AMG C36 - A 6-Month Long-term Update (Part 1)

網誌分類：Motoring Experience in Hong Kong |

網誌日期：2006-10-13 20:27

The C36 remains a great ride for daily commutating. Reliable and refined despite some bump-thump on rough pavements. Smooth, torquey and quiet engine is its hallmark. Power and responsiveness are an advantage when looking for gaps in heavy traffic or a quick lane change. What C36 differentiates itself from its W202 brothers and sisters is its build quality and robustness. And there is a dose of calmness and peace feeling that can only be found in much bigger, less nimble Mercedes. I have started to worry about C36 that is growing on me. If the weather condition does not allow me to take the MX-5 with roof down, I will take the C36.

I have made a long list of things to fix. However Mercedes makes cars in such a way nothing really breaks all of a sudden. Instead it will deteriorate slowly so it is difficult to determine exactly when it is a good point to change or replace. Even though I have set up a policy it is not always a no-brainer. My policy is that if there is a threat to passive saftey or a nuisance, I will ask to fix. Will give an update here after the service.

W202 is a fine car to put good car stereo in. It is inherently a quiet place and solidly built. What has been bothering me is the factory speaker sizes (5" only)  for the front and the rear deck (6.5" only). They don't allow me to put the speakers of 'right' size in. Frustrating!

After 6 months it was time to "upgrade" the stereo inside the C36 with 'drastic' measure. In the past I used Focal 5" 2-way in the front and 6.5" 2-way in the rear deck, with Nakamichi CD300 CD-Player as head unit. The sound quality definitely has much room to improve. I thought hard about the upgrade and did not want to spend money, if all possible. I wanted to keep the system simple, with no weight penalty of added audio components or harnesses. This time I did not use the Kam Lun in Mongkok since very time I did not get good result. Money spent and the experience was not usually rewarding. I do not want to carry an amplifier unless it is the best amplifier my little pocket money can afford (this way only second-handed). I used a one-man small shop for his workmanship and skill, and his superb patience with me.

What I did was fun. the 6.5" Focals were moved to the front. With some modification and new wood panel the 6.5" would fit into the 5" factory speaker location. The bigger and deeper magnet fitted like a glove inside the front door panels. There is no interference and it was hidden well behind factory grille. Nice. I traded my 5" Focal two-way for the small shop's Altec Lansing ALS693 (used, very old and more than 10 years old). They sounded good with clean and punchy bass. Good for pop music. The shop owner happened to own 4 of the classics and I picked the best among them. However another panel and metal cutting were needed to mount the 6x9" speaker in the 6" space in the rear shelf deck. Again the shop owner did a beautiful job and hid the ALS693 (as old as the C36 I believe) securely behind the factory grille. I had no idea but the American 6x9" sounded great with the French Focal in the front. It was a sweet surprise. The CD300 Nakamichi remained. Not bad. The sound is now much improved, with fuller body and more presence and vocal details. The best part is the natural mid-bass and more punchiness. Soundstage is expanded and appears wider.

Next step would be getting a Audison 2-channel amp to power the Focal in the front. Right now I am happy with what I have. And it is time to enjoy the music on the road.

Road aggression and road presence

I believe there is a subtle change in some of the fellow road users in HK when there is a climate change. Climate change is not necessarily same as the weather change. The result of the climate change would result in more aggression in some of the keen road users, or a slight disrespect of other road users and less polite road manners in others. I found this change taking place today (9/18) even though the weather has been dry and cooler since early last week. I remember the similar case two years ago during a small traffic accident on June 30th where I ran into a frentic young Mercedes CLK230 driver. He slammed his car into my Subaru and sued me for riskless driving. Of course my wife and I made sure that he dropped his case.

In my own case, it results in a more defensive driving attitude towards my road rights. By that I mean I am least tolerant of the road users that do not meet my 'own' set of rules of driving, and subsequently tell them the explicit message of who is the 'boss' here by flexing the traffic muscle. Of course while doing so I myself sometimes commit traffic offence, minor as they may be, and ugly behvaior which makes myself laugh and embarasses my passenger (90% of the time it is my wife). Sometimes I explain to myself that rules are made to be broken when the traffic is thin but good for all when it is thick. Anyway I try to feel least guilty about it, even if sometimes I get myself into trouble. I just treat this as an inevitablity in life and tell my own ego to let go.

Sometimes it is difficult to tell the other driver not to get into my way if I am driving a wrong car, or a car that lacks the presence on the road. An Toyota Echo or C200 Mercedes Benz is hardly convincing. Of course there would be least problem with the C36 AMG or the roaring DC2. People usually give way when I am thundering down the road twice the road legal speed limit. I have no idea why there is a difference between the C36 and C200 because they look the same to me. But on the road C36 has road presence, even with its subtle innocent look. And it was the main reason why I gave up the C200 that is on the top of my pre-owned list. MX-5 is a mixed bag. It needs to drive relative swift and go around corners fast in order to create a road presence.

There I have the solution to myself during the time of climate transition. Drive cars with more road presence.

A short ride in the Z3 M Roadster

Too bad the short drive experience took place in a rainstorm. Not only I could not enjoy the drive with the roof down, but also could not unleash its M power (3.2L Inline 6 engine - 321PS). Finally at the last stretch of highway I was able to rev the engine to 4000rpm at 3rd gear. Boy, does this engine have power? Whoosh....

The ride was firm with good damping. The body was structurally sound and strong. The controls are meatier and require more effort compared to MX-5. In general it is easy and relatively stress-free car. Refinement is above average. The driver chair is comfortable, unlike the typical E46 chair requiring constant adjustment.

Low-end torque is aplenty for its weight (my guess is a little over 1'400kg) and I am sure it has plenty of power up its sleeve about 4000rpm. The engine feels stronger than the 3.6L AMG inline 6 in but more so from mid to high rev range. I think 0-100kph can be done in 6s. It is indeed a much faster car than C36 if the M power is unleashed. Engine refinement is high but I really doubt the engine has been broken in at all.

Excellent power to weight ratio - 321ps for 1'4xxkg. Similar to Mitsubishi Evos.

Tire sizes front and back are exactly the same as the C36. 225/45R17 and 245/40R17 Bridgestone. A sweet surprise. Bridgestone S-03 tires.

I was asked to pick up the car for a service check from the owner's resident to the Pak Lok garage. I took maximum care in that process.

Is it a replacement for the MX5? You bet, but not in a couple years.

Really it is a modern classic.

