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willowofwisp
03-10-2011, 07:33 PM
I thought this would be an interesting thread to post.

I currently drive a 2006 Honda Civic Si. (i don't have any pics of it so thanks motor trend.)

http://www.2fastlane.com/wallpapers/honda/Civic_Si_2006_3.jpg

turbolag23
03-10-2011, 07:40 PM
2008.5 Mazdaspeed3
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j255/lazyboymsu/051310%20TOD/DSC_3433_4_5_tonemappedt.jpg

2010 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j255/lazyboymsu/Car%20stuff/041810%20Thule/DSC_5599_600_601_tonemapped.jpg

MTechnik
03-10-2011, 07:48 PM
http://i.imgur.com/O7eJs.jpg

2008 G35xS

ToddG
03-10-2011, 08:04 PM
2008 G35xS

Exact same except for color!

David
03-10-2011, 08:06 PM
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg10/imdavid/69f10161.jpg

orionz06
03-10-2011, 08:07 PM
2008 VW R32
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2779173867_336631ee98.jpg

willowofwisp
03-10-2011, 08:08 PM
2008 VW R32
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2779173867_336631ee98.jpg

Nice r32, is it manual or auto? I don't plan on going back to an auto.

orionz06
03-10-2011, 08:09 PM
Nice r32, is it manual or auto? I don't plan on going back to an auto.

DSG only for that year. I could tell you that I drove manual all my life and will never look back, but you need to drive one for yourself to see. I think the DSG is worth every penny.

LOKNLOD
03-10-2011, 08:13 PM
2008 Toyota Tacoma. Double cab 4wd TRD off-road.

gtmtnbiker98
03-10-2011, 08:15 PM
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Pennzoil
03-10-2011, 08:15 PM
2008 Nightrod Special Save on gas in style, 89 in beautiful Arizona today
http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/689/img0308u.jpg

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5631/img0298m.jpg

If going to shoot or bad weather 2007 Toyota Tacoma. I just leave all my steal targets and target stands in back.

gtmtnbiker98
03-10-2011, 08:16 PM
Exact same except for color!Doesn't yours have curb feelers and fuzzy dice?

VolGrad
03-10-2011, 08:17 PM
2008 Toyota Tacoma. Double cab 4wd TRD off-road.

Same but 2003 model. Bought it new in 2003 and still only have ~65k miles on it.

I should have taken some pics after the AFHF class in the monsoon this past weekend. The range was a muddy, mucky mess. Most of the mud has been washed off now since we were hit by another monsoon this week already.

EDIT: Here's on in the recent snow. Yes, it does snow in GA.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/volgrad/Tacoma.jpg

Kyle Reese
03-10-2011, 08:17 PM
http://shocauto.com/Trabant/images/Trabant_P50_red_1964.JPG


Fairly close to what I drive.

http://images.chicagosportscars.com/pictures/33524071.jpg

BCL
03-10-2011, 08:20 PM
2009 Subaru WRX

MTechnik
03-10-2011, 08:21 PM
Exact same except for color!

I'd get the graphite if I were doing it again. But I love the car - mostly that engine.

LOKNLOD
03-10-2011, 08:24 PM
Same but 2003 model. Bought it new in 2003 and still only have ~65k miles on it.

I should have taken some pics after the AFHF class in the monsoon this past weekend. The range was a muddy, mucky mess. Most of the mud has been washed off now since we were hit by another monsoon this week already.

That's awesome -- I would love to have found a low miles 01-04 model when I got mine, but a good used was outrageously priced... One of my favorite vehicles of all time.

Chipster
03-10-2011, 08:26 PM
2009 Toyota Highlander Grey/Grey (wives)

2011 Dodge Charger Black/Black (should be in anytime)

#08-76
03-11-2011, 02:10 AM
'08 Nissan Sentra SE-R

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo72/Wester_von_Burgermeister/NissanR063rev.jpg

BigT
03-11-2011, 02:25 AM
2010 Tata Indica Le Ltd.

It is an epic piece of shit.

da6dspanburg
03-11-2011, 07:38 AM
2002 Chevy Trailblazer
(Sorry no photos)

JM Campbell
03-11-2011, 08:05 AM
http://shocauto.com/Trabant/images/Trabant_P50_red_1964.JPG

Man I haven't seen a Trabant since '92 when I left Berlin! What a trip man, dirty nasty little death traps.

As for me a 2007 F250 Outlaw package FX4...and the wifes 2009 slate Maxima (only for oil changes) and I agree about the 3.5/3.7 in the Nissan and Infiniti is one sweet motor they really make them 4 door sports cars and not sedans. Paddle shifters and sport trans setting is damn fun to drive.

MTechnik
03-11-2011, 09:16 AM
As for me a 2007 F250 Outlaw package FX4...


no velociraptor?


and the wifes 2009 slate Maxima (only for oil changes) and I agree about the 3.5/3.7 in the Nissan and Infiniti is one sweet motor they really make them 4 door sports cars and not sedans. Paddle shifters and sport trans setting is damn fun to drive.

I love that they didn't nerf the gearbox. it'll double-downshift from 4th to 2nd in a heartbeat, and you can downshift to 1st going 35 mph and bang the rev limiter all day, it won't upshift on you. 2nd and 3rd gear are GREAT for back-roads... tho by the time I ride out 2nd and shift to 3rd, I'm going ludicrous speed, and it's time to hop on the brakes.

It still isn't a stick, and I do long for one again. But I have enjoyed the benefits of automatic mode when dealing with the ankle-biter in the back.

My goal is to pay off the infiniti and get a RWD manual toy car. Probably e36 m3 or an early 2000 911. The 911 will probably be cheaper once I'm done putting a zillion upgrades on the m3.

editing to add - the auto engine speed matching the next gear is nice. I'd love to try that on a new manual Z370 - but I think I'd rather just re-learn to blip the throttle as I downshift.

YVK
03-11-2011, 09:45 AM
2009 BMW 328 X-drive.

Rverdi
03-11-2011, 09:57 AM
2009 BMW 328 X-drive.

Great car, my wife drives the same one. It's going back sat (lease term) not sure what she's coming home in.

KentF
03-11-2011, 10:26 AM
2003 Mitsubishi Outlander AWD

LittleLebowski
03-11-2011, 10:39 AM
Daily commuter.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h251/baxshep/GT.jpg

Cowtown44
03-11-2011, 11:35 AM
A POS 2007 Silverado 2500 with a Duramax that's spent many a day in the shop. Never again.

evanhill
03-11-2011, 12:07 PM
This was a couple sets of tires ago:
http://www.bendcyclery.com/img/8.jpg

I guess this was too, come to think of it:
http://www.evanhill.org/Portals/18/projects/cienfuegos/mc1.jpg

I've also got a 99 cherokee.

Kyle Reese
03-11-2011, 12:14 PM
I'm absolutely convinced that Homer Simpson's car is a Trabant. :cool:


Man I haven't seen a Trabant since '92 when I left Berlin! What a trip man, dirty nasty little death traps.

As for me a 2007 F250 Outlaw package FX4...and the wifes 2009 slate Maxima (only for oil changes) and I agree about the 3.5/3.7 in the Nissan and Infiniti is one sweet motor they really make them 4 door sports cars and not sedans. Paddle shifters and sport trans setting is damn fun to drive.

JDM
03-11-2011, 08:44 PM
2009 Toyota Avalon. Since last Friday.

MechEng
03-11-2011, 10:48 PM
2006 Toyota Tacoma, Double Cab, Silver, 4WD TRD off-road.

YVK
03-11-2011, 10:53 PM
Great car, my wife drives the same one. It's going back sat (lease term) not sure what she's coming home in.

My wife flat out refused to let go of her 2008 Toyota RAV4 Limited in exchange for Bimmer; I am not really sure if her refusal is a good thing or bad thing...

Saturday could be exciting at your place, provided standards set by a previous car are upheld.

Slavex
03-12-2011, 12:11 AM
1987 Volvo 740, 680,000km on it. She leaks, rattles and rolls, but just keeps on going. Trunk will fit everything I need for a range trip with ease.
Surround sound stereo and video system is worth more than the car. Drove 583KM 60 litres of gas, with the trunk loaded down with 12,000 rounds of 9mm, 3000 44mag, 6000 40 S&W plus all the guns.
She's going to die one day I know, then I have no idea what to get.

mc1911
03-12-2011, 10:22 AM
2004 Grand Marquis, less than 40k miles.

Always wanted one because I love big, smooth riding sedans and they made so many of those you can pick up used ones in great shape for practically nothing. Found a grandpa special with low miles over the summer. My wife is mortified that I drive an old man car (we're in our 30s), but I love it. Only problem is when we go to Walmart and there is one identical to mine and an 80 yr old with a walker getting in. And my friends call it an AARPmobile. Envy can be an ugly thing.

Jackdog
03-12-2011, 10:25 AM
2010 White Ford Raptor 6.2L

Zelly
03-12-2011, 01:53 PM
I drive a SRT-4 with to much money into it lol........ pushing 450hp

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v4937/176/104/662217440/n662217440_2505495_6353189.jpg

And a Evolution X.... stockish for now

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/184856_10150106700427441_662217440_6685964_6960231 _n.jpg

willowofwisp
03-12-2011, 02:30 PM
I drive a SRT-4 with to much money into it lol........ pushing 450hp

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v4937/176/104/662217440/n662217440_2505495_6353189.jpg

And a Evolution X.... stockish for now

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/184856_10150106700427441_662217440_6685964_6960231 _n.jpg

I wanted a srt4 for the longest time.

Shellback
03-12-2011, 05:33 PM
07' 335i that's fantastic for road trips down to the beach.
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5962/bmwphotoshoot004.jpg
It is up for sale... Thinking about getting another Jeep instead.

JDM
03-12-2011, 08:07 PM
I drive a SRT-4 with to much money into it lol........ pushing 450hp

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v4937/176/104/662217440/n662217440_2505495_6353189.jpg

And a Evolution X.... stockish for now

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/184856_10150106700427441_662217440_6685964_6960231 _n.jpg

The stance on your Mitsu is awesome.

JackOSU
03-12-2011, 09:03 PM
I'm more fond of his avatar than the car myself!

Personally I have an 07' T4R SE. No mods yet...

wicked_police
03-12-2011, 09:40 PM
I had a 2008 Grand Cherokee SRT8 that I just got rid of in December.

Driving a 2010 Lexus RX350 now, and have had a 2001 Honda RC51 since it was new. It's sat for the last 5 years though. :(

ubervic
03-12-2011, 09:54 PM
2004 Grand Marquis, less than 40k miles.

Always wanted one because I love big, smooth riding sedans and they made so many of those you can pick up used ones in great shape for practically nothing. Found a grandpa special with low miles over the summer. My wife is mortified that I drive an old man car (we're in our 30s), but I love it. Only problem is when we go to Walmart and there is one identical to mine and an 80 yr old with a walker getting in. And my friends call it an AARPmobile. Envy can be an ugly thing.

Ha!
My user name comes from what I used to drive----a Crown Victoria Sport with a number of mods. (super crown Vic=ubervic).

Oh well, now that my wife bought a new A4, I'm driving her old Grand Cherokee......and am enjoying it!

