Any gearheads on Deskthority?

[gkubed]

Hey all,

I didn't see a topic on cars or general automotive stuff, so I guess this is it! I just came back from a Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86 cruise down Skyline Drive, which was a complete blast. What do you guys drive? Anyone else an enthusiast? Like you needed a hobby more expensive than keyboards...

Spoiler:

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[seebart]

off-topic-f10/a-new-car-t13385.html?hilit=oldsmobile

[codemonkeymike]

My current car, which is the newest and fastest one I have ever owned is a Mazda 626 from 2002(or 03). Needless to say I am not a gear head.

[Chyros]

I like old cars, especially coupes and saloons. Both my cars, including my current one, were from '86.

[kbdfr]

[…] Like you needed a hobby more expensive than keyboards... […]

Taking it all, in my life I spent more on keyboards than on cars.
On the other hand, I never spent nearly as much on a single keyboard as on a single car.
And I never had more than one car at a time, while with keyboards…

[Wodan]

I like old cars, especially coupes and saloons. Both my cars, including my current one, were from '86.

Damnit I can't bear with these old cars. My first car was a 1988 Opel with a four gear manual transmission and a manual choke. First 10-15 minutes of driving this car in the cold season meant constant fiddling with the choke at any traffic light to keep it alive

[seebart]

Since I dont own a car anymore myself Im enjoying trying differnent models via car sharing like the electrical BMW i3.

[Khers]

Gear head? Is that the American version of a petrol head?

I would consider myself a petrol head, but you would not guess it from what I'm driving...

[7bit]

I think the term comes from Top Gear.


I considered to get a Subaru BRZ, but it only has a 4-cylinder engine and less space than my current car, which is an only 17 years young BMW 3 series compact. There exist faster cars but it is very reliable and fun to drive and does not come with nerves-killing electronics. Also, spare pars and repair costs are much cheaper than modern cars. There is simply less to break.

Since I dont own a car anymore myself Im enjoying trying differnent models via car sharing like the electrical BMW i3.

i3 is shit!


It has no reach (200 km) and has no speed (150km/h is insanley slow).

I whish BMW would bring the Isetta 2.0 with a motorbike engine or electric drive for the city:


7bit in his new Isetta.

[Lustique]

[…]
7bit in his new Isetta.

Too bad it's not an Iso Isetta, because then it would be a mid-engine car!

[andrewjoy]

I had a read of this article http://driving.ca/tesla/auto-news/news/ ... slas-truck regarding the tesla truck , quite interesting.

[gkubed]

off-topic-f10/a-new-car-t13385.html?hilit=oldsmobile

I saw this when I was searching, and while reviving it wouldn't be the worst thing ever (we've all seen topics much older than that see a resurrection), it seemed that the topic was relatively focused and had ran its course.

I like old cars, especially coupes and saloons. Both my cars, including my current one, were from '86.

I like old cars too, more so than new cars actually. What are you driving now? I have no idea what a typical '86 in the Netherlands would be.

My dad (America) still daily drives his '86 Plymouth Voyager. It's a slow minivan, but I love it in comparison to almost anything new. Everything is so spartan and simple.

I think the term comes from Top Gear.


I considered to get a Subaru BRZ, but it only has a 4-cylinder engine and less space than my current car, which is an only 17 years young BMW 3 series compact. There exist faster cars but it is very reliable and fun to drive and does not come with nerves-killing electronics. Also, spare pars and repair costs are much cheaper than modern cars. There is simply less to break.


I whish BMW would bring the Isetta 2.0 with a motorbike engine or electric drive for the city:

7bit in his new Isetta.

Ah, the E36! I still desire an E36 M3, but I'm afraid the existing low mileage cars are only going to appreciate in value. Is that actually your Isetta? I love that vehicle - only seen one in my life!

I had a read of this article http://driving.ca/tesla/auto-news/news/ ... slas-truck regarding the tesla truck , quite interesting.

