Cars!

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Cars!

Postby Xeno » Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:19 am

I made a similar thread to this back in 2004, but I'm not grave digging a 7 year old thread. Since there are many new members and a number of people are now older I figured I'd give this another shot.

Do you drive? If so, what kind of auto do you drive, is it yours or does it belong to someone else? Give a little background on the vehicles you've owned/driven over your lifetime. Are you looking at getting a new/used automobile? If so, talk about it.

I've had three cars so far over my relatively short life span:

1. 1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS 25th Anniversary Edition
Boy wasn't this car a hoot....in all of it gas-guzzling, black-smoke-shooting, coolant-system-leaking, hatchback-latch-system-malfunctioning glory. I loved this car. I got it in late 2002 when I was 15. My father had bought it for me since I had accomplished goals he had set for me in order to get my first car. It's what I learned to drive in. While it was technically a beater due to the problems it had I can appreciate it because of what it taught me. The lack of any kind of electronic assists such as ABS, stability control, limited-slip differential, etc. taught me how to properly handle a rear-wheel drive car in pretty much any condition.

2. 2001 Ford Escort ZX2
In late 2004 my parents traded my Camaro in for this car. Main reason being is that we were restationing from Alabama to Kentucky and they didn't think the Camaro could make the trip in one piece (and thinking back on it, I doubt it would have either). This was quite the learning experience for me, after spending about two years with a rear-wheel drive "sports" car I was now in a front-wheel drive "sport compact." I had to relearn how to drive in certain ways, but for the most part things didn't change. I gained a fully functioning air conditioning unit and fuel gauge (the one on the Camaro was always a guessing game when it came to how much petrol I had). I also gained anti-lock brakes, which was very different for me, because now I didn't have to work the brake the way I had to in the past. This car was an automatic, just like the car before it. I really did enjoy this one as well once I got over the fact that I had lost my "beasty" Camaro and realized that the ZX2 was actually a faster and more nimble car.

3. 2006 Chevrolet Malibu LT
My current car. I got this in late 2006, and it's been my trusty side kick for many years. It a four-door sedan, front-wheel drive, oddly lacking anti-lock brakes (which I'm okay with). It's automatic with a strange button-press manual mode for it's four gears. The reason behind getting this vehicle is because as much fun as the ZX2 is, Ford made a horrible automatic transmission for the car, and I had one of them blow out on me and my replacement was beginning to go as well. This Malibu has had a pretty rough time though, it's endured a pretty nasty wreck with a deer, it blew out it's muffler, and had some electrical problems with it's taillights. The muffler thing was mostly my own fault as I replaced it with an aftermarket one for better fuel economy and the muffler began to corrode, the taillight thing was an aftereffect of the deer incident. After 5 years though, I think it's about time to trade out of it.

Up next?
After having experienced my friends Mazda RX-8 and knowing how it's perfect 50/50 weight distribution feels like yet knowing it's just a tad out of my price range I began looking at other vehicles. My eyes landed on several cars initially. The BMW 1-Series...outside my price range. The 5th Generation Camaro SS...outside my price range. Same went for the Mustang GT and the Dodge Challenger. I looked at the Mini Cooper S, but as much as I like the styling of the Cooper I don't think I could really take myself seriously in one unless it was a John Cooper Works edition which is outside my price range.
Then my eyes fell on the Hyundai Genesis Coupe R-Spec. I test drove the car, and enjoyed it, it's just inside my price range, but pushy sales men and thinking made me realize it's probably not what I'm looking for. I've always wanted something fun to drive, something that could get up and go but where that wasn't necessarily the point of the car. Where getting from A to B wasn't about doing it as fast as possible, but making it as fun as possible. Then I remembered, Mazda has a car for that too, the MX-5. So that's my goal now, that's what I'm working towards, going from a 4 door sedan with room for five to a two-seater roadster with a manual gearbox that likes to get a little sideways in the corners.

Dear God I've lost my mind.

Now, what about you?
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Postby Davidizer13 » Tue Sep 27, 2011 1:10 pm

I've "had" two cars - technically, my parents owned them, but I was the one who drove them the most.

