OT: Talking Cars Tuesday - Fast Car/Slow Car
Pretty simple for this week - what's the fastest car you've ever owned? How about the slowest? Good or bad (hopefully not too dangerous) speed stories are welcome.
Personally, the fastest is the current MkVII GTI. It's quick. 0-60 in 6 seconds, top speed of 150ish. That's boring. The older, slower, 1991 Jeep Wrangler YJ has much better speed stories. The thing that I remember most about it was how passing semi-trucks on the highway was always harrowing. Aerodynamics weren't the Jeep's forte, and hitting a wall of wind was super taxing on the little 2.5L 4cyl (rated at 120HP when new in 1991! Did I mention I bought this in 2003?). The other aerodynamic issue was the soft top and half doors. Air going over the top of the jeep got thinner because of the same reason airplanes fly, and the soft top would balloon something ridiculous. The worst was when the top half of the half doors would bow out from the soft top, bringing in cold/rain/whatever was out side unless I slowed down. I think the fastest I ever felt comfortable* in that was about 74mph.
*Comfort meaning non terrified with the speed. Not actually comfortable - mainly due to everything mentioned above.
Let's hear about your fast & slow.
As always, throw suggestions for future topics in the comments!
was running a gang unit at the time, what i consider my 'prior life'.
and the guy was the greatest. imagine sean connery with trapezoids up to his ears and a former middle linebacker at K-state. smart, quiet, and a ton of fun.
The XtraMelanin backstory gains a chapter!
Bodyguards! Gang units! Can't wait for the memoir.
i've read about that stuff, I realize I have nothing like the cajones to live that life. Thanks for doing it, and for living to tell about it.
hold a candle to our country's heroes who went overseas.
as a young single guy it was a fun job and when i'd come back home to michigan my family would tease me that i had the best cocktail talk in town b/c everybody likes to hear stories about murders. except i never told my dad what i did. he figured it out (kind of, still sugar coated it) when 'we' got off the plane to get the truck and he was there to meet me at the airport.
Slowest had to be a little 4 banger manual 1989 Ford Ranger I used to commute with. With its all red interior I nicknamed it the Velvet Elvis. Great little truck.
Wasn’t driving before 1967 when I’d occasionally get to borrow my parents’ 1962 Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 convertible, the fastest car I’ve ever driven and the only car I ever drove at over 100 MPH. But that was before I’d spend the next seven years as a city dweller where walking, hitch-hiking and public transportation made owning a car entirely unnecessary.
Didn’t own a car before 1974. The OPEC oil embargo of 1973 made me a small-car consumer when it came time to own a car, so every car I’ve owned since then has been a slow-paced, small car that gets good gas mileage.
At this point in my life, I doubt that I'll ever drive that 1964 Jaguar XK-E convertible in forest green (top speed of 150 MPH) that I would've loved to own when I had the cash, but by then, gas prices and repair costs factored into the consideration.
Slowest was a 1994 Mazda 626. I drove it in high school (starting at around 100k miles) until both of the belts suddenly came off one day a few years later in college.
Fastest is my Infinity Q40. Got it up to 105 last fall on an empty stretch of slight downhill on I93 in new hampshire. I would have gone for more, but the mountain got in in the way.
Nothing too special
Fastest: 2004 Audi RS6. That was a ball-to-the wall super beast. 450 HP biturbo 4.2L 32-valve V8, AWD. I got it up to 165 on (formerly) route 60 by Beaver Falls, PA. Mash and Dash!
Unfortunately, it cost more in repairs that one could reasonably afford, so I traded it in for a 2010 Tacoma, which has cost less to maintain in the 7 years I've owned it than the RS6 did in one year... sigh. At least the Taco is fun in different ways (off roading) and can haul lots of camping stuff.
My first car was a 1989 Taurus SE. She was slow but a good vehicle for a first car.
The problem isn't with the cars but the fact that those that buy them typically NEVER ever get to exercise the cars as they were intended. Many buy these cars for the prestige of the badge.
99.5% never take these cars to the track. They are just commuter cars for the most part.
If you live in an area with nice back roads then you have the ability to get an idea of what your performance car can do.
Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with people wanting to buy these type of cars. but many of these cars never get a work out.
As for me, never have owned a fast car but have test driven them. It is a great feeling to know that you can tap into the power of a sports car when you want it.
