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[Into the Light]

So I test drove the 124 Abarth yesterday. It's a fun car, and I will consider it. Two things that bother me:

The view of the hood is too prominent, like it's really there for you to see, and it bothers me.

The inside is just a tad too small, like I don't see how I could drive for any long trips, it's just very crammed.

The 1.4 turbo is not bad, once it gets going it's nice. Its an intriguing car. Dealer was willing to part with it on a 36 mo lease 0 down $400 per mo.

I'm at a cross road for the first time in my life where I don't know what to get. I'm going to try the much different and roomier WRX next. Then maybe the 2.0 Q60. I really just have no clue what to lease. I have 5 months to decide, but nothing grabs me.

I may end I may end up getting The 124, who knows.

By the way that 4 door Alpha Romeo Giulia or what ever is a hell of a car for the price. 37k and the interior is phenomenal.

 

[Into the Light]

2013
Pretty high miles 95,000km
But the price was really good
Drives really well
Sticker was 15,900 cad
Got them to drop it another $2000

I have a 2015 with 10k miles on it, dealer offered me $15k yesterday, they really are scam artists. He's like it's a discontinued brand the car had no value etc....
They are disgusting.

 

[SliChillax]

Or, you know, you can just take it to a dyno? Weight still plays a role from rolling start, thats physics.

We don't have dynos in Albania and I know weight plays a role even from a rolling start but when the S7 is advertised as having 50hp more than the C63, I don't find it normal for the C63 to be like 5 cars ahead.

 

[No Love]

We don't have dynos in Albania and I know weight plays a role even from a rolling start but when the S7 is advertised as having 50hp more than the C63, I don't find it normal for the C63 to be like 5 cars ahead.

Weight, gearing, aerodynamics, and powerband. C63 has an advantage in one or more of those. It most likely wins in all 4 categories from what I can tell. Mercedes motors usually kick the shit out of Audi motors in terms of powerband.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The latest Motor Trend Head 2 Head compares the two cars and addresses their looks, too.

B-but that's the video linked in the post you replied to!

 

[gatti-man]

About APR, my friend who has an S7 got the APR remap and they said it goes from 450hp to 550hp. It is just me or is that just pure bullshit? 100hp gain with a remap? I know APR is famous in the VAG world but that screams nonsense to me.

It's not bs with turboed cars. The rs7 is a twin turbo v8 so a remap will offer large gains just from upping boost. Adding downpipes gives another huge power boost.

It gets 25 mpg on the highway though!

What didn't you like about the Tesla as a performance car? I've heard both heavy praise and criticism about the way the Model S drives and I'm always interested in opinions!

The tesla wasn't sporty enough, flat out. I come from a modified c6Z and it felt loose in the corners and just wasn't sporty enough. I'd say it felt like a Buick someone had put a strong motor in. Also I wasn't a fan of the GIGANTIC screen in the center of the car. The RS7 interior with its hide away screen is far more pleasing to me.

 

[golem]

Some pics from Luftgekuhlt 4

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The tesla wasn't sporty enough, flat out. I come from a modified c6Z and it felt loose in the corners and just wasn't sporty enough. I'd say it felt like a Buick someone had put a strong motor in. Also I wasn't a fan of the GIGANTIC screen in the center of the car. The RS7 interior with its hide away screen is far more pleasing to me.

I dunno, I like the giant touch screen. Remember that the Tesla does away with all the lights and dials and replaces them with the screen. I never liked a million knobs and switches everywhere.

Anyways, actually trying to search for accounts of Teslas driven in situations other than 0-60 in a straight line is a real challenge. I came upon this though:

http://insideevs.com/expected-tesla-model-s-fails-lap-nurburgring-full-power-video/

“Yes, it was heavy. Yes, it had almost no mechanical grip. And yes, the steering was as numb as my jaw after a trip to the dentist. However, considering that the Model S is a brand new car, from a car company that didn’t exist 10 years ago, using technology that had (at the time of founding of the company) never been successfully mass produced on any large scale, I am suitably impressed.”

“So what was the lap like from the drivers seat? Um… quiet? Really quiet, actually.”

“The lap itself was around 10 minutes Bridge to Gantry (in heavy traffic) but unfortunately the car went into a reduced power mode about 3 minutes in due to excess battery heat (at least, that’s my guess).”

“However, before it did it was able to keep a GT3 RS going full chat, within shouting distance (at the 2:00 mark) far longer than any 4,700lb sedan has a right to.”

