The New Car Fanatic Thread

[Ths71 472]

Of course- Miata is always the answer. But I hate my money and enjoy being inconvenienced, so I would go with the BMW.

I fell in love with British sports cars when I was a kid and my Dad’s friend would take me out in his TR3. I actually owned a Spitfire and a TR3A for a while so I know what it takes to keep them up.

When I decided to get something just for fun I found a 2005 Mazdaspeed MX5. RWD, 6 speed manual and factory turbo.

Reliable and still fun 8 years later.



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[pepper brooks 580]

sad deal.  an acquaintance of mine was murdered over a car this past weekend, at least that is how it appears.  I only knew him casually.  We had some of the same friends.  My wife is an attorney, and is often on the defense side of his cases.  We shared a love of cars, and the few of times I saw him at parties we had the car connection.  Of course, his car collection is amongst the most incredible in the entire US.  he has something like 20 Ferrari's.  Hard to imagine he's gone.  He was seriously one of the nicest an humble people I have ever met.  Just senseless. some great pics and videos of his collection can be found easily. RIP, Randy.  

 

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-killing-of-prominent-edwardsville-lawyer/article_0f847d4d-b586-50bd-9119-47c25eef98ec.html

Edited January 7, 2020 by pepper brooks

[pepper brooks 580]

On 1/4/2020 at 9:19 PM, Assman said:

I'm looking to spend $7000 cash on a car with a manual trans to keep up in Little Rock to drive when I'm there 3-4 days a month.  I'd love to have something German but I can be talked out of that.  I'm thinking about a cheap GTI, maybe a E46/E90 3-series, or a mid-2000s A4.  Only requirements are manual trans, good mpg, reliable, and fun to drive.  I know, you're going to tell me reliability and German don't fit in the same sentence, but they can't all be pieces of shit, right?  What would you buy in my situation?

you can get a good reliable 3 series for that.  great cars.  it's the new ones that are a joke.  

[G650 14254]

6 minutes ago, pepper brooks said:

sad deal.  an acquaintance of mine was murdered over a car this past weekend, at least that is how it appears.  I only knew him casually.  We had some of the same friends.  My wife is an attorney, and is often on the defense side of his cases.  We shared a love of cars, and the few of times I saw him at parties we had the car connection.  Of course, his car collection is amongst the most incredible in the entire US.  he has something like 70 Ferrari's.  Hard to imagine he's gone.  He was seriously one of the nicest an humble people I have ever met.  Just senseless. some great pics and videos of his collection can be found easily. RIP, Randy.  

 

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-killing-of-prominent-edwardsville-lawyer/article_0f847d4d-b586-50bd-9119-47c25eef98ec.html

Goddamn man, very sorry to hear.

[fattyflattie 4639]

Jesus.  Sounds like the kids made it out unharmed (aside from mental trauma, surely).   And that he was an outstanding individual. Senseless.

Edited January 7, 2020 by fattyflattie

[Bozo_Casanova 26450]

1 hour ago, pepper brooks said:

sad deal.  an acquaintance of mine was murdered over a car this past weekend, at least that is how it appears.  I only knew him casually.  We had some of the same friends.  My wife is an attorney, and is often on the defense side of his cases.  We shared a love of cars, and the few of times I saw him at parties we had the car connection.  Of course, his car collection is amongst the most incredible in the entire US.  he has something like 20 Ferrari's.  Hard to imagine he's gone.  He was seriously one of the nicest an humble people I have ever met.  Just senseless. some great pics and videos of his collection can be found easily. RIP, Randy.  

 

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-killing-of-prominent-edwardsville-lawyer/article_0f847d4d-b586-50bd-9119-47c25eef98ec.html

wow that's horrible. 

[Ths71 472]

sad deal.  an acquaintance of mine was murdered over a car this past weekend, at least that is how it appears.  I only knew him casually.  We had some of the same friends.  My wife is an attorney, and is often on the defense side of his cases.  We shared a love of cars, and the few of times I saw him at parties we had the car connection.  Of course, his car collection is amongst the most incredible in the entire US.  he has something like 20 Ferrari's.  Hard to imagine he's gone.  He was seriously one of the nicest an humble people I have ever met.  Just senseless. some great pics and videos of his collection can be found easily. RIP, Randy.  
 
