In Defense of Donk

lnlogauge wrote: I didn't enjoy this article. I see the point, but I don't agree with it. When you are driving down the highway next to a "donk", watch how that "suspension" travels when he hits a bump. spoiler alert- it doesn't. Also check out those giant brakes they added to stop the ridiculous monstrosity they created. Oh yeah, they spent all the bank on wheels. who's got time for brakes? When your modifications are strictly for looks, safety and drivability go out the window. I feel the same way about stanced cars as well. You are taking a functional vehicle that is less likely to kill me when we are traveling next to each other, and making a 4000lb missile that you cant control. Setting up a car for autocross isn't going to kill me. its going to make you a better driver, and less likely to kill me. In the end, I don't care what you do, as long as it doesn't increase your chances of killing me (looking at you jacked up trucks).

not that I'm much of a fan of most donks, but the same could be said about most of the lifted 4x4s with 36" tires on them and such.....I used to be in the XJ/Cherokee/Jeep scene. XJs and Wranglers (at least older ones) had some of the most pathetic brakes known to man, yet almost never did the guys with big tires or lifts upgrade them.

Conversely, the one (only one) person I actually know that has a donk (on 22s), actually has a huge BBK on it (calipers are custom painted, so not sure what brand). I'd guess that they are 14" rotors with 6-pistons per corner. They still look tiny under those wheels, but then I consider that the brakes on my Sequoia are actually smaller than that (and the Sequioa is way heavier). I'm sure he's the exception rather than the rule, but donk guys aren't the only people doing questionable mods to their cars. There are plenty of people on GRM who I wouldn't want to drive next to in traffic either, honestly.

I drive through the ghetto on the way to work and see donks all the time....like 2-3 times per day. As someone else noted, they're almost always just cruising, no wild maneuvers, no tailgaiting. From what I can tell, they drive them as if they were driving a full-size SUV or something, but more carefully to avoid potholes and such.

Oppose that to lifted Truck/4x4 owners, who would have just as much trouble stopping, and whose vehicles handle just as poorly. But those guys will tailgate the hell out of you in traffic, maneuver in heavy traffic recklessly, and generally drive like dickheads.

I'd rather be surrounded by a fleet of Donks on the highway than a bunch of coal-rollin' bro trucks, or stanced-out V-dubs running 10 degrees of negative camber with 195 tires on 12" wide wheels.

Then again, I drive on public roads with a 1970 Triump GT6, so clearly my concern about personal driving safety is pretty much nil anyhow, lol.

"Since when was an autocross trophy worth more than a car show trophy?"

I don't know. Is an Olympic metal worth more than a miss america crown? I is a Nobel prize in physics worth more than a Guinness world record for most facial piercings?

I would say yes.

Let's be real... Auto cross is more ultimate frisbee than Olympics.

If we're talking about a Ridler or AMBR award, then, yes that's a car show trophy worth more than any autocross trophy.

To each his own.

I like a bit of everything. I'd never build a donk myself but the well done ones are neat in their own way.

As for the stance scene... I think it's idiotic from a practicality standpoint, unsafe, and looks stupid, but id never say that to one's face. Some of those guys are who I'd go to for a fender roll/pull though.

Static stance is usually unsafe, and donks have no suspension travel and a high CG. To get low or high safely, you need bags or juice.

AClockworkGarage wrote: "Since when was an autocross trophy worth more than a car show trophy?" I don't know. Is an Olympic metal worth more than a miss america crown? I is a Nobel prize in physics worth more than a Guinness world record for most facial piercings? I would say yes.

I'd say financially, a Miss America crown probably does way more for the winner than an olympic medal in, say, shot put....lol. Just to play devil's advocate.

I just got back from a 3200+ mile roadtrip a couple hours ago. The one and only close call we had involved a donked 78ish Dodge Diplomat somewhere in the deep south. I was in the right lane running about 70 in light traffic, came up over a crest and saw traffic crawling in the distance. Backed it down and was cruising along at about 30 when we caught up with the traffic. A check in the mirror revealed this diplomat still running around 70 in the left lane. I checked up to leave room as he was closing on the stopped traffic in the left lane at a tremendous rate. I left about three car lengths from the stopped car in the left lane and about ten car lengths from the barely rolling along car in the right lane. He looked up just in time to rip the wheel hard to the right, came sideways directly in front of me into the space I created for him. He was hard on the brakes and went off the right side of the road, he didn't over correct and got it back on the road and stopped without hitting anyone or anything.

In my opinion the cause of the incident was driver inattention. From my point of view the car handled the situation as well as any ill-handling, underbraked, sloppy, wallowing pig of a car from 1978 would.

Nick_Comstock wrote: I just got back from a 3200+ mile roadtrip a couple hours ago. The one and only close call we had involved a donked 78ish Dodge Diplomat somewhere in the deep south. I was in the right lane running about 70 in light traffic, came up over a crest and saw traffic crawling in the distance. Backed it down and was cruising along at about 30 when we caught up with the traffic. A check in the mirror revealed this diplomat still running around 70 in the left lane. I checked up to leave room as he was closing on the stopped traffic in the left lane at a tremendous rate. I left about three car lengths from the stopped car in the left lane and about ten car lengths from the barely rolling along car in the right lane. He looked up just in time to rip the wheel hard to the right, came sideways directly in front of me into the space I created for him. He was hard on the brakes and went off the right side of the road, he didn't over correct and got it back on the road and stopped without hitting anyone or anything. In my opinion the cause of the incident was driver inattention. From my point of view the car handled the situation as well as any ill-handling, underbraked, sloppy, wallowing pig of a car from 1978 would.

That dude's gonna have a weird brownish stain on his cream leather seat.