Totally agree. I live in Evanston, and every morning, the super high end cars pass through from the north shore on their way to Chicago. My son always asks, "Why don't you get a Porsche/Audi?" Or some similar status-y car. I tell him because my GTI gives me all the fun I can realistically use.
And that's why I Autocross my GTI... going on Saturday!
my dad's 1982 Nissan Sentra probaly would give the Jeep a run for it's money - but we'll go with cars really owned [all pics color, year and model approriate examples from the web]:
Slowest: 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon - 110 mph (will never sell it)
Fastest: 1984 Porsche Carrera - 149 mph (should never have sold it)
Honroable mention: 1971 Datsun 240z - 125 mph (if I hadn't sold it, it would be a rust pile, but wish I still had it)
I love the early Z cars. I almost bought a 1976 280Z (2-seat, not ZX) in 1988. It sat at a corner used car lot that was at the last light before I pulled into my high school parking lot. It looked pristine, but a few taps along the bottom of the body panels quickly revealed that it was bondo machine. It was painted burnt orange-brown metallic, a color I was not crazy about. If it had been a proper bright orange, black or navy blue, I might have looked past the shady bodywork and dealer and taken the plunge. Instead, I stuck with my practical, trusty Oldmsobile.
Fastest is probably 1988 Scirocco 16V. Also the most fun to drive. Very similar to my current GTI. Slowest would have to be a Mini. Getting on the highway in that thing always required prayers. Big regret was not getting the Mini S. It was a gas consumption decision.
Had a Mini S, it was a quick and fun car. But my wife and kids did not want to learn how to shift so .... Here is the picture I took when I listed it for sale.
I'm so happy I learned to drive a stick in high school. It really is a lost art and there's not much motivation to learn it now. My son is learning but it goes in fits and starts.
Our Mini was like a go cart, but slower. I've heard the S is much zippier.
&*&*&@&*@#! double post.
Mea Culpa.
I have him learn when the car is parked. When its going in the sub I have him shift from 1-3.
I'm sad at the loss of the ability of people to shift.
I'm really sad at the loss of the manufacturers making sticks.
I used to do that from the passenger seat, while moving. Learned the shift pattern, how much force it took, etc. Was something fun to do while driving and got me paying attention.
His legs aren't long enough for the clutch yet. Ditto my daughter. But I have him hit 1-3.
If I can find a stretch of abandoned road I'll have him work the whole shift gate.
Fastest: 2009 Buick LaCrosse Super
Full disclosure, it looks like it belongs parked outside of a Denny's but this had a 5.3 liter V8 that cranked out 300 HP. The problem was, that was sent through a 4 speed automatic and the front wheels, but this thing was nimble, better handling than one would assume. Had the interior of your grandfather's Oldsmobile though so I miss it, but not a ton.
Slowest: 2010 Pontiac Torrent
It is exactly what you think it is: a rebadged Chevy Equinox with a 3.4 L pushrod motor that GM first developed in the 80's. Was useful for hauling people and stuff but it was laborious to drive at times.
OT: I'm in the market for a new car this fall and want something sporty, but practical, I haven't ruled out a Mustang or Camaro but I do live in Michigan, so I need something that can handle snow. Recs anybody?
the taurus, too? get one of those with a fancy engine and away you go.
The Charger/Challenger come with the Pentastar V6 when with AWD. But the Taurus SHO (last year was the last year, I think) comes with AWD Ecoboost and about 60 more HP, I think.
The Charger has the 8 speed, so I think its 0-60's are around 6.2-6-4 seconds.
The SHO is around a second faster.
I'm partial to the SHO and its 20 cu/ft trunk.
My sister had some poor experiences with a Dodge and a Jeep but that new SHO did catch my eye. Dealers are incentivizing the hell out of them because they aren't moving off the lots so I may have to go to my Ford dealer.
of the SHO where the guy can't stop giggling every time he kicks it in the arse.
5.2 is pretty quick, especially for something that big. AWD makes it nice, with some torque vectoring in there.
Finally, its based on the S80 from awhile back. Couple that with side curtain airbags and this thing is safe as hell.
I'd get one in a heartbeat if I had the jack.
Need a bit more info. How sporty? How practical? How much are you looking to spend?
My lease is expiring in fall. I want something with a little pep in its step and the corners that can make my 15 minute daily drive to work and back exciting on the freeway. My price range is maxed out at about $35,000
here's a link to some (hopefully it works). went to cargurus.com, put in for a taurus awd within 200 miles of AA, and here is what i got: https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInv…
OK. The Charger and SHO are good suggestions from above. Do you like your Regal? You could get a Regal GS for less than $35K. Another option that'll be at the top of your range is the new Fusion Sport. These aren't real sports cars (or even sport sedans) but peppy.
