Can You Improve an Old Car's Performance by Servicing It?

[BrettVette]

I wouldn't consider my car old, despite it's 184,000 miles, were it not for the body rot thanks to all the road salt from these New England winters... I'm starting to see why Matt moved out to L.A.

[MrBooby]

Why did it have the ABS light on?

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by AudiV6

8 years is halfway thru a car's life, the average carlife is only 15 years.

Depends on the car and where you live. There's a ridiculous amount of high mileage older cars down here in the Southern US where there is no rust to kill them.

Originally Posted by MattFarah

jesus you guys are harsh. nowhere else on the internet has anyone given me crap about the car's age except here. I guess you guys all drive some old ass shitboxes huh?

Oh wait, you do. I've read the "post your ride" thread.

Really... This is an "old ass shitbox?"









I think not. Not even the fact that it's 23 years old and has ~260,000 miles on the clock can make it an "old ass shitbox".

By the way, Matt - let me give you a little tip. You're not winning friends with comments like that; insulting quite literally the majority of this forum's cars for no reason other than they questioned a definition that you yourself admit is a bit shaky is uncalled for. Are you sure you're a professional journalist? Or are you just some sort of wannabe child? I ask because - well, guess which one you're acting like.

[narf]

Oh dear, he offended a Jaaaaaaaaaaag and its owner?

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by narf

Oh dear, he offended a Jaaaaaaaaaaag and its owner?

I can guarantee that, provided no accident befalls them, both of my Jags will still be running when his old ass shitbox 1998 Corvette and perhaps even his Vanquish (hey, how's that failure-prone semi-manual-sorta-kinda-maybe slushbox holding up, Matt, speaking of shitboxes...) are dead and crushed.

[brydiem]

Originally Posted by MattFarah

jesus you guys are harsh. nowhere else on the internet has anyone given me crap about the car's age except here. I guess you guys all drive some old ass shitboxes huh?

Oh wait, you do. I've read the "post your ride" thread.

Wow, sorry we can't all afford supercars and live up to your "LA standards". That's the second time you've posted something that's basically insulted the FinalGear community (after your "I don't need volunteers, I can have everything I need with a few phone calls" post about LeMons).

I love my "old ass shitbox" thanks, and I know I would definitely appreciate it if you wouldn't insult our cars. Some of us can only afford older cars, and some of us choose to own older cars because they are rare/cool/interesting, please respect that.

I've quoted the post I refernced earlier below for verification.

Originally Posted by MattFarah

You make an honest evaluation here, mr. bass. I never showed in your chatroom, and once I realized that I wasn't going to do the race, I never messaged you again. There were 3 major breakdowns.

1) Money. When we were discussing doing Lemons together, I didn't have any. I had, literally, zero budget for travel, safety equipment, fuel, tires, nothing. So for me to go all the way to Ohio, at my own expense (and pay for any cameramen to come with me out of pocket), was totally un-feasable. Now, the race I'm looking at is in Nevada (driving distance from me), and I have a sponsor willing to cover all my expenses associated with the trip, excluding the car itself as is forbidden in the rules.

2) IRC. Don't know it, and really not interested in learning it, especially when the odds are silm that I'd make it to the race in the first place. That didn't help my motivation.

3) I don't need volunteers, extra drivers, team members or anything. I can make 5 phone calls in the next 5 minutes and have dozens of people waiting at the track for me with cameras, tools, spare parts, anything I need. So I will leave your dissuading post up in the interest of honesty, and if you have managed to talk someone out of helping me, that's fine. But I figured that since we're gonna run Lemons in 2010 on MY terms, I'd give people the opportunity to come help out if they wanted.

4) Lastly, you hadn't lost anything by me not partaking in your Lemons trip. It's not like you paid for a spot for me on the team and I didn't show up on race day. It's not like I took your car and said I was going to have work done on it, and then split to Mexico or something. We exchanged some emails and it clearly wasn't going to work out at that time. I really don't see what the big deal is.

I don't care if people -rep me for ripping into a prominent motoring journalist and I don't want to get into an argument over it- I don't have the time nor the energy. All i want to say is that because you don't own a "shitbox" and don't need to, doesn't mean you can rip into them.

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by brydiem

I don't care if people -rep me for ripping into a prominent motoring journalist and I don't want to get into an argument over it- I don't have the time nor the energy. All i want to say is that because you don't own a "shitbox" and don't need to, doesn't mean you can rip into them.

The irony is that by his own standards, as stated on this very thread, he himself does own an 'old ass shitbox'. Bet he doesn't see it that way, though.

I will give you +rep to help compensate for the loser fanboys who are certain to neg rep you for 'speaking truth to power', as some would say.

[brydiem]

^ Thankyou, I daresay I will get a bit of hate for my post, but I don't regret it one bit. Anyways, off to bed, will see what has been stirred up tomorrow

[Posmo]

Originally Posted by adaptech

Thats nothing in Norway its 17

According to the statistics I found (from 2003) the average age of a Norwegian car is ~10.2 years. Oh well, still older than 2001!

In all seriousness though, Matt, 2001 is not an old car, whether it has done 50k or 200k miles. It would have been far more interesting if you had found an older, neglected car, and seen what sort of performance could be gained there. Oh yeah, and not all old cars are shitboxes. I would much rather drive my car (23 year old Ford with 284000 km's on the clock), than a brand new Corolla or a Yaris, that makes it in my mind superior to the newer cars.

EDIT: And Spectre does have a point.

[MattFarah]

I do have an old-ass shitbox, a 10 year old chevy.... the interior is plastic, and the build quality is negligible. and I do love it as much as you all seem to love your old cars.

I really meant the shitbox comment in jest, and I'm sorry some of you took it so personally. I have lots of respect for people who drive and care for their old cars, and if I had the time and mechanical skill I would daily drive an old mini cooper in a heartbeat.

