(Weekend #3 Pics Added) A Canuck's CT4V BW West Coast Adventure Begins

[M2Cto4BW]

You know how you search and search for a dealer that has an allocation, then you find one and spec it up and it goes into the queue, then you wait and wait for production to begin, and then you wait and wait for some missing connector to the Johnson Rod, and then you wait and wait for a truck because they don't do anything without a full trailer... and then finally, finally you get the call from the dealer and the car is there! But it's Sat afternoon and it cannot get PDI'd until Monday...
... and then there's those annoying AF chancers who look for a week, find something on the lot, pay MSRP, and go pick it up:

As my dyslexic user name (I gotta ask a mod to fix that) suggests I am coming from an M2 Competition via some humming and hawing and have landed myself this beauty of a snickity-snick manual smallish saloon car with a big thumping engine; before the likes of these won't be seen again.

I am only 3 days and ~690 miles in but the introduction has been nothing short of fantastic. You watch the videos and read the posts, but until you are slipping through the gears you don't know just how good of a shifter the 4BW has and it's a good 'un. The engine (still 2/3-3/4 throttle and 4-ish K shifts and not much over 80mph) hints at good stuff too and I wonder if making breakin at 4k last so long is to condition us to think 6.5k is an acceptable redline, time will tell there.

So how about a few pics - cause of course pics! If you're going to suffer through the rambling on, there better be some 4BW at the end of it!

It begins: Pick up 46-459 in Reno, NV

Not quite Armco grey: Lake Tahoe, CA

4BW's home away from home: Silver Springs, NV

Roadtrips need road side BBQ joints: Walker, CA

CA89: A brilliant road and a brilliant view... those rocky mounds in the background look nice too

CA89: No really, E>W direction (from 395 to 4) I'd take this up against pretty much any other road

CA88: Always ready for another corner

Smokin' Car: Pollock Pines, CA

 

[Berserker]

Welcome! That's a beautiful color combo.

 

[AACaptRet]

I guess I was fortunate. I only had to drive for 45 minutes to get to the Sewell dealership in Dallas. Less than an hour to complete the paperwork, hand over the (gulp) cashiers check, pose for pictures and ride out. Quite a day.

 

[RDATLTE]

You know how you search and search for a dealer that has an allocation, then you find one and spec it up and it goes into the queue, then you wait and wait for production to begin, and then you wait and wait for some missing connector to the Johnson Rod, and then you wait and wait for a truck because they don't do anything without a full trailer... and then finally, finally you get the call from the dealer and the car is there! But it's Sat afternoon and it cannot get PDI'd until Monday...
... and then there's those annoying AF chancers who look for a week, find something on the lot, pay MSRP, and go pick it up:

As my dyslexic user name (I gotta ask a mod to fix that) suggests I am coming from an M2 Competition via some humming and hawing and have landed myself this beauty of a snickity-snick manual smallish saloon car with a big thumping engine; before the likes of these won't be seen again.

I am only 3 days and ~690 miles in but the introduction has been nothing short of fantastic. You watch the videos and read the posts, but until you are slipping through the gears you don't know just how good of a shifter the 4BW has and it's a good 'un. The engine (still 2/3-3/4 throttle and 4-ish K shifts and not much over 80mph) hints at good stuff too and I wonder if making breakin at 4k last so long is to condition us to think 6.5k is an acceptable redline, time will tell there.

So how about a few pics - cause of course pics! If you're going to suffer through the rambling on, there better be some 4BW at the end of it!

It begins: Pick up 46-459 in Reno, NV
View attachment 10382

Not quite Armco grey: Lake Tahoe, CA
View attachment 10383

4BW's home away from home: Silver Springs, NV
View attachment 10389

Roadtrips need road side BBQ joints: Walker, CA
View attachment 10384

CA89: A brilliant road and a brilliant view... those rocky mounds in the background look nice too
View attachment 10385

CA89: No really, E>W direction (from 395 to 4) I'd take this up against pretty much any other road
View attachment 10386

CA88: Always ready for another corner
View attachment 10387

Smokin' Car: Pollock Pines, CA
View attachment 10388

Congratulations!

 

[Mike Martz]

Great color combo and keep the pics coming! Beautiful scenery.

 

[M2Cto4BW]

Thanks folks! I think because this was all pretty spur of the moment, I need to play catch up on everything the 4BW has to offer.
I literally had months to read the M2C manual front to back and have my custom settings and overrides already planned out.

I really do want to zip through the breakin, so this weekend will have to be N or S to burn through some more petrol

 

[AACaptRet]

Good thing to study the book. I am still trying to learn how to work all of the bells and whistles.

