Video: Justification for Using Rain-X

I’m a big fan of Rain X, the automotive window glass treatment. It is designed to essentially fill in the tiny pores on the glass on your windshield and make it super slick to rain, snow or ice.

Since most people have never used a glass treatment before I figured I would show you a video of it in action so you can see why it’s so valuable. As you will see, Rain-X causes the rain to sheet right off the window – even at over 80 miles per hour. In fact, the faster you are going, the more effective it becomes, especially when compared to windshield wipers which can have a very hard time sweeping the rain off at higher speeds.
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I Executed My AMG

amgWell folks, yesterday I committed a cardinal sin. I wrecked my new AMG that I just told you about not long ago.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter got the news about an hour and a half after the wreck… just after the tow truck took my car back to the dealership from whence it came. And a very special thanks to all of you who called or responded back to my Tweet. I very much appreciate your concern for my safety (Lisa, Giovanni, Ted, Mike, Hallie, Paul H., Mike B., Paul M., I hope I didn’t miss anyone?).

This update is for the rest of you guys like my parents who read this every day and are going to call me after this and ask me why they had to learn about my accident through my blog! Well, the answer is… it’s just easier to tell everyone all at once, and no one was hurt – just my baby. So it wasn’t an emergency or anything. You’d have gotten a call if so.
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John P. Gets a Mercedes AMG CLK55 Convertible… and Loves It!

Mercedes AMG CLK55 ConvertibleMy long time readers are already aware that I have a veritable stable of vehicles, including my NSX and my Q45. In fact, right now in my driveway there are 1,780 horsepower worth of vehicles just sitting there begging me to take them out and blister some pavement. So last week when I drove up to work at Layered Tech in my new AMG Mercedes it wasn’t really a surprise to my co-workers. But what was a surprise was the fact that I said I made a deal to sell my NSX and my Q45 when I bought it!

I know, it sounds strange that I would actually agree to give up two of my babies for a single new one! On one hand, I have my two-seater, mid-engine, hand-made, exotic-car NSX – the pride of Japan and the only supercar worthy of direct comparison to a Ferrari or Lamborghini to come out of the orient. And on the other hand, I have my top of the line, big-daddy Infinity Q45 with it’s reclining rear seats, laser guided cruise control, and 360 horsepower all-aluminum V8. But you see, the new AMG takes some of the best characteristics from both of these vehicles and combines them into one single car that I think I can live with every day. And that’s a hard thing to find.
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Female Motocross Passengers Squeal With Fear

Ok. I know it’s wrong. And you can all slap my hand later. But good lord! I was watching these videos of women who, for some unknown reason, decided to take a ride in the passenger seat while professional drivers took hot laps around race tracks.

Listen up folks! If you aren’t the type of person to actually get in a car and drive it around a race track, don’t even bother to get in the car with those of us who would! I can guarantee that you are NOT going to enjoy yourself!
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If James Bond Can Drive the Aston Martin DBS, So Could I!

Aston Martin DBSIf you’ve managed to see the recent James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, you got to watch Bond absolutely destroy an Aston Martin DBS. Yeah, that is what that awesome looking car at the beginning of the movie was!

Well, the DBS is really just a souped up DB9, which happens to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
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Scientific Proof that Exotic Cars Turn Women On!

Hot Chick in a LamborghiniOk. This is awesome. Wired magazine has published an article that proves once and for all that Women get as hot and bothered by exotic cars as men do (or more)!

A study commissioned by a phallically named insurance company proves beyond all doubt that the unbridled roar of an Italian supercar turns women on but the soft purr of a fuel-efficient econobox doesn’t stimulate anyone’s MPG-spot.

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Every 3 Seater Car I’ve Ever Heard Of, Or Drooled Over

Toyota VoltaA couple of years ago I wrote about the Toyota Volta. I said that if Toyota would build it, I would take the very first one. And I was dead serious. But of course, just like every other car manufacturer on the freakin planet, they didn’t!

What is it with these car manufacturers that prevents them from building 3-seat sports cars? Seriously, they can just take a normal vehicle like a Corvette and widen it a little to fit the third seat. This would have the benefit of providing a wider footprint which would even help with performance. In addition, it would place the driver dead center in the vehicle for perfect left/right weight distribution.

Toyota wasn’t the first to disappoint me, nor will they be the last. Here is a list of other concept cars that I know of which have never come to fruition. If you know of others please let me know.
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Infiniti Q45 Stats, Features and Why I Love ‘em!

Black Q45I’ve got a Q45. Actually, more correctly, I’ve owned four Q45s. My first was a 1993, the first generation, with 278 horsepower. It was the luxury car that defined sport and it was unique and a class leader. My next was a 1997. I enjoyed it, although it was less edgy and didn’t seem as fast. But then came my real love… the 2002. The last generation of Q45, and definitely the finest. My current Q, a 2004 model, is from the same generation and with just a couple of extra features not previously available on the ’02.

My other car is an NSX, so it should make sense that even when I choose a big, old-man, luxury vehicle it’s gonna still be a tech-laden hot rod. And that is exactly what the Q45 is. Although they currently aren’t producing the Q45, the rumor is that they are developing the next generation currently. Meanwhile, you can pick up fantastic deals on low mileage used models – if you can find an owner willing to give theirs up!
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One Man’s Weekly Links – March 7, 2008

Red Balloons Wall GraphicsIt’s been a little while since I’ve dished out my weekly links. Let’s see if I can get back in the habit from here on out…