Favorite Car to Drive

[homeforsummer]

The Ka and Fiesta were ok (I don't really have anything to compare them to, in fairness)

The Fiesta and especially Ka are genuinely good, handling wise, even in comparison with things like the Mini Cooper. I have a base model 1998 Fiesta (mk4) which has no power steering and skinny tyres, which makes it pretty tactile and it has good balance. The Ka I drove had power steering and fatter rims, which gave it more grip but it was even more agile thanks to the lower weight.

The Fiesta is actually quite nippy IMO. I drove one at work the other day. Pathetically slow in a straight line etc. But very responsive tiller and quite agile with a fair amount of cornering grip. (wasn't my car, so naturally I hammered the thing quite a bit.)

Edit: And it sound crap until you reach the upper reaches of high RPM, then it sounds a little smoother like a 4cyl should.

What's the Fiesta in Oz like? Is it the same as the ones in the UK? The Mk4 and Mk5 were supposed to be the best handling Fiestas, the Mk6 was dulled down a bit. No idea what the Mk7 will be like.

Mk4:

Mk5:

 

[Jondot]

I've always thought a Mk5 would probably be my first car. I know it's the generic choice for a first car, but there's actually none to be seen in my local area. Everyone in my school seem to be buying 1st gen Corsas for some reason I can't work out. Anyway...

 

[Motominded]

First car - Hardtop 1991 300ZX 5sp NA, it was a non turbo but boy was it a fun car. Quick enough to keep me happy but slow enough to keep me out of trouble. Had to sell it cause it is impossible to repair.

Second Car - 1994 Honda Civic vx, bought for gas mileage and to learn to fix. Did both but it was very slow so i got rid of it, still fun car though.

Current car - 2006 Subaru impreza STI - its perfect, i cant say how much my driving skill has improved from this car. I go to road atlanta with it and i can keep up with almost anything in the turns. I love it. It is perfect. Thank you Subaru.

Next car - Porsche 911 - Preferably a 997 but ill see what i can afford after i graduate college. Even it is a base Carrera 2wd, as long as it is a Manual, i know it will be heaven.

 

[Jondot]

Thought this deserved a nice bump considering it's stupid o'clock, I have an essay to do and (2 years after my last post in here) I now have some rather more valid info to bring to the table...


In chronological order...

2008 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 - Bleh. Learned to drive in it, didn't move me in the slightest. Nothing I can really call 'bad', but nothing good either.
2008 Citroen C4 1.6HDI - Lovely. Comfy, roomy, steering could have more feel, nice torquey diesel engine that manages 50mpg easily. Gearbox has a pointlessly long throw though, and the brakes are rather oversensitive. But I'd happily drive one around endlessly without complaint.
2009 Peugeot 207 1.4 - Worse than the Corsa, amazingly. Steering was too light, driving position was... interesting, brakes were presumably not attached and it felt like a giant lump around town. And I couldn't see a damn thing over my right shoulder.
2004 Renault Clio 1.2 - Horrible. Driving position was stupid, clutch was stupid, brakes were stupid, gearbox was nauseating, build quality was worrying (closed the sunroof at 80, driver's door popped open - I kid you not). On the upside, it was quieter at 85 than my Ka is at 60, and happily did BMW driver speeds all the way along the M4 with 4 people + luggage on board.
2004 Ford SportKa 1.6 - Fun. Seats surprisingly comfortable (travelled 6K miles now and haven't had back ache once), steering is precise with plenty of feel, seems to have plenty of grip, engine has plenty of power even at whoops-was-I-really-going-that-fast-officer?-mph. But, it's pretty unrefined - there's little soundproofing, it needs a 6th gear for 60 onwards, and beyond 70 things start to squeak and rattle immensely. Also the MPG is a little frightening - a 1.8 Mondeo would actually better it, amazingly. Oh, and the spare wheel is an absolute bitch to access, so it turns out...


Right, that's my list. Although technically I've driven 2 identical Corsas and a slightly worrying 4 SportKas. Woo.

 

[CDailey]

1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Sierra - Horrible interior, horrible feel, horrible steering, horribly scary brakes. I drove it once and never drove it again.

