This example is a bit more extreme than most, but as a fairly recent college graduate, and as someone who was (once?) stupid enough to waste a substantial deal of money to go to a not-terribly-great, out-of-state school, trust me when I say it’s not worth the money. If you’re not going to an Ivy or an otherwise elite (MIT, et cetera) school, you’re so much better off going to an in-state school, or even community college.
Now, before you say, “this guy is friggin’ nuts,” let me explain. AWD is great: it’ll get you going in many situations where the same tires on a FWD or RWD car will leave you sitting and waiting for AAA or a plow truck. But, at the same time, AWD offers little or no benefits in turning, braking, or in moving drivers of FWD or RWD cars out of your way when you get going too quickly for road conditions.
The worst part about AWD, in my book, is the false sense of confidence that it gives people (myself included, on occasion). I can remember a time when I was in high school where I was driving down a curvy, steep hill on a snowy day, in my good old RWD car with summer tires. I had a 4WD Blazer in front of me, and of course, he was going at a pretty good clip. I got to the bottom of the hill long after he did, but I did so on the road, whereas he was in a ditch.
Because of all this, I’ve decided that I’d rather have a RWD car with snows or all-seasons than a AWD with the same. Sure, I wouldn’t be able to get going in more than a few inches of snow, but:
1. It’s not often that I’m going to see more than a few inches of snow and need to be somewhere (VPNs rule).
2. I’d rather feel comfortable in my abilities to brake and corner being comparable to my abilities to go.
3. A RWD car is going to oversteer if you give it too much gas in a corner. An AWD car? Ask your center differential while you’re in the corner.
I’d get an AWD car again, but it wouldn’t be my first choice, and it’s most certainly not the end-all be-all solution for winter driving that way too many people think it is. I’m sure I’ll be reminded of this tomorrow morning…
Pumped about the Super Bowl party.
Go Lakers!
Pretty close to my sentiments, really. And any fan of the Flyers is a friend of mine. I would have much rather watched a Flyers practice than the Super Bowl this year (The Who’s halftime show aside)…
In just about every car I’ve owned or been in, I’ve found myself completely and utterly disappointed by the sound systems manufacturers put in their cars—even the expensive “upgrades.” Honestly, it amazes me that people can think these systems sound even remotely decent, though I suppose all it takes with modern music is a preponderance of bass (not to sound too terribly pretentious or anything). Whether it says Bose, Harmon/Kardon, Rockford Fosgate, or anything else, if it came from the factory, it generally sucks hard.
Because of that, I’ve always put in aftermarket stereos. My first car had an Alpine head unit, with CDT components, a Boston Acoustics subwoofer (not to provide the boom-boom-boom, but rather to complement the exemplary midranges and highs of the CDTs), and outboard amplifiers for each. My current car has that same Alpine head unit, and upgraded CDT component speakers, but I’ve always been too lazy to throw the rest of the components in. And since I’ve been looking to get a new car, I naturally started to think about the stereo that I’d have in it.
This past weekend, I ordered my new car (a Volkswagen GTI), and while I thought the “premium” sound system would be a disappointment, I gave it a try anyway, and I’m glad I did. It’s truly the best sounding stock stereo I’ve ever heard; the mids and highs are incredibly clear and detailed (though the soundstage is a bit higher than is ideal), and the lows are quite good as well. Could someone do better in the aftermarket? Sure, with lots of money and time to tear the car apart and put it back together. Since I’m slowly making the transition to the Real World™, I don’t really feel like taking an entire weekend to do that anymore. And the number of people who could tell the difference are few and far between anyway. In short, VW did a great job of partnering with Dynaudio to provide a stock stereo even an audiophile could appreciate. They’re certainly the first manufacturer that I can be as kind to, as far as audio is concerned…
2010 Volkswagen GTI / Candy White / Titan Black Leather / Autobahn Package / Bi-Xenon Headlights / Dynaudio Sound System / 6-speed manual.
Unfortunately, this isn’t my own car, as I’m waiting for the folks in Wolfsburg to build it. It’s going to be a painful three months…
I just so happened to overhear a version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” from another room in the house, so naturally, I put it on to see who was singing, and if they were any good. And there I saw it: Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks singing that song. Stevie Nicks could sing that song better long after she’s dead than that talentless Taylor Swift could do in her “prime.” So please Taylor, for the love of God and all things acoustic, stop the miserable singing and stick to being the eye-candy some (i.e., not me) consider you to be.
If you happened to make the mistake of sitting through that terrible performance, I highly recommend this version of “Rhiannon” to correct your hearing and overall opinion of the song (and Stevie Nicks, for that matter).
…speaking of the MR2.
My dad had one of these when I was a kid. I still think it’s one of the best looking cars (if not the best looking car) of its era. It’s one of those cars I can safely add to my “when I have space and a little extra money” list, thanks to them being relatively cheap these days, along with the second-generation Toyota MR2.