DrDave
03-13-2011, 05:02 AM
It is an epic piece of shit.
I can confirm this! :D
A low mileage 2000 VW Polo. BigT and I have the same problem in that we spend our cash on guns before cars

CrossCreekGuns
03-13-2011, 11:07 AM
2003 Ford F150 Sport 4x4
2003 Suzuki Intruder 1400
2002 Suzuki Intruder 800
1999 Toyota 4 Runner 4x4

Bill Lance
03-13-2011, 11:14 AM
Same but 2003 model. Bought it new in 2003 and still only have ~65k miles on it.


http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/volgrad/Tacoma.jpg

My 2003 TRD crew cab has 311,000 miles on it.
Easily the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. Wear items replaced only.
I just want to see how far it will go. Maybe we should have a contest--like how many rounds 'til Todd's G17 malfunctions. How many miles will the 2003 Tacoma go before it dies??:D

YVK
03-13-2011, 11:23 AM
How many miles will the 2003 Tacoma go before it dies??:D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uc4Ksz3nHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfZDtC9kjVk

Suvorov
03-13-2011, 12:41 PM
My primary ride (land based) is a 2005 4Runner. I have modified it with an FJ cruiser suspension and bilstein shocks giving it about 2" in the front and 1" in the back and 32 inch tires (another 1/2"). All in all, it gives it some improved off road performance over a stock Gen 4, but keeps it pretty tame on the roads as its primary roll is that of sub-urban baby transport. :(

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/wyorca/Automobile/DSCF0648a.jpg

Frank B
03-13-2011, 12:46 PM
My car is just an ordinary Volvo V70 (2007). Sorry no pic at moment.

Joe in PNG
03-14-2011, 05:27 AM
My personal vehicle is an old 1978 Suzuki GS 425. Not fancy or fast, but works well enough.

orionz06
03-16-2011, 11:27 PM
Just got a 2011 GTI. Pics to follow...

ACP230
03-19-2011, 08:13 PM
I mostly drive a black '98 Dodge Dakota Sport. Before that it was a 1993 Dakota. My son has that at college now.

My wife hit a deer and totaled the blue Ford Windstar in July last year so she's now driving a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am SE. She hit another deer with the Pontiac in October but didn't total the car. She is on the road a lot for work and had never hit a deer before 2010.

We haven't bought a new car for years and we don't owe anything on either of these two.

tmoore912
03-20-2011, 05:15 PM
2003 Chevy Silverado 1500HD 4X4.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii218/tmoore912/Truck2.jpg

TCz
03-20-2011, 11:45 PM
1995 Honda Odyssey, 204000 miles
Bought the Honda used, seems to be bulletproof so far.

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan, 240000 miles
This one was bought by my father new, the motor is still going strong. It is, however, on its' third transmission :mad:.

Yes, those are both minivans, and I am secure in my masculinity.

SteveK
03-21-2011, 09:40 AM
2006 Mustang (Legend Lime)

JodyH
03-21-2011, 09:55 AM
2010 Cadillac SRX is the wifes ride.
2002 Taco is mine.

Here's a pic of the taco and my pop-up trailer down on the Texas gulf coast.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/JodyHuggins/popup.jpg

Jason
03-22-2011, 11:09 AM
Probably the most boring car on here: 2005 Ford Focus. Great for NOVA though and only 41k miles on it.

3-7-77
03-22-2011, 06:23 PM
2010 Ford F150 Crew Cab, only 4300 miles but so far so good. Wife drives a 2002 Nissan Xterra that she won't part with. 102000 trouble free miles.

dravz
03-25-2011, 08:33 PM
2009 Subaru WRX

Hell yeah, 2004 here :cool:

Oscar 319
03-25-2011, 09:38 PM
My Taco on its first trip to Moab 3 years ago.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll180/oscar319/MoabSpring2007097-1.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll180/oscar319/MoabSpring2007078.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll180/oscar319/MoabSpring2007103.jpg

MD7305
03-25-2011, 11:02 PM
2000 Honda Civic EX (166k)

2007 Nissan XTerra S

2008 Ford CVPI

Aray
03-26-2011, 09:58 PM
2006 Chevy 2500HD diesel. If I can hook to it, it will probably move.

superr.stu
03-27-2011, 08:34 AM
'89 Toyota hilux 4x4, more mud and rust than truck at this point, but it runs like it rolled out of the factory yesterday.

'03 Ford focus

2010 Chevy 3500HD Diesel flatbed

Shellback
04-04-2011, 11:56 AM
Not mine but I saw this the other day picking up a pizza and it brought back some memories... 88mph with the flux capacitor!

http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/3426/deloreana.jpg

LOKNLOD
04-04-2011, 03:28 PM
My Taco on its first trip to Moab 3 years ago.


That looks just like my '08, except does yours maybe have a leveling kit or bit of lift?

Pistol Shooter
04-04-2011, 04:19 PM
2006 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Big, comfortable, likes gas and is going to the shop tomorrow for a new intake manifold. :mad:

It's paid for though.

Shellback
04-04-2011, 06:07 PM
That looks just like my '08, except does yours maybe have a leveling kit or bit of lift?

It's not mine but I have been in it quite a few times. It's does have a slight lift and leveling kit.

BMWM3P
04-04-2011, 07:45 PM
Just like my screen name a
01 BMW M3 soon to be traded in for a Mercedes CLS63.
My range truck and daily beater is a 2003 Ford Ranger Edge.


Just like my guns, I like my cars to be german.

JDM
04-04-2011, 07:56 PM
Just like my screen name a
01 BMW M3 soon to be traded in for a Mercedes CLS63.
My range truck and daily beater is a 2003 Ford Ranger Edge.


Just like my guns, I like my cars to be german.

There is nothing quite like an AMG V8.

I recently had the pleasure of, ahem, stretching out, if you will, an E63. Ohhh my.

will_1400
04-04-2011, 09:04 PM
No pics, but I drove a '93 Ford Ranger w/ 3.0L V6. Not the best vehicle around, but she gave my father and then me 9 years of service before giving up the ghost. Wound up scrapping her just before shipping out to basic and now I'm in the market for a Tacoma or something similar.

randypollock
04-07-2011, 01:49 PM
2010 Prius with solar panel top...51 mpg City / best highway 56.6 mpg.

It's funny to park next to liberals then parking at the range

In town I have had more than one person give me a look of disgust when they see my Life Member of the NRA on my Prius and if I was not suppose to drive that kind of car.

At the gun range the first impression the car gives is that I must be A) Lost or B) I'm shooting my once a year 22 pistol so I can tell my friends how I am a shooter.

Mjolnir
04-07-2011, 05:09 PM
I thought this would be an interesting thread to post.

I currently drive a 2006 Honda Civic Si. (i don't have any pics of it so thanks motor trend.)

http://www.2fastlane.com/wallpapers/honda/Civic_Si_2006_3.jpg

2000 Acura Integra Type R (Phoenix Yellow) and a 1993 ISUZU Trooper.

turbolag23
04-07-2011, 09:40 PM
2000 Acura Integra Type R (Phoenix Yellow) and a 1993 ISUZU Trooper.

before my mazdaspeed i had a 96 integra GSR, then detroit happened.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j255/lazyboymsu/Car%20stuff/Integra/DSC_2785.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j255/lazyboymsu/Car%20stuff/Integra/DSC_6267.jpg

vcdgrips
04-08-2011, 10:22 AM
What I have: 05 Honda Odessey

What I want: Suburu WRX STi.

What is stopping me: Twins in private school and their soccer, track and baseball.

orionz06
04-08-2011, 10:30 AM
2008 VW R32
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2779173867_336631ee98.jpg

Replaced 16-17 mpg with 25 mpg...

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a183/orionz06/1708b6d8.jpg

Less horsepower and not nearly as cool, but I am gonna retune the ECU and do some suspension work to get it where I would like it. The 2.0t does not sound nearly as nice as the 3.2L VR6 did though...

MTechnik
04-08-2011, 11:17 AM
Replaced 16-17 mpg with 25 mpg...

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a183/orionz06/1708b6d8.jpg

Less horsepower and not nearly as cool, but I am gonna retune the ECU and do some suspension work to get it where I would like it. The 2.0t does not sound nearly as nice as the 3.2L VR6 did though...

There are things you can do to a turbo to make it sound better... but I think an ABO on a stock car does more damage than good.

Shellback
04-08-2011, 12:16 PM
Less horsepower and not nearly as cool, but I am gonna retune the ECU and do some suspension work to get it where I would like it. The 2.0t does not sound nearly as nice as the 3.2L VR6 did though...

The Stage 1 APR tuning makes a HUGE difference in performance and I would definitely recommend it. Also, the KW V1 coilovers took the wife's wagon from a soft, mushy ride to the same level as my 335i with the sport suspension, great handling and comfortable ride. Definitely recommend the KW's if you're looking for coilovers.

orionz06
04-08-2011, 12:20 PM
The Stage 1 APR tuning makes a HUGE difference in performance and I would definitely recommend it. Also, the KW V1 coilovers took the wife's wagon from a soft, mushy ride to the same level as my 335i with the sport suspension, great handling and comfortable ride. Definitely recommend the KW's if you're looking for coilovers.

I am gonna stage 1 APR tune it, do the motor mounts, and a rear sway bar first. The handling is decent now, I hope the rear sway gets it where I want it. If I do any suspension it will be H&R. What sucks, in VW terms, is that I really like the stock wheels... I got rid of my old BBS's and don't feel like buying more, so it is a tough call there... my old Jetta had APR-rear sway-H&R-motor mounts and it was great.

I also see a few videos of APR'd GTI's handing it to R32's, so if that mattered to me I would be OK too.

STS
04-08-2011, 09:04 PM
Wife drives a 2010 Prius (I drive it a ton too)

This is mine...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/scotsemmens/DSC01962.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/scotsemmens/DSC01287.jpg

ToddG
04-21-2011, 10:14 PM
As of 7pm today, my 2008 Infiniti G35XS has been replaced with a 2011 Infiniti G37XS.

I fear change.

JM Campbell
04-21-2011, 10:29 PM
I fear change.

LOL! Don't lie. Great set of wheels, enjoy them and be safe.

Rocket20_Ginsu
04-21-2011, 11:39 PM
http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339%3A%3Enu%3D6698%3E956%3E257%3EWS NRCG%3D338%3A547974348nu0mrj

Subaru WRX 06' stock. Photo was taken in the vic of Red Rock Canyon, NV.

GU

turbolag23
04-22-2011, 09:59 AM
Subaru WRX 06' stock. Photo was taken in the vic of Red Rock Canyon, NV.

GU

nice, i dont know too many people who have left a WRX stock.

WDW
04-26-2011, 04:20 AM
2008 Ford F-150 FX4 w/K&N high flow intake, red & dirty as hell. The only thing green about my vehicle is the grass that gets stuck in the skid plates from time to time.

Tamara
04-26-2011, 06:33 AM
1998 BMW Z3 2.8

This September I will have been driving the same car for ten years...

TGS
04-26-2011, 07:52 AM
2002 Subaru Outback.


LL Bean Edition, bitches!


Oh, how I miss my STi......modded, not street legal of course.

turbolag23
04-26-2011, 08:27 AM
2002 Subaru Outback.

LL Bean Edition, bitches!

Oh, how I miss my STi......modded, not street legal of course.

my girlfriend has an 02 outback 4cyl 5spd, has about 150k miles and shes looking to replace it but i cant talk her into a STi.

why wasnt your's street legal?

texasaggie2005
04-26-2011, 03:35 PM
2006 Dodge 2500 4x4 diesel quadcab

The thing is a beast, 105k miles and counting, rock solid so far.

