OT: Talking Cars Tuesday "I wish...."

Submitted by JeepinBen on

Yes, everyone wants a '64 Impala, but more importantly, what about you car do you wish was just a bit different? Fewer miles and a lower payment are easy, what's the one, nagging thing that while it's not a deal breaker, you wish you had it. Most BRZ/FRS/86 owners say a few more HP would be awesome, and for most coupes, every Mustang GT owner will tell you  per 'Cube you also coulda had a V8.

What's your own-car-improvement wish?

JeepinBen

June 12th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^

Mine is easy. My 2015 GTI doesn't have the performance pack :-(

10 extra HP, but more importantly the brakes from the Golf R and a trick Haldex differential.

Also the 2016/17 got a better radio and Android Auto, while the 2018s have a much better infotainment system. I guess that's how they keep me wanting to buy a new one...

JWG Wolverine

June 12th, 2018 at 6:31 PM ^

Here ya go MGrowOld:

- Select image icon

- Select (Upload) at the top of the screen

- Select the image you want to embed among the fules on your computer

- Double Click the image when it appears in the window that you automatically end up on following your selection

- Use black box in corner to adjust size

- That image is now saved on that page that the image icon page you were on, ready to embed again at any time!

It takes some getting used to and it did little by little, I guess this new site will just improve over time.

 

 

MichiganFan1984

June 12th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^

I wish... my caprice classic station wagon had better acceleration. I love it and it’s a beast, but it gets going slow. 

MGoBlue-querque

June 12th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^

An AUX input on my mid-aughts Honda Pilot.  There is an AUX/DVD button on the radio unit but no AUX input!! It makes me mad every time I see it.  Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

g_reaper3

June 12th, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^

Better traction on my 2013 Shelby GT500.  Given the horsepower, be nice if some larger tires fit back there without having to replace the wheels. 

BornInA2

June 12th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^

I wish GM had offered an upgraded interior package for my 2008 Sky Red Line. The car has a great body style, excellent performance, looks amazing with the top up or down (unusual in a convertible, in my opinion), but really falls down with the typical crappy GM interior.

On the Fiero, well, I've tweaked the things I didn't like- the stock 2.8 didn't make enough power, so it has a 3.4 now. It sat too high, so it's been lowered an inch. Brakes were weak so it has a bigger booster now.

The only problem now is that I'm out of garage space...five in a three car garage and two stranded in the driveway.

IMG_6222editTVcropMED.jpg

BornInA2

June 12th, 2018 at 2:21 PM ^

All you really need is a decent ceiling height. We had the two bays with lifts converted to high-lift door tracks with jack shaft openers. It wasn't that expensive. The lifts go full-height with six feet of clearance under. I had them lowered for the picture so the cars were more visible.

With them all the way up my 4Runner just squeezes in under. With the 4Runner up as far as it will go, the Sky just squeezes under with the top down.

BornInA2

June 12th, 2018 at 2:26 PM ^

It feels like I think it should have from the factory- nothing like the Sky with nearly 300 HP, but nice. It does have the old three-speed auto. I wasn't really thinking about the auto/manual issue when I bought it (in Saline) in 1991. I kinda wish it was a manual, but it's also nice to have one 'fun' car with an automatic in this atrocious Seattle traffic. Mine is an 87 so it doesn't have the improved 88 suspension, but with the lowering springs and KYB shocks it handles pretty well.

Lots of people put Series 2 3800 SC motors in their Fieros. This is a well-documented swap that puts the car around 200HP at the wheels. LS motors are also fairly common. We have a 300+ HP LS Fiero in our local club.

taistreetsmyhero

June 12th, 2018 at 12:55 PM ^

I have a 2002 Lexus ES that was given to me as a graduation gift from my parents. It was purchased in 2015 second-hand from a UofM professor who basically parked it in her garage for 10 out of those 17 years. When I received it two years ago, it only had ~50k miles, and the body and interior are in beautiful condition. It has a wonky stuttered acceleration that improved slightly after I had to get a new catalytic converter to pass the California smog test, but it seems to be getting worse again.