1. Early first-generation (2001?) Ford Focus ZTW (wagon)

This was originally a courier car from where my mom works (and where I do, currently), where it was used to carry medical samples from collection sites/hospitals to the main laboratory for testing. As you can imagine, it had quite a few miles on it when we got it, but it drove just fine. The first couple times I drove it, it felt a bit finicky; it always seemed to go 5 miles faster or slower than you wanted it to, but eventually, that went away as I got better at driving. It was pretty basic - it was an automatic, and I forget if it even had power windows - but it worked, and it was able to carry my keyboard when I played for church.

It got in two accidents I can really remember. The first was in the winter; we live in a subdivision that's a little out of the way, and the only way to get to the house is up a short hill from a nearby main road. As was customary, the road iced up with the first snow, we slid off the road, and a protruding rock on the shoulder jammed through the radiator. At least I wasn't driving. The second time, I was gone somewhere - I think I had spent the night at someone's house or something - and when I got back home, Mom told me that someone had rear-ended it when she was driving it. Nobody was hurt, but that was the end of that.

2. The EX Rally DX Mk. Alpha Omicron Delta Prime Turbo GT, AKA the greatest 1992 Mazda Protege ever built.

This is my current driver; it's a white 4-door with an automatic. The muffler has corrosion holes in it, it drinks oil at an incredible rate, the radiator leaks coolant, the power locks don't work, and people look at me funny when I talk about how great it is, but it really is a blast to drive (or at least it feels that way); with a bit of luck, it'll probably hit 200K miles. Plus, even though it's almost as old as I am, it's still getting 28-30 MPG. Sweet.

---


If I could pick any car I wanted, I'd probably go with the Fisker Karma, a top-end plug-in hybrid because just look at that thing, it's gorgeous. Being able to drive it without having to use any gas is just the icing on the cake. Realistically, though, my next car would probably be pretty similar to what I've got now: an older sedan that gets pretty good mileage, can be bought cheaply, and can carry whatever/whoever I need.
We are loved even though we suck.

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Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
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Postby shooraijin » Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:02 pm

I've never owned an automatic. Automatics bad. Make drivers dumb. Mithrandir remembers, and has ridden in, all of these cars at one time or another.

1. 1988 Chevy Spectrum Express
Bought with 133K miles on the car but only 65K on the engine. The Chevy Spectrum was really an Isuzu i-Mark sold as a captive import. It had power nothing and no A/C, but the original 70hp (!) engine was taken out and replaced by the original owner with (I think) 110hp, which wasn't bad for a car that small. Rattled like mad even with foam jammed in every orifice, and getting over 70mph was an adventure, but it was dependable transportation and lasted a good four years. I eventually sold it to a friend of my sister's, who promptly trashed it within six months. It deserved better.

2. 1995 Honda Civic LX
Bought used after the Spectrum with I don't remember how many miles (85K-ish?). This was the EG8 with a 108hp engine although I didn't really pay much attention to that in those days. It was a bit shabby on the inside but otherwise quite solid and I got spoiled by going from power-nothing to power-everything (windows, steering and locks; the Spectrum had none of these and was like steering a Sherman tank). Its only major mechanical issue was the A/C springing a leak. These Civics had a strange A/C design where you had to practically disassemble the whole engine block to get the compressor out, and as a result the $830 bill was just about all labor. Met an untimely end around 131,000 miles when I crashed into a Chrysler Sebring at about 50mph. I walked away from the crash uninjured except for a scuff on my hand from the airbag. The insurance wrote it off and I used the payout as the down payment on a new ...

