Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

That's half the point of four wheeling, getting stuck. It just happens.
 
Began taking my driving lessons, and well the car I drove in a 1995ish Toyota Corolla.
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I can see why they call these thing appliances and nothing else the brakes felt ehh, and the handling just out there extremely numb!!! I HATE THAT CAR!
 
Lol! On the previous page I was complaining about the Chevy Prism which is the same as the Corolla. It really is trully terrible!
 
_HighVoltage_ said:
Lol! On the previous page I was complaining about the Chevy Prism which is the same as the Corolla. It really is trully terrible!
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In their defense, they are pretty reliable and get decent mileage. I've driven around with my friend in his Prism a lot and I would say the ride is decent and you can tell exactly what the car is doing because it's so light. Since the car was so cheap to begin with, repairs don't cost much. So as far as decent transport goes, you could definitely do worse than the Prism (see old Pontiac Grand Am for true misery).
 
So a friend of mine has suggested I replace my Taurus with a Subaru Baja (turbo)

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Is it ugly as sin? Fuck yes, but then so is my taurus wagon.

Is it functional? it's a freakin legacy outback with a pick-up bed and a slide thru cargo area

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Lastly it's got Subaru's trusty 2.5l Sohc turbo boxer :thumbsup: and a healthy (enough) aftermarket. At least it doesn't handle like a truck!
 
I actually kinda like the look of the baja turbos especially when they are done up like the one in the second picture. I have definitely considered them as an option for a replacement for my Saab. Just a thougth i know you love you some wagons so I would like to take this time to suggest a 2004-2005 Forester XT. i will just quote myself from the Integra Tyle R in Canada thread

The_Finn said:
2004-2005 Forester XT

Ok ok the looks are debatable but read the following Forum threads from subaruforester.org and tell me your are not even mildly interested

How to go faster than an STi for cheap!

How to turn better than an STi for cheap!
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The_Finn said:
I actually kinda like the look of the baja turbos especially when they are done up like the one in the second picture. I have definitely considered them as an option for a replacement for my Saab. Just a thougth i know you love you some wagons so I would like to take this time to suggest a 2004-2005 Forester XT. i will just quote myself from the Integra Tyle R in Canada thread
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Hello! You get a nice huge +1 for that. I did not realize the forester was sold as a turbo model in the US. I know they are essentially taller WRX's so the aftermarket options are limitless IIRC. The only reason why I haven't put significant time into looking at WRX wagons is because wrx's get beat on by pubescent teenagers from south county with rich parents.

I'm not glued to wagons, I just prefer them to van/suv/trucks because they drive better, even a taurus. And like a van/suv I can lock all my shit up inside the vehicle and not worry about shit being taken out of the bed.

edit: I owe you a +1, I gotta spread some rep around first. Hasn't been much as of late worth giving out unfortunately :(

devil500 said:
Lose the roof rack, and maybe an STI Front?
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Definitely lose the roof rack. I'm not huge on bodywork because it's expensive and/or time consuming.
 
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thedguy said:
Hello! You get a nice huge +1 for that. I did not realize the forester was sold as a turbo model in the US. I know they are essentially taller WRX's so the aftermarket options are limitless IIRC.
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Yeah the aftermarket for the Forester XT is pretty substatial But also consider that all those damn fine stock STi suspension parts that the kids are tearing off their cars to replace with coilovers will pretty much bolt right up. can we say cheap upgrade.

thedguy said:
The only reason why I haven't put significant time into looking at WRX wagons is because wrx's get beat on by pubescent teenagers from south county with rich parents.
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Another selling point for the XT since most people that bought them weren't looking to go racing...
 
A couple of years ago the old Engineering editor at SCC, who is now with Edmunds online I think, wrote up a series of articles on the mods he did to his fathers Forrester XT.

They were a great selection of relatively inexpensive easy things you could do to really turn a Forrester into a great sleeper.

My normal demo is a regular Forrester and it is great. I would be at least slightly interested in a XT but I don't know if I would lower it much. I kind of like having the couple extra inches of clearance in this part of the state with the crazy snow we can get. I would also have to do something with the seats as I can never get 100% comfortable in mine. The seat needs to go back another couple of inches.
 
I was about to recommend the all black color, but I see someone already did that. For some reason, I've been drawn to Scooby's lately, and that one has had me intrigued recently after I saw one of my teachers had it.
 
devil500 said:
I can see why they call these thing appliances and nothing else the brakes felt ehh, and the handling just out there extremely numb!!! I HATE THAT CAR!
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No offense, but can I ask what your comparing this with at the age of 17 with no license yet?

It's a decade and a half old economy car that's probably been abused on a daily basis by student drivers. I don't see what you expected of it, this is what this car was made for - it was never meant to be fun, especially not 14 years on.

And for the record, I learned to drive on that exact same thing (except it was red). I remember actually thinking "hey, this feels pretty nippy" because at that point I had no other cars to compare it to.
 
I drove a piece of ass corolla for my driving school and test, though my own car at the time was my Integra which obviously was much nicer to drive.
 
First car I drove was a 5spd Focus. I too thought that car was quite quick, having nothing to base it upon.
 
Driving lesson (and test) car was a 2003 BMW 318i 5spd.

Ugh, shittest car I've driven in terms of performance/feel.



Driven BA Falcon, my own EL Falcon, VR Calais (304ci), Ford Corsair (KA20) 5psd manual and a XC Fairmont GXL 302.....and the BMW by far was the worst feeling, least repsonsive, least thrilling car.

Most thrilling being the corsair as it isn't exactly stock.
 
The driving school I learned at had a fleet of 2000-2005 Chevy Impalas, and 1997-2003 Chevy Malibus. And their Skid School had a Kia Rio, and a Hyundai Accent.

I only drove an Impala once, but the Malibus were the worst things ever. On the lesson where I had to take it out on the highway, my instructor told to to get to speed limit (65mph) as soon as I merged, I was flooring it and barely going over 55.
 
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I learned in a 1997 Chrysler Town & Country minivan with a ripsnorting 3.8L 180hp V6 :lol:
 
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