BigD
New Reader
4/4/11 10:21 a.m.
I wonder if other people have these too: cars that, on paper, should adorn your garage walls on a huge poster and keep you up at nights, imagining owning it. But for some reason, or even for no reason that you can come up with, you do not. Sometimes you can't explain your passion, as well as lack thereof.
My biggest one: the 911. Maybe my brain is broken, I don't know. I know I should like it, I know every reason for it. With the exception of the 993 TT, they do absolutely nothing for me.
Miata. I love almost everything Mazda. A small, great handling roadster should push all my buttons. It just doesn't.
1988RedT2 wrote:
Miata. I love almost everything Mazda. A small, great handling roadster should push all my buttons. It just doesn't.
I wonder how many of this vote we'll see in this thread... Yeah, I had one, and sold it after a few months. I probably should have replaced the dead shocks, and the engine was a bit tired. I kinda liked having a cozy, modern little roadster that started and ran all the time. It just seemed to lack character.
I'm still contemplating trying it again, for the bang for the buck and possibility of going spec miata once I'm tired of it on the street. Maybe with some tweaks it wouldn't seem like such a character-free little jellybean. Maybe if it was firmed up, sharpened up, and sounded a bit better...
Jay
SuperDork
4/4/11 10:35 a.m.
Most Ferraris, with the exception of really '80s-tastic wedge-shaped ones like 308s and 288 GTOs. If you gave me an Enzo I would just sell it and buy, like, a whole bunch of old P-cars and Lotuses. I dunno, something about how everybody else harps on how they're the greatest carmaker in the world rubs me the wrong way.
Jaguar E-types. They look wrong to me, especially the coupes. I think different people designed the front end and the rear end, and then they just welded the two halves together.
Lamborghini Miuras. Every automotive writer ever has waxed poetic about how beautiful these things are. Meh! I'd have a Countach or a Diablo any day. Or, for that matter, an LM002. The more vents, louvers, and wings the better.
And finally, something I could actually buy... Miatas. Now don't get me wrong, I've driven quite a few of them, even in anger at autocrosses, and I agree they are very good sports cars and loads of fun, but for some reason I just don't really want to own one. Most of it is probably that I don't find their styling all that attractive and I really dislike their interiors (specifically talking about NAs with that), which for me is a deal breaker. [Edit: hah, I was already typing that while the two comments above me were posted.]
In reply to BigD:
Ferrari's. I know their history, etc, etc and even drove a couple, but I've never been gaga over wanting one. I'd rather have ten cheaper classics for the price of a Ferrari.
mndsm
SuperDork
4/4/11 10:42 a.m.
r35 GTR. What's the point if every fudge with a fat wallet can run an 11sec quarter and dominate on a road course?
miatas don't do anything for me. I want to want them. I really do.
Somehow the idea of one with a rotary in it changes the whole deal though.
T.J.
SuperDork
4/4/11 10:50 a.m.
For me it is the Boxster. I can also generate a little love for the Cayman, but the boxster I cannot stand the thought of. This is in the face of the performance of the cars. I really should like them. Just can't stand them.
All BMW's. I should like the rear-wheel-drive chassis, torquey inline-6's, and sporting suspensions but they just do nothing for me. I've driven quite a few including an E30 and an E46, both with manuals, and they were all just under-whelming and boring.
Miata. After hearing that it was the greatest thing since sliced bread for years here and at the autocross, owning one was just so plain. Nobody ever looked at it, it had no character, and it wasn't as fast as it was talked up to be. I think this might of been a case of never meet your heroes though, because had I bought one pre-GRM I might have really liked it.
Bugatti Veyron. It has some impressive numbers on paper, and lots of people get all worked up about it.
Meh.
EVO. It was fast, but nothing more. Totally boring and uninspiring in every way.
Neon SRT4. Same, never, ever liked them. Spent a day driving one around a race track and hated very moment of it.
MINI. I know, another favorite. I want to like them, but everytime I drive one, I'm happy to be out of it. I absolutely hate torque steer and they are horrible, especially the S version.
Older 911's. This is another one that is sacriligious to mention. The bottom mount pedals don't do it for me, and early ones just don't drive that good. I've never been in an early Carrera, so maybe that one would change my mind. I love the way they look, I just don't want to own one.
Water cooled 911s. Yes they perform, but they got fat. Any p-car with more than 2 doors. Jaguars get a shrug.
mndsm wrote:
r35 GTR. What's the point if every fudge with a fat wallet can run an 11sec quarter and dominate on a road course?
This.
Also:
Latest Subaru STi
Evo X
Any Corvette
New BMW M-cars
DC2 Integras
RSX Type S
Mazda3/Speed3 (Sorry Tom)
Just slipped my mind but no love for turbo subies. It's the sound - to my ears it's like hearing a tarted up lawn tractor.
Ian F
SuperDork
4/4/11 11:23 a.m.
E30. Although I hope I can change my mind since it seems I'm stuck with it.
I can understand the issue with MINI's as I've had similar thoughts... but part of my problem is I've spent so much time around them and working on them, but not so much time actually driving them. Actually autocrossing our '07 MCc (non-S) has made me enjoyt them more. I'd still rather have my Mk IV TDI day-to-day.
My g/f places a lot of importance on cars having "character" which is part of why she hates all cars from Asia. I've pretty much decided this is B.S... of course, I say this and at the same time would choose a 308 over the much better and more liveable NSX...
Porsche
Audi
Ferrari
They're at the top of my list. On paper, they've got it all. But they just don't "do it" for me. Actually, lots of the uber expensive cars don't do it for me either. I find it hard to be super impressed by cars that cost twice as much (or more) as the average family household yearly income. For that kind of cash, they better peform.
That's one of the reasons I do love cars like the Corvette, Miata, MS3. Sure the 'Vette can get real expensive too, but the base Corvette is a hell of a performance bargain, that impresses me.
Oh, and add the STi/Evo to my unloved list too. They've got everything I want, but I can't get passed the "Fast and Furious" image...ugh.
Most "supercars", All Nissans including the GT-R, Viper, Evo, WRX, Camaro, Challenger, Solstice, Panamera, all Mercedes, and Toyotas do nothing for me.
I'd have to vote for Miura... and I just don't get Citroen love.
In reply to scardeal:
+10000000000000000
On the Citroen.
For the most part I don't like Miatas but some tuned are awesome.
scardeal wrote:
I'd have to vote for Miura... and I just don't get Citroen love.
I think the Miura is probably the most beautifully designed car I've ever seen. To each his own I guess.
GTR, 350Z (but the 370 is secks, I dunno) camaro, vipers mostly, Challengers, Mercs of almost any flavor
C5 vettes, Veyron, GTR. I am sure there are others that I can not think of right now.
I admit it, you can call the vet now - I am a sick puppy.
911 - all but the early light wt. cars. I just DON'T get it.
Every Audi except the group B rallye cars.
Corvettes. Yes, I know -but they have no soul.
The list goes on, but I've proven my " " and will quit.