The Golden Path

[tracker7]

GenCon event registration went live today.  Lots of time in Union Station for me this year; if I'm especially clever, I can make it from the hotel to game site without ever getting out on the street.  I will, of course, fail at this.

Mom&Dad and The Niece came up yesterday.  Mom's car-shopping, and I think she's settled on a Focus SE.  She and Dad tested out about a half-dozen vehicles, and the little Ford came up strongest in what she's looking for.

Still waiting on the material for Fantasycraft.  Working on the DGSE/DST book and beefing up notes on Working Vacation in the interim.  Word at the office is, post-outsourcing, I'll still have access to the design and layout resources.

Comments

[tragical-mirth.livejournal.com]

What are those Focus'es like nowadays? In price and maintenance requirements? I knew someone that had one about 8 years ago...

I don't want to think about the day when the little Jet won't go anymore (hopefully no time soon), but I've been looking at a locally parked Nissan Versa with impure thoughts. It's blue, what can I say. :P

[tracker7.livejournal.com]

The SE model Mom&Dad checked out will run them about 14 grand, including incentives and rebates. It was pretty nicely equipped (2.0L I-4, power windows and locks, remote start/entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3, all that good stuff). Most long-term reviews of the current-generation Focus show 31-33 MPG, and I'm pretty sure they get FoMoCo's 6-year/100K powertrain warranty.

I think the Versa sedan is a pretty neat-looking little car, but the wagon throws me off. With Nissan really getting into the "family look" design philosophy, the Versa wagon, to me, looks like nothing so much as a 7/8-scale Quest minivan.

[tragical-mirth.livejournal.com]

LOL mini Quest.

That's about what I paid for my Sentra 10 years ago, and it had half those goodies.

I used to be pretty devoted to Ford, but my Sentra's been really good to me. Then again, the company's changed hands and they've undergone, what you called it, changes of design philosophy since I bought mine. I question whether a newer Nissan would last as long.

[tracker7.livejournal.com]

I am in love with Ford's current vehicle styling. I love the razorblade grilles on the Focus/Fusion/Taurus, and the Mustang is probably the sexiest thing built on this continent right now.

Renault's purchase of Nissan very likely kept the latter company from completely disappearing a while back. For the most part, I think Nissan's styling is pretty terrific, but when they make a miscue, it's glaring - witness any Infiniti besides the G35/G37 and the trunklids on the new Altimas, especially the coupe.

[tragical-mirth.livejournal.com]

I think I like the Versas because they remind me of these little buggers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_M%C3%A9gane

Those were really, really sharp little cars that stood out from all the other tiny little cars I saw bumper to bumper (literally - they drove those tiny little cars like bumper cars) in France.

[tracker7.livejournal.com]

Given the companies involved, a little design cross-pollination wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[spoe.livejournal.com]

My Nissan ('03 350Z), from after the Renault deal, has been solid, except for one issue: one of the rear half-axles went out and needed to be replaced. According to Glenn Nissan, this was a known issue that didn't quite rise to level of recall. I'll also note I have a first-model-year car.

[tragical-mirth.livejournal.com]

Had a very similar problem with my 1998 Sentra. Had to have the front axle books replaced last year. Had never even heard of that needing done. Not entirely sure how to keep it from needing done again. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[cybogoblin.livejournal.com]

I can tell you, based on all the time I spent in Union Station last year, that you won't be able to get there without hitting the streets. Though, on the upside, it will only be a short walk from the Omni.

Hopefully they'll have to northern doors open this year, not just the side entrance. That was remarkably annoying, especially on the hotter days. That said, the Union was one of the nicer locations, even though we were located in the ground floor rooms and not the bigger rooms inside the station proper.

[tracker7.livejournal.com]

Duly noted - and thanks for the information!