[DJ Spencer]

Okay,

San Francisco is the first city on the tour for the Mazda Rev It Up event. Obviously, they must have had some test runs before it got here, and I was on day two, but the brakes were NASTY on all of the skills tests (not so bad on the actually challenge track though). All but two of the cars I skill tested in made noise like you wouldn't believe.

The used the following for the skills tests:
Grip Test - Mazda 6
Corner Test - Mazda3s Sedan
Bob and Weave - Mazda3s Hatch

Challenge Course - Mazda 3s Sedan

Don't ask how I did with the track. Not good on the first lap (most of the girls probably beat me, but I'd not had a chance to do ANY trials because the lines were too long). The second lap I was 8 seconds off the mark. I got to watch (well, I could see two corners) the guy that sets the lap times race three times because he didn't have a clean run the first two times. Damn he's good, set a 26.xx in 80F+ weather. I ran a 34.xx secong right after - but that was a MAJOR improvement over the prior run!

I'm in Orange County on Saturday, so I'll let you know if I can do better there!

 

[Absinthe]

Good luck! :nsmile:

 

[zimmerDN]

Did anyone mention anything about the terrible brake noise to the ppl that held the event? :shock:

 

[DJ Spencer]

I'm sure they knew, but they were more concerned about swapping the tires out - for which I managed to walk by just as the mechanic overfilled and had a blowout.

That hurt my ears just a tad...

 

[Titanium Dragon]

Yo DJ Spencer!

I lucked out because I signed up for Saturday and I was able to get to most of the cars BEFORE they got all beat up.

Though, I went back on Sunday to test drive the Mazdaspeed Miata again and that poor baby . Some people really shouldn't thrash on the 6-speed manual so much because I know that the 6-speed on the Miata shouldn't have felt so clunky and shaky as it did.

This kind of makes me wonder.....

What do they do with these cars AFTER they are done with the entire Mazda Rev It Up event?

 

[DJ Spencer]

Yeah, we were all wondering that going through the lines. They would probably have to disclose that info, right??

But shoot, they must put some serious miles ont he cars too. I mean, lap after lap, city after city. If I remember, I'll check the mileage in OC to see what it's at after just 3 days.

 

[LeeLee]

I believe they auction the cars off in the last city they visit.

Last year they had a Mazda RX8, not for driving, but for display. By the time it got to Washington DC, the interior was pretty torn up. People just have no repspect for other people's property.

 

[DJ Spencer]

yeah, it's crazy. Sucks that it's in the last city though.

 

[3guy]

Hey Dj, is there an SF Bay Area Mazda 3 meet?

 

[DJ Spencer]

A 'meet' ??

Not that I know of yet.

 

[beaverboy]

I'm sure the brake noises came from using metallic pads (to stand up to the repeated abuse) that weren't bedded properly and were probably installed without shims or any sort of backing grease/goo. I doubt the mechanics would take time to drive the cars out and bed the pads properly after swapping out the brakes.