Category: Automotive

I got a chance to check out G-FORCE Auto Worx in the Free Trade Zone yesterday; as they were having a photo-shoot to get ready for their launch in July. The owners have gone all out putting together an unbelievable garage (4wheel dyno, Ferrari-approved prep/paint booth) that is levels above the current offerings in Shuwaikh. In addition to the garage, there is a showroom on the first floor that is going to have some very interesting sports cars for sale and a store carrying racing memorabilia (sadly, the signed Schumacher racing suit is not for sale), gear (shoes, racing suits, helmets) and aftermarket parts (rims, exhausts, etc).

One of the biggest issues with modifying cars in Kuwait is the lack of a capable garage; and GForce is looking to fill that void. They are setting up to be a car-lovers haven and I will be getting more info on the garage, showroom and shop as they get closer to launch.

More pictures below.

Posted by K.

I found this very fascinating. Its pictures taken of people with their car decades ago compared with pictures of the same people with the same car today. Unbelievably cool. [Link]

via kottke

I am not a big Ferrari fan but the new Ferrari California looks pretty sweet. Its also the first Ferrari with a retractable hard top. [Link]

A forum member called Kuwait posted about what looked like to him new speed cameras that were being installed on Beljaat Street. The new kind of cameras are overhead and there were three of them, each covering a car lane and each would be facing the rear of the cars as they passed by. He didn’t have time to take a picture so if anyone could take one and send it to me that would be great. Send the picture to [email protected]

To me they don’t sound like speed cameras, I mean why would they put one for every lane when currently they put one camera for all the lanes? But it does sound like some kind of license plate tracking system maybe?

Here is a link to the original post in the forum. [Link]

update: I didn’t notice this but Some Contrast actually posted about this today and has pictures. Turns out its not new cameras but a new traffic light system. More info on their blog. [Link]

This corner is just ridiculous! [YouTube]

I saw a BMW X6 for the first time on the road yesterday. The V6 is selling for KD24,000 while the V8 version isn’t available yet. I like the way it looks, its like a sports car with big wheels.

I got a new car over the weekend and today I went to transfer it into my name but like everything dealing with the government, it always turns out to be a complicated and adventurous process.

Me and the previous owner of the car who’s a friend of mine first went to the Government Mall (thats what its called) to do the transfer there. Once we went in they told us if the car has old plates we need to go to 3aseema branch and do the transfer from there.

So we drive all the way to the end of the 4th ring road where the 3aseema branch is located and after running around from window to window, they told us because I live in Salmiya we need to go to the Meidan Hawalli branch.

So we turn around and drive back all the way to the other end of the 4th ring road to the Median Hawalli branch. After signing a paper the car got transfered into my name and we went to collect the new plates. I don’t know how the system works but my plate number turned out to be 11617 which I am guessing means the person 6 places ahead of me ended up getting 11611 which would have been a pretty cool number to have. If I was one place ahead even I would have ended up with 11616 which would still have been pretty nice.

On my way back to the car there were a bunch of people outside that offered me the service of installing the plates for me. The plates don’t come with any holes so for KD1 they will make the holes and fit the plate on to the car. This whole process of running around from place to place took around 2 hours and a half!

I was just checking Q8car and I couldn’t access it, when I tried Q8showroom I also couldn’t access them. Can’t be a coincidence that both sites are down. They’re both hosted in different places so I am guessing they’ve been hacked?

Update: Q8car is now back up, Q8showroom is still down.

Update 2: Both sites working fine now.

As some of you might have read on SomeContrast, Mishary posted pictures and information about the availability of new gasoline and diesel introduced at the Bayan Station. The prices are 120fils for pink gasoline and 100fils for orange diesel.

I initially thought that this would be a step-up from the current green gasoline, ultra (98 octane). It turns out that someone (insert big name) requested that Kuwait should introduce Euro-Spec petrol (environmentally friendly); and KNPC agreed. Afterwards KNPC realized that their refineries are not ready for producing Euro-Spec petrol, so they imported it from the Q8 system in Europe; hence the higher costs.

The pink gasoline (Ultra-Euro) is 95 octane (lower than green) and the orange diesel is most likely the same as the Kuwaiti garden variety. The only unproven benefit if used on our engines is lower emissions.

Link to SomeContrast. [Here]
Link to Al-Watan (arabic article). [Here]

Posted by K.

The ugliest Maybach has to be this Russian luxury cab. [Link]

I was talking to a friend who is trying to get her driving license here in Kuwait and she told me its as if the system is set up to fail you unless you have wasta. That comment reminded me of the written test Nat and I took over a year ago when getting our motorbike license in which we both got the same question in the test except my question didn’t have a right answer. Here is a larger picture showing what I am talking about. [Picture]

Other than my motorbike I am also selling my BMW so I just called both Q8Car.com and Q8Showroom.com to see how much it costs and whats the process of having my car published on their site and this is what I found out:

Q8Car
– Cost for placing your car on their site with one picture for a duration of one month: KD5
– Cost for placing your car on their site with four pictures and the ad will remain until you sell the car: KD10

Q8Showroom
– Cost for placing your car on their site with three pictures and the ad will remain until you sell the car: KD5
– Cost for placing your car on their site and Waseet newspaper: KD10

Both Q8Car and Q8Showroom send a mandoob over to take a picture of your car, collect payment and get the details of the car. I think Q8Showroom’s KD10 offer is the best deal but Q8Car does get a lot more visitors to their site. I will post my car on both and see which gets me more calls then post my findings on the blog.

If anyone is interested in my car its a 2001 BMW 330ci with 102,000KM mileage. You can [Email Me] for more details.

Ten days ago I placed an order for five steel Cragar wheels for my Wrangler from Quadratec and today they got delivered to me. They would have gotten here sooner but they were out of stock and had to wait till Quadratec received a new batch. As I mentioned previously, the five wheels cost me KD57 combined, shipping them to Kuwait cost me KD94 and I just paid KD22 for customs. So after shipping and customs each wheel ended up costing me nearly KD35 which isn’t that bad.

Now I need to have the wheels painted matt black since they’re currently glossy black and have blue and red retro looking lines. I will probably have AutoTech in Shuwaikh do that since they will be installing my suspension lift once it arrives.

Update: Just dropped my wheels off at TriStar to get painted since they gave me a price that was 70% cheaper than AutoTech. It should get done in 2 days and then I will have the tires mounted.

When I read the title of the video I didn’t think they literally meant a Volvo over a Modena. This happened on the Gulf Road. [YouTube]

This device seems too good to be true. Its an emergency jump starter which you plug it into you lighter socket when the car battery is dead and it would help start the car. Its a tiny device and costs only KD8 but it seems to work so I’m going to order one and just keep it in my car for emergencies. [Link]