Inability to enjoy new cars..

[SheaMoose]

I honestly can't think of a new car that I would enjoy owning.
I can't get farther than "That looks pretty good" or "Wow, that's fast".
They just have no personality, and it feels like you're not even driving a car.

Does anybody understand what I'm trying to get accross?
Or am I the only one who would rather have carburetors, manual steering, brakes, and transmission, over heated seats, abs, and tcs?

[Nick475]

Nailed it.

[Randomofodication]

Yes! Haha I feel the same thing. New cars seem to have lost the personality and quirks older cars had. Also I can't stand how most newer cars have a giant sheet of plastic in the engine bay to cover the engine.

[mrg7243]

I honestly can't think of a new car that I would enjoy owning.
I can't get farther than "That looks pretty good" or "Wow, that's fast".
They just have no personality, and it feels like you're not even driving a car.

Does anybody understand what I'm trying to get accross?
Or am I the only one who would rather have carburetors, manual steering, brakes, and transmission, over heated seats, abs, and tcs?

ABS is smart you really dont engage it unless it is needed, carburetors suck poor mpg, pain in the ass to tune properly, suck for winter starts, I could go on.

Heated seats were invented in the 50s and many high end luxury cars had them optional starting in the 70s.

Even if you take the electronic controlled stuff. Newer suspensions are worlds better, engines are designed better with more power for the efficiency and size.

Yes the feel may not be the same as it is a more refined vehicle, the computer systems may be more complicated not being as forgiving on mods, the interior may be more plush but cars are not designed for people like you in mind they are looking for the average consumer. Its just to what you are used to.

[DutchStance]

Define "New"? I always say i won't own a car that's been build after 2000. The "best" and most beautifull cars were built in the 90'.

[FunkyWagon]

i would say 90's cars had the perfect balance between mechanical and electronic/computerized implementations, even tho a few cars were made with way too many electronics for the time.

i just don't like that there is so much reliance on computers (in every aspect of our lives today actually) that run them and makes the cars maintenance and repair much more expensive and more complicated for the guys who like to get their hand dirty and enjoy working on their cars themselves, you need to be a borderline computer programer to work on some newer cars, simply changing a few minor parts makes all sorts of lights go off on the dash without an "update" or some sort of reset.

Mechanical linkage > Electronic throttle control

[P78]

new car smell > all tho

but yeah, they all look the same and have lil character, or you have to be at the high end cars

[Rusker]

I feel the same way, and say this all the time.

For example, I took a test drive when the 08 STi came out and it wasn't as raw as my 05. Granted my STi is far from stock but I felt more detached from the car when driving the 08. It wasn't a huge difference, but it seems to be the trend with newer cars.

[Khalil]

I know that feel.

Although I do love my M3. The last bmw to have any kind of character behind it.

[NickBroderick]

I miss the feel of my B5 over my C5.

I know that feel, to a degree!

[Kielan]

I would have to disagree, having driven a number of new cars recently and driving their older counterparts. New cars are just as much fun to drive.

I feel a lot of people throw the word "character" around far too much. Because your car doesn't track straight, or drives like shit doesn't mean it has "character" it means that it's a piece of shit. Having a car that's beat up doesn't give it "character". Sure can I see what people are getting at in terms of new car design being less "stimulating" sure. However there are still a ton of new cars on the road that look absolutely fantastic.

The great thing about traction control is, you can turn it off. Do you get more feel through through a mechanical rack? Sure, but how many of you will actually notice a difference when you're really going for it, I bet the numbers are low. People bitch about the 991 having electric steering, 99% of those people, have never even driven a 991.

The most fun I've had in a car in the past year was in my friends 2012 B8 S4. Sure its FBO, and has a few suspension mods, but it is an absolute blast to drive.

[mrg7243]

Mechanical linkage > Electronic throttle control

I do 100% agree with that. Has a dead pedal feel and lag plus you never know if it is actually 100% open or not. All the pedal is now a truly a go pedal

[devon.818]

COPO Camaro ...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f03RM5i3cDs"]2012 COPO Camaro: GM's Baddest Factory Camaro Ever! - HOT ROD Unlimited Episode 6 - YouTube[/ame]

m3 or an ISF
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY3grKsPFbw"]BMW M3 Vs Lexus ISF Part 2 - YouTube[/ame]

I mean come on man, there are plenty of new cars that are kick ass.
if its RWD , you can have fun.

