"Sweet Ride Bro" Encounters

[Semprini]

My favorite moment was at a recent drive I did with the Porsche club and a few other mixed cars driven by friends (M3, my FR-S, and a GT-R Black Edition). The GT-R owner asked if he could sit in my car. Of course! He got in, settled into the driver's seat (stock seats/interior), gripped the wheel, and said "This is really nice". Unfortunately he did not go for my trade suggestion but it was nice that he was so impressed.

[echo419]

attendant at the Costco gas station came up to me and asked how I liked my BRZ. with my typical response I said, "it's great and I like it a lot but it's slow.". of course after I say this literally everyone says, "really?" in disbelief. we go on a little more about how I like everything else about it blah blah blah. then he says that he's getting a new STI. I told him that if I don't put an SC or turbo on this that will likely be my next car and how that's a great choice.

is it just me or does someone stop everyone else just about every week. seriously, at least once a week some stranger tells me how much they like my car. don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. in fact it makes me feel better about having it. of course now that I think about it this happened with the last 2 cars I had as well. maybe it's just me.

[ScoobsMcGee]

Every year around this time NSRA has a weekend long event in York. Part of that is a huge amount of muscle cars and street rods cruising up and down Route 30 revving, doing burnouts, and generally clowning around. Think Woodward Dream Cruise, but much, much smaller.

For the past several years I've been able to drive about with the muscle cars in my WRX, soaking up the sounds, without drawing much attention. This weekend I learned that isn't quite possible with the BRZ. I could hear many comments on the car from bystanders, both positive and negative. Favorite comment of the night:

Wife: "What is that?!" (Pointing right at my car)
Husband: "Slow."

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

Every year around this time NSRA has a weekend long event in York. Part of that is a huge amount of muscle cars and street rods cruising up and down Route 30 revving, doing burnouts, and generally clowning around. Think Woodward Dream Cruise, but much, much smaller.

For the past several years I've been able to drive about with the muscle cars in my WRX, soaking up the sounds, without drawing much attention. This weekend I learned that isn't quite possible with the BRZ. I could hear many comments on the car from bystanders, both positive and negative. Favorite comment of the night:

Wife: "What is that?!" (Pointing right at my car)
Husband: "Slow."

To that crowd it may seem "slow" but we have to remember that for probably 99.999% of the general public they have no idea how fast or slow it may be. When asked "how fast" my usual response is "well most cars can beat me in a straight line but eventually you have to turn". To people that know what I mean this makes sense. To those that don't, I really could care less.
Every single day since I have owned the car I have had at least one "nice ride" comment from somebody and I have had days with 20 or more comments made. Not once have I heard anybody say "but it is slow" or had anybody directly tell me that.

[echo419]

I tell people I bought the car because it was the most affordable NEW car out there that was still fun to drive. on top of that it gets pretty good gas mileage(great compared to my former GS430) and it gives the ladies the not subtle reminder that I will not be putting a car seat in any car I own ever.

[ScoobsMcGee]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

To that crowd it may seem "slow" but we have to remember that for probably 99.999% of the general public they have no idea how fast or slow it may be. When asked "how fast" my usual response is "well most cars can beat me in a straight line but eventually you have to turn". To people that know what I mean this makes sense. To those that don't, I really could care less.
Every single day since I have owned the car I have had at least one "nice ride" comment from somebody and I have had days with 20 or more comments made. Not once have I heard anybody say "but it is slow" or had anybody directly tell me that.

Sure. To be fair the comments I did overhear were overwhelmingly positive, and no one was shouting to me "Your car is slow!" or anything like that. Still, the outright dismissal from the husband I mentioned made me laugh.

Also, while I agree that the twins aren't as slow as some people make them out to be, nor are they a car for straight line speed; when comparing a twin to the '69 Camaro I was next to at the time with who-knows-what exhaust and enough supercharger whine to completely drown out my engine, despite almost certainly better turning ability I might as well leave the e-brake pulled for all the good it would do me. That being said, who cares? Enjoy both the cars for what they are, don't lament them for what they're not.

[LucidMomentum]

One of my favorite comments was from an older guy with a Mustang at Cars & Coffee a couple of months back.

He looked at the engine, muttered "hmph. flat four." and walked off.

Made me chuckle.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

Sure. To be fair the comments I did overhear were overwhelmingly positive, and no one was shouting to me "Your car is slow!" or anything like that. Still, the outright dismissal from the husband I mentioned made me laugh.

Also, while I agree that the twins aren't as slow as some people make them out to be, nor are they a car for straight line speed; when comparing a twin to the '69 Camaro I was next to at the time with who-knows-what exhaust and enough supercharger whine to completely drown out my engine, despite almost certainly better turning ability I might as well just leave the e-brake pulled for all the good it would do me. That being said, who cares? Enjoy both the cars for what they are, don't lament them for what they're not.

Being a long time classic muscle car guy I know for a fact that the majority of them would self destruct if I tried to even come close to how I drive the FRS.
But... that does not mean I do not still have a soft spot for them and the purpose for which they are intended. In fact, on the way home after work today I am stopping to look at a 68 or 9 Dart GT that a guy is selling. I have no clue about details but from the road it looks very nice indeed. If it is half as nice as it looks and the price is right I may just go for it as a weekend cruiser and burnout fulfiller.

[echo419]

Originally Posted by LucidMomentum

One of my favorite comments was from an older guy with a Mustang at Cars & Coffee a couple of months back.

He looked at the engine, muttered "hmph. flat four." and walked off.

Made me chuckle.

just take soliace that in a few thousand miles his car will likely grenade itself and be worth nothing because there are literally millions all over the place.

RAWR! My car is loud and goes sorta fast in a straight line! MERICA'!

[BirgeyT1]

Originally Posted by echo419

I tell people I bought the car because it was the most affordable NEW car out there that was still fun to drive. on top of that it gets pretty good gas mileage(great compared to my former GS430) and it gives the ladies the not subtle reminder that I will not be putting a car seat in any car I own ever.

This is exactly me lol

[HunterGreene]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Being a long time classic muscle car guy I know for a fact that the majority of them would self destruct if I tried to even come close to how I drive the FRS.

I imagine it would look something like this:



or This:

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by HunterGreene

I imagine it would look something like this:

Exactly like that only without the benefit of crumple zones and air bags.

[HunterGreene]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Exactly like that only without the benefit of crumple zones and air bags.

But complete with the bodies being tossed record-breaking distances.

[Westen]

Guy gets out of his truck and comes up to me in a parking lot. "Dude is that the new WRX? It looks sweet." Nope, not a WRX, but it does look pretty cool.