“I think without the reduced power output and traffic, a B-T-G lap under nine minutes is possible. According to the Bridge To Gantry site, that would put it in the company of some really quick hot hatches.”

 

[matmanx1]

Those pictures...something about a nicely restored 356 or 356 Outlaw just does it for me. Such a fantastic shape that I find to be exciting every time I look at it.

 

[gatti-man]

I dunno, I like the giant touch screen. Remember that the Tesla does away with all the lights and dials and replaces them with the screen. I never liked a million knobs and switches everywhere.

Anyways, actually trying to search for accounts of Teslas driven in situations other than 0-60 in a straight line is a real challenge. I came upon this though:

http://insideevs.com/expected-tesla-model-s-fails-lap-nurburgring-full-power-video/

A word about knobs and switches. The rs7 has a different feel for various knobs so it makes guiding your hand to the right area while driving easy. A screen Is a screen. Also I find screens have glare and just look tacky. I'm the type that prefers an old school clock in my dash. It's just my opinion but I prefer a nice clean dash.

Those impressions are how I felt. The RS7 feels like a heavier corvette in a tuxedo with awd. It's exactly what I was looking for with a touch too much body roll.

The GT3 quip is kind of hard to take seriously since the tesla with a fresh charge is so much massively more powerful with awd vs rear. Of course it's going to hold off a gt3 for a while. Once it loses some power and falls into the shortcomings of the model S the gt3 would destroy it.

 

[Stinkles]

Tom Danks and Illson.

 

[AlphaSnake]

If only you could reply like an adult. Where do you think I got those numbers? From my ass? Of course I've seen that page, that was why I called bullshit cause the gains seem too high for just a remap. I've been to the APR shop too and my friend who works in the marketing department told me the numbers are real and the S7 should make around 560-570hp. When we raced the S7 against a C63 sedan from a rolling and from stop drag race, the C63 absolutely destroyed the S7 even though the S7 has more traction and around 50 more hp? How do you explain that? You could blame it on weight but when you have 50 more hp it doesn't matter that much when you do a rolling drag race from 50mph.

C63S is a little underrated from the factory, is RWD (up to 7% less drivetrain loss), and the weight difference between them is a staggering 600lbs. That negates the 50HP advantage to -10HP, effectively on weight alone. Factor in the drivetrain layouts, and it's clear why the S7 gets beat out.

 

[AlphaSnake]

The cars in my neighborhood are getting quite nice. Neighbors bought a 2016 Quattroporte S and Macan S. Next to them is a 911 991.2 Cabrio. Next to them is a 2016 Range Rover Sport and 2010 Jaguar XKR. Around the corner is a fucking family of Mazdas + RX7 (I gotta post this pic).

Around the other corner is the 2016 Z06 and my two cars, of course.

B-but that's the video linked in the post you replied to!

Hah, didn't even see the link.

 

[AlphaSnake]

I know I'm triple posting. But (ginormous cell phone shots, don't expand):

Family of Mazdas. LOL. That Rex7 doe...

 

[sfedai0]

RX-7 just sitting on the street. Good luck.

 

[matmanx1]

So I test drove the 124 Abarth yesterday. It's a fun car, and I will consider it. Two things that bother me:

The view of the hood is too prominent, like it's really there for you to see, and it bothers me.

The inside is just a tad too small, like I don't see how I could drive for any long trips, it's just very crammed.

The 1.4 turbo is not bad, once it gets going it's nice. Its an intriguing car. Dealer was willing to part with it on a 36 mo lease 0 down $400 per mo.

I'm at a cross road for the first time in my life where I don't know what to get. I'm going to try the much different and roomier WRX next. Then maybe the 2.0 Q60. I really just have no clue what to lease. I have 5 months to decide, but nothing grabs me.

I may end I may end up getting The 124, who knows.

By the way that 4 door Alpha Romeo Giulia or what ever is a hell of a car for the price. 37k and the interior is phenomenal.

The 124 (and the Miata also) are definitely made to be small and light and will very much favor driver engagement over room and storage. Basically they give you exactly what you need to get down the road and not much else. I love my Miata for being really fun and really economical at the same time but if I have a long trip to go on we take the wife's Altima or our Lexus GX470.

Whether or not you can deal with the 124's size on a daily basis will probably come down to how often you have to make longer trips. How long is your commute? Do you have roads where you can really enjoy a car like the 124 on a daily basis or is your driving mostly stop and go in a straight line?

Answering those questions will help you decide what kind of sports car to really focus on.

 

[Fallout-NL]

I know I'm triple posting. But (ginormous cell phone shots, don't expand):

Man, the plates on that MCL...