Mitsubishi "i" - The Rear-midship K-car

I was drawn to the car a month ago before it showed up in the showroom, next to where my office was. I was with my colleague who was actively shopping for a replacement for his 5-year old Mercedes A190. In July we finally paid a visit at the showroom during a lunch break to actually kick its tires, check out the interior and touch its metal skin. We did not have a test drive but simply were curious. Finally my colleague found himself a shining black VW Golf 1.6FSi with a good price. And we thought the price of HK$128,000 was high. We liked it a lot but could not readily accept its compactness.

There was some form of attraction just by looking at the early images and reading the spec sheet. I could not clearly tell you what exactly the factors were. I did not actually like the K-car concept. And I thought the "i" or any K-car would be too small and underpowered. What really drew my attention was its design/engineering, simplicity and effectiveness as a means of daily transport. I have then read many magazines about the "i", and all seem to respond positively after the test drive. One magazine reporter was delighted by the effectiveness of its air conditioning in the hot summer of Hong Kong, and the nimbleness of the 900kg chassis.

I have always high respect for the engineering at Mitsubishi, although not always in the "design" area. "i" seems to get both right. I like the look and I don't mind being seen in owning and driving one. I like the big slanted windshield and the supersized "double-wishbone" single-armed windshield wiper. It is so Mercedes. Of course it was designed as a platform for the next generation Smart-for-four, or in a slightly shortened and modifed form - the Smart-for-two.

I have no idea how it feels to drive it. I am not a big fan of 660-cc 3-cylinder turbo engine, which should be okay in terms of power and refinement (hopefully). The 0-100kph time of 12.5 seconds does not impress, but is not too slow either. A lot of small family, mid-size 2.0L sedans and 7-seaters also fall in this performance level. No big deal if it is good to drive. Fortunately Mitsubishi or Sime Darby did not opt for the dreadful CVT gearbox, but a well-engineered 4-speed auto box. It was reported to be excellent and working very well together with the small turbo engine.

In terms of fuel consumption it should be frugal. 18.4km/L (10.15 mode) and the 35L fuel tank should give a max. range of 644km. My guess is that it will have a 450-500km range for every fuel stop, approx. HK$400 per fill-up and around HK$0.8/km (based on HK$14/L fuel price).

Having said so much about the car, I think I should ask for a test drive to find out more.

What are your perfect cars?

網誌分類：Motoring Experience in Hong Kong |

網誌日期：2006-09-02 04:32

What is a daily car?

- must be relatively easy to maintain

- must be fuel efficient

- stress free and comfortable.

- basic luxury and excellent engineering

- a positive and clear image

- nimble and relatively light weight and balanced.

- good handling, willing to corner and responsive torquey smooth power delivery.

- painless to own and use.

- not worry about where to park and can go anywhere without second thought.

How I live with it:

- after a period I will be more sensitive to the shortcomings as the advantages and positive feelings fade.

- I need to live with the image.

- I need to live with the lack of power (C200)

- how to stop the negative feeling from building up?

- sometimes the build-up is not tangible as I find reasons here and there to shift attention and/or reduce the amount. But eventually it will catch up with me and ending up with a replacement.

- Tiki suggests I should always go for the best and avoid the intermediate. Going for the best go inline with a balanced decision.

MX-5 in the Slalom

At the invitation of the Peter I attended in the Sunday afternoon the slalom activity on the island side. I did not want to mention the name of the annual event because I didn't think it was well organized. The organizers there had done their best but every year it was just the same. I went there at 4pm and did my two rounds around 5pm. As expected I was given two opportunities and in both trials I had it wrong through the course and through the cones. No one was to blame because I knew I was a slow learner.

However after seeing all the more powerful and heavier cars before me smoking their tires and understeered I was happy to report that my little MX-5 did great. All the tight corners could be tackled with quick flips of steering wheel left or right, without the use of handbrake. The MX-5 has a clean and sharp weight transfer and handling, even with a passenger on board. The Toyos are worth a big mention. I just loved it. I went to wrong route twice so my time was not recorded.

However I was asked to leave after my trial. And I did with Tiki.

And I heard Peter won the competition with his Evo in his class. Congratualation!

Pity I did not see it.

Next time I need to get a ride first through the course before my trial.

AMG C36 - A 5-Month Long-term Update

The above image was taken almost two months ago by Eddie Ling. Thanks, Eddie.

It has been a while since I wrote about the AMG C36. Apparently my feeling for the C36 had changed slightly when the MX-5 arrived. Some were good and some were nearly not as good. The AMG has been with us since late March this year and has been a reliable workhorse. However it always seemed to be a much much longer time. Over the weekend I thought to myself what would I get next, a BMW or a Toyota/Lexus. I need to remind myself that it is not the time yet, at least not until Christmas.

Our time split between C36 and MX-5 has been 50/50. On rainy days of course we take the C36 always. Ditto when we need to carry more than ourselves or move a lot of stuff from one point to another. Having said that, we are entirely happy with the carrying capacity of the MX-5.

The C36 will be due for the 5000km oil change and service in a week or so. We report no problem whatsoever. The car feels more substantial and solid than either of the C200 and C240 we once owned, despite being the oldest of the trio. I believe it was handbuilt with the best engineered parts and components available in the mid 90's. It starts instantly in the morning every time with a twist of the key. It makes a lot of noise under the bonnet during the first minute and quiet down soon enough when the engine oil fully circulates and reaches all the moving parts. A/C runs and hums for a cool and quiet interior. Its engine still pulls like a train and remains smooth and silent at idle or city driving. When asked to do its AMG duty it will scream and redline without hesitation.

What separates the driving experience (or pleasure) between MX-5 and the C36 is the steering, chassis and the weight (1,030kg vs 1,600kg). While the MX-5 and the C36 have similar level of grips and double wishbone suspension in all 4 corners, there are a lot of play and body movement in the much heavier car. C36 just feels a lot less precise and less confidence inspiring. Only looking at the C36 speedometer I can tell myself I am probably going fast enough but the cornering limit is still convservative. I think I can always go faster but don't know exactly how. There is plenty of grip (Michelin PS2 225 in the front and 245 at the back), which cannot always be felt, especially in the wet. The C36 simply understeers initially and needs a few "seconds" to settle itself after weight transfer. In fast cornering it is important to dial the steering very quickly with slight trail braking to kill the understeering and settle the car. All needs to be done in a smooth and graceful way, especially in the quick left-right-left or right-left-right twisties. Believe me, it is always a handful, with the big Mercedes steering wheel. A BMW with similar weight will just do much better in the steering and handling department.

