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Automotive Discussion Thread | OT2 | Zero to pointless fighting faster than a GT86

ascii42

Member
Well it's loosing out on the cubic inch front 302 to 376 so no surprises there plus convertible mustang are heaviest of the lot by a margin,

DOHC vs OHV so it's not that simple, but yes, not surprising particularly taking the fact that the Mustang was a convertible into consideration.
 
Went to the Atlanta Auto Show today. Drove the Buick Cascada, Chevy Colorado Diesel and Camaro SS, Ford Escape and Mustang GT Convertible, Kia K900, Jeep Renegade, and Honda Civic. I felt like the Camaro was noticeably quicker than the Mustang, and looking up numbers that seems to be the case.
Hey, I was there a couple of days ago. :D Yeah, the Camaro astounded me with how quick it was.Visibility wasn't as terrible as I thought it was gonna be.it's a comfortable car to spend time in as well.
Great muscle car that looks amazing too.
However, out of the commuter cars, I really liked the Renegade surprisingly.
It's a nice little small SUV with great looks and a pretty decent driving dynamics. The transmission gets in the way big time though. Shame.

What'd you think of the Colorado?
 

ascii42

Member
Hey, I was there a couple of days ago. :D Yeah, the Camaro astounded me with how quick it was.Visibility wasn't as terrible as I thought it was gonna be.it's a comfortable car to spend time in as well.
Great muscle car that looks amazing too.
However, out of the commuter cars, I really liked the Renegade surprisingly.
It's a nice little small SUV with great looks and a pretty decent driving dynamics. The transmission gets in the way big time though. Shame.

What'd you think of the Colorado?

Yeah, the Camaro's great fun. I think it'd be easier to live with than I initially expected, and I love the V8, but I'm not disappointed I decided to go for a more luxurious and practical car on that platform.

Regarding the Renegade, yeah, 9 gears is a lot. Probably would be a fun little thing with the manual transmission.

I liked the Colorado and I like the diesel option, but it's only available with the crew cab, at least for now. I'd prefer an extended cab so I can get the long box without the truck getting too big. Probably won't be in the market for one anyway. Since I've got the ATS as my daily driver, odds are if I buy a truck, it'll be something cheap and basic, since I'll only need it for trucking duties. I kind of prefer the size of the '90s compact pickups anyway.

And yeah, I agree with what you said about the Civic. Seems like a good car.
 

matmanx1

Member
And that's just the pedestrian "crappy" version of their new turbo engines with a shitty CVT. I cannot wait to see what the manual SI hatchback will be like... or the Coupe Type R oh my.

I would be so mad if I had bought a previous gen Civic SI just to be bitchslapped by one of these 1.5L new gen Civics... NA Honda was really lacking vision for quite a few years.

I feel like Honda, Toyota and Nissan all rely on volume selling of their most pedestrian models which don't necessarily need the best horsepower numbers or acceleration times and were therefore slow about switching over to turbocharging. Honda's jumped in and is having a few teething problems (as seen with the Civic recalls and whatnot) but I think they will get it ironed out shortly.

Still, the new turbo Si and Type R are definitely going to spank the older NA ones in terms of raw performance. And yeah, even the EX-L turbo will probably be quicker than a last gen Si and will probably be an overall nicer car. The Civic line seems like it is in a much nicer place overall than it was last gen.
 

AlphaSnake

...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Congrats! Saw the new XF for the first time yesterday and all I said was wow this looks so much better than the german competition. I'm curious about the interior though, how does it hold up quality wise compared to the Germans?

Interior is beautiful. It's high quality, rattle free. Screen resolution is fantastic, screen response is great. It's nicer than pretty much every car in the class (Audi A6, 5-Series, GS350, Acura RL, even my own M56/Q70, etc). It is a virtual tie with the new E-Class interior though. Both cars offer the option to have dual screen consoles (12.3 inch digital dash TFT display + 11 inch upgraded center console display). The E-Class, of course, offers the S-Class treatment with its own optional double display of 12 inch panels that flow from one to the other.

I'm in the minority that doesn't like the conjoined double-screen look in the S-Class, and now the E-Class. It just looks extremely slabby and lacks any aesthetic presence - it's pure tech showmanship and that bores me. Two giant screens, flat and lifeless console. I like gauges. If I had to pick between the two double-screen interiors, I'd go for the Jaguar's because they're not conjoined and the interior has a beautiful simplicity to it, with the XJ's signature hull surrounding you, but now in an XF.

Fortunately, you can opt to skip the extra screen and have an E-Class with gauges. As now Mercedes is moving towards having screens recessed at the top, as opposed to sticking out like on the (still) beautiful C-Class interiors. I love the current Merc interiors, so I can't put one over the other in that regard.