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-killing-of-prominent-edwardsville-lawyer/article_0f847d4d-b586-50bd-9119-47c25eef98ec.html

Damn that sucks.
One of my High School buddies was a musician and worked part time at a car lot. This happened to him over a used BMW:
On Dec. 6 Smith and Ables left a local car lot in a black 2001 BMW. Following him in his mother’s Ford Taurus was Charlotte Nioche Davis, 18. In the back seat of the Taurus were her 12-year-old brother and Smith’s 2-year-old sister.
“He had him traveling around under the guise he was going to show the car to somebody,” Haltom said of Smith’s actions shortly before he shot Ables in rural Arkansas. “He shot him in the head and then kicked him into a ditch. He was still moving around, so he shot him two more times.”
Davis told police Smith motioned the 12-year-old to join him before Ables was shot, according to court documents.
After shooting him once in the head, Smith kicked Ables’ body into a deep ditch and lost his shoe in the process, Haltom said.
Smith sent the 12-year-old down the slope to recover his shoe. When Ables began to move slightly, Haltom says Smith shot him two more times.
According to witnesses who told police Smith had confided in them about the killing, Smith told them Ables had told him he could take the car and that he didn’t have to shoot him with the chrome colored .357 magnum he carried.
“It’s a Beamer,” was the response Smith told others he gave to Ables seconds before ending the man’s life.


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[Pato del Muerto 52490]

1 hour ago, fattyflattie said:

Jesus.  Sounds like the kids made it out unharmed (aside from mental trauma, surely).   And that he was an outstanding individual. Senseless.

This is how you get batman. 

[elfenix 34236]

New Sonata has some pretty cool lights. Really good looking car. Looks less Korean than the new Silverado.

[TwiceHorn 31456]

1 hour ago, elfenix said:

New Sonata has some pretty cool lights. Really good looking car. Looks less Korean than the new Silverado.

Had to go look.  Appears they borrowed fairly heavily from the Genesii for that design.  Nice looking, but "up to 191hp" criiiiingeeee.

[elfenix 34236]

^^ and still probably faster than a mustang GT when i went to high school

 

 

edit: just read pepper's story wtf

Edited January 9, 2020 by elfenix

[TwiceHorn 31456]

11 hours ago, elfenix said:

^^ and still probably faster than a mustang GT when i went to high school

 

 

edit: just read pepper's story wtf

Isn't that something?  My first car was a 1969 Delta 88 with a 2bbl carb.  Made 315hp (pre SAE).  The 4bbl made 375. That thing would smoke late 70s early 80s Z28s and 80s TransAms (post '79 6.6L) in the typical high school 1/8th mile (or less) city block drag and that at 15 years of age with narrow bias-ply tires.

My next car was an 83 307ci Olds Cutlass Calais that was choked all to shit with emissions and a tall rear end.  I think it made like 140 hp.  I think a stock Z28 in the 80s made 200 on a good day and about the same with T/A.  Same with the 5.0 Mustang (kind of funny how the five liter V8 became the performance engine of choice across mfrs).  They did start to heat up in the late 80s.

Since then, though, my feeblest car was an Acura TSX 2.4L that made 200hp (but a flaccid 166ftlbs).  Still a fun car because 6M.

As a mechanical engineer, it's all because of those danged eeeeelectronics.  But I actually really enjoyed the measurement and instrumentation class despite having little or no academic interest in electronics or EE.

[G650 14254]

The good thing was, that if you uncorked mid 70's motors, they were fire breathers. The 400 Ford is still probably the best bang for the buck mill ever. Had an awful rep initially from all the emissions shit, but some mild tickling, re-timing, you get a 400 HP motor for pennies.

[TwiceHorn 31456]

6 minutes ago, G650 said:

The good thing was, that if you uncorked mid 70's motors, they were fire breathers. The 400 Ford is still probably the best bang for the buck mill ever. Had an awful rep initially from all the emissions shit, but some mild tickling, re-timing, you get a 400 HP motor for pennies.

Yeah, Detroit didn't get proactive about emissions and mileage and start coming up with solutions where engines could live with the restrictions until fairly recently.  They just did dumb shit like de-stroke them and slap 2.xx rear ends on them.

The engines themselves weren't bad at all.  And I guess it was electronic engine control that really permitted an engine to flourish with emission controls while delivering decent mileage.  They're still doing dumb shit with gearing to keep mileage up though.  And run-flat tires with no spare, etc.

[Okie State 3818]

My brother's 87 Iroc-Z made 205 HP. Still felt fast as shit to me at the time. Well, until I rode in my friend's 5.0 that had a fully built motor in it. Still amazed we didn't die in that thing.

