First Impressions on New Delivery

[kmeinhold]

Generally: I think the car is better than expected. Felt perfectly comfortable moving with the other traffic at 80. I will only mention items that I don't think have already been addressed.

Specifics:
Transmission, happy with it, thee are more an observation, than a complaint. It takes a bit to get familiar with - and I still don't have it down. Sometimes it holds a gear longer than I expect but mostly it shifts faster than I expect. To my ear it sounds to be lugging the engine by selecting a higher gear (than I would). First gear is too short, it almost always shifts mid-turn when making a right or left from a stop, a little disconcerting, especially with a right-on-red maneuver the momentary pause in forward motion when acceleration is critical is spooky (personally I would never unbalance a car by shifting in a turn). - would sacrifice a bit of off the line for a taller first and possible second. Tends to get through the first three gears very quickly.

Transmission crawl feature: Indeed it does seem to engage the clutch to crawl. It is a bit difficult to get familiar with. When the foot is on the brake - crawl feature disengages, lift foot off the brake it engages. You definitely feel the engagement/disengagement. My (present) breaking method for a light/traffic technique is to slowly release braking pressure as I slow to come to a smooth stop. With the smart just as im about to stop - I apparently release the brake far enough that the crawl feature engages and the car starts to move ooops, need to mash the brake again. The crawl feature - can be a bit fast paced - especially when backing, application of the brake disengages/engages crawl, and makes backing a bit herky jerky. Starting off from a full stop, I have found it prudent to anticipate the light change/traffic movement and lift of the brake sooner than I would in an automatic, to allow time for the clutch to engage and then accelerate.

Starter: You only need to bump the start position - no need to hold the key in the start position till the car starts.

Plastic Body Panels: Self healing? Last night I cleaned some bugs off with water/and a towel, one particularly tough bug would not come off so I applied some pressure with my fingernail through the cloth (I know I should have used hot water - in retrospect). The bug came off but left faint scratches from my effort - I was very upset with myself, but the pressure I applied would not have left any mark on paint. This morning I went to look at the scratch - gone, no trace.

Attention: Im a bit familiar with this phenomenon when I drive one of my collector cars. The only thing is that on the highway people tend to slow down and stare in the lane next to you, which usually has the unfortunate effect of pinning you behind slower moving traffic ahead.

Engine noise: much quieter than the test car I drove on the road-show. quite pleasant.

Radio: I have the premium package. It sounds ok, but a bit tinny - I almost wonder if the subwoofer is not hooked up. I could be spoiled by my Volvo radio - which sounds better than just about any stock radio Ive ever heard.

For a $16K car - it sure seems like you get quite a bit for the money, solid, comfortable...

[jwight]

Any heartburn with moving this to the delivery section?

[SmartAzz]

Interesting about the crawl 'feature', sounds like I am really going to have to learn how to drive this. Thanks for the insights.

You are the first I've heard say the premium stereo sounds tinny; I suppose if you play some base-y music and crank it up you'll know if the sub is disconnected if the seat isn't vibrating

[Karl Roth]

You nailed most of the things that raised an eybrow for me the settings on the stereo where flat on delivery even with the bass turned up with loudness on I expected more thump. trying hard to keep the revs down.
karl

[Fredvon4]

good report Keith

I am a bit concerend with the crawl feature for my family members who will drive it infrequently... Probably will seek a way to defeat it, or not, if wife has not problems

[jbrown]

Congrats kmeinhold - thanks for the input - ENJOY!!!

[spdickey]

Originally Posted by SmartAzz

Interesting about the crawl 'feature', sounds like I am really going to have to learn how to drive this.

"Crawl" is really not much different than an auto transmission crawl when you take your foot off the brake. Works great when crawling in Los Angeles traffic. Did it for over 2 hours night before last.

The hill assist is about the same, take your foor off the brake, you go nowhere when on an up hill. If you don't hit the gas in about 3 seconds the car beeps at you.

[ScarGo]

Originally Posted by spdickey

If you don't hit the gas in about 3 seconds the car beeps at you.

Really beeps huh? neet...

[Smartfor2guy]

Originally Posted by spdickey

. If you don't hit the gas in about 3 seconds the car beeps at you.

What is it saying.......MOVE YOUR A$$???????????????

[august8pm]

Originally Posted by kmeinhold

First gear is too short, it almost always shifts mid-turn when making a right or left from a stop, a little disconcerting, especially with a right-on-red maneuver the momentary pause in forward motion when acceleration is critical is spooky (personally I would never unbalance a car by shifting in a turn). - would sacrifice a bit of off the line for a taller first and possible second.

You nailed my biggest reservation perfectly. During my test drive, when I turned from a stop, I think I hadn't gone 10 feet before the gear was changing to 2nd and I was left "hanging", as it were. It seems like this may be the biggest driving adjustment/challenge. As you mentioned, it may be necessary to approach turns-from-a-stop very differently. And that's no small thing.

Perhaps this belongs in the mods area, but isn't there a way to adjust gear ratio?