What popular cars just don't impress you?

Miatas.

ditchdigger wrote: What doesn't impress me is large boosted diesel trucks. I just don't get it. They smell terrible and are painfully noisy. Being in one on the freeway is a migrane waiting to happen. At idle they sound like a UPS truck and smell like a tire fire. It is pretty much taking 80 years of NVH advances and throwing it out the window.

New ones, yeah. As far as the stink and the noise, that's a problem with the morons who own them not tuning them properly, and I'll take the diesel noise over a rotary or rpm happy four any day.

However, I still yearn for a no electrics D250 with way too much boost and fuel. I can't help it. If it gets used as a truck, that's great, I don't even really care about the stacks so much beyond the waste of bed space. I still hate parking lot queens with a giant lift, but I've warmed up to the drag aspect after watching a guy break his car and switch to his tow rig for the rest of the night.

Woody wrote: The new Camaro. All Vipers. The Veyron.

All the new retro rides look like bloated childrens drawings of the classics. The Challenger at least looks better than the other two to me.

I can't hate on the Viper, it was all that a supercar was supposed to be, loud, fast, and if you sucked at driving you stuffed it into a tree.

The Veyron, meh, I can appreciate the 250 mph thing, but what does the car have going for it other than that? It's ugly, expensive, and heavy.

GTR, again, it's supposedly a fantastic machine, but they've essentially priced it out of the reach of the majority of it's fans. Such a dick move on Nissans part kinda ruined the car for me. Also it's ugly, but it hasn't been attractive since the 70s anyway.

Big one with me, Civics. Not even the cars, it's mostly the stereotypical drivers that were oh so prevalent around here way back in the stone ages of the early 2000s.

Most of the popular cars don't impress me... even if I can afford some of them. Also the fact that everybody and their mother owns one makes me not like it even more.

forzav12 wrote: Miatas.

Perma-ban!

At one of the recent Mitties, there were a couple of AMG demo cars you could drive around the infield course. I drove their version of the C class and the SL. Loved the C class although it would have been even cooler with a six speed manual.

The SL, though, even though Tim Suddard later gushed about it, I wasn't impressed. Mostly because the C class seemed to perform better and was more usable at the same time. The SL reminded me of the saying, "You can't make a race horse out of a pig, but you can make one very fast pig." On something like a C class sedan, one expects a bit of fast-pig feeling and will forgive it. The SL, though, was a two seater convertible. It felt (and probably was) way heavier than the C class. A little roadster shouldn't have that fast pig feeling; that kind of ruined it for me.

My fathers point of view on vehicles is more interesting than mine on this subject.

"I hate people, I hate cars, and I hate people that drive cars." - My fathers motto after 30 years in the service department.

As for me, most supercars, cars with big ass rims, and the modern corvette and camaro.

Personally, I don't get the hype on bmw's, and vtec. Both leave me underwhelmed. The former is ok, but maintenance costs alone leave me frightened. THe latter, it's no replacement for torque.

Maybe it's my MX background with the old piston port two strokes and later with the new generation four stroke singles but using RPM to make HP gives me the giggles. My last WR400 Yamaha made 44 max HP at 9800 RPM and redlined at 11,500. This is a DOHC 400cc 5 valve single. So I appreciate stratospheric redlines and love the sound.

N Sperlo, I understand exactly where your dad is coming from. Buy him a drink for me!

Curmudgeon wrote: OMG, which one???? Uhhh... easy.

Well, my eyes think the Lancia is much better looking than the Ferrari. Wedge shapes aren't very interesting to me, love the box-it-came-in look.

And speaking of which. Box flares. Lancia 1, Ferarri 0!

Grizz wrote: New ones, yeah. As far as the stink and the noise, that's a problem with the morons who own them not tuning them properly, and I'll take the diesel noise over a rotary or rpm happy four any day.

Even when they're new, including the brand new super-ultra-clean (almost as clean as gasoline) Diesel exhaust reeks of sour milk like a thousand babies just spit up. And then you get the TDIs with over 150k on them and engines worn enough that they dump raw atomized fuel right out the exhaust. No thanks!

And then there are the "pleasures" of working on one of the buggers. Someday, someone will figure out how to keep a Diesel from leaking oil. Did I mention that used Diesel motor oil is the nastiest substance to be found in nature? Stains the skin for days.

I will allow that some people may find this to be a pleasant odor/experience, akin to other people enjoying the smell of high-toluene race fuels or semi-burnt castor oil.

I will agree with you that four cylinders sound awful.