Late 90s Acura Integra - A friend "taught me how to drive" in this car. It was horribly modified with cut springs and crappy wheels, along with a fugly body kit. Don't remember much about it other than the interior was pretty crappy. I can't imagine it drove very well due to the crap wheels and cut springs.

2003 Chevy Cavalier - This is the car I really learned to drive in. I was living with a friend at the time I got my license when her and her fiance went on a 2 week trip. She handed me the keys and said "don't wreck it." Very, very, cheap, plasticy interior that creaked and moaned over every bump. Slow. Crappy brakes. Very muddy steering. I'm glad I only had to drive it for 2 weeks. The only thing I liked about it, was that it was the blind spots were pretty minimal.

2002 Chrysler 300M Special - My first car. This was Chrysler's answer to the German luxury/performance sedan. Pretty quick for its size. Sounds amazing. Looks great IMO. Handles great (Nurburgring tuned suspension ) for being a 3600lb FWD sedan. The suspension is pretty stiff, but still very comfortable. The suspension is in pretty bad shape on my car, though, so maybe it's not really as stiff as I think it is. It stops great too, with big discs front and rear. The car really is quite nimble for being so huge. The interior is pretty nice, but the fake carbon fiber trim is not as good as the real wood trim in the normal 300M. It's hyooj on the inside, too. Miles of room for driver and passenger, front and rear. The trunk is ginormous as well. It can easily fit a few golf bags. I do have a few niggles with it though. It has blind spots like a MOFO. Reversing in this car is a nightmare even though the mirrors can auto tilt down so you can see easier, and changing lanes can be somewhat scary at night. I dislike very much my instrument cluster. The font is annoying, and the entire thing is lit up in cheap digital watch indiglo. The transmission isn't the best thing in the world either. It's a 4 speed automatic with Autostick (manumatic/tiptronic whatever you want to call it). It's not a very efficient transmission, so it robs more power than usual from the engine. Other than those few little things, I love my car and it's definitely my favorite car to drive.

 

[LSX]

2002 Subaru WRX.

I've driven one before, in highschool for a drunk friend to get him home. However I was new to manual driving, and the short shifter only made it worse on me. It felt great otherwise, I gave it enough beans to spool the turbo once and it took me by surprise. After that, home and done. Nothing special.

THEN ! Just in December, a friend of mine bought a WRX. He let me do what I wanted with it. Which was very generous of him, but then again, we've always traded drives in each others cars and trucks forever.

Boy let me tell you, 'aint nothing like it ! The dirt roads and my old off road haunts I used to drive were so new to me, it was like experiencing it all over again. I've literally NEVER had so much fun off road. In gravel, sugar sand, light mud, pitted and pot holed old brick roads, the car had mountains of grip. I really was blown away by how the car handled in the slippery stuff. High speeds felt as solid as highway driving in a normal car. Launches felt like we were on tarmac, it was AMAZING! It would understeer, which was weird for me because I've always taken two wheel drives off road, or a four wheel drive truck, but nothing that was AWD. With a proper application of power though, the understeer vanished and became oversteer, and the front wheels just tracked the direction you wanted to go after catching the backside. It was pretty much as good as it gets, except it was not mine, so I didn't push it like I would have if it was. But hearing the boxer 4 screaming out the back end of the car, the turbo spooling and wooshing our of the front, while being stuck to the seat in the dirt, it was really overwhelming. It's a four cylinder song I can listen to allll day (or in this case night) long. I can only imagine an STI to border on the insane in the dirt. I would run out of money for fixes and gas as if I had a drug habit. The steering was smooth and took little effort, the shifter slotted home every time and gave me real confidence in where I was pointing the car, and what gear I was selecting. Everything about the car was and is top notch. So much so, I'm tempted as getting one for my next car, but I'm afraid it would just be a backwoods sandbox if I had it.

It's either a WRX or something German and RWD with a V8 or TT6.
But I doubt any of those high performance German sedans would ever be as much fun as a little WRX off road and kicking up some dust. My favorite car I've driven EVAR! And it didn't even have a V8, which I thought was a prerequisite to an enjoyable car at one point in life.