LittleLebowski
04-26-2011, 03:37 PM
105K is nothing to a Cummins. Nice truck. We've got one on the ranch with about 500k on it.

TGS
04-26-2011, 05:04 PM
my girlfriend has an 02 outback 4cyl 5spd, has about 150k miles and shes looking to replace it but i cant talk her into a STi.

why wasnt your's street legal?

I put a Mad-Dad v2 divorced wastegate downpipe with a metal substrate cat on it along with a stage 2 software package using a UTEC. The cat is enough to keep it from smelling and leaving black soot everywhere, but it definitely wouldn't pass emissions.

All the power was with that downpipe and stage 2 engine software. That alone was about 50hp at the crank. If I was to do it over again I may have left it stage 1 as it was way more responsive, even if not as powerful at peak.

If you do get an STi, please do treat yourself to the 2006 or earlier model years. 2007 is okay if you immediately go against factory policy and put a stage 1 map in it, otherwise you're guaranteed to burn out cylinder #4. The GD chassis STi's(prior to 2008) are way more wicked of a car than the current ones. They're bare bones, ride rough, have a wicked steep powerband, extremely short gears(except for 2007), and just have a crazed axe-murderer personality. They were a niche car, and I loved it to death. It's a rally fans dream. Honestly, it was scary to push it. It really was a terrifying car to push to the limit.

The new STI's are designed for a broader audience that aren't die hard rally fans. For tracks, yes, they're technically better cars. But they are no where near as fun. Not even close. I test drove one and when the manager asked me how I liked it and if I wanted to trade in my 05 STi, I sighed and told him the truth. I really do miss that car, I absolutely loved it and it would instantly make me happy to drive it. I'll probably get one when I'm 50 and restore it.

My outback has 189k on it right now. Leaks like a mofo. I'll be keeping it till it dies, most likely. Maybe I'll get a regular hatchback Impreza, though. They're nice. I just like small cars better than big cars for whatever reason, and the Outback H6 only gets 26mpg. Still better than the STi's 18mpg requiring premium gas, but I could do better.

I think my next fun car will be a Porsche 914. In terms of a true drivers platform, it's probably the best car Porsche ever built.....cough cough...I mean sold. I don't see any car for play in my financial future though.

turbolag23
04-26-2011, 05:27 PM
ah lucky you, state emissions checks. MI never went with those thats why I was thrown when you said not street legal.

if i got one it would be pre 07, those were my favorite design, "technically" better on a track doesnt mean much since its all the driver, they also look like a toyota corolla.

the outback was just overhauled, tires, brakes, sways, struts, clutch, head gasket, etc and now she wants to get rid of it... could have saved a lot of cash. it does make some funny sounds and burns oil but oh well, i guess shes excited to have a car payment. it still manages 27 highway and 18 city. my mazdaspeed3 manages 21 city 28 highway. i hear you about trying to afford a fun car as well as a daily driver, maybe if i gave up my other hobbies...

TGS
04-26-2011, 06:05 PM
Well, yes, of course the driver matters. Honestly, they kinda half-assed the USDM suspension and didn't match up components very well when they could have, whereas the JDM is pretty nice. Still a kickass handling car compared to most of whats out there (phenomenal/out of this world for when they first debuted). But the under steer on GD STi's is wicked. It's like competing in a college debate with a speech impediment. Of course, you can pay good money to fix that impediment......there's only so far your skills alone will take you.

I'd love to drop a 2.5 I4 from an STi into a Porsche 914. That would be pure sex. Even better would be a Lotus Elise with one, too bad it's just not physically possible without serious chassis fabrication......if at all possible.

Tamara
04-26-2011, 09:29 PM
I'd love to drop a 2.5 I4 from an STi into a Porsche 914. That would be pure sex.

In the neighborhood where I grew up, there was a guy who had a side business hot-rodding 914s out of his garage. His "business card" was a slammed electric green 914/6 with massive ducted IMSA-style fender flares, a giant GTP-esque biplane rear wing, roll cage, and a 911 turbo mill. I had been pretty indifferent about cars until I saw that thing hustling down the street, barking and popping through the wastegate, and catching air over the little rise in the pavement halfway down the block. I suddenly realized that you didn't need to go to Six Flags to ride a roller coaster...

DonovanM
04-27-2011, 12:05 AM
2000 BMW 328Ci, dreaming of a KLR650...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/vehementi/car/IMG_8007_1210x806.jpg?t=1303880707

texasaggie2005
04-27-2011, 10:47 AM
105K is nothing to a Cummins. Nice truck. We've got one on the ranch with about 500k on it.

I put 217k on a '99 Cummins, my first truck. I jumped into an '06 to avoid the new 6.7l Cummins. Realistically, I'm getting 21/16 mpg. Can't complain at all.

Shellback
06-13-2011, 11:38 AM
The wife's shaggin' wagen. 09' VW 2.0T (APR Stage 1 Tuning), KW V1 coilovers, 18" VMR V701 w/Continental Extremecontact DW.

http://img863.imageshack.us/img863/1649/vwwagon.jpg

orionz06
06-13-2011, 11:39 AM
The wife's shaggin' wagen. 09' VW 2.0T (APR Stage 1 Tuning), KW V1 coilovers, 18" VMR V701 w/Continental Extremecontact DW.

[IM G]http://img863.imageshack.us/img863/1649/vwwagon.jpg[/IMG]

You need to fix that antenna situation on top.

Shellback
06-13-2011, 11:41 AM
You need to fix that antenna situation on top.

It's for the remote control ;)

longball
06-13-2011, 12:16 PM
2010 White Ford Raptor 6.2L

Pics please? I was considering a new truck last year but ended up going the used route. When I was still considering new rigs a white raptor was on the short list.

lindertw
07-02-2011, 07:32 PM
daily driver is a 2005 Civic VP coupe w/110k miles. I just picked this up as a weekend driver, 2005 Mustang GT w/8,200 miles:

http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/lindertw/legend_4-1.jpg

TCinVA
07-02-2011, 08:24 PM
There seems to be a glut of low mileage mustangs out there right now for reasonable prices...good cars if you're into a little bit of hot rodding/modding.

DrFlsGood
07-03-2011, 04:39 PM
Bmw335xi, 2007 /x3 2010

Pistol Shooter
07-03-2011, 05:27 PM
I'm driving a 2010 Infiniti G37 Sport. My wife and I are very pleased with it. :D

ubervic
07-03-2011, 07:21 PM
daily driver is a 2005 Civic VP coupe w/110k miles. I just picked this up as a weekend driver, 2005 Mustang GT w/8,200 miles:


Nice find for such a low-mileage GT.

JFK
07-03-2011, 08:58 PM
My daily driver is nothing fancy, 1996 Nissan Pathfinder. The last year they made them worth anything.

But my weekend ride is much more fun and fast....

http://gallery.me.com/jaykoller/100149/DSC_0121/web.jpg?ver=12993460140001

ranburr
07-05-2011, 02:11 AM
99 F250 Crew Cab 7.3 Diesel (long bed). It has never been in the shop and I don't see getting rid of it any time soon. I am seriously considering getting a FJ Cruiser for running around town.

lindertw
01-05-2012, 06:12 PM
...good cars if you're into a little bit of hot rodding/modding.

yea, I'm into tinkering...

http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/lindertw/th_90d6355e.jpg (http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/lindertw/90d6355e.jpg)

my winter project is new springs, shocks, lower control arms, upper control arm + bracket, adjustable panhard bar, etc...

JodyH
01-05-2012, 07:31 PM
But my weekend ride is much more fun and fast....

http://gallery.me.com/jaykoller/100149/DSC_0121/web.jpg?ver=12993460140001
Ducati's are for show.

Aprilia's are for go.
:cool:
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/JodyHuggins/IMG_7637-1.jpg

Pennzoil
01-05-2012, 08:56 PM
Ducati's are for show.

Aprilia's are for go.
:cool:


Awesome picture.

Aprilia now that's a company that that used to boil my blood:mad: when my Moto Guzzi was my daily driver. What a crap company to deal with when they acquired Guzzi they scraped the new water cooled motor Guzzi spent years developing and then pretty destroyed the USA parts distribution requiring around a 2 year wait for a F'in oil filter let alone anything else...... I think I went 25,000 miles before I was able to get a new filter (that cost 3x the previous price) for my motorcycle. Then they refused to sell Guzzi to Ducati only to financially run aground later on.
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/605/picturebackup011.jpg

98z28
01-05-2012, 09:07 PM
2011 Infiniti G37 in blue slate.

It blows my mind that a 3.7 liter V6 puts out more horsepower than the 5.7 V8 (LS1) I used to drive.

JM Campbell
01-05-2012, 10:31 PM
2011 Infiniti G37 in blue slate.

It blows my mind that a 3.7 liter V6 puts out more horsepower than the 5.7 V8 (LS1) I used to drive.

Get your hands on a GTR, pure excitement my friend.

Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket

JFK
01-05-2012, 10:34 PM
Ducati's are for show.

Aprilia's are for go.
:cool:
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/JodyHuggins/IMG_7637-1.jpg

Until they don't go.... Then they sit in the garage for a month waiting on a part from some non existent dealer network.:)

JodyH
01-05-2012, 10:39 PM
Until they don't go.... Then they sit in the garage for a month waiting on a part from some non existent dealer network.:)
That's why I have three of them (Tuono, Mana and a SXV 4.5).

My Tuono has been rock solid since 2007 and it gets ridden hard and put away wet.
Now... about those Duc valve adjustment intervals...
;)

KeeFus
01-05-2012, 10:46 PM
2005 Chevy Colorado 4x4 crew cab. Bought used...has the only option anyone would ever want in a vehicle...its PAID for! :p

BWT
01-06-2012, 12:58 AM
2004 Subaru Forrester. Just shut it. That car's been good to me. 135... or is it 137k? miles.

Almost paid for... Sweet mercy. I'm driving that thing until it dies.

ETA: Everyone knows it's the man's choice of a ride, and the violin teacher that had it before me agrees. :D

Suvorov
01-06-2012, 01:12 AM
2004 Subaru Forrester. Just shut it. That car's been good to me. 135... or is it 137k? miles.

Almost paid for... Sweet mercy. I'm driving that thing until it dies.

ETA: Everyone knows it's the man's choice of a ride, and the violin teacher that had it before me agrees. :D

I like the Forresters. Would love to convince my wife to get one and I would much rather be seen driving it than her current Nissan Sentra.

167
01-06-2012, 06:22 AM
1978 Ford F100 w/300ci inline six, 3 speed manual trans, no power steering, no a/c, or anything else really. I can actually climb in the engine comparment, put my feet on the ground and stand next to the motor while I work on it!! Works out great when it is raining, I can stay dry standing under the hood:D

orionz06
01-06-2012, 08:05 AM
2004 Subaru Forrester. Just shut it. That car's been good to me. 135... or is it 137k? miles.

Almost paid for... Sweet mercy. I'm driving that thing until it dies.

ETA: Everyone knows it's the man's choice of a ride, and the violin teacher that had it before me agrees. :D

Ladies love them...

JFK
01-06-2012, 08:30 AM
Now... about those Duc valve adjustment intervals...
;)

Well I... Well um... Its not.... Ok.... They upped it to around 7-8k :)

TommyG
01-06-2012, 10:17 AM
Man do I miss water cooled VW fun. We went through Rabbits, GTIs then 16 valve Jettas and Golfs/GTIs over the years. My license points dropped massively when I bought a Tacoma in 2000.

