Must be getting old

[boead]

Love the post BUT...
One of my first cars was a 70 Olds Cutlass Supreme. My dad paid $2000 for it. 40 years later the cost is well over 10 times the price while average salary is much less.
Gas was pennies per gallon, now its dollars.
Technology has sky rocketed too.

Mty FR-S has to compare to an Acura RSX that its basically replacing.
I paid about the same, they are about the same size and weight, similar power and style.
The Acura is MUCH smarter! Better build quality, more intuitive layout of nearly everything in the cockpit. I put 200k miles on it and have hardly done anything more than oil changes, breaks and tires. AND I still have it. I spent $1500 on it this past year, for the first time I changed the spark plugs, the front struts and a few other incidentals. It still needs rear shocks and some bushings and yet another set of breaks but engine is smooth, tranny is solid, interior spotless and the body is ok.

Ive had lots of other cars too!
MB E300, CLK 320. Ive also driven some trucks.Honda Accord, Civic and a small variety of other Japanese and American models. VW Sirocco was fun.
Ive had Mustangs; '86 GT 5.0, '71 302 coupe, '66 V8 Convertible. Oldsmobile's! '68, '70, '71, '76 Cutlass Supremes, '98-LS's and a Vicious Bitch '80 Z-28 Camaro Custom HotRod; 400HP 350, 4-speed,
I like cars and I like to drive.
Friends had had awesome cars too, Haha basically just name it!

This is my first Toyota product!

[Chimpo]

MY CAR MADE A NOISE IS THERE A TSB YET???

[Synack]

Originally Posted by QFry

You arent suggesting chokes are for 2 stroke motors only are you?

Just reminiscing before 4 strokes in the dirtbike/ATV department. I used to do a ton of riding on 2 stroke bikes.

[MTCRX]

Originally Posted by russv

I’m consistently amused by many of the comments here, and on other forums, complaining about not having automatic HVAC, steering wheel controls, power seats, poor radio quality, purpose of the soundtube, funny noises and rattles, automatic windows that don’t work, and questions about how to drive a manual transmission. I’ve been a car guy since age 3, learned to drive a manual at age 6 driving my fathers’ MG TD with an unsynchronized first gear, no radio, and plastic flaps for windows. My uncle had a 49 VW beetle with an unsynchronized transmission-called a “crash box” because you had to double clutch every shift. My dad also had a 1950 Mercury coupe with a 3 speed on the column and an overdrive that was engaged by pulling a lever below the steering column. High beams were turned on by a button on the floor that you hit with your foot. Starting procedure was pulling out the choke lever, pumping the accelerator 3 times turning the ignition key and pushing the start button. No air-conditioning, no power windows, and a heater that used a slide lever. Did have an AM radio and a manual antenna and an electric analog clock. Changing oil at 3000 miles because you had to, and lubing all the front end joint zerk joints. Having to change sparkplugs every 10,000 miles or when you flooded the engine and had to take them out to clean. Actually doing, and being able to do, a tune up with new points and condenser and then making sure the timing was right, and cleaning the carburetor jets. Adjusting the valves on his 46 Chevy. Enduring vapor lock when the temperature and engine got too hot-pulling over to the side of the road and lifting the hood to let the engine cool and actually hearing the gas in the carburetor boil. Hearing the engine backfire out the exhaust and through the carburetor. Actually having to change a tire yourself. Always taking a full tool kit, including a hammer, duct tape and bailing wire. Carrying a water bag on the front of the car when we drove through the desert. Having to turn the heater on to get more water through the cooling system when the engine ran hot. Actually having to check the oil at every fill up because sometimes it used oil. No windshield washers and only 2 speed vacuum operated windshield wipers that slowed down if you accelerated. Periodically having to change out those cylindrical glass fuses. Gas was $.19 a gallon at the cheap gas station in the “bad” part of town.

Finally my dad updated and bought a 57 Cadillac Fleetwood. Four speed hydramatic automatic transmission, air conditioning, electric windows and trunk, automatic station seeking radio, electric antenna, and “electric eye” automatic high beam dimmer, and power front seats. 300 horsepower V8 with and automatic choke. We were in heaven.

My how times have changed.

I feel your pain Brother! all these little gripes and worries and about what badge is on the car. I miss wing windows! And what ever happened to real steel cars, including the dash, with metal so thick you couldnt even think about pounding out a dent. A sports car used to be straight rear axle with leaf springs, a-arm front suspension and a big, simple engine. AND a very very small choice in basic aftermarket parts. Some you had to make yourself. All the technology that makes these cars great today is incredible. I wanted a car with few amenities and got it, but it still has electric windows, a fancy radio that connects to your phone (that is not rotary and does not attach to the wall btw), a/c, cruise, more than one radio speaker, airbags. And to even think of owning a new car as a first car, that is great but it takes some getting used to. I take care of my cars and take pride in how they look, but it will get rock chips, it will get dings because it is in a rough environment. But it is also a tool that I can have fun with. I tell people that get a new truck to drive through the brush (minimal scratches that buff out) and mud soon after you buy it and you wont worry so much about all the little crap that happens every day

Time to let the crabby old guys go to their Old Timers Thread.

[ThugNasty]

Yes, the whining is annoying, but so is the typical "I'm better than you because I drive stick" attitude.
This is a forum.. What would be the point of discussion if the only thing people ever had to say was "this car is perfect"?
Just because someone points out a flaw doesn't mean they don't appreciate the car.

Oh wow you learned how to drive manual at age 6?