Will need pictures and deatils, ASAP!

Yeah, of course. My car comes with the standard 18s, unfortunately. So I think wheels are going to be in the near future for this car.
 

Chiester

Member
I wish there was an organized C&C here on Long Island. Best I can get is a local sunday morning spot that's out on the Ocean parkway and doesn't seem to have any consistency and is usually just old muscle cars...yawn.
Yeah, I'm glad ours is really starting to pick up it. It died down for a month or two when we changed locations, but its been getting bigger and bigger.

Wait, you purchased a BNR32? If so congrats my man!
It's an HCR32, Don't think i'm ready quite yet for the costs of a GT-R. Hopefully prices of the GT-Rs don't rise that much in the next 2 years so I can buy one as a college graduation gift to myself lol.

That Kill La Kill car is hilarious. Also, please post pictures and info/impressions on your Skyline. Please and thank you.
Posted about it awhile back. Don't really have that many new pics of it suprisingly considering I always take pics of my cars lol.
Car is pretty modified so I can't say how a stock one acts. But on the highways its smooth as butter, at least compared to all the other sporty cars I've DD'd (AE86 & NB Miata) It's amazing how you can go fast and feel comfortable while doing it. I have yet to absolutely go all out and beat on it though. Too afraid I'm gonna break it lol. You do get a lot of stares and attention, and to my surprise I haven't had anyone try to race me yet. I get more people complimenting me/striking a convo than I do in my TA22 Celica.

I've gone through 3 different drive-thrus in it. Starbucks, Panda express, and Chick-fil-a. Chick-fil-a has been the only place so far that has actually gotten mad at me for reversing through. Which is understandable, but it's so much easier reversing through than having to take off your seat belt and stretching over. Overall I love the car and RHD isn't as bad as everyone seems to think(at least in San Antonio) However, turning left at an intersection is somewhat difficult when someone is on the other end trying to turn left as well. You got to stretch all the way over to see if it's safe for you to turn.

Also Cars and Coffee Austin was great. Took like 90 pictures which you can see here. Heres just a couple
muo8jTi.jpg

LLyrc1H.jpg

5yxuHaZ.jpg

Ojf5TrJ.jpg

sTO8gfU.jpg
 
I feel like Honda, Toyota and Nissan all rely on volume selling of their most pedestrian models which don't necessarily need the best horsepower numbers or acceleration times and were therefore slow about switching over to turbocharging. Honda's jumped in and is having a few teething problems (as seen with the Civic recalls and whatnot) but I think they will get it ironed out shortly.

Still, the new turbo Si and Type R are definitely going to spank the older NA ones in terms of raw performance. And yeah, even the EX-L turbo will probably be quicker than a last gen Si and will probably be an overall nicer car. The Civic line seems like it is in a much nicer place overall than it was last gen.

I have a ninth gen Si (2014), and yeah, it's getting traded once the 10th gen Si hits the floors lol. It's not a bad car by any means, and it's a really comfortable daily driver. I do 75+ miles a day in it in heavy heavy SF bay area traffic. I just wish it had a bit more oomph.

Or maybe I'll just get a WRX >>
 

SliChillax

Member
I'm in the minority that doesn't like the conjoined double-screen look in the S-Class, and now the E-Class. It just looks extremely slabby and lacks any aesthetic presence - it's pure tech showmanship and that bores me. Two giant screens, flat and lifeless console. I like gauges. If I had to pick between the two double-screen interiors, I'd go for the Jaguar's because they're not conjoined and the interior has a beautiful simplicity to it, with the XJ's signature hull surrounding you, but now in an XF.

Fortunately, you can opt to skip the extra screen and have an E-Class with gauges. As now Mercedes is moving towards having screens recessed at the top, as opposed to sticking out like on the (still) beautiful C-Class interiors. I love the current Merc interiors, so I can't put one over the other in that regard.

I definitely agree about the E class interior comment. Also their analogue gauges clearly aren't designed for that interior and in my opinion look tacked on without any proper thought so having the double screens is a must on the E class.
mercedes-Benz-E-Class-interior-base-version-spied-1024x683.jpg

I'm not too fond of the multi screen design in the S class also. If talking about interior design only, uut of the big sedans I'd gladly choose the XJ, A8 or 7 series although the S-Class is the car to beat in that segment regarding comfort.
 

Akomix

Member
It's been awhile since I posted last. I'm not on this thread as much as I'd like to. I figured I'd give an update. I got the STi ready for spring/summer and fixed a few of the aero pieces I snapped off thanks to the snow. The RX-7 is coming along nicely. It started for the first time in a year the other day, and hopefully will have it ready before summer.



