Car Enthusiast Thread

[lithy]

Sometimes the path of the turbo is a difficult one.

I realize new cars are still quite reliable, but with the recent infusion of tech and screens in the name of safety and forced induction in the name of fuel economy that has begun to permeate all cars, I do wonder if we will see a slight reduction in longevity at least for a decade or so.

To me cars around the mid 90s were the peak of simplicity and reliability. Easier to work on due to the simplicity too.

Go ahead, change the oil, or swap an air filter...

[NeoSneth]

Direct Injection did turn out to be a mess for a while. No gas is sprayed onto the valves to clean them, and they are getting caked with crud. Need a special blasting with walnut shells to remove it without damaging valves. Affects most DI engines, but not all. Early BMW DI engines are notorious for this.

These complex electronic transmissions are also a nightmare. Rebuilding transmissions was always a bit of a mess, but now it's damn near impossible. Your transmission goes bad, and your car is pretty much totaled. Manual transmissions are not even an option anymore.

[StevenK]

Modern diesel engines are a mess now - endless restrictions on emissions have forced the manufacturers to hold all the shit they that would usually be coughed out of the exhaust in the engine, recirculating and recirculating it then burning it off in your DPF. It's a clever solution but before long the whole system is overwhelmed with caked on shit.

I also read that electric vehicles haven't fared well at all in the recent weather - reports of 50% and more loss of battery life in the cold, last thing you want is to lose power without warning in -20C.

[NeoSneth]

I almost bought a diesel until I read you need to have a highway commute for to DPF regeneration. I take a lot of terrible short city trips.

[Late]

My father bought a diesel Jaguar, lmao.

[GohanX]

I realize new cars are still quite reliable, but with the recent infusion of tech and screens in the name of safety and forced induction in the name of fuel economy that has begun to permeate all cars, I do wonder if we will see a slight reduction in longevity at least for a decade or so.

To me cars around the mid 90s were the peak of simplicity and reliability. Easier to work on due to the simplicity too.

Go ahead, change the oil, or swap an air filter...

I really don't expect most of the newer cars to last all that long. Some things are built better but they're needlessly complex. Hell, I'm considering trying to find a 90"s-00's manual 4 cyl beater that I can keep running forever since I don't realistically expect my current car to make it past 200k miles.

[SouthAmericaNeo]

I like the turbos and superchargers. Boost is fun.

[FAT$TACKS]

I'm running the 2.0 liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine and while it's pretty nice but I miss the good old days of buying the lower grade gas that my older car ran on.

My car is more fuel efficient than my previous one, and doing roughly the same driving, Yet I end up spending more using less fuel.

[smokehouse]

I'm running the 2.0 liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine and while it's pretty nice but I miss the good old days of buying the lower grade gas that my older car ran on.

My car is more fuel efficient than my previous one, and doing roughly the same driving, Yet I end up spending more using less fuel.

I recall my Mazdaspeed 3 manual stating to use ethanol free premium...my local station had it, but it was $1/gal more than even mid grade...that stung.

...then again I currently run diesel so there's that...

[Lets Gekiga In]

After doing another e-check, I think if I ever buy another car I'll go with an electric car.

[IcBlUsCrN]

So i traded my focus ST in for a fusion sport as i got tired of suspension and manual trans in traffic . fusion is a decently fun car with awd 320hp 380ftlb 2.7L twin turbo took it to 1/8 drag and ran a 8.9 unprepped . probably look into some mods but really i just really like launching the car its a blast. first turbo car was a 86 t type , i still remember the lag on that at the time didn't seem bad but wasnt good, these new turbo cars are amazing.

[FAT$TACKS]

I'll post a question to you car guys.

Here is the deal. I've been thinking pretty hard about trying to get a dream car. I've pretty well decided to start putting back so that I can buy one I really want by the time I hit the big 50, maybe sooner, as it isn't all that far off.

As it stands now I have a great car that I am happy to use as my daily driver but it isn't what I would call exciting. Comfortable, and great for what I need it for, yes, but I keep thinking I'm getting older and would like to get a dream car while I'll still be able to enjoy it. I don't want to finance really, I would like to just be able to buy something out right as much as possible. Ideally it would be something new, or pretty close to it. No classics or such, just something awesome I can drive off the lot and still be able to enjoy even knowing I overpaid for it.

So here my short list and I'm curious what you guys would put on your lists.

Porsche 718 Cayman - This is about the top end of what I could justify spending on a car. I've wanted a Porsche from when I was a little kid. Something about the look of them that really does it for me. Now if I could get a deal on a used 911, I could see myself doing that too.

Nissan Z - I used to have an old Datsun Z back in the day and while this is a car I could just go get I think it is only on my dream list for nostalgia kind reasons. I'm not sure that feeling would last if I bought one but every time I see one I smile.

