Nissan Juke: The next cult car?

I’m really liking the Nissan Juke. It’s a fun little car with polarizing looks. Because its looks isn’t for everyone, it may not sell well and be a bust. But because it’s gotten good reviews for its excellent driving dynamics, it may turn out to be a hidden gem. The Corrado is in many ways a hidden gem. It was a good car in its day and got glowing reviews. But in the end, it was a bust when new but eventually gained a following post-production. Will the Nissan Juke follow the same path and become a cult car like the Corrado?

So far, it seems like Nissan Jukes have been selling like hotcakes. This is probably why they decided to go ahead with a project to build the ultimate Juke, the Juke-R. It’s a bit over the top but it’s a good indicator that Nissan has faith in the Juke. The first pic of the concept was revealed today and it looks great!

Check it out on www.0-60mag.com:

WTD: 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT-8

I’m in love with a gangsta ride, the 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT-8:

I love the new interior, especially knowing that they used real carbon fiber for the trim. The interior was the achilles heel of the previous gen (among other things of course). The heating/cooling cupholders sounds cool too. I would love to get one of these. It would be a perfect replacement for my black on black 1998 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. Too bad I don’t have $50k lying around because it’s definitely Worth The Dough!

My Corrado Build: Kinetic Stage 2 Turbo

I never thought about getting a turbo for my Corrado but got this anyway! The VR6 in my Corrado was not designed for a turbo, but with the low boost (7 psi) I’ll be running I think and hope it should still be reliable. Here comes 280 front wheel horse power!

The last time I dyno’d my Corrado was in Sept 2004 at H2O in Ocean City, MD. I had just a Garrett Chip, ABD Intake, and Techtonics Tuning 2.5″ Exhaust and put down 166.0 hp and 171.6 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. There is a theoretical 17% drivetrain loss so at the crank I was running 194.2 hp and 200.8 lb-ft of torque. I will scan and post the dyno chart in an upcoming post. I’ve since added a Schrick Manifold, but that only really increases the low rpm torque. Now with the turbo I can sell the manifold and recoup some of the cost of the turbo kit.

I can’t wait to install this and see the new numbers. It’s going to take some cutting to fit the Front Mount Intercooler, but I’m ready for the challenge. Without an intercooler I’d be losing at least 30 hp. There are other items needed to ensure a good reliable install (Wide Band O2 Sensor, 3″ exhaust, all new gaskets) so if you’re thinking of getting a turbo for your car remember there’s more to buy than just the turbo kit!

Kit Features:
– Rotomaster 60Trim T3/T4 Turbocharger
– Kinetic Motorsport VR6 Manifold
– Precision 39mm Wastegate
– 3″ Stainless Steel Downpipe
– 3″ Stainless Steel Intake
– Stainless Steel Braided Oil Feed/Drain Lines and OEM Oil Pan with fittings
– AFE Re-useable Air Filter
– Kinetic Motorsport 4″ Black Anodized Aluminum MAF Housing
– Kinetic Motorsport Silicone Hoses and Stainless Steel Clamps
– 30# Injectors (Distributor)
– C2 Motorsports 30# Chip Software
– Kinetic Motorsport Aluminum Intercooler Core
– Stainless Steel Intercooler Tubing
– 4-Ply Silicone Hoses
– Stainless Steel T-Bolt Clamps

My Driveway in 2012

In 2012, these cars will be in my driveway 😛

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe and 1993 Volkswagen Corrado VR6

Business Idea: DIY Garage

Pictured below is my garage. It is a typically sized 1.5 car residential garage with just enough room for me to work on my Corrado and the other cars I’ve owned. Like many of the people I know, I like to do my own work on my cars. In hindsight I know it would’ve been nice if I had a lift, tools, and some help when I worked on my car! Hence my idea…

My biggest and most ambitious business idea is a Do It Yourself Garage. “Garage Time” as I think I would call it. It would be a professional style garage where a customer rents time to work on his or her own car using the lift and the professional and specialty tools that are made available. Plus there would be a mechanic on site to supervise and offer tips and help where it is needed. Kinda like the autoshop class some of you have probably taken in high school.

Some of the people who would benefit from my business include car guys who would rather work on their own cars but don’t always have the right tools to do the jobs (like me), people who live in condos or apartments that do not allow them to work on their own cars, and people who want to learn how to fix their own cars. It can also be a meeting place for car clubs to meet and have a tech day.

Although I’ve done just about all the work on my cars, look at my toolbox. As you can see it is pretty empty. I would be a good candidate to go to my own business!

  
Well, the truth is I have tools that I don’t keep in my toolbox. But you get the idea 🙂

So what do you think? Would you want to be one of my customers?