Edit: On road it was just like any thing, though I drove like a normal person, not Sebastien Loeb like when I was in the dirt. I will say it's easy to get dirt stuck in the rims which leads to a fair amount of shaking at speed due to throwing the wheels out of balance.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

1990-something GQ Nissan Patrol RX Turbo Diesel: My dad's bush-basher. Obviously not the most nippy of things but for a massive four-by it's not bad. Plus it's the only manual car we have that I can learn manual in since dad's disallowed any and all use of the Honda Accord Euro.

1988 Nissan Skyline GXE: Perfectly suited to me, but then it's not surprising since its the car I've had the most experience in (it's technically my first car). It's bigger than expected but it does actually handle quite well and while it may only have 155hp it does pick up speed quite quickly. My main problem though is that it has the 4-speed automatic rather than the Silhoutte's 5-speed manual (and limited-slip diff), and due to age it's starting to slip a bit. But it could be worse.

"SIC EM", 2005 Subaru WRX: Sooo want one of these. This was my mum's old daily driver, had a new ECU, exhaust system, lowered King Springs suspension and a new set of mags with Toyo Proxes4 rubber. Put out around 250awhp last time I checked the dyno sheet which was a couple of years back it might have been more, but **** me it went. Absolutely brilliant to drive, loads and loads of grip. And the noise...if there is one essential aftermarket part you must get for a WRX it's an exhaust system. That Boxer burble was absolutely epic.

 

[Jim Prower]

1992 Plymouth Voyager Got me through high school...right up to the end. I wrote it off on a F-150's trailer hitch on my graduation day. Nice, torquey 3.0 V6 engine, paper-thin auto tranny (we replaced it at least once) poor steering feel. Not great memories, to be honest.

1987 Reliant K wagon Took me the fastest I've ever driven for a sustained period of time. (85 mi/h) Same paper-thin auto tranny, but less power. an unbalanced wheel put me in a ditch right after I bought it, never quite went straight after that, turned in front of an F-150 and wrote it off. The horn button kept coming off, which is what I remember most.

1986/1988 Chevrolet Nova Sedans My current car, and a much rustier one we got for free that I drove before it. Everything seems extremely stout, nicely built in that '80s Toyota way. Doesn't matter much. Good steering feel, lots of fun, despite body roll. Probably my favorite car that I've owned and driven. I recommend it to anyone learning to drive. Only complaint is that high gear on the 3-speed auto is really short. I can't stand interstates in that car.

1927 Ford Model T Touring My Grandpa's. Love this one. Probably one of the most manual cars there is...you have to open the fuel valve by yourself, you have no power assist anything, you run the throttle with your hand, like a tractor...it's great fun. despite topping out at 40.

1931 Ford Model A Tudor Hardtop Also Grandpa's car. The car I learned to drive Manual on. Suprisingly modern compared to the "T," Double the horsepower, sure, you have to wait for revs to drop and double-clutch like a big rig, but it rode well and had really good heat. Had foot and hand throttle, so one could set a "Cruise control" with the hand throttle if one wanted. I could probably have driven that daily, with a few mods to the head and bottom end. Probably my favorite of Grandpa's cars, but he sold it. >:

1951 Chrysler Windsor 4-door Sedan Also Also Grandpa's Car. Really cool 2-speed "Fluid Drive" Semi-auto tranny. Similar to a full auto, but you have to put the clutch in before going anywhere, and lift off at about 25 mi/h to shift into high. Big flathead six cylinder, makes roughly the same amount of power the 1.6 SOHC in the Nova does, but bucketloads more torque, and all butter-smooth. heavy manual steering, heavy car, wouldn't try to autocross it, especially not on the bias-ply tires.

1998 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Z71 Worst vehicle I've ever driven, bar none. It's a truck the shop I used to work at has. Very high mileage, the 4WD system and electrics are all out of sorts, damn thing has no steering feel whatsoever, rides extremely rough, thanks to the Z71 package, needs an alignment job, too...horrid, horrid vehicle. I even am unimpressed with the 5.7 V8!