Elon Musk is definitely an accomplished, exceptionally smart man, but it's known that you should always take what he says with a grain of salt. Though, I should mention that the article claims "The truck is, after all, about 15 times heavier and probably has at least three times the aerodynamic resistance", while Tesla claims that the truck is more aerodynamic than the Bugatti Chiron. This of course should be taken with a grain of salt, but that is to say I'm sure its aerodynamics are at least "good" at worst.

Speaking of Tesla, has anyone seen news of the new Tesla Roadster? 1.9s 0-60mph (~97 km/h), estimated 250mph+ top speed (~402 km/h), and a 620 mile range (just shy of 1,000 KM). As far as I know the top speed and range are unconfirmed, but there's plenty of videos circulating online of it hitting 60mph in <2 seconds, which is bonkers.

https://www.tesla.com/roadster/

[andrewjoy]

Not denying that Elon Musk has started an impressive company with tesla but you need to check everything he says. He has some stupid ideas, like the so called "hyperloop" and the insane idea for that earth to earth rocket.

The Roadster looks amazing tho. Top speed and range, Hmm yes but can prob not maintain that top speed or even high performance mode for long due to heating of the battery, and the range will be drive like your nan eco mode.

[7bit]

It is not my Isetta.

Also: Those electric cars, if not for city traffic, are too heavy, have too low kilometrage/mileage or are too slow.

My car has a reach of about 300km at speeds between 210-230 km/h, beat that with an electric car!
If I drive at lame duck speeds like they do when they measure the reach of electric cars, it is 750km, but my car is not build for those slow speeds. The advantage of electric cars is stop and go traffic. It is great for the city with speeds up to 50km/h. Above, the batteries are too heavy. It is all about the weight to energy ratio. And this will not improve much anymore.


I don't like Toyota's Prius, but technically this is much more reasonable than pure electric cars. And they are able to produce these today and not in the far future. But I start to throw with stones, sitting in a glass house -- I better go back to my key caps ...

[andrewjoy]

I like the idea of a hybrid. A small 1l like the ford ecoboost with a electric motor to assist. There are 2 problems, ether the car is super boring like the prius or super expensive like the P1 and they always fit them with a TINY petrol tank! WHY WHY WHY grrrr.

Think i am going to get a Ford Focus ST-3 next .

[webwit]

I finally got rid of my old Mazda Xedos 6 (loved that car). Got myself something boring but comfortable and reliable, a Toyota Auris Hybrid with automatic transmission and cruise control. You don't have to charge the battery, it charges itself from the brakes and engine heat. But it is pretty small, just for better mileage and extra kick when overtaking.

[gkubed]

Range has never been an important characteristic in my book. I've done a flex fuel conversion on my car so that I can run E85 fuel, which is cleaner (more corn-based) and every so slightly less expensive but nets me 30% worse mileage (but more power)!

Electric cars are cool, but the upfront cost is a little much for me. If I were really trying to save money on a car, I think I'd just get a fuel inefficient older car. After all, I'm pretty sure driving an old car that's not fuel efficient is still more environmentally friendly than buying a new environmentally friendly car every 3 years repeatedly contributing to the pollution produced by making new cars.

[andrewjoy]

After all, I'm pretty sure driving an old car that's not fuel efficient is still more environmentally friendly than buying a new environmentally friendly car every 3 years repeatedly contributing to the pollution produced by making new cars.

Thats what people forget, they buy a new electric card thinking they are saving the planet and go around all smug when they have put out more Co2 and nasty shit making the new car and batteries than there last car would have in 5 years.

Not to mention the people who want a new car every other year, and a super expensive tesla is basically like an iPhone to them.

[Chyros]

I like old cars, especially coupes and saloons. Both my cars, including my current one, were from '86.

I like old cars too, more so than new cars actually. What are you driving now? I have no idea what a typical '86 in the Netherlands would be.

It's an Audi B3. I don't think it's a typical car for the Netherlands, but once in a while you see one drive by. Before that it was a Merc W201. I think both were in essentially the last generation of nice-looking cars that manufacturer made xD .

