Car Chat

[Galaxy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zh3OBxh8Po

You need to make sure you do not run right over a Fiat 500 with that thing.

So Jay Leno's Garage is at Burbank/Hollywood airport I guess. 

[Morris Minor]

I  detailed the CR-V yesterday and took it to the local car club party. Sorry no pics, but there was my modern appliance grocery getter side by-side with gorgeous machinery like 1964 1/2 Mustang convertible, beautiful navy blue C7 Corvette, sundry Porsches, M-B AMGs, Shelby Mustang GT with that crazy flat plane V8. Love it.

[FoMoJo]

Love it...

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/autos/enthusiasts/our-favorite-freaks-of-hot-rod-power-tour-2018/ss-AAyF3SA?ocid=spartandhp&parent-title=our-favorite-freaks-of-hot-rod-power-tour-2018&parent-ns=ar&parent-content-id=AAyHBWD&fullscreen=true#image=AAyF3SA|1

[Galaxy]

The CEO of Audi has just been arrested regarding Dieselgate.

[FoMoJo]

The CEO of Audi has just been arrested regarding Dieselgate.

So, in the clink, or just charged?

[Galaxy]

So, in the clink, or just charged?

In jail. Similar reason Manafort, he was trying to influence other people.

[FoMoJo]

In jail. Similar reason Manafort, he was trying to influence other people.

Good.  Too many crooks wandering around freely these days.

[giant_mtb]

Toyota C-HR is kinda cool. 

Edit:

[68_427]

I think they look cool on the road

[giant_mtb]

Agreed. I don't think there are many of them around up here...this is the first one I've seen and I honestly didn't know what it was at first.  I don't keep up on new models like I used to.

[CaminoRacer]

Agreed. I don't think there are many of them around up here...this is the first one I've seen and I honestly didn't know what it was at first.  I don't keep up on new models like I used to.

Yeah, I used to be able to name every single car within half a second of seeing it. That was back when I subscribed to C&D and Motortrend. I'm still good at it, but some new models trip me up.

[giant_mtb]

Yeah, I used to be able to name every single car within half a second of seeing it. That was back when I subscribed to C&D and Motortrend. I'm still good at it, but some new models trip me up.

Yup yup.

[Laconian]

Yeah, I used to be able to name every single car within half a second of seeing it. That was back when I subscribed to C&D and Motortrend. I'm still good at it, but some new models trip me up.

You've traveled abroad, right? I love learning new cars' taillight arrangements.

[FoMoJo]

Yeah, I used to be able to name every single car within half a second of seeing it. That was back when I subscribed to C&D and Motortrend. I'm still good at it, but some new models trip me up.

Same.  Kind of lost interest in the '70s.

[CaminoRacer]

You've traveled abroad, right? I love learning new cars' taillight arrangements.

Yeah, to a few places in South America. Most of the cars there aren't very exciting. But I love all the little utes.

[MX793]

Same.  Kind of lost interest in the '70s.

Can't blame you.  That was a dark time in automotive history for driving enthusiasts.  I think we're moving into another one with the growing shift to CUVs and emphasis on automated driving features and smart device connectivity over fun to drive.

[FoMoJo]

Can't blame you.  That was a dark time in automotive history for driving enthusiasts.  I think we're moving into another one with the growing shift to CUVs and emphasis on automated driving features and smart device connectivity over fun to drive.

True.  From this article...https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/a20524720/2018-ford-mustang-gt-quick-drive/

Powertrains like this won't be around forever, in fact, they're already on the way out. Enjoy them while you can. I know I will.

[2o6]

Can't blame you.  That was a dark time in automotive history for driving enthusiasts.  I think we're moving into another one with the growing shift to CUVs and emphasis on automated driving features and smart device connectivity over fun to drive.

Replace the Jetta with an EcoSport!

[shp4man]

My wife loves the Fusion. Got the clutches replaced in the Focus, it's now shifting nicely. Next, will get the oil seepage at the engine front cover fixed. They all do it.
After a few beers the other night, I got bored and took one of the plastic hubcaps off trying to figure out what wheel options I may have.
Just on a whim, or maybe too many beers, I took one of the baby moons off the old Chevy and double sided taped it to the Focus steel wheel.
Holy crap, it looks really different, sort of Porsche 356 like..with the modern steelie wheel. I could use vintage VW hubcap clips to mount them...

[CaminoRacer]

do it

[MexicoCityM3]

Yeah, I used to be able to name every single car within half a second of seeing it. That was back when I subscribed to C&D and Motortrend. I'm still good at it, but some new models trip me up.

I can't barely tell a 3 series from a 5 series these days until I come up close.

[12,000 RPM]

I think keeping up with cars is more an age thing than an interest thing. Cars are great these days, unless you are a stickshift enthusiast.

[CaminoRacer]

I think keeping up with cars is more an age thing than an interest thing. Cars are great these days, unless you are a stickshift enthusiast.

Nah, I'm just as interested in old cars.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Yeah, I used to be able to name every single car within half a second of seeing it. That was back when I subscribed to C&D and Motortrend. I'm still good at it, but some new models trip me up.

