Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles

[4A-GZE]

Who else is into vehicles? I used to rallycross a '94 Ford Escort, but its transmission died so I'm looking to replace it.



But yeah, what do you drive? Does anyone else race at all? (Note: Please don't discuss street racing. That's just not okay, ever.)

[davina61]

Drag racing , Hot Rods . There is a thread on that. Built cars ( full tube chassis Austin Devon/Dorset, VW Beetle, Slingshot dragster, several drag bikes for my youngest) but we have lost our local track to housing .

[Chelsea]

I was into Drag Racing for years and still love it. I've restored old cars and have a few myself.

[Hikari]

I only have 2 wheels, so while I wouldn't call myself "into bikes" I guess I kinda am by default, I got excited when I learned the 310GS was coming to America (I like small displacement bikes) so there is that. I like cars somewhat too, but I feel like they are just too expensive to own in my current financial situation.

[4A-GZE]

I only have 2 wheels, so while I wouldn't call myself "into bikes" I guess I kinda am by default, I got excited when I learned the 310GS was coming to America (I like small displacement bikes) so there is that. I like cars somewhat too, but I feel like they are just too expensive to own in my current financial situation.

Nothing wrong with that! I'm into cheap cars myself, honestly. I splurged on my current 2013 Kia Soul, but before that I never spent more than $600 on a car.
I'm looking to get a bike sometime, too. Preferably some sort of adventure bike, or whatever they're called. You know, like those BMWs that are like a hybrid of a dirt bike and a cruiser. Something all-terrain with lots of storage space.

[Kymmie Lorain]

A subject near and dear cars. I have been into cars all my life. I have owned a couple muscle cars, 70 Buick GS Stage 1 and a 70 GTO. How I wish I had them today. Currently I have a 1984 Lincoln town car ( the Wifes) a 1985 Ford Crown Victoria 2 dr future project, 2017 Lincoln MKZ, 1999 Ford Explorer off road project, and my 1971 Buick Sport wagon Current project.
I also ride I have a 2015 Harley FLHX Street Glide.
I enjoy taking my stuff to car shows, even though my stuff isn't much to look at now. I like it and don't care if others don't. I used to be big into car audio. Competing at shows, I was into sound quality and still am. planning a couple systems.
For motorsports I enjoy the touring car racing, and Optima ultimate street car. I have done Autocross. Can't stand Nascar, nor much roundy round stuff.

Kymmie

[Chloe]

'94 Ford Escort, but its transmission died

What's the trans doing (or not doing) Carly? An automatic? Just revived daughter's 2003 Liberty with 196,000 miles sometimes just exchanging the fluid can fix shift problems.

[4A-GZE]

What's the trans doing (or not doing) Carly? An automatic? Just revived daughter's 2003 Liberty with 196,000 miles sometimes just exchanging the fluid can fix shift problems.

It just stopped going into gear altogether. It's an automatic. I topped off the fluid and gave it some additives, but no dice.

Sadly, the car went away to the scrap yard a few days ago anyway.

[Chloe]

I wouldn't call myself "into bikes" I guess I kinda am by default

Love my Yamaha Virago 250 for around town . . . insure is $50 per year and it gets 65mpg! After adding Hellfire windshield, sissy bar/rack and American Rider backpack (holds groceries) the accessories almost cost more than bike itself (bought 2nd hand).

Not real fast 'bout 55/60 tops! lol And three year old still says "no way" when offered a ride 

[Rachel_Christina]

Addicted is not even the word. Couple of my cars and my brother's civic that we engine swaped last week.

[big kim]

Had cars & bikes, only got my Harley Sportster 883R now. Done 35K since March 2016, my only transport. Stage 1 tuned,Progressive 430 shocks & forksprings set for my weight & Barnett clutch ( I have arthritis & it's much lighter). https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/26195779_570781473273047_893124145107431964_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=bcef38bf6caeb43528a1f7d85bc337d0&oe=5C2E286F https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/32841504_634250660259461_8706391560784183296_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=0533a28035c8299367a7bb6ac173a35d&oe=5C20BFB2

[Colleen_definitely]

I never took you for a farmer's daughter Rachel.  I LOOOOOOOOOVE the Supra.

What did you swap into your bro's civic?


Anyhow I'm down to my WRX which is getting sold at the end of the year because it's my work car and I'll be taking my grad school vow of poverty, my 2001 Tacoma, and my 1969 Honda CT90.

