Pimp Your Ride

[noxious.sunshine]

I Thought it was pretty much universally understood that American built cars were all complete garbage. Why are people listing them here. I am 12 years old and what is this.

You're thinking of American made cars post-1970. And you might also be confused and thinking of British built cars.

Any British car made in the 70s & 80s can and will kill you, this is true, but be that as it may they still had some shining nuggets. However literally every American built car is big, cheap & ugly.

Some random specialist cars like the TMC Costin aside (and I'd still rather have a Caterham), I'm pretty sure American cars are better than anything Ireland has managed to come up with.

There's good and bad everywhere. Saying one country has all bad cars, or that one country makes no bad cars is just silly. Even individual manufacturers have some cars that are crap and others that are gold. Especially since manufacturing is now basically global, and almost no major car company offers a car with all components made, assembled, and then sold in one individual country.

Ireland is a country of 3 million odd people who doesn't even pretend to give a smurf about the automobile industry. The things we DO show interest in (horse racing/breeding, whiskey manufacture, beer & stout manufacture, poetry, writing etc) we're famous the world over for. The US is a country of 190,454,432,543,121 that guzzles petrol and oil like it's bottled water, holds thousands of motorsport events a year & claims a nation of petrolheads. You'll appreciate the difference I'm sure.

I honestly didn't know British cars had that reputation. xD

The ones made in the 70s & 80s were pretty much all complete garbage.

You forgot about potatoes, man.


THIS. Is my dream car:

1969-dodge-charger-i01.jpg


Hahahahaha. How Redneck of me! ^-^

Also: Ford FTW.

[Lionblade]

I am not a car guy, so if I were to have a dream car, I would get one that would somehow go absurdly fast, but run on some technology that doesn't exist so I never have to get gas again. Yeah, I know. Sucky description, but I just don't get car culture.

That, my friend, is why you have an Avenger.

Ireland is a country of 3 million odd people who doesn't even pretend to give a smurf about the automobile industry. The things we DO show interest in (horse racing/breeding, whiskey manufacture, beer & stout manufacture, poetry, writing etc) we're famous the world over for. The US is a country of 190,454,432,543,121 that guzzles petrol and oil like it's bottled water, holds thousands of motorsport events a year & claims a nation of petrolheads. You'll appreciate the difference I'm sure.

Considering you have created some fine drivers, a fair portion of your people depend on automobiles, Ireland holds it's own fair share of motorsports, and that you have had the likes of Ford and some British manufacturers set up plants in Ireland over the years, no, I don't. Saying your country doesn't show an interest is silly, and I think your point falls soundly on it face.

I've either met and chatted online or in person with many Irish petrolheads. You guys love some rally. I do too.

Irishmen are like runners. How do you know someone's a runner? They'll bloody tell you.



That aside, as far as rally goes - if you want to win, employ a Finn.

----

And to the actual point of this thread...I'm a huge petrolhead.

What I learned on:


What I drive now:

IMG_1225 by Malibooya, on Flickr

[Sephex]

I am not a car guy, so if I were to have a dream car, I would get one that would somehow go absurdly fast, but run on some technology that doesn't exist so I never have to get gas again. Yeah, I know. Sucky description, but I just don't get car culture.

That, my friend, is why you have an Avenger.

And that, my friend, is why I have good gas mileage instead of a car with a pretty looking body and that's it. Again, it suits my tastes. A car is a tool. Not a toy.

[Mo-Nercy]

I drive a 2007 Toyota Corolla hatch (known as the Auris elsewhere).

Just got a new cat-back exhaust on it and considering a cold air intake, maybe a piggyback ECU...
I haven't really got a solid plan for modifying this car because I wouldn't mind trading up to the a Golf GTI, Megane RS, Focus ST (I like hatches )

[Lionblade]

And that, my friend, is why I have good gas mileage instead of a car with a pretty looking body and that's it. Again, it suits my tastes. A car is a tool. Not a toy.

My car looks good, is a ball to drive in the mountains (5 speed manual), I can throw sheetrock in the hatch, and I get 30 MPG all day. I never understood why so many Americans compromise and get big, slow sedans. Unless you're constantly carrying 3+ people...in which case, you'll also be carrying stuff. So a wagon would be better.

My car is by no means a toy. I bought it flat out, and it does its economical job. I just don't see why I have to drive something boring to achieve the same ends.

I drive a 2007 Toyota Corolla hatch (known as the Auris elsewhere).

Just got a new cat-back exhaust on it and considering a cold air intake, maybe a piggyback ECU...
I haven't really got a solid plan for modifying this car because I wouldn't mind trading up to the a Golf GTI, Megane RS, Focus ST (I like hatches )

Looks nicer than the US spec Corolla. Here they call the Corolla hatchback the Matrix, but I rarely see any. If the interior was suited to someone of my stature, I might have gotten one (my old man has an '04 Corolla...and my head was smushed against the ceiling. No bueno). That 1.8L he has is bulletproof - what's in yours?

[Sephex]

It. Suits. My. Tastes. I don't see why this is a hard concept to grasp.

Not to sound like a jerk, but that's why I pointed out that I am not a car guy. You can give me all the stats about what you drive and why it is cool, but I am just not going to care, nor will I be impressed. If you like it, that's cool. I just view cars in a different light, and there is no need to be a snob about it.

[Lionblade]

It. Suits. My. Tastes. I don't see why this is a hard concept to grasp.

Not to sound like a jerk, but that's why I pointed out that I am not a car guy. You can give me all the stats about what you drive and why it is cool, but I am just not going to care, nor will I be impressed. If you like it, that's cool. I just view cars in a different light, and there is no need to be a snob about it.

