Tuesday, July 31, 2007

iPhone


An overhyped hot phone.

Pros:
  • Thin and elegant
  • Two finger navigation works (Zooming in Google Maps and flipping through albums)

Cons:
  • Warm at the back of the phone

  • Slow web browsing

  • Slow camera photo capturing

  • Crippled Bluetooth that can only handle headsets

  • Touchscreen UI involves too many gestures

  • Lack of back navigation forces users to frequently go back to the Home screen

  • Little multitasking ability except for the iPod functionality

Friday, July 27, 2007

Ford Mustang


The Mustang has a powerful and smooth but thristy V6 engine. Interior is very basic and laid out in a simple fashion. Handling is predictable with a decent turning radius.

As of today, these are the cars I've rented this year (with the number of times in brackets):

  • Chrysler 300 (3)

  • Chrysler Crossfire (1)

  • Chrysler Pacifica (4)

  • Dodge Caravan (1)

  • Dodge Charger (2)

  • Dodge Durango (1)

  • Dodge Magnum (1)

  • Dodge Nitro (1)

  • Ford Mustang (1)

  • Honda Accord (2)

  • Jeep Grand Laredo (1)

  • Jeep Liberty (1)

  • Lincoln Town Car Limited (1)

  • Nissan Murano (1)

  • Toyota Sienna (1)

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Look Both Sides Before you Cross


An early morning picture of China town in San Francisco. Click image for panoramic view.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

BMW 328xi (missing photos)

I've read a lot about the BMW 3-series being the best sports sedan in the market but I've never had the chance to test that out. I took a day off from work and this was going to be the highlight of it.

I had originally went to Town + Country BMW but was appalled by the poor service - or the lack there of. I was greeted by reception but stood for close to 5 minutes while she shifted around the floor "looking for a sales representative". Only when I approached a sales representative (who was busy stapling papers together), she came back and told me they were busy and to wait. I asked her for a brochure and received a couple papers stapled together. I insisted on a real brochure and was told there were out of supply. I'm in the middle of 2007 and they don't have a sales person or a brochure. So we just left. I would avoid this dealership.

I was about to go by the Honda dealership across the street since a Honda Civic is also on my short list of potential cars or drive to the Volvo dealership nearby for a test drive of the S40 T5 but recalled a bunch of dealerships in the Steeles and Yonge area.

My drive brought me to:

BMW Autohaus, Map It
480 Steeles Avenue W
Thornhill, ON L4J 6X6
1 888 485-6633


Unlike Town + Country, I was greeted, my information taken, and promptly brought to a sales representative, Henry Lam. Henry quickly showed me around the 328xi in the showroom, looked around the show floor to give me a feel for the synthetic hoistery (Leatherette), and gave me some MSRP numbers on his computer. Before I'm going to buy a car I'm going to see if I like the drive so after a quick photocopy of my license we were off for a test drive with key in hand.

A titanium silver BMW 328xi for testing


Those rear tires look a bit small from the side

I prefer the exhaust on each side of the car instead of together

A great looking BMW that's the right size for me

The car had less than 500km on it so it might not feel exactly like a broken in one but I loved what I felt. It had strong stiff breaks, a super smooth and powerful inline 6-cylinder, and a very confident feel. Henry even let me take a detour and drive into a parking lot where I took the car for a short slalom around the parking islands. In a rainy condition, I wouldn't have done this with an Acura TSX because of tire slippage and not even on a Lexus IS250 AWD because of lack of feel.

I can only fault the cheap 80's looking interior. It has frontal cup holders that are far from the driver and go into the passenger’s space. The rear features a cheap arm rest that feels like, given the right amount of weight, it'll break off. Without the performance option I won't have power seats and a moon roof that I've grown accustomed to.

The BMW 3-series really stands up to all the positive reviews its received. I'm glad Henry had given me the opportunity to really give that 328xi a good spin so I would highly recommend asking for Henry Lam at BMW Autohaus. For those of you out for a sports sedan, the BMW 328xi would be the car I highly recommend getting.

Sunday, July 01, 2007