The Scooby:


And my trusty old Tacoma.  Lifted, converted from a prerunner to a 4x4, converted to a 5 speed manual from an auto, still has the original engine with 250,000 miles (400,000 km), and still drags stuff around just fine.  On the trailer is my new to me 1976 Ford 2600 tractor that I use for mowing the property and will use for snow removal this winter. 



EDIT: found a pic of the bike.  90ccs of pure fury I tell you

[KatieP]

I hadn't seen this thread before. What fun!

I always wanted to learn to drive fast/well. So, one of the things I did was attend the Mercedes AMG Academy 6 or 8 times. After the first time, I went out and bought a C63 AMG. It was REALLY, REALLY fun to drive it aggressively everywhere. The car was limited electronically to 1X4 miles an hour. (I am thinking I should not admit to a felonious speed here...) Trusting only in empirically derived data, once, out in the CA desert, I pushed the accelerator until the speedometer stopped going up, which according to the dial was at 1X8 mph. Interestingly, the engine rpms continued to increase, but the car went no faster. So, I slowed down. Good thing too, when I came around the first turn in the very long straight at about 1Y0 mph, I was face to face with Office Baker in his CHP vehicle. Of course I slammed on the brakes and just pulled over and waited for him. He was VERY pleasant in every way, and eventually wrote me up for 90 in a 65. Literally, I could have hugged him. Saved me a TON of money and time.

Anyway, when I went to upgrade that car, I decide to get something more noticeable. The C63 was really fun, but looks a lot like a Honda Accord. So I bought this:



(Not me in the car. A friend wanted his picture taken in it. And, yes I know it is a terrible picture to show of the car, but I just now realized that it is the only picture I have of the car. I don't know what that means...)

My spouse told me, when I bought the Ferrari, "Girls don't like cars; what are you doing?" I pointed out Danica Patrick and such. That said, in the past year, I have had perhaps 100 women tell me it was a nice car, and about 5 guys. In my unofficial count, women like the car much more than men... 

I have yet to take this car out to that same desert road to see how fast it will go. I really hope I don't see Officer Baker when I do...

Kate

[Zumbagirl]

Anyway, when I went to upgrade that car, I decide to get something more noticeable. The C63 was really fun, but looks a lot like a Honda Accord. So I bought this:



(Not me in the car. A friend wanted his picture taken in it. And, yes I know it is a terrible picture to show of the car, but I just now realized that it is the only picture I have of the car. I don't know what that means...)


Kate

Hi Kate, how do you like the Ferrari?? I'm asking because right now I have a 2013 Viper GTS that I am looking to put on the market and sell and have my eye set on either a California or a Maserati gran turismo. I've never owned an Italian car but I will admit I always wished I had one. The viper is nice, it's crazy stupid fast, it can outrun almost anything on the road, but it's not comfortable for long road trips and I'm all about grand touring. I love hitting the road early in the morning, stopping somewhere for breakfast and then a nice spirited drive down country roads as I search for little country stores to go visit or sometimes antiques places. I know that the California and Gran Turismo share the same engine and transmission from Ferrari, but the Ferrari one is tuned up a bit more for the California. Thanks in advance!

[KatieP]

How do you like the Ferrari?? ... but it's not comfortable for long road trips and I'm all about grand touring.

So, I LOVE the Ferrari. It's a California which I chose for two reasons: The Grand Touring focus, and it is the cheapest of the Ferrari line. The fact that Ferrari designed the car specifically for women was nice too... 

But as a luxury car, Ferrari is at best middle of the road, and that is probably a biased view towards the positive. My spouse calls it, "The Fussy Ferrari." And fussy it is. There is a specific start sequence. Don't follow the steps, and it won't move. (Note to self: Do not use that car for a bank heist get-away vehicle.) The electronics are out of date and second rate. And, finally, according to my spouse, the passenger seat is hugely uncomfortable after about 2 hours. There is ONE cup-holder in the car. (You shouldn't be drinking while driving.) There is no mirror on the driver side sun shade. I am sure the designers could not imagine putting on lipstick at a stop light when they designed the car. So much for the Grand Touring...

And, it is perfect to drive. It has the super light, super precise Ferrari steering. It accelerates faster than my C63. It goes around corners like it was on rails, as they say. It is the most fun car I have ever driven, and I used to own Porsches, and I have driven every model of AMG on at least two different race tracks. The AMG cars are MUCH nicer cars. But the Ferrari is still more fun than any of the AMG cars.

I have driven only a few Maseratis, and they are much nicer inside. But they are a long ways from Ferrari fun or performance, it seems to me.


