</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Mike in Chi:
<strong>I refuse to sit here and have people say Duke is the Infiniti of basketball programs.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

That might honestly be the funniest post I've ever seen on Rennlist.

That's coming from the owner of a previous Infiniti Q45, which BTW, I was able to secretly test drive back in 1985 before Nissan ever announced an Infiniti program, while working as a NCAA agent in Japan investigating spring break violations of collegiate basketball players' girlfriends.

Ken, your fondness of superlatives and exaggeration isn't limited to your posting headings, is it?

BTW, very cool ring, John! I really wish I had played soccer when growing up, but it just wasn't big back then in my football-crazed state of Texas.

 

John,

The NCAA was one of many places at which I have done private consulting for former employers in the past, I'm sure you can understand that I don't list every last little project I've ever been a part of on my resume. If I had a way to make copies of those documents they would have made for some very interesting reading across the board.

Anyway, on to the FX. Gas mileage is 16-18mpg depending on driving conditions, I believe we are averaging just a shade over 17 at the moment and the best has been just a shade under 20. It's my understanding that the FX35 gets ~3 mpg better on average.

 

I assumed Ken2KS was currently employed as a writer for the New York Times.

My mistake...

MC

 

Three rollers! Thanks, Doc.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"> The NCAA was one of many places at which I have done private consulting for former employers in the past, I'm sure you can understand that I don't list every last little project I've ever been a part of on my resume. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Ken, seriously, I'm ready to believe you now. Just tell me what kind of consultancy it is in which you work for the NCAA for one project and test drive SUVs before they reach the marketplace for another.

 

Mike,

If you're looking for sponsors for "Hey Wait for Me" Racing, you might want to consider Heinz ketchup - "anticipation". Ken has probably done some consultancy work for them in the past.

This post should be re-titled, "Consultancy Boasts Steal FX45 Thunder".

 

Anir

That's a very funny idea. "Ketchup" is a natural for the team. And since the car is black, the bottle will look great against it. We could do numbers that look like they are poured ketchup. Hey, I wonder if I can get #57? For enough money, I'd even be willing to paint the helmet to look like a Heinz bottle cap.

Just so long as it doeswn't make me look like "Speedy" Alka-Seltzer. That would never work for this team.

Thanks Anir. A team t-shirt for you, even if we don't get the Heinz sponsorship money.

.

 

Porsche is attempting to define another category, Infiniti is still trying to define themselves.

The standard Japanese tactic is to optimize a few specifications, make outlandish claims, and advertise the hell out of them, e.g. the audio industry.

Even the original, venerable Q45 (which I owned for 4 years) couldn't put Infiniti on the map.

Let's see a year from now (and then 2 and 3) how well the FX45 holds up against the Cayenne. I doubt that it will because as we all know it hasn't received the same degree of engineering attention or testing.

You know what they say "garbage in, garbage out". The only thunder the FX 45 is likely to create is all the hot air that will be expelled in a southerly direction.

 

Mike,

Did I ever say that I did BOTH right now? Hello??? The NCAA gig was back in oh 93-94, the test driving was within the last couple of months, completely different jobs over a decade apart... sheesh... what were you doing 10 years ago???

 

Colm,
I'm sure you and the Cayenne will be breathing FX45 exhaust fumes for some time!

 

Ken,

Just another example of Infiniti not doing the engineering, that other Japanese manufacturer just produces water out of it's exhaust.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Ken2KS:
I'm sure you can understand that I don't list every last little project I've ever been a part of on my resume.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">oh, come on Ken - we await with bated breath.

 

Seesh (I like that word) Ken, you keep avoiding the question.

What is the job you said you have that let you test drive a FX45 and a Cayenne before they are releaased in the U.S.?

I don't know why you're avoiding answering that. Your resume, after all, is on the internet.

But I will answer your question. Ten years ago I was doing what I'm doing now, but for a different company. I am in advertising.

However my resume is not on the internet.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Anir:
<strong>

That's coming from the owner of a previous Infiniti Q45, which BTW, I was able to secretly test drive back in 1985 before Nissan ever announced an Infiniti program, while working as a NCAA agent in Japan investigating spring break violations of collegiate basketball players' girlfriends. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Ha, I'm LMAO!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Anir:
<strong>
BTW, very cool ring, John! I really wish I had played soccer when growing up, but it just wasn't big back then in my football-crazed state of Texas.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Thanks, Anir. The ring was quite the conversation piece when I went on job interviews in my 20's. Unfortunately, it no longer fits on my finger as I've gained 35 pounds from my 5'10" 160lb. college days When people ask me if I still play, I say no, I'm not only a shadow of my former self, but a bigger shadow at that <img border="0" alt="[icon501]" title="" src="graemlins/icon501.gif" /> I stumbled into soccer at a young age because it was the most popular sport in Columbia, Md, where I grew up, eclipsing football and basketball, and because all the soccer players seemed to get the most female attention. Two under 16 and under 19 national championships, one blown and reconstructed ACL, a fractured eye orbit, one concussion, one NCAA championship, and one marriage later, my wife could care less about my soccer exploits. She likes cross-country skiing and long distance running. What a waste. Go figure.

Now back to Ken "I've worked more jobs than a temp agency secretary" and his FX45 ...

 

Ken, what kind of tires come on those standard 20-inch wheels? Are winter tires readily available in those sizes? Can 19-inch wheels with big rubber be ordered for the FX45? We have monstrous potholes in DC and a stiff suspension and 20-inch wheels in an every day driver would shake my fillings loose.

 

Mike -

As an analyst I am privileged to share in the coverages of some of my fellow analysts, one of whom covers automotive systems to which some of my coverage is tangential (mobile/wireless) so when I visit his office we often get to go do some very exciting things, including reviewing vehicles not yet on the market, the same way I am holding a mobile device right now that isn't on the market. It isn't a "big deal" it's just a perk of the job, I'm sure that editors for C&D, R&T and others get even better access to vehicles up front than we do. My personal favorites are always the prototype vehicles, there are some good skunk works shops in the valley that produce some very interesting designs and prototypes, its just too bad that they'll never see the light of day and that you can't buy them. Recently we got to drive a Spyker C8 Spyder, I want one because I think they are very unique looking and powerful, but honestly the ride was not the most comfortable.

John,

As for all of your Infiniti questions, I suggest you look up <a href="http://www.infiniti.com" target="_blank">www.infiniti.com</a> or perhaps <a href="http://www.freshalloy.com" target="_blank">www.freshalloy.com</a> as I'm sure you'll find everything you are looking for there. A quick answer is that the FX45 ships with 20's and Goodyear RSA's, the FX35 can have either 18's or 20's. Of course you can put a variety of aftermarket wheels and other tires on to suit your tastes and driving conditions.

Colm,
Whatever. As for 2-3 years from now who knows what will be on the market and what will strike my wife's fancy that she'll want to drive. We are simply doing our best to pull the economy out of the dumpster... Hmmm if that were true, however, shouldn't we be buying domestic? I knew we were supposed to by that Explorer for some reason...