Members Jeebus Posted July 28, 2005 Author Members Share Posted July 28, 2005 Originally posted by GregCh G35 The G35 is certainly nice. In your opinion, what sets it apart from the other sport coupes mentioned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jack Luminous Posted July 28, 2005 Members Share Posted July 28, 2005 Originally posted by GregCh G35 for the $$$beemers are a waste of $$,IMOIf you have $$$ to burn and want to make a yuppie statement, go ahead. I don't think so... I have an old 316 (from 92 or 93)... Bought it used for 3000 euros some years ago. It's a very very very good small car. Very fun to drive. very easy to park. Very comfortable. Never a problem with it. The only drawback would be the yearly maintenance , which is a bit costly, but not unreasonable either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pim Posted July 28, 2005 Members Share Posted July 28, 2005 A real man rides a motorcycle ofcourse, but if one is so crippled that he's in big need of a four wheel vehicle, a Caterham is a good option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted July 28, 2005 Members Share Posted July 28, 2005 now you're talkin'. strip off some of that superfluous metal to expose the powerplant, put some quick-release hardware to dump those front fenders when needed and it'll rock. raw and screamin vs polished and bland nord lead 2 vs oasyshttp://www.kraftfoods.com/om/Wienermobile_main.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted July 29, 2005 Author Members Share Posted July 29, 2005 Originally posted by mildbill raw and screamin vs polished and bland nord lead 2 vs oasys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted July 29, 2005 Members Share Posted July 29, 2005 Originally posted by Mookus Same colour as mine! Sadly not a RS4, just a plain old 1.9tdi (which anoraks will note must be a 2004 model with the old-style lights). I want an A4 or A6 TDi. Very much so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted July 29, 2005 Members Share Posted July 29, 2005 Originally posted by Pim A real man rides a motorcycle ofcourse, but if one is so crippled that he's in big need of a four wheel vehicle, a Caterham is a good option. I would like to test a Caterham against an Elise myself, side by side. The reason I don't even mention it is because they only come in kit form here in the US and I don't want to deal with the mean State of California coming after me. No go on bikes for me. If you saw the way I drive, you wouldn't want me on two wheels either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keyman_sam Posted July 29, 2005 Members Share Posted July 29, 2005 That Sagaris is killing me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members midi Posted July 29, 2005 Members Share Posted July 29, 2005 Italian cars are like Italian keyboards, over priced and under quality......I'll stick w my '01 Nissan Altima! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mook Posted July 29, 2005 Members Share Posted July 29, 2005 Originally posted by urbanscallywag I want an A4 or A6 TDi. Very much so. Excellent with the Multitronic auto box and Bose stereo too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GregCh Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 Originally posted by Jack Luminous I don't think so... I have an old 316 (from 92 or 93)... Bought it used for 3000 euros some years ago. It's a very very very good small car. Very fun to drive. very easy to park. Very comfortable. Never a problem with it. The only drawback would be the yearly maintenance , which is a bit costly, but not unreasonable either. I consider the 316 a classic. But it is 2005 Please clarify: "The only drawback would be the yearly maintenance , which is a bit costly, but not unreasonable either" What is more important, spending $$ on beemer maintenance or regular dental work ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Umbra Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 350z vs. G35 MT6 vs Shinka RX-8 350z: Cheap awful interior even in touring trim, crappy radio (who wants a bose radio anyway!). Terrible visibility. Handling is so-so, not as tight as it should be. Price is about $3K to high for what you get, power is ok at best. Only 2 seats. G35 MT6: Better interior over the 350z but feels like your driving your grampa's car. Poor seats for performance driving. Ugly car at best, looks awful without the spoiler. About $5k over priced. Handling is on par with the 350z as is power. Better than the 350z in just about every catagory. Traction control to restrictive. RX8 Shinka Edition: Power output is low, this is not a stoplight drag car or even close to one. Don't bother accelerating in 6th gear. Weak paint, paint chips/scratches very easily, mazda sends everyone a free can of touch up paint about 2 months after you buy the car. Beautiful color, people constantly stop and talk to you about the car, at grocery stores, gas stations, in your driveway..... People think you spent 15K more than you did. Eats a bit of oil, about 1 pint per 2-3000 miles depending on your driving. Terrible gas milage, your lucky if you get 18 mpg., can go as low as 12 mpg at times. Nice quality leather interior, very good seats for performance driving, poor radio (bose crap again). Take this car on twisty roads though and you'll love it to death, drive it on straight roads and you'll regret not getting the 350 or G35. You don't need the power as you don't have to slow down as much as other cars to in the first place when going around corners and turns. Traction control is just about perfect, engages only after the car is already out of sorts, not before, engages when you think your about to eat a tree or fall off the cliff. 9500 rpm readline and a very distinct engine sound (kind of like a metalic turbine sound). Did I mention suicide doors..... 50/50 weight ratio? Back seats that are usable? Carbon fibre drive shaft? Only 1.3L? