Finally Drove Decker Road

"ZacharyR" (zacharyrr) 04/07/2015 at 21:36 • Filed to: None

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Finally took the time to drive Decker Road (off Mulholland and Route 23), it lived up to my hopes for it. So far the Malibu canyons have yet to disappoint me with their corners and sheer fun. Decker Road was no different and I am glad to be able to cross it off my driving list - even if the drive up there took longer than usual and made me wish I had taken the EcoBoost instead.

NonDriftingS13 > ZacharyR 04/07/2015 at 21:50

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One of the roads/areas I wish to visit is the Mountain Bridge area in SC. Just from looking at Google Maps it seems to have some nice curves! And of course, Tail of the Dragon isn't too far from me either.

Luken10 > ZacharyR 04/07/2015 at 22:20

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That's a good one! I like Latigo Rd. There is generally no traffic and it is super tight and twisty.

JGrabowMSt > ZacharyR 04/07/2015 at 23:18

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How do you like the Sky? Admittedly, I'm tempted to keep an eye out for one, but just don't have the room in the stable for it.

Most importantly, could it be DD material? I'm not necessarily in need of a turbo, the base NA car is just as good for what I would be buying it for.

I've never really met a Sky owner and had the chance to ask before. Basically, is it DD material, or is it weekend only? Badge engineering aside, is it something that will hurt me plenty, or something that just needs to be taken care of, like most other cars? It's just a basic 4 cyl, which is everything I would need it to be.

Handling is important, but speed and transmission are irrelevant to me for this. Just wondering if it's worth it to search, or if it's more of a project car.

SonicblueSTI > ZacharyR 04/08/2015 at 01:22

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oh man, this brings up some memories! Back in 2004 I was driving my e

Talon at night on that same road. I may have been driving a little to agreseve that night. I started to hear a knocking noise coming from my driver front wheel as I was going threw a corner. I started to pull over and my wheel fell off. Now this was around 9 o' clock. I found all five lugs and my wheel. My wheel was prob a few hundred yards ahead in a ditch. The only damage I recieved was a slightly dented fender. What a crazy but fun night!

ZacharyR > Luken10 04/08/2015 at 17:54

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Latigo is always a blast with just how tight those corners are! I actually drove up it on my way back home because it is too much fun, even in the rain.

However lately there has been more traffic on it thanks to the Smoking Tire, and I've noticed more of a presence from the local PD as well. I saw four cop cars on it yesterday while I was flying up it, including one that had pulled over an Abarth going down.

ZacharyR > NonDriftingS13 04/08/2015 at 17:55

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Tail of the Dragon is on my must drive list as well! It's just a shame that it would require a road trip to get there.

ZacharyR > JGrabowMSt 04/08/2015 at 18:23

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I love my Sky! It is the single most enjoyable and rewarding car ownership experience I have had yet (and I have owned some good ones)! I would always recommend one to someone who doesn't absolutely need four seats or has another car. It has been a blast!

I have not heard about any issues from other owners using it as a DD (some with upwards of 150k on them!) and my personal car has been my DD for over a year now with only one issue. Hit a pothole or something too hard and it knocked a sensor loose which put the car into limp mode. An OBD scan later and a few minutes searching around under the hood and the car was back on the road.

However, I did borrow a NA Sky for a week and would not recommend it. Turbo or nothing. The NA is just too underpowered and too slow, with a lethargic engine that doesn't want to rev or do anything. The turbo has the right amount of power and a good kick to it - with plenty of room to make high hp - and it's fairly economical too! I average about 18-21mpg in the city and get roughly 30-33 mpg on the highway, even with my driving habits and not being able to avoid boost.

I can't speak for the drivetrain in the NA cars as I just haven't had as much personal experience with those, but the turbo cars are bulletproof. The chassis itself is great and handles better than anything I have ever been behind the wheel of (exceeding even a GT3). Basic maintenance is all that it really needs.

There's a few things to keep an eye on - original water pump on the turbos (the revised one has no issues), original fluid in the differential (same issues as the CTS-V - fluid change solves it) and watching out for the fenders (they are fiberglass and don't take hits from underneath too well).

Really, the car is wonderful and I am completely surprised with how issue free it is. The only downside is the GM plastic interior, but it's far superior to what the Solstice got so it isn't the worst. If you can live with that, then there's not much else to worry about. If you need a factory Bluetooth, look for a 2009 otherwise all others have an aux port.

Handling is this cars strength, it does that better than anything else. The stock tires have grip for days and it will take any corner you throw it at. Even if you go in too hot, it will just slip the rear out and swing right around with out issue or hesitation. It is so natural to drive that even my fiancé can out drive me in it when I'm in the other cars - and she has no track experience or training and just got her license a year and a half ago.

The best part is that many of these were bought by folks 55+ when they were new and not driven that much. The majority of Sky's I have run into have less than 20k miles on them and are in perfect condition with tons of records. It doesn't get much better! :)

Feel free to ask any questions you may have, I'd be glad to answer.

JGrabowMSt > ZacharyR 04/08/2015 at 20:06

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What is the going rate on them lately? Im not looking to buy soon, or even in the next year, but its a car my girlfriend would like.

Whats some feature about the car that you really like?

Also, is it just a rag top, or does it also have a hardtop option? Im used to an SL class which has me pampered beyond belief, but Im curious about what they have to offer as far as amenities go. I dont expect it to be like the SL, but I know so little about them, I can only ask.

Im wary of turbo cars, but if its the better car, its hard to argue with that. Is there a list of things I should keep an eye out for on one if I were to look? They arent particularly old, but are there parts prone to needing replacements, or any option I should look for specifically? I know on Magnum I needed to make sure I got the NAG1 trans, but for the Sky, Im not sure.

Also, whats the ride quality and visability like? My girlfriend is pretty short, so I need to make sure she can see out of it. Shes about 5'1" so thats a big issue. There are cars like the Cheetah where she cant even reach the pedals, and since the seat doesnt move, she wouldnt be able to ever drive one.

Laatly, for now, is there anything you would want to change about it to make it better? Whether its the seats, the pedal feel, anything at all.

I appreciate the time youre taking to go over this!

Luken10 > ZacharyR 04/08/2015 at 20:16

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That's a shame! Half the reason I go to Latigo is to stay away from traffic and police. You are probably right attributing it to Matt Farrah's one takes. It would be wise of him to not include the names of the roads in his videos, especially since I know he wants to enjoy the roads as well.