2008 Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 4x4 Newest vehicle I've ever driven, and I hate it too. Also a shop truck. Had a plow kit, but that set the front suspension all out of sorts. Steering's just as vague. At least the 4wd system worked (good ol' stick-type), but the plastics were unacceptable, and, overall, I'm simply unimpressed that this is practically a brand new vehicle. The 6.0's not bad, and the lotsa-speed has an absolutely useless manual gate, which confuses me...what do you need manual mode for on a truck? besides, takes forever for the tranny to get the message.

 

[homeforsummer]

Seeing as everyone is updating and adding to their lists, I'll do the same. This is what I wrote previously:

- 98 Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec: Learned to drive in it.
- 98 Ford Fiesta 1.3: My car. Not 'special' but my first car, and been great over the 5 years I've had it. Better torque than the 1.25 too.
- 05 Mini Cooper Works: Was track prepared. Amazing handling, great steering feel, and a great noise. The Works pack gives the normal car about 140bhp.
- 91 Mazda MX-5: Also track prepared. Good fun! Not so much when it rained though and I was on slick tyres...
- 07 Ford Ka: Did everything slightly better than my Fiesta - performance, grip, steering feel, agility. I have great respect for the Ka.
- 07 Mitsubishi Outlander V6: First and only 4x4 so far, and I was impressed. The V6 engine was nice.
- 07 Chrysler PT Cruiser: Very surprised by this. Drove Route 1/101 from San Diego up to San Francisco and the handling impressed me a lot. I expected it to be rubbish. The engine and auto box were rubbish though.

Given the circumstances, my favourite of the limited bunch was the Mini. I'd love a Works version for the road, and realistically it has all the performance and certainly the handling you need in the UK.

I might revise my opinion when my mate gets around to giving me a go in his Elise though!

Unfortunately, I didn't end up getting a go in the Elise in the end and he's sold it now so I'll have to grab a drive in someone else's. I won't bore with specifics because since the above I've driven quite a few more cars - four BMW E36 Compacts, two EK Honda Civics, a Del Sol, a Mitsubishi FTO, two MX5s, an Alfa 146, a SEAT Cordoba TDI, a Volkswagen Transporter TDI, and a Toyota Prado V6.

The best of all that bunch is a tie between a BMW 318ti Sport and my own MX5. The BMW was smooth, had amazing steering, looked brilliant and had a fantastic interior, my Mazda is nimble, exciting, has great controls and has the whole wind-in-the-hair thing going for it when it's not minus 10 degrees C outside like it was last night. It still makes me smile every time I drive it.

Honourable mentions go to the VW van which was fun to drive and the commanding driving position made me smile, the Prado which offered more of the same but with added 4.0 V6, and the Alfa which was as quirky and fun as you'd hope an Alfa would be.

 

[mustangGT90210]

1992 Honda Prelude Si - With '94 H22 VTEC swap This car oozed feel from all areas except the gear box. Interior was high quality and cool looking, seats are the best I've ever sat in, it's still the fastest thing I've ever driven, and handled like it was on rails. I still wanna buy one

 

[Barracuda]

1966 Plymouth Barracuda - Despite going on 44 years old my Barracuda is still the best thing I've ever driven. With no power steering or power brakes you really feel any input you give it with plenty of feedback. For it's age the front suspension is relatively advanced with a torsion bar set up and the ability to adjust everything (It did pretty good in rallies from the little information I could find). The sound is great no matter what time of day, even with full dual exhaust and glasspacks. It's semi loud idling and really loud stepping on it, but if you just drive it it can be pretty mellow and almost silent at about 60+. The inside of the car fits me like a glove, almost like the car was designed specifically for me. My arm rests perfectly on the lip outside my window (something that has been completely lost with new cars), the seat only has one adjustment but it is perfect all the way back (no endless fidgeting trying to put it back after someone else has driven it), and the seats, despite being 44 years old and vinyl, are more comfortable than any other car seat I've ever sat in. I just get in my Barracuda and I'm happy to be there, like coming home after a long day of work and sitting in you're comfy chair. Heaven for me is sitting at a red light with my arm on the window, the 273 purring away rocking the car back and forth, then mashing the gas, lifting the front right of my car and making the little 195s scream for mercy.

