Mixed Feelings February 14
It was with strong and extremely mixed feelings that I left Dax at Carling Motors
today and drove away in an Electric Mica Blue 2008 Mazda 3 Sport GT. I know its silly, but Dax was a part of our family. The first car that I bought as an autonomous self-sufficient adult, the first car that ped and I bought together, a limited production model with a special engine that could both sip fuel and scream like a race car as it put out an awe-inspiring 100hp per litre of displacement. I took Dax off the lot of Lallier Honda exactly 8 years, 9 months, and 28 days ago. Since then, we covered over 177,550km together. She let us down only once and has otherwise run like a finely crafted watch. I will miss her very much, and I hope that her new owner, the salesman who helped us with her successor, will take good care of her.
Our new Mazda, which we’ve name Zhaan because of she’s blue just like the Farscape character that bears the same name, is so far a fitting replacement. Nearly 9 years of evolution has definitely improved the sporty compact breed, which means that while we’ve gained in space, creature comforts, doors (she’s a 5-door), and mass, we haven’t sacrificed very much performance. While Dax in her prime made just over 160hp, she was woefully lacking in low-end grunt. It wasn’t until her engine was well over 6,000rpm, snarling on the VTEC cam, that you felt that power — it was a very narrow playground between 6,000 and the 8,000rpm redline. Peak power was at mind-blowing 7,600rpm and peak torque of 111 lb-ft. was at 7,300rpm. Unlike most cars that sound like they’re going to blow up near their redline, those engine speeds were like an automotive symphony from that little 1.6L 4 and it made you rev even if you weren’t in rush.
Zhaan, on the other hand, builds speed effortlessly with a much broader, flatter torque curve — 150 lb-ft at 4,000rpm — that builds to 158hp at 6,500rpm. She steps off the line much more smartly, with less throttle, and let’s you shift at 3,000rpm. The engine gets the work done, but you don’t feel like you’re driving a car with a technical wonder under its hood. Add the extra mass and I’m sure Dax, during her youth, could have dropped Zhaan, but as a deft-handling cruiser that doesn’t wear its occupants out, Zhaan’s got it covered. She offers a great driving position, fast, precise steering, smooth and precise shifter, heated seats, nice stereo with wheel mounted controls, lots of cargo capacity, four extremely convenient doors, and a beautiful blue colour.
Still, it’s hard to accept that I’ll never drive my Civic SiR again, that I’ve left a loyal friend in the care of someone I don’t know, that I’ll never turn her ignition again. Don’t get me wrong, I like my new car, and I’m sure I’ll learn to love her over the coming months, but I guess this is as much about a change in me as it is about a change in the car I drive. Nothing made that clearer to me than when I got out of a 2007 MazdaSPEED 3, a true rocket-sled with a turbo-charged motor generating 280 lb-ft of torque and 263hp. The power was fantastic, but I got out and said, “No, it’s too loud, and it would drive me nuts day-to-day.” I guess I no longer want to have rev to 8,000rpm, I no longer need that race-car feel. I guess what I want now is effortless speed, quiet, calm, disciplined. I guess I’m saying good-bye to Dax, a phase of my life, and the dream that was the BMW 1-series all at the same time.
At the same time, owning this new Mazda is kind of like coming full circle, back to the 1988 Mercury Tracer GS Wagon (a Mazda 323 clone) that I drove through high school and university. Ironically, we’re about 1 year and 1 month shy of the 20th anniversary since my parents bought that car. The 3 is the spiritual successor to the Tracer/323, a car that I knew like the back of my hand, a car I could slide sideways at speed without even getting nervous. That history is a good foundation from which to start a new relationship, with a new true-blue friend tomorrow when we pick Zhaan up from her window tint. Zoom-Zoom, I guess. 
Tags: 2008 mazda 3, carling motors, cars, civic sir, compact breed, dax, economy car, engine, Farscape, gallery, honda, lallier honda, mass, Mazda, Mica Blue, peak power, peak torque, power, repairs, rpm, speed, successor, Tracer, wanting it all, Zhaan, Zoom
Frac Feb 26
I love this rant! Only Naresh could come up with it!
Congrats on acquiring (Tar)Zhaan — the richer, a bit more contemporary cousin of Julius, who already evokes the same kind of “people-like” feelings in me as well after only six years of joyful ownership. Especially when freshly bathed (the car, not me)! I’m sure I’ll go through major anxiety separation when the time comes to part with the little red wonder, but knowing I’ll be shopping for its absolute best replacement in the company of the best car shopper around (that would be you, ‘Resh), I know I’ll be OK through the transition. Again congrats! I look forward to taking it for a spin one of these days. Oh, yeah, looking forward to seeing you guys, too. 
fo