[JSube]

Originally Posted by Adam_L

Help me understand. To be part of " car culture" I must modify my car ( in what way/ shape /form...to what extent)? Can I be part of car culture if I don't modify my car, but take pride in my car as to maintain it well and feed it high quality fluids ( as well as have fun driving g it of course)? Or is it just a simple matter of appreciating what the car owner has set out to do/ accomplish with their vehicle over the course of their ownership ( to modify, or not to modify)?

Are the sanarios mutually exclusive, so that one results in not being part of " car culture"?

I'll try to help. It's not at all necessary that you specifically mod your car to be part of car culture, but if you can't understand why others do you're in the dark about how they're enjoying their cars. It seems like you're wandering into the unpleasant territory of discounting their enjoyment as foolish.

Saying that any performance car $25-100K shouldn't have to be modified is like saying people shouldn't enjoy seasoned food- it doesn't need salt to be consumed, but it's better with it. But no one has to like salt and some people over salt things, that's just human nature.

That there is room and even sense to modding is supported by the fact most manufacturers themselves sell go-fast/handle-better parts. Lots of people accept that they're jeopardizing their warranties while lots of people wouldn't dream of risking that protection. I have no interest in hanging a turbo on my car or stancing it out with 20s, but I've installed a header-back exhaust and a tune and I'm just back from a track weekend- brake fluid, wheels and tires were also not OEM. My choices don't make the other guys wrong, they just have a different idea of what they like and what the car needs to suit them.

So really, if someone mods their car in a way you wouldn't and gets pleasure out of what they've done, that's just when you enjoy the fact we're not all the same. The differences in how people follow their passions are good because the joy is the same for everyone.