A while back (in September) I accidentally ran a red light with my 2013 Sonic LS. It was a bi-direction over pass... The kind that make a # over a highway and has 4 sets of stop lights.
I got out of work early and decided to hit up the nearest Costco to buy groceries with my fiance. I pulled up to the first stop light and just sat there, not even listening to music while the significant other laid in her seat taking a mini nap.
I saw some green lights in front of me as I have thousands of times at this intersection so I decided to go. The issue was they were not my green lights, they were the next intersections lights. What I wasn't aware of (because I never get out of work early) is that leading up to the end of the work day, the lights change behavior to accommodate rush hour. First the second set go green, and the first set remain red until the second set turn red. This was the result:
No one was hurt, there was just a scrape on the arm for myself and the other driver but it couldn't have come at a worse time; I had left my job to do a start up with my friend, which meant I had no income for a bit. I have since returned to that job I left, while my buddy continues the startup.
When I went to the dealership I wanted to get a used Sonic but since they're relatively new they had none in stock. However they did have two 2015 Sonic RS's and one LT available. The first I checked out was a black charcoal LT or whichever had a 1.8L engine but no turbo. I wasn't experienced with car specs, but I knew how my 2013 LS felt and handled, and this looked good but I dind't much care for a black car. The second car was a pearl white RS that was factory upgraded with an aftermarket Cold Air Intake and Borla Exhaust, As much as I wanted it I couldn't justify the extra $5000 - $6000 cost.
The next was a lime green (Metallic Dragon Green) RS that I was in love with immediately just looking at the paint. If it wasn't the floor model, I would have taken it out for a test drive. I decided that this one was for me and that night I did all my research. Over the next two days I filled out the paperwork and took this baby home.
The blue Sonic LS was my first car and I babied that thing so much that in the entire 2 years I owned it I had never floored it. I knew that it was a soggy noodle when accelerating and I wish I could say that I floored the peddle when I first got the RS, but it took about 4 months for me to even consider it, seeing as I needed to make sure the engine was broken in and the oil was changed. I drove it home as careful as could be and showed my fiance the new car. I then gave it a little bit of gas and this thing immediately let me know it was a whole different caliber than the LS. The turbo pulled me back into the seat which is something I had never experienced with my other car. It was from that moment on that I decided that this car is going to be a project or me and that I am going to make this car be an extension of me. Stick out a little bit to be noticed, but destroy anything stock or lightly modded.
It is now my goal to take this car to the limit without engine modifications, and get a second Sonic (1.8L) and push that to the maximum with a complete overhaul.
Here are a couple pics of my first baby, and my new baby, both of which can be seen in each photo (kind of):
I got out of work early and decided to hit up the nearest Costco to buy groceries with my fiance. I pulled up to the first stop light and just sat there, not even listening to music while the significant other laid in her seat taking a mini nap.
I saw some green lights in front of me as I have thousands of times at this intersection so I decided to go. The issue was they were not my green lights, they were the next intersections lights. What I wasn't aware of (because I never get out of work early) is that leading up to the end of the work day, the lights change behavior to accommodate rush hour. First the second set go green, and the first set remain red until the second set turn red. This was the result:
No one was hurt, there was just a scrape on the arm for myself and the other driver but it couldn't have come at a worse time; I had left my job to do a start up with my friend, which meant I had no income for a bit. I have since returned to that job I left, while my buddy continues the startup.
When I went to the dealership I wanted to get a used Sonic but since they're relatively new they had none in stock. However they did have two 2015 Sonic RS's and one LT available. The first I checked out was a black charcoal LT or whichever had a 1.8L engine but no turbo. I wasn't experienced with car specs, but I knew how my 2013 LS felt and handled, and this looked good but I dind't much care for a black car. The second car was a pearl white RS that was factory upgraded with an aftermarket Cold Air Intake and Borla Exhaust, As much as I wanted it I couldn't justify the extra $5000 - $6000 cost.
The next was a lime green (Metallic Dragon Green) RS that I was in love with immediately just looking at the paint. If it wasn't the floor model, I would have taken it out for a test drive. I decided that this one was for me and that night I did all my research. Over the next two days I filled out the paperwork and took this baby home.
The blue Sonic LS was my first car and I babied that thing so much that in the entire 2 years I owned it I had never floored it. I knew that it was a soggy noodle when accelerating and I wish I could say that I floored the peddle when I first got the RS, but it took about 4 months for me to even consider it, seeing as I needed to make sure the engine was broken in and the oil was changed. I drove it home as careful as could be and showed my fiance the new car. I then gave it a little bit of gas and this thing immediately let me know it was a whole different caliber than the LS. The turbo pulled me back into the seat which is something I had never experienced with my other car. It was from that moment on that I decided that this car is going to be a project or me and that I am going to make this car be an extension of me. Stick out a little bit to be noticed, but destroy anything stock or lightly modded.
It is now my goal to take this car to the limit without engine modifications, and get a second Sonic (1.8L) and push that to the maximum with a complete overhaul.
Here are a couple pics of my first baby, and my new baby, both of which can be seen in each photo (kind of):
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