3. 2002 Saturn SL2
First car I ever bought new. Actually, I originally bought an SL with the sport package which they had a special on, but I really hated not having power windows or locks and Saturn actually let you trade in a car you bought in the first 30 days, so I did. Saturn was the best car company ever until GM decided to consolidate it with their other lines, making it superfluous (and the Ion was absolute crap, an insult to the S line). When it was semi-independent they made good, solid, inexpensive, durable cars. This Saturn was the SL2 sedan with the 125hp LL0 engine, surprisingly brisk with the light polymer body of these Saturns but still got around 35+mpg highway, power everything, A/C and a irritating CD stereo system which you had to thump on to get it to *stop* skipping. Saturn didn't have a redline variety then, or I would have probably bought that. This Saturn went to Canada and back three times, and across the United States twice, so I called it the Landship. It finally suffered a catastrophic breakdown of the stickshift about 40 miles from Mithrandir's house where the entire stick cracked, and I couldn't rely on it for long-term transportation after that because the brakes were fading and there was some issue with the thermostat I didn't want to put big dollars into, so I traded it in at 171,000 miles. I still feel sad thinking about that car. We had some good times.

4. 2008 Honda Civic Si Sedan
Fortunately, the car I traded it in for is even more reliable (I intend to get 300K out of this thing) and tons of fun. This is the 197hp K20Z3 i-VTEC engine with a six-speed gearshift, and it can go 0-60 in 6.7sec with a redline of 8200rpm, which is pretty good for a car under $30k. I bought it with fog lights (which were not standard until '09), fart-can exhaust (heheheh) and HFP mag alloy wheels, and there was some dealer markup crap in there that we groused about and I bought it anyway. It's a great car for the money. The current Si is not anywhere near as much fun as the 8th generation Si because it doesn't have the high revs, which is part of the entertainment value of the Si. I hate turbos! Naturally aspirated forever! And even driving like a maniac I still get 28-33mpg on average.

... except I'm really snookered on the Dodge Challenger SRT-8, and I might have to break my no-turbo rule when the Si gets over 200K. At that point I'd probably want a newer car for long distance driving.
"you're a doctor.... and 27 years.... so...doctor + 27 years = HATORI SOHMA" - RoyalWing, when I was 27
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I could still be champ, but I'd feel bad taking it away from one of the younger guys. - George Foreman
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Postby Shao Feng-Li » Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:22 pm

I've owned two cars so far.

My first car was a teal 1990 Honda Accord EX Coupe, 4 cyl engine, automatic gearbox. I bought it from a frat boy, big mistake. I had it for a few months before something went out in the engine. It smoked like crazy and shook really bad in idle, but it drove very nicely. Best of all, the moon roof worked. I loved that car, the body was cool and the headlamps were still made of clear glass. The only thing I didn't like were the attacking seat belts.

My current car is a light blue 1996 Honda Accord LX saloon, 4 cyl engine, automatic geabox. Bought this one at the Honda dealer, I'm the third owner. Everything is pretty much stock on it, except I've installed a Pioneer deck and have replaced the hubcaps (they're OEM and extremely similar to the original ones.) Not much to say about it really. No ABS, but the radio antennae is built into the back window, which is awesome, air con and heater works. It's decent on petrol and the headlamps are clear, even if made of plastic. I watch the fluids and change the oil every 3000 miles/3 months, so it'll last me forever.
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Also, I sometimes drive my mom's 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe LT. It's a beast of a machine and even more of a beast to change the spark plugs on. I still have bruises. I'm still learning to drive my brother's 1993 Toyota Hilux with the manual gearbox...
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Postby Warrior4Christ » Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:35 am

I've owned two cars, and like Shooraijin, I've never owned an automatic.

1. Subaru Liberty (also called Legacy in other parts of the world) LX sedan 1991 (series II), FWD, 5 speed manual.
This was a pretty cool model and quite nice looking for the era. I got it near the start of 2005. It unfortunately had one of the dirtiest interiors you've ever seen, but I cleaned it up to be one of the cleanest interiors you've ever seen in a second hand car. It wasn't treated that well by the previous owner. I had to replace some things immediately (suspension shocks, wheel bearing, probably other stuff). It drove nicely after that. I added (myself) central door locking, alarm/immobiliser with remote, amplifier for rear speakers, subwoofer with another amp, and some nice WRX wheels. That was a fun car to learn how to do some automotive electrics. Towards the end it got a bit wheezy from carbon buildup in the engine and got it cleaned out, but decided it was time to sell to get something more reliable.

