The Thread We Talk About Cars In

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So, who likes cars? I know I'm not the only one from reading through the posts. This is the thread we can talk about our obsession in, instead of derailing other threads.

I love a variety of cars, but have an especially large soft spot for classic Japanese cars. Old Skylines, Fairlady Zs, Celicas, Corollas, Bluebirds (especially 510s) and many others inspire much drooling and lust from me. I also love Chevy Vegas, Monzas and Camaros. Unlike Pintos or Gremlins the Vega was more of a small car in the vein of European and Japanese cars of the time. They're also gorgeous, even if they weren't known for being a quality vehicle.

I'm also a big fan of Honda Civics and Integras from 1988 through 2000. This is probably my favourite car if I had to pick a car for daily use. I have a Civic right now but it's a sedan and I want either a hatch or an Integra.

I can safely say that cars are one of my Aspie obsessions.

Though I love my American cars, there are a few Japanese cars I would love to add to a collection, like the Toyota Celica, MR2, and Supra, The Acura Integra, the Honda/Acura NSX, and the Mazda RX-7.

You mentioned Chevrolet Vega's, though they may have not been the best made small car of the 70's, I have to agree with that they are cool since the front clip is basically a baby version of the Camaro. I actually had one front side marker light and a set of rear side marker lights for a Chevrolet Vega that I got in a lot of car lights to resell. I sold all three pieces so they must have a following.

One thing I like with Japanese cars is that it's common to identify them by platform numbers. It's so much easier to say 'AE86' than to say '1984 Corolla GTS coupe'. Is there's a specific Celica you like, or just like them in general? Personally I like them all except the final generation, but the ones I like best are the ST205 Celica GT-4s, the last Celica offered as a homologation model for WRC. Toyota got busted for cheating (bypassing the turbo restrictor plate) and got banned from WRC for several seasons as a result. When they returned it was with a European market Corolla hatchback based car that had no road going equivalent.

Of potential interest, in most markets it was a Honda Integra, Acura only existed in Canada and the US at the time.

My favorite Celica's are the 1990-1999 model years.

Fender Mirrors.


*Drops mic, walks off stage.

I herd u liek JDM?

when I was middle class [a long time ago] I owned many different cars and drove many more. my faves were-

*'93 chevy lumina base sedan [rode like a Cadillac and was quiet over almost all roads].
*'79-'83 chevy Malibu- rode just like a Cadillac, very smooth, handling was boaty though.
*'85-'88 caddy sedan de ville [roomy but compact on the outside, rode like a Cadillac but handled better than their previous barges.
*Toyota Avalon, 2000-2004 models, available in "taxi configuration" with bench front seat and column shifter. rode like Cadillac but handled better. a lot like a Japanese buick. very quiet.
*Toyota prius, 2000-2003 models- compact but roomy/airy inside, easy entry-egress. very compact turning circle. quiet, rode decently.
*Mercedes 300D/E - no car in my experience rode more smoothly and unflappably over all roads than these models. like a magic carpet.
'93 ford windstar- very airy, streamlined, quiet, rode like a Cadillac and was unflappable on rough pavement.

cars that I very much would have loved to drive-

*AMC Pacer
*chevy Monza fastback, 1975-76
*Cadillac Seville, 1975-77
*Citroën DS
AMC ambassador
AMC matador fastback coupe
*VW karