Automotive Landscape Best Point is now?

[V1GiLaNtE]

I see the same in the bike-scape. I catch myself looking at GXSR fork swaps, brake upgrades, etc on the SV. While I know that the bike is there in my life currently to learn and improve, but some of your modern day 600's have some amazing technology that there really isn't much need to rework suspension, ECU, etc. I have to remind myself this as I know whatever bike I get next is already by default going to have a significant improvements in suspension, brakes, power. I think most of the modern bikes today you can slap on a slip-on and it's ready to roll.

There's a lot to be said about some of the cars DJ mentioned above. Shit the new M2 competition looks downright nuts.

Bike tech is kinda going in a weird direction now.  Due to emissions and the bloodbath that happened after the 2008 financial crisis, the 600 class is dying.  So while all of those bikes are very, very good, they're not getting developed actively.  Smaller supersports may be reborn in the 300-400 cc class.  With literbikes all sorts of tech innovation around traction control and ABS is happening, along with power still going up.  The electronics on the new literbikes is simply stupendous, to the point that literbikes are pretty easy to ride if your brain can process ludicrous speed properly.

And by 600s I meant literbikes. You totally right G. I really do hope we see a resurgence in the sub 400cc class and people start riding/commuting more to alleviate congestion, but that's a whole other topic..

[.RJ]

Sorry, I'm just soured on newer cars and to a lesser extent cars in general right now. 

re: "lifetime fluids", AMG engines dropping valves, BMWs with tail lights that have to be coded, audis with 8 different chain tensioners, lexus engines that live under a plastic shield and you can't even check the oil, etc etc.  that's largely someone else's problem, and by the time those poor SOB's get them and want to maintain them, they aren't the ones filling out the dealer surveys.

That's not just a german car thing anymore.  The shit I'm dealing with now is in new Honda/Mazda/Kia new cars on the lot.... so, even for the cheap new cars its not far off.  Everything has canbus and lots of features.

And its going to get worse as buyers demand more new car "tech".  

I swear I sound like a fucking grouchy old man that is pissed he cant change his carbamaphone jets to match the headers he installed with his buddy Rusty in the driveway last weekend.  BRB, yelling at clouds.  Wait, its dark, I cant even see the clouds.

And also, I'm not surprised that millennials dont want to buy cars anymore.  I'm glad I enjoy driving, at least.

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I really do hope we see a resurgence in the sub 400cc class and people start riding/commuting more to alleviate congestion, but that's a whole other topic..

*raises hand *

We bought a scooter last year.  Its fucking smart.

[Senor_Taylor]

*raises hand *

We bought a scooter last year.  Its fucking smart.

If I move close enough to work, you best believe the moped if getting its lights fixed and I'm riding the baby for miles.

[ViPER1313]

I mean, every car has shit that is hard to work on, but the Germans consistently take the cake.

There is really nothing that crazy in most new cars outside of the infotainment stuff, and that is what it is. Canbus is not some black magic and is a major positive in my opinion. It’s really useful being able to communicate with the various modules and scanners for your PC are cheap.

Lifetime fluids are BS and should just be changed at regular intervals.

[.RJ]

Yes, canbus is largely good. But its opened the door to A LOT of failure points/modules/etc especially as things age.

The assembly/servicing on german cars is actually quite good. But things like keeping fluids in the containers they should be in they continue to be pretty suspect, and the electronics stuff... well, everyone is arriving where ze germans are now, so, good luck. Even mustangs.

New cars are fucking awesome. They drive great, lots of power/grip/comfort/tech, but man, when those cars hit 120-150k miles, I dont want to be anywhere near one. I was afraid that my A4 was the last really DIY-able daily driver car I'd own, and I'm probably right.

Unfortunately, my E91 is probably the last manual transmission wagon that I'll own, other than the RS2 Avant I plan to buy.

[*insertusernamehere*]

Just so long as we can keep CDV's away from clutches, we can remember that NA high revving cars ok (yeah, i know, good luck, right?), hydraulic steering is a nice thing and basically that cars from the 80's to 90's were the best thing in terms of experience it will all be ok *cries myself to sleep*

[Evan]

In what universe did the 2000s suck?
We got the WRX, the STi, Evo, 350Z, RX8, S2000, GT-R, Elise, Mazdaspeed 3 and a whole bunch I'm forgetting.

On the high(er) end the HP wars started, we got bonkers corvettes, the R8, Ford GT, Ferrari got their act together and Porsche started doing more track focused cars.