[52-80 19151]

2 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Isn't that something?  My first car was a 1969 Delta 88 with a 2bbl carb.  Made 315hp (pre SAE).  The 4bbl made 375. That thing would smoke late 70s early 80s Z28s and 80s TransAms (post '79 6.6L) in the typical high school 1/8th mile (or less) city block drag and that at 15 years of age with narrow bias-ply tires.

My next car was an 83 307ci Olds Cutlass Calais that was choked all to shit with emissions and a tall rear end.  I think it made like 140 hp.  I think a stock Z28 in the 80s made 200 on a good day and about the same with T/A.  Same with the 5.0 Mustang (kind of funny how the five liter V8 became the performance engine of choice across mfrs).  They did start to heat up in the late 80s.

Since then, though, my feeblest car was an Acura TSX 2.4L that made 200hp (but a flaccid 166ftlbs).  Still a fun car because 6M.

As a mechanical engineer, it's all because of those danged eeeeelectronics.  But I actually really enjoyed the measurement and instrumentation class despite having little or no academic interest in electronics or EE.

I took you for a lawyer.  The smart kind.  Not the ones who majored in Humanities

[G650 14254]

23 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

And I guess it was electronic engine control that really permitted an engine to flourish with emission controls while delivering decent mileage. 

I'd say yes and no. Long term, for sure. But they really took a step back initially imo. The old carbureted 302's were getting as good or better power to mileage as anything made up until not super long ago. The past ten years has basically been a quantum leap though.

[tbone_ 14118]

My wife’s 2015 es350 would run circles around my 68 400 Firebird.

[Pato del Muerto 52490]

One of these years I’m going to have the cash to pull the 351 out of my bronco and get it working like god intended. 200hp is shameful. 

[TwiceHorn 31456]

1 hour ago, tbone_ said:

My wife’s 2015 es350 would run circles around my 68 400 Firebird.

The key word there I hope is "circles."  Otherwise that 400 needs some work, friendo.  Cool car, very cool.

Edited January 9, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[tbone_ 14118]

Not really. Runs fantastic. That es had 268 hp and was fast as shit. For what it was.

The firebird theoretically has 335hp but it’s bark is way worse than its bite.

[G650 14254]

My 95 F350 with a 460 in it is the fastest thing on the planet 0-35.

[Chad Fuck 17673]

sad deal.  an acquaintance of mine was murdered over a car this past weekend, at least that is how it appears.  I only knew him casually.  We had some of the same friends.  My wife is an attorney, and is often on the defense side of his cases.  We shared a love of cars, and the few of times I saw him at parties we had the car connection.  Of course, his car collection is amongst the most incredible in the entire US.  he has something like 20 Ferrari's.  Hard to imagine he's gone.  He was seriously one of the nicest an humble people I have ever met.  Just senseless. some great pics and videos of his collection can be found easily. RIP, Randy.  
 
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-killing-of-prominent-edwardsville-lawyer/article_0f847d4d-b586-50bd-9119-47c25eef98ec.html

I knew him as well. Great guy. Terrible loss.

[Sandman 3403]

A Mustang Mach-E was spotted at a Burger King in California.

https://imgur.com/gallery/JwYCnPF

 

[HOOKEM4 5036]

Do not want.

[52-80 19151]

It's nice.  As nice as can be for something of that shape.  The rear arches are a nice element

[Loco 3752]

On 1/9/2020 at 1:15 PM, Pato del Muerto said:

One of these years I’m going to have the cash to pull the 351 out of my bronco and get it working like god intended. 200hp is shameful. 

I hear ya, but I'd give serious consideration to a modern motor/trans swamp.  I know I know...vins matching...blah blah blah

[G650 14254]

Nah. I'm actually going to downgrade my F350 from a FI 460 to carb and strap a 6-71 on it.

[TwiceHorn 31456]

Got the ATS today.  Thing is a little slot rocket.  Makes the CTS feel like a luxobarge.  The TSX too.

 

[tx 3 putt 76928]

recently bought a new truck and looking to add a radar detector, talk about a bottomless hole on the internet. 

what are you currently using ? do you like it ?

 

I had a passport in the past and liked it. I was considering a valentine but they don't seem to be currently producing anything, new model on the way ?

[Bozo_Casanova 26450]

I'd say yes and no. Long term, for sure. But they really took a step back initially imo. The old carbureted 302's were getting as good or better power to mileage as anything made up until not super long ago. The past ten years has basically been a quantum leap though.