 

Makki

Member
Turbo is cool but I can't get over a screaming high revving naturally aspirated motor. The old Honda motorcycle engines and race engines were eargasms.

I think we all do, but given Honda's lack of enthusiasm over their own lineage of great engines as of late, I dont believe for a second we would have seen another high revving high HP low displacement engine like the ones from the 90s ever again. Specially in the US where people think the RPM gauge is a meter that shows engine pain and you must stay far away from the scary red area.
 

Laws00

Member
And that's just the pedestrian "crappy" version of their new turbo engines with a shitty CVT. I cannot wait to see what the manual SI hatchback will be like... or the Coupe Type R oh my.

I would be so mad if I had bought a previous gen Civic SI just to be bitchslapped by one of these 1.5L new gen Civics... NA Honda was really lacking vision for quite a few years.
Apparently from what i heard this "crappy" version can beat pants off of a 9th gen SIs
 
Interesting sentiment considering your GTR! I would have to agree, though. Nothing matches a high compression NA....

well the GT-R defy gravity and logic..

It's really fast and handles really well, it's a supercar killer..err actually a supercar serial killer.

BUT it's heavy and drives like a Maxima, even more so if you put it on automatic mode.
Seating position is tall and upright comfortable. The exhaust is quiet, too quiet..no trill or chills to it. Even the esthetic of the cat is not exoticsupercar like, more like a G37 on steroids. The car is pretty much drama free. Which is why some of the excitemen is lost.

it's like the over achieving girl from highschool, you married her, she became the perfect wife..but she was never the prom queen.
 
I think we all do, but given Honda's lack of enthusiasm over their own lineage of great engines as of late, I dont believe for a second we would have seen another high revving high HP low displacement engine like the ones from the 90s ever again. Specially in the US where people think the RPM gauge is a meter that shows engine pain and you must stay far away from the scary red area.

Honda of America is the company I love to hate to love at this point. Their car range was decent until around 2002ish when they just turned into Toyota and started making appliances. I wouldn't mind so much if they didn't constantly whore out their lineage in commercials and praise how great their cars used to be. Not to mention in terms of legacy information regarding those old models they "love" so much, there is little to nothing being done to preserve anything. No parts catalogs, instruction diagrams...etc are being kept or digitized for the future. Most of the collectors at this point have more knowledge of the history of honda than HoA themselves. At least the japanese have the collection hall, the U.S. has that garage in cali that has falling apart models that are maintained by people that know nothing about the cars themselves (buddy went after sema and said the mugen crx was on flat tires).
 

AlphaSnake

...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
I definitely agree about the E class interior comment. Also their analogue gauges clearly aren't designed for that interior and in my opinion look tacked on without any proper thought so having the double screens is a must on the E class.
mercedes-Benz-E-Class-interior-base-version-spied-1024x683.jpg

I'm not too fond of the multi screen design in the S class also. If talking about interior design only, uut of the big sedans I'd gladly choose the XJ, A8 or 7 series although the S-Class is the car to beat in that segment regarding comfort.

Yeah, it's very obvious that the gauges are there to keep the car cheaper. The dash is very flat, as a result. I like it when dashboards have a hump above the cluster.
 

matmanx1

Member
everyone is going turbo or hybrid..
I prefer NA...then I can slap a turbo if needed lol..

For a daily driver that is also a little bit fun I think I have come around to the "turbo everything" argument. You can have your gas mileage, your low end torque and your small displacement high horsepower car all in one.

For a purely fun car though? Yeah, nothing beats the thrill of a well engineered, high-redline NA motor.
 

lem0n

Member
well the GT-R defy gravity and logic..

It's really fast and handles really well, it's a supercar killer..err actually a supercar serial killer.

BUT it's heavy and drives like a Maxima, even more so if you put it on automatic mode.
Seating position is tall and upright comfortable. The exhaust is quiet, too quiet..no trill or chills to it. Even the esthetic of the cat is not exoticsupercar like, more like a G37 on steroids. The car is pretty much drama free. Which is why some of the excitemen is lost.

it's like the over achieving girl from highschool, you married her, she became the perfect wife..but she was never the prom queen.

Damn. I'm having to agree 100% here! So true! Sometimes, actually most of the time, though, the prom queen will give you nothing but problems later in life ;)
 

AlphaSnake

...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
I may have found myself an M235i that's a solid deal. It's loaded with everything...but doesn't have a backup camera of all things. :\ It's a 2015 with 3K miles, registered only 7 months ago, so the warranty is fresh. Mineral Grey/Terra (Saddle Brown). I love the brown interiors, my 335i Coupe had it and it was so beautiful. I've driven M235s many many times, as I've said. One of my close friends bought one recently too and he's starting to mod it. I would mod mine, as well. I miss having a tuner 6.

