I must be a "200 hp" kind of guy. I've been doing a bit of comparison shopping lately and the 200 hp cars (FiST, FRS/BRZ, GTI) really seem to be the "sweet spot" for me. Less leaves me feeling like potential SUV roadkill, more just seems to take the skill factor out of driving.
I should probably sell a kidney and put a blower on the Miata.
......never? That's probably why I own the cars I do.
wearymicrobe wrote:fidelity101 wrote: slow car fast is better than fast car slow!On the street yes. On the track no.
I feel the exact opposite. My streetcar has 141whp/ton while our LeMons car has 48whp/ton and I wouldn't want it the other way.
When traffic realizes your not just a 3.6 CTS, but the 'V' and most try to 'stuff' you...
My STR was great but the engineers never let you use it all. Between a trans that shifted early and an open did and traction control that came on like a hammer the car was just a paper tiger. I am sure it could be fixed but I suspect you would start braking things. On paper it was better than a M5 in reality it was nothing close. I loved the car but it also irritated me to the point of moving on from it.
I can hammer the piss out of a 1.6 Miata and not have to worry too much about getting a ticket.
When i had my 1.6 Miata I raced a 1g Camry Hybrid from like 70-110 and was about even. Pretty embarassing for the Camry, if you ask me! The newer ones are WAAAAY quicker. Anyway, i laughed about it and then traded the Miata for a broken 924 which was even slower.
fidelity101 wrote: slow car fast is better than fast car slow!
I gotta disagree on that too ( although I totally understand the merits of the idea) 220-300 hp in a 2400lbs car is on the street in an immense amount of fun... especially with great suspension,sticky tires electronic cutout right after the turbo.... But it takes the exercise of a lot of bad judgement to actually get to that point 
Having just bought a Prius I can attest to this 10x over 
My '13 Fiesta keeps me up on situation awareness. It takes a little longer to pass. I have found that I am quicker, even at part throttle from traffic lights. When I am on the interstate I just set my cruise control to the speed that is safe, ticket wise, as long as traffic is light. Pass some, some pass me. When traffic gets heavier that SA comes in to play. full use of mirrors.
kazoospec wrote: I must be a "200 hp" kind of guy. I've been doing a bit of comparison shopping lately and the 200 hp cars (FiST, FRS/BRZ, GTI) really seem to be the "sweet spot" for me. Less leaves me feeling like potential SUV roadkill, more just seems to take the skill factor out of driving. I should probably sell a kidney and put a blower on the Miata.
Meh, constantly having to grab 3rd in my BRZ on the highway to change lanes is annoying. Sure it's 200hp isn't "super" slow, but you have to keep it above 5k for any real push.
dannyzabolotny wrote: There's a pretty steep hill that I have to get over on the way to work and it's pretty fun to floor it in anger and watch the speed climb to 100mph while going up a 45º slope.
A 45° slope? You do realize that's a 100% grade, right? And 10% grades are pretty steep. Like "Trucks must stop, truck speed limit 20 mph" steep, and the steepest roadway in the world is only about 20° (37% grade).
You know you have way too much power when you are immobilized by drizzle.
You know you have way too much power when you pretzel your drive or half-shafts exiting a corner.
You know you have way too much power when adding throttle ruins your alignment and/or shatters the rear window glass.
I think that people who use the phrase "It's never enough" haven't experienced it. I used to say that until I built an 1700-lb car with >500 hp. It's like carrying a machine gun on your thoroughbred race horse; it's not likely you'll be able to use either on public streets, and if you do, things get real dicey in a hurry. All kidding aside, such a vehicle demands a lot of respect.
snailmont5oh wrote:dannyzabolotny wrote: There's a pretty steep hill that I have to get over on the way to work and it's pretty fun to floor it in anger and watch the speed climb to 100mph while going up a 45º slope.A 45° slope? You *do* realize that's a 100% grade, right? And 10% grades are pretty steep. Like "Trucks must stop, truck speed limit 20 mph" steep, and the steepest roadway in the world is only about 20° (37% grade).