2. Subaru Liberty RX2.5 2000 sedan (series I), AWD, 5 speed manual.
I got this in mid-2009, and it goes pretty nicely. The better safety with ABS, AWD, airbags, and more power/torque was good. The cruise control, power windows and climate control is also nice. I've driven a number of other cars since owning this, and none feel as good to drive! It feels like it needs a sixth gear though. One of the key features is that the back boot is wide enough to fit a bass guitar hard case in (in our family, the 2009 Ford Focus sedan and 1996 Honda Accord sedan can't do this, annoyingly!).
It had one of the loudest exhausts I've heard when I first got it.. ("stop driving like a hoon!" my mother said, until she had a drive..) it started to give me hearing loss, so I changed it for a more muffled muffler (sounds more smooth and classy now). It's a stainless steel one, so no rust... I moved the subwoofer to this car.
It has a habit of blowing headlight globes, which can be annoying.
I changed the timing belt ($1000), then 12,000km later the timing belt tensioner bolt inexplicably snapped itself off while driving, shredding the belt and destroying the engine valves... cost $2500 to fix. That was annoying and the worst thing that's happened.
It needs a new battery and a new clutch now (it's just about to start slipping). Also needs a major 200,000km service. It doesn't feel as old as an 11 year old car though - it still feels great!

3. Next... who knows what year Liberty!


Shao, my brother's got the same model Accord, but in silver and manual. It has a power antenna rather than in the back window.
Everywhere like such as, and MOES.

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Postby Sheenar » Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 am

I have owned 2 cars myself. I learned to drive on my mom's '95 (I think) Ford Escort --wonky AC/manual windows/finicky brakes --but was an okay car until the head gasket blew and she sold it off. My mom now has a 2009 Ford Focus and loves it.

The first car that I bought was a used 2007 Ford Taurus. Got it in early 2009. Her name was Gisselle. Automatic transmission, decent gas mileage, AC worked really well, power windows. Bought it at 43,000 miles. Man, that car and I had some adventures. The car went up to Longview (TX) and all the way south to Galveston Island --as well as a trip to San Antonio. Had several mechanical things go out, though. First the alternator went out. Then the replacement alternator went out. Then the radiator. Then the air compressor. All within about 6 months' time. Wound up totaling the Taurus in April of this year. Had about 75,000 miles on it.

Insurance co. wrote it off and I used the check to put a down payment on my current car. I now have a used 2007 PT Cruiser. I love this car SO much. Her name is Bianca. Only problem is that, though it has good in-town mileage, if you are going over around 60 mph, then the gas mileage isn't so good. It has power windows, awesome AC, really cool styling inside and out, a nice hatchback area where my dog rides and the back seat folds down so I can carry larger things (fit my friend's bicycle in there--another time a 4-drawer filing cabinet --of course that was before I got Leon).
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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Postby Rewin » Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:21 pm

Oh yay, a car topic. I really really like cars ^_^

In 2002 I got my first car:

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A 2002 Camaro SS. 325hp, 6-speed manual transmission, 0-60 in 5 sec, 1/4 mile in 13. Since then I've lowered it and put adjustable shocks on to give it better handling. Have very much enjoyed this car and have never regretted it. Averaging as high as 25 mpg even going through Los Angeles traffic doesn't hurt either.

In 2009 I bought my second car:

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A 1970 Camaro. This one came with the original engine and transmission... which I later pulled out. The car is now in pieces as I work to put an engine from a 1999 Camaro Z28 (same as my other camaro) into it. Should be a very fast car when I'm done, but it's a slow work in progress as funds and time aren't always there for it.

Lastly I've most recently bought a 2010 Silverado to replace my wife's poor beat up Bonneville she had when we got married.

Next car? Most likely something a little bigger to replace the truck once we have more kids, like an Equinox, Tahoe or maybe even a Suburban (I'm a chevy guy, can you tell?) Eventually I'd also like to get an 89 IROC-Z to make a street legal road-course car.
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Postby shooraijin » Fri Sep 30, 2011 8:12 am

Nice Camaro!
"you're a doctor.... and 27 years.... so...doctor + 27 years = HATORI SOHMA" - RoyalWing, when I was 27
"Al hail the forum editting Shooby! His vibes are law!" - Osaka-chan

I could still be champ, but I'd feel bad taking it away from one of the younger guys. - George Foreman
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Postby Vracer111 » Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:18 am

New member here who does have an affinity for automobiles and driving/tracking them.