*yes I am a child, and act like one frequently

*just had to replace the vanquish clutch at 10,000 miles. as good as it looks and as nice as it sounds, that car is seriously a shitbox when it comes to parts replacement.

[Whappeh]

So...

when is part 2 coming?

[DanielVolz]

Why does everyone take things so personally around here? No where did anyone make any personal attacks, yet everyone treats it as such. While some people obviously can't understand some of the jokes made here, I appreciate the people that can get over the "I'm on the internet, so everything is an argument" mindset.

As for Matt's comments, I don't see how they correlate in any way to his journalistic abilities. Sorry if it gets your panties in a bunch when a broad statement (such as a 2001 car being "old", shitbox, etc.) can't make a specific exclusion of some obviously well maintained and enthusiast owned vehicles. The fact of the matter is, not all of our viewers are as enthusiastic about cars as everyone here, so it's fair to assume that not everyone is going to meticulously take care of their classic or vintage car.

Further more, I feel it speaks volumes for Matt's to make himself this publicly accessible to viewers/fans. How many times have you been able to ask a host a question directly (and actually get an answer) or offer feedback on what you would like to see on the program?

[Turboman]

I think next tuesday!

[Nabster]

Originally Posted by DanielVolz

Further more, I feel it speaks volumes for Matt's to make himself this publicly accessible to viewers/fans. How many times have you been able to ask a host a question directly (and actually get an answer) or offer feedback on what you would like to see on the program?

Well, this certainly didn't help his cause:

Originally Posted by MattFarah

I guess you guys all drive some old ass shitboxes huh?

To me, that speaks volumes about him.

We were arguing with each other (notice even Matt stepped in to say calling it old was a stretch) then he apparently though our arguing with each other was directed at him- notice people were quoting and responding to other people, not Matt. Then he made the remarks about us that set us off on him.

Publicly accessible or not, coping an attitude toward the people who watch (and consequently get him supported by sponsors so he can continue to do his show) probably isn't the best idea.

Frankly, I don't really care, as I already mentioned more than once here, I though the remark was funny, not necessarily wrong from the beginning. Now, as far as your initial question:

Originally Posted by DanielVolz

Why does everyone take things so personally around here? No where did anyone make any personal attacks

Perhaps I've answered it?

[matt2000]

2001? Pah.

My shitbox has tolerances in the engine that I could squash my head into so servicing doesn't really increase the power. Didn't have much to start with. Maybe that's where all the fuel goes...

Only done 60-odd thousand miles though. Saw a Reliant Robin on eBay the other day (was finding joke cars for a friend who's car died) which had 80k on it since 1982. That would be terrifying.

[brydiem]

Originally Posted by DanielVolz

Why does everyone take things so personally around here? No where did anyone make any personal attacks, yet everyone treats it as such. While some people obviously can't understand some of the jokes made here, I appreciate the people that can get over the "I'm on the internet, so everything is an argument" mindset.

As for Matt's comments, I don't see how they correlate in any way to his journalistic abilities. Sorry if it gets your panties in a bunch when a broad statement (such as a 2001 car being "old", shitbox, etc.) can't make a specific exclusion of some obviously well maintained and enthusiast owned vehicles. The fact of the matter is, not all of our viewers are as enthusiastic about cars as everyone here, so it's fair to assume that not everyone is going to meticulously take care of their classic or vintage car.

Further more, I feel it speaks volumes for Matt's to make himself this publicly accessible to viewers/fans. How many times have you been able to ask a host a question directly (and actually get an answer) or offer feedback on what you would like to see on the program?

Take it you were the one who gave me the grey blob/tried to neg-rep me.

I took it personally due to the "oh yeah you do..." comment. If he had have just left it at "I guess you all drive these", I would have been a bit miffed, but the later statement communicates to me that an evaluation of our cars as shit has occured on his part. I accept that it was a misunderstanding and all, but I think that it could have been phrased better. And a emoticon at the end would help communicate that it was a joke. We can't hear tone of voice/see body language over the internet, and that is over 70% of regular communication. We get offended because we have to take everything at face value.

And I'm disappointed. Apart from aforementioned grey blob, I didn't get neg-repped. in fact, my rep power went up 4 points. Guess all the rabid TST fans don't venture outside of this section much and thus don't have much rep power. You really should guys, we aren't as bad as we seem!

[Nabster]

Originally Posted by matt2000

Saw a Reliant Robin on eBay the other day (was finding joke cars for a friend who's car died) which had 80k on it since 1982. That would be terrifying.

My Mustang is 57000 original miles in some 40 years now.

[MattFarah]

At the rate my mileage is going on my shitbox, I'll have 50,000 miles in the year 2025. Fords and Chevy's last a while when you only put 2,000 miles a year on them

[Clegko]

Originally Posted by MattFarah

At the rate my mileage is going on my shitbox, I'll have 50,000 miles in the year 2025. Fords and Chevy's last a while when you only put 2,000 miles a year on them

Fords and Chevys generally last a while even when you put 2000 miles on them in a month. Every month. Case in point: My mom has a 94 GMC Safari work van. Looks like shit, drives like shit, has over 310k miles on it, and... well, it still runs like a top. Same engine (4.3 V6), trans (4L60) and rear end as it had when it was new. And mind, this wasn't babied around, either. Almost always had a trailer or some other form of load in it.

[MattFarah]

yeah, for sure, the highest mileage cars I've ever seen are Volvo's, VW Bugs, and Ford and GM trucks. I put 96,000 miles in 3 years on a brand new 2002 Explorer, and aside from the 3 transmissions I went through, it ran great. On the other hand, I bought it for $41,000 in 2002 and sold it for only $7,000 in 2006, despite "running great".