Currently driving a 2006 Tundra double cab TRD. Needed room for a kiddie seat and my Taco was only an extended cab. I tend to mary vehicles these days and will probably have it for a long while. I hate car payments.

Will try to locate a pic later today.

JDM
01-06-2012, 10:21 AM
1978 Ford F100 w/300ci inline six, 3 speed manual trans, no power steering, no a/c, or anything else really. I can actually climb in the engine comparment, put my feet on the ground and stand next to the motor while I work on it!! Works out great when it is raining, I can stay dry standing under the hood:D

The level of awesome contained above will be hard to match.

LOKNLOD
01-06-2012, 10:36 AM
I think it's somewhat interesting to look at this thread and see trends and some vehicles represented more heavily.

Lots of Tacomas/4Runners. Lots of Subarus. Lots of sports sedans.

It makes me think there is probably some real correlation between the nature of our gun/shooting preferences and vehicle preferences. Great minds think alike?

orionz06
01-06-2012, 10:37 AM
FWIW if I were to buy a truck today it would be a 4 door Tacoma, not sure how willing people are to call a VW GTI "sporty" but it still fits.

JAD
01-06-2012, 10:44 AM
It makes me think there is probably some real correlation between the nature of our gun/shooting preferences and vehicle preferences.

2010 BMW 528xi, since the infink prevents me from having another Z4. Ever.

I can't tell you how much it pains me that the Germans no longer make a metal .45. I need to get a Peters Stahl.

Shellback
01-06-2012, 11:22 AM
not sure how willing people are to call a VW GTI "sporty" but it still fits.
I've seen more than a couple GTI's that will flat smoke most "sports cars" and especially when people start tinkering with them. The wifey's wagen has the same 2.0T engine as the GTI with Stage 1 APR tuning and I've spanked more than my fair share of cars in that thing. It's not a drag car but it's impressed anyone I've ever had in it.

TGS
01-06-2012, 11:29 AM
I've seen more than a couple GTI's that will flat smoke most "sports cars" and especially when people start tinkering with them. The wifey's wagen has the same 2.0T engine as the GTI with Stage 1 APR tuning and I've spanked more than my fair share of cars in that thing. It's not a drag car but it's impressed anyone I've ever had in it.

Not to mention how a dual-clutch transmission gives unskilled drivers quicker shifts than a 1980's Group B Rally champion in his prime on his best day.

I miss my 05 STi. It was a beast. I've never driven a car that has a personality of an axe murderer like my STi did.

Edit: Was looking back and saw I already covered my pathetic lust for that car. I'm a sad individual.

My next fun car is going to be a Caterham Super 7, Lotus Elise or Porsche 914. Amazing to drive.

BaiHu
01-06-2012, 04:00 PM
My next fun car is going to be a Caterham Super 7, Lotus Elise or Porsche 914. Amazing to drive.

I like your style. As a teenager, I fell in love with the 914 that was parked around the street from the house I grew up in. It was blue with a black top and it just made me want to be a race car driver.

22 years later, I have a BMW 335XI and got pulled over for the first time in 20 years 'impersonating a race driver'. Let's just say I didn't go to jail and the cost crimped my ammo purchase habit for a month :o


I think it's somewhat interesting to look at this thread and see trends and some vehicles represented more heavily. It makes me think there is probably some real correlation between the nature of our gun/shooting preferences and vehicle preferences. Great minds think alike?

Maybe we should all re-post with our favorite shooters and scooters side by side.

I'll start:

HKP30L
HK45

FNP90
FN2000

I like everything short and fast, like me :cool:
Now, if I can just get my shooting up to speed....

TGS
01-06-2012, 05:14 PM
I like your style. As a teenager, I fell in love with the 914 that was parked around the street from the house I grew up in.

In regards to Lotus, which the Caterham Super7 is copied from: To increase performance, "add lightness!"

Whats great about those cars is you can actually have fun with them on the street. So what if you've got a Z06 Corvette? Awesome machine, but you can't have any fun (responsibly) because by the time you lift off the pedal you're already at 120mph. The Lotus Elise, 914 or Super 7, though, you can thrash it and not go overboard on public roads. Same with the older STi's.......their powerband was so abrupt that it was crazy fun, and the gear box was crazy short before 2007 so it felt like you were driving a rally car by giving you plenty of gearbox action.

Man, the 914 is ugly as sin, but it's fun to drive! That LeMans gearbox always throw people for a loop, too! I test drove an Elise one time. If anything is as good as sex, it's that. The feedback was incredible....Through the steering wheel, I could actually feel the tires leave one side of a metal joint and connect with the other side as if I were running my fingers over it. Unbelievable driving creation.

Smash
01-06-2012, 10:36 PM
2011 Ford F-250 Lariat 6.7L Powerstroke Turbo Diesel. Full emissions delete, H&S mini Maxx programmer, S&B air intake(no not Schmidt and Bender)

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g342/F2SConsulting/075691d5.jpg

TheLaw
01-07-2012, 11:09 AM
2008 Ford F250 Super Duty Diesel Lariat 4x4.

fixer
01-07-2012, 11:35 AM
2010 Mustang GT
2001 Saturn

DonovanM
01-07-2012, 09:44 PM
S&B air intake(no not Schmidt and Bender)

Sellier & Bellot then? ;)

LeeC
01-07-2012, 11:32 PM
Infinit M35X with "tech" package (16 speaker Bose surround sound, GPS, DVD player, etc.). Most of my miles are on the Interstate, mainly the DC-Metro beltway. Being able to get out of the way of other insane drivers quickly is a self-defensive plus. 18 MPG on supreme gas is not a big selling feature, but I only drive about 10K miles / year and the comfy leather interior makes the 1.5 hours per day commute much more tolerable. All wheel drive helps with snow days.

385

t1tan
01-08-2012, 12:41 AM
2010 VW Golf MkVI

BWT
01-08-2012, 02:39 AM
I like the Forresters. Would love to convince my wife to get one and I would much rather be seen driving it than her current Nissan Sentra.


Ladies love them...

I catch it for it (ETA: From people for driving that kind of car), but honestly... If you look at the car, it's a great car. I'm tall from the waist up, it's got great head room. It's All Wheel drive, it has great handling, it's got one of the most powerful V4's on the market in a boxter engine. Not only does it have all wheel drive, but it has independent suspension front and rear, a limited slip differential, 4-disk brakes, 9-ish inches of ground clearance, and a great track record as a company for quality.

They've been turning out the 2.5L V4 in that configuration for almost 30 years, and they keep perfecting it.

That's what I looked at when I bought it. But frankly, it's like guns... most people just look at it and go, "Dude is that a Station Wagon?" (It's an SUV), they just don't know what they don't know.

I enjoy the car alot, I'm changing the oil in the morning tomorrow.

tremiles
01-08-2012, 03:09 AM
2000 Z28 - LS6 intake, ported LS6 heads, Texas Speed Torquer2 cam, American Racing SS headers/catted Ypipe, Magnaflow catback, built 4l60e, Strange 12bolt 3.73 gears, Yank SS3600 converter, UMI LCA's, Panhard bar, subframe connectors, Bilstein shock, EBC rotors/pads, ZR1 replica rims.

It was factory built by Canadian monkeys on meth. It's too loud, too heavy, rides like a covered wagon. It's never met a squad car or gas station it didn't like.

It's more fun than midget hooker pudding wrestling. I'll never sell it.

http://img.tapatalk.com/616746c0-4fe5-4841.jpg

My daily driver is a 2000 Saturn SL. It sucks in every way except that it averages 35 joyless MPG, and I don't have to worry about power window motors or power steering pump failure.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

JMorse
01-08-2012, 09:20 AM
Here's what I'm currently in lust with...

http://www.motorturn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-Kawasaki-Concours14-Silver-Side-View.jpg

Smash
01-08-2012, 10:23 AM
Sellier & Bellot then? ;)

No but I've got about 600-900 rounds of S&B 9mm in the bed under the bed cover. I hardly believe that this is aiding in performance though. Maybe the added weight is helping the rear end stay sticky. Ha

Suvorov
01-08-2012, 11:04 AM
I catch it for it (ETA: From people for driving that kind of car), but honestly... If you look at the car, it's a great car. I'm tall from the waist up, it's got great head room. It's All Wheel drive, it has great handling, it's got one of the most powerful V4's on the market in a boxter engine. Not only does it have all wheel drive, but it has independent suspension front and rear, a limited slip differential, 4-disk brakes, 9-ish inches of ground clearance, and a great track record as a company for quality.

They've been turning out the 2.5L V4 in that configuration for almost 30 years, and they keep perfecting it.

That's what I looked at when I bought it. But frankly, it's like guns... most people just look at it and go, "Dude is that a Station Wagon?" (It's an SUV), they just don't know what they don't know.

I enjoy the car alot, I'm changing the oil in the morning tomorrow.

No man, I'm honestly not bagging your ride!

I think Subarus are great and would love to have one as the family 2nd car. I would have Zero problem driving one, would feel a lot better with the kid in the back, would try to make full use of its light off-road capabilities, an basically would see it as a mini 4Runner. They are the original and perfect cross-overs (before the term was cool).

Growing up and living in Wyoming in the 70s, 80s and 90s, there were only 3 foreign brands of cars that anyone would have anything to do with - Toyota Trucks (for the obvious), Volkswagons (for the hippie generation), and Subarus. The Subarus did great in the snow with their 4WD but were far more economical than the 4WD trucks and SUVs (of course back then they weren't called SUVs) everyone drove. The 4WD made getting around in winter easier as well as getting to your favorite fishing spot in the mountains.

Honestly, I can't think of a better "small" car than a Subaru!

Of course it does seem they are very popular with the Lesbians here in the Bay Area ;)

TGS
01-08-2012, 11:30 AM
I catch it for it (ETA: From people for driving that kind of car), but honestly... If you look at the car, it's a great car. I'm tall from the waist up, it's got great head room. It's All Wheel drive, it has great handling, it's got one of the most powerful V4's on the market in a boxter engine. Not only does it have all wheel drive, but it has independent suspension front and rear, a limited slip differential, 4-disk brakes, 9-ish inches of ground clearance, and a great track record as a company for quality.

They've been turning out the 2.5L V4 in that configuration for almost 30 years, and they keep perfecting it.

That's what I looked at when I bought it. But frankly, it's like guns... most people just look at it and go, "Dude is that a Station Wagon?" (It's an SUV), they just don't know what they don't know.

I enjoy the car alot, I'm changing the oil in the morning tomorrow.

People even made fun of me for having an Outback! Granted, it's the LL Bean edition, but still. And then it snowed, and I was everyone's best friend all the sudden. Never heard shit from any of my buddies again after they witnessed the awesomeness that is Subaru. Snowpocalpyse 2010 in Virginia? No problem.....went out to dinner almost every night (when it was legal to go)!

My 2002 LL Bean Outback has 204,000 miles on it, and I haven't the slightest whim to replace it. It's taken me everywhere, including somewhere around 10 2000 mile trips with hundreds of pounds of scuba gear in the back, and countless 800 mile trips with said gear.

FYI, V4 and Boxer engines are two different things. Your Subie has a boxer, not a V.

GJM
01-08-2012, 11:32 AM
4 Runner, Tacoma or something with wings.

