Car Chat

[AutobahnSHO]

Being driven through Italy, my impression was that there was a haze of testosterone floating above the roadways; even from women on scooters.

hahah yes every inch of road is a racetrack there.

[BimmerM3]

That is dangerous as all get out.

I was in German traffic in a stupid US minivan when the driver hit the 120mph limiter. It cut power completely till we got back down to like 90mph.

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS- if you're in a heavier car you're going to coast into a little beater that decelerates more quickly.

That's IF all cars cut at the same exact spot.

The brakes still work. 

[veeman]

Being driven through Italy, my impression was that there was a haze of testosterone floating above the roadways; even from women on scooters.

hahah yes every inch of road is a racetrack there.

It was around 12 years ago and my wife and I had rented a Smart fortwo car. We were in Florence and were driving the Chianti road to these very small quaint towns. The smart car had recently come out, the auto trans sucked, and every day I would get yelled at, at one time or another, by these super aggressive Italian drivers. Somehow I don't see them going for this nanny state automatic speed limiter.  Maybe a decade has changed everything.  Maybe Ferrari is now looked down upon as irresponsible by the average European. 

[MX793]

That is dangerous as all get out.

I was in German traffic in a stupid US minivan when the driver hit the 120mph limiter. It cut power completely till we got back down to like 90mph.

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS- if you're in a heavier car you're going to coast into a little beater that decelerates more quickly.

That's IF all cars cut at the same exact spot.

How is that any more dangerous than when a highway's speed limit changes and some people let off the gas so that they are right at the new limit when they reach the sign, some don't slow until after they reach the sign, and some even apply brakes?  I don't see pileups on the local interstate where the limit drops from 65 to 45 as it passes through downtown.

And the behavior of the old Caravan's limiter is not typical.  Most cars don't shed 30, or even 10, mph before reapplying power when the limiter is reached.

[Soup DeVille]

How is that any more dangerous than when a highway's speed limit changes and some people let off the gas so that they are right at the new limit when they reach the sign, some don't slow until after they reach the sign, and some even apply brakes?  I don't see pileups on the local interstate where the limit drops from 65 to 45 as it passes through downtown.

And the behavior of the old Caravan's limiter is not typical.  Most cars don't shed 30, or even 10, mph before reapplying power when the limiter is reached.

The Grand Am (maybe it was an '00?) would cut power at like 115 and you would have to take your foot off the pedal and put it back on to get power back. If you didn't, it didn't matter how long you coasted with the pedal mashed.

[MX793]

The Grand Am (maybe it was an '00?) would cut power at like 115 and you would have to take your foot off the pedal and put it back on to get power back. If you didn't, it didn't matter how long you coasted with the pedal mashed.

I would chalk that up to lazy programming or somebody thought it was a safety feature in the event of a stuck throttle.

[Soup DeVille]

I would chalk that up to lazy programming or somebody thought it was a safety feature in the event of a stuck throttle.

Don't know. Just saying the Caravan might have done something similar.

[Galaxy]

The speed limiter system is the same adaptive cruise control that is already on board many cars. It is just becoming mandatory.

It can be overridden with the gas pedal.

It can be shut off completely. It needs to be active with every engine start though. 

[12,000 RPM]

No, I'm pretty sure it's undefeatable and will only work with WOT or full brake lockup. EU wants to discourage people from driving so they are looking to kill everyone on the road.

[CaminoRacer]

I need more money for a Camaro 1LE. Even the V6 would be fine. $36k though. (Probably $46k for the V8?)

[giant_mtb]

Spoiler alert: He doesn't drive it because he doesn't fit.

https://youtu.be/REFhjdnIFjE

[12,000 RPM]

That big ass car and he can't fit? It's a real shocker why these didn't sell lmao.

[BimmerM3]

Spoiler alert: He doesn't drive it because he doesn't fit.

Skip to 23:37 to watch him try though.

EDIT: It's also apparently one of those cars where the factory sets your seating position, and he thinks that he could fit if they moved it back all the way.

[giant_mtb]

That big ass car and he can't fit? It's a real shocker why these didn't sell lmao.

Non-movable seat that is set up for ze specific owner.

[MX793]

That big ass car and he can't fit? It's a real shocker why these didn't sell lmao.

A lot of that car's length is for aero.  Just look at how much hangs off past the rear wheels.  Like the old long tail McClaren F1s.

[giant_mtb]

How do you guys pronounce Saleen?  Doug there pronounces it like "saline," but I always said it like "suh-LEEN."

[giant_mtb]

A lot of that car's length is for aero.  Just look at how much hangs off past the rear wheels.  Like the old long tail McClaren F1s.

Also the footwells are tiny, which doesn't help long-legged folk. 

[Soup DeVille]

How do you guys pronounce Saleen?  Doug there pronounces it like "saline," but I always said it like "suh-LEEN."

Like you, and I've worked with guys from Saleen who said it the same way, so I assume its correct.

Nissan guys however say Nis-San, not NEE-sahn like I've always said it.

[Eye of the Tiger]

How do you guys pronounce Saleen?  Doug there pronounces it like "saline," but I always said it like "suh-LEEN."

Saline, because I think it's a stupid name.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Also the footwells are tiny, which doesn't help long-legged folk. 

Driver is not allowed to have a left leg. Ok.

[giant_mtb]

Like you, and I've worked with guys from Saleen who said it the same way, so I assume its correct.

Nissan guys however say Nis-San, not NEE-sahn like I've always said it.

Yeah, I don't know anybody that pronounces Nissan any other way than NEE-sahn. But I have indeed also heard foreigners or others say it like "nissin" or like you said.

[giant_mtb]

Driver is not allowed to have a left leg. Ok.

Left leg belongs on the clutch anyways.

I always loved the S7. Was right around the time I really started getting into cars and playing racing vidjea gamez.

[93JC]

That big ass car and he can't fit? It's a real shocker why these didn't sell lmao.

Saleen S7s are shockingly tiny in person.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Spoiler alert: He doesn't drive it because he doesn't fit.

https://youtu.be/REFhjdnIFjE

The build interior quality on that car looks like shit! The Exposed wires and that column/steering wheel setup looks like a cheap kit car! No way I'd spend 400K on that!! And the fuel door is off a damn motorcycle! 

[Galaxy]

Land Rover is testing the new Defender on the Nürburgring. I hope they have their priorities sorted. 

[FoMoJo]

How do you guys pronounce Saleen?  Doug there pronounces it like "saline," but I always said it like "suh-LEEN."

I've always heard it pronounced Sah-LEEN.

Impressive car for the time.  All carbon fiber. 

[12,000 RPM]

Land Rover is testing the new Defender on the Nürburgring. I hope they have their priorities sorted. 

Hopefully they have tested the speed limiter.

[giant_mtb]

I've always heard it pronounced Sah-LEEN.

Impressive car for the time.  All carbon fiber. 

The body is all carbon fiber, but the chassis is old school steel and al-you-mini-um. The last of an era.

[cawimmer430]

Also the footwells are tiny, which doesn't help long-legged folk. 

Seeing that just makes me go "WHAT THE F*CK WERE THEY THINKING?" 

One of the most important things about driving to me is a comfortable seating/driving position. This car looks to be undriveable, even for small people and whose left leg just happens to be a foot shorter than their right leg...

[giant_mtb]

Lol