Exactly- My 1967 Mustang had about 280 Hp and 312 lbs of torque while getting nearly 22 MPG on the highway running a well tuned 289 with a 4BL Autolite 4200

[TwiceHorn 31456]

On 1/9/2020 at 1:30 PM, tbone_ said:

Not really. Runs fantastic. That es had 268 hp and was fast as shit. For what it was.

The firebird theoretically has 335hp but it’s bark is way worse than its bite.

Stock engine, 50 years old?  Or has it been worked over pretty good?

[Bozo_Casanova 26450]

I'd say yes and no. Long term, for sure. But they really took a step back initially imo. The old carbureted 302's were getting as good or better power to mileage as anything made up until not super long ago. The past ten years has basically been a quantum leap though.

Exactly- My 1967 Mustang had about 280 Hp and 312 lbs of torque while getting nearly 22 MPG on the highway running a well tuned 289 with a 4BL Autolite 4200

[TwiceHorn 31456]

8 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Exactly- My 1967 Mustang had about 280 Hp and 312 lbs of torque while getting nearly 22 MPG on the highway running a well tuned 289 with a 4BL Autolite 4200

My point was post-emission controls.  Once the catalytic converters choked out the exhaust, and then add in EGR and PCV and other nonsense and carbs weren't up to the job anymore. 

Slap that shit on your Stang, as happened a few years later, it's a lead sled.

If you can avoid emission controls, you can avoid eeeeeelectronics almost entirely.  Yay.

Being an ME, that fact pleases me.  Also, some of the newfangled shit, like variable valve timing, is mechanically ingenious.

Edited January 12, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[tbone_ 14118]

Stock engine, 50 years old?  Or has it been worked over pretty good?

Rebuilt sometime before I bought it. No idea on rebuild specs. NOM. 67 Pontiac 400 block per engine code stamp. Haven’t had to touch it yet. Runs like a top.

[Prepuce of Doom 21071]

6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

recently bought a new truck and looking to add a radar detector, talk about a bottomless hole on the internet. 

what are you currently using ? do you like it ?

 

I had a passport in the past and liked it. I was considering a valentine but they don't seem to be currently producing anything, new model on the way ?

Ha. Bottomless hole, indeed. I'm going to be in your shoes again within the next couple of years when I add my next car to the stable, and I'm dreading having to sort it all out myself. 

I've been running a V1 for the past ~12 years. Updated it once a few years ago. I run lots of other countermeasures too, but I rely on it every time I'm on the highway. I love it, but to get the most out of it (in my opinion) it's noisy as shit. If you will have fussy, irritable, or easily annoyed passengers in your car, you probably want the Escort. I happen to have a wife that doesn't mind the electronic symphony or my driving. 

I pretty much quit paying close attention to the whole scene back when I got my current fast car set up. But based on my admittedly out of date perspective, the difference between a V1 and an Escort is the same as the difference between an Android and an iPhone - go with whichever style suits you, and you'll be generally satisfied with either one. Don't limit your options to just those two though - I definitely know that there are some new and worthwhile players in the game since I last cared. 

There's a lot of really gossipy, shitty, and shady elements to the online countermeasures community, but this guy knows his shit and is trustworthy (or at least he used to be):

https://www.vortexradar.com/

Edited January 12, 2020 by Prepuce of Doom

[UnivTex34 1763]

Ha. Bottomless hole, indeed. I'm going to be in your shoes again within the next couple of years when I add my next car to the stable, and I'm dreading having to sort it all out myself. 
I've been running a V1 for the past ~12 years. Updated it once a few years ago. I run lots of other countermeasures too, but I rely on it every time I'm on the highway. I love it, but to get the most out of it (in my opinion) it's noisy as shit. If you will have fussy, irritable, or easily annoyed passengers in your car, you probably want the Escort. I happen to have a wife that doesn't mind the electronic symphony or my driving. 
I pretty much quit paying close attention to the whole scene back when I got my current fast car set up. But based on my admittedly out of date perspective, the difference between a V1 and an Escort is the same as the difference between an Android and an iPhone - go with whichever style suits you, and you'll be generally satisfied with either one. Don't limit your options to just those two though - I definitely know that there are some new and worthwhile players in the game since I last cared. 
There's a lot of really gossipy, shitty, and shady elements to the online countermeasures community, but this guy knows his shit and is trustworthy (or at least he used to be):
https://www.vortexradar.com/

Just sent my V1 in for an update. Echo all of the above. Still swear my V1 is better than my buddies Escort tho...

