Sachin's Space

My life: London, LA, Stanford, Phi Psi, Apple, New York City, Posterous, San Francisco, Kate, Twitter.

The problem with Lexus is while they created great products they know people want, they have no consistent company vision of their own

A business, especially a luxury-car business, should stand for something more than just best practices and profit taking. A great car company needs its own animating idea, expressed through the entire product line—a spirit that holds the enterprise together. Even the BMW X6 has a little 2002 in it.

Such robust longevity requires a clear heading. But Lexus’s compass is being driven berserk by the magnetism of other people’s concepts. The very principle that made Lexus a household name now looks, to me, like its undoing.

If Lexus wants to keep that No. 1 spot, beating back BMW and Infiniti and Audi and Hyundai and whatever else gets in line, it needs more RXs and fewer LFAs. It better stop trying to be all things to all people. It better figure out what it wants to be.

via caranddriver.com

You might find temporary success by following, copying, chasing other products. But for long term success, you need to define your own products and company vision. Product research can only go so far.

We deal with this everyday at Posterous. We've never been ones to do what other companies are doing. Or, sometimes, even to do what our users think they want. We know what our vision for Posterous is, and we follow that 100%.

BMW and Apple do this very well. Sometimes you might disgree with particular choices, but they are following their corporate vision consistently.

Who knew you could get product advice from Car and Driver? :)

BMW and Audi: you guys are going to fight for my money for years to come. Thanks to your great products and marketing

There have been some great commercials during the Olympics, particularly from car companies. The BMW and Audi ones especially struck me. First, BMW:

"What you make people feel is just as important as what you make. At BMW, we don't just make cars, we make joy."

This is so true. There is something about the joy of driving a BMW that is unmatched by any other car out there, except my Miata. Both are perfectly balanced, front engine, rear wheel drive beasts designed to bring a smile to your face.

But as much as I'm a BMW fanboy, I also love Audi and love rooting for the underdog.

I love how they directly attack the other car companies. Audi has done incredible things since the A4 came out in 1996 (I bought an A4 in 2000). Now they're on the offensive, educating people that there are better options out there.

I'm cheering for Audi here, would love to see them pass BMW in a few years. They have much better product design, but not quite as good vehicle technology underneath. If they can add more powerful engines, reduce weight, improve balance, I'll be an Audi owner for life.

The Mazda Miata turned 20 years old. A game changer. Even now, it's one of the best cars on the road

The Miata started life as a concept born in Mazda's California design center by North Americans Bob Hall (formerly of Motor Trend magazine) and Mark Jordan. It was largely a ground-up design with few components shared with other Mazda models. The target design specifications were clear and simple: make it as compact and light as possible with room for two adults to sit comfortably, make it handle as tightly as possible, and have a responsive and reasonably stout powerplant. I guess the whole "reliable and functional" thing was just assumed. Several options were tried out, including a mid-engine design, but a fairly straightforward front-engine rear-drive design won out, and thus the Miata MX-5 was born.

via carlustblog.com

I love my Mazda Miata. It cost me less than $3000 but it's one of the best cars I have ever driven. It was built with a simple purpose: to be a great sports car. Front engine, rear wheel drive, light, no frills. It brings a smile to my face every time I drive it.

Yes, it's a "cute" car. But it's also totally raw. Amazing transmission. Perfect steering. You feel EVERYTHING on the road.

It's yet another example of how building a simple, focused product can lead to success.

Check out this hilarious commercial for the original model:

Any other Miata owners out there?

I just put down a deposit on a 2012 Tesla Model S, the all electric sedan created by Tesla Motors

I just put down a deposit on a 2012 Tesla Model S, the all electric sedan created by Tesla Motors

The specs on this car are pretty incredible, and I'm very excited to have a place in line to take delivery of this vehicle.

  • 100% electric drivetrain. Range of up to 300 miles
  • 45 minute quick charge, 5 minute battery swap 
  • Batteries lined the floor, allowing for a completely new car design 
  • Seats up 5 adults and 2 child seats 
  • Can store a surf board, 50" TV, and mountain bike at the same time. Kate says we'll need to buy these things to test this 
  • Center console is a 17" touch screen with 3G and GPS. This means Google Maps, Pandora Radio, and anything else you can imagine. The iPhone for cars! 
  • Beautiful exterior design, check out the door handles and headlights

(download)

Some of you may know, I've always been a die hard car enthusiast, unwilling to give up my internal combustion engine or manual transmission:
 
I'm not a fan of hybrids like the Prius. These cars are huge compromises. Yes, they are a step in the right direction and great technology, but they are boring to drive and don't interest me at all. I'd rather have a Jetta TDI.
 
