Confessions of an auto enthusiast.

I just drove around town for an hour in a 71 Pantera. I hated it. Too noisy to open up, too garish looking to be comfortable being seen in. Giant blind spots with a few windows interrupting them. Wooden steering, tramlined like a motherberkeleyer.

I would rather think about virtual builds of outrageous cars than actually blow the money to build something nobody else would probably want. I'm also old enough (but not to old) to realize that most old cars that we cherish in our minds as fast and good handling actually suck ass compared to a modern sports car.

I've been away from all this too long.

Sometimes, late at night, I'll fire up the FR-S and drive. Nowhere, and no reason, but to drive. Drop the windows and drop the hammer.

Appleseed wrote: Sometimes, late at night, I'll fire up the FR-S and drive. Nowhere, and no reason, but to drive. Drop the windows and drop the hammer.

This is one of the best things to do. The only car I've had that I wasn't a huge fan of (1998 V6 mustang) was the only car I've had that can do this. Lower the windows for takeoff, then close them and crank the tunes when cruising.

i might have just bought a car i don't need and didn't have money for because i couldn't resist it. It may also contain many rare parts that could prove irreplaceable should they ever break, not that i could afford to buy replacements anyway. I also had nowhere to park it, though i will by the end of the week. Obviously said car looks like nothing special, didn't cost very much, and yet i spotted it from hundreds of yards away and freaked out a little inside, despite it being parked next to a shelby cobra. Does that make me extra-GRM for today?

^yes. It also means that you better show and tell, not just tell

Someone pass me a dunce cap because this is about to get "real".

1. Never driven a manual transmission except for arcade games. next car will be manual

2. I want a Nissan 350/370z to build up for something like the Dakar rally or Baja 1000.

3. The difference between me trying to keep my car running until I move on and trying to make it a keeper is the lack of the turbocharger and manual transmission.

4.I slowly grew to like putting stickers and vinyl on my car.

1. I want a car with fighter jet styled Hotas control.

I'll see myself out now ladies and gentlemen.

G. P. Snorklewacker wrote: Okay, last one. I don't really like cars very much. I would never own a car that was too nice to beat the E36 M3 out of. My wife has one. Not me. I don't want a beautiful car. I like building and modifying machinery. I like driving. I like racing. But if it wasn't for recreational driving, I could care less if I ever did it again. I'd be just as happy with a motorcycle, ATV or jet ski. Or a helicopter.

I'm with you, only replace all those last items with "bicycle". I'd be happy to lose the complexity of cars aside from racing or the periodic need to transport something other than myself.

Other confessions:

• I DD an automatic sedan, my wife DDs a manual SUV

• I can't wait for driverless cars

• If I could own zero internal combustion engines I would (but am currently too cheap)

In reply to classicJackets:

To make it even more GRM, i have to go a somewhat significant distance to pick it up and hope it makes the drive home...

BlueInGreen44 wrote: I want another Lincoln MkVII and I don't really know why.

After writing this I went looking at the classifieds on thelincolnmarkviiclub.org even though I'm trying to pass on or figure out winter storage for the BMW so there's no way another car is possible.

Here's the real confession: Sometimes I wish I hadn't sold that old Lincoln. Even though I passed it on to someone who needed it a lot more than I did, even though it was taking up space and time that I didn't have when my job situation changed, and even though it would have been a less than ideal winter car. That was, for whatever reason, the only car with which I've ever had any kind of emotional attachment and it was the car I've owned for the shortest amount of time.

I should have sold the practical car and kept the MkVII.

I need to find a place with a garage

I wouldn't mind driving a newer Taurus with the ecoboost.

After I read the thread on V6 Mustang vs V6 Camaro yesterday all I can think about is buying a v6/6speed camaro stripping everything out of it to lower the weight as much as possible and make it my DD/track plaything. Even though I know I will get tired of a stripped out Track rat as a DD and end up longing for a V8.

In reply to D2W: i dont' know, there's someone in my region with a surprisingly fast v6 camaro autox car. it sounds pretty awesome, too.

I might glance at the occasional booty of a fine lady, but I flat out GAWK at the rear of the new stingray... Am...am I... An autopheliac?

Also, should've said this three pages ago, but, "NO JUDGING!" This is confessional.

I live in the city in Chicago. When I walk down the street, I look at the parked cars and try to predict which ones have manual transmissions, then look in the windows and rejoice a little bit every time I find one.

Trackmouse wrote: I secretly love square cars with round headlights.

I don't. Keep it secret that is.

The only thing I don't like about the Focus ST and RS is that you can only get them with a manual transmission.

I want to buy a rust-free Cosworth Vega and put a Zetec in it.

I love cars and have since I was old enough to say the word. I love everything from brass era stuff to hyper-futuristic concepts. I love the feeling of speed and motion, regardless of what provides that motion (gasoline, diesel, electricity, manual, automatic, I don't care, usually, so long as it suits the car and the car's role). But I also love cars as artwork, seeking out the human touch and passion in the machine. I've found in the real world, I can "use" a good looking car more than I can a fast one. I tend to lean more towards custom one-offs than mass produced committeemobiles, though throw an obvious car passion in the design mix and even a hugely mass produced car can be interesting.

It's people that let their cars fall apart to nothing, and obviously don't care about their cars that I dislike.

One that goes against the grain here:

CVT > traditional auto.

Fun thread just found it.

I don't think I want to race anymore and am kind of glad I don't have time or money to do it.

I am running out of enthusiasm to work on cars in general

I want to borrow the Tardis so I can live the 80's as a 40 something not as the teen I was.

I kind of like Chevy Sonics

My "winter car" that I've driven for the past 3 years makes absolutely no heat (And last winter had 20 -10* days in a row) and I have been unable to find out why.

In reply to NickD:

Gotta fix that man.