Its the 90s that was total bullshit. In the 90s we were supposed to think a 1.6L civic cut in half was some kind of fucking sports car. Sure the Japanese halo cars were great but they got stupid expensive stupid quick, and all died out early in the decade anyway. We had no good sports compacts or reasonably priced sports cars, even miatas had silly high resale values then. We all played Gran Tourismo and drooled over all the cars that we couldn't get here.

I remember talking with Gerald circa 2002 about how great it was going to be in 4 or 5 years when depreciation would kick in and these great performance cars would be cheap enough to hoon on. Its only due to an embarrassment of riches now that we shrug our shoulders at $5k 300hp 350Zs.

[Senor_Taylor]

Perspective is a powerful thing.

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[Apoc]

I'm just gonna go on record as saying my B5 S4 is the best car I have ever, and will ever, own.

[GTBrandon]

My point is how long will this “bubble” last before the switch to fully electric/computers on wheels occur? Can any of you conceive wrenching on a Tesla in your driveway? I can’t, and I don’t really think it’s possible without a background in IT and/or Electrical Engineering. Then do our current “shitboxes that can’t hold fluids in the right places” become the pinnacles of what driving used to be like, and therefore rise up into ridiculous collector price ranges?

[.RJ]

I'm just gonna go on record as saying my B5 S4 is the best car I have ever, and will ever, own.

Truth to that.

I used to joke that it was a shitty car to own, because of the removal of the front end to do most things, and the removal of the engine to do the rest.  Now, I'm not so sure.

2

[*insertusernamehere*]

I think the entire point was cars coming from the factory now are a better PACKAGE for high performance than what came before, Sir Evan. Also glad to see you're posting again?

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[.RJ]

In what universe did the 2000s suck?
We got the WRX,  the STi, Evo,  350Z, RX8, S2000, GT-R, Elise,  Mazdaspeed 3 and a whole bunch I'm forgetting.

AHEM INTEGRA TYPE-R, the best of the best.

The thing that kills me now though, is those cars have all become old/cheap enough that 90% of them have either been crashed or just ruined by poor maintenance or poor owners.

The rest of them, owned by normal people and kept in garages without enough miles to go to the moon and back, sell for obscene amounts of money on BaT.

[ViPER1313]

I heart 90s cars. While the 90s sucked for hot hatches, that is because manufacturers were still producing affordable sports coupes, a breed that has died out entirely today. We had the 240sx, MR2, Eclipse and Integra among others, and they were glorious.

[Evan]

I think the entire point was cars coming from the factory now are a better PACKAGE for high performance than what came before, Sir Evan. Also glad to see you're posting again?

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:?:  Try and keep up.  I was responding to.   

 I think the mid-late 00s was a dull spot for car development. 

Cars follow the economy. The 2000s sucked because so did the economy.

And yes,  the current state of performance cars is pretty amazing.

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I'm just gonna go on record as saying my B5 S4 is the best car I have ever, and will ever, own.

As a street car Ill take your word for it. On track, they were garbage. Instructing with Audi club made me want to bring along a rudder.

[davej]

I'm just gonna go on record as saying my B5 S4 is the best car I have ever, and will ever, own.

come take a hit on the RS crackpipe. 

but yeah, I miss my b5s4 something fierce also.

[G.Irish]

In what universe did the 2000s suck?
We got the WRX,  the STi, Evo,  350Z, RX8, S2000, GT-R, Elise,  Mazdaspeed 3 and a whole bunch I'm forgetting.

AHEM INTEGRA TYPE-R, the best of the best.

The thing that kills me now though, is those cars have all become old/cheap enough that 90% of them have either been crashed or just ruined by poor maintenance or poor owners.

The rest of them, owned by normal people and kept in garages without enough miles to go to the moon and back, sell for obscene amounts of money on BaT.

Yeah a lot of those cars are very hard to find in good shape these days.  The GT-R and Elise are probably the least beaten down from that group, due to the fairly high buy-in price.  Even then a lot of GT-R's are suspect.

[.RJ]

My wife had a prelude as a car she shared with her sister in high school/college and has some nostalgia for them.

So down the rabbit hole I go, because I always loved the 4th gen VTEC cars... everything I found,both 4th (92-96)/5th (97-01) gen, was a $3k rust bucket salvage title jdm yO POS, or a $12k, low mile BaT auction car.

[JPolen01]

Jesus man. Just save yourself and quit while you're ahead. Preludes are garbage.

[WRXtranceformed]

Jesus man. Just save yourself and quit while you're ahead. Preludes are garbage.

Preach