 

[AlphaSnake]

Man, the plates on that MCL...

I know...I probably wouldn't trust the guy with any of my money if he's advertising that hard.

 

[jongkookie]

Hey matmanx1, I'm curious... how much MPG's are you getting out of your Miata?

I'm curious coz when you said economical I kinda snorted out my coffee at my desk lolol. I average about 27-28 MPG's driving about 300(60 a day) miles a week and I fill up twice a week... so if I've got a full tank at Monday before work, I'd have to fill up Friday before work.

I mean I guess it's economical for a RWD sports car, but having to fill up twice a week kinda ruins the economical part of it lol.

 

[Into the Light]

The 124 (and the Miata also) are definitely made to be small and light and will very much favor driver engagement over room and storage. Basically they give you exactly what you need to get down the road and not much else. I love my Miata for being really fun and really economical at the same time but if I have a long trip to go on we take the wife's Altima or our Lexus GX470.

Whether or not you can deal with the 124's size on a daily basis will probably come down to how often you have to make longer trips. How long is your commute? Do you have roads where you can really enjoy a car like the 124 on a daily basis or is your driving mostly stop and go in a straight line?

Answering those questions will help you decide what kind of sports car to really focus on.

My commute is not long, I live 2 miles away from work. What year is your Miata? I have some questions if its the new Mx-5.

 

[AlphaSnake]

My brother went to NY Oneonta Race Track yesterday, organized by a friend of his who was a former GT3 racer. His weapon of choice was his Porsche Cayman GT4. My brother took his Huracan, as well. He had fun. I was in NY this weekend too, but for a wedding, and flew home immediately after.

Anyway, Evo - how small is the circle of GT4 owners? Know who the guy is?

Hey matmanx1, I'm curious... how much MPG's are you getting out of your Miata?

I'm curious coz when you said economical I kinda snorted out my coffee at my desk lolol. I average about 27-28 MPG's driving about 300(60 a day) miles a week and I fill up twice a week... so if I've got a full tank at Monday before work, I'd have to fill up Friday before work.

I mean I guess it's economical for a RWD sports car, but having to fill up twice a week kinda ruins the economical part of it lol.

28MPG is economical, imo.

My 370Z got about that on highway.

XKR gets 17MPG with my foot and I'm not in a lot of stop-n-go at all. LOL.

People think that because Miatas are 4-bangers they have to be economical. But because they are not torque machines, MPGs suffer naturally.

 

[killertofu]

Possibly a stupid question but would hitching a small U-Haul onto my Acura RSX and driving it across the country be a stupid idea?

 

[Pinewood]

Possibly a stupid question but would hitching a small U-Haul onto my Acura RSX and driving it across the country be a stupid idea?

If it doesnt exceed the car limite then it should be fine.

E: I get 22 mpg in my 1,4 turbo so ¯_(&#12484_/¯
(Almost the same engine as the 124 Abarth)

 

[AlphaSnake]

Possibly a stupid question but would hitching a small U-Haul onto my Acura RSX and driving it across the country be a stupid idea?

No. Just checking your cars maximum towing capacity. My mom has a 2016 RDX, and I just checked it has a 1500lb towing capacity. So if you don't exceed that, you're fine.

U-Haul will tell you how much each of their trailers weigh when empty. The rest is up to you.

 

[killertofu]

If it doesnt exceed the car limite then it should be fine.

E: I get 22 mpg in my 1,4 turbo so ¯_(&#12484_/¯
(Almost the same engine as the 124 Abarth)

No. Just checking your cars maximum towing capacity. My mom has a 2016 RDX, and I just checked it has a 1500lb towing capacity. So if you don't exceed that, you're fine.

U-Haul will tell you how much each of their trailers weigh when empty. The rest is up to you.

Says about 1000 lbs

 

[AlphaSnake]

Says about 1000 lbs

Oh and you have the turbo motor too. Just be careful.

 

[Cake Boss]

Test drove a WRX for the first time ever.

Wow I can see why there is like a cult following around these cars, just a smooth ass car that is well engineered it seems, it just drives amazing and great torque and handling.

The only problem I had with it is the cheap ass interior that is outdated as fuck, and the weirdest clutch I have ever encountered, it took a while to get used to, the highest bite point ever and the longest dead travel.

 

[jcutner]

Test drove a WRX for the first time ever.

Wow I can see why there is like a cult following around these cars, just a smooth ass car that is well engineered it seems, it just drives amazing and great torque and handling.