However it has always been a relax drive in the C36. There is no need to rev the engine up above 3,000rpm in city driving with good pace unless there is a need to impress fellow drivers sharing the road with me. Fuel consumption is much better than most people think (12L per 100km or 8.33km/L on average recorded since day one). The gear ratios chosen in the 4-speed auto can only be described as perfect. It will cruise at 2'500rpm at 100kph at 4th gear and seldom requires a kickdown 90% of the time. There is not a big gap between 2nd and 3rd gear I find in most cars today. The gearbox sometimes is a bit jerky but most of the time it does its job seemlessly without being noticed. There is a big change in the gear strategy when switching from "E" to "S" mode. In "S" mode, it will always keep the engine revving above 3,000rpm, where the engine is on the "hot" cams. I uses "S" mode very occasionally, sometimes after the action was over I remembered I could have used the "S" mode to a better effect.

A wax job at North Point was given to C36 on Sept 2nd, Saturday. It looked Fantastic.

Honda Civic

I have been always a Honda fans. I still have a 10-year old DC2 Honda Integra Type R in my stable. However it does not stop me from trying out new products from Honda. I always wish Honda would regain its past racy glory in the late 80s to mid 90s.

My test drive of the all new Honda Civic 1.8 was on the third day of Chinese New Year in the Wan Chai Showroom, 2006. Well, it has been more than 6 months ago. I went into the showroom with my wife and I was driving the Merecdes C240 there. I was filled with hope.

I was a bit surprised we were offered a test drive after spending 10 minutes checking the new Civic. I was wondering if the sale was not up to the expectation because there were stocks available for immediate delivery. Anyway I acccepted the invitation. The interior design felt very different and high tech. Sunroof (a bit small), electric leather chair (material and workmanship not bad), the nice instrument, stereo/air conditioner clusters (impressive) and the lovely designed leather-clad steering wheels got me excited. Everything else inside grew in size and was highlighted with a sense of solidity. All the switchgears were a class above what the Civic had been. In general it was a sweet surprise. My hope was mounting quickly in a way that Honda might have picked up what it left off in the late 1980s.

Just to let everyone know that back in early 1990s I had owned a EG9 (1.6L VTEC DOHC, 4-door) for a period of 4 years. And I was happy with the ownership. The engine was truly a jewel.

What caught me off guard when I open the short engine hood (you know the popular cab-forward design where the A-pillars were brought forward and mechanically connected to the front strut tower areas), was how small the 1.8L engine was and the big catalytic converter between the exhaust manifold and the radiator. I thought the catalytic convertor was a turbo-charger.

The 1.8L engine design was centered on fuel economy and low emission without sacrifice of power (140PS), torque (17.7kgf-M) and throttle response.

Once the car was on the move it was a mixed bag. The famed nimbleness of a Civic was all there but I could feel the drag of 1'200kg+ curb weight. However the throttle response was really a put-off. Drive-by-wire throttle control was never my cup of tea especially it was not well engineered. There simply was a sense of disconnection, despite the snappy response of engine and the efficient 5-speed autobox. Other people called it artificial. I didn't know how to call it, but I didn't like it because the engine ECU cared about emission than what I did with my right foot. So was my wife who was the passenger. The engine was also lacking the mid-end torque, for mild over-taking or quickening the pace. Any significant demand on acceleration would require a sure foot and a kickdown to 3500 - 4000 rpm. Give me a break, this was a 1.8L car, not 659cc!

Turn-in was quick and clean.There was plenty of traction and in fact a lot of tires (205/55R16) for a 1.8L family car. The rear suspesion was way too firm and didn't seem to work together with the excellent front. In some of the sharp corners the rear seemed to have a mind of its own. My wife went to sit at the back and complaint how firm and the amount of unnecessary vertical movement at the back. My suggestion was to reduce the tire size to 195/60R15 and reduce the firmness at the back. Otherwise the chassis was strong, stiff and solid, which was a big improvement over the softer ones that we had to deal with in the past, when Honda still offered us the 4-wheel double-wishbone at the 4 corners.

The decision was clear after 15 min of test drive. Sometimes I didn't know if Honda ever got it. Today's Honda, using its strong worldwide sales growth in the past 10 years as excuse, distants themselves from the hearts of the die-hard Honda fans, while its marketing arm kept telling us the spirit was still there. It wasn't, since the day they took the double-wishbone suspension away from Civic and Accord.

We would stick to the 8-year old Mercedes. The ride back home onboard the C240 (presently worth 40% of the brand new Civic in market value) , going through same stretch of the roads, proved exactly the point. The direct competitors of today's Honda Civic in Hong Kong in disguise, besides the obvious Corolla, Mazda 3, Sunny, Golf and what-have-you, are thereliable used cars from Europe built in the late 1990s, under the name of Mercedes and BMW. At least it is the case in Hong Kong.

You can find the spirit of Honda Civic today, but it is in an alternate form called Jazz or FIT.

A Brief Drive in the BMW 323i E90.

網誌分類：Motoring Experience in Hong Kong |

網誌日期：2006-08-08 14:32

It was last Saturday that I had a chance to try on this white body color 323i (Year 2006 with only 1,400 kms on the odometer. It has a black leather interior without sunroof. So my guess it was the basic version. The outlook was fine by me, giving an impression of a heavily downsized 5-series. The proportion was right.

It had a start/stop button so once the key was inserted you need to press the botton to set the engine revving. Sorry it was not only of my favorites. After turning on the air conditioner and the CD, off I went. The interior layout felt extremely solid and spartan, with elements of basic luxuy.

Once on the move, the suspesion and the body structure impressed me because they worked together to provide a very unique combination of ride quality - very stiff and yet quiet and comfortable. The stiffness was perhaps due to the runflat 225/50R16 Bridgestone which has thickened side walls as well as reinforced shoulder areas.

The other special thing about the car was the way the 2.5L in-line six worked with the 6-speed auto transmission. They worked seemlessly. No matter what speed I was in uphill and downhill I was amazed I was always in the right gears and engine revvs. Instant acceleration and torque response were available without an immediate need to kick down. That's wonderful. Engine started to deliver explosive power (in relative terms) once over 4,000 rpm. However there was plenty of smooth and responsive torque between 1,000 to 3,000rpm to pull the car briskly.

Turn-in was immediate and sharp. Despite its weight 323i's steering response and cornering pose were not bad in tight fast corners. Overall the handling could be described as precise and responsive, the BMW way. The steering was weighty and filled with feel.

Compared to the E46 320i (2.2L in-line six) I drove over one month ago, I think the E90 was much better in every aspect, especially in the solidity and refinement in ride, handling and drivetrain, rather than the fancy and superficial bits. The short drive really dispelled all my earlier prejudice on E90. A lot of fine tuning and engineering time had actually gone into the E90.

You may wonder why I had the chance to drive this car. I was asked to deliver the car to its owner from a garage to replace the 2 flat tires because of punctures. Yes, two flat run-flat tires!

