What's the big deal about...(insert car here)?

Labcoatguy

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The Alfa 164. What's with the gallons of e-spooge being emitted over this car? What does this car have apart from the usual soul and passion that makes it so desirable? Surely the last non-Quattroporte Italian sedan imported to the US isn't enough. Chrome intake pipes on a V-6 that sounds okay but not VR-6 beating can't be it, can it?
 
I'm going to get flamed badly for this, but here goes.

Miatas.

I mean, I understand the allure of a two seat, open topped sports car, but what I don't understand is the fanatical devotion to it. I've ridden in a couple of Miatas, and I drove one once. It was okay. I liked the shifter and the steering, but that was it. It was slow, and so cramped that I could never get comfortable in it. It reminded me of an X1/9 that I drove back in '85. When I realized that I got not get in that car with the roof on I knew it wasn't the car for me. But the Miata owners (Especially here) all act like it is automotive perfection, and will not rest until everyone they know owns a Miata.

I swear, some threads I go into I feel like Veronica Cartwright at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers:

 
I'm going to get flamed badly for this, but here goes.

Miatas.

I mean, I understand the allure of a two seat, open topped sports car, but what I don't understand is the fanatical devotion to it. I've ridden in a couple of Miatas, and I drove one once. It was okay. I liked the shifter and the steering, but that was it. It was slow, and so cramped that I could never get comfortable in it. It reminded me of an X1/9 that I drove back in '85. When I realized that I got not get in that car with the roof on I knew it wasn't the car for me. But the Miata owners (Especially here) all act like it is automotive perfection, and will not rest until everyone they know owns a Miata.

I swear, some threads I go into I feel like Veronica Cartwright at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers

OK a few points. If you're over 6ft tall or more than about 200lbs then you're going to struggle to fit comfortably for a start. Secondly you need to drive one on the right kind of roads to appreciate that it's not about power it's about balance and handling rather than in town or on a freeway and thirdly as Top Gear pointed out a few years back what other options are there? The S2000 is more expensive and prone to snap oversteer0, the Nissan 350Z/370Z are more expensive and full of French bits and scuttle shake, the MR2 is no longer made, an Alfa Spider will break all the time, you didn't get the Fiat Barchetta and be grateful for that since it was a FWD rebodied Punto POS, the Toybaru BZrong 86 isn't a convertible and the Audi TT makes you look like a nonce.

Audi.

I mean, really?

Aaannnd incoming red blobs from Slovenia in 3.....2.....1.....
 
I probably should have rephrased that a bit. I understand the Miata as a car, and I'm glad there is a company that makes a reasonably priced 2 seat open top RWD sports car.

What I don't understand is the slavish devotion by their owners. It's like the Miata is the brain slug of cars.

 
I hate German cars in general with a passion; VW the most. And the retarded people that keep shitting out the beaten old stereotypes "hurr germany durr reliable hurr never break hurr de durr".

Fuck. off. and. die.
 
Most cars that aren't pure appliances have a dedicated following. Impreza guys, Mustang guys, Jaaaaaag guys, Audi guys, rotary guys and so on. What you see here is slightly skewed because for a petrolhead on any kind of budget the MX5 is probably one of the best choices but I don't believe Miata fans are any more or less rabid than any other group.

With the notable exception of the Morris Marina Owners' Club naturally.
 
Maybe I'm a bit different, but I can't think of a single car that I don't "get". All have strong and weak points.

What don't understand (and I'm guilty of this in the past) is complete and total fanboism of any particular car. You know the guy that always defends X car because its better than Y car in every aspect.
 
I'm going to get flamed badly for this, but here goes.

Miatas.

I mean, I understand the allure of a two seat, open topped sports car, but what I don't understand is the fanatical devotion to it. I've ridden in a couple of Miatas, and I drove one once. It was okay. I liked the shifter and the steering, but that was it. It was slow, and so cramped that I could never get comfortable in it. It reminded me of an X1/9 that I drove back in '85. When I realized that I got not get in that car with the roof on I knew it wasn't the car for me. But the Miata owners (Especially here) all act like it is automotive perfection, and will not rest until everyone they know owns a Miata.

I probably should have rephrased that a bit. I understand the Miata as a car, and I'm glad there is a company that makes a reasonably priced 2 seat open top RWD sports car.

What I don't understand is the slavish devotion by their owners. It's like the Miata is the brain slug of cars.

To me, the Miata is the best car I've ever driven. I like it a lot more than the S2000, the WRX, anything FWD (and I've driven some great Hondas,) and even the new Boxster S, to be honest. One thing you have to keep in mind is that while the Miata is pretty fun from the factory, a set of decent tires and a nice alignment completely transform the car. I find my car (barely) spacious enough for me (5'10" 165lbs); I find the controls to be near perfect (pedal spacing for heel-and-toe, steering feel and the wheel itself, best shifter I've ever come across by quite a margin, etc); I genuinely like the way it looks and I think the interior is fantastic (I'll get slack for that one but just my opinion); it's wonderfully responsive to drive, perfectly balanced, tossable and nimble, and puts a smile on my face every single time I drive it. I don't like the Miata because I bought one; I bought one because I liked it so much. Plus the top goes down :)
 
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I still owe you a drive in my car, I haven't driven a manual MX-5 but so far I have yet to find another shifter as good as mine.
 