Tamara
01-08-2012, 11:55 AM
FYI, V4 and Boxer engines are two different things. Your Subie has a boxer, not a V.
{Professor Frink Voice} Aaaactually... (pushes taped glasses up nose) the flat-4 used by Subaru is a 180° vee, since opposing cylinders share a common crank pin, unlike a 'true' boxer, in which each connecting rod would have its own throw. {/Professor Frink Voice}

But, yeah, you can call it a boxer. Subaru does, after all. And Marlin sells me detachable 10-rd clips for my Papoose. ;) (ducks)

TGS
01-08-2012, 12:14 PM
{Professor Frink Voice} Aaaactually... (pushes taped glasses up nose) the flat-4 used by Subaru is a 180° vee, since opposing cylinders share a common crank pin, unlike a 'true' boxer, in which each connecting rod would have its own throw. {/Professor Frink Voice}

But, yeah, you can call it a boxer. Subaru does, after all. And Marlin sells me detachable 10-rd clips for my Papoose. ;) (ducks)

Someone read wikipedia.

I always thought the definition of a boxer engine was simply horizontally opposed cylinders moving simultaneous to each other, mimicking boxers touching gloves each other (which a Subie's boxer engine does). Seems simple enough, even if some don't function exactly the same as the original.

To me, that's like saying a modern sedan isn't a car because it has electronic fuel injection and an automatic transmission, and the first "car" didn't.

Tamara
01-08-2012, 12:25 PM
Someone read wikipedia.

Someone's probably read the same dorky source material as the Wikipedia editor, actually. :p

(And, looking at a pic of a Subie crank, the guy at Wikipedia's all wet, since the Subaru engine most certainly does have individual pins for each cylinder 180 degrees apart on the shaft. Boxer it is.)

Surf
01-08-2012, 02:38 PM
I am a big tinkerer also. Cars, trucks, bikes you name it. If it has a motor I toy with it. Since building my own home my vehicle projects/hobbies have taken a huge backseat.

My Daily Driver
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/300C01.jpg
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Tactical/armor09.jpg

Truck
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/New051.jpg

2 of 3 Mustangs
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/Mach101.jpg
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/Cobra003.jpg

The Bike 04' CBR1000RR
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/bike0061.jpg

Wifes new grocery getter 2011' QX56
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/QX5601.jpg

My house sometimes looks like a car lot. We no longer have the black FX35. Large garage door to have a car lift when I am done building the house.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/New300C4.jpg

peterb
01-08-2012, 03:33 PM
Honestly, I can't think of a better "small" car than a Subaru!

We had one of the last non-Outback Legacy wagons. Great snow car, better handling and lower roofline(good for loading boats) that the Outbacks, and never missed the extra ground clearance even in rural NH. I don't like the way they've gotten bigger & bulkier. I guess I was one of the few people left who was happy to have a "station wagon" instead of an SUV.

Suvorov
01-08-2012, 04:27 PM
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/SSDSurf/Vehicles/Cobra003.jpg



Very Nice Cobra!

Here is my 98 Cobra which I don't drive nearly as much as I should (then again, I'm only putting 7000 miles a year on my daily driver 4Runner).

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/wyorca/MustangwithHorses.jpg

tjbeck
01-08-2012, 04:42 PM
Holy crap this thread makes me feel really old.
If I answered it when it started I would have said I drive a 2007 Infiniti G35x and occasionally my old 2002 Subaru WRX :cool:

Now...its a 2011 Nissan Altima:( yippie. Hey but, it gets good gas mileage...yay

JMorse
01-08-2012, 06:41 PM
Hey now! I really like my Altima.

BN
01-08-2012, 06:59 PM
I shoot Glocks and drive Toyotas. :) Neither are very sporty, but they always get the job done. Well, the Supra I used to have was sporty. ;)

I bought my first Toyota in 1977 and I have had at least one ever since. Right now my wife is driving a 2002 Highlander with 180,000 miles, I'm driving a 2005 AWD Sienna van with 110,000 miles and the back up is a 1997 4-Runner with 150,000 miles.

MD7305
07-05-2013, 10:43 PM
Necropost warning! But I have a new-ish contribution. I replaced my Nissan XTerra with a more economical and fun platform. I love this car!

2008 Subaru WRX

1594

ToddG
07-05-2013, 10:51 PM
Nice, dude. They make some of the best cars on the market IMHO.

I drove a buddy's Legacy more than halfway across the country and enjoyed it immensely.

MD7305
07-05-2013, 10:57 PM
Nice, dude. They make some of the best cars on the market IMHO.

I drove a buddy's Legacy more than halfway across the country and enjoyed it immensely.

Thanks, I was looking for a Legacy GT originally but couldn't find anything that didn't have a ton of miles on it. This is my first Subaru but it's been great so far.

justintime
07-06-2013, 12:27 AM
http://www.motoringunderground.com/images/team/justintime01.jpg

JMorse
07-06-2013, 12:48 AM
I think I'll be picking up a Hyundai Sonata Limited this coming week. Seems like a really nice car for the money.

Slavex
07-06-2013, 03:27 AM
I've upgraded from my 1987 740 Volvo (800,000km on it) to a 2007 XC90 R Edition Custom built Volvo in sporting red. Car rules.

JHC
07-06-2013, 05:16 AM
Nice, dude. They make some of the best cars on the market IMHO.

I drove a buddy's Legacy more than halfway across the country and enjoyed it immensely.

Since Dec my ride is a Forester. I've long liked the brand but TGS telling tales from the tundra (hey, it could happen in GA) and then Orion double daring me to buy the lesbo car sealed it. ;)
Really impressive.

Oh an it was a replacement to an aging Xterra as well.

Nephrology
07-06-2013, 09:11 AM
2010 Toyota RAV4 Sport. Because I am secretly an asian mom.

SGT_Calle
07-06-2013, 09:37 AM
2011 Ford Edge. It works well for the household and is nice to drive.
Also have a 99 TJ Jeep, it's a toy.

will_1400
07-06-2013, 10:15 AM
Been driving an '06 Chevy Cobalt for the past year or so. Gets pretty good mileage (2 tanks of gas gets me from my hometown of Jackson, MI to my current station at Offutt AFB) and isn't costing me an arm and a leg on insurance or payments. Would have preferred a Civic, but I talked the dealer down to under 10k on a car that only had 32,000 miles on it and hadn't been abused.

roadsiderob
07-06-2013, 10:34 AM
1994 Defender 90. Bought new in 1994, currently has 196K miles.....some of them pretty brutal as you can see from my avatar. Enjoyed every mile so far.:cool:

jlw
07-06-2013, 11:11 AM
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g472/chiefweems3102/worktruck_zps8941efde.png (http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/chiefweems3102/media/worktruck_zps8941efde.png.html)

My g-ride: Chevy 2500HD. The purchase price and the cost per mile are less than that of a Crown Vic. Plus, it comes with a 100K mile warranty.

It won't be long before the OEM tires will need replacing. Then it will get some more appropriate footware.

zacbol
07-06-2013, 11:41 AM
Infiniti M56X

I still miss the e92 M3 I had prior to it, though. This is a pic of that car (was asked to participate in a photoshoot back in '08 when I first got it). Sigh.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2937606822_e1051614f7_o.jpg

David Armstrong
07-06-2013, 11:59 AM
1998 Mazda B2500 truck is the daily grocery getter. Road trips are usually done in a 2005 Ford Crown Vic.

butler coach
07-06-2013, 05:44 PM
I drive a 2010 Toyota tundra 5.7. Next up new exhaust and 3 inch lift.

Crusader8207
07-06-2013, 06:53 PM
2011 Infiniti G37X or a 2002 Jeep TJ or a 2010 HD Street Bob.

gtmtnbiker98
07-06-2013, 09:05 PM
I think I'll be picking up a Hyundai Sonata Limited this coming week. Seems like a really nice car for the money.

I just bought one and love it!!

BaiHu
07-06-2013, 09:43 PM
335XI '08
Or as Jeremy Clarkson would say, a c@ckmobile or something to that effect.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2

Sparks2112
07-06-2013, 09:45 PM
Mine. 2005 Subaru Legacy GT. The car I've always wanted and now I have it. I rule! ;)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1045193_153529648169103_1018321127_n.jpg

Photo is from the day after I got it, earlier this year.

orionz06
07-06-2013, 09:49 PM
Mine. 2005 Subaru Legacy GT. The car I've always wanted and now I have it. I rule! ;)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1045193_153529648169103_1018321127_n.jpg

Photo is from the day after I got it, earlier this year.

You got the Cobb tuner for it yet?

Sparks2112
07-06-2013, 09:58 PM
You got the Cobb tuner for it yet?

Yup, also some other stuff. It's getting fresh paint and some body work come winter time.

BobLoblaw
07-07-2013, 12:33 AM
2007 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg...reliability, check. acceleration, meh. top speed, meh. maintenance, wot? Monies saved? Yesses so much.

MichaelD
07-07-2013, 11:00 PM
2012 Ford Focus SEL sedan.

I average 32-33mpg in daily driving, and get 38-40mpg on the highway. It's no M3, but it gets out of its own way just fine.

cpekz
07-07-2013, 11:30 PM
2013 Mustang GT w/ track package. It's a lot of fun to drive :D

JAD
07-08-2013, 06:11 AM
2007 Saab 9-3 wagon and a 2012 Volvo XC60. Keep calm and Swede.


Jon
KC

ford.304
07-08-2013, 06:49 AM
2000 Toyota Celica GT-S. No real engine work yet, but it's got bilstein coilovers, Hotchkiss sways, and sticky tires. Lots of fun on the twisties.

Too bad there isn't a twisty road within two hours of my house :P

Trying to decide if I should upgrade this year, as it just hit 170,000 miles. Thinking a used Evo X or WRX STI, but I can't quite decide if I can justify it or not.

pdh
07-08-2013, 07:04 AM
2008 BMW 120d

137kw and 7.5L per 100km

Crawls
07-08-2013, 07:06 AM
2013 Mustang GT w/ track package. It's a lot of fun to drive :D

Awesome. I think that the Track Pack Mustang GT is the best bang for the buck in the new car market today. If i could convince my better half that the twins could fit in the back I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

Sparks2112
07-08-2013, 08:35 AM
2000 Toyota Celica GT-S. No real engine work yet, but it's got bilstein coilovers, Hotchkiss sways, and sticky tires. Lots of fun on the twisties.

Too bad there isn't a twisty road within two hours of my house :P

Trying to decide if I should upgrade this year, as it just hit 170,000 miles. Thinking a used Evo X or WRX STI, but I can't quite decide if I can justify it or not.

The STI's are nicer to drive in my experience, unless you're looking for a pure track car.

Sparks2112
07-08-2013, 08:36 AM
2008 BMW 120d

137kw and 7.5L per 100km

The metric, it hurts us....

Nate
07-08-2013, 08:59 AM
The metric, it hurts us....

Heh... just multiply by 1hp/.746kw, then 1L/100km is about .43gal/100mi, then invert to get mpg. Easy.

I do like the gas/distance rather than distance/gas as the measure of fuel economy. I find myself doing the "what does it cost for a given trip?" calculation much more often than "how many miles can I go on X gallons?". Plus, that way I can quote my fuel economy in amusing units like acres. (1L/100km = 2.47x10^-12 acre) Or barns. (1L/100km = 100 Exabarns.)

Dan_S
07-08-2013, 11:13 AM
Just sold my daily driver - a 1996 Toyota 4Runner (SR5, 5 speed, 3.4l v6) with about 225,000 miles on it.