I also wasn't a fan of the Tesla Roadster that came out a couple years ago. I'd rather have a Lotus Elise, the platform the Tesla is based on. The Elise has better vehicle dynamics, a manual transmission, and a perfect engine+exhaust note. Vroom, vroom. And it's less than half the price.
 
But after doing a lot of research, I decided the Tesla Model S actually makes a ton of sense for me. It's perfect as a daily driver, with lots of luggage space, and enough range to go pretty much anywhere I drive. And I'll never have to stop for gas!
 
It will be my practical car, that I compliment with the most impractical sports car I can find, maybe a Miata, maybe an Elise, maybe an Audi R8 :).
 
Of course, it's crazy to put down a deposit for a car when so much is still unknown. Most prices and specs on the car are still a mystery, release dates are likely to move, the company could go under, I don't even know if I'll have a garage with a power outlet :).
 
But overall I'm very optimistic about Tesla and the Model S, and hopeful that when my turn comes around to take delivery of the car, it will live up to the hype and find a place in my garage.
 
Click here to check out this cool video about the design of the car

Volkswagen Jetta TDI commercial directly attacks the Prius, and I LOVE IT

(download)

It's no secret. I love german cars, I love sports cars, I love manual transmissions, and I'm waiting for the day someone can make a highly efficient car that also doesn't sacrifice on performance or fun.
 
Which is why this Jetta TDI makes me so happy.
 
50 miles per gallon
0-60 in 8 seconds (not super fast, but much better than the Prius's 10)
 
Oh, and this car goes vroom vroom with a manual transmission.
 
And before any Prius owners start complaining about diesel cars being dirty... Both the Jetta TDI and Prius put out the exact same amount of carbon emissions, around 0.6 pounds of CO2 per mile.

Congrats on a great car, VW. I'll be recommending this to everyone I know shopping for a new car.

Get Truth in 24 for free on iTunes - documentary about Audi's victory at Le Mans


If you missed watching Truth in 24 last Friday on ESPN, you can now get and watch it as often as you want... for free! The documentary about Audi's 2008 run to victory at Le Mans is now available for free on Apple's iTunes store. The film was produced by NFL films and chronicles the preparation for the French round-the-clock race and the people who made victory happen. If you are a fan of racing at all, this movie is a must see. Check out the Autoblog review then head over to iTunes by clicking here and grab your copy for free. Thanks for the tip, Jason!

via autoblog.com

Thanks to Jason for pointing me to this. Amazing and free.

Click here for the iTunes link.

I love: Driving. Fast. Windows down. Heater on. Seat heaters. Blasting/singing to Garbage as loud as I can stand.

Jason Ahmad was the first to introduce me to driving with the windows down, heater on, music blasting in his BMW Z3 many summers ago when we lived together. I remember we were playing Weezer. Till today it's one of my favorite pleasures. The music system in my BMW is so great, designed specifically for the cabin. Audio perfection.

Photo

Car talk - AAA is the best

1. My dad got a new license plate. BK♥SACH. His name is Bal Krishan, but he goes by BK. :)

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2. A few weeks ago someone scratched my car in the parking lot. She was super nice, left a note on my car, and ultimately paid for getting it repaired. Unfortunately, I think she was expecting a $100-200 bill for some basic touch up, but it ended up being about $600. Body work is never cheap, since they have to pound out the dent and then repaint much of the car to make the paint match.

 

My car is now 8 years old and doesn't have a single scratch, dent or mark on it. The paint is still silky smooth and looks perfect.

 

Thanks to the person who paid for the repair! And if anyone is looking for a body shop in SF, check out Karry's Auto Body. They are super nice and do great work.

 

3. AAA car insurance costs half of Geico, for me. I just got my own car insurance policy for the first time. It was actually a great experience overall. I went with AAA since my parents have been using them for years. AAA turned to be cheaper, *nearly half the price of Geico*. I wonder why you don't hear about AAA car insurance more often?