Removal Notice! Click Here to the New Address.

Hi, I have moved my blogs to the following.

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/damondlam1234

I like Blogger a lot and its feature set but it has no hit counter.

Damond

My first blog on Yahoo!

網誌分類：Motoring Experience in Hong Kong |

網誌日期：2006-08-07 12:30

This is my first blog on the Yahoo. I was using Google before but there was no page hit records.

This blog will be about my motoring experience. You all know that Tiki has recently sold her C240 (W202, 1998) for a Year 2000 Silver Color 6-speed MX5 MK2.

Besides our new baby MX-5, my wife and I also enjoyed the ownership of a 1995 Mercedes-Benz C36 and a 1996 Honda Integra DC2 Type-R (this is actually a restored race car which has spent nearly two years full-time at the Zhuhai Race Track, China).

I will try to blog here for this week, until a point I feel comfortable around here.

If you want to see my old blogs and my other cars, here you go....

http://damondc36.blogspot.com/

If you interested in photography here is another of the site for my images....

www.pbase.com/damond

Our First Weekend with MX-5

We just spent our first weekend with the MX-5, 90% of the time with the top-down. It is really a revelating expereince motoring-wise. The MX-5 has completed our triplet collection - a sports car, a 4-door sedan and a race car, and has given the collection a fine balance. It has taken us a while to come to this point.

With MX-5, every road we have traveled many time before takes a new dimension. There was simply so much more to see, to feel and to hear. Despite the notorious air pollution in Hong Kong, we did not find any sign of the breathing problem or discomfort in our lungs.

I am happy to report that the air-conditioner has been powerful and kept the interior reasonably cool, even with the top down but the windows up. Of course most cool air escaped in the open air but with the fan level set at "2" and the vents directed to the body and face it felt cozy enough even under the sun, at least for a short while.

I have done a simple service check-up on Saturday. Engine oil and rear brake pads, windshield wiper were changed and the engine revved smoothly and we reported a bit sharper throttle response. I had the six-year old Bridgestone ER30 tires moved from the front to the rear wheels. The pair of one-year old Toyo Trampio Vimode offered much more grip, steering feel and snappy turn-in and removed any trace of understeer. However I did not like harsh ride, especially when the Toyos were not warmed up. I was planning on getting a new set of Michelin but the tire size (205/45R16) were not available in Hong Kong. I like Michelin because in every grade of their tires they always put ride comfort ahead of performance and grip. And I like that, except they don't have any stocks, regardless of models, for the MX-5.

In terms of handling, the little MX-5 has in fact made our C36 uninspiring to drive. Its light weight (1'035kg) and reasonable power-to-weight ratio were really a joy. In terms of straight-line acceleration it would not stand a chance against the C36 or the DC2. But MX-5 offers a different mix of road experience that we have long owed to ourselves. What surprises me is the way Mazda has engineered the body flex and long travel suspension together to create this amazing road holding. Of course it won't corner as hard or as quick as my DC2 under any condition but it certainly will outrun my C36 in 90% of tight and mid-radius corners. However the way that it put the tires on rough road surface of Hong Kong without any sign of traction breakaway was simply amazing. I could feel the suspension worked very hard and the body flexed and shaked but it never lost its composure and roadholding.

Typhoon Prapiroon & Our First Day with MX5

After meeting up with the owner in the morning we have been through heavy rains and gale force winds to have the title ownership transferred. Officially the MX5 (MK2, Year 2000, 6-speed and Silver) is Tiki's right now. However I was the one who had driven it for a few hours today, mainly to find out things needed to be repaired on the car. Believe me the car was so good and I was able to come up with a very 'short' list.

Here is my first impression.

With the hardtop on all day to protect us from the nature's elements the interior was quite cozy and stress-free. It felt like driving a small Japanese sedan without the back seat. The headroom with the hardtop on was surprisingly ample. Tiki and I never felt constricted and as a matter of fact did feel less stressful and less claustrophobic than being in the Mercedes SLK230. SLK230 was another strong consideration, which MX5 eventually won, over our heart by merely a hairline. The MX5's raking A-pillar did not eat into my personal space in the level of my head. I hate the fact that in some convertible that when I lean forward my head would hit the A-pillar (or have my eye poked).

It is a simple car with excellent engineering and design details. It impresses me not with the features and niceties it has, but with the lack of nuisances and list of faults of big and small, that would have me bothered and bewildered.

Because of its low stance, everything on the road seemed to be much bigger and taller. Even the red taxis we found everyday were two feet taller. All the Mercedes S-classes looked like minivans to us. However the MX5, seemed to be stable between 80-100kph with strong cross winds while traveling on the open highway, despite its light weight and the rear-wheel drive chassis. Not bad. It was the other motorists that I was worried since they could not keep their rides tracking true and straight.

In terms of ride and engine performance other than "acceptable" and "reasonable" I have not much to write home about, especially after the first day. Again it was the lack of nuisance and faults that really impress. Due to its 1,030kg weight the handling is nice and the pickup is reasonable quick. Turn-in was amazing even with the 6-year old Bridgestone ER30 in the front.

Let me continue with more update during or after the first weekend, after the hardtop can be removed and when the fun of open-top motoring begins.

Body Color and Rate of Depreciation

I read an interesting article in Car Magazine, Aug 2006 issue. You may clip the title above and access it on my pbase. I hope Car Magazine doesn't mind because it has so much good stuff worth buying every month for the past 18 years (at least for myself).

One of my favorite articles this month, which proves at least statistically my preference for body colors of cars. At least this time I can find some statistical support for my own taste for the Mercedes Benzs that I have owned. Still today I find silver and black are the best for most 4-door Mercedes. And Black or Metallic Dark Gray are also excellent. White or light colors do not show the complex curves and shape of the modern European cars. Silver and black tend not to make the Euro cars larger than they are. Silver has one advantage under the sun or summer temperature where it keeps the interior temperature more stable and relatively cool - perfect for nearly tropical weather of Hong Kong seven months a year. For Japanese cars silver is generally a big no no. White is my preference and that's the body color of my Honda DC2 Type R. There is an exception to it, and that's the Mazda MX-5 (or Miata), MK 1, 2 and 3.

C240 Update and Bye.....

As you can tell by the title, the lovely C240 that once belonged to Tiki, belongs to someone else now. It was last week (Thursday, July 27th, 2006). Before it was sold we sent it to the Pak Lok for its final service, removing the scratch marks on the left rear panel and putting new spark plugs in. I was not in Hong Kong so Tiki did all the ownership transfer. I gladly say that we find the right owner who deserves the car we have cared for the last 11 months.

Of course the reluctant sale was expected, in order to make space for Tiki's new dream ride.

