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Thread: The State of The Car

  1. #226
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    ^ Agreed. I have one, I don't like it. I am more or less used to it now, but when I first had the car, it's rather annoying. Race car has minimum steering wheel turn lock to lock, and they have the cram the driver in a tiny space, they need to make room to let the driver get in the car. On a road car it makes no sense...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
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  2. #227
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    LOL yeah, I thought it was comical when I worked for the rental car company and we got a Corolla S with the squared-bottom steering wheel. So unnecessary, so ricey.
    An it harm none, do as ye will

    Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.

  3. #228
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    Neither is a mobile phone or a computer...
    which is exactly why these should also not be used in cars....at least not where they can be operated while driving.

    and our C3 has this terrible steering wheel and I don't mind. It does not distract me.
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  4. #229
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    This is funny.

    Feature Flick: Making the 2014 Lexus IS More Fun to Drive - Rumor Central

    But not in the way they intend it to be.

    I'm sorry but driving enjoyment cannot be measured. A car is either fun to drive or not; a series of parameters don't decide.

    Probably.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  5. #230
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    Holden on until 2022, but Commodore slipping away - BBC Top Gear Australia

    While it’s fair to say no one really cares about Australian cars but Australians, this is yet another harbinger of things to come. The Australian car industry is unique in a rather anachronistic way in that it is probably one of the only countries that still produce large rear wheel drive budget sedans with 6 and 8 cylinder engines. While the rest of the world has moved on to generic front wheel drive 4cyl and diesels (and worse) we have held onto the original automotive design (I’m sure someone will contend this) and made some very impressive cars given our economy of scale. People will harp on about build quality and reliably but having owned 7 different model Commodores over more than 20 years reliability has never been a problem. Build quality is subjective as you can’t build a $80,000 car and sell it for $40,000. Comparisons with European cars is pointless when you pay twice the price for an entry level car with half the engine. Of course you can use better quality fabric and plastic.
    Rant aside the point of this (yes there is one) is that the end is nigh. Ford Australia will be the first to step down followed by Holden in 2022. From that day forward the only way to but a rear wheel drive 6cyl will be to cough up $80,000 plus for a 335i or a C300. Now as for buying a car for transport it obviously makes sense to buy one of the endless forgettable 4cl small sedans currently available. But as a minor enthusiast I have yet to drive anything that rivals the fun of a big V8 rear wheel drive. Having been forced to cough up my CV8 Monaro stings all the worse given the times ahead. I only hope that I can at some future stage get hold of another V8 Commie as a pure personal indulgence and live with the future irony of it once have been nothing more than a cheap Aussie made car for bogans.
    "A string is approximately nine long."
    Egg Nogg 02-04-2005, 05:07 AM

  6. #231
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    How one of the most significant cars of the last 40 years was born.

    Tada: How Toyota and Subaru created the GT86 | Toyota UK news, reviews, video and pictures
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  7. #232
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    "40 years" ....... .... less cerveza por favour
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  8. #233
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    Quote Originally Posted by crisis View Post
    Holden on until 2022, but Commodore slipping away - BBC Top Gear Australia

    While it’s fair to say no one really cares about Australian cars but Australians, this is yet another harbinger of things to come. The Australian car industry is unique in a rather anachronistic way in that it is probably one of the only countries that still produce large rear wheel drive budget sedans with 6 and 8 cylinder engines. While the rest of the world has moved on to generic front wheel drive 4cyl and diesels (and worse) we have held onto the original automotive design (I’m sure someone will contend this) and made some very impressive cars given our economy of scale. People will harp on about build quality and reliably but having owned 7 different model Commodores over more than 20 years reliability has never been a problem. Build quality is subjective as you can’t build a $80,000 car and sell it for $40,000. Comparisons with European cars is pointless when you pay twice the price for an entry level car with half the engine. Of course you can use better quality fabric and plastic.
    Rant aside the point of this (yes there is one) is that the end is nigh. Ford Australia will be the first to step down followed by Holden in 2022. From that day forward the only way to but a rear wheel drive 6cyl will be to cough up $80,000 plus for a 335i or a C300. Now as for buying a car for transport it obviously makes sense to buy one of the endless forgettable 4cl small sedans currently available. But as a minor enthusiast I have yet to drive anything that rivals the fun of a big V8 rear wheel drive. Having been forced to cough up my CV8 Monaro stings all the worse given the times ahead. I only hope that I can at some future stage get hold of another V8 Commie as a pure personal indulgence and live with the future irony of it once have been nothing more than a cheap Aussie made car for bogans.
    I was a bit nostalgic when the Ford Crown Victoria went away too. But that's mostly because police cars will become more varied and spotting them from afar becomes more difficult.

    All joking aside, I see the merits of a cheap RWD sedan- perhaps not with as large an engine- maybe a straight 6 would be nice, but what's wrong with experimenting? The last time North America got a 4 cylinder RWD sedan was probably over 20 years ago with the Mercedes 190 E or the BMW 3 series. Of course, in Europe there are smaller displacement/cylinder options, but I'd like to see that come back too.

    We need RWD sedans!

  9. #234
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    Quote Originally Posted by NSXType-R View Post
    All joking aside, I see the merits of a cheap RWD sedan- perhaps not with as large an engine- maybe a straight 6 would be nice, but what's wrong with experimenting? The last time North America got a 4 cylinder RWD sedan was probably over 20 years ago with the Mercedes 190 E or the BMW 3 series. Of course, in Europe there are smaller displacement/cylinder options, but I'd like to see that come back too.

