since I only had an Opel, that was right lane speed and I couldn't go any faster. That's not that fast for the Autobahn but, even at that speed, you have to be looking way ahead.

The best places to clean the carbon off your plugs locally are airport runways. Pick an airport without a tower and get to know the airport manager.

 

[grengadgy]

Sure -- but I've never done 140+ on a city street.

I've gone 118 on the Autobahn but, since I only had an Opel, that was right lane speed and I couldn't go any faster. That's not that fast for the Autobahn but, even at that speed, you have to be looking way ahead.

The best places to clean the carbon off your plugs locally are airport runways. Pick an airport without a tower and get to know the airport manager.

118 on the Autobahn is only 73 mph.

 

[78]

Here you go, PIF, the source of the crime. You can drive it 45 mph in the city all day.

BTW, might need to disable your ad blocker.

 

[pilot-in-fla]

118 on the Autobahn is only 73 mph.

LOL -- I converted it to standard units.

 

[G 2]

Sure -- but I've never done 140+ on a city street.

I've gone 118 on the Autobahn but, since I only had an Opel, that was right lane speed and I couldn't go any faster. That's not that fast for the Autobahn but, even at that speed, you have to be looking way ahead.

The best places to clean the carbon off your plugs locally are airport runways. Pick an airport without a tower and get to know the airport manager.

It was a TEST DRIVE for crying out loud. Was he supposed to ask permission to go race it at the track too?

 

[pilot-in-fla]

It was a TEST DRIVE for crying out loud. Was he supposed to ask permission to go race it at the track too?

Stopping distance at 145 mph including reaction time is 1,193 feet. Do you think a child crossing the street is going to be looking close to 1/4 mile to check for oncoming traffic.

Do you think the driver can see that far ahead to see if there is anything that might be a problem?

 

[78]

Oh great. PIF now has me going 145 through a residential neighborhood with kids, baby strollers and lemonade stands lining the street. Dude, where did I intimate in the OP that I was driving anywhere near children? There was an empty field on the right and a few industrial warehouses on the left, well off the road.