The only problem I had with it is the cheap ass interior that is outdated as fuck, and the weirdest clutch I have ever encountered, it took a while to get used to, the highest bite point ever and the longest dead travel.

Was just about to make a post like this about my FRS. It's my first manual car, so I'm not used to a lot of clutches, and I was wondering if it was just my car that the bite point was so high.

How do you get used to this? Because I'm new to it, I'm trying to be very slow and patient with releasing the clutch, but because it's so high it takes forever. Any tips?

 

[YuriLowell]

I got 30mpg in my NB on premium gas on my commute. 75miles a day. 375 miles a week.
I still have to fill up twice a week.

 

[AlphaSnake]

LOL. Reminds me of when I got into my 370Z. Stupid high clutch bite, firm pedal, narrow slip margin.

Only muscle memory will save you. Just make sure you feather/tap the throttle as you ease off the clutch.

 

[burgerdog]

We haven't seen one of these in a while, here's a video with TWO mustangs out of control.

http://www.carscoops.com/2017/05/two-ford-mustangs-slide-out-of-control.html

 

[gatti-man]

So I'm getting my RS7 tuned to stage 1 by APR wednesday lol. Fell victim to a sale fml.

 

[v1lla21]

Lol nice.
I'm going on between going apr again or doing Cobb and getting a protune down the road.

 

[jongkookie]

Yeah Scooby's seem to have a high-ass catch point like Hondas. I remember the first time I drove an Si and I was depressing the clutch as if it was my Miata and I got nothing then stall lol.

Tbh maybe it's coz I'm just used to it but I definitely prefer the lower catch point of Mazdas especially in stop and go traffic since I don't even have to gas it at all... just release the clutch and it'll creep forward. Do that in a Scooby or Honda and you'd stall embarrassingly.

28MPG is economical, imo.

My 370Z got about that on highway.

XKR gets 17MPG with my foot and I'm not in a lot of stop-n-go at all. LOL.

People think that because Miatas are 4-bangers they have to be economical. But because they are not torque machines, MPGs suffer naturally.

Tbh, I do agree that 28MPG is economical for a Miata of all things. Funny thing is, according to my UltraGauge, at 100mph, I still get about 30MPG(if you believe that on-the-fly MPG readout) which seems a little insane but then again, it's probably running at max efficiency that speed... IIRC, 100mph is at 5K rpms on 6th gear and by that point it's running out of torque.

The only thing I really wish is that it has a bigger fuel tank, at least a gallon extra coz it kinda sucks having to plan out when I need to get gas lol. I need my cheap Costco gas... it's like 20cents more these days for the regular brands.

I got 30mpg in my NB on premium gas on my commute. 75miles a day. 375 miles a week.
I still have to fill up twice a week.

Interesting that the NB is more fuel efficient than the NC by 2MPG's but I'm not surprised one bit... the smaller engine(albeit by .2 liters) and lighter weight of the NB must contribute to that efficiency.

 

[Futaba]

28MPG is economical, imo.

My 370Z got about that on highway.

XKR gets 17MPG with my foot and I'm not in a lot of stop-n-go at all. LOL.

People think that because Miatas are 4-bangers they have to be economical. But because they are not torque machines, MPGs suffer naturally.

My 86 must be broken, I average around 14MPG..

Spoiler

sideways please don't tell the cops

 

[nabe_shogun]

I know I'm triple posting. But (ginormous cell phone shots, don't expand):



Family of Mazdas. LOL. That Rex7 doe...

Might just be me, but the mclaren doesn't look that great from that angle. Also it seems to have a lot of fender gap in the front.


NIce. The FD rx7 is one of my favorite cars. I think that one could do with a bit smaller diameter wheels though. They look too big.

 

[Smokey]

718 Boxster S review - Motortrend

https://youtu.be/3F4yUKAm1No

Fast car
Engine feels like a huge disappointment
Doesn't feel special

 

[burgerdog]

718 Boxster S review - Motortrend

https://youtu.be/3F4yUKAm1No

Fast car
Engine feels like a huge disappointment
Doesn't feel special

And the kicker is...the upcoming GT4 is a N/A flat six with a detuned GT3 engine(rumored.) What a damn shame. If only they never turned the cayman into a 4 pot.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I wanna buy a CPO used Cayman with the old flat 6 but I need to like pay 1 car off before I buy another lol

 

[burgerdog]

I wanna buy a CPO used Cayman with the old flat 6 but I need to like pay 1 car off before I buy another lol

I already paid off the S5 so I'm just waiting for the right 981S to pop up, or wait for GTS' to drop a bit more. There's so many shitty specs out there though, like seriously a ton of them out there. I'm guessing those are the dealer spec cars cause lord they are really shitty specced.

