i would tend to agree, even as an enthusiast, that VWs in their current iteration are over-priced (new) peices of shit. the new ones shed value very quickly, and depending on the year you buy, you could be in for a world of hurt.
that being said, there is a feeling that a german car exudes that can not be replicated by Japan or the USA. now i am not saying that japanese cars don't have thier own niche.
for me, the driving pleasure a german car gives me far outweighs the potential reliability of a japanese car. i say this without personally testing the newer sect of japanese cars, ie. acura TL (really nice design), infiniti G35 (love the exhaust note). i am basing my opinion on a lifelong car addiction.
Well put, 3ifs. While every german car owner secretly fantasizes about a japanese car when they come out to find their vw won't start, or that the windows stopped working, they still buy german after german. They just feel more solid and refined--(I know bc I was a valet while I was an undergrad). An M coupe at 60 feels much different than a RX8 at 60, even if that jap might get there faster (not in this comparison though). To be fair, the G35 coupe sounds great, and borders on german in feel.
I drive a 2000 ford focus ZX3 But i am tired of it so my fiance and i are getting a chevy equonox . Yea it is a sweet ride. I would like a trail blazer but I can afford it so we can do with the equonox.
okay so i am tooling around the web and go to check out the new lotus elise. the lotus website directs me to a dealer in my area. so i go there and am paging through their inventory which consists of all the kinds of cars that none of us will ever drive. anyway i am looking at the page and see two lambo gallardo's listed. one being several thousand more than the other. the reason for the difference in price? the more expensive of the two comes equipped with a "sport package" wtf? shouldnt all supercars that are capable of two hundred mph come with a sport package???? that blew the sale for me. also, not enough cup holders. drive safely
it also has a more 'biological' look than many current vehicles. 4 haunches, a face, etc. at the other extreme, SUVs have the physique of a cinder block.
i would rock an R32... i just wouldn't spend $30k to do so. sorry, mkIV golfs just shouldn't ever cost that much. i would much rather drop that kind of coin on an A4 or a tricked out cooper S.
i do occasionally look for barely used R32s for thousands less.
besides the car (mentioned above) I have a lovely fixed gear bicycle that I made out of a 3speed Fuji frame. No brakes, and beautifully clean lines. I love that thing, got me through Boston/Cambridge time and time again.
I drive a 1977 Leyland Mini, 998cc 4-speed manual... the colour of grass after rain (picture a flat mid green with all the enthusiasm of the 70s). Awesome in carparks & roundabouts. Punchy short-travel clutch...pure joy:-D Smells like fuel inside & oil outside. Great little car despite its British engineering!! I love it to pieces!!!
I must agree with optimk on the Toyota/Honda thing... true that.
Ahh, the old skool Mini - far better than the yuppified modern version.
Does anyone drive some good old American muscle cars? Even a modified modern day Mustang has some charm to it. Nothing like a car that is pure horsepower. I'd never buy one but have a motor head friend who's got his supercharged, intercooler, the works.
Nothing says fun like out running corvettes, vipers and handfulls of ricers.
I have been involved in the restoration of a '71 Buick Skylark conv. It still isn't finished, but it should be pretty quick when it's done. Still toying with upgrading its 350 4 bbl to a 455 like the GSX's.
The 05 vettes are nicely designed on the outside but the interior is crap. I frequently have the oportunity to drive an '04 convertible, and the interior is much nicer. I just saw the '05 Z06 at the show in Chicago. It has 500 HP stock from its 7 litre engine. If I can chirp the fat tires from 2nd to 3rd in the '04 with a stock AUTOMATIC, I can't imagine what the new Z06 6 speed can do.
However, I would still prefer a nice new German built sports car like a nice black Carrera, M3, or new M5.
For the record, whoever said that owners of bimmers secretly wish they have an Asian vehicle is wrong. I've never wished that, so I am an exception. :)
Never has happened. I have had my Camaro shut off on the highway though... then I changed the engine and transmission, and it's behaved ever since, kind of. This is why I like german cars better now -- i've learned.
i have a ford focus LX silver - wouldve loved a black one, except my previous black car (Ford KA) got me into 2 accidents, both of which ppl came crashing into me!