[tx 3 putt 76928]

V1's have been out of stock since March 2019

[Armybrat 40834]

Muscle cars be cool, but my new rice rocket 2019 Civic EX Coupe is quite a hot rod with its tiny 1.5 liter turbocharged 4 banger. And the little thing just got 42.7 mpg on a round trip to San Antonio. It also gets 33 - 34 mpg in town.

R&T says these things do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, which beats the shit out of most any Corvette up until the late 1980s. I believe it, even though I have yet to take it out of economy mode. Of course it seems like that compared to my first car, a 1960 MGA Roadster that could be timed with a sun dial.

[tbone_ 14118]

I have yet to take it out of economy mode.

That’s awesome.

[Liteitup 138]

I recently switched from a valentine to a Uniden R7. Much, much quieter and seems to have good range.

[TwiceHorn 31456]

This may belong on the vintage car thread, but since many of us are reminiscing about 60s, 70s, and 80s muscle, I found this history of T/A engines interesting.

I forgot the other main culprit of the emission control era:  lower octane unleaded fuel and lower compression ratios.

https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/pontiac-trans-am-turbo/

To my amazement, the maligned 5 liter turbo T/A had considerably stronger output than even the W72 ("T/A 6.6") 1979 T/A, which was pretty much the Grail back in the day.  It was, however, ultimately slower.

Edited January 13, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Thatguy 8690]

On 1/11/2020 at 7:07 PM, TwiceHorn said:

My point was post-emission controls.  Once the catalytic converters choked out the exhaust, and then add in EGR and PCV and other nonsense and carbs weren't up to the job anymore. 

Slap that shit on your Stang, as happened a few years later, it's a lead sled.

If you can avoid emission controls, you can avoid eeeeeelectronics almost entirely.  Yay.

Being an ME, that fact pleases me.  Also, some of the newfangled shit, like variable valve timing, is mechanically ingenious.

Correct. For example, the 2018 and up stock Ford Mustang can sneak in the 11 second range with good driving and about 20 psi in the tires. Variable valve timing is an amazing invention.

[G650 14254]

Variable valve timing is great until it asplodes.

[Liteitup 138]

Fuel injection and being able to tune the whole rpm band was the big step. IMHO. And tire technology, doesn't matter if you make a million HP if it all goes up in smoke.

[Anastasis 23469]

On 1/11/2020 at 7:03 PM, Bozo_Casanova said:

Exactly- My 1967 Mustang had about 280 Hp and 312 lbs of torque while getting nearly 22 MPG on the highway running a well tuned 289 with a 4BL Autolite 4200

 

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3868]

On 1/9/2020 at 1:00 PM, tbone_ said:

My wife’s 2015 es350 would run circles around my 68 400 Firebird.

People never believe me when I tell them my wife's Volvo S-60R is faster than the Risky Business Porsche of our youth.

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3868]

On 1/12/2020 at 1:51 AM, Prepuce of Doom said:

Ha. Bottomless hole, indeed. I'm going to be in your shoes again within the next couple of years when I add my next car to the stable, and I'm dreading having to sort it all out myself. 

I've been running a V1 for the past ~12 years. Updated it once a few years ago. I run lots of other countermeasures too, but I rely on it every time I'm on the highway. I love it, but to get the most out of it (in my opinion) it's noisy as shit. If you will have fussy, irritable, or easily annoyed passengers in your car, you probably want the Escort. I happen to have a wife that doesn't mind the electronic symphony or my driving. 

I pretty much quit paying close attention to the whole scene back when I got my current fast car set up. But based on my admittedly out of date perspective, the difference between a V1 and an Escort is the same as the difference between an Android and an iPhone - go with whichever style suits you, and you'll be generally satisfied with either one. Don't limit your options to just those two though - I definitely know that there are some new and worthwhile players in the game since I last cared. 

There's a lot of really gossipy, shitty, and shady elements to the online countermeasures community, but this guy knows his shit and is trustworthy (or at least he used to be):

https://www.vortexradar.com/

Plus use Waze.

[G650 14254]

38 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

 

Shit, I guarantee it did. 302 F150's got 20mpg all day long.

[Anastasis 23469]

2 hours ago, G650 said:

Shit, I guarantee it did. 302 F150's got 20mpg all day long.

I don't think that I ever saw 20mpg a single day of my life in a 2V 289.  I was lucky if I broke 12mpg in my 4V 289 but that little thing was juiced to run, and my foot was heavy.  

 

ETA: My 2V289 was also turning A/C and a PS pump fwiw. 

Edited January 13, 2020 by Anastasis