Learned to drive with the families 1984 Caprice Station Wagon...pretty fun car for how big and heavy it is. At the time I really wished my dad had kept the Plymouth Fury Wagon his father gave him though...didn't know much about cars back then but I liked the 120mph speedo...LOL!

The first car I actually purchased was a used Palm Blue (dark grey) '90 Acura Integra GS (originally automatic) with ~115k miles on it. The transmission started having issues around 150k miles (sticking in 2nd gear makes for a fun commute...) and I did a manual transmission conversion for much less $$ than fixing the automatic. That was quite a learning experience...definitely much less of a headache to get a car already equipped with a manual transmission. But after some trial-and-error and internet help it was a proper Acura Integra. The nice B18A motor mated with the manual transmission made it much more fun to drive and I actually began autocrossing with it. At ~200k miles planned to rebuild the motor and actually make the car an autocross only vehicle, so I was searching for a daily driver/tow vehicle.

After much research a purple/grey '98 Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab, 5 speed manual 2WD with about 38k miles on it was purchased - it's still my daily driver to this day with about 160k miles on it. Gas mileage is not bad either on the highway - cruising at 3k rpm in fifth gear (~80mph) is good for ~27mpg. I actually autocrossed the truck for nearly 2 years (even did a Evolution Autocross school with it) and tweaked it little by little before deciding to sell off the Integra project and pick up an inexpensive performance RWD vehicle.

The inexpensive RWD car for autocrossing I ended up going with was a silver '98 Camaro RS Hardtop 5-speed manual (which I chose because one actually won a national championship in G-stock class and it was the lightest camaro) with ~ 67k miles on it. It was horrible experience at first with the blown stock shocks, stockish Goodyear all season tires (yuck!), and vague/sketchy shifter. New performance shocks and track tires and a Hurst + shifter unit made it very nice to drive. At that time is when I first had the opportunity to go to a track day on a road course...that was a blast! After that track day I decided to go further with handling on the Camaro other than keeping it street legal enough to drive. So it lost ALL the interior except for the dash, lightweight aluminum race seats and a 4-point harness were installed and attached to a 4-point Rollbar. Rear suspension upgraded to hollow adjustable link arms with spherical race bearings and likewise for the panhard bar. Anti-Roll bars were changed out for Hotchkis Sport front and rear to make it as responsive as possible. Brake pads changed to Hawk HP+ front and HPS rear. With those changes the Camaro came ALIVE! Still a heavy car, but it points where you want it to while being about perfectly balanced. The braking is fantastic too...get on the brakes and it will flat out come to a dead stop way too quickly. Took an Evolution autocross Phase II course with it and the instructor was trying to get used to not braking so hard on some of the first runs. When I got on track with it, there were a few corners I actually had to speed up for at first until I got used to the braking - I would brake too early and come to a crawl from 80mph. So yes the Camaro (4th generation that is) can be a fantastic handling vehicle.

As much as I loved the handling, the 4th generation Camaro is not a pleasant car to work on or put together well. The clutch slave cylinder went out very soon after I purchased it...and to get to the slave cylinder you need to get inside the transmission. To get the transmission out will test your faith unless you have access to a lift and can drop the whole engine, transmission, and front suspension assembly as one unit... I was able to drop the transmission without doing it per the manual, but it took a while and is not something I want to ever do again. The power steering pump should be replaced with a racing capable unit if you plan to subject it to activity requiring lots of turning at speed. The Power steering pump is next to the left exhaust header which boils the power steering fluid when pushed hard. Power steering pump failed at the end of a track session on me and I didn't really notice the effect until coming in to the pit/paddock area...Wide track compound tires + failed power rack = very hard to turn the steering wheel at slow speeds (steering wheel was flexing and twisting)! And when dealing with shock installation you have standard, metric, and Torx fasteners to deal with...why!?!? Thankfully I never had to change the spark plugs in the time I had it, wasn't looking forward to that 2-3 hour task...which I can do in 10-15 minutes on my Tacoma or an Integra. So all in all it's a great handling car but just not something you want to work on. Plus the consumables are on the expensive side (tires & brake pads/rotors). I ended up selling the Camaro to someone who wanted it after I became un-employed for a little while.