Despite being my dream car there are a few downsides. No brake assistance on a slab of Detroit steel with four drums and 195 tires in the rain, you gotta learn your stopping distance damn quick, and pray to god the person in front of you realizes the same thing. In the event of rain I have two wipers speeds, slow and slightly faster, both of which don't do a damn thing in a Floridian rainstorm leaving you almost blind in heavy rain. Other downsides include no radio (I have an AM but I have no clue where the one speaker is and why it isn't there), no heat (disconnected by previous owner, either heater core is shot, or he figured it's Florida so why), and no air con (better like the wind through your hair).

 

[Jim Prower]

Question on the wipers: are the original wiper motors vacuum-powered? they make electric conversion kits for that.

 

[Barracuda]

I'm not entirely sure. I think they're electric though, didn't see any vacuum lines to the motors but I could be wrong.

Would be nice to get or make something that would let it be intermittent, right now it's on a potentiometer so it's either on or faster.

 

[Jim Prower]

Yeah, they're electric. If there's wires going to 'em, they're elec.

Meh, I got the same sorta system on my car. I do use Bosch wiper blades (when I can find them,) which helps immensely.

 

[Joey D]

Since my first post in this thread I have driven numerous other cars. The S2000 still stands as one of the best cars I've driven to date but in close second is an autocross preped Neon with an LSD, DOT "race" tires, and full suspension set up. There is so much grip it's unreal.

There is one guy that attends a lot of autocrosses with a Civic from the 80's with an LSD, tires, suspension, ITB's and a gutted interior I want to convince to let me drive it. I've gone for rides in it and the thing is amazing.

For an everyday vehicle though my Cooper is pretty fun and offers driving enjoyment, which will probably be increases once the snow tires are off and it now longer rides like and Oldsmobile.

 

[Kylehnat]

Favorite car to drive? Mine. Any particular reason? See answer to first question.

My answer remains the same, but it's not necessarily the same car as in 2006 .

 

[Eric.]

Let's see if I can list everything I've driven.

1999 Grand Am GT (first car)
1999 Ford Taurus (dad's)
1999 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 (mom's)
2008 Civic Si Sedan (my current car)

Friends cars:
2001 Corvette 6MT
2006 Pontiac GTO Auto
1987 Monte Carlo SS w/350
1999 Mazda Miata Auto

Other:
2009 Ford Focus Auto (rental)


And a few notes...

The Grand Am was pretty fun as a first car. 175hp/210tq gave it plenty of low end power. Handled pretty badly, with lots of body roll and lacking an LSD. It was also an automatic (like all V6 Grand Ams) and didn't help the handling any. Ended up having a handful of engine issues, starting with the intake manifold gasket that goes bad on all of the 3.4L V6s, and then the headgaskets and intake manifold gaskets simulaneously...Scares me away from any of GM's older V6s.

The Taurus is just an extremely average, boring car to drive.

The Jeep rides horribly and isn't any fun besides in snow.

We'll come back to my Civic.

Driving the Corvette wasn't really as special as I had expected. It was at night, so that takes away seeing the interior and stuff, so it was just a bunch of glowing lights. Driving it in town, the first thing I hate is that at about 15mph a light pops up next to the tachometer saying "1-4 Shift" or something like that. And if you try to shift into second at that time (like I normally do in my Civic), it has some electronic lockouts that directs the stick to miss the gate for second gear and move on over to fourth. I can do that myself just fine, thanks...Its for fuel economy apparently, but when it does that it leaves you right around 1000rpm. So that was extremely annoying to me. Secondly the car just feels big and heavy. There's a lot of weight in the steering. Third, it scrapes on everything. My friend did let me take it out on the highway, where I started off doing about 40mph in first, slammed second at about 55mph, and as you release the clutch the speedo jumps straight to 70, keep the gas planted and you're doing triple digits before you know it. Shut it down at 103mph according to the HUD (which I also did not like, but the regular gauges were too far to be looking down at while driving like so...). Boringly fast car.

