I took our Lancer on a day trip up to Lake Arrowhead yesterday via the spectacular Rim of the World Highway (pictured). One-thousand-foot precipices tend to make me a coward, so I took a more leisurely pace up this scenic, serpentine road. Nevertheless, the smooth-shifting 5-speed manual was getting a work-out because of the GTS' complete lack of low end power. Drop below 3,000 rpm, and thunk -- you might as well be driving a ride-on lawn mower...
The day before, I went to a rather boring Shins concert with a friend of mine who happens to be blind. As he sometimes does when I'm driving a "company" car, he got a literal quick feel for it, running his hand along the side from front to back. After coming upon the rear wing, he proclaimed "cool car!" I think it's a safe bet that Mitsubishi has a styling hit on their hands when a blind guy is giving the Lancer a thumbs up. However, my friend did give a thumbs down to the touchscreen stereo interface and lack of volume and tuning knobs. On the upside, he can't change the channel on me as much.
James Riswick, Associate Editor @ 4,965 miles
prndlol says:
11:59 AM, 10/ 9/07
Your friend is more in tune with listening than most of us, so how did he like the sounds the Lancer GTS made?
carfreak8394 says:
01:54 PM, 10/ 9/07
In the 2nd paragraph, shouldn't the word "cometimes" be sometimes ?
santiagofdz says:
02:22 PM, 10/ 9/07
Your buddy rocks! And with such a good hearing, he must be a very good musician.
I'm glad he works helping others learn to cope with the loss of eyesight.
jriz says:
02:35 PM, 10/ 9/07
carfreak, yes it should.
Also, it's not just coping, it's exceeding in life after losing your sight, which he proves time and time again doesn't have to be such a big deal.
festiboi1 says:
04:28 PM, 10/ 9/07
I love the Rim of the World Highway. What a gorgeous, challenging, and scenic drive. The Lancer GTS had to be more fun around the corners than the last car I took up there: my (thankfully deceased) Chevy Aveo.
estreka says:
09:00 PM, 10/ 9/07
Hmm. If I get a TDY to Vandenberg, I just might take my car up that road. Sounds like fun.
I foresee this car having lots of miles before it gets returned.
ahightower says:
06:41 AM, 10/11/07
I'd like to know your blind friend's opinion of the Compass and your new Rondo. They make me want to close my eyes.