I emailed the dealer, sent them pics of my M56S, VIN number, history of the car, etc. I may be getting what I want for it ($37-38K) and they are going to take money off their car too.

94132b8e430f4d91b6e478a3b14bc4cc.jpg
 

SliChillax

Member
I may have found myself an M235i that's a solid deal. It's loaded with everything...but doesn't have a backup camera of all things. :\ It's a 2015 with 3K miles, registered only 7 months ago, so the warranty is fresh. Mineral Grey/Terra (Saddle Brown). I love the brown interiors, my 335i Coupe had it and it was so beautiful. I've driven M235s many many times, as I've said. One of my close friends bought one recently too and he's starting to mod it. I would mod mine, as well. I miss having a tuner 6.

I emailed the dealer, sent them pics of my M56S, VIN number, history of the car, etc. I may be getting what I want for it ($37-38K) and they are going to take money off their car too.

94132b8e430f4d91b6e478a3b14bc4cc.jpg

I heard those M235i's are cool cars :p Such a fun car to drive, only thing I wish it had was that damn LSD. You can retrofit the backup camera, not a deal breaker for such a good price you're getting.
 

AlphaSnake

...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
I heard those M235i's are cool cars :p Such a fun car to drive, only thing I wish it had was that damn LSD. You can retrofit the backup camera, not a deal breaker for such a good price you're getting.

They're asking 39 for their car. Will offer me 37 for my car. I have 10K in equity on my car. Monthly payment should be $550.

I bought my M56S for $49K back in 2014 with 5K miles (2013 model). So I'd lose only $12K on it in 25 months of ownership after 30K+ miles of driving. I'd consider that a huge win.

How easy is the camera retrofit? I had BMW friends who did them on E90s/E92s, but back when I lived in NYC.

I do have a friend in Florida that is extremely good with BMWs though, has a 500WHP built E90 sedan, twin-turbo E36 M3, and his wife has a 228i. LOL. He does all of the work himself. Is it as simple as snaking a wire to back of the iDrive unit and plugging it in?
 

lem0n

Member
I may have found myself an M235i that's a solid deal. It's loaded with everything...but doesn't have a backup camera of all things. :\ It's a 2015 with 3K miles, registered only 7 months ago, so the warranty is fresh. Mineral Grey/Terra (Saddle Brown). I love the brown interiors, my 335i Coupe had it and it was so beautiful. I've driven M235s many many times, as I've said. One of my close friends bought one recently too and he's starting to mod it. I would mod mine, as well. I miss having a tuner 6.

I emailed the dealer, sent them pics of my M56S, VIN number, history of the car, etc. I may be getting what I want for it ($37-38K) and they are going to take money off their car too.

94132b8e430f4d91b6e478a3b14bc4cc.jpg

Cool cars. Probably the closest you get to classic BMW DNA these days.
 

Flo_Evans

Member
I may have found myself an M235i that's a solid deal. It's loaded with everything...but doesn't have a backup camera of all things. :\ It's a 2015 with 3K miles, registered only 7 months ago, so the warranty is fresh. Mineral Grey/Terra (Saddle Brown). I love the brown interiors, my 335i Coupe had it and it was so beautiful. I've driven M235s many many times, as I've said. One of my close friends bought one recently too and he's starting to mod it. I would mod mine, as well. I miss having a tuner 6.

I emailed the dealer, sent them pics of my M56S, VIN number, history of the car, etc. I may be getting what I want for it ($37-38K) and they are going to take money off their car too.

94132b8e430f4d91b6e478a3b14bc4cc.jpg

Where???

I can't find any decent used 2 series anything around here. From the trees I guess LA or cali somewhere.

Also back up cameras are for SUVs. Don't really see the need for one in a coupe. :p
 
It's been awhile since I posted last. I'm not on this thread as much as I'd like to. I figured I'd give an update. I got the STi ready for spring/summer and fixed a few of the aero pieces I snapped off thanks to the snow. The RX-7 is coming along nicely. It started for the first time in a year the other day, and hopefully will have it ready before summer.


Wow, that looks in really good shape. Is that original paint? Also, what plans do you have for it?
 

SliChillax

Member
They're asking 39 for their car. Will offer me 37 for my car. I have 10K in equity on my car. Monthly payment should be $550.

I bought my M56S for $49K back in 2014 with 5K miles (2013 model). So I'd lose only $12K on it in 25 months of ownership after 30K+ miles of driving. I'd consider that a huge win.

