Mitsuoka ViewT - Nissan March meets old Jag

At the risk of this blog turning into a one about cars we have yet another small engined contender for my heart and wallet. Another perfect Wedding Photographer's car.

This is the Mitsuoka ViewT - Like the Bolero from an earlier post this is a Nissan March with a restyled body.

As with the cars I have covered before the engine in this wee beast is comparatively small, available as a 1.0 or 1.3L. For those reading closely that may come as little surprise given it is based on the same car as the Bolero that was mentioned earlier.

However, unlike the cars covered earlier this one appears to have a useable boot. Also, overall, the car looks as though it may be larger.

With a Length, Width, and height of 4250 x 1640 x 1425mm compared to the Bolero's  3705 x 1590 x 1425mm there does appear to be a slight difference. This raises a slight concern over the car's performance given that the extra length probably involves extra metal and, therefore, extra weight.

Unfortunately these are questions that I do not currently have the answer to sa I am yet to drive either of them. Perhaps a trip down to Wellington is one the cards...

Nissan March Bolero - Back to the Future

Nissan March Boleros are, to me, the world's most perfect car.

Their small engines (typically around the 1 litre mark) should be light on fuel.
They are chain driven so will never need a new cambelt.
They are small enough to grab the spaces that nobody else can.
They look different.
Spare parts should be easy to come by.
They scream Wedding car which means they should scream Wedding Photographer.

I really, really, really want one of these...
Provided I can fit a ladder in the back.

Mighty Boy - Mighty Photographer?

I was talking with wifey the other day about advertising my wedding photography service on my car. Nothing too outlandish, just a few words on the rear windscreen or some such. Much to my dismay wifey told me I'd need a cooler car if I really wanted to do this.

While a new car is not in the budget at the moment I decided to have a look around, just for fun. I am particularly fond of smaller vehicles. The wimpier the engine and the smaller the car itself the happier I am. So, as per normal I plugged my favourite criteria into trademe. Engine size 1000cc or less. Price less than $4000. Much to my delight something else sprung up.

A Suzuki Mighty Boy.

I had never heard of it but after a bit of research I was in love.

Mighty Boys are perhaps the most magical vehicle I have ever encountered. They have a 3 cylinder, 543cc engine and typically have 3 gears for manuals and 2 for automatics. For some reason, despite this absurd engine, the people at Suzuki seemed to think of the Mighty Boy as a condensed Ute and decided to bless it with a rear tray. What it could be used to carry is anyone's guess but my guess, and the reviews, suggest it would have to be very light.

However the most magical thing about them is their fan appeal. This vehicle should not be loved by anyone, and yet it is. If you check out Team Mighty Boy you will see that it has attracted something of a cult following with its fans revelling in the car's horrible reviews and underperformance.

Yet, while this seems absurd I understand the appeal completely.Much like the Suzuki Carry it is a parody of itself. So small and compact that any advantage the body style of the vehicle initially had is absolutely lost when compared to a basic sedan.  It is cool precisely because it is so poorly matched to its intended purpose.

This is the sort of car I would one day love to own.

This is the sort of car that would make a great billboard for my business.

Sadly though this is the sort of car I cannot bring myself to purchase.

This is the sort of car that must be looked after.

It must be garaged. It must be kept clean. It must not be driven on a daily basis.

I can give it none of these things and so I must admire it from a distance.

First steps...

I am Bradley Patten, a photographer, film maker, and a psychology student, and I enter the blogosphere without a plan for audience creation or world domination.

I am here not through any desire to share my thoughts with the world, to be popular, or even to be read at all. Instead I am here through a desire to reflect on my own thoughts and opinions.

As such this blog will not have any single topic or theme. If you do choose to follow it expect it to drift from photography to science, from cameras to equations, and from fact to fiction.

At this point you might wonder why I would choose to post such thoughts and opinions online if my interest is less in their broadcast and more in their refinement. Why not simply keep a journal in a book or in a file stored on my computer? Why open 'unrefined' thoughts to the criticism of the masses?

The answer is simple.

First, I believe in criticism. Constructive criticism anyway. While you're probably quick to point out that the internet is an unlikely place to find this those people that read this page are likely to be people that I know and trust. They are also less likely to find it than be shown it and asked for their thoughts and opinions. 

The second reason is a continuation of the first. I doubt that this will reach the masses. In fact I suspect that most of my page views will come from me and people who I have pointed to a specific post. At 'best' I expect that I will be able to count any consistent readership that I develop on one hand. As such this little spot on the internet is probably far more secure than a journal or computer left in almost any house I have ever lived in.

Now, with that introduction out of the way and my first experience of blogging firmly under my belt, you can expect to hear from me in the coming days.