So, I totally recommend Ferrari. But go in with your eyes wide open.

Kate

[4A-GZE]

Holy crap, a Ferrari and a Viper?? I'm super envious of you two. The most expensive car I've ever owned is my Kia soul. The other three cost me $600 each.

That said, I'd rather drive a cheap car till its wheels fall off than baby a luxury car and never get the most of it.

THAT said, I'd still rather be a billionaire and able to consider a Lotus Elise as a "cheap" car to beat on. One can dream...

[Colleen_definitely]

It's hard to beat the soul for the money. They're good little cars, and easily my favorite rental car.

[KatieP]

Holy crap, a Ferrari and a Viper?? I'm super envious of you two.

That said, I'd rather drive a cheap car till its wheels fall off than baby a luxury car and never get the most of it.

THAT said, I'd still rather be a billionaire and able to consider a Lotus Elise as a "cheap" car to beat on. One can dream...

It's just a car. In this forum there are lots of things one might envy, but a car should be at the very bottom of a long list...

The Ferrari is my daily driver. I don't baby it, except for where I park it in public parking lots. I drive it aggressively every single time I am in it, and twice as hard if I am alone in it. Because... It's just a car...

Kate

[Zumbagirl]

So, I LOVE the Ferrari. It's a California which I chose for two reasons: The Grand Touring focus, and it is the cheapest of the Ferrari line. The fact that Ferrari designed the car specifically for women was nice too... 

But as a luxury car, Ferrari is at best middle of the road, and that is probably a biased view towards the positive. My spouse calls it, "The Fussy Ferrari." And fussy it is. There is a specific start sequence. Don't follow the steps, and it won't move. (Note to self: Do not use that car for a bank heist get-away vehicle.) The electronics are out of date and second rate. And, finally, according to my spouse, the passenger seat is hugely uncomfortable after about 2 hours. There is ONE cup-holder in the car. (You shouldn't be drinking while driving.) There is no mirror on the driver side sun shade. I am sure the designers could not imagine putting on lipstick at a stop light when they designed the car. So much for the Grand Touring...

And, it is perfect to drive. It has the super light, super precise Ferrari steering. It accelerates faster than my C63. It goes around corners like it was on rails, as they say. It is the most fun car I have ever driven, and I used to own Porsches, and I have driven every model of AMG on at least two different race tracks. The AMG cars are MUCH nicer cars. But the Ferrari is still more fun than any of the AMG cars.


Kate

I think you touched on the major things I don't want in a car. I mean at the end of the day a Ferrari is always going to be a Ferrari. It will be worth mucho dinero in the future. But I have owned a lot of performance cars in the last few years, c6 Corvette grand sport, C7 Corvette, Viper, Aston Martin v8 Vantage. Here's the thing that I found out about myself. There is more to an excellent drive than just speed. Sure blipping the throttle is fun. I've hit ludicrous speed a few times although I'll deny it in a court of law. I want a car that is fast but not too fast. The viper is already past the too fast point. The other thing is pure performance cars are fantastic at the track (I ought to know I've driven my viper on a race track and it is truly awesome) but on the road the rides are harsh, the seat bolstering is too deep for regular driving and there's no storage if I stop somewhere and buy something to drag home with me. The other thing is I can only sit in the cars for a while and then I need to get out. I mean I did love doing the airport runway run a couple of years ago in the C7 Vette. I managed to do 177 mph in the car and that was freaking awesome.

About a year ago I went to a cars and coffee and brought the viper. At the show a Ferrari group showed and I was talking to one of the owners and they said they were going for a ride afterwards. I asked if I could tag along in my car and they said sure. Now I have to tell you one of the people in the group was driving an Enzo Ferrari and I got to drive behind it for a while and although my viper has an awesome sounding V10 the precision sound of that Ferrari v12 is unreal. It started to make me want one and now here I am a few years later thinking "Is now the time or should I wait some more?".

[KatieP]

driving an Enzo Ferrari and I got to drive behind it for a while and although my viper has an awesome sounding V10 the precision sound of that Ferrari v12 is unreal. It started to make me want one and now here I am a few years later thinking "Is now the time or should I wait some more?".

Two things:
-- All that stuff about my Ferrari is just a car, might not apply if it were an Enzo. 

-- Is the time now, or should you wait? Really? That's a question to ask? The time is now! You have no idea what happens tomorrow. Think of the advice every 60+ year old person on this forum gives to every 20 year old on this forum: Wait? Are you crazy? Move now!

Amazingly, that same advice applies to your car, I think.

Kate