How easy is the camera retrofit? I had BMW friends who did them on E90s/E92s, but back when I lived in NYC.

I do have a friend in Florida that is extremely good with BMWs though, has a 500WHP built E90 sedan, twin-turbo E36 M3, and his wife has a 228i. LOL. He does all of the work himself. Is it as simple as snaking a wire to back of the iDrive unit and plugging it in?
Having a mechanic friend is the best thing ever, especially if he's specialised in the brand that you own. I was lucky enough to find a guy in Albania specialised by the M division. He's done all the services so far and helped me fix a few panels in the car who caused some rattles and only asked for vodka. He also fixed my friend's E39 M5 numerous times and refused to take payment. Anyway back to the backup camera. It's relatively easy, you can either do it at the dealer or by yourself. Here's a handy guide, my friend did this to his 335i and works flawlessly.

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=873744
 
I may have found myself an M235i that's a solid deal. It's loaded with everything...but doesn't have a backup camera of all things. :\ It's a 2015 with 3K miles, registered only 7 months ago, so the warranty is fresh. Mineral Grey/Terra (Saddle Brown). I love the brown interiors, my 335i Coupe had it and it was so beautiful. I've driven M235s many many times, as I've said. One of my close friends bought one recently too and he's starting to mod it. I would mod mine, as well. I miss having a tuner 6.

I emailed the dealer, sent them pics of my M56S, VIN number, history of the car, etc. I may be getting what I want for it ($37-38K) and they are going to take money off their car too.

94132b8e430f4d91b6e478a3b14bc4cc.jpg

I'm no BMW expert but I did test drive a 330Ci with basically this combo for paint and leather, and it really was beautiful. I'm not even a fan of leather interiors in general, but I think I would be if they all looked as good as that saddle does.
 

matmanx1

Member
I may have found myself an M235i that's a solid deal. It's loaded with everything...but doesn't have a backup camera of all things. :\ It's a 2015 with 3K miles, registered only 7 months ago, so the warranty is fresh. Mineral Grey/Terra (Saddle Brown). I love the brown interiors, my 335i Coupe had it and it was so beautiful. I've driven M235s many many times, as I've said. One of my close friends bought one recently too and he's starting to mod it. I would mod mine, as well. I miss having a tuner 6.

I emailed the dealer, sent them pics of my M56S, VIN number, history of the car, etc. I may be getting what I want for it ($37-38K) and they are going to take money off their car too.

94132b8e430f4d91b6e478a3b14bc4cc.jpg

Dude, Saddle is definitely the best interior color. It's the only color I would have liked better than the Coral Red that is on my 1 series. Nice looking 2 series and it sounds like it is a great deal. Is it a DCT car or 6 speed? I imagine the DCT would be preferable for driving in traffic.
 

Evo X

Member
Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted here this past week and the reason is because I was on a cross country road trip from Southern California to Illinois.

My main residence is in the Chicago suburbs, but for the last few years I have been escaping the winters by moving to Southern California from November-March. Before now I have just flown back and forth and had the car shipped.

This time, I said screw it and decided to drive back. It was certainly a unique experience, as prior to this, I don't think I've ever driven more than 150mi radius from where I lived. Saw some incredible sights and met some great people along the way. This trip really helped me bond with the car as I drove more in the past 5 days than I normally would in two months.

So I want to dedicate this post to my trusty steed that safely got me and my belongings through 2,207 miles of dirt, desert, gravel, snow, slush, and storm without missing a single beat. It wasn't the quietest or most comfortable ride, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Porsche. There is no substitute.

I am amazed at how the Cayman coped with everything, and could not believe just how much stuff I could fit in the tiny thing.

Here's some pics for reference.

In tact glass/aluminum 22x22x10in PC tower in the frunk, padded by a blanket and no less than 36 articles of clothing.


30" PC monitor in the back with OEM styrofoam, along with the rest of the PC peripherals, more clothes, boots, and other misc items.


Full suitcase, hand carry, food/drink, and 3 game consoles in their original packaging.


Here is what that all that looks like when removed from the car.


Now that the practicality stuff is out of the way, here's some scenic pics I took with my phone along the way.


In short, I love this car and screw anyone who says it's impractical! :D
 

AlphaSnake

...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Dude, Saddle is definitely the best interior color. It's the only color I would have liked better than the Coral Red that is on my 1 series. Nice looking 2 series and it sounds like it is a great deal. Is it a DCT car or 6 speed? I imagine the DCT would be preferable for driving in traffic.