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 Originally posted by Umbra RX8 Shinka Edition:Power output is low, this is not a stoplight drag car or even close to one. Don't bother accelerating in 6th gear. Weak paint, paint chips/scratches very easily, mazda sends everyone a free can of touch up paint about 2 months after you buy the car. Beautiful color, people constantly stop and talk to you about the car, at grocery stores, gas stations, in your driveway..... People think you spent 15K more than you did. Eats a bit of oil, about 1 pint per 2-3000 miles depending on your driving. Terrible gas milage, your lucky if you get 18 mpg., can go as low as 12 mpg at times. Nice quality leather interior, very good seats for performance driving, poor radio (bose crap again). Take this car on twisty roads though and you'll love it to death, drive it on straight roads and you'll regret not getting the 350 or G35. You don't need the power as you don't have to slow down as much as other cars to in the first place when going around corners and turns. Traction control is just about perfect, engages only after the car is already out of sorts, not before, engages when you think your about to eat a tree or fall off the cliff. 9500 rpm readline and a very distinct engine sound (kind of like a metalic turbine sound). Did I mention suicide doors..... 50/50 weight ratio? Back seats that are usable? Carbon fibre drive shaft? Only 1.3L? I've heard that the current rotor-based Mazda is very, very unreliable. Poor starting in cold weather and other such things that should be absent from a modern car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted August 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 Originally posted by Umbra RX8 Shinka Edition:... Sounds like the RX8 is all show and no go. Thanks for the review. Between the 350Z and the G35, I'd probably take the G35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J3RK Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 I'm going to go with the mid-1970s Porsche 911 S. It's light, powerful, and though it's a little tricky to drive well, it's very rewarding. I'll be picking one up one of these days. Older Porsches are definitely the way to go for bang/$$. I've owned a decent set of them in my time, and for performance per dollar, you really can't beat them. About 8 years ago I picked up a 1983 911 SC for around $16,000 (they're actually quite a bit less now.) That car would hit around 145MPH in very little time. (If you are familiar with the floating bridge (I-90) in Seattle, it would hit top speed around the middle of the bridge. (Usually did this in the middle of the night.) It handled excellently, though you have to watch it in the rain. (The back is a lot heavier than the front, and can slide a bit, which is fun if it's intended.)I had a 924S (actually still do though I'm not driving it right now.) This is an incredible deal these days. You can pick one up in excellent condition for around $3000. For that money you get a car that is nearly 50/50 weight distribution, handles perfectly, and will hit about 140MPH. (It has the engine and suspension components of a 944, in an enhanced 924 body.)If you like the go-kart factor, pick up a nice 914. It uses a type 4 VW engine, which is nice on the gas usage, they'll hit about 110MPH, handle wonderfully, though they are really really light. A lot of fun on a sunny day.I've owned various other Porsches and they were all excellent cars. Very reliable, very fun, and very fast. I don't think people realize how inexpensive they actually are (unless we're talking about new ones.) You can get an incredibly fast car for less than your average Honda.I'm on a bit of a sports-car hiatus right now though (have a family now,) so I just picked up an '85 Mercedes 190E. Not the fastest thing in the world, but it handles nice, and is extremely comfortable. I also like the Subaru sport sedans/coupes like the 2.5 RS and WRX. My mom has the RS, and it's a lot of fun to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Umbra Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 I've heard that the current rotor-based Mazda is very, very unreliable. Poor starting in cold weather and other such things that should be absent from a modern car. Long term is probably going to be more reliable than other piston based engines as the engine is far simpler and has far fewer parts. But yes, there are issues with flooding in the early PCM's that have been for the most part resolved, however I wouldn't pull it out of the garage to the driveway to wash without driving it around a bit. The problem with a rotary engine flooding is that just letting the car sit does not solve the issue, to deal with it you need to pull the plugs, etc. Sounds like the RX8 is all show and no go. Quite the opposite, it requires a driver, not a pedal masher. If your just a pedal masher get a g35(grampa car) or a 350z(crappy plastic car). If you know how to drive get an RX8. Track times for the RX8/350z/BMW M3 are identical, that alone tells you how much better the handling and suspension on the 8 are compared to the z which has gobs more torque and hp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 Originally posted by Umbra Track times for the RX8/350z/BMW M3 are identical... M3? Please provide some proof of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Umbra Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 M3? Please provide some proof of this. Top Gear did a special where they ranked 100+ cars by track time. 350z, BMW M3, and RX8 had identical track time. I'll see if I can find the video feed for download somewhere. BMW's really are nothing special and their quality is droping off compared to other brands lately. Ah here it is........ track time comparisons are at the end of it but from the video you can see how much of a blast the car is to drive. Also the uk version is a little less powerful than the US version so unless that's true of the M3 and 350z as well the US 8 is probably the faster of the 3 on a track. http://www.nashwan.org/topgear.wmv and you can get one for a lot less than an M3 or 350z. It's a car that allows you to totally trash it while staying