If you think I'm a snob, you should wander over to a few car forums...

There's a person to suit every car, of course. I just don't get the Avenger. I haven't found anything remarkable or likable about it. If a car's just a tool for you, I understand...but then why wouldn't you have something proven and ultra-reliable? The Avenger's DNA is a Sebring, which was hopeless even by Chrysler's standards. That's what I don't get.

If you like how it looks, then yeah, cool, whatever. But this is a car thread, after all, and you will draw some fire from people like me.

[Sephex]

Hence, why I don't get car culture. It's like getting mad about things people eat and---OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD: Quina's Kitchen

[sharkythesharkdogg]

I haven't really got a solid plan for modifying this car because I wouldn't mind trading up to the a Golf GTI, Megane RS, Focus ST (I like hatches )

My vote goes for the Focus. I used to respect VWs a lot more than I do now.


EDIT: There's been some hurt feelings about cars, so I'd like to add that I don't mean that to insult any VW owners. If it does, I'm sorry. Just personal opinion from experience working on them and owning them.

[fire_of_avalon]

Only Calliope has picked a worthwhile dream car and I am saddened by the rest of you. (I don't count sharky's because I doubt it's street legal, so there!) So I will tell you about my dream car.

My dream car is the 1969 Camaro ZL1.

While I commend you on your taste (I'd probably take any first gen Camaro, but the ZL1 is definitely the bees knees), I fail to see how a Nissan GT-R or an F1 car don't qualify as worthwhile dream cars.

The ZL1, being a 69, qualifies as first gen, but I know what you mean.

And because I'm being a brat and MINE IS SEXIER. Also I don't know much about imports. Also 2) I don't really care about open-wheel racing, though I can respect the engineering F1.

Not even a good jab, what with the existence of Aston Martin.

Americans make 'em big; Europeans make 'em beautiful. Dem's da rules.

I hate to be Nick Cage, but my god, the Shelby Mustang GT500. Unf. A more realistic dream car goal of mine is the Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5. One day...

I often wonder if the 67 GT500 would be as much loved and known had it not been for the movie. The really interesting thing about that year is that Shelby American didn't really have a lot of involvement with those models, though they carried the Shelby name. The 67 is much more aesthetically pleasing to me than later years, though.

Only Calliope has picked a worthwhile dream car and I am saddened by the rest of you. (I don't count sharky's because I doubt it's street legal, so there!)

Face it lady, while it was technically street legal, that zl1 was a race car. It used the V8 developed for the Can-Am series and professional drag racing. Plus no where did the original poster say it had to be street legal, that was your random idea. Nevertheless!

Like most FIA sanctioned racing, Ford was required to make road going/street legal versions of their GT40. So I'll just make it this. It's a mark three road version GT40, with turn signals and all that garbage. I'd be happy with any of them.

BASELESS REASONS TO MAKE MY SELECTION SUPERIOR USURPED. WE AIN'T FRIENS NO MO.

I am not a car guy, so if I were to have a dream car, I would get one that would somehow go absurdly fast, but run on some technology that doesn't exist so I never have to get gas again. Yeah, I know. Sucky description, but I just don't get car culture.

That, my friend, is why you have an Avenger.

And that, my friend, is why I have good gas mileage instead of a car with a pretty looking body and that's it. Again, it suits my tastes. A car is a tool. Not a toy.

@Lion-O Based on your opinion you could just replace the proper noun "Avenger" with the regular noun "sedan." Nothing wrong with sedans for busy people who need to compromise space and gas mileage. Having driven an Avenger as a rental it's a decent way to get from here to there, and the trunk can hold a full size transmission and bellhousing for a 2003 Subaru Outback.

[Slothy]

Yeah, I know the ZL1 is a first gen, I just worded that sentence poorly. I'd settle for any first gen, but the ZL1 would definitely be top of the list were money no object.

Sadly, I don't really like any Camaro generation after that except the current ones. I'm sure a lot of them are fine under the hood, but they're all ugly as sin compared to the ones from the sixties.

[Cuchulainn]

Americans. Stop saying Sedans. It's saloons. Thank you.

[Sephex]

Okay, you guys sold me on car culture. Here is my next vehicle:

[fire_of_avalon]

Ahahaha I would love to have my face on my car. With explosions.

[Mo-Nercy]

Looks nicer than the US spec Corolla. Here they call the Corolla hatchback the Matrix, but I rarely see any. If the interior was suited to someone of my stature, I might have gotten one (my old man has an '04 Corolla...and my head was smushed against the ceiling. No bueno). That 1.8L he has is bulletproof - what's in yours?

Headroom's fine (for me @ 5'9"), though legroom is bit of a compromise at the back.
I stick by hatches though. I reckon they the ultimate car with regard to practicality, performance, price and most importantly - parking.

Oh, and yes, 1.8L. Sounds great with the new cat-back. Has already annoyed many a neighbour, but I don't understand what their problem is - I turned up the music to drown out the exhaust.

I haven't really got a solid plan for modifying this car because I wouldn't mind trading up to the a Golf GTI, Megane RS, Focus ST (I like hatches )

My vote goes for the Focus. I used to respect VWs a lot more than I do now.


EDIT: There's been some hurt feelings about cars, so I'd like to add that I don't mean that to insult any VW owners. If it does, I'm sorry. Just personal opinion from experience working on them and owning them.

I wasn't really considering the GTI until I drove a friend's one. To me, it had looked like the last three generations of the Golf GTI featured nothing but minor improvements with no innovation.

I do love the Megane though. It looks hot. And you don't see many around here, unlike the GTI.
But the Focus ST comes with the practicality of 5 doors.