It'll be the 8-speed ZF...although it literally shifts nearly as quick as the DCT. Truly sensational transmission. My wife will be driving the car, as well. This dealership is about 80 miles away from me, but I have a friend nearby there who will take a look at the car for me before I drive out. I'm hoping it checks out, I'd like to see it on Saturday and maybe even take it home.
 
Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted here this past week and the reason is because I was on a cross country road trip from Southern California to Illinois.

My main residence is in the Chicago suburbs, but for the last few years I have been escaping the winters by moving to Southern California from November-March. Before now I have just flown back and forth and had the car shipped.

This time, I said screw it and decided to drive back. It was certainly a unique experience, as prior to this, I don't think I've ever driven more than 150mi radius from where I lived. Saw some incredible sights and met some great people along the way. This trip really helped me bond with the car as I drove more in the past 5 days than I normally would in two months.

So I want to dedicate this post to my trusty steed that safely got me and my belongings through 2,207 miles of dirt, desert, gravel, snow, slush, and storm without missing a single beat. It wasn't the quietest or most comfortable ride, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Porsche. There is no substitute.

I am amazed at how the Cayman coped with everything, and could not believe just how much stuff I could fit in the tiny thing.

Here's some pics for reference.

In tact glass/aluminum 22x22x10in PC tower in the frunk, padded by a blanket and no less than 36 articles of clothing.



30" PC monitor in the back with OEM styrofoam, along with the rest of the PC peripherals, more clothes, boots, and other misc items.



Full suitcase, hand carry, food/drink, and 3 game consoles in their original packaging.



Here is what that all that looks like when removed from the car.



Now that the practicality stuff is out of the way, here's some scenic pics I took with my phone along the way.



In short, I love this car and screw anyone who says it's impractical! :D


Wow..must have been a blast!

and such a beautiful car and scenery.
 

matmanx1

Member
Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted here this past week and the reason is because I was on a cross country road trip from Southern California to Illinois.

My main residence is in the Chicago suburbs, but for the last few years I have been escaping the winters by moving to Southern California from November-March. Before now I have just flown back and forth and had the car shipped.

This time, I said screw it and decided to drive back. It was certainly a unique experience, as prior to this, I don't think I've ever driven more than 150mi radius from where I lived. Saw some incredible sights and met some great people along the way. This trip really helped me bond with the car as I drove more in the past 5 days than I normally would in two months.

So I want to dedicate this post to my trusty steed that safely got me and my belongings through 2,207 miles of dirt, desert, gravel, snow, slush, and storm without missing a single beat. It wasn't the quietest or most comfortable ride, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Porsche. There is no substitute.

I am amazed at how the Cayman coped with everything, and could not believe just how much stuff I could fit in the tiny thing.

Here's some pics for reference.

In tact glass/aluminum 22x22x10in PC tower in the frunk, padded by a blanket and no less than 36 articles of clothing.



30" PC monitor in the back with OEM styrofoam, along with the rest of the PC peripherals, more clothes, boots, and other misc items.



Full suitcase, hand carry, food/drink, and 3 game consoles in their original packaging.



Here is what that all that looks like when removed from the car.



Now that the practicality stuff is out of the way, here's some scenic pics I took with my phone along the way.



In short, I love this car and screw anyone who says it's impractical! :D

Wow! Sounds like a pretty epic road trip and it looks like the Cayman did amazingly well. Love the scenery pics also. Gorgeous stuff.

It'll be the 8-speed ZF...although it literally shifts nearly as quick as the DCT. Truly sensational transmission. My wife will be driving the car, as well. This dealership is about 80 miles away from me, but I have a friend nearby there who will take a look at the car for me before I drive out. I'm hoping it checks out, I'd like to see it on Saturday and maybe even take it home.

The 8 speed ZF is a fantastic unit. In my opinion it might be the best automatic gearbox in the world right now. I believe it is the same unit that is in my parents 3 series and my experiences with it have been nothing but positive.
 

Smokey

Member
Man it would be great to move out west. I love the outdoors and nature. Evo pix got me thirsty. I don't think y'all understand how flat and plain it is in Houston. On the other hand we have water and a great real estate market :p

Also I'm most likely not getting a new car for myself until 2018. That may work out anyway since that's around the time the new 3,5, and 6 series launch from what I've read.

Evo when are you getting the GT4, and now that you made that road trip is your opinion about that car different?
 

TylerD

Member
Man it would be great to move out west. I love the outdoors and nature. Evo pix got me thirsty. I don't think y'all understand how flat and plain it is in Houston. On the other hand we have water and a great real estate market :p

Also I'm most likely not getting a new car for myself until 2018. That may work out anyway since that's around the time the new 3,5, and 6 series launch from what I've read.