[Compgeke]

Who needs hybrids and stuff for gas mileage when you can just daily a motorcycle. Here's my day-to-day ride, an '83 Kawasaki KZ550-F1 "Spectre" (aka it's got a fancy paint scheme, GPz engine and at one point the engine was painted gold). As far as price goes, not a lot of other vehicles can do highway speeds, pull 40+ MPG and be had for $1100 running and driving.

At the moment the mileage is pretty bad but once I get the carburetors sorted out, it'll jump back up towards the 50 range. Previous owner threw a 4-into-1 exhaust, pod filters and giant jets on it and those giant jets are hurting it bad.

[andrewjoy]

Thats all well and good and its a nice bike. But you can fall of them and it hurts or you know you could well die.

[Compgeke]

Hey man, at least I die having fun. I don't think anyone who dies in a beige base model Corolla is going to be having fun.

[andrewjoy]

Thats true, but who would buy a corolla ?

[Lustique]

Hey man, at least I die having fun. I don't think anyone who dies in a beige base model Corolla is going to be having fun.

I think the secret to that is to use it for tofu delivery.

[Compgeke]

Can we deliver tofu in a V6 foxbody mustang instead?

[Khers]

With regards to Tesla, I tried a Model X a while back. Take home message: it's not a place where I'd like to spend any time. The perceived quality is, quite frankly, shit (not only in its price range - most econoboxes have better made interiors) and having to interact with a touchscreen to do most things gets old quickly. The interior does look nice when new (how it'll hold up to the test of time is a different matter altogether, but the car was probably never built to last anyway), however, and the car opening its doors for you while you approach it was neat.

Adding insult to injury, I think it looks like balls. Aerodynamic balls? Maybe. Still balls, though.

[andrewjoy]

With regards to Tesla, I tried a Model X a while back. Take home message: it's not a place where I'd like to spend any time. The perceived quality is, quite frankly, shit (not only in its price range - most econoboxes have better made interiors) and having to interact with a touchscreen to do most things gets old quickly. The interior does look nice when new (how it'll hold up to the test of time is a different matter altogether, but the car was probably never built to last anyway), however, and the car opening its doors for you while you approach it was neat.

Adding insult to injury, I think it looks like balls. Aerodynamic balls? Maybe. Still balls, though.

But it comes in space grey to match your overpriced iPhone

[Khers]

With regards to Tesla, I tried a Model X a while back. Take home message: it's not a place where I'd like to spend any time. The perceived quality is, quite frankly, shit (not only in its price range - most econoboxes have better made interiors) and having to interact with a touchscreen to do most things gets old quickly. The interior does look nice when new (how it'll hold up to the test of time is a different matter altogether, but the car was probably never built to last anyway), however, and the car opening its doors for you while you approach it was neat.

Adding insult to injury, I think it looks like balls. Aerodynamic balls? Maybe. Still balls, though.

But it comes in space grey to match your overpriced iPhone

DOES IT!? I NEED ONE! NOW!

[gkubed]

]It's an Audi B3. I don't think it's a typical car for the Netherlands, but once in a while you see one drive by. Before that it was a Merc W201. I think both were in essentially the last generation of nice-looking cars that manufacturer made xD .

Oh, I actually quite like that! You only very rarely see Audis from that era in the United States. The W201 was truly ahead of its time...Mercedes Benz definitely did have some blunder years in the 90's and 2000's...thankfully I think they're making their way out.

With regards to Tesla, I tried a Model X a while back. Take home message: it's not a place where I'd like to spend any time. The perceived quality is, quite frankly, shit (not only in its price range - most econoboxes have better made interiors) and having to interact with a touchscreen to do most things gets old quickly. The interior does look nice when new (how it'll hold up to the test of time is a different matter altogether, but the car was probably never built to last anyway), however, and the car opening its doors for you while you approach it was neat.

Adding insult to injury, I think it looks like balls. Aerodynamic balls? Maybe. Still balls, though.

This is the same report I've heard a few times now. From what I can tell, I agree completely. The performance in a line is nice (for the top models...) and the efficiency is nice, but that's where the pros run out.

Besides coming in space grey, of course.

[Polecat]

Newest of my eight old clunkers. (1966)