Radwood San Francisco 2023 photo dump

The boy and I went to the show. To be frank, the magic is gone. Too corporate. There were a lot of cool cars, but the soul of the earlier shows was MIA. Too bad.

We parked across the street from Pier 30/32, next to this old E-Class.

Let's get started!

These Mondials are just so rad. I think even mainstream car enthusiasts like them now.

I swear I thought this 550 was much newer than it actually was.

Ever since I saw Derek Tam-Scott's yellow Miura at Berkeley Cars & Coffee, I have been listening to the Carmudgeon podcast. The Rover and Citroen have been discussed in detail on the show.

This Maserati made the trip worth it. I've seen every Quattroporte generation except the fourth. And here's the QP IV!

I spotted this Alpina a few days before the show near the Caldecott Tunnel and tweeted about it. Turned out, one of my followers was riding in the Alpina at the time!

Rchen was kind enough to let J sit in the back of his taxi. On the armrest was a Tomica version of the same taxi.

I had not seen an Excel in over twenty years. This was a Boyz N the Hood tribute.

Previa with swiveling captain's chairs.

This 1993 Wrangler was identical to mine, other than the engine size.

J has been obsessed with Humvees lately. Look how excited he was.

And finally, this X90 in the parking lot should have been in the show!

I got a brand new car!

Behold! A 2023 BMW M550i xDrive. I got the mother of all deals on it yesterday. It had been sitting on the dealer lot for 137 days.

It is a lot of car. I've only driven it back home and to pick up dry cleaning so far. The car is big. It's six inches longer than my wagon and the proportions take time to get used to. There are so many gizmos and gadgets, it's ridiculous. I have to lock the doors even when I'm in the garage, or else the various gadgets will drain the battery. Some random features include:

• head-up display that shows speed limit, my speed, and distance to closest speed camera;
• auto start-stop that will restart your engine not when you take your foot off the brake pedal, but when it notices the vehicle immediately in front of you has started moving away from you;
• interior ambient lighting comes in ten different colors.

Once I get used to it, I will have more fun driving it.

Getting an M550i?

Thinking hard about this one. pic.twitter.com/BfgxJ4JPe4

— Tamerlane's Thoughts (@TamerlaneBlog) May 30, 2023

Many of you know that I had been obsessed with getting an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. When a new one finally arrived at a dealer after a year's wait, I got to test drive it. It was beyond incredible. But because of its terrible resale value, the monthly lease payments are $500 a month more than a similarly priced BMW M550i. With either car, our insurance premium would double. Sadly, I had to say no to the Alfa.

I test drove an M550i xDrive last month. Its twin turbo V8 produces 529 horsepower. It was so effortlessly fast. But the one I drove had $8,000 in options I didn't want. And it's gray with a black interior. Not exciting.

I hemmed and hawed and after I got back from French Guiana, I decided to pull the trigger. I put in an order for a base M550i, blue with cognac interior and wood trim. The next day, I got an email from the dealership. BMW stopped taking orders for 2023 models. The 2024s will be a new generation. The new 5-Series will not come with a V8. The new 5-Series will not have buttons inside. Fuck!

Then, I got another email. The M550i I test drove, which was still sitting in the lot over a month after I test drove it, will have an $8,000 discount over Memorial Day weekend. If I can overcome the gray exterior and black interior, I think I'll get it.

Berkeley Cars and Coffee photos

I've heard rumors about this clandestine car meet for a while, but I never checked it out. Until now. I've been to countless shows and am quite jaded, but this was a very fresh show with a fascinating combination of cars.

On the way there, a Lamborghini Miura S passed us. I got so excited and handed my phone to my son. Whenever he rides with me and we see something interesting, I ask him to take photos for me. 

It even got off at the same exit as us.

First, I met AutoNerdery and his Saab. I recently asked him to make two little cars for me. They are ready and I just need to pick them up. I am excited!

There's always a Biturbo at a car show, but I love them! They were $8,000 used when I was 16 and I so wanted one. But the price was too steep for this Arby's cashier making $5.00 an hour.

Rchen's Citroen XM. Some of you may remember that I delivered it to him from Portland.

TelstarLogistic's Japanese fire truck. My son adores this machine. He grabbed my phone and started snapping shots.

Donuts!

Hey, it's the Miura!

How many Montreals show up at Cars & Coffee?

M5 wagon.

I told my son that this Alfa is my wife's favorite car, so he got to work.

Then, this Carina pulled in. I was gobsmacked. I had never seen one in America. This was the car I was brought home in from the hospital in Yokohama. The owner bought it from the elderly original owner recently. I was floored.

Well? Cool show, right?

335d spotting

You'll have to take my word for it. That's a 335d. 425 lb ft of torque!

December 2021 Marin C&C photos

I had not been to a car show in forever and the boy wanted to go to one. So I found a sort-of-local show (45 minutes away), woke up early, and went. It was worth it. We both had fun.

The first thing we checked out was this dune buggy getting reverse winched out of a travel trailer. The badge said Cox, which appears to be a toy company. Later we saw this buggy wearing huge sunglasses. You read that right.

E28 M5.

FC RX-7.

SWB Land Rover truck. This was my son's favorite car at the show.

Unrestored(?) Corvette.

Celica GT.

Saleen Mustang.

V8-powered Volvo.

1968 Mark II Cortina.

Why does this Aston Martin look so unusual? Is it a hardtop? I don't think I've ever seen one like this. This was my favorite car at the show.

Another rad Mustang.

Dirty 968.

I told my son I learned to drive in one of these. He was distracted by the van.

Another old Merc.

Monza coupe.

This classic was just non-chalantly parked.