November 2006 -- After 4 1/2 years I traded in the 2003 Infiniti G35 in on a.... White 2007 Infiniti G35. The new G35 is the Journey model with the Premium package, navigation system, and 18" sport wheels/tires. The made major improvements in the ergonomics and quality of the materials in the interior of the car.
April 2006 -- Sold the World Cat after we bought the Pursuit 3070 but I'm not ready to get rid of the Excursion yet.
July 2005 -- We bought a used Excursion V-10 because we think we might want to tow the World Cat. Since the loaded World Cat weighs about 9500 lbs you need a stout tow vehicle.
Aug 2004 -- Sold the Boxster S for two reasons: #1) to fund the down payment on the World Cat 270TE, #2) The warranty had only a couple months left and based on what I had seen so far, I didn't want to own the car after the warranty expired. There weren't many problems with the car, but the few issues it had were $$$ expensive.
May 2004 -- We traded the 2000 Yukon XL in on a 2004 Saturn Vue so we can tow it behind the RV. Unfortunately the RV experiment didn't last very long.
July 2002 --- I sold the BMW 330 to my friend Bob back in May. And then I recently decided that I wanted a daily driver sort of car (Maybe the 21 consecutive days of rain had an influence.). I was looking for something comfortable, practical, and also fun to drive. And not a BMW. So I bought a 2003 Infiniti G35. The G35 engine has 260HP, 260 ft/lb or torque, a 5 speed automatic transmission, and is built on the same platform which will also be used for the new Nissan 350Z. My G35 starts with the leather package, sport suspension, sunroof, Bose stereo, and the aero package (underbody diffusers and spoiler). I don't care too much for the spoiler, but I wanted the sport suspension, and all the G35s with the sport suspension also have the aero package. So the dealer is going to swap the rear deck/trunk lid/spoiler from mine with a white G35 that does not have the spoiler.
April 9, 2002 --- I mounted the new wheels. I also installed OEM Litronic headlights and clear side markers.
April 6, 2002 --- I bought a new set of wheels and tires for the Boxster from TireRack.com. The wheels are OZ Racing Vela IIIs (18x8.5, 18x10). The tires are Bridgestone Potenza S-03. Hopefully they will look as nice on the Boxster as they do on the garage floor. The Boxster is still in the body shop due to an unfortunate incident. But it should be ready to pickup on the 8th, so I'll get the new wheels on shortly thereafter.
March 9, 2002 --- After a Saturday morning wash-a-thon, I put the cars out to get some sun....
Dec 1 2001 --- Right after placing the order for the Boxster S, I noticed that the resale market for Boxsters has pretty much crashed post 9/11. I also assume that the Boxster resale market will crash further when the expected 2003 major upgrade is announced. So I decided it would probably be much smarter (or less dumb) to buy a used Boxster if I could find a suitable one.
On Autotrader.com I found several 2001 Lapis Blue with Savannah Beige Boxster Ss for sale in south Florida. Both had less then 4000 miles and had asking prices more than $10K less than a new 2002. So I made a trip to Delray Beach and purchased a 2001 Lapis Blue/Savannah Beige Boxster which had 3500 miles on it. Out the door, it was over $12K less than my ordered Boxster. It is an extremely clean car. There are a couple very very small scratches, 1 very minor ding (fixable), and the interior is perfect. It has many of the options I wanted. Two options (heated seats and Litronics) that it doesn't have that I wanted can be added later if I choose.
The option list for this Boxster S is:
It's amazing the difference between driving the Boxster and the BMW 330. I didn't notice nearly as much difference when I went from the 2000 Boxster S to the '99 M3. The 330 has overboosted steering that can be managed with 1 finger, a hydraulic assisted clutch that takes almost no pressure to depress, and a soft brake pedal. The Boxster clutch provides a good workout, and the steering provides a good upper body workout compared to the BMW. But the BMW is very pleasant to drive so I plan to keep it for a while.
Nov 23 2001 --- Ok, So I didn't like the red color of the Boxster S but I've decided I prefer driving the Boxster over the BMW 330. I placed an order for an '02 Boxster S. I've decided to go more sporty, again. Yeah, I know I already had a Boxster S and got rid of it, but I decided that I would have kept it if it weren't so RED. I'm just not a red car person. I thought about ordering an M3 convertible (to satisfy the more sporty urge), but I was told that it would take at least 12-14 months to get a build slot and the M3 doesn't come in any colors I really like.... So I ordered a Lapis Blue with Savannah Beige interior Boxster S.