If you can go down in size, I'm a big fan of my GTI (as is Car & Driver). Hot Hatchbacks are kind of the "do it all" http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-volkswagen-golf-gti-tested-review
Another sleeper "sporty" pick would be a V6 Accord http://www.caranddriver.com/features/honda-accord-2017-10best-cars-feature they're kind of great.
Chevy doesn't make much that's "fun" besides the Camaro & Corvette, Mazdas drive great but are on the slower side, Toyotas & Nissans are (IMO) boring, I guess another option would be an Inifniti Q50, if you can find one you like for your price.
But depending when it comes out, it looks like another Regal just became a whole lot more feasible to me with the Regal TourX
Has to be cars we've owned? I've got some doozies that I've driven but not owned.
Fastest owned: 2004 GMC Sierra. That there is depressing, especially considering top speed is governed.
Slowest owned: 1998 Toyota Corrola. She was green, called her Yota but the force was not with me.
EDIT: I have a 1971 Opel GT that's quicker than Yota was, but probably slower top end.
I love reading about people's old school cars. I have owned 4 Oldsmobiles and one of them was the slowest car I ever owned: 1984 Ninety-Eight Regency Coupe. It was Oldsmobile's last full sized land yacht and shared basic dimensions and weight with the last of the full sized Coupe de Villes. It was powered by a choked down 307c.i. V-8 that produced a claimed 140 hp. That's not much hp for a 5.0L engine pulling over two tons.
The fastest car I have had was a 2014 Mustang V6. I did not have the performance package, so it had the stock (tall) gearing which made it a bit slow off the line for an engine rated at 305 hp. Once spinning and into its powerband, it was quick.
Probably the car I had the most high speed adventures in was a 1976 Cutlass Supreme. The big 350 was rather modestly tuned (190-200 hp). That mild tune led to a very unstressed motor that was smooth as glass up to an indicated ~118 mph (on a closed circuit...of course ;))
The fastest vehicle I have owned (and still own) is my 2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200. It's over 500 pounds fully fueled, 150 (crank) hp, 0-60 in 2.8, mid to high 10s in the 1/4. A "friend" on an identical motorcycle saw 143 on the speedo once. This same "friend" has been over 100 mph in every vehicle he has owned and faster in those that could handle it; all on closed courses...naturally. ;)
My parents owned a 1971 Olds Toronado with a gas guzzling 455 ci engine. It was massive but you could burn the front tires. Huge car with small back seat. Completely over the top like a 1970's car could be.
That's a very nice Toro. I LOVE the original Toronado ('66-'67).
yes, the early ones were cool. My parent test drove one but opted for a crappyOlds 98 instead.
but Ducati's are just sexy sexy pieces of machinery.
Well, I had to do something to compensate for my personal lack of sexiness. ;)
I wish Ford had stuck it out with those cars.
Fastest is my 2013 Shelby GT500. Crazy fast, especially with some minor mods. I feel lucky to drive a quasi-race car.
Not really sure on the slowest. I had a 2003 Jeep Liberty which was pretty slow. The least favorite car I have owned. I replaced that with a beat up used 2000 Jeep Wrangler that had the 4 liter straight 6. It was also pretty slow but I loved that car.
I drove a '96 Cherokee with that straight 6. It was torquey and actually quick from 0-30 or 40 mph. After that, it just made more noise and very slowly accelerated. It did pretty well in around town roll-ons. If you were going 25-35 mph and needed to scoot around someone, you could floor it and pick up a quick 10-15 mph before the show was over.
had a ridiculous torque curve. It hits 215 around 1600 rpm and keeps it till about 4800 rpm. That was so cool towing or with the limited wheeling I did.
That engine had some character. Flooring it was accompanied by a roar of intake noise and you could really feel that spike in torque. Those Cherokees were also tiny (shorter and narrower than a Civic 4 door) and pretty light (3000#s) so that torquer wasn't moving a whole lot of weight.
'74 Pontiac Firebird I owned in high school. Had a lot of fun with that, I think the fastest I ever got it up to was 110. Slowest car probably an '81 Datsun (before they became Nissan). Living in Colorado driving that 4 cylinder up into the mountains once, I thought I would have to get out and push it up a pass.