 

[M2Cto4BW]

Couple from Sunday to get me well into the upper 600s

Breakfast at Alice's. Can see the old 911s, Ferrari and then some boring fast cars too

HWY 1 on a typical Sunday morning in the Summer

Such is city living, no big garage. Just 2 trees providing shade and whatever falls off them. You can see the fastest car in our parking lot reflected in the back quarter panel.

 

[AACaptRet]

Sounds like a fun trip.

 

[M2Cto4BW]

Sounds like a fun trip.

Thanks I'm fortunate Sunday's spots are just down the road so to speak.
The key is early before all the cyclists start hitting the roads, that can leave you puttering along behind them like you're a support vehicle at the Tour de France.

 

[seattlecubes]

I'm a fan. I was *THIS* close to buying a M2C this week before I thought better of it "For just a few bucks more, I could have a brand new Blackwing." I'd love to hear more about how this seems to compare to that...?

 

[Ivy1Le]

I'm a fan. I was *THIS* close to buying a M2C this week before I thought better of it "For just a few bucks more, I could have a brand new Blackwing." I'd love to hear more about how this seems to compare to that...?

Want a manual? Buy the Blackwing. Getting auto? Buy the M2C.

 

[Robo]

Thanks I'm fortunate Sunday's spots are just down the road so to speak.
The key is early before all the cyclists start hitting the roads, that can leave you puttering along behind them like you're a support vehicle at the Tour de France.

Thank you for sharing your experience, it looks awesome!

 

[M2Cto4BW]

2nd weekend dispatched with and we're just about at 1200 miles Still less than full throttle, 80-ish top end, and 4k-ish shifts, so hopefully this coming weekend I can get to 1500 and let 'er rip!

This weekend's random tour went up Hwy 1, dipping into Mendicino County, then back through some rainforesty bits, to Sonoma wine country. Started the day on coast around 55F and late afternoon it was 102F inland. Yeah micro-climates.

Climbing out of the fog on Hwy 1. The way the marine layer can cling to the coast and inland valleys is really something.

Of course you just need to be patient and know which direction to go. Bye bye clouds: blue sky awaits!

Still playing around with V Mode and My Mode. Would like to be able to get rid of the burbles but keep the rest of the exhaust action on it's sportiest setting. And it looks like the goldilocks steering option is the middle one.

Point back towards the road is always a good thing

You can really see how the Shadow Metallic changes from shade to light, pretty much split right down the middle!

And definitely a shiny one here. The trees are smaller here than further back on this road, so with the light getting through you get really cool effects.

Have to keep the roadside BBQ thing going. And also the one shot where the color washes out because it's reflecting up the dirty tarmac. Almost looks ordinary ;-)

@seattlecubes - I've not been able to really give it the beans yet and even when, 'better' or preferred is totally a YMMV these cars being so close. 4BW shifter is definitely better (in fairness it's surely one of the best manuals you can still get new), 18' wheels, thicker sidewalls, and Magnaride make it a better errand runner and mile muncher too. But the M2C is a truly special car IMHO. The shorter wheelbase really lets you pivot around the center and it hides its weight beautifully. Those monster brakes are comically too much for the car for DD purposes, but in spirited driving or on track they are awesome. But really when I get to 2k in the 4BW I'll have a much better sense for a proper comparison.

 

[M2Cto4BW]

~1900 miles now in the books, so the 1500 marker is past and it's now time to really have fun! It is going to take some calibrating for the 6.5k limiter. It sure sneaks up on you when you are giving it some welly

But so far what a brilliant car. Yes the weight is there when shedding off MPHs, but otherwise it really does a bang up job of disguising how heavy it is. The seats are fantastic for sporty driving, the shifter a dream, and the turn in spot on for modern racks.

It was in the 90s out on the good roads and I likely should have let some air out after the first extended run, as the tires got up around 44-45F and 'Warm'. But ya first impressions are the 4BW will just keep going and there is loads of fun to be had without getting silly.

Still trying to figure out whether I will look around or 'through' the A pillar and - apart from the steering which for me 'Sport' is clearly the best - which combo of settings I want for My Mode and My Mode 2... I mean V Mode. I put a bunch of spiriting driving miles on today with My Mode set to Steering-Sport, Exhaust-Sport, Breaks-Sport, and Susp-Tour,. As one of the roads is really smooth for a fun road, I forgot to switch to V Mode or Track; all the more reason to back!

Who can't appreciate a good 'ol solid wooden fence in the countryside.

It's like they knew I'd be hitting 1500 miles here and conveniently put in a vista point. I turned in on 1499 and hit 1500 when I parked up. No dancing girls, although it was already mid 90s, so likely for the best.

If it's Saturday it must be another lunchtime BBQ spot. Eventually I am going to stop running into these places and I'll starting needing to plan a route.

A looooooong view. If not for the haze you'd be able to see the foothills of the Sierras waaaaaaaay off in the distance.

View schmew: road ahead.