The Toyota Prius.

Oh wait, I'm on the wrong forum to ask that question :p
 
I still owe you a drive in my car, I haven't driven a manual MX-5 but so far I have yet to find another shifter as good as mine.
Yeah we need to get together and swap cars for a bit. Hope you like notchy shifters :p (even by S2000 standards)
 
Notchy and extremely short throw, if my own car is anything to go by.
 
Got a time in mind? Saturday or Sunday daytimes would work for me, or next weekend.
 
The Alfa 164.

I actually think it's one of the best looking saloon cars they or anyone else ever made, even if it is just a Saab/Lancia in a fancy frock. The rarity factor helps too, I guess...

What's the deal with the stuff that followed, though? Some of them really were nothing more than hunks of junk that weren't as good looking or even as interesting as what they were making in the 90s, yet turn up in a smoky old base model 147 and there's jizz everywhere from the petrolheads.

I love Alfas but I honestly don't get it. Guess that's just my opinion, man.
 
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Okay, people are going to charge me with trolling, but...

Manual transmissions. Why are cars demonized if you can't or don't necessarily have to throw your own? Frankly, if you live in an urban area and willingly drive a manual, you're a moron. Why put in all that extra work? What's wrong with a car with a sport mode, where you have the option to go into a semblance of manual control over your gears when you want it? It's not mileage these days; the new seven and eight-speed autos have not only eliminated the mileage gap, according to some reports, they've reversed it.

Here's a personal issue: why am I demonized for not wanting a manual? I blew out both my knees in the service of my country. Also in the service of my country, my left ankle is held on by none of the three ligaments it's supposed to be held on by. It is massively uncomfortable for me to shift, but that's irrelevant to some people, who question my manhood for not driving a manual (more on that later). Also, I take advantage of the freedom of this great nation to smoke, eat, and drink in my car, something that's necessary given the distances that I occasionally have to drive. A stick makes that problematic, and it's not worth the trade-off for the supposed "advantages", of which I can see none personally, given my driving habits.

And let's face facts: the use of a stick is masturbation by any other name. With an auto, you can whip out the real thing and enjoy yourself even more, especially if you have adaptive cruise control.

Manuals have their uses, especially on track. One of them is not as the normal transmission for your daily driver. Not in 2013 in any urban-dominant nation.
 
I probably should have rephrased that a bit. I understand the Miata as a car, and I'm glad there is a company that makes a reasonably priced 2 seat open top RWD sports car.

What I don't understand is the slavish devotion by their owners. It's like the Miata is the brain slug of cars.

No worse than most of the Mustang guys or the rotards.

I have a Navy friend who has a new(er) Challanger and he used to make fun of my Miata like crazy, until we took a trip to Washington DC. He didn't want to take his beloved Challanger because it would of cost us 90 billion dollars in fuel. When we got there I was weaving in and out of traffic, going full speed up and down on ramps and doing very tight u-turns when we got lost. He later said he'd never make fun of the car again and that I was doing things he'd never even consider doing with his Yank Tank.
 
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Here's a personal issue: why am I demonized for not wanting a manual? I blew out both my knees in the service of my country. Also in the service of my country, my left ankle is held on by none of the three ligaments it's supposed to be held on by. It is massively uncomfortable for me to shift, but that's irrelevant to some people, who question my manhood for not driving a manual (more on that later).
Those are all valid reasons for not driving stick :dunno:


Manual transmissions. Why are cars demonized if you can't or don't necessarily have to throw your own? Frankly, if you live in an urban area and willingly drive a manual, you're a moron. Why put in all that extra work? What's wrong with a car with a sport mode, where you have the option to go into a semblance of manual control over your gears when you want it? It's not mileage these days; the new seven and eight-speed autos have not only eliminated the mileage gap, according to some reports, they've reversed it.
Hi, I live in Boston and drive a manual. I'm sure you thought I was a moron before though :p Living in the city makes me want to drive a manual more because I commute to work by bus so the rare occasion when I get to drive had better bring me driving pleasure. Even in heavy traffic I simply enjoy rowing my own and even after experiencing the magic of Porsche's PDK, I'd still rather have a manual. I've commuted in heavy stop-and-go traffic for two hours each way for work before and I never once minded having to shift gears. It's not extra work for me, it's second nature.


Manuals have their uses, especially on track.
This is where you want a flappy-paddle SMG PDK thingy instead of a manual :p
 
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