Maserati GranTurismo - I would have to get a used one. I almost did actually, back when I bought my last car I looked one that I was just not willing to stretch the budget out that much as I would have been having to do a good bit of financing.


There are other cars, but those would be the first ones I would be on the lookout for. I just don't have any interest in a Corvette or Mustang these days, as when I was younger I would have been all about having one.

[NeoSneth]

From a practical standpoint : Cayman or Nissan Z
You can go for the BRZ/Toyota86 if you want to go cheaper.

Cayman is lighter and better styling(IMO). Nissan is heavy, but feels good. Longevity, the Cayman will probably hold more value and it will feel more exotic.

You have to be careful about going for something like a used Aston Martin, Lotus, or Maserati. All of those can be had for reasonable prices, but you don't know if you're looking at a $3k fix or a $50 fix every time the check engine light comes on. Lotus at least uses Toyota parts. Porsche's can have expensive service too, but you will easily hit 100k miles on a 911 or Cayman. People daily them all the time. You will never hit 100k miles on those other ones.

[Lets Gekiga In]

I haven't been keeping too close of tabs on prices these days, but maybe an Alfa Romeo 4C or wait until the upcoming Toyota Supra comes out? Also, if one cannot wait for the Supra, the BMW Z4 would be a good option, too.
Edit: Also, take a look at the Jaguar F-Type.

[lithy]

I'd vote Elise. You can buy one any day for $50k, if you need to sell it, it will probably still be worth about $50k provided you don't pile on the miles.

Toyota engine will be reliable and cheaper to maintain, just don't damage the body work. Downside, make sure you fit.

And I know you're in Kentucky and it is the classic mid-life crisis car, but seriously the Corvette is a bargain for the power, you just don't get a cushy interior and you will definitely fit.

Next year the Miata gets a pretty good power bump, any interest there?

Import something wild from Japan?

[NeoSneth]

I'd go lotus evora over elise. Elise is a ridiculously firm and uncomfortable ride, if you can fit into it.

[FAT$TACKS]

I've a friend who has had several models of Corvette and I've got to spend quite a bit of time in them. They can be had pretty reasonable 2nd hand around here. They are everywhere here so if a person isn't in a hurry they can wait and find a good deal. When I was a kid, I really was hot for a Corvette, but after spending time in them I'm just not that big on them anymore.

I did look at the MX-5 Miata. The 2019 has a telescopic wheel, so that is a huge improvement I think. I'm a bigger guy but I've been loosing weight and am down to like 245 now from almost 260, that and being 6'2" makes some of the smaller stuff a bit of a challenge.

Now this may sound stupid but here it goes.

I used to drive a Challenger. For the most part I liked the car. One of the things I noticed with it was that people around me drove totally different than they did when I was in like my old Scion Xb, or like now in my sedan. People on the road were way more aggressive. It was a constant string of dumb ass drivers zipping in at the last second to get in front of me, jumping out at lights to get ahead of me, to change lanes in front of me when there is nothing down the road and they aren't turning. It was crazy. People would ride with me and be shocked how crazy some of these people were.

I turned a corner and in that car with the tires I had you would squeal tires. That's just how it was. So I turned right and the guy in the turning left land busts out and turns right and starts hauling ass after me. It was shit like that all the time. I go down the road and someone pulls up on the next lane and starts speeding up and then hitting their brakes trying to race me and shit. I honestly just got tired of it and that was part of the reason I changed cars this last time.

I should imagine if I get something flashy or such I'll get the same shit again. As I said that may sound stupid and like I'm making something out of nothing. Really though, it was almost every time I was on the road in town here. I would say at least 75% of the time someone was being a jackass directed at me.

Is it like that in other places, or just the morons here.

[GohanX]

I recall my Mazdaspeed 3 manual stating to use ethanol free premium...my local station had it, but it was $1/gal more than even mid grade...that stung.

...then again I currently run diesel so there's that...

The Mazdaspeed engine with a stock ECU can take any gas you throw at it and adjust the timing accordingly after about 100 miles. That said it should always pick premium, but you don't have to be so picky as to use ethanol free 93, that's not even available in a lot of the country.

[miisalo]

Almost any new ECU can adjust to different octane. I can run on 95 RON (91 PON) but all power comes with 98 RON (93 PON).

Now car has new turbos. I could have upgraded to bigger ones that would have delivered >900hp almost at same price but this is my daily driver, so I'm fine with stock turbos that can do 700 and at least I now have warranty.

What comes to DPF and diesels, not all of them need highway driving for DPF regeneration. I had two different A8s with 4.2TDI (D3 and D4) and both regenerated fine in city driving too.