About the same time as getting the Camaro I purchased another Acura Integra (90 RS 5 speed manual with around 120k miles on it) for my younger bother as he needed a car at that time. This car served well as his daily driver and we have also transformed it into a competent track car over the years...much more competent than the Camaro actually. 2nd/3rd gen Acura Integra or 4th/5th gen Honda Civic are the cars to have for an inexpensive performance track car. Adding a lightweight racing flywheel that really made the motor come alive into it's power band along with custom designed intake/exhaust system. Actually for a FWD car, the back end really likes to rotate well and it corners very well - they are known as a very good handling FWD car. My brother purchased a 2005 Subaru 2.5 RS for his daily driver a little over a year ago but the integra is still in the garage (in need of work to get it running - fuel pump issue that's a long story). Probably will be gotten rid of though.

I've always wanted a miata (and almost got one instead of the Camaro), but they are a little too small for me to fit properly in one without replacing the seats with an aluminum racing seat bolted to the floor - so not so good of a daily driver. I've driven the newer ones (2006+) and can fit in them well, but any recently new vehicle is just too much $$$ for me now...my Tacoma still serves me well for a daily driver, I don't think I'll ever be getting rid of it!

Attached are pictures of the '98 Tacoma, '98 Camaro, and my brothers Integra RS and a link to a photo album of the Camaro.

Photo Album for my 98 Camaro RS
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Postby Xeno » Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:24 pm

This feels like a grave dig, but I feel I've got a warranted post.

Update, new car:
2009 Volkswagen GTI Mk V

Traded in the Malibu on Friday for this puppy. I went into the dealership planning on trying to get a "new" 2010 GTI that was bare bones with a 6-speed manual, but the car had already been sold. The only new GTI they had on the lot was a 2012 model that was fully loaded for about $29k which was way out of my price range. The salesman instead had me look at a used '09 model that is pretty much loaded (just lacking a few features I don't care about) that had 47k miles on it. They crunched the numbers and managed to give me a workable deal on it.

This car, like my previous ones, is an automatic, but unlike the previous ones it has the dual-clutch DSG automatic which essentially acts like a computer controlled manual. It's got a standard drive mode for economy (which still gets up and goes), a sport drive mode, and a tiptronic slot along with paddle shifters that can be used in any of the three modes. The car has the Autobahn package on it so it came with heated leather seats, touchscreen sat nav, a hard drive, bi-xenon auto-leveling headlamps, and 18 inch rims. So far I've been very pleased with it. The 2.0 liter turbo engine sips gas when I'm just cruising but turns into a rocket when I need it to. I'm hoping I can find somewhere to go to autocross at out here since I now have a car that can actually handle it.

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Postby sandalwood » Sun Nov 20, 2011 6:27 pm

I still have my first car, which my dad (LOVE YOU!) bought me a few years back. It's a 2003 (or something) Pontiac Vibe, straight up grey. It's a hatchback. We've had one or two minor scuffles, but nothing too serious so far. I find my car adorable :) and his name is Jonny.

Bumper stickers: "Smile, God Loves You!", metal "Praise God" with little music notes (like one of those fish, you know), "Class of 2010," one for my University, and Jonny 2x4!
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Postby Dante » Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:36 pm

2005 Dodge Neon SXT Yay! It's a pretty blue and sounds comically loud while driving the speed-limit XD. And the speakers are BOOOM BOOOM BOOM! It has a really fun sound system that you can't help but bounce to at stop-lights, or sing along with.

I want you to Take over control... Take over control... Bwewm wapa-wapa-wapa Bwem wappa wopa whapa Bwem - ahem...

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Yes. I show off my furry pride while driving. :D My entire real-life social network consists of friends in the Fandom. They are awesome - and I miss spending the weekend with them because of this stupid cough T_T (did I mention they're the most awesome people I've ever met in person).