Knurled wrote:

Grizz wrote: New ones, yeah. As far as the stink and the noise, that's a problem with the morons who own them not tuning them properly, and I'll take the diesel noise over a rotary or rpm happy four any day.

Even when they're new, including the brand new super-ultra-clean (almost as clean as gasoline) Diesel exhaust reeks of sour milk like a thousand babies just spit up. And then you get the TDIs with over 150k on them and engines worn enough that they dump raw atomized fuel right out the exhaust. No thanks! And then there are the "pleasures" of working on one of the buggers. Someday, someone will figure out how to keep a Diesel from leaking oil. Did I mention that used Diesel motor oil is the nastiest substance to be found in nature? Stains the skin for days. I will allow that some people may find this to be a pleasant odor/experience, akin to other people enjoying the smell of high-toluene race fuels or semi-burnt castor oil. I will agree with you that *four cylinders* sound awful.

haters will hate

I'd buy a modern one in a second if it were available in a small pickup or SUV like in the rest of the world. You just can't argue with the efficiency and the "right now" throttle response of an engine that makes all its power where it can be easily used

...sorry for the threadjack...

a401cj wrote: I'd buy a modern one in a second if it were available in a small pickup or SUV like in the rest of the world. You just can't argue with the efficiency and the "right now" throttle response of an engine that makes all its power where it can be easily used

Throttle response? In a Diesel? When did that ever happen? They're even slower than anything with SU carbs!

Maybe if they make 10lb flywheels for them instead of those massive 50-60lb things...

I'm thinking he might mean tie feeling of right now torque as opposed to throttle response. I've had a few diesels and the throttle response can sometimes only be read with a sundial, but that torque that is ready at idle is amazing.
When I've pulled over 10K (including the trailer and load in the bed) I was amazed that the truck will start moving in the time it took my foot to go from the brake to the throttle (12V Cummins). A good diesel makes working look easy. When I see a stack coming through a bed I think "poser" right away.

Knurled wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote: OMG, which one???? Uhhh... easy.

Well, my eyes think the Lancia is much better looking than the Ferrari. Wedge shapes aren't very interesting to me, love the box-it-came-in look. And speaking of which. Box flares. Lancia 1, Ferarri 0!

I love Lancias, but that one is terrible. And no Ferarris never came with box flares.....cuz they didn't need them. If the car needed XXX tires to put the power down, they got 'em, with the room under the skin for them.

Knurled wrote:

a401cj wrote: I'd buy a modern one in a second if it were available in a small pickup or SUV like in the rest of the world. You just can't argue with the efficiency and the "right now" throttle response of an engine that makes all its power where it can be easily used

Throttle response? In a Diesel? When did that ever happen? They're even slower than anything with SU carbs! Maybe if they make 10lb flywheels for them instead of those massive 50-60lb things...

someone clearly hasn't driven a diesel in awhile

Any newer (90s and up) Ferrari or Lamborghini (too expensive and poorly built for how well they perform and how useful they are),

Miata (at least for me, because I am too tall to drive one),

MK2 Volkswagen (not that exciting to drive, constant driveability problems, too many complicated brittle plastic parts),

E30 BMW (most are in terrible shape now, and they really arent that exciting for how much work it takes to get one back into shape for everyday use),

Mustang (all but the first few years), ugly, terrible handling, usually driven very badly

Alfa GTV, Berlina, most other desirable alfas and fiats (they are cool cars, but most of them need a massive amount of rust repair to survive for long term use, so you have a choice of buying a $20k car and letting it break it half in 10 years, or buying a $20k car and dropping another $40k on rust repair and paint. The few rust free examples with original paint are exempt from this statement though.)

I used to hate GTRs until I got to ride in one at an AutoX and now I'm in love.

I no care about the new Camaro at all. Interior is bland, exterior is meh, and visibility inside is horrendous.

Honda Crosstour - just kill it with fire, just bring us the Accord Wagon from Europe instead. (Yes I know they make the TSX Wagon).

Prius - Enough said there. Toyota Cars and Trucks - read above.

Crossovers - let me get this straight. You are taking a car platform, raising it up, adding nothing remotely useful to take it offroad, tow a vehicle, or even haul crap and it gets worse MPGs than it's carlike brother. I just don't get them nor do I like them. Waste of resources that could be used to build awesome cars.

I could go on forever but those really annoy me.