Then there's the GTO, which I've always liked the looks of. This one has an obnoxiously loud exhaust and a Lingenfelter cold air intake. Climbing in, the seats are the most comfortable of any I've ever sat in. I only had the chance to drive it in town, so nothing crazy. However giving it about 3/4 throttle from 15mph makes it jump forward far more than you'd expect. And that's the one thing I can't believe about that car. Its owner is a year younger than me, and it was his first car at 16. I'm not sure I'd trust myself with that car, let alone a sixteen year old. But it hasn't found a ditch yet. Having an automatic with that much power feels dangerous, because you just don't know for sure when its doing to kick down and take off. Having driven the Corvette after that, I can tell that a manual model would be much more enjoyable. This also had a really heavy feel, but it was more suited to the GTO than the Corvette. One is on my short list for if I ever want a modern muscle car.

The Monte Carlo was just a quick pass down a road for the owner to hear its exhaust. It was the definition of wallowy. That described the steering, brakes, and suspension.

The Miata felt just like a go-kart. Being an auto didn't subtract too much from the drive, because it still handled and the transmission seemed to do a decent job. That actually enhanced the whole go-kart experience by reducing the car to steering, throttle, and brake. I still had my Grand Am when I drove this car, so I don't know how it would've compared directly to my Civic. Ride was pretty bad. Steering extremely sensitive from center, enough that long trips would probably be a pain.

I had high hopes for the Focus actually. And it just fell on its face. It was an automatic and I think it used a drive-by-wire throttle. Getting the car moving was probably the worst part. If I'd ease onto the throttle like my car, I would eventually start crawling forward once I depressed the pedal around 20%. If you do it more quickly, you get a jackrabbit start and look like a dick. Normal acceleration seemed lackluster too, which was strange because at full throttle it actually pulled (and sounded) pretty well. I tried to like the car, but it was strictly meant for getting from point A to point B, cheaply.


So you've probably guessed that my Civic Si is actually my favorite car to drive. The interior layout is perfect. The digital speedometer makes it easy to know how fast you're going without taking your eyes too far off the road, but also without being a HUD. The sport buckets could use more bolstering, but they're more than adequate. Shifts through the six speed are precise and have a solid feel. At 2945lbs, its not the lightest car, but compared to other cars built today its lighter than most. And more importantly it feels lighter and more agile than the other cars I've described. There's enough power to get yourself in trouble, but you need to be trying. Unlike the GTO or Corvette, which rely too much on grunt alone for enjoyment, the Civic, with a well-tuned suspension and an LSD from the DC5 ITR, is happy to spend a day tackling the twisties. And it'll do all that while hauling four passengers.

 

[Stotty]

I drive pretty much the most enjoyable car I've ever driven everyday... a 996.

The only other car I've ever got anywhere near the same level of enjoyment from was a Series McRae Impreza (in mica blue with gold forest speedlines) that I ran as a company car back in 1996-98.

I've driven some stuff that might have been impressive given more seat time, but I don't think you really get to know a car or what it's capable of until you've spent a good few months behind the wheel using it on a daily basis.

 

[Bones Brigade]

I would still say that my favorite car to drive was my 350z. That car was just a blast to drive. Everything about it was - right. It wasn't perfect, but everything was right; seating position, power delivery, grip, stability, steering feel, etc. The driving dynamics were what they needed to be. It wasn't a screaming fast car, or an amazing handler, but whatever the driving scenario, it was able to perform.

It was also an intimate car. It was something you had to drive, rather than sit in and go somewhere. Damn reliable, too.

It's nice to see you again, old friend. I will always love you.

The S60R is good, though. The motor feels stronger than the Mazdaspeed6, but the 6 is more agile. I think maybe if I would have had a better test drive in the Mazda I would have that, instead.

I think once we have some snow, if we have any, I will lose some of my feelings for the Z. And there is a definite feeling of security when you put your foot down in the Volvo around a bend and you just go with no drama - just speed. It's very fun, especially in the wet when everything else is under steering into a tree or swinging around backwards into a ditch, but it's somewhat disconnected. The car helps a bit too much, as would be expected from Volvo.

 

[Eric.]

I demand an explanation why you replaced a Z with a Volvo.

 

[LSX]

S60R Volvo.



Same conclusions pretty much, but I sure want one. Or an S4.

