Oppo Meet PNW: Canada! Eh?

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
05/13/2019 at 13:03 • Filed to: None

In a whirlwind of barely 48 hours total, I took a trip to British Colombia this weekend to meetup with some random internet strangers and try to not get lost in some foreign land. I learned that there is a place called Saskatchewan and people actually live there and have modern things like cars and internet. I also had rented this Murican tire slayer (sadly in v6 rental spec) and enjoyed great roads with great people.

The scenery though was absolutely the best part of the trip. Around every corner was a breathtaking view and thanks to our tour-guide (CoFL), not a single viewpoint was missed on our journey. There was a thoroughly put together (and vetted with pre-driving) route/itinerary and for the most part, the entire adventure went on without a hitch.

The Volvo in the group did typical Volvo things on Sunday morning and refused to start. But thankfully a hammer to the steering column ended up being the fix that was needed.

It was a fairly “eclectic” group of cars that we had for this trip. Not pictured is the Acura R DX that was brought as a borrowed dealer vehicle. As well as the Subaru Outback since he was too far behind to make it to my photos lol.

The roads were great, especially on Sunday as we got past the RVs and people out for a Sunday drive with their learners’ permits. Following the BMW from Saskatoon, I had to really work the Charger to keep up. Longtime Lurker was very much sending it! I expected at times to see a red BMW falling off the cliff as we went around a turn but that car just turned in nicely. I made use of the power advantage and modern brakes in order to keep up, but just barely. The Charger was just too heavy for me to confidently chuck it around turns. It never lost grip so I could have pushed it harder but its just not my cup of tea to do while on public roads. In dirt parking lots though, hehehehehe it did good donuts!!

Glad I ended up going on this trip, it was an adventure! Looking forward to the next meetup of some sort that I can go to. The Norcal meet is looking to be fun this summer and I will be happy to be bringing my own car. While a rental car is “the fastest car in the world” I enjoy more being able to push the limits and it just takes too long to get used to a car before I will do that on public roads.

DISCUSSION (20)

For Sweden > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 13:09

What exactly was wrong with the V50?

I ask because I can’t remember a time my S80 refused to start, except for a dead battery once.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 13:12

Thanks for coming! It was a lot of fun. I really hope I can make Norcal

*if anyone from enterprise is reading, at no time were doughnuts done or launch control used in the Char ger, I promise.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > For Sweden
05/13/2019 at 13:13

Power steering sensor of some sort?

https://blog.fcpeuro.com/p1-volvo-steering-column-lock-failure

For Sweden > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
05/13/2019 at 13:14

o_O

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
05/13/2019 at 13:18

Thanks more for organizing. That is always difficult and stressful. All I had to do was show up and that made it a perfect trip!

ehh those things arent against the rental agreement. Aside from just driving on dirt at all in the first place. But I cannot confirm nor deny that any of that happened. At least this dodge wasnt spewing oil out of it, so worse things have happened to rentals...

The Norcal meet is different from the rally also . You are certainly welcome to come to both though lol.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 13:22

oooh, ok. I will look into both!

Yeah, honestly if I were enterprise, I’d rather someone who is a good driver and knows cars do 1-2 dusty spins rather than some rando who rents an altima and curbs it every time they park.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > For Sweden
05/13/2019 at 13:23

The Swedish to Canadian translator wasnt working so the car refused to cooperate.

Thankfully the issue seems to be super common so it should be an easy, well documented fix. Just inconvenient timing of course. Thankfully he made it back home though without issue after getting it started. Long drive back to Portland so it was good to not need a tow.

diplodicus forgot his password > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 13:26

Whos e24?

someoneatacura > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 13:27

RDX A-Spec, not MDX (although I’ll forgive you since it is big enough to be mistaken for an old MDX).

Had a lot of fun for the limited portion of the trip I could make, especially the “4th times the charm” getting our lunch bills sorted.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
05/13/2019 at 13:34

And just think, all of the times that car is going to be doing burnouts on pavement for the rest of its abused rental life. I am sure those tires will be toast before 10,000 miles due to the next renters. I always feel bad spinning tires on pavement since it both ruins the tires as well as marks up the roadway (especially in a place that I dont even pay any road tax in).

Norcal drive: https://oppositelock.kinja.com/any-interest-in-an-extended-norcal-drive-1834190920

- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15Ck5puvngu-LKbjV_oDuF7poN0NRjRxMYJb_XapnP7M/edit

Central Coast rally: https://oppositelock.kinja.com/oppo-rally-stop-1828182494 (Capt Dale has more planning going on for this, official details not out yet)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 13:34

I think that dark grey looks great on the charger sxt . Even the v6 is 292 HP so not slow by any stretch.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > someoneatacura
05/13/2019 at 13:36

Right, shit I keep mixing those up lol.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
05/13/2019 at 13:42

Well yeah it holds its own I suppose. It just sounds like a v6 and is heavy as hell. So it sure beats trying to flog a Hyundai Accent up a hill but it required full throttle often to keep up with the FiST and AMG and maintaining momentum was difficult. I definitely enjoyed the color and the looks of it in general. Even though the hood scoop is for aesthetics the level of “aggressive” look to it was just right to be pretty neat to look at. I imagine this car with the v8 would be quite good and had me laughing maniacally through the tunnels on the route.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 13:48

I would love to try out the 392 scat pack version of this car. I’m like you though I like a car that can go around a corner more than one that is just fast in a straight line.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
05/13/2019 at 14:25

There’s gotta be a line graph somewhere of power versus going around turns. Given enough power, I stop caring so much about the turns thing so much. Its why I enjoyed the v8 challenger I rented. But anywhere in the middle, in the sub 300hp range (especially at 4000+ pounds), its gotta be able to turn still to really interest me beyond a couple days of hooning. Getting in my STi when I got back to LAX for the drive home, it was night and day the weight difference and even just taking the freeway onramp as an aggressive turn.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 16:47

Very fun times! Wish I could’ve joined you! We need to have an East Coast meet! :P

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/13/2019 at 16:55

There are many of those! The Oppo rally in Mass comes to mind. But I have certainly been to other more casual meets when I lived in Jersey as well.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 17:23

Nova Scotia is still pretty far from either of those places, sadly :(

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/13/2019 at 17:29

Ahh you meant the East coast of Canada! That would make far more sense. How is car culture up there anyways? If theres enough people on Oppo up there, be the change you want to see and start the meet.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/13/2019 at 19:21

I think there’s only like two of us in the province that I am aware of, sadly!