Evo when are you getting the GT4, and now that you made that road trip is your opinion about that car different?

Everyone should go on a road trip to see some sights in their favorite car. The trip from Wood Bridge, VA to Oklahoma City, OK when I picked up my 330ci zhp was wonderful. Sky Line Drive, Blue Ridge Parkway, lots of curvy back roads...heaven. E46s can pack a ton of stuff and I have loved every trip to Telluride for skiing and festivals, Austin for F1, and everywhere else.

Best thing about flatland are the amazing sunsets. Really it's the only redeemable feature of Lubbock's landscape. I did find a sweet little makeshift road course around one of our city park lakes. It has sweepers, a couple of hairpins, good elevation change and straights. Definitely the best driving road for 80+ miles. No one follows the laughable 20 mph speed limit.

I'll go there to do a shakedown after I get my Koni Sport's installed sometime soon.
 
Yeah I'm getting more and more sure that I am going to sell or trade my 128i at some point later this year or early next year for a Miata, probably an NC. I want to be patient and find a good one, though.

Yesssss.

I was watching this vid today of Matt Farah driving a modded Lexus IS300 with a 2JZ swap or something like that and I literally spent an hour looking for a stock IS300 that I could buy. When it was time for me to leave for work, I decided to enjoy a bit of a spirited drive since it's well above the 70s F here right now and I was instantly reminded why I don't need a IS300 to enjoy driving lol.

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted here this past week and the reason is because I was on a cross country road trip from Southern California to Illinois.

Damn, that sounds like a fun romp!

I'm disappointed your Xbox One box, clothes, and interior wasn't red through. I mean even your Gatorade was red haha.
 

Chocobro

Member
Hey guys,

I have a question. Is there a way to outright buy a car without financing it and get a decent deal on it? I'm deciding on a new WRX (because the price difference between new and used is really small) and my mom said she wants to pay for it all and have me pay her back instead of the dealership/bank to avoid the interest. My friend said that I could say I'm going to be financing the car for X years but when the first bill comes in, I write a check for the entire car or the remaining balance. How often are there prepayment penalties if that's the case?
This would be the first time buying a car so I don't know much. Please enlighten me.

Side question: How hard would it be to learn how to drive manual in a WRX? I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on how to and I get the general idea, but ultimately I would have to do it in person to fully understand. None of my friends have MT cars. Maybe my google-fu sucks, but there doesn't seem to be any (good) driving schools in my area (Western part of Queens in NYC) that teaches MT.
 
Hey guys,

I have a question. Is there a way to outright buy a car without financing it and get a decent deal on it? I'm deciding on a new WRX (because the price difference between new and used is really small) and my mom said she wants to pay for it all and have me pay her back instead of the dealership/bank to avoid the interest. My friend said that I could say I'm going to be financing the car for X years but when the first bill comes in, I write a check for the entire car or the remaining balance. How often are there prepayment penalties if that's the case?
This would be the first time buying a car so I don't know much. Please enlighten me.

If you negotiate the *price* of the car it shouldn't matter how you finance it. Nearly all loans nowadays don't have prepayment penalties, but you won't be helping your credit much by taking out a loan and then immediately paying it off. If your credit is good Subaru is offering 2.9% on WRXes, and your bank/CU may be able to do better. With interest near zero it may be better for your mother to put that money into an investment.

Side question: How hard would it be to learn how to drive manual in a WRX? I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on how to and I get the general idea, but ultimately I would have to do it in person to fully understand. None of my friends have MT cars. Maybe my google-fu sucks, but there doesn't seem to be any (good) driving schools in my area (Western part of Queens in NYC) that teaches MT.

WRX is smoother than many cars but the clutch is a wear item, and if you toast it getting one replaced on any Subaru isn't trivial.
 

Evo X

Member
Wow..must have been a blast!

and such a beautiful car and scenery.

Thanks!

It really was the trip of a lifetime. Now, I've got the bug and want to do more drives and traveling!

Wow! Sounds like a pretty epic road trip and it looks like the Cayman did amazingly well. Love the scenery pics also. Gorgeous stuff.

Some of the most epic stuff in my life have been things I have planned spontaneously. Maybe I should do that more often. lol

The pictures look great, but cannot do justice to how it felt like in real life to be there. The scale of those mountain ranges in truly a sight to behold.

Man it would be great to move out west. I love the outdoors and nature. Evo pix got me thirsty. I don't think y'all understand how flat and plain it is in Houston. On the other hand we have water and a great real estate market :p

Evo when are you getting the GT4, and now that you made that road trip is your opinion about that car different?

Utah was one of the most gorgeous places I have ever laid eyes. Too remote for me to consider moving there, but a great place to visit and drive through.