Same here! I miss when cars had actual names to remember! That helped! But these CUVs confuse me big time! regular cars and trucks I'm pretty good at.

Can't blame you.  That was a dark time in automotive history for driving enthusiasts.  I think we're moving into another one with the growing shift to CUVs and emphasis on automated driving features and smart device connectivity over fun to drive.

I was just talking about this with a friend that's considering trading his Civic Si for a 2014 Mustang GT (of course I told him to get a Camaro ss but he wants the new body style and they're waaay more than the 25K he wants to spend!) in the next few weeks! He's one of the RARE young guys that's really into sports cars so I told him to get one and enjoy it before we're all driving electric CUVs......

[CaminoRacer]

I think I'd actually get a 2017 Mustang GT over a 2017 Camaro SS. They look gooooood.

[giant_mtb]

Those new Mustangs are definitely head turners. Holy shit.

[MX793]

I think I'd actually get a 2017 Mustang GT over a 2017 Camaro SS. They look gooooood.

And you can see out of them!

[giant_mtb]

College housemate of mine works for GM performance. He's got a CTS-V.  He's always sending me snaps of sweet ass Corvettes and shit in his employee parking lot. He's such a bro, but in the best muscle car kinda way. 

[93JC]

But does he have his own shop?

[MX793]

I think keeping up with cars is more an age thing than an interest thing. Cars are great these days, unless you are a stickshift enthusiast.

Great for getting you from A to B, slamming on the brakes for you so you don't rearend the car in front of you and keeping you in your lane so you can text your friends while browsing your Spotify playlist.

Great unless you'd prefer to shift for yourself.  Or enjoy crisp handling and steering feedback.  Or prefer low-slung stability to tipsy, barstool seating.  I mean, there are still some cars that still offer some of that, but unless you're making well into the 6-figures, you probably won't be able to afford them.

We are going to reach the point where the number of affordable new vehicles that can be legally entered into SCCA or similar amateur racing series will be relatively few.

I remember when I was a teenager and super-obsessed with cars and my dad, who was also big into cars as a teen and early 20-something, mentioned that he kind of lost his obsession as he got older.  I thought it was probably due to the fact that once you've got a family and a regular job, the prospect of owning small, sporty cars (and he owned several as a teen and 20-something, including turbo Corvairs, Corvettes, a Celica, and a 914) was no longer a reality.  Then I ponder my own dwindling obsession, which I attribute to cars changing into things that are the opposite of what appeals to me.  My favorite eras for cars were the early 60s to early 70s (the muscle/pony car golden era), the late 80s to late 90s (peak import sport coupe), and mid 00s to today.  Then I think about what cars were around when my dad was in his teens and what the automotive landscape was like as he got into his 20s and started a family and see a lot of parallels to myself today.

My dad hit his teenage years in the very early 70s.  Peak muscle and pony car years before the feds clamped down on emissions.  By the time he was old enough to afford his own car, the malaise era had just started but there were tons of golden era Mustangs, Camaros, GM A-bodies, Torinos, even Corvettes out there that weren't classics yet and weren't considered anything special so they could be picked up at a reasonable price.  As the Malaise era dragged on, those golden era cars got older and more tired.  Then the sculpted designs of the 60s and 70s gave way to boxy designs of the 80s and the FWD revolution.  Peak Malaise era hit while my dad was in his mid 20s.  I'd have lost interest in cars too.

I got interested in cars in my early teens.  It was the mid-90s, so peak import sport coupe.  Every brand had at least one small, swoopy, affordable 2-door.  You had the Scirocco/Corrado, the Integra, the CRX, the MX3, MX6, Probe, Beretta, 240SX, NX2000, MR2, Celica, Eclipse, Talon, Laser, Miata, Daytona.  Then the more serious stuff like the Z32 300ZX, 3000GT, NSX, Supra, FD-3 RX-7, first generation Viper...  Plus the traditional pony cars.  By the late 90s, a lot of those had died off, but they were still plentiful on the used market at prices that a college kid could afford and still had enough life in them that you didn't spend half your life trying to keep them running.  It was during this lull that I entered car ownership age.  After a 5-6 year lull, there was a resurgence of fun to drive cars in the mid 00s.  More in the form of hot hatches rather than uniquely bodied coupes, but the fun to drive spirit was still there.  The Nissan Z came back.  And the RX (albeit not as sexy as before).  The S2000.  The Civic Si coupe came back.  We got the WRX, albeit it wasn't a sexy coupe (never was).  The Lancer Evo.  MkV GTI, while not a sexy as the Scirocco or Corrado, was a solid performer.  The Neon SRT.  The Camaro came back.  The S197 Mustang.  GM made hot versions of their compacts (Cobalt/Ion) and brought out the Skystice.  Toyota revived the MR2 (briefly).  Dodge brought out the Challenger.  Ford gave us hot hatches that were previously reserved for Europe.  We've been riding that wave for nearly 15 years, which is really a pretty long time, so I should be grateful for that much.  Longer than the previous Good Times for enthusiasts.  But now we're seeing those disappear in favor of ubiquitous 2-box SUVs/CUVs and soulless hybrids, all laden with driver aids and tech that detracts from the driving experience.