Trying to figure out what to buy in its place now, though I haven't figured out what that'll be yet - probably a Honda Civic though, as my previous car (an Accord) was very reliable, and I finally sold it with 220,000 miles on it!

Sparks2112
07-08-2013, 01:20 PM
Heh... just multiply by 1hp/.746kw, then 1L/100km is about .43gal/100mi, then invert to get mpg. Easy.

I do like the gas/distance rather than distance/gas as the measure of fuel economy. I find myself doing the "what does it cost for a given trip?" calculation much more often than "how many miles can I go on X gallons?". Plus, that way I can quote my fuel economy in amusing units like acres. (1L/100km = 2.47x10^-12 acre) Or barns. (1L/100km = 100 Exabarns.)

:( I has dumb? ;)

ToddG
07-08-2013, 01:24 PM
Plus, that way I can quote my fuel economy in amusing units like acres. (1L/100km = 2.47x10^-12 acre) Or barns. (1L/100km = 100 Exabarns.)

Yeah, chicks dig exabarns I'm sure. :cool:

TGS
07-08-2013, 02:42 PM
The STI's are nicer to drive in my experience, unless you're looking for a pure track car.

More fun to drive, is what I'd say. :o

Ford,

If you go for an STi, get a 2004-2006 model. Way more faithful to their rally roots than the 2008+ cars. Stay away from the 2007 unless you plan on remapping it, the factory engine program is guaranteed to toast cylinder #4.

ToddG
07-08-2013, 03:13 PM
A dude I went to college with (and subsequently worked with for a couple of decades) would calculate gas mileage in light years per cubic mile. It turns out to be a fairly reasonable number (1 ly/mi^3 is about 5.33 mpg).

I simultaneously wish to make fun of that as nerdy and use it myself...

Dagga Boy
07-08-2013, 04:48 PM
The metric, it hurts us....

I'll give metric and milage......2002 Chevy Avalanche 2500 with a 8.1 liter (496 cid) that I drive like a police car-I don't want to know the milage.

Sparks2112
07-08-2013, 06:58 PM
More fun to drive, is what I'd say. :o

Ford,

If you go for an STi, get a 2004-2006 model. Way more faithful to their rally roots than the 2008+ cars. Stay away from the 2007 unless you plan on remapping it, the factory engine program is guaranteed to toast cylinder #4.

Than an EVO X?

I actually REALLY like the new STI's, especially the hatchback.

Default.mp3
07-08-2013, 07:03 PM
2013 Honda Accord EX-L V6. Just hit 5k miles on it, and have been averaging about 26.5 MPG on it for the last 3k miles. On freeway trips I've hit ~38 MPG sustained.

pr1042
07-08-2013, 07:48 PM
Sold my 04 Mach 1 (and my testicles one might argue) for this

http://i40.tinypic.com/2jcforr.jpg

TGS
07-08-2013, 07:53 PM
Than an EVO X?

I actually REALLY like the new STI's, especially the hatchback.

In short, the older STi was lighter weight, had shorter gears with tighter ratios, and a suspension that wasn't as sure-footed. The newer STI is a better track car, and on paper is a more capable machine.....but the characteristics and personality (which the newer one lacks completely) made for a frighteningly awesome experience; most of my family was actually scared to drive my car (05 STi), because it was so overwhelmingly sensational...with the exception of my mom who used to drive funny cars, so consider THAT context :) . Having driven both, the newer STI is outright mundane compared to the early STi......believe me, it pains me to say that. Sure, it's fast and controllable. But it's boring. There's plenty of fast and controllable cars since 2008.....it's nothing special.

The newer STI was a shift away from the rally fans to try and main-stream the car (to some degree). There's better cars for what the newer STI is trying to accomplish, at the same or less price: people didn't drive the STi because it was a superb track machine...and it never will be. BMW will always make a better track platform. Infiniti will always make a more affordable sports sedan for the bored middle aged man, and any number of cars are automatically a better 1/4 mile platform....so on and so on. People drove the STi because it was incredibly fun, unique, and was damn near a street legal version of an actual rally car.....the only more true version would be the Spec-C, which was only available in very limited numbers on the JDM. The older EVO and STi were completely in a class of their own, in this regards. If you wanted the more surgical experience, you bought an EVO. If you wanted to drive a machinated axe murderer, you bought the STi. Top Gear felt the same exact way, FWIW.

This made a lot of discussion on IWSTI.com back when the 08 came out, and a lot of us were extremely dispirited....and lots of people left what was an extremely tight community that got together all the time. Subaru Technica International was not made for foo-foo men and their lattes, and that's exactly what Subaru has started moving towards with it. The gears need to be shortened, the ratio's tightened, it needs to shed some weight and luxuries, and it needs to not be so damn sissified.

In short, it's a qualitative difference. A 4.8s 0-60 car might be just as fast as another 4.8s 0-60 car on paper, but it doesn't mean they're both going to be equally thrilling.

JDM
07-08-2013, 08:14 PM
TGS, awesome, awesome post!

ford.304
07-08-2013, 09:26 PM
Help me out - which was the year where they simultaneously weakened the STi and buffed the WRX that they put in practically the same times?

I knew a guy at autocross who had one of those... one the one hand, it was awesome because it was fast as could be but a lot cheaper. But on the other hand, it was never *quite* as fast as the STi's, but still got to go against them in the same class every day :(

Most of the local autocrossers (at least the ones driving anything relatively new) have been moving to EVOs.



In short, it's a qualitative difference. A 4.8s 0-60 car might be just as fast as another 4.8s 0-60 car on paper, but it doesn't mean they're both going to be equally thrilling.

Heh, I hear you on that. It's actually part of my problem in looking for a new car. The old Celica isn't *fast*, per se, but there isn't much (at least not with 4 seats) that feels like it handles better than it. Even the WRX feels like a little bit of a boat in comparison, for all that's it's a much *faster* boat.

NickA
07-08-2013, 09:30 PM
2013 Honda Accord EX-L V6. Just hit 5k miles on it, and have been averaging about 26.5 MPG on it for the last 3k miles. On freeway trips I've hit ~38 MPG sustained.

I was so close to getting the V6, but ended up with a 4 cylinder. I've got a little over 8k on mine already (2500 of that was a trip to GA and back). Seems to have settled in at around 33 MPG average, and about the same as you in pure highway driving, ~38-40.

Nate
07-09-2013, 08:24 AM
Yeah, chicks dig exabarns I'm sure. :cool:

Even my wife rolled her eyes at that one. My wife, who just yesterday, made a joke about a Finnish rally driver on Top Gear, driving a car described by Hammond as a "whale of a car" or some such, as a "fluke". (A Finn, on a whale? Get it?)

But other obscure unit jokes are amusing: "it comes in 4 yoctoparsec-acres?" was highly amusing once the units were converted. (3.79x10^-24 pc-acre = 1 US, pint, 4.55x10^-24 = 1 imperial pint)
And, oddly enough, that's suspiciously close to the conversion of gallons to liters (US and Imperial), once you get the orders of magnitude squared away. Anyway... I should probably head back to work and sort out where that liter-to-gallon number finds its way in there later.

Bigguy
07-09-2013, 09:50 AM
There are few things in life more terrifying than bored smart people.

orionz06
07-09-2013, 09:51 AM
There are few things in life more terrifying than bored smart people.

I think bored dumb people is a little worse.

ToddG
07-09-2013, 10:17 AM
Brought the car in for 30k service. Dealership gave me a 4cyl G25x as loaner.

Fred Flintstone could make his car go faster than this thing. I completely understand why they've already discontinued it.

LittleLebowski
07-09-2013, 10:39 AM
Brought the car in for 30k service. Dealership gave me a 4cyl G25x as loaner.

Fred Flintstone could make his car go faster than this thing. I completely understand why they've already discontinued it.

You'll be in my prayers.

justintime
07-09-2013, 11:42 AM
very similar to 2nd gen viper vs 3rd gen viper.


In short, the older STi was lighter weight, had shorter gears with tighter ratios, and a suspension that wasn't as sure-footed. The newer STI is a better track car, and on paper is a more capable machine.....but the characteristics and personality (which the newer one lacks completely) made for a frighteningly awesome experience; most of my family was actually scared to drive my car (05 STi), because it was so overwhelmingly sensational...with the exception of my mom who used to drive funny cars, so consider THAT context :) . Having driven both, the newer STI is outright mundane compared to the early STi......believe me, it pains me to say that. Sure, it's fast and controllable. But it's boring. There's plenty of fast and controllable cars since 2008.....it's nothing special.

The newer STI was a shift away from the rally fans to try and main-stream the car (to some degree). There's better cars for what the newer STI is trying to accomplish, at the same or less price: people didn't drive the STi because it was a superb track machine...and it never will be. BMW will always make a better track platform. Infiniti will always make a more affordable sports sedan for the bored middle aged man, and any number of cars are automatically a better 1/4 mile platform....so on and so on. People drove the STi because it was incredibly fun, unique, and was damn near a street legal version of an actual rally car.....the only more true version would be the Spec-C, which was only available in very limited numbers on the JDM. The older EVO and STi were completely in a class of their own, in this regards. If you wanted the more surgical experience, you bought an EVO. If you wanted to drive a machinated axe murderer, you bought the STi. Top Gear felt the same exact way, FWIW.

This made a lot of discussion on IWSTI.com back when the 08 came out, and a lot of us were extremely dispirited....and lots of people left what was an extremely tight community that got together all the time. Subaru Technica International was not made for foo-foo men and their lattes, and that's exactly what Subaru has started moving towards with it. The gears need to be shortened, the ratio's tightened, it needs to shed some weight and luxuries, and it needs to not be so damn sissified.

In short, it's a qualitative difference. A 4.8s 0-60 car might be just as fast as another 4.8s 0-60 car on paper, but it doesn't mean they're both going to be equally thrilling.

Tamara
07-09-2013, 12:12 PM
very similar to 2nd gen viper vs 3rd gen viper.

...or Z3 and Z4. The Z3 had the semi-trailing arm rear from the E30 with all its squat under hard acceleration and occasional tail-wagging; as a consequence it feels a lot faster than the robotic Z4 with its modern multilink setup.

TGS
07-09-2013, 12:29 PM
...or Z3 and Z4. The Z3 had the semi-trailing arm rear from the E30 with all its squat under hard acceleration and occasional tail-wagging; as a consequence it feels a lot faster than the robotic Z4 with its modern multilink setup.

I test drove a Z4 3.0is. I think the Z4 is the most beautiful car on the market, especially the rag top. The inside is perfect. I love its character and aesthetics.

Driving it was so unbelievably underwhelming. Electronic steering? Vomit. Couldn't feel anything from the road. If they had kept a mechanical steering rack, I think the car really would have had a shot at being one of BMWs all-time hits.

JAD
07-09-2013, 01:21 PM
I drove a Z4 for three years. I loved it. I may be ignorant.

ToddG
07-09-2013, 01:27 PM
I drove a Z4 for three years. I loved it. I may be ignorant.