What kind of father lets his 6 year old son drive anyways?

[Gen]

ITT people complaining about people complaining. Also, people complaining about people complaining about people complaining.

[TeamZleep]

My kid will be racing shifter carts at 6/7.... Let alone be able to use a clutch.

What makes me sad is I'm 26, and come from this whiny demographic. I agree with the old man logic though... Just how I was raised. There's an "oh-shit" toolbox in my 3,000mile FRS already, hahahahaha.

I grew up on all aircooleds and Datsun S30's... Hell, I didn't have a/c or automatic windows until my first vw. Honestly, I got rid of my dsg 2008 R32 for the FRS, and the reason I got the FRS was because it was bare. I just wish it had manual windows, lol. I spent so much money on wheels, performance parts, sets of coilovers and air-ride on a car that didn't make me happy. The wonder about the FRS is how fun it is right out of the box. Will I mod it? Sure, but for what I paid for the car, it's so much like an s30 that I'm content. No opticoat, no whining about thin paint, blah blah blah. It's not a Porsche, and I don't expect it to be held to that standard.

Hpfp chirp? Welcome to direct injection people. Taillight condensation? Seal your taillights. Rock chips? Bring it on. It's character.

I bought the car for the fun factor and simplicity. No fancy engine covers or special tools needed. Just you, the car, basic comforts, and that's it. You think these people complain, look at a non-aircooled vw forum. -____-

[whaap]

I know I'm old. I remember turning the crank on my Grandfather's Model A. Later in life when I started driving the only option you could get on a car was a radio. As far as upgrades, you could install a rear seat speaker, fender skirts, cadillac hub caps, shackles, glass packs and blue dot tail lights.

Those memories and habits formed at an early age are probably some of the reasons I appreciate the simplicity of the FR-S over the more "luxurious" BRZ limited.

We all have our back grounds and individual histories. That's why there's such a mix of people, thoughts and attitudes on a forum like this.

I will add that I have to admit sometimes the manual transmission fan boys make me want to gag (even though I do drive a manual). But that too is based on their back ground.

[driftartist]

damn rookie kids.../smh

[jlu]

tl;dr: Get off my lawn!

I'll have you know back in the 1800s my family vehicle was a one horsepower carriage! And when the horse died and we had to eat it during the Great Famine of '86, we had to push that thing uphill, both ways, in the snow, barefoot! Now these days people don't even have to push their horseless carriages! Modernity sucks! People don't know how good they got it! Raaergaraergafgh!

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by ThugNasty

...Oh wow you learned how to drive manual at age 6?

What kind of father lets his 6 year old son drive anyways?

Ugmm, the best kind?!?

I drove farm equipment before I was 10, and that included trucks used on private roads. They were manual (3 on the tree). Drove my Dad's race car on a dirt track before I was a teenager (not in a race unfortunately).

First car that was "mine" was a 1964 Dodge Polara with a push button automatic transmission that I paid $300 for, drove for 18 months and sold for $400. The guy that bought it from me drove it for another 10 years. My first 4 cars cost a TOTAL of $2000. I ran them until I couldn't afford to fix them or somebody offered me money for them.

[naikaidriver]

My first car was a 1971 Ford Ranchero with the 250hp 302. Ugly, green, built like a tank.

I first learned "tuning" with that car in my front yard when I was 15 with nothing more than book on Ford Small Blocks, a timing light, dwell meter and a vacuum gauge. As much as I hated that car when I owned it, I miss its simplicity sometimes.

My first experience with import engines was with my 1981 Ford Mustang GL hatchback. It had that crappy 95hp 2.3 Mazda-built 4 cylinder that Ford was using in everything back then. I got the thing to nearly 150hp by shaving the head, port and polish, 3 angle valve job, gasket matching and installing a more torque-inducing cam from a Ford Ranger, and changing the carb to a one-barrel with a secondary that I found in a junk yard. Aftermarket? What aftermarket? I did this all myself in the high school auto shop in my spare time.

Everyone used to tell me I was "wasting my time" with that little engine and 4 cylinders would never make any power.

It is fun to reflect back every so often and look at how drastically the field has changed over the last 30 years. I think its narrow-minded to say any era, or technology, or features over the years were better than any other. But I do think its important to remember our roots because every so often, a simple, little car comes along that reminds us of those roots and what makes cars so enjoyable to many of us.

Scott

[Joeprelude]

Don't forget to pump the brakes when you try to stop.....Ive owned 3 Mopars from the late 60's early 70's....while not as technically deficient as cars before, I remember i had some friends who had brand new 300zx TT's and Supra TT's in the mid 90's and i had my '69 Satellite (383 4Barrel), this car had some options.....a radio is basically it. The only option the original owner had ordered was the 383.....so no a/c, No radio, basically a stripped down car, with a decent sized engine
(383 is a decent size, I have owned 2 440/6 powered cars, one was a 69 Dart GT custom build while at NADC, and the other my recently sold 73 Charger SE) all 3 cars were fun to cruise in but cornering was scary and high speed braking was only fun in the Disc brake converted Charger

[ThugNasty]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Ugmm, the best kind?!?

I drove farm equipment before I was 10, and that included trucks used on private roads.

I agree that it's probably a good idea to start young (on private roads), but at 6 I doubt OP could even see over the steering wheel. Personally I wouldn't let a 6 year old drive my car, considering how immature and irresponsible they are.

If you learned how to drive at age 6 good for you, and I'm sure you're a better driver because of it. But there's no need to brag about it.