So figured black's probably a little too dangerous for me - at least till I'm rich enough to be able to 'afford' accidents!
optimk...
while I am not a vw fan, and i tend to avoid gross generalizations, my experience with bmw motorcycles would force me to argue with your claim against german engineering.
parts and labor are a serious pain in the ass... the cable connecting to the hood latch broke and I still haven't found the part I need to fix it. the fan, radiator, and clutch all needed replacing within 3 months of buying the car last year but it's a sexy beast and I love it.
my dream car is an HPA modified VW R32 with a Stage II turbo kit.
550 hp, top speed of 202 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds... it's a Porsche killer. It's absurd to spend 65K on a VW but I'd do it if I could.
that 65k is extremely modest, considering the car eats every single production supercar--imagine a stoplight next to an Enzo, and just yanking his balls right off him in a stock looking hatchback--pure pleasure, and it cost you 600k less!
German cars are way too heavy. Stock VWs handle like shit, not to mention that their engines are prehistoric in terms of power per cc. Plus they are pretty unreliable. VW did make cool rides back in the day, but as they grew to the phenominal fat cat corporation they are now. Honda is number one car company for innovation. Honda racing is second only to ferrari.
VWs cool factor is based on marketing and advertsing, while Honda's rep comes from constantly chaning the way world designs cars.
Well, I ride a early '70s Raleigh bicycle.
I owned a few (lease) cars like an opel astra, an alfa romeo 147 and a vw polo, but now I'm jobless and I don't have any money.
But I'm not sad about it because i love this bike. Here's picture of a later model: http://www.memorylane-classics.com/Bikes/Raleigh%20Sports%201973.JPG
Lambo Gallardo. Getting a bit bored of it actually. thinking about putting an order in for a 612 scaglietti, gotta be less selfish, growing family, kids, need for a sedan, etc. know what i mean...
Test drove one today while getting my oil changed....
Anyone who thinks a Bimmer or Mercedes or Audi can top this in the same price class is quite insane.......
What kind of cars does everyone drive?
BTW 90 Acura Integra ls with 193,000 miles. Its still kicks the shit out of 04 BMW 3 series, and outhandles anything under $35,000.00
'German engineering is a myth that needs to be killed' Ha, I was told American cars are made from girders...
define American Cars. Most american cars today are designed in europe or japan and built in china, mexico and canada. so what is american?
that said, VW's are still pieces of overvalued shit, that they manage to sell to architects, yuppies and Apple Clone users.
i would tend to agree, even as an enthusiast, that VWs in their current iteration are over-priced (new) peices of shit. the new ones shed value very quickly, and depending on the year you buy, you could be in for a world of hurt.
that being said, there is a feeling that a german car exudes that can not be replicated by Japan or the USA. now i am not saying that japanese cars don't have thier own niche.
for me, the driving pleasure a german car gives me far outweighs the potential reliability of a japanese car. i say this without personally testing the newer sect of japanese cars, ie. acura TL (really nice design), infiniti G35 (love the exhaust note). i am basing my opinion on a lifelong car addiction.
..............................................................
on another note, i beleive american cars are defined as cars built by american-based companies.
work for a starchitect and they may let you drive their car-to the carwash. jeesh
Well put, 3ifs. While every german car owner secretly fantasizes about a japanese car when they come out to find their vw won't start, or that the windows stopped working, they still buy german after german. They just feel more solid and refined--(I know bc I was a valet while I was an undergrad). An M coupe at 60 feels much different than a RX8 at 60, even if that jap might get there faster (not in this comparison though). To be fair, the G35 coupe sounds great, and borders on german in feel.
I drive a 2000 ford focus ZX3 But i am tired of it so my fiance and i are getting a chevy equonox . Yea it is a sweet ride. I would like a trail blazer but I can afford it so we can do with the equonox.
