https://www.3sgto.org/blogs/335-IPD 3000GT Stealth GTO Forum en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:08:28 GMT vBulletin 60 https://www.3sgto.org/images/misc/rss.jpg https://www.3sgto.org/blogs/335-IPD https://www.3sgto.org/entries/109-Scentsploration-tour-Round-1-Just-starting-out-with-Cologne Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:18:56 GMT Practically nobody will see this, so this is more of a journal than a message to pass along. But if my layperson take on the topic helps--I'm glad.

I got genuinely interested in cologne within the past couple years, and finally bit the bullet and started buying a lot more bottles. It really started with a sample of Davidoff's Cool Water & Champion. I had no idea about what notes were, which notes I preferred, what top notes, heart and base are, what sillage and maceration are, etc. I soon realized that I love marine/aqua and citrus notes. So i started looking for those.

And that's where I ran into the godfather of all clone fragrances: CDN (Club de Nuit) Intense Man (based off recommendations on Youtube). Not only did I immediately love this cologne, but I realized that industrial/mechanical notes were also something I enjoyed. And I surmised I needed to branch out and try new/different things. So I really started looking into clone fragrances.

Here's where my layperson take comes into play. I can't identify specific notes. What I can tell is what the overall impression is and what something smells like in total. So with that in mind:

Afnan Turathi Blue and CDN Iconic. Iconic is supposed to be a clone of Bleu De Chanel. Turathi Blue is supposed to be a clone of Bulgari Tygar. To me, these have similar notes. Both have a hint of soapiness. Iconic has more citrus that I notice than the Turathi. I dislike the soapy notes. I'm assuming that BDC has that same soapy hint as well--so this probably isn't the blue fragrance for me.

Craze Blue. This is supposed to be a clone of Polo Blue. To me, this is one of THE BEST blue fragrances I've ever smelled. Some seem to dislike it as cheap smelling, etc. I get none of that. To me, this is a fantastic scent. Highly recommend.

Armaf Ventana, CDN Urban Man Elixir, Pride of Armaf, Armaf Hunter. These are all Armaf clones of Dior Sauvage. Hunter has a bit of Invictus thrown in--which probably makes it unique in this regard. All remind me of Balsam Fir. If you know what that sweet fir smell is, this isn't far removed. CDN Urban Man Elixir (not to be confused with Urban Man) probably smells the most distinctly like that. These aren't bad at all--which I would expect from Sauvage clones. I'd probably pick Hunter or Urban Man Elixir over the other two.

Portfolio Neroli Canvas. Supposed to be a clone of Tom Ford Neroli Portefino. This is a fresh-style scent. Again, I don't get individual notes. It just smells like theme-park to me. Like the scent I get from wearing sunscreen and being in the hot sun, mixed with chlorinated water and other theme-park staples. It's not bad. Not something I'd recommend as a first pick.

Davidoff Champion. Lemony. Fades in a couple hours. Bright and citrus, but no staying power. Some deride it for smelling cheap. I don't get that cheapness--but it isn't a complex fragrance or long lasting.

CDN Intense Man. This is the best clone of Creed Aventus you can get. And if you get CDN Intense Man Limited Edition, it is probably the best you can get. I can't really tell the difference between the regular and the Limited Edition. I haven't smelled Aventus, but I'm also not going to buy $350 bottles. Pineapple notes in a slightly harsh opening. But the dry-down and base are just godly. You must have this in your collection.

CDN Untold. Bacarrat Rouge 540 clone. BR 540 is a $600 bottle. This is an amazing fragrance for a tenth of the price. Wild grapes and musk are what I get out of it. Amazing, amazing cologne.

Afnan 9PM and Paris Corner Camaro Homme Intense. 9PM is a clone of Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male. Camaro Homme Intense is a clone of Dior Homme Intense. To me these two have very similar profiles. But the Camaro has a bit of a note to it that doesn't quite suit me. 9PM has virtually all of the rest without that 1 note. So I would recommend 9PM over Camaro Homme Intense.

CDN Sillage. This is a clone of Creed Silver Mountain Water. Comes highly recommended by virtually everyone. There's a note in it that just is a bit pungent to me. Powdery scent.