[devon.818]

I would have to disagree, having driven a number of new cars recently and driving their older counterparts. New cars are just as much fun to drive.

I feel a lot of people throw the word "character" around far too much. Because your car doesn't track straight, or drives like shit doesn't mean it has "character" it means that it's a piece of shit. Having a car that's beat up doesn't give it "character". Sure can I see what people are getting at in terms of new car design being less "stimulating" sure. However there are still a ton of new cars on the road that look absolutely fantastic.

The great thing about traction control is, you can turn it off. Do you get more feel through through a mechanical rack? Sure, but how many of you will actually notice a difference when you're really going for it, I bet the numbers are low. People bitch about the 991 having electric steering, 99% of those people, have never even driven a 991.

The most fun I've had in a car in the past year was in my friends 2012 B8 S4. Sure its FBO, and has a few suspension mods, but it is an absolute blast to drive.

this is spot on. I love when I see guys that are under 25 saying they'd never drive a new car....well if you can't even afford a new car, I don't really think that's a valid argument lol.

hell, I used to be an elitist, my 80's euro piece of shit is better than anything new, nope, I would kick it for a 2013 Shelby mustang in a heartbeat

[SheaMoose]

ABS is smart you really dont engage it unless it is needed, carburetors suck poor mpg, pain in the ass to tune properly, suck for winter starts, I could go on.

Heated seats were invented in the 50s and many high end luxury cars had them optional starting in the 70s.

Even if you take the electronic controlled stuff. Newer suspensions are worlds better, engines are designed better with more power for the efficiency and size.

Yes the feel may not be the same as it is a more refined vehicle, the computer systems may be more complicated not being as forgiving on mods, the interior may be more plush but cars are not designed for people like you in mind they are looking for the average consumer. Its just to what you are used to.

You're definitely right about everything you said, but it's hard to explain the feeling you receive when you've trained yourself to overcome all of that. Anybody with abs can go to a canyon, or a track and just mash on the brakes with little to no skill, because they have that fail safe. But without abs, you really have to learn your car and it's limits. It's a very rewarding feeling when you're passing brand new cars, in one that's 30 years old that you've built from nothing.

Define "New"? I always say i won't own a car that's been build after 2000. The "best" and most beautifull cars were built in the 90'.

New to me would be 2000+ aswell.

i would say 90's cars had the perfect balance between mechanical and electronic/computerized implementations, even tho a few cars were made with way too many electronics for the time.

i just don't like that there is so much reliance on computers (in every aspect of our lives today actually) that run them and makes the cars maintenance and repair much more expensive and more complicated for the guys who like to get their hand dirty and enjoy working on their cars themselves, you need to be a borderline computer programer to work on some newer cars, simply changing a few minor parts makes all sorts of lights go off on the dash without an "update" or some sort of reset.

Mechanical linkage > Electronic throttle control

Exactly, it's just not necessary.

I would have to disagree, having driven a number of new cars recently and driving their older counterparts. New cars are just as much fun to drive.

I feel a lot of people throw the word "character" around far too much. Because your car doesn't track straight, or drives like shit doesn't mean it has "character" it means that it's a piece of shit. Having a car that's beat up doesn't give it "character". Sure can I see what people are getting at in terms of new car design being less "stimulating" sure. However there are still a ton of new cars on the road that look absolutely fantastic.

The great thing about traction control is, you can turn it off. Do you get more feel through through a mechanical rack? Sure, but how many of you will actually notice a difference when you're really going for it, I bet the numbers are low. People bitch about the 991 having electric steering, 99% of those people, have never even driven a 991.

The most fun I've had in a car in the past year was in my friends 2012 B8 S4. Sure its FBO, and has a few suspension mods, but it is an absolute blast to drive.

Yeah, they're fun because they are already fast. But I would have a lot more fun doing the same thing in a car where I feel more connected to the road. What you're referring to about a shitty car is personality, I should have used the word character earlier instead of personality. The character of a car is more of what (or who) it is. Personality on the other hand, is how the car portrays itself to others (i.e. shitty paint, worn suspension etc). If a car can loose all power, and still roll, stop, and turn the same, then you're truly connected to the ground. I will take a slower car that makes you feel connected, over a fast one where you can't feel anything.