Of course we feel a bit attached to the C240, after spending nearly 12,000 kms since mid August 2005. But we guess the arrival of the convertible will make us soon forget it. We are, after all, human being.

The search for the 'right' MX5 MKII.....

That's right, MK II. We found one sample with silver color/black leather interior trim MKII yesterday in great condition. Great looking rear end design with curvy front end and side. It has a bit more refined and ridgid than the MK Is we have tested so far. My first drive turned out to be an average experience because I had been following big trucks, with the top down, in the industrial zone. To summarize it was light-weight, quick and responsive in turns and corners, nimble and stress-free. It has a 6-speed manual transmission, in which the shift was closely packed and snappy. Not bad. The engine sounded a bit boomy and offered sufficient progress. Of course after using the lazy C36 big six and the torquey and powerful DC2 complete race engine, the 1.8L MX5 engine felt numb and flat. However it was there to sing with the chassis and dance thru the corners. Tiki thinks it might not have enough power for me to keep but I think with acceleration figure 0-100kph in a little bit over 8 seconds it would do alright.

First we need to sell our C240. We simply cannot have 4 cars at the same time.

Struggle In Compromise

A few of friends have this problem. And all of them had cars and enjoyed motoring in Hong Kong for a long time. I had the same problem, too, until roughly this time last year.

And for the same reason why I ended up with three cars today. The long-term problem was resolved somewhat a large. As a matter of fact I learned the solution from my other friends having a joy in their car ownership. The key is - Purity of Purpose. I was going to use it as my title of this blog that you are reading. However since I wrote down the "Struggle in Compromise" first, for the reason of spontaneity I would leave it at that.

In my own fleet I have three cars - two daily cars and one race car. Therefore you can almost conclude as I do, that some element is amiss. There is a lack of sports car. Sports car, by definition (at least by British motorists or car enthausiasts) has three elements - open top motoring, rear wheel drive and manual tranmission. Secondary traits include fun to drive, numble and good handling. It does not necessary have high engine output, but only enough to sing with the chassis and make the car handles in the twisties.

To be continued....

Michelin XM1

Sometimes the C240 was a bit harsh over broken pavement and roared over coarse road surface perhaps due to the Pirelli Dragon (Asia market only) tires and its hard and long-lasting compound. The tall side wall of the 195/65R15 did not help. Finally on the first day of July, I traded in the Pirelli for the Michelin XM1 205/60R15 (with softer compound but made in Thailand. Manufactured in 2006) for smoother ride and comfort. The shorter side wall and wider contact patch brought a tad more stability at speed and a better and decisive turn-in. The ride was now quieter overall and bump-thumps were muffled, but the slight rattling of the interior trims could be more heard and felt. Cornering limit was now slightly lower and the front tires would squeak under loading. To me it was a perfect trade-off. As the miles piling up, I found the performance edge of the XM1 satisfactory especially when driving briskly in thin traffic.

The XM1 was a recommendation from a long-time friend who has placed comfort and good handling on his top of his list. As a matter of fact he has equipped both of his 7-seater vans (Toyota Previa and Alphard) with the XM1. He has been happy with the comfort and ride quality.

Here is what Michelin describes the Energy XM1:
Michelin Energy XM1 is proof that a tyre can have it all. Enjoy five star comfort plus the perfect balance of fuel efficiency, longer tyre life and smooth performance.

I would not disagree a bit, after merely a week of use. French does place comfort and ride quality on top of the list when they design their products, even at the entry level XM1.

In Hong Kong there are so many tires out there with different design emphasis, over 50% of them from Japan. Personally I have tried many, both on the street and on the race circuit. However I think the tyre companies have sold them based on merits on price and, tire noise the aggressive road grips. For me I would value comfort and ride quality first before grips and handling. I am sure there are similar tyres like XM1 out there.

I have no idea how a Michelin would work for Japanese cars. I have always been a firm believer that European tyres are designed for European cars and Japanese tires for Japanese cars. Of course there must be exception here and there. And I also hear that Korean tires are coming through quickly. It is very easy to explain if you notice how a tire is designed and fined tuned during the product development cycles. And how the tires work with the chassis and the suspension. I am just wondering how many German and Japanese cars (very expensive in Korea) have been brought to fine tune their tires performance. Personally I think the development has not been completed yet. A few more years later it will be difficult to say the same thing.

MB C240 Updates

The C240 is a sweet 'basic' luxury car, and is my wife's ride. I bought it in September 2005 when I was driving a 1997 C200 which was under-powered (later replaced by C36). It is roomy inside and yet small enough outside, easy to park in tight spots. The ride is compliant and yet with Mercedes' firmness and drum-tightness.

The beige color interior is a nice and pleasant place to be. The vinyl, wood and MB-Tex interior is calm, nice to touch and look at. Of course I always wish for a glass sunroof and a leather trim (Elegance Package). But sometimes life is not perfect and lack of the Elegance package does not spoil the fun of the C240 ownership.

I bought this C240 for its rich old Mercedes feel and unraveling basic engineering and build quality. Newer Mercedes seem to lose this quality slowly and I don't need to remind myself every 5 minutes I am driving a Mercedes. This 1998 W202 is definitely telling you what it really is.

It feels solid and heavy despite the 1420kg weight, which is below average of the car in the same class - 1500kg. The other 1500kg like BMW 320i feels less heavy. In terms of ride it has the floating quality when you go over a hump and long undulation. Handling is sharp and predictable but not a quick and nimble one. Steering feel is present but you need to detect it. It leans and wallows and its weight shifts when I turn the steering wheel and brake. But I like it because it feels like driving and is more fun to drive than a BMW 3 series if I am not in a hurry. Acceleration is leisurely and barely adequate but I would not call it a deficiency. The engine is probably due for some replacement parts like new ignition coils and a new air-flow sensor that can read correct value to the ECU.

I have been thinking replacement like Mercedes SL or SLK, and BMW E46 3-series. I have put on sales ad on the internet for one week. But I hate to lose this car and would probably keep this sweet little Mercedes for another six months. My wife has always wanted a convertible.

And I spare no cost in terms of maintenance and keeping it at mint running condition.

An Afternoon with BMW 320i (E46)

I had the fortune to have a drive in a silver color 320i (2.2L in-line 6) for a Friday afternoon. It was a delightful car, solidly built and comfortable.

In terms of engine torque it was not too strong below 3000rpm but it was overall responsive and got the job done. Response after 3000rpm was a delight and the chassis would sing with the engine. It was more agile than C240 but yet stable at speed. For dense city traffic with lots of stop and go and fighting for spots, a bigger engine capacity like 2.5L or 3.0L would fair better. The small capacity 2.2L in-line six was not silent or vibration free at all while idling but became creamy smooth and extremely refined revving up.