 

[socomplayer2]

my top 10
1. 2008 Ferrari f430 scuderia (Im not lieing I actually have a writeup on here from July 08 when I drove it)
2. 2008 Subaru sti
3. 2006 Subaru sti
4. 2005 Mitsubishi lancer evo
5. 2006 Chevy Corvette
6. 2008 Vw gti (my car)
7. 1998 Chevy Camaro conv.
8. 1993 Honda civic hatch with h22 motor swap and b16 trans (runs low 13's high 12's)
9. 1991 vw gti with vr6 swap (or any of the 15 or so vr6 mk3 vws I have driven)
10. 2004 Dodge srt-4 (stage 2)

I have a list of over 75 cars I have driven since I got my permit way back in 06. I wrote down every single car I have driven since then.

Honorable mentions go to a 1978 vw beetle convertable 4 speed, 2008 Honda civic si and a 1.8t 2003 mark4 gti with close to 300hp

 

[Bones Brigade]

I demand an explanation why you replaced a Z with a Volvo.

A lot of it was emotional and done out of love for the Z. I know the things are meant to be daily drivers, but I couldn't bare to take it through our wet, rainy winters. (I gave my beater to my sister since her van broke down.) I felt bad for it. It was like when you have a pet that you love but you live in a 100sq ft studio.

Then there are the back seats. The trunk. The amazing comfort. The fact that I can actually carry on a conversation with someone on the highway or listen to music. Those sorts of things.

 

[Kylehnat]

I got over the wet, rainy winter thing pretty quick . Granted, I don't take it out in the worst weather...it stays snuggled in the garage then. Still, I see plenty of Z's out and about all year long. Probably not the best snow car, though.

 

[Bones Brigade]

I got over the wet, rainy winter thing pretty quick . Granted, I don't take it out in the worst weather...it stays snuggled in the garage then. Still, I see plenty of Z's out and about all year long. Probably not the best snow car, though.

Last winter when it snowed pretty much the last two weeks of December, I decided to go visit my girlfriend in Olympia right after Christmas. I was thinking that since everything had melted in Tacoma, Oly would be fine, too. I can tell you that was a very unfun drive when I got off 101. She lived way back by Evergreen College.

But like I said, it's not as if I think the thing needs to be coddled. As far as I'm concerned the car is intended for daily driving, but I just had some weird mental image of the car being sad and wanting an owner who would treat it with more respect than I could.

What's interesting is how I drive now compared to how I did with the Z. I was pretty mellow. I just went about, occasionally finding a stretch to open it up when I was alone. Yet I was always envious when a more competent car would go by. I still never did anything. Now, I have to compensate everywhere I go. "Oh, is that a Mustang GT next to me on this curvy, wet, highway on-ramp?" I think it's the whole, "yeah, It's a Volvo that blew by you. And yeah, I DID accidentally have my right indicator on when I was turning left, and still beat you," thing. It really brings out the worst in me. It's kinda like small man syndrome. The difference being that the car isn't inadequate. The Z shouted for itself with how it looked, this is so subdued I have to do the shouting. It's very hard on the wallet. I got my first ever speeding ticket in the Volvo. And I have put myself down a few pegs on the "adulthood" scale.

 

[rollazn]

BMW 335i (automatic - manual would have been funnier!)
Mazdaspeed 3 (my car)

 

[turboash78]

Loved driving my 1990 Honda CRX Si. Very quick for a 1.5l 4... cornered like crazy... smoothest shifting 5 speed I've ever encountered.

 

[Zenith]

1968 Mustang w/ 351.

The noise, the style, the pedigree, but mostly the noise. I can start earthquakes with that thing. The best part about the noise is though, it's not like a new ferrari or an aston martin with those stupid butterfly valves, its just pure automotive muscle.

 

[Mrs. Famine]

Wow, three years since I posted in this thread!

I've driven loads more cars since then, but I stick with my original thoughts with some additions:

The Elise I mentioned previously was an S2. I've since driven an S1 and really enjoyed the experience, they're soooo different! Therefore, I'd quite like to own an S1. I also drove a Mk2 MR2, that was also fun.

Currently I'm enjoying my Honda Accord Type-R (well not right at this minute as it's been borrowed!) but I've yet to discover its full potential as I've not had a really good play in it as yet. However, what I do know of it up to now has been immense fun and they're described as being a big little car which is very accurate