The option list on the new Boxster S includes:
The only option decision I have is whether to go with the standard 17" or optional 18" Turbo look wheels. The good news is that decision can be made at the very last minute. The dealer says that delivery will be in 60-90 days. I have serious doubts about that delivery timeframe. Just call me skeptical. And like I always say, "Just 'cause you're engaged doesn't mean you're getting married." I could very well choose not to purchase the Boxster when it's delivered depending on my mood at the time.
June 25 2001 --- I had the new sport mirrors and anti-sway bars installed. The improvement in the handling of the car with the UUC anti-sway bars is amazing. The car has much less roll when cornering. I took this picture up on Vilano Beach (just North of St Augustine).
May 31 2001 --- I've ordered the AC Schnitzer sport mirrors, and UUC Motorwerks Sway Barbarian anti-sway bars. Those sexy mirrors should make the car much faster. ;)
Here's a photo with the top up for those who are curious about the looks when the top is closed (which is extremely rare for my car). I put probably 95% of the miles on the car with the top down.
May 26 2001 --- The 330 engine does not have nearly as robust a torque curve as the E36 M3 and has a higher ratio rear axle, so it is noticeably slower off the line than the M3. The extra 250 pounds doesn't help either. I will probably get the BMW steering retrofit, and a suspension package to reduce some of the body roll. And possibly the Dinan performance gear ratio. The other annoying thing about the 330cic is the amount of wind 'whistle' that comes from the side view mirrors. I'll probably replace the mirrors with the M3 or Schnitzer mirrors.
April 20, 2001 --- Well I decided to purchase the 330. Here are a couple pictures of the 330cic which replaced the M3. It is "Orient Blue". Which is a very dark blue. It's a very nice with color combination with the "sand" interior. I've only got 29 miles on it, so it will be a while before I can flog it mightily and compare the performance to the E36 M3.
The 330's option list includes:
Dec 27, 2000 --- I traded the Boxster S in on a '99 BMW M3 convertible. I decided that I really wasn't a RED car person (live and learn I guess). The M3 convertible is not quite as quick as the Boxster, nor does it have the supreme handling ability (balance, precision) of the Boxster, but its great for a daily driver. The car is "Cosmos Black" with "Magma" leather interior.
While looking for a replacement for the Red Boxster I test drove the new BMW 330, but I didn't really like the steering system on the new E46 series compared to the E36 and the E46 feels much heavier (more like a Mercedes) than the E36. The E46 steering feels over-boosted and lacks road feedback, however I put a deposit down on a 330 convertible in order to get on the waiting list. The E46 has many improvements over the E36, so I'll probably wait until my 330 comes in and then decide whether to keep the M3 or purchase the new 330.
July 2000 --- In June 2000 I decided to buy a Boxster S. Ever since the Boxster was released in '97 I thought they looked great, but I wanted MORE POWER. When they introduced the 'S' version in 2000 I decided to get one. But since I didn't feel like waiting the 5-6 months it would take to get an ordered one, I found one at Brumos Porsche in Jacksonville that was available while it was still in transit on the ship. The Boxster replaced the BMW 323ic.
My Boxster S has the following option package:
Feb 2000 --- Here's my new 2000 GMC Yukon XL. I traded in the Sierra because I decided that I really prefer the SUV format over the pickup format (And I no longer needed the towing capacity of the Sierra). I only towed the World Cat twice with the Yukon, but it seemed to handle the load better than the Sierra (I know that doesn't make much sense, but that was my impression).
Here's the new Yukon at the marina in front of my World Cat. It doesn't look so big when sitting next to the boat. ;-)
Feb 1999 --- I traded in my 1996 Ford Ranger in on a '99 GMC Sierra 2500 with 6 liter V8 and 4.10 rear axle. I bought it to tow my World Cat 266SF. It was a pretty nice truck, but it seemed to struggle when towing my World Cat (about 9000 lbs). And I concluded that I really disliked the backwards opening extended cab rear seat door. If I ever get another pickup truck, it will be a crew cab version with 4 real doors.
April 1998 --- Here's a couple pictures of my 1998 BMW 323ic. It was "Avus Blue" and was an great car. I replaced the OEM 15" wheels and crappy all-season Continental tires with 16" Borbet Type C wheels and Dunlop SP9000 tires. That greatly improved the looks and handling but unfortunately I don't have any pictures with the new wheels.