Front and rear balance was top notch and I didn't feel the weight of the engine at all, unlike C240 which was slightly front heavy. But then C240 was a lighter car (1420kg) vs 320i (1500kg+). Again I must express my frustration with modern cars with excessive weight against their engine capacity. This 320i would be a great driving machine with some performance potential and fine balance if the weight could be kept below 1200kg. I knew it was a wishful thinking. This E46 would only shine if the engine capacity exceeded 3.0L but then we would be talking about a 1600kg of a small compact 4-door sedan (M3 4-door sedan?) It would be another overweight.

Seating position was not ideal in the first place but after the infinite adjustments it was okay. In terms of interior appointment it was light-years ahead of the C240 (W202). It was a much modern environment with excellent ergonomics. Mercedes also had good ergonomic of an old school design. I could not say which is better because Mercedes seemed to have very solid construction but with cheap hard plastic dashboard while BMW's was soft and luxury to touch. BMW interior had always been an eye-candy.

The 320i was a kind of dull below 50 or 60kph. After that speed it came awake. And in the twisties it came alive, especially in the left-right-lefts or right-left-rights. Shod with 225/45R16 in 4 corners, the 320i had plenty of grip and rode compliantly over broken pavement and yet the handling was responsive and decisive. I could tell the damping was excellent (much better than W202) and it had tons of wheel travel to cope with extreme road undulation. It was indeed a sweet surprise. Body lean in tight corners or at higher corner speed wasn't felt as it tended to be flat when 320i was asked to go around them.

No doubt E46 BMW 3 series was one of the greatest German daily cars. I would get one for myself as a daily car after W202. Since now I was so used to the leisurely torque of the C36, only a 330i would do the job for me now.

What Happens to the DC2 Lately?

In fact not much has been going on with the DC2 as it has rained on the weekends for the 5th consecutive weekends. For safety reason why don't do morning drive when it is wet. So last Saturday I decided to do something about it besides taking it out for fresh air. It was a bit sunny and yet cloudy Saturday morning and I remembered from last year I have had those TM spark plugs that I have not used. So I took the car out first to have the license plate re-made to meet the legal requirement (the orginal was way to small and the letters too tight together). After that I took the DC2 to Pak Lok and borrowed some tools for the spark plugs replacement. The existing ones (some NGK Iradium ones) were very rusty and brown in color, which was a sign of enriched air/fuel ratio.

Anyway the car fired up immediately and sounded a lot more energetic afterwards. What a feeling! The car was powerful, more linear and tractable in engine response, and was louder. It reminded me the time at ZIC race course in 2004.

On Sunday we canceled the morning drive because of the wet roads. Instead Tiki and I took it out the Shek O to have a breakfast. Boy, the car did feel very good! A lot of power and energy. Boy, was I rusty in my driving and the tight cornering? I definitely need more practice.

I need to wait another Sunday for the morning drive!

A Day with Meguiar's

It was a Sunday morning without rain. I have not washed and cleaned my C36 for over two weeks because I got the car wash by nature everytime we drove out.

The venue was at the beautiful Marina Club at the Clear Water Bay Country Club. We were invited to the Meguiar's Car Care Clinic 2006. There was the good reception by Meguiar's team, especially Tom and Matt. There was the very nice quality cold drinks and the buffet lunch.

To be continued.

Fun Driving in the Heavy Rain!

It has been heavily raining for a few weeks now. And I love driving in heavy rain, even though my rear-drive C36 was not supposed to be good at it. The steering feel provided by the Micheline in the wet was excellent. I like heavy rain because it coated the road surface with an added level of smoothness and refinement. The car felt smoother, rode better and had less bump-thumps on rough or broken roads. Of course there went traction and road feel, which I did really care for. The reduced visibility makes the same road stretches more interesting and challenging. And there were some big pot holes hidden beneath the water puddles, waiting to be discovered and shocked through the car chassis. Last but not least, the fun of hydroplanning, skidding and sliding under permissible conditions was worth a mention.

I love the elegant way the single-blade butterfly action wiper moves back and forth across the windshield. I hate the fact that the new generation Mercedes has ditched the single-blade design and opted for the the more traditional twin wipers.

The search for the 'right' MX5......

My first encounter with MX5 was actually a Miata when I was still in College (1988). I knew it was a great handling sports car. That was about it. It was last June when a friend Alex offered me one day with his 1992 silver MX5 that I started to discover something amazing about this little convertible. With the top down, I had never felt so direct and close to the road itself and other road users. The feeling was crude but great. Of course after the end of the day my throat and lung condition was not that good due to the air pollution. But the MX5 was not at fault.

The car was light, nimble, had great steering and cornering poise at not so high speed. Of course one couldn't compare to the modern cars which are more luxury, refined or grippy. It was indeed very very good. I regreted not buying this silver sample from Alex when he bought my Subaru STI sportswagon.

Since then I had been seeking and checking out whatever MX5s I could find. An auto would not work for a MX5 and it had to be a manual. Year 1991 and 1992 were the ones to look.

Between the convertible SL and MX5, Tiki and I would probably prefer MX5 for its friendliness when it comes to re-selling.

To be continued.....

What is a perfect car?

Why would some men focus so much energy and effort on the motoring experience, or to be specific, on their own precious car(s)? Every so often we change and modify our car(s) for various reasons. Every morning when I look at the mirror myself, I am looking at a fine example. What I can tell you that most passionate motorists have a consistent flow of desire, passion or drive that keep us going for the perfect car to own and for the perfect drive that would make us proud. In career we always rise to the level of incompetence. In motoring, we stretch our resource on car(s) to the level that strains our relationship with the better half or endangers our financial well-being. We are all some type of perfectionist in search of a perfect ride, where "perfect" is a concept. This leads me to think what is perfect? Is it a set of factors that need to fulfilled simultaneously, or are the factors moving targets. Or it is simply a bottomless pit. After 20 years of pursuit myself and watching other car enthusiasts, I can only tell I am getting closer to ever before, and feel less painful in getting the 'perfect'. That's all about it. When I talk to young kids mad about cars, I can see part of me in them. I have traveled far but yet not so different from the youngsters. When I talked to people who have arrived, I can see their desire not being fulfilled and readily detect some degree of emptiness, despite their perfect fleet of cars that we could only dream of. What lead me next? Hmmmm. It would be easier to search of a 'perfect' driving moment or experience. It is a moment, occasional one and may not be repeatable, when we are doing something about our own ride - driving, talking about or washing/waxing our own car(s). This would require us to live in the moment (the present moment), and to enjoy while it lasts. And let's not expect that the same sweet experience would come back in the same intensity tomorrow when we take our ride out. It does not always work that way. (to be continued.....)