Yeah, I've had people who've never owned or even spent much (if any) time behind the wheel of my car tell me it's wrong, too. My wife thinks the ride is too hard. Others tell me it's too soft. I happen to enjoy it. I got more pleasure, excitement, challenge, and thrill driving from Bob Evans in Marietta OH out to Ken Hackathorn's old range at Ft Harmar on those twisty, up and down, paved, gravel, and dirt roads than I did going around the track at Barber Motorsports in a Carrera S. At that was with my last one, almost 30hp less.

justintime
07-09-2013, 01:28 PM
...or Z3 and Z4. The Z3 had the semi-trailing arm rear from the E30 with all its squat under hard acceleration and occasional tail-wagging; as a consequence it feels a lot faster than the robotic Z4 with its modern multilink setup.



I actually wouldn't mind playing around with a z3. Put a ls1 up against the firewall ;)

Tamara
07-09-2013, 02:07 PM
I drove a Z4 for three years. I loved it. I may be ignorant.

The Z4 is an enjoyable car to drive and objectively superior to its predecessor in every measurable way.

When I had the chance to trade up, though, I didn't.

JAD
07-09-2013, 02:20 PM
The Z4 is an enjoyable car to drive and objectively superior to its predecessor in every measurable way.

When I had the chance to trade up, though, I didn't.

I am in a life position devoid of roadsters for at least 10 years. I has a massive sad.

Nik the Greek
07-09-2013, 02:58 PM
I drive a 2004 Toyota RAV4. Sprightly, stupidly reliable, lets me carry camping equipment, decent mileage, and enough clearance to let me handle some of the bumpy desert back roads out here. Not my first choice in transportation, but I coulda done a lot worse.

TGS
07-09-2013, 04:29 PM
I am in a life position devoid of roadsters for at least 10 years. I has a massive sad.

Then you had a mechanical steering. I was referring to the current generations of Z4, which have electric steering......hence my comment about Z4's with electric steering.

ETA: err, maybe it was only the M that had conventional hydraulic steering. Maybe all the standard Z4 models had electric steering...I can't remember.

TCinVA
07-09-2013, 05:51 PM
I drove a Z4 for three years. I loved it. I may be ignorant.

My experience in one is limited...but with the traction control off it's pretty tail happy. I'm by no means a skilled drifter, but on the track I didn't exit a single turn with the steering wheel turned the right way. I thought my passenger was going to throw up, but I had fun.

JAD
07-09-2013, 07:18 PM
I thought it was very fun to drive fast -- even with the tc on you could break the ass end loose without trying too hard, and you could always keep it in a line if you wanted to at healthy speeds. It was not the best car in winter. The robosteer was underwhelming, but chicks seemed to dig it any way.

Tamara
07-09-2013, 07:34 PM
\I think the Z4 is the most beautiful car on the market, especially the rag top. The inside is perfect.

(Incidentally, while the exterior has grown on me, I've never warmed up to the interior. I like the more retro cockpit arrangement in the Z3 better, but that's also purely subjective. In retrospect, a lot of my initial dislike of the Z4 was frothing Bangle-hate. ;) )

ToddG
07-09-2013, 07:35 PM
You'll be in my prayers.

My car is now back home, parked where it belongs, probably leaking fluid in protest to the 4cyl pretender that occupied the same spot for a few hours today.

LittleLebowski
07-09-2013, 07:45 PM
My car is now back home, parked where it belongs, probably leaking fluid in protest to the 4cyl pretender that occupied the same spot for a few hours today.

Just go buy a Raptor and be done with it.

TGS
07-09-2013, 08:17 PM
(Incidentally, while the exterior has grown on me, I've never warmed up to the interior. I like the more retro cockpit arrangement in the Z3 better, but that's also purely subjective. In retrospect, a lot of my initial dislike of the Z4 was frothing Bangle-hate. ;) )

I like the newer Z4 looks better than the old.

Actually, I like all of the newer looks as opposed to the original Bangle Motor Werke. Fortunately the designs have worked out, but yeah....if someone gave Chris Bangle some cement boots a decade ago, I wouldn't exactly have felt sad.

Honestly, I can see you in a Z3.....but I more pictured you as a Caterham kinda girl. Well, from what I know of your personality from the internet, that is.

But.....anyway......here's to hoping the Z2 comes to fruition, but as RWD. *squeeeeee* :D

JRB
07-13-2013, 03:59 PM
I'm delighted to see a love of the more 'raw' sports cars here. I am as much of a car nut as I am a gun nut, and somehow I make sure that my taste for cars is more destructive to my bank account than my taste for firearms.

I currently own a 1995 Toyota Supra SE hardtop that I've been in a meticulous process of converting to a full US-spec 2JZ-GTE twin turbo engine and its equally legendary Getrag V160 6-spd gearbox. This results in one heck of a nice combo because the '95 SE was the most gutted and option-free Supra available and almost all of them were hardtops as well, when most US market Supras got the 'sport roof' that most people call a targa top. The downside is all of the SE's came with the naturally aspirated engine instead of the twin turbo.

In the process of the conversion, it swirled into the predictably ugly mess of 'might as well do XYZ while I'm in there' and the car will be making around 650-700whp on pump premium + methanol by virtue of a small mountain of aftermarket parts that got involved. Unlike most Supra builds, though, my Supra is very focused on responsive power delivery combined with awesome stopping & turning as well, which the JZA80 Supra chassis is much more suited for that most people think with double-wishbone suspension all around along with an extremely rigid chassis thanks to its nature as a hardtop.

I've owned quite a variety of other Japanese sports cars of similar vintage over the years, but I could write a novel about those so I'll keep it simple here.

I 100% agree about how depressing it has been to see the STi turn into a fuzzy-mushy-boring as kitten Impreza after making such a glorious debut with the 04-07 models. Somewhere there's an '06 STi Limited with my name on it. But there's also an '06 or '07 Legacy GT Spec B and an Evo 9 SE with my names on them too - my friends joke that I could spend any Powerball fortune on cars alone, and happily so. That likely isn't far from the truth. Sure, there's an argument to be made about making a sports car more 'wife' friendly in tandem with appealing to more 'grown-up' tastes, but I'm going to avoid that kind of nonsense as long as I possibly can. 2nd gen Vipers, Porsche slandnose 930's & Porsche 964's, Ferrari F40's, etc are the sorts of cars I lust for. Sports cars and supercars that are so refined as to remove any wildness or character or immersion from the driving experience just put me to sleep. It's like getting the chance to shack up with the supermodel of my dreams so long as I wore a space suit.
I can't help but see 'DSG' and think of it as an abbreviation of 'Disgusting'. I've driven almost all of the flappy-shift gearboxes and sure, some are faster, but so much of the true driving experience is lost that I can't help but be repulsed by the idea of ever owning a sports car that didn't have three pedals.

I got a chance to enjoy an afternoon in a Z4M coupe with the proper three-kittenin'-pedal gearbox, and while I was impressed by the performance (the S54 is a fantastic engine) it is absolutely more refined and somehow less rewarding to drive spiritedly than the much-uglier Z3M coupe. I can't honestly say that I'd be drawn to a 'normal' Z3 or Z4. If I had to own another roadster and couldn't get the M variant of either Z model, I'd probably find myself in an S2000. I love engines that love to rev just a smidge more than I love engines that make beau-coup torque at the slightest throttle input.

The supreme irony in it all, is the same stalwart closed-minded affinity my Father and so many of his friends shared for Detroit (that's pronounced DEE-TROIT!) muscle of the '60's/'70's that I found so distasteful is something I'm all but guaranteed to duplicate in my own way as I continue to love so many of the sports cars of the 90's/00's.
I emphatically hate the paradigm shift that's trading away a manual transmission option and an excellent driving experience for random electronic farkles and dodads focused on comfort, isolation, insulation, and 'please save me from myself' nannies that do as much as possible to ensure that the driver never has to think about actually DRIVING.

I've read about new Infiniti models that plan to do away with steering linkages all together, and make the car steer-by-wire, as to make lane-departure-assist and other crazy 'let me help you drive' nannies that much more independent from what the driver is doing. Scary. Disgusting. Terrifying. Ugh.
Yes some advancements have been genuine improvements - a good ABS system is better than anything else. A similar argument might be able to be made for recent traction control systems. Otherwise I just want an engine to be a solid, reliable, lively thing and I want the car to depend on ME to drive the damn thing.

Anyone else feel the same, or am I just off the deep end on this?

Joe in PNG
07-13-2013, 04:20 PM
I'm still loving my ancient Toyota FJ 40 Landcruiser- the perfect vehicle for the nasty PNG roads. Mine is the late 70's two door body with the ambulance style rear and a 3 liter diesel/ 4 speed manual gearbox.

And yes, I'm partial to the simpler, older cars. I'd likely take a vintage 2002 or CSL over the current BMW offerings anyday.

TGS
07-13-2013, 05:18 PM
Anyone else feel the same, or am I just off the deep end on this?

Nope. I think we were separated at birth.

The guy I bought my UTEC from had crashed his STi....he was pushing 530whp with it. I can't imagine a Supra with 600+.

An Aquamist was the next step for my STi before I got rid of it. The summer heat just sucked the power out of that thing.....very noticeable from driving it in the winter. For any turbo/supercharger fans here, I very highly recommend you look into water/alcohol injection.

Sparks2112
07-14-2013, 06:32 AM
Nope. I think we were separated at birth.

The guy I bought my UTEC from had crashed his STi....he was pushing 530whp with it. I can't imagine a Supra with 600+.

An Aquamist was the next step for my STi before I got rid of it. The summer heat just sucked the power out of that thing.....very noticeable from driving it in the winter. For any turbo/supercharger fans here, I very highly recommend you look into water/alcohol injection.

My goal is a very modest 350-400 whp. I don't have the stones or the skill to drive 600+

A man's got to know his limitations right?

TGS
07-14-2013, 07:01 AM
My goal is a very modest 350-400 whp. I don't have the stones or the skill to drive 600+

A man's got to know his limitations right?

Absolutely.

After putting my STi at Stage 2 (about 340-350hp at the crank), my focus was on making it even more responsive and consistent, instead of peak gains. I even thought about taking it back down to stage 1 (just an engine remap) because the turbo lag on stage 2 (18.5psi of boost) was noticeable if you weren't on top of keeping it up. The best upgrade I made was buying wheels that were 5lbs lighter per corner, along with with Bridgestone Potenza RE01R tires. The handling was phenomenal. After going through that experience, keeping a separate set of winter wheels/tires and summer wheels/tires is something I'll try to achieve with future sports cars.....the difference over all-seasons is really awesome.

jon volk
07-14-2013, 12:47 PM
700 miles/week
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/07/15/e2yve6er.jpg

Then there's this thing which pretty much just leaks in my shop floor as of recent.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/07/15/8enabapu.jpg

jon volk
07-14-2013, 12:57 PM
Bonus shot: vanilla ice mode

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/07/15/anehejyg.jpg

xray 99
07-14-2013, 01:10 PM
1978 Ford F100 w/300ci inline six, 3 speed manual trans, no power steering, no a/c, or anything else really. I can actually climb in the engine comparment, put my feet on the ground and stand next to the motor while I work on it!! Works out great when it is raining, I can stay dry standing under the hood:D

I learned to drive in a Dodge Dart equipped with three on the tree.

Tamara
07-14-2013, 03:02 PM
I got a chance to enjoy an afternoon in a Z4M coupe with the proper three-kittenin'-pedal gearbox, and while I was impressed by the performance (the S54 is a fantastic engine) it is absolutely more refined and somehow less rewarding to drive spiritedly than the much-uglier Z3M coupe. I can't honestly say that I'd be drawn to a 'normal' Z3 or Z4. If I had to own another roadster and couldn't get the M variant of either Z model, I'd probably find myself in an S2000. I love engines that love to rev just a smidge more than I love engines that make beau-coup torque at the slightest throttle input.