GT4 got into port 5 days ago and is coming into the dealer this week. Not sure if I will take it as it seems to be a $40K difference between trade in on my GTS, which is an absurd amount of money for what is ostensibly the same car with more power, bigger brakes, sticker rubber, and some aero bits.

I know that I could never have made a roadtrip like this in the GT4. The stick shift would be an inconvenience, but the biggest hurdle would be the non adjustable 918 Spyder bucket seats.

That $40K can buy a hell of a lot of travelling the world. I can also save up to get a Ferrari or McLaren, which would be a massive jump forward instead of a small leap.

I dunno. I will go check it out and make my final decision then.

Everyone should go on a road trip to see some sights in their favorite car. The trip from Wood Bridge, VA to Oklahoma City, OK when I picked up my 330ci zhp was wonderful. Sky Line Drive, Blue Ridge Parkway, lots of curvy back roads...heaven. E46s can pack a ton of stuff and I have loved every trip to Telluride for skiing and festivals, Austin for F1, and everywhere else.

Best thing about flatland are the amazing sunsets. Really it's the only redeemable feature of Lubbock's landscape. I did find a sweet little makeshift road course around one of our city park lakes. It has sweepers, a couple of hairpins, good elevation change and straights. Definitely the best driving road for 80+ miles. No one follows the laughable 20 mph speed limit.

I'll go there to do a shakedown after I get my Koni Sport's installed sometime soon.

Thanks for the ideas! I really want to explore the east coast more. Let me know if you have any recommendations for specific places to check out or stay.

Damn, that sounds like a fun romp!

I'm disappointed your Xbox One box, clothes, and interior wasn't red through. I mean even your Gatorade was red haha.

Haha. You joke about the red interior, but if I got a Boxster Spyder, I would actually spec it like this.

954508d1436980844-981-spyder-order-tracker-thread-red-interior.jpg


Also, I wanted blue gatorade, but red was all they had. lol
 

nib95

Banned

This totally reminds me of Driveclub lol.


But damn man, I'm jealous. Looks like a riot.


On a side note, me and my friends hired out a Countryside Manor over the weekend, and it was an awesome experience. In the midst of it I managed to do some light rally driving lol, but at one point I think I bit off more than I could chew and got stuck in some relatively deep mud. Some tractor had carved up the tracks mid-way through the day, so a route I'd already taken a few times had suddenly become unusable, and it was too late for me to reverse backwards. Suffice to say, a local farmer came with his industrial sized tractor and towed me out lol.

All things considered, the car wasn't too muddy.

Next time I'm definitely taking the X5 though lol.
 
Thanks!

It really was the trip of a lifetime. Now, I've got the bug and want to do more drives and traveling!



Some of the most epic stuff in my life have been things I have planned spontaneously. Maybe I should do that more often. lol

The pictures look great, but cannot do justice to how it felt like in real life to be there. The scale of those mountain ranges in truly a sight to behold.



Utah was one of the most gorgeous places I have ever laid eyes. Too remote for me to consider moving there, but a great place to visit and drive through.

GT4 got into port 5 days ago and is coming into the dealer this week. Not sure if I will take it as it seems to be a $40K difference between trade in on my GTS, which is an absurd amount of money for what is ostensibly the same car with more power, bigger brakes, sticker rubber, and some aero bits.

I know that I could never have made a roadtrip like this in the GT4. The stick shift would be an inconvenience, but the biggest hurdle would be the non adjustable 918 Spyder bucket seats.

That $40K can buy a hell of a lot of travelling the world. I can also save up to get a Ferrari or McLaren, which would be a massive jump forward instead of a small leap.

I dunno. I will go check it out and make my final decision then.

hmmm that is actually a very tough decision.

If I were in your shoes, I'll probably go for the gt4....BUT there is no denying that 40k is alot..

GT4 is very appealing but once I have it, I will start lusting for something else, something better and there will always be something better....if I have a gt4 i'll probably lust after a 997.2 GT3RS...and then the never ending cycle continues....

So I'll probably not...and plus..40k is a whole lot of money..

um yeah...you have a really tough decision..
 
Haha, a tough decision? Really?

Unless you've got money to blow (and I mean fucking mountains of it) then sure, go for it. But if 40 thousand fucking dollars still hold some significance for you, then no, I'd keep the GTS and be very pleased with it.

Haha. You joke about the red interior, but if I got a Boxster Spyder, I would actually spec it like this.

954508d1436980844-981-spyder-order-tracker-thread-red-interior.jpg

Yeah, the one thing that bums me out about my Boxster is that the first owner didn't get the red interior.
 
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