My Ultimate Car?

Tiki asked me another day what would be the car I like to have without giving it a second thought. My mind went blank all of a sudden as I was pretty satisfied and happy with my present "fleet". I had no idea then. A few days later, I discovered I had figured out for myself all along. It has been a yellow body color Lamborghini Gallardo. Recently Lamborghini released a facelift as well as the Gallardo Spyder, also in stunning yellow. I also don't mind that my last name is part of the brand.

But then if I think about it again. Is it an Ultimate Car? It would be slow for the morning drive (because I need to be careful) and way too fast for the daily drive (and I cannot leave it on the streets like I do now in a carefree way). It will go neither ways in terms of being ultimate.

(to be continued.....)

Mercedes SL - Next ride?

As the C36 maturing in a daily car (two months since end of March), we have been thinking of selling the C240. I have been thinking perhaps it is time to get a very affordable convertible that Tiki always wants. And I always dream of having a true luxury car with deep luxury, great creature comfort and pillowy ride. The short list contains the Mazda MX5 (Year 1991 or 1992, manual transmission) or pre-1996 Mercedes SL (preferrably 1995 Silver body color with 3.2L in-line 6 with 5-speed auto, 1760kg, 25mpg, 0-60mph in 8.1s). Given the opportunituy I would definitely go for the post-1997 5.0L v8 (1840kg, 22mpg, 0-60mph in 6.3s). However the SL500 will be most expensive in terms of purchase cost and running cost (fuel and annual license fee). Just found out that the 'potential" SL320 is a 1993 black color model. Sigh! It is too old, and not in silver!

A short drive with S320

The silver S320 on the right corner of my C36 --------------->

I had a short drive of the S320 (W220, a silver color Year 2000). Softly suspended by AIRmatic DC system, the big car did have a good ride and very little road noise. The steering was very light, quick and accurate (well, in a way). Two things stood out from my impression. First it was the road noise. The noise level, if there was any at all, seemed to stay at the same level, regardless of the road surface. This was very different from the LS430 which was silent on smooth surface, but noise level rose very slightly but noticeably as soon as the tires hit the rough surface. However I would not say the S320 was quieter. Second the engine seemed to have good power and torque combination that can haul the 1'800-kg car in all kind of traffic condition between 1'500 to 2'300 rpm. Rarely it did go over 2'700 rpm. Of course I was not in a hurry and went with the traffic flow. On the contrast the 3.6L engine in car seemed to be happy revving between 1'800 - 3'000rpm in normal driving condition. No doubt the C36 was built more for mid to mid-high range power. And it relied on the large engine capacity to provide the torque at low end. If you ask me to choose I prefer the reasonable responsive but lazy style of the S320 engine.

TM Spark Plugs

After a busy week it was a Friday. I took a break from the office and went out to meet a friend Peter. I had the Torque Master Spark Plugs refitted in the C36. The car immediately felt lighter but the engine felt more freely revving. It felt more like a smoother and more refined 3.0L V6 rather than a big-bore in-line 6. Before the C36 felt heavier and the engine torquey and powerful. So they are two different characteristics. Couldn't say which I like more but I think the 6 TM plugs would save more fuel. With fingers crossed I really do hope so. I would have the TM plugs to stay for one week.

Things I don't like about modern cars

I have been test driving or road testing different cars, old or new, as much as I can. Over the recent years, I see an ugly trend of car design which deviate away from the common sense. First it is the increasing weight despite the advancement of materials. Second it is the engine and the amount of catalytic converters to meet the emission regulation. Despite the advancement of technology, our new cars today are heavy and sluggish and not necessary more fuel economical. To say I was disappointed with the direction or trend in the last 10 years would be an understatement. The advancement and technology had been there, but marketing and regulatory side-tracked it. It is also called diminishing return. 10 years ago a 2.0L engine car only weighs around 1200kg. Today it is 1400kg that a 2.0L engine needs to pull. Who really needs or wants to pay for that 200kg baggage? Better crash protection, cleaner exhaust, more comfort? For all that added weight? It is not going to help fuel economy, responsiveness in acceleration & braking, and cornering finesse. Talking about trade-offs!

Cayenne

A friend Eddie asked me to put random thoughts about cars in the blog. One day he asked why there were so many Porsche Cayennes on the streets of Hong Kong. I was wondering why and two ideas popped into my mind almost instantly. First many or a large percentage of Cayenne owners are the first-time Porsche owners. Second many people want Porsche cars but cannot buy Boxsters or 911s because they have a family to lurk around. Porsche Cayenne is not cheap but it would be most people's best excuse to get themself a Porsche. Of course let's not forget the edge on performance, engineering and image associated with Porsche. It is a runaway success. A business owner in Hangzhou, China, told me over dinner he was the first owner in China to have the Cayenne Turbo S just two to three weeks ago. Next time I hope I could get a ride in his new Cayenne.

Michelin Pilot Sport 2

The C36 spent a few days at the garage for a timing chain and chain tensioner replacement. Most of the time it was waiting. However last Saturday I got a good chance to try the Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires on my C36, thanks to Joe Lau, another owner of a beautiful black 1994 C36. Test drive back and forth confirmed the tire change was inevitable. I hated to see the still brand new Yokohama AD07 goes. However there was no way I could tolerate the stiff wooden ride despite the huge grip and confidence the AD07 had given to the C36. Because of the wet weather I did not drive the car too much. The car ran smoother on rough road and had a lot of steering feel in the wet.

Update June 1, 2006
After close to 1'000kms the handling and ride of Michelin tires did not deviate too much from my first impression. PS2 is not as harsh as the AD07 in the ride department. There is always an smooth, well-damped insulation between the road surface and the chassis. However this feature does not mask the fact that the C36 does have a suspension that is too stiff to cope with the broken pavements of Hong Kong, and yet too soft to cope with its own weight in tight corners. What Michelin excels over Yokohama is the ability to provide snappy turn-in and a more stable contact patch on rough and broken surface. In the grip department of course AD07 is a winner (Michelin really not far behind) but really in the daily city driving I do care about ride and handling more than utimate tire grip. (to be continued.....)

DC2 is back home!

Today I visited my DC2 at the KYB (one of the high end car tuners in HK) in the afternoon. All the suspension parts are replaced, with a few maintenance items to keep the car fresh. However I decided not to take the car home until after dinner.
Around 8pm I paid the bill and took the car out for a spin with Tiki (my wife). The handling problem was gone but the steering and chassis feel were less direct. It was okay as I like stability over over-sensitive dynamics. Then I asked Simon (owner of KYB) to do a demo of what the car could handle. The grip was great and the car was much more stable. But then we found out we had tons of old parts in the rear trunk. After they were removed and I drove the car home. Boy, the car was a lot lighter (at least by 25kg+) and somewhat more nimble and it could be felt. The short journey from KYB to home was simply a delight. Immense and responsive power, light-weight, nimble handling summarized the experience.