I came pretty close to an S2000, but passed because the car was going to serve as a daily driver. No argument that the free-revving F20C is about as fun a motor as there is for playtime, but having to rev the piss out of it to get any juice at all would get tiring in day-to-day driving.

(It's akin to the problem I have with some of the newer ponycars and their exaggerated V-8 rumble. It sounds awesome on Main Street on Saturday night, but it feels a little dorky in the bank drive-thru on Monday morning. That, and the current generation of Camaro looks like it was drawn by a 13-y.o. boy in study hall. :eek: )

orionz06
07-14-2013, 05:51 PM
I came pretty close to an S2000, but passed because the car was going to serve as a daily driver. No argument that the free-revving F20C is about as fun a motor as there is for playtime, but having to rev the piss out of it to get any juice at all would get tiring in day-to-day driving.

(It's akin to the problem I have with some of the newer ponycars and their exaggerated V-8 rumble. It sounds awesome on Main Street on Saturday night, but it feels a little dorky in the bank drive-thru on Monday morning. That, and the current generation of Camaro looks like it was drawn by a 13-y.o. boy in study hall. :eek: )

Clutches, per the people I know that own them, are like clockwork at ~20k miles. This is between 5 cars and 3 owners. They are sweet cars though. A friends dad had 2 of them in highschool and they liked to share to I got to drive one quite a bit. As much as I like to make the torque joke the RPM range and rear drive makes up for a lot.

Tamara
07-14-2013, 06:36 PM
Clutches, per the people I know that own them, are like clockwork at ~20k miles. This is between 5 cars and 3 owners. They are sweet cars though. A friends dad had 2 of them in highschool and they liked to share to I got to drive one quite a bit. As much as I like to make the torque joke the RPM range and rear drive makes up for a lot.

It disturbs me that you were in high school when the S2000 came on the market. That was, like, fifteen minutes ago. :eek: (I was just reading a novel that I had started writing some time back, and I had one guy driving "one of those thunderously gauche angular new Cadillac 2-seaters" to give it a near-future feel, since the Evoq had just debuted at the Detroit Auto Show. I was amused to note that the XLR has now been out of production for four years. :o )

JAD
07-14-2013, 07:02 PM
It disturbs me that you were in high school when the S2000 came on the market.


GOMB. Exchange at the QT tonight that almost led to gunfire:
Clerk reading my shirt: "'Predators? Oh, Pretenders... That's a group. That's an old group, man!"

Jon
KC

ford.304
07-14-2013, 08:01 PM
The best upgrade I made was buying wheels that were 5lbs lighter per corner, along with with Bridgestone Potenza RE01R tires.

It is a truth of cars that new wheels and tires are the best performance for money you can buy, and also absolutely the dullest.

tremiles
07-14-2013, 09:49 PM
I think a common mistake when upgrading the handling of a vehicle is swapping in lowering springs. Typically the springs will have a higher spring rate to make up for a decrease in travel, but without a shock upgrade, ride quality goes in the kittener.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

TGS
07-14-2013, 10:21 PM
I think a common mistake when upgrading the handling of a vehicle is swapping in lowering springs. Typically the springs will have a higher spring rate to make up for a decrease in travel, but without a shock upgrade, ride quality goes in the kittener.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Not to mention that its all geometry working together. Lowering the car might lower the COG, but it could also screw up the suspension geometry, actually worsening the agility of the car...in addition to killing the ride, as you've noted.

Probably the worst "upgrade" anyone has ever put on an STi is a blow off valve for the turbo. No better way to wreck the engine, turbo and decrease performance than to put a BOV on an STi, which was suppose to have a bypass valve for a reason.

Blayglock
07-14-2013, 10:32 PM
Ford F-250 Superduty FX4

JDM
07-14-2013, 10:41 PM
A 2000 Toyota 4runner. SR5 4x4 5-speed, with rear differential lock.

I bought it with 50,xxx miles on it. :D

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/07/15/yhupu4as.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/07/15/9anajave.jpg

tremiles
07-15-2013, 12:02 AM
Not to mention that its all geometry working together. Lowering the car might lower the COG, but it could also screw up the suspension geometry, actually worsening the agility of the car...in addition to killing the ride, as you've noted.



You see a lot of that on the 4th gen GM F-body sites (Camaro/Firebird). Lowering spring users wondering where all their traction went when they don't lower the mounts for the rear control arms and/or use an adjustable torque arm to make up for the change in drive line geometry. I upgraded the shocks on mine for better control (the standard shocks were terrible right out of the factory) but still use OEM springs which are quite good. There's a SCCA multiple championship winning driver Sam Strano whose got F-body handling figured out pretty good active on several F-body forums and his emphasis on matching parts still goes in one ear and out the other for a lot of F-body owners.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

justintime
07-15-2013, 12:19 AM
Not to mention that its all geometry working together. Lowering the car might lower the COG, but it could also screw up the suspension geometry, actually worsening the agility of the car...in addition to killing the ride, as you've noted.

Probably the worst "upgrade" anyone has ever put on an STi is a blow off valve for the turbo. No better way to wreck the engine, turbo and decrease performance than to put a BOV on an STi, which was suppose to have a bypass valve for a reason.

Yea if you don't adjust for the messed up roll center, decreased travel, preloaded sway bars, messed up corner balance/alignment then the car wil definitely handle worse and the increase in a lower cog won't help enough to make up the difference.

If people can't afford to do it right then stock is always the better choice.

ford.304
07-15-2013, 06:21 AM
Yea if you don't adjust for the messed up roll center, decreased travel, preloaded sway bars, messed up corner balance/alignment then the car wil definitely handle worse and the increase in a lower cog won't help enough to make up the difference.

If people can't afford to do it right then stock is always the better choice.

Most frustrating part to me when I did it was how I couldn't find *anyone* on the forums that mentioned that when I was looking to upgrade my suspension. Everyone seemed to think the adjustable control arms (who needs correct camber, right?) and end links were "optional." Sure, your car will still *drive* without them, but... *sigh*

My planned $1500 suspension project was more than double that before I was actually done, and I could still really use to make some more camber up front for autox.

orionz06
07-15-2013, 06:40 AM
Not to mention that its all geometry working together. Lowering the car might lower the COG, but it could also screw up the suspension geometry, actually worsening the agility of the car...in addition to killing the ride, as you've noted.

Probably the worst "upgrade" anyone has ever put on an STi is a blow off valve for the turbo. No better way to wreck the engine, turbo and decrease performance than to put a BOV on an STi, which was suppose to have a bypass valve for a reason.

There was a group out there that spent some time developing springs for the mkIV VW Jetta/Golf cars and were using autocross, among other avenues, as testing. Their findings were that overall the best handling for an overwhelming majority of their testers was slightly slower than stock and it was not noticeable visually. This was quite interesting at the time but agrees 100% with what you said.

TGS
07-15-2013, 06:51 AM
There was a group out there that spent some time developing springs for the mkIV VW Jetta/Golf cars and were using autocross, among other avenues, as testing. Their findings were that overall the best handling for an overwhelming majority of their testers was slightly slower than stock and it was not noticeable visually. This was quite interesting at the time but agrees 100% with what you said.

Ha! Funny how that works out. Kinda makes me think about the 6 week SDM experiment/concept class the Army held back in.....2006? The rifle that the students performed best with at engaging targets was the standard M4. Go figure.

JM Campbell
07-15-2013, 07:02 AM
Ford F-250 Superduty FX4

Chain and pad lock the wheel to the driver side A pillar ohh-kitten handle...you drive the #1 stolen truck in the USA....trust me I know.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk 2

orionz06
07-15-2013, 07:04 AM
Ha! Funny how that works out. Kinda makes me think about the 6 week SDM experiment/concept class the Army held back in.....2006? The rifle that the students performed best with at engaging targets was the standard M4. Go figure.

It's almost like the automaker spent millions of dollars optimizing the vehicle based on what they wanted it to be and applied their years of experience making cars....


But no, the EBay coilovers are better because moar low means moar handlz.

Palmguy
07-15-2013, 07:38 AM
Two relatively boring FWD sedans (2008 Taurus, 2009 Fusion).

I miss my RWD V8s.

sammage
07-15-2013, 09:49 AM
Two relatively boring FWD sedans (2008 Taurus, 2009 Fusion).

I miss my RWD V8s.

I feel your pain.

Nowadays I drive an 03 Toyota 4Runner.

Previously, I drove some all wheel drive turbo cars (Dodge Stealth, Subaru WRX).

HCM
07-15-2013, 09:54 AM
Chain and pad lock the wheel to the driver side A pillar ohh-kitten handle...you drive the #1 stolen truck in the USA....trust me I know.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk 2

Especially those through 2007. The post 2007 models are a bit more secure.

justintime
07-15-2013, 12:26 PM
Most frustrating part to me when I did it was how I couldn't find *anyone* on the forums that mentioned that when I was looking to upgrade my suspension. Everyone seemed to think the adjustable control arms (who needs correct camber, right?) and end links were "optional." Sure, your car will still *drive* without them, but... *sigh*

My planned $1500 suspension project was more than double that before I was actually done, and I could still really use to make some more camber up front for autox.

yea thats why I typically don't go on auto forums anymore. It's teh lame

Tamara
07-15-2013, 12:38 PM
But no, the EBay coilovers are better because moar low means moar handlz.

d00d dont waste that $$$ just torch tha springs

ford.304
07-15-2013, 01:34 PM
yea thats why I typically don't go on auto forums anymore. It's teh lame

So what *is* a reputable source of auto knowledge for someone who is trying to teach himself to mod? I've read a few books (that were recommended on the same forums), and I talk to guys at the autoX events, but applying that knowledge, especially to a car that no one else drives, is tough. Mostly I just try to get better parsing the useful info from all of the junk posts at the most popular model specific forum I can find.

will_1400
07-15-2013, 01:52 PM
There was a group out there that spent some time developing springs for the mkIV VW Jetta/Golf cars and were using autocross, among other avenues, as testing. Their findings were that overall the best handling for an overwhelming majority of their testers was slightly slower than stock and it was not noticeable visually. This was quite interesting at the time but agrees 100% with what you said.

Didn't a Golf variant turn in some pretty impressive lap times at Le Mans a few years back? I seem to remember that little car pulling down times that were only 7-10 seconds slower than some of the Ferarris that showed up.

JAD
07-15-2013, 01:57 PM
So what *is* a reputable source of auto knowledge for someone who is trying to teach himself to mod? I've read a few books (that were recommended on the same forums), and I talk to guys at the autoX events, but applying that knowledge, especially to a car that no one else drives, is tough. Mostly I just try to get better parsing the useful info from all of the junk posts at the most popular model specific forum I can find.
Chilton's?

ford.304
07-15-2013, 02:15 PM
Chilton's?

Chilton's does a great job of telling you how to replace any part of your car. It doesn't do much good in telling you what to replace it *with* ;-)

Erik
07-15-2013, 02:30 PM
A good forum is still going to be the best source of information. You just have to use some common sense and spend the time to figure out who seems to know what they're talking about. Car for are not like gun fora, where people only post if they really know what they're talking about...

Odin Bravo One
07-15-2013, 03:48 PM
2012 Chevy Tahoe LTZ (Mini-Van)
2002 Toyota Tacoma
2003 Harley Fat Boy