completely in control with passengers in leather listening to satelite radio. My last club drive in the 8 was described by my wife as 3 hours on a rollercoaster and as "more dad more!" by my 3 year old son. My wife thought we were going to die once or twice but that's what traction control is for (it's for the blind turns at the bottom of a downhill with sand and gravel on them and trees waiting for you if you fail to turn). But the 8 is a drivers car, more of a sports car in the traditional sense. It's not a little boy drag from the stop lights car, if your a pedal masher go get a turbo neon. If you never want to really drive your car go get a BMW. It's so even compared to the 350z performance-wise that the extra seats, lower cost, and better interior are hard to pass up on. But hey, the fewer people that buy an 8 means more people I get to blow by on the corners. And it's the corners that make a sports car, the rest is nothing but a waste of time getting to the next corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J3RK Posted August 2, 2005 Members Share Posted August 2, 2005 Originally posted by Umbra Top Gear did a special where they ranked 100+ cars by track time. 350z, BMW M3, and RX8 had identical track time. I'll see if I can find the video feed for download somewhere. BMW's really are nothing special and their quality is droping off compared to other brands lately.Ah here it is........ track time comparisons are at the end of it but from the video you can see how much of a blast the car is to drive. Also the uk version is a little less powerful than the US version so unless that's true of the M3 and 350z as well the US 8 is probably the faster of the 3 on a track.http://www.nashwan.org/topgear.wmv and you can get one for a lot less than an M3 or 350z. It's a car that allows you to totally trash it while staying completely in control with passengers in leather listening to satelite radio. My last club drive in the 8 was described by my wife as 3 hours on a rollercoaster and as "more dad more!" by my 3 year old son. My wife thought we were going to die once or twice but that's what traction control is for (it's for the blind turns at the bottom of a downhill with sand and gravel on them and trees waiting for you if you fail to turn).But the 8 is a drivers car, more of a sports car in the traditional sense. It's not a little boy drag from the stop lights car, if your a pedal masher go get a turbo neon. If you never want to really drive your car go get a BMW. It's so even compared to the 350z performance-wise that the extra seats, lower cost, and better interior are hard to pass up on.But hey, the fewer people that buy an 8 means more people I get to blow by on the corners. And it's the corners that make a sports car, the rest is nothing but a waste of time getting to the next corner. I completely agree with your driving philosophy. The corners and driver requirements make the entire experience. I'd still go with the German cars though. I respect the cooler Japanese cars and what they can do, but all in all, the German cars are that much cooler. The whole experience is different. There is a different ambience, different quirks, different driving subtleties, etc. and I happen to lean toward the German ones. Also, I'm totally pro-rear wheel drive, and there are more German rear wheels than Japanese. All wheel drive is ok too, but it increases the weight, and reduces some of the requirements for some of the skills that I've worked so hard to build up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Umbra Posted August 3, 2005 Members Share Posted August 3, 2005 I respect the cooler Japanese cars and what they can do, but all in all, the German cars are that much cooler. The whole experience is different. There is a different ambience, different quirks, different driving subtleties, etc. and I happen to lean toward the German ones. Also, I'm totally pro-rear wheel drive, and there are more German rear wheels than Japanese. All wheel drive is ok too, but it increases the weight, and reduces some of the requirements for some of the skills that I've worked so hard to build up. Definately don't like all wheel drive, it's simply not as fun, drives to much like front wheel. Half the fun is hanging the rear end out. RX8 is rear only though. Don't see a german sports car for under $25k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted September 25, 2005 Author Members Share Posted September 25, 2005 Originally posted by Umbra Don't see a german sports car for under $25k You're not looking hard enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted September 25, 2005 Members Share Posted September 25, 2005 Originally posted by Mook Excellent with the Multitronic auto box and Bose stereo too! Ew, slushboxes are evil. I'm not even a fan of DSG. And Bose...But man, what I wouldn't do for a TDi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted September 25, 2005 Members Share Posted September 25, 2005 Originally posted by Jeebus You're not looking hard enough. The new BMW 130 Sport might qualify, I'll look up the price in a second. Apart from that, even a GTi is approaching $25k. And its not a sports car. What did you have in mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members G-bus Posted April 2, 2006 Members Share Posted April 2, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jack Luminous Posted April 3, 2006 Members Share Posted April 3, 2006 Originally posted by GregCh I consider the 316 a classic. But it is 2005Please clarify: "The only drawback would be the yearly maintenance , which is a bit costly, but not unreasonable either"What is more important, spending $$ on beemer maintenance or regular dental work ? Dental care is free in France and the budget for the beemer would be approximately 1000 euros a year for maintenance.... Oh yeah, I just sold the beemer a bought a used Saab 9-3 (185 hp version). Very good car too and very cheap on the used market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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