Armaf Tres Nuit. Clone of Creed Green Irish Tweed. Fresh scent. I don't know what "green" is supposed to smell like, but this is it. Not very strong. Probably need to use a spray or 2 extra. Might be a hint of apple and grass. Great scent. I recommend.

More later as I think of it. ]]> IPD https://www.3sgto.org/entries/109-Scentsploration-tour-Round-1-Just-starting-out-with-Cologne https://www.3sgto.org/entries/100-Project-Vehicross Fri, 20 Mar 2015 12:57:14 GMT It's long overdue that I own a Vehicross. They're the SUV equivalent of the 3/s in the sports car world; highly capable, seldom understood, seriously undervalued. I've read the reviews, the C&D takes, etc--and they all indicate that the Vehicross is a highly capable AWD vehicle, even besting most others in its class (at that time). And like the 3/s, the style is quite appealing--arguably requiring only a few minor tweaks to achieve aesthetic perfection.

I won't be modding it. Aftermarket wheels, some tint / nightshades, and that's about it. I'm excited. This is the best compliment to my 3/s that I could probably put in my garage--aside from another 3/s. ]]> IPD https://www.3sgto.org/entries/100-Project-Vehicross https://www.3sgto.org/entries/44-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-me-and-ATX Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:34:18 GMT It's always perplexed me why the 3/s is treated as such a drastically different platform than its cousin, the DSM. DSM's are in the 6's/7's now; 3/s's still stuck in the high 8's. DSM's have a significant amount of respect for the ATX; 3/s's treat the ATX like bantha fodder.

Ironically, every other japanese sports car from the 90's seems to have a more commanding, better served, more robust aftermarket community than the 3/s. Perhaps we do it to ourselves with all of the pointless infighting. There has always seemed to be an overabundance of people saying "you can't do that" or "that will never work" with regards to the 3/s. Even as recently as 2003/2004, 15g's were still considered the "big-boy" turbo. Seriously, WTF?

Over the years, I've been called a fanboi, a loud-mouthed braggart, and an overly-opinionated MF. While there are certainly kernals of justification for this, my staunch defense of the ATX as a legitimate componant are hardly of the sort. I fully understand the appeal of the MTX; and if someone choses it, more power to them. I would simply prefer that those who wish for the MTX buy an MTX.

It only came to get on my nerves after hearing countless scores of owners dog the ATX transmission. I've heard them all. "It's weak as shit & breaks when you sneeze at it". "It's uber-expensive to repair & maintain." "It can't hold the power that an MTX can." What is all the more laughable about this is that the ATX is identical mechanically to the ATX on the DSM's. In that light, let me address these each in turn:

1. "Weak as shit" the ATX is not. Even in stock form, it can easily handle stock tt power levels. I know, because I've been running mine that way for over 3 years. in the DSM community, it's well known that a completely stock ATX can handle over 300whp. I'll defy 3/s FWD MTX to do that.

2. "Uber-expensive" is, apparently, a relative term. Last time i checked, a used W4A33 for a 6g72 was going for ~$300 shipped on ebay (including the transfer case); the cheapest W6MG1 was going for ~$700 shipped. The parts needed to "fully-build" a W4A33 (not including differentials), including a billet torque-converter with custom stall, was ~$1500. Just a synchro/bearing kit for a W6MG1 costs $900. Hub & Sleeve assemblies are another $500+ each. And then there's the clutch--which brings me to my next point.

3. "Can't hold the power an MTX can". To be fair, this is correct; but only if you're referring to 4th gear (OD). Both the ATX and MTX need upgrades if they are to capably, reliably handle great levels of power. This means an upgraded clutch for the MTX at a minimum. For the ATX, this means a shift-kit at a minimum. Both the stock W4A33 and stock W6MG1 will start to show weaknesses at power levels above 300whp (>50whp over stock tt levels).

Now before anyone throws more spears, I'll be the first to point out that there are DSM's running the W4A33 with lower ET's than the 3/s world record.

I'll just stop here before I pointlessly ramble further. Just remember, this isn't a case of one > the other. These are just different flavors. They do different things. One is not inherently better than the other. They differ in asthetic appeal (advantage: MTX); cost (advantage ATX); and a few other areas as well.

So please remember; when you see me start passionately defending the ATX, it's because it's been unfairly disparaged by platform owners who don't know anything about it. ]]> IPD https://www.3sgto.org/entries/44-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-me-and-ATX