Ferrari Mailing List: Buying a car if your Mike...

[Mike Fleischer (themightytoe]

Ah

Its amazing that it took me this long to see the pattern, but I think 
the last time I got a new car and the weather didn't try and ruin the 
experience for me was when the Ferrari was delivered back in 99...  Two 
BMW's before that, nothing, Z28...  Nope sunshine and nice weather...

But after I left the 348 in that ghetto...

Corvette Z06:  Got it home just before the hail started falling.  Rained 
for 4 days after that.  Needed a new roof on the house.

Miata:  Drove down with a buddy to Austin and picked it up.  As we left 
the dealer it started raining, didn't stop until the next day...  
Nothing like driving I35 with flash floods...

Porsche Boxster:  Literally picked it up from The Porsche Store and 
drove it to Texas World Speedway (Didn't track it, just had to 
instruct), where the track ended up getting flooded at 7 am the second 
day, I had it up on jack stands inside the paddock because if not my 
brand new car would have been a flood damage victim along with many less 
fortunate folks who's friend's did not have extra jack-stands.  Ever try 
putting a car on jack-stands with rain being blown horizontally through 
a roofed paddock at 60 mph?  Its not fun, I do not recommend trying it.  
And fire ants do float on the standing flood water, waiting to latch on 
and make your day that much more fun.  Oh and it being a convertible, it 
rained for two weeks continuously like that before I could see if the 
top worked.  The Miata came with a hardtop (for spec racing)...

2nd BMW M3:  It didn't rain, just hit record highs for the month of 
August.  This was in Texas y'all.  German cars don't like being flogged 
in 110 degree weather.  Most things don't actually.

VW GTI:  rained the entire way home, turning into sleet.  Chicago in 
April, oh the joy.

Corvette C6:  Perfect day, downtown on lake shore drive, beautiful 
summer day, until I handed the guy the check.  Then it started raining, 
until I parked it in the garage.  Then it stopped.

And yesterday was no break in my record...

BMW M5 (2001):  Light drizzle on the way down (drove the GTI with a 
buddy), but temps stayed at around 37 degrees...  ice on bridges but 
roads were good.  Started pouring on the way back.  200 mile drive each 
way...  And of course at the half way point the cold front overtakes us, 
and temps drop.  Everyone is slow and sliding :)  But kudos to BMW for 
making a car that is a true owner of the road.  Other than worrying 
about trucks being blown into my lane, it was unflappable.  With no 
flap.  And disquieting in its ability to go fast without feeling like it 
is going fast.  And I have to say there are a very small number of cars 
that after driving it, I really really want to drive it more...  This 
one is one of them :)

So yep new car in the stable...  I think I am going to make a rule that 
I won't buy a car unless it has at least 400 hp...  Now I gotta convince 
my wife that a Cayenne Turbo S is a good replacement for her 4Runner...

BR,
Mike