 

Not only were they cheaper, but super friendly and easy to deal with. Very smooth transaction. In the past I've had to make 2 claims with AAA for insurance. Without getting into details, bottom line is the incidents were not my fault, AAA cut me a fat check to resolve the issues, and I walked away happy. I couldn't have had a better experience.

 

4. Low deductible comprehensive is worth it. Insurance is usually very complicated. I feel people rarely know what is or isn't covered, and what the ramifications are for making a claim. In particular, comprehensive insurance. You can make a comprehensive claim for things that break on your car that aren't related to a collision, wear and tear, or manufacturer's defects.

 

There are more restrictions, but the interesting things it can cover are: replacing a windshield after a rock cracks it, dent repair from a shopping cart in the parking lot, and quoting from the AAA handbook "loss caused by other than collision and includes...missiles, falling objects..." Really glad I'm covered if a missile hits my car! I got a $100 deductible for comprehensive since it wasn't much money at all!

 

A few months ago I was driving around, minding my own business, when I apparently ran over something on the road. No idea what it was, but I got a flat. No, I got 2 flats. No, it *destroyed my wheels*. Long story short, it was a stressful experience, but at the end of the day I was towed home, repairs were done, AAA picked up the bill. Amazing. Here's a shot of my broken wheel. Intense:

 

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5. AAA plus towing services will save your ass. Many years ago when I had an Audi A4, I broke down in Kettleman City, half way between LA and SF. I was on my way to SF. Audi's policy is to tow you to the nearest dealer, so I was towed 200 miles to home. Perfect. Since then I've always had AAA "plus" which tows you 100 miles. If you break down somewhere, you sorta just want to be taken home so you can deal with it your way. Rather than being towed to the nearest gas station, getting a hotel, rental car, etc etc.

 

6. Skip the DMV line. AAA does it for you. I went to the AAA office today to renew my car registration and update my address. There was zero line, they were super friendly, and I got it all done in seconds. Many people don't realize AAA does DMV services for you. Why deal with the DMV if you don't have to? We also picked up some free maps while we were there.

 

AAA services are worth every penny. I would pay 3X how much they charge now, in a heartbeat. It just takes one unfortunate incident and you're glad you have them taking care of you.

At what point are traffic violations just a way for a city to make money?

I drove to Cow Hollow earlier today to get a haircut at Descend Salon from my buddy, Marco. I parked at a meter and saw the parking enforcement dude eyeing my car. As I counted my change and went to the meter, he was still looking my way. I struck up a conversation with him.

"How's it going?"
[He points to the car in front of mine.] "I'm ticketing that car for not turning in their wheels"
"Wow, thanks so much"

I then get back into my car and turn my wheels in.

I'm really good about this stuff, but I was definitely not parked on any sort of grade that I felt warranted turning in my wheels. But I guess it doesn't matter how steep the hill is, turning your wheels in is always a good idea. I started talking to a couple store owners who were standing outside their shop. Apparently the city has been super strict about this recently, and this guy was going around ticketing a lot of people.

So why is the city so aggressive about giving out these tickets? Is it a serious danger? Or is the city trying to make a little extra money?

I was just reading in Car and Driver about how speed cameras are going up all over Arizona. But it was clear that they were going up purely to make more money, not for safety concerns.
  • They added speed cameras to balance the budget. As their budget deficit increased, so did the camera ticket program to match.
  • These tickets don't add points on your record. They just want the money. This means more people just pay it and don't bother fighting.
  • These are civil offenses, not criminal. So they only have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you were speeding. This means more people just pay it and don't bother fighting.
Instead of balancing the budget, Arizona just ticketed more people in a way that was unfair, but for most people not worth fighting. In future years, you think they balanced the budget and removed the cameras? Of course not. Each year will just get worse, and more cameras will be added.

As an avid driver, obviously I'm very anti speed cameras. But at least if they were being put up under the premise of safety, I'd just groan and live with them. Oh well. At least my radar detector will stop me from getting ticketed by the cameras.

Also forgot to mention that since I moved back to SF, I've been pulled over TWO times for my front tinted windows. Luckily no ticket. But it's odd since I've always had front tinted windows (how can you have a black car without tinting! For 10 years no problem, and now boom. Something is definitely up.