Haha I knew somebody would call me out for that. I was obviously exaggerating, but it's a pretty fun road to go up nonetheless. I rev the crap out of my engine going up and then downshift and make fun sounds going down.
kb58 wrote: I think that people who use the phrase "It's never enough" haven't experienced it. I used to say that until I built an 1700-lb car with >500 hp. It's like carrying a machine gun on your thoroughbred race horse; it's not likely you'll be able to use either on public streets, and if you do, things get real dicey in a hurry. All kidding aside, such a vehicle demands a lot of respect.
Oh for sure. I got to drive a 3500lbs vehicle with 690whp(2004 Cobra). Nothing like spinning the tires at quarter throttle while granny shifting at 2000rpms. No thank you. My friend wanted to hear what it sounded like from outside the car so he gave me the keys and told me to do a WOT flyby. That didn't happen
I've just driven the SRT Hellcat Challenger Widebody with 707hp, and backed that up by driving the 840hp Dodge Demon.
Judging by how each car made me giggle......no......neither had "too much power"
Huckleberry wrote: You know you have way too much power when you are immobilized by drizzle.
One of the managers asked me what I could do with the traction control for the 1000hp Saleen S7 in a rain setting. My response was to not let you start the car.
snailmont5oh wrote: A 45° slope? You *do* realize that's a 100% grade, right? And 10% grades are pretty steep. Like "Trucks must stop, truck speed limit 20 mph" steep, and the steepest roadway in the world is only about 20° (37% grade).
The entrance road to Laguna Seca is a 16% grade. It's kind of terrifying leaving the track and you have to take the tow rig down that road...
On my way back to work this morning after a meeting in my Camaro I was on the freeway weaving through slow traffic when I looked down and realized I was doing 95. Guess the traffic wasn't that slow. Its nice to have enough power that if you want to make a move you don't have to worry about the car letting you down.
I recently got to drive a new Porsche 911 Turbo S, including trying out launch control. Now I'm in love and nothing I own has enough power.....what a car.
Never
You know you have too much power when time slows down.
The most fun I've ever had driving was in a 92 Ranger with the 2.9L v6, 2wd, a 5speed, and bald tires. Sideways everywhere at 25mph.
I'm curious where you guys drive that navigating traffic requires any appreciable amount of horsepower. I DD an automatic Saturn with heavy as 17" wheels that came off our rallyx car. We're talking 17 second 1/4 mile. Then I turn the A/C on.
I can't ever recall being in traffic where the power of the car was a limiting factor. No normal driver in traffic is using more than like 40hp, so its pretty easy to keep up with all of them.
That said, doubling the power would sure make it a lot more fun :)
In reply to ProDarwin:
Keeping up with traffic is easy enough.
However, things like merging directly from an on ramp to the middle lane and getting up to the 70 mph flow of traffic to get around the idiot merging into the right lane at 40 mph (and cutting people off in the process) in front of you requires some power unless the road is very empty.
On the street with other cars around, having more power gives more options.
ProDarwin wrote: I'm curious where you guys drive that navigating traffic requires *any* appreciable amount of horsepower. I DD an *automatic* Saturn with heavy as 17" wheels that came off our rallyx car. We're talking 17 second 1/4 mile. Then I turn the A/C on. I can't ever recall being in traffic where the power of the car was a limiting factor. No normal driver in traffic is using more than like 40hp, so its pretty easy to keep up with all of them. That said, doubling the power would sure make it a lot more fun :)
Phoenix. Where the speed limits are 65mph on highways but everyone drives 80-85mph. And 45mph on surface streets while everyone does 55-60mph. Having a quick car has certainly made life easier. If you're only doing the speed limit you get passed by literally everyone and people cut you off everywhere.
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