Travis_K wrote: Any newer (90s and up) Ferrari or Lamborghini (too expensive and poorly built for how well they perform and how useful they are), Miata (at least for me, because I am too tall to drive one), MK2 Volkswagen (not that exciting to drive, constant driveability problems, too many complicated brittle plastic parts), E30 BMW (most are in terrible shape now, and they really arent that exciting for how much work it takes to get one back into shape for everyday use), Mustang (all but the first few years), ugly, terrible handling, usually driven very badly Alfa GTV, Berlina, most other desirable alfas and fiats (they are cool cars, but most of them need a massive amount of rust repair to survive for long term use, so you have a choice of buying a $20k car and letting it break it half in 10 years, or buying a $20k car and dropping another $40k on rust repair and paint. The few rust free examples with original paint are exempt from this statement though.)

Oh man I crown you king Troll. That is some damn fine work there.

Damn fine work.

Travis_K wrote: Any newer (90s and up) Ferrari or Lamborghini (too expensive and poorly built for how well they perform and how useful they are), Statement sets new standards for epic fail Miata (at least for me, because I am too tall to drive one), MK2 Volkswagen (not that exciting to drive, constant driveability problems, too many complicated brittle plastic parts), E30 BMW (most are in terrible shape now, and they really arent that exciting for how much work it takes to get one back into shape for everyday use), hahahahaha, more comedy Mustang (all but the first few years), ugly, terrible handling, usually driven very badly OK, now I've just sprayed coffee over the keyboard-Boss 302 no handle-hahahahaha Alfa GTV, Berlina, most other desirable alfas and fiats (they are cool cars, but most of them need a massive amount of rust repair to survive for long term use, so you have a choice of buying a $20k car and letting it break it half in 10 years, or buying a $20k car and dropping another $40k on rust repair and paint. The few rust free examples with original paint are exempt from this statement though.)

Bold comedy, thanks

What popular cars just don't impress you?

All cars with V6, V8, V10 and V12 engines.

Proper automobiles have inline fours or sixes.

Large Vee-type engines are suitable for dump-trucks, locomotives or WW II aircraft.

In reply to aeronca65t:

That is a bold statement.

Define "proper automobiles"

I will agree that in this day and age of automotive technology, V8s really only pickup trucks, muscle cars, and sports/supercars.

There are places that a V6 can be used especially in larger sedans.

As big of an Inline 6 fan as I am, they are slowly disappearing.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: ......Define "proper automobiles"........

Ones I'm interested in.

Knurled wrote: I will agree with you that *four cylinders* sound awful.

Really??

A short "show" shot... start, idle, throttle blips, idle again, shut down - http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j143/oldeskewltoy/ae71/?action=view&current=tailpipeview.mp4

when being tuned for the first time - http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j143/oldeskewltoy/ae71/?action=view&current=M4V00077.mp4

Both sound pretty good to me

I will admit to not liking a ton of newer "impressive" cars. About the only thing that does impress me is fit, finish, and quietness. There is something about a quiet car that isolates me from road noise that I do respect.

What I don't like is that most of the newer cars with unique appearance character (like the Viper, Z06, etc) keep their character because they are limited production. I'd rather have a cookie cutter car and make it unique; make it handle, accelerate, and sound like a much more expensive car.

When you see a Viper on the road you kinda say, "oh look, a Viper. Neat." When you see my 66 Bonneville with 1-ton chassis and a Duramax, you say, "holy E36 M3... awesome car."

forzav12 wrote:

Travis_K wrote: Any newer (90s and up) Ferrari or Lamborghini (too expensive and poorly built for how well they perform and how useful they are), -one example of this is that one recent model of ferarri that had numerous engine fires, and from what i remember the response was something like "yeah, that was a design problem, but thats between you and your insurance company" And how many of those cars will get around a track faster than a lotus with a good driver? Statement sets new standards for epic fail Miata (at least for me, because I am too tall to drive one), Sure, they are fun to drive (if you are 5'8), but a stock early miata doesnt perform any better than a first gen neon, and i can barely even fit in one, I drove one once for a few minutes and i couldnt stand it. E30 BMW (most are in terrible shape now, and they really arent that exciting for how much work it takes to get one back into shape for everyday use), hahahahaha, more comedy Mustang (all but the first few years), ugly, terrible handling, usually driven very badly OK, now I've just sprayed coffee over the keyboard-Boss 302 no handle-hahahahaha The old boss 302 is cool, sure the new one handles well but its still terribly ugly.

Bold comedy, thanks

Im glad my choices were entertaining. :) Im not much into normal cars, look at what i posted in the lottery thread.