But yes, I'm attached to my car despite being a diehard bicycle enthusiast, even the dent on the side. I don't even know if I want to fix the dent in the door, I'm starting to treasure even the dents X_x. Yes, I get overly attached to objects - once I get something and like it, I don't ever want a new one. I only want THAT one. So, there's a good chance I'll still be driving these wheels around for another 10 years or more.

Maybe by then, they'll make custom exterior lighting legal again and I can drop some fire-blue lights on the underside of the car O_O. Pretty lights.
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Postby Rewin » Mon Nov 21, 2011 12:54 pm

Dante (post: 1516892) wrote:Maybe by then, they'll make custom exterior lighting legal again and I can drop some fire-blue lights on the underside of the car O_O. Pretty lights.


I would just do it an not worry too much, my black camaro has them (red) and I've only been pulled over once "because of them." Truth is there was a big wedding in a small town (my cousin was the groom) and most of the family involved were notorious drinkers, so the cops were out in force looking for drunk drivers. My car stood out, so I got pulled over. There was even a DUI checkpoint on one street. Lucky for me I don't drink ;)

*I'll edit this post later with a pic of the lights under my car, gotta go to work now.
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Postby Cognitive Gear » Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:20 pm

I currently own and love a limited edition 1974 Volkswagen Beetle, the Love Bug. It's in the "Phoenix Red" color, which actually just looks more like bright orange.

I'm hoping to get some body work done on it during the Winter Break, as it was in an accident before I bought it. Ideally I'll redo the interior and touch up the paint over the break as well.
[font="Tahoma"][SIZE="2"]"It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things."

-Terry Pratchett[/SIZE][/font]
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Postby Xeno » Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:31 pm

Cognitive Gear (post: 1516961) wrote:I currently own and love a limited edition 1974 Volkswagen Beetle, the Love Bug. It's in the "Phoenix Red" color, which actually just looks more like bright orange.

I'm hoping to get some body work done on it during the Winter Break, as it was in an accident before I bought it. Ideally I'll redo the interior and touch up the paint over the break as well.


Need pics of this car. I love the older style Beetles, the new ones just aren't the same.
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Postby Rewin » Tue Nov 22, 2011 9:13 pm

Xeno (post: 1516963) wrote:Need pics of this car. I love the older style Beetles, the new ones just aren't the same.


Agreed, although the next generation which I think is coming out next year does look a little better than the current ones. At least a little less feminine.
Seen an old beetle do the quarter mile in 9 seconds once, was crazy. :dizzy:
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Postby Xeno » Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:54 pm

If this is the one you're talking about then they've already been released and you can score one with with 2.0 turbocharged engine. Though if you're gonna cough up the dough for that engine you might as well just get a GTI or a GLI instead in my opinion.

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Postby Warrior4Christ » Thu Dec 01, 2011 4:35 am

Porsche headlights! Golf grille!
Everywhere like such as, and MOES.

"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God." - William Carey
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Postby Shao Feng-Li » Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:47 am

Xeno (post: 1518729) wrote:If this is the one you're talking about then they've already been released and you can score one with with 2.0 turbocharged engine. Though if you're gonna cough up the dough for that engine you might as well just get a GTI or a GLI instead in my opinion.

Image


Wow, they actually made that to look cool, rather than just cute.
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Postby Xeno » Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:08 am

Warrior4Christ (post: 1518744) wrote:Porsche headlights! Golf grille!


Well Porsche owns a large portion of Volkswagen, and they have a development agreement. The original Beetle was actually designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of the Porsche automotive company, which is why the original Beetle/Type 1 and subsequent "New" Beetles have borne something of a resemblance to the Porsche 911.
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Postby Warrior4Christ » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:26 pm

Yes, I'm actually quite familiar with the Porsche/VW origins, being a Porsche fan myself...

Very nice Golf, btw! I don't consider it an automatic since it doesn't have a torque converter - it's got the mechanics of the manual. So it's more of an "automatically shifting manual". I'd much prefer one to an auto, but I still like my cars to have a clutch pedal...
Everywhere like such as, and MOES.

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