Must be getting old

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by ThugNasty

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.

Don't think he was bragging just stating a fact. It was certainly a different time.

Even today most kids have driven some type of wheeled vehicle not too far after that time. It might not be a car but they know the basic mechanics.

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by 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

In general people lack of sense of history. That way we lack an appreciation of how far we have come.
I just finish reading "Crash Course: The American Automobile Industry" and "Once Upon a Car." I learned a lot.
It nice to hear from members here who have such a broad experience with cars.
:happy0180:

[reeves]

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.

My car feels Lexus-like compared to the rattling, wind-roaring, highway-droning stock MR2 I've been driving the past several years.. I didn't realize sports cars were suppose to be so quiet

I hate soft-tops & automatic HVAC too ..This car is perfect!

[naikaidriver]

Originally Posted by reeves

My car feels Lexus-like compared to the rattling, wind-roaring, highway-droning stock MR2 I've been driving the past several years.. I didn't realize sports cars were suppose to be so quiet

I hate soft-tops & automatic HVAC too ..This car is perfect!

I traded in my 2001 BMW 325ci convertible for my FRS and it was loaded. Leather, sport package, 5 speed, auto and electric EVERYTHING, buttons, switches, and even seat position memory depending on which key I used to start the car!

You know how much I miss those "creature comforts"?.

NOT AT ALL!

Down the road I will likely buy another luxury car that has all those bells and whistles for cruising to the golf course and entertaining clients, but I will still have the FRS for when I want to enjoy driving.

Scott

Scott

[dem00n]

I wish people would stop throwing around the terms drivers car.

FRS/BRZ isn't a drivers car, its just some car that can corner improperly correctly, if that makes any sense.

You want a drivers car?
Go buy a 911.

[ThePoet]

Personally, little things like minor rattles and fuel pump chirps don't bother me. However, in defense of the people they do bother, when you can buy, say, a brand new GTI for the same price and have damn near perfection from it in regards to refinement, I can see where one would expect the same thing from the twins.

[norsamerican]

Originally Posted by ThePoet

Personally, little things like minor rattles and fuel pump chirps don't bother me. However, in defense of the people they do bother, when you can buy, say, a brand new GTI for the same price and have damn near perfection from it in regards to refinement, I can see where one would expect the same thing from the twins.

the GTI and this car is like comparing apples to oranges. imjustsayin
Theres a reason this car is on all the automotive shows, magazines.

[eljefe]

When i was in high school i drove a 88 honda civic with no ac or power steering and a 1.5l motor that ran on 3 cylinders. (which i discovered one day when i was messing around and pulled a spark plug wire and nothing changed)

and i loved it. learned to work on cars by keeping that thing alive. i made 7 bucks an hour and saved up to buy adjustable dampers and eibach springs. that car handles like a champ, but still could barely get up to highway cruising speed.

[ThePoet]

Originally Posted by norsamerican

the GTI and this car is like comparing apples to oranges. imjustsayin
Theres a reason this car is on all the automotive shows, magazines.

But it just isn't like comparing apples to oranges, is it? Obviously they're very different cars, but both being sporty cars and having similar price points and power outputs makes them worthy competitors to the average buyer. So, especially for the point I'm trying to make, they can definitely be compared.

[Colominicano]

Originally Posted by ThugNasty

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

An AWESOME father that's who!

shit, my dad didn't teach me to drive til I was 13.

[rice_classic]

My dad owned an MG-TD. He's 72.

OP is OLD!

Times have changed. Just as you don't expect to be able to ride a horse and buggy down the interstate. Different world, different production capabilites, massive leaps in technology and thus a natural correspondence in expectations in relation to what's available in the world today.

In 1932, It would be strange to expect 30mpg's with HD radio, push button start, remote keyless entry and heck, RADIAL TIRES, not to mention computer controlled fuel injection, 100hp/liter or crumple zones. In fact it'd be unimaginable in 1932. On most (if not all) cars of that day it's be crazy to expect disc brakes or overhead cams! But alas, today we have expectations of what's both abundantly available and inexpensive to produce and there's nothing wrong with those expectations! They are equivalent to the expectations of car buyers of the 1930's in expecting what's available at the time, and this time is different then that time. We want/expect what's available and affordable of what's being produced today, with current production capabilities and current/existing levels of technology.

Other than the luxuries mentioned in the OP, the parts regarding safety and efficiency are ludicrous. We should have high expectations of safety and efficiency/cleanliness. Remaining alive and breathing clean air, not to mention consuming less oil... last time I checked... pretty damn good things.

Back in early days of Formula 1 there was no focus on safety and multiple folks died every year until 1976 (first year in F1 with no fatality). Now technology and safety standards have massively advanced. Today we don't expect drivers to die every year now do we? Of course not, we expect the opposite.

When it comes to efficiency, our expectations of our cars is not high enough IMHO. This is why I'm excited about SkyActiv-D. It's meeting an expectation I've had about cars/engines for the last 5-10 years.

It does society no good to preach the lowering of expectations. Our expectations should always be a step beyond what available today regardless of how tough life was when "I was your age".

[whaap]

Originally Posted by dem00n

I wish people would stop throwing around the terms drivers car.

FRS/BRZ isn't a drivers car, its just some car that can corner improperly correctly, if that makes any sense.

You want a drivers car?
Go buy a 911.

LOL. I had a 911. The FR-S I have is the best "drivers car" I've ever owned. On top of that, when you consider $24,200.00, not only is it the best but that makes it almost unbelievable.

[rice_classic]

One of my favorite cars in the world is the CRX (yeah, laugh it up) and I went a test drove one a few months ago that was very good condition and I was about to buy it without driving it, good thing I drove it.

F' that. Boy how my expectations of things have changed in only 10 years. Going back to a car for daily driving with power steering, cruise and blah blah blah just seems arduous. Ironically, I've noticed that as I age I actually am less patient being without modern automotive luxuries.

[rhoyle]

A 911 as a "drivers car"? It's not even the best "drivers" Porsche.