Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

[LeVeL]

Then again, it's very chuckable, I've never had an experience with understeer, it goes damn well, and it's pretty fun.

And yet mine does. Who'da thunk it?

We've been over this. If your stock FWD Honda doesn't understeer then you clearly aren't driving it anywhere near the limit.

 

[TC]

I'm not saying you are wrong about what you trust, I am saying you are wrong about the reliability of those cars.

I didn't say anything about the reliability of those cars.

I guess I should clarify. Some of those cars I would question the reliablity of, like the ones with all new engines or complicated transmissions and electronics. The ones that are more trustworthy, like the MX-5, Nissan 240, MR2, tend not to have tons of power. Some even share engines with trucks and with manual transmissions, there isn't much that could go wrong. Unfortunately for cars like the Supra and 240, they're sought after by drifter idiots who bash the shit out of them. You may have friends who have good luck with them, but the few people I've know who owned them did not. Lots of money dumped into them just to get them back to stock reliable form. I wouldn't trust a modified 240 for anything. God only knows what shape the chassis is in from a previous idiot owner trying to drift and smacking into curbs or whatever. No thanks. And cars like the MR2 being a bitch to work on. Saying it's "bullet proof" doesn't mean it's magic and never breaks down, it just means it doesn't break down as much. And when it does, you'll either have to spend days of frustration trying to fix it yourself, unless your a mech with a lift, or you take it to a shop and pay more than what the car is worth to get it fixed. Again, I don't trust it. If my Toyota breaks, I'm reasonably sure I could get parts cheaply and easily and fix it myself with a hammer and a screwdriver. I trust that a lot more.

But anyway, I have never and will never say FWD is "better" than RWD. Hell, FWD is probably my least favorite setup, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of recognizing how smart and good it can be, in certain applications. For me, it goes like this: RWD is the most fun, AWD is the most useful, and FWD is the most economical/financially superior. You can say the cost savings to build only benifits the manufacturer, but it's hard to ignore that brand new RWD cars tend to cost a bit more. What's the cheapest RWD car on sale today? The $23+k MX-5?

 

[prizrak]

I didn't say anything about the reliability of those cars.

You said you wouldn't trust any of them out of warranty that kind of implies you don't think they would be all that reliable.

We've been over this. If your stock FWD Honda doesn't understeer then you clearly aren't driving it anywhere near the limit.

Well to be fair I doubt it's a good idea to get a car near the limit on the streets.

 

[The Spie]

We've been over this. If your stock FWD Honda doesn't understeer then you clearly aren't driving it anywhere near the limit.

There's a time and place to drive near, at, or over the limit. That area of Minkowski space hasn't intersected with my car yet.

 

[TC]

You said you wouldn't trust any of them out of warranty that kind of implies you don't think they would be all that reliable.

Sorry, I edited my post to explain a bit more what I meant.

 

[Labcoatguy]

Well to be fair I doubt it's a good idea to get a car near the limit on the streets.

Most of the time I'd agree. In snow, however....

 

[M_Bolc]

Just bumped into a friend while he was picking up a new car. He payed $28.000 (yes, US dollars) for a Daihatsu Terios Bego. I can't even.... Nevermind

 

[rickhamilton620]

Just bumped into a friend while he was picking up a new car. He payed $28.000 (yes, US dollars) for a Daihatsu Terios Bego. I can't even.... Nevermind

What's so bad about the Terios? Yes that seems overpriced, but Clarkson seemed to like it. Yes, i know, hes not the be all and end all, but still.

 

[LeVeL]

There's a time and place to drive near, at, or over the limit. That area of Minkowski space hasn't intersected with my car yet.

Right, so if you never push your car near the limit, then you can't say that it handles well. At 2mph in bumper-to-bumper traffic even a Suburban handles well.

 

[Labcoatguy]

Right, so if you never push your car near the limit, then you can't say that it handles well. At 2mph in bumper-to-bumper traffic even a Suburban handles well.

I wouldn't go that far. At 50% of the limit a Tahoe feels terrible. Before it even moves, a Caliber drains your soul. The shit cars are still out there.

 

[HansGruber]

What's the deal with classic BMWs and people slamming/putting negative camber on them? It seems 50% of the pictures I see of classic BMWs are like this. Hipsters...

 

[prizrak]

Sorry, I edited my post to explain a bit more what I meant.

Yep got it, I agree it's hard to find an unmolested example of any of the above though truth be told its very hard to find unmolested examples of any fun car.

What's the cheapest RWD car on sale today? The $23+k MX-5?

22,200 for V6 Stang (looks like prices went up, they used to start at 19 or so)

Most of the time I'd agree. In snow, however....

In the snow the limit is pretty damn low tho

 

[TC]

22,200 for V6 Stang (looks like prices went up, they used to start at 19 or so)

Ahh right. Although I wouldn't say it's a very fun car to drive. I really want to test drive a performance package equipped model, but even that has issues with bodyroll and nose dive, from the reviews I've seen.

 

[Spectre]

Second-gen Fit. I have a first-gen. They ruined a lot with the new gen.

Most reviewers said that that was improved in the new one - it understeered less.

That said, an example of reviews of your generation Fit:

http://www.cars.com/honda/fit/2007/expert-reviews/?revid=49766

The handling is good overall; despite the car's height, body roll is well controlled. Like most front-wheel-drive cars, the Fit tends to understeer in aggressive cornering, but it's predictable and easily managed.

I would also agree with the reviewers - the old one understeered more than the current one.

Maybe me not getting any understeer in 4 1/2 years of driving it has more to do with the fact that I haven't driven anything RWD in donkey's years, and my understeer sense is numbgone after all this time.

FTFY.

Ahh right. Although I wouldn't say it's a very fun car to drive. I really want to test drive a performance package equipped model, but even that has issues with bodyroll and nose dive, from the reviews I've seen.

Can't help the nose dive (though I don't see it on the street at all) but here's a solution if that body roll is too much:

Addco 2260 - $217.68:

Addco 2253 - $195.23:

If it understeers too much, you can go from the 7/8" 2253 to the 1" 2377 in the back. Problem solved.

 

[Dr_Grip]

Opel even advertised the Kadett's "safety" back then:

 

[Hemily]

The box truck driver ended up with the diesel engine in his lap and died of his injuries.

Additionally, Barbra Mandrell, a famous country music singer, had a similar accident against a speeding Subaru wagon. She survived with moderate injuries, the other driver ate the engine and died.

How old were these cars? most cars have the safety of the engine getting pushed under the car in a collision... even my Volvo has that safety feature, and that's a old 240.

What's the deal with classic BMWs and people slamming/putting negative camber on them? It seems 50% of the pictures I see of classic BMWs are like this. Hipsters...

BMW has a bit of camber in the rear from factory, so at least with the ones like the e30, the rear wheels will have a lot of camber if you lower it, not adjusted in any way, it just happens when you lower it.

 

[Cowboy]

I'm seeing a large number of people in various mini's driving like stereotypical cocks......did they stop selling audi's?

 

[AiR]

I was doing 109 km/h on the motorway yesterday and I caught up with a new Audi A6 doing 100. Based on this scientific evidence, Audi is now elderly persons car.

 

[rickhamilton620]

I was doing 109 km/h on the motorway yesterday and I caught up with a new Audi A6 doing 100. Based on this scientific evidence, Audi is now elderly persons car.

If so, Honda of Europe is breathing a sigh of relief.

 

[Heathrow]

I'm seeing a large number of people in various mini's driving like stereotypical cocks......did they stop selling audi's?

I am guessing weekend or shopping cars?

Or they are driving Mrs. Cock's car while their Audi is in service for re-cocking.