    We need RWD sedans!
    Couldn't agree more with this. Perhaps it would give more appeal to the cheaper sedan than just being something you see young couples driving around.

    I had to drive a rental a few weeks ago (2012 Ford Focus) and was dying to get my car back from the shop. It felt so automated as if it were driving me around. And too many buttons and whatnot that were too distracting for the interstate. I did get a good laugh from the torque converter though...

  10. #235
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    Quote Originally Posted by LTSmash View Post
    Couldn't agree more with this. Perhaps it would give more appeal to the cheaper sedan than just being something you see young couples driving around.

    I had to drive a rental a few weeks ago (2012 Ford Focus) and was dying to get my car back from the shop. It felt so automated as if it were driving me around. And too many buttons and whatnot that were too distracting for the interstate. I did get a good laugh from the torque converter though...
    Did you play around with the color-changing mood lighting? That was definitely the best part of driving the rental one I was in a few months back.

    It's good to see you back 'round these parts!
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  11. #236
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    Quote Originally Posted by f6fhellcat13 View Post
    Did you play around with the color-changing mood lighting? That was definitely the best part of driving the rental one I was in a few months back.

    It's good to see you back 'round these parts!
    I had no idea there were color-changing mood lights. The settings must have been between the 20 satnav buttons and the Sirius presets. Perhaps if I set it too a calming blue hue I wouldn't have felt like ripping the steering wheel off its column.

    And thank you. I think my hiatus was long enough.

  12. #237
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    "40 years" ....... .... less cerveza por favour
    That's not Catalan!

  13. #238
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    "40 years" ....... .... less cerveza por favour
    Well, I was thinking, that's payback from the sportscar camp for what the Golf GTI did back in 1976. It's now 37 years old, so I guess 40 was close enough...
    Quote Originally Posted by Kitdy View Post
    That's not Catalan!
    Indeed.

    And as a result I couldn't understand anything.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
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  14. #239
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    Quote Originally Posted by NSXType-R View Post
    I was a bit nostalgic when the Ford Crown Victoria went away too. But that's mostly because police cars will become more varied and spotting them from afar becomes more difficult.

    All joking aside, I see the merits of a cheap RWD sedan- perhaps not with as large an engine- maybe a straight 6 would be nice, but what's wrong with experimenting? The last time North America got a 4 cylinder RWD sedan was probably over 20 years ago with the Mercedes 190 E or the BMW 3 series. Of course, in Europe there are smaller displacement/cylinder options, but I'd like to see that come back too.

    We need RWD sedans!
    Quote Originally Posted by LTSmash View Post
    Couldn't agree more with this. Perhaps it would give more appeal to the cheaper sedan than just being something you see young couples driving around.

    I had to drive a rental a few weeks ago (2012 Ford Focus) and was dying to get my car back from the shop. It felt so automated as if it were driving me around. And too many buttons and whatnot that were too distracting for the interstate. I did get a good laugh from the torque converter though...
    The problem is that those 4 cylinder engined, rear wheel drive sports saloons aren't actually that cheap. In fact the US wins in this case, clearly. The Charger is cheaper and has a bigger engine, and then you have the quintessential 2 door saloons with big engines: the pony cars; which somewhat have manages to survive into the 21st century.

    Rear wheel drive for affordable, practical cars is dying breed unfortunately.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  15. #240
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    Quote Originally Posted by LTSmash View Post
    Couldn't agree more with this. Perhaps it would give more appeal to the cheaper sedan than just being something you see young couples driving around.

    I had to drive a rental a few weeks ago (2012 Ford Focus) and was dying to get my car back from the shop. It felt so automated as if it were driving me around. And too many buttons and whatnot that were too distracting for the interstate. I did get a good laugh from the torque converter though...
    Yes, I agree! That's another problem I see! People are already distracted in their cars with just their phones- do I need to connect to the internet and have apps on my car as well? The Ford SYNC system is particularly egregious.

    Another issue I see with cars is with touchscreens taking over normal operations. I want buttons goddamnit! Touchscreens make you take your eyes off the road because that screen could be anything.

    Change for the sake of change is not always the best.

    Just curious, what car do you drive again? I'm getting a Mustang vibe for some odd reason...

    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    The problem is that those 4 cylinder engined, rear wheel drive sports saloons aren't actually that cheap. In fact the US wins in this case, clearly. The Charger is cheaper and has a bigger engine, and then you have the quintessential 2 door saloons with big engines: the pony cars; which somewhat have manages to survive into the 21st century.

    Rear wheel drive for affordable, practical cars is dying breed unfortunately.
    I don't think the Charger you can get with a manual, most certainly not with the biggest engine. The Challenger is way too big.

    I want a 4 door GT86/BR-Z. Preferably as a hatchback. Is that too much to ask?

    If Toyota made one and called it the Corolla, that'd be pretty awesome. It's a shame that the Corolla has been FWD for over 20 years, there are a whole generation of people that don't even know the Corolla was a pretty sporting vehicle.

    But going back to RWD sedans, that's also why I have a particular fondness for 1st generation IS300s. It was one of the few sedans that came with a straight 6 powering the rear wheels that wasn't a BMW.

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