Ofcourse it s got to be black.
El nino
okay so i am tooling around the web and go to check out the new lotus elise. the lotus website directs me to a dealer in my area. so i go there and am paging through their inventory which consists of all the kinds of cars that none of us will ever drive. anyway i am looking at the page and see two lambo gallardo's listed. one being several thousand more than the other. the reason for the difference in price? the more expensive of the two comes equipped with a "sport package" wtf? shouldnt all supercars that are capable of two hundred mph come with a sport package???? that blew the sale for me. also, not enough cup holders. drive safely
japanese. manual. hatch or wagon. used, cheap.
used to drive pickups.
avoid dark colored paint. too hot in summer. avoid gray or medium blue or tans. less visible.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=front+Twin+I-beam+ford+truck
ok, so you can add me with another jetta,'92, white, 160K and still kicking
manual transmission
lotus elise
looks like it's trying to disguise itself as a dune buggy. lotus, always different. :-)
it does have a dune bugginess to it.but a babe magnet i am sure...
like almost all convertibles :-)
it also has a more 'biological' look than many current vehicles. 4 haunches, a face, etc. at the other extreme, SUVs have the physique of a cinder block.
Does anyone out there have or have an interest in having an R32. I myself am intrigued....
i would rock an R32... i just wouldn't spend $30k to do so. sorry, mkIV golfs just shouldn't ever cost that much. i would much rather drop that kind of coin on an A4 or a tricked out cooper S.
i do occasionally look for barely used R32s for thousands less.
Frank Ghery drives a 7 series. He was on the cover of BMW magazine once.
besides the car (mentioned above) I have a lovely fixed gear bicycle that I made out of a 3speed Fuji frame. No brakes, and beautifully clean lines. I love that thing, got me through Boston/Cambridge time and time again.
To follow up on sameolddoctor's comment...
Am I the only one who can picture Rem Koolhaas being shuttled about in one of these babies?
http://freeweb.deltha.hu/zastava.in.hu/limousine.htm
add me in the hybrid category Toyota - Prius
Frank Gehry drives a new BMW 745i...
and
Peter Eisenman doesn't own a car.
I drive a 1977 Leyland Mini, 998cc 4-speed manual... the colour of grass after rain (picture a flat mid green with all the enthusiasm of the 70s). Awesome in carparks & roundabouts. Punchy short-travel clutch...pure joy:-D Smells like fuel inside & oil outside. Great little car despite its British engineering!! I love it to pieces!!!
I must agree with optimk on the Toyota/Honda thing... true that.
Ahh, the old skool Mini - far better than the yuppified modern version.
Does anyone drive some good old American muscle cars? Even a modified modern day Mustang has some charm to it. Nothing like a car that is pure horsepower. I'd never buy one but have a motor head friend who's got his supercharged, intercooler, the works.
Nothing says fun like out running corvettes, vipers and handfulls of ricers.
Then the thing breaks and we tow it home. ha ha!
but try my setup---outrunning 5.0l 'stangs cars with an 85 vw cabby
re:mini
has anyone seen this company that puts honda vtec engines into old minis? reliability and style....
95 silver dodge ram with paint flaking off the roof. What a piece. I'm tired of being a broke college student.
I do like the looks of the new dodge magnums. I'm also digging the new Honda truck.
But I think I'm going to hold on to the truck for awhile and buy a motorcycle when I get out of school.
A,
I have been involved in the restoration of a '71 Buick Skylark conv. It still isn't finished, but it should be pretty quick when it's done. Still toying with upgrading its 350 4 bbl to a 455 like the GSX's.
The 05 vettes are nicely designed on the outside but the interior is crap. I frequently have the oportunity to drive an '04 convertible, and the interior is much nicer. I just saw the '05 Z06 at the show in Chicago. It has 500 HP stock from its 7 litre engine. If I can chirp the fat tires from 2nd to 3rd in the '04 with a stock AUTOMATIC, I can't imagine what the new Z06 6 speed can do.