 

[gatti-man]

Lol nice.
I'm going on between going apr again or doing Cobb and getting a protune down the road.

I would go Cobb if I could simply because their HQ is like 20 minutes from my house. Sadly they don't support the RS7. APRs sale is 10% across the board so that's about as good as it's going to get for the best tune/support on my platform. Stage 2s are in the mid to lower 10s in the 1/4 and 0-60 consistently sub 2.7 seconds. Stage 1 is just for a year or 2 for me before I put in downpipes.

 

[SliChillax]

I already paid off the S5 so I'm just waiting for the right 981S to pop up, or wait for GTS' to drop a bit more. There's so many shitty specs out there though, like seriously a ton of them out there. I'm guessing those are the dealer spec cars cause lord they are really shitty specced.

Buying used Porsches is a nightmare due to the colossal amount of options they have, you can never seem to find one with you options you want.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Buying used Porsches is a nightmare due to the colossal amount of options they have, you can never seem to find one with you options you want.

Speaking of options, the guy that bought my Boxster back in the day did not get heated seats. I mean, wtf?

 

[Futaba]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP06gvFWW64

now THIS is how you sell a car!

 

[AlphaSnake]

Might just be me, but the mclaren doesn't look that great from that angle. Also it seems to have a lot of fender gap in the front.


NIce. The FD rx7 is one of my favorite cars. I think that one could do with a bit smaller diameter wheels though. They look too big.

Yeah, they are spaced way too wide actually, I agree. And the suspension is a bit high.

 

[matmanx1]

Hey matmanx1, I'm curious... how much MPG's are you getting out of your Miata?

I'm curious coz when you said economical I kinda snorted out my coffee at my desk lolol. I average about 27-28 MPG's driving about 300(60 a day) miles a week and I fill up twice a week... so if I've got a full tank at Monday before work, I'd have to fill up Friday before work.

I mean I guess it's economical for a RWD sports car, but having to fill up twice a week kinda ruins the economical part of it lol.

My commute is not long, I live 2 miles away from work. What year is your Miata? I have some questions if its the new Mx-5.

Same here, upper 20's most of the time. The car has a small gas tank so yes, 300 miles and it's time to fill up again but the actual miles per gallon is pretty good for a sports car. For the sports cars that I have owned it is the best or second best mileage (2.7l Boxster, 3.7l G37, 3.0l 128i, 5.0l Mustang, 2.5l Spec-V Sentra 1st gen, etc.) out of the entire group.

It's also economical in that it doesn't break down (hello, BMW) the insurance is fairly inexpensive for a pure sports car and it didn't cost all that much money to actually purchase. Total cost to own is down near the bottom of the sports cars that I have owned.

 

[matmanx1]

My commute is not long, I live 2 miles away from work. What year is your Miata? I have some questions if its the new Mx-5.

2008. It's an NC Miata.

 

[AlphaSnake]

So I'm getting my RS7 tuned to stage 1 by APR wednesday lol. Fell victim to a sale fml.

Christ. That's just lunacy.

I'm very close to doing the 610HP/530TQ tune on my XKR. But I have a concern about the transmission being able to handle it, as the torque increase goes up from 470lbs, and might just do the XKR-S tune (550HP/501TQ), since the transmission is the same between both configurations.

Maybe I should just check ZF's torque ratings for my car.

 

[witness]

Brought home my 2014 GLI Edition 30, finally! Loving it so far, it's so much fun to drive and I love the noise it makes. Not going to get the APR stage 1 though, it's a CPO and I already talked to the head mechanic at the dealership. He doesn't care but he said that on any of the 10k services they have to scan the ECU and VW can tell if it's been modified. Even if it was reverted back to stock programming. When they happens, they can revoke a warranty repair. He said just do bolt ons for now, intake and cat back. Oh well, 2 years isn't long to wait.

 

[SliChillax]

Speaking of options, the guy that bought my Boxster back in the day did not get heated seats. I mean, wtf?

The used 981 2.7 Boxster that my dad bought a year ago (and sold again fortunately) was amaranth red, red top, luxor beige interior, and nothing else it was completely empty in options but it somehow had heated steering wheel. No heated seats, no bluetooth connectivity for playing music, no usb, no navigation, no nothing. Who buys a Boxster and specs out only the heated steering wheel lol? I convinced him to sell it early due to the 718 coming out it was going to lose value and the lock of options didn't help. He almost sold it back as much as he bought it.