The ride of C36 continued to improve a bit today, I now played some music to a kind of sublime to bump-thump road noise. Believe it or not, it worked for me.

C36 with the SLK Alloys

Easter Weekend. Took two friends with cars to a Jinway (a HK tire shop) for tire and wheel service. My friend's Aristo GS300 JZ161 got a new set of 18" 5-Zigen wheels and a set of Michelin PS2 tires (235/40R18 and 265/35R18), replacing his two-year old 225/45R17 AD07 on an unknown set of alloy that came with the car when he bought two years ago.

Jinway showed me a fresh set of used SLK350 alloy (zero marks though) for my C36. 7.5Jx17 front and 8.5Jx17 rear. Not AMG style but look absolutely stunning in my opinion on the C36. They look great when I see the reflection of my silver C36 with the new wheel from the car parked next to me. They were also lighter in weight compared to the AMG Monobloc that came with the C36. I lifted them back and forth between old and new ones to confirm that there was a weight difference. The turn-in was lighter and more keen. The new SLK alloys made the slightly dated C36 looked younger, and actually made it more like a "C360'.

Yesterday I also changed my windshied wiper, too, for the forthcoming rainy season.

Small Fixes on C36

Mar 31, 2006 Fri

Brought the C36 to KYB for wheel alignment. Front cambers were found to be almost equal on both sides at 1 degree. That's a good sign because they were not adjustable. It also told me that the geometry of the suspension and chassis was intact during the last 11 years. At least I hope so. It would be nice to have a bit over 2 degrees to dial out the natural understeering. Of course the front castor could not be adjustable, both at 4 degrees. Simon of KYB dialed in a bit of toe in for the rear wheels (factory spec). Front toe were set at 0 degree instead of slight toe-in as specified by the factory.

After the wheel alignment the car's handling was improved and cleaner but not as much as I expect. At least the car felt more nimble but still understeer in most cases, making me a bit worried about carrying speed into corners. I was just wondering if I were driving the car the right way. I understand that the car was front heavy and tended to oversteer when accelerating out of corners. However the turn-in was really not very good, until the front loading started to lighten up.

AD07 is showing more grip everyday. However the side wall is a bit soft for the loading on the outside wheel during cornering. I could feel the front tire bited very hard but the side wall failed to support this level of grip. I have to put 32psi to help the sidewall stiffness.

I guess it would be slow-in-fast-out for the time being. The failure to carry speed into corner was disappointing.

Saturday - April 1st Rugby 7 weekend

Met up with Charlton with his white C280 and both of us sent our W202s to Pak Lok Garage for some small fixes at 10am. Tiki and I then went to the Rugby 7 game at HK Stadium.

Small fixes on C36 included: (a) horn, (b) ambient temperature display, (c) head lamp adjustment, (d) lamp inside glove box, and (e) windshield wiper. The attention to details at Pak Lok in getting the C36 back to perfect working condition was amazing.

Ah Shing (owner of Pak Lok Garage) met us up at the Tin Hau MTR with the C36 around 7:30pm after the Rugby game. I was told that the ex-owner of my 1995 C36 bought himself a 1997 C36. Judging from the condition of my C36 and a lot of money spent on it previously, I wonder if I was getting lucky. As a matter of fact I missed the chance to see the 1997 C36 about six months ago and I just knew it was the ex-ower who bought the car before I had a chance to see it. I was wondering if the 1997 model had a 5-speed but was told it was only a 4-speed electronic gearbox. In UK and USA 5-speed was offered in 1997 models.

C36 Another Small Fixes

Last Saturday I have the new Bosch ignition coils (total three, one for two cylinders) fitted. It was an easy job and the part cost was low. Now the engine purred smoothly while it pulled like a train. I had not fitted the TM spark plugs yet since the Bosch spark plugs in the engine were relatively new.

Somehow for whatever reason unknown to me the handling of the C36 has been improving while it approached my first 1000km. It feels more direct and the chassis is more responsive. I could not feel that car was front heavy at all. Only in tight corners I could feel that it was indeed a heavy car. It was not bad and I was surprised. Still the shocks were not responsive enough following the dips and crests of the pavement. Sometime I found the wheels out-of-sync and pounding the road surface. This was apparent in the hard driving, serious affecting roadholding and stability in rough pavement.

I checked my favorite Mercedes parts supplier at Mongkok - Valiant. They got me a quote of C36 original factory suspension (a set of four shock absorbers) which were in stock. But they would set me back around $10K HKD. Wow! I hesitate but decided that this was a safety issue worth spending. However since Easter Break is around the corner and decided to purchase the factory shocks shortly after the Easter holiday

And my good friend Simon found me today a set of fresh used C32 AMG wheels for a fairly reasonable cost. I would consider only if I could prove that it is significantly lighter than the AMG Monobloc.

I have driven the C36 for the whole week. My second fuel stop yesterday showed that the fuel consumption has dropped to HK$1.65 per km (or HK$785 for 485km traveled). Not bad at all. Considering a good mix of city, highway, 15 min of full throttle blasting with Evos.

C36 Updates 7

I suspect the handling could be improved with the shock replacement and/or lighter alloy wheels. The Bilstein shocks that came with the C36 were quite new and were suspected to be a source of the slow response of the suspension. I will try to find out next week if there are any Original Mercedes or AMG shock absorbers. I had bought two sets of Bilstein shocks before, Sports and Standard, in 2005. None of them worked better than the original Mercedes stock shocks that I fitted on the C200 and C240, in terms of handling and ride quality. And the difference is very easy to tell.

On the contrast, the Yokohama AD07s have developed fantastic grip. The grip is a bit much for the daily driving.

Here is the US C36 Spec from www.mbusa.com. Click to enlarge.

C36 Updates 6

Filled up the tank yesterday the second time - $710 for 420km traveled. $1.7 per km was reasonable because it covered a variety of road testing and fast running. No doubt if I drive aggressively it would be more than $2 per km. I still believe I can do 450 km per full tank if I am more careful with the gas pedal.

Last night I removed the spare wheel and tire from the trunk to lighten the rear load. Boy, it was a heavy piece, at least 15kg. This makes me think twice about not changing to a ligter alloy wheels. Why I removed the spare wheel and tire? It was because I would like to make the car lighter and the rear more agile (more tail happy).