However, I would still prefer a nice new German built sports car like a nice black Carrera, M3, or new M5.
For the record, whoever said that owners of bimmers secretly wish they have an Asian vehicle is wrong. I've never wished that, so I am an exception. :)
even when it doesn't start and you're late for work...?
Never has happened. I have had my Camaro shut off on the highway though... then I changed the engine and transmission, and it's behaved ever since, kind of. This is why I like german cars better now -- i've learned.
Presently I drive one of these
same colour but without the grille
but owning a vehicle that is on the idiosyncratic side is difficult (parts, paint, value, et al)
so I'm going to this now
i have a ford focus LX silver - wouldve loved a black one, except my previous black car (Ford KA) got me into 2 accidents, both of which ppl came crashing into me!
So figured black's probably a little too dangerous for me - at least till I'm rich enough to be able to 'afford' accidents!
But I would'nt mind a soft top VW!
optimk...
while I am not a vw fan, and i tend to avoid gross generalizations, my experience with bmw motorcycles would force me to argue with your claim against german engineering.
92 VW Corrado SLC - black
parts and labor are a serious pain in the ass... the cable connecting to the hood latch broke and I still haven't found the part I need to fix it. the fan, radiator, and clutch all needed replacing within 3 months of buying the car last year but it's a sexy beast and I love it.
my dream car is an HPA modified VW R32 with a Stage II turbo kit.
550 hp, top speed of 202 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds... it's a Porsche killer. It's absurd to spend 65K on a VW but I'd do it if I could.
i drive a nissan frontier...it's blue.
fun for going to beach, not really architect cool though.
would like a black honda element though.
whatever, rice rockets are just a fad -a quiet engine surrounded by reynolds wrap Architects love german rides, especially the MK2 Gti baby...
I used to own a '72 Cutlass Supreme and an '87 Chrysler LeBaron, now this is my ride:
huh--
that 65k is extremely modest, considering the car eats every single production supercar--imagine a stoplight next to an Enzo, and just yanking his balls right off him in a stock looking hatchback--pure pleasure, and it cost you 600k less!
German motorcycles from how long ago?
German cars are way too heavy. Stock VWs handle like shit, not to mention that their engines are prehistoric in terms of power per cc. Plus they are pretty unreliable. VW did make cool rides back in the day, but as they grew to the phenominal fat cat corporation they are now. Honda is number one car company for innovation. Honda racing is second only to ferrari.
VWs cool factor is based on marketing and advertsing, while Honda's rep comes from constantly chaning the way world designs cars.
Well, I ride a early '70s Raleigh bicycle.
I owned a few (lease) cars like an opel astra, an alfa romeo 147 and a vw polo, but now I'm jobless and I don't have any money.
But I'm not sad about it because i love this bike. Here's picture of a later model:
http://www.memorylane-classics.com/Bikes/Raleigh%20Sports%201973.JPG
Mine is a ladies bike and it's green.
Sorry for the double post but i see some people talk about a R32....
If I'd the luck to win the lottery i would buy myself a 400r NISMO (R33 model).
It's this car: http://www.jbskyline.net/Nismo400R/
okay, join the rice rocket fan club and be cool for the time being...
Lambo Gallardo. Getting a bit bored of it actually. thinking about putting an order in for a 612 scaglietti, gotta be less selfish, growing family, kids, need for a sedan, etc. know what i mean...
Test drove one today while getting my oil changed....
Anyone who thinks a Bimmer or Mercedes or Audi can top this in the same price class is quite insane.......
brat--
VW .:R32, not Skyline R32
matteo- I drive a nissan-xterra-love it...but if I get into my dream school I'm getting a MINI!!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed!
Acura rsx '05 used to have a '01 Toyota Celica GT
'91 Acura Legend, gray of course...
Am I the only Toyota Matrix XR owner in this thread?
btw, it's red and a fun ride, wish it had more horse power.
2004 renault megane bicorp
love that ass..
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