The only thing I wish I could change is for the car to be a little more narrow. It barely fits in the tiny parking spaces in this city. And the turning radius isn't great. It's a pain in the ass to parallel park.

freelion

June 12th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^

I wish Jeep would put a HEMI in the Wrangler.  I love my Wrangler Rubicon but just like the idea of a beefy V8 to get the performance and sound of a bigger engine.  I know people have done it aftermarket but I don't see why FCA doesn't capitalize on their HEMI brand. I have a HEMI in my Challenger and Durango and I'm sure people would pay more for it in a Jeep.

MGoBrewMom

June 12th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^

I wish.. My brand new company car had the GPS card, and that the delivering dealership was more helpful.

 

Not a lot to ask. GMC service at Marvin K. Brown in San Diego sucks.

JFW

June 12th, 2018 at 1:17 PM ^

It sounds dumb, but I want regular keys back. And I don't want screens in my car. 

And everyone can get off my lawn. 

BornInA2

June 12th, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^

Agreed. Local Toyota dealers want my 2005 4Runner for half a day or overnight to charge me $400 to make two new keys. Newer "keyless" cars are even worse on the cost side.

They also quoted me $300 for a new clicker. I bought on Amazon for $10 and programmed in less than five minutes. So yeah, grand larceny.

I'm not sure the advantages of smart keys outweigh the crazy inconvenience and costs, at least for consumers. Dealers are clearly very happy about it.

JFW

June 12th, 2018 at 1:34 PM ^

As someone posted before, they seem a solution in search of a problem. To me it's just a money grab. 

I like the after market idea, but the dealer told me it might wreck my PCM. Not sure how, but I need to research it first. 

I hate these things. When it comes time to retire one of my cars now, I'm not sure what I'll do. 

Goggles Paisano

June 12th, 2018 at 1:17 PM ^

Radio for me all day.  I could have upgraded for another $6k for the model that had bigger wheels and a better sound system.  I couldn't justify the $6k just for that and am still happy with that decision, but I wish I would have looked for a model like mine but with a better sound system.  

JFW

June 12th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^

Two big things: 

 

A) I wish the Pacifica had an AWD option. 

B) I wish the Hemi Charger had an AWD option. 

 

Smaller stuff: 

a) I wish that more SUV's had electric AWD and/or diesels. 

b) I wish that sensors in cars aided performance, but never cost you a ride home. Back in the day if my MAP sensor went the car would still run (like shit, but still run) if I disconnected it. Nowadays the PCM just says 'NOPE!'

 

BornInA2

June 12th, 2018 at 1:28 PM ^

Yep. We spend far more money fixing sensors that are supposed to report problems than we do fixing the actual problems the sensors are supposed to report. They've also made troubleshooting more difficult: Is it the sensor or an actual problem?

MileHighWolverine

June 12th, 2018 at 1:27 PM ^

I wish my car had ventilated seats with A/C....it's hot as a m'fer out here and i have to park my car on the street.

Also, wish I could go back to the old site. Not really enjoying this one very much.

AFWolverine

June 12th, 2018 at 1:30 PM ^

I am about to buy my second 1st Gen Honda CRX Si. I wish it had power steering. It's not terrible to handle being a tiny car but slower turns and backing up can get tenuous sometimes. Also, I really wish Honda had installed the same motor between Japan and US markets. The Japanese ZC motor wasn't crazy powerful but had so much more capability and potential.

CGordini

June 12th, 2018 at 1:41 PM ^

((I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller...))

I wish I had the 1.8L engine instead of my 1.6L; there's actually aftermarket options out there for bolt-in improvements to the 1.8L, let alone a supercharger (I don't want to go turbo).

Everything else about my car I'm happy about; if it doesn't have it, I just...add it myself.

WFyoXOi.jpg

CGordini

June 12th, 2018 at 3:40 PM ^

Depending on certain things, your 94 might not have OBD-II; the computer is much, much simpler/stupider, and a Cold Air Intake (CAI) won't automagically have its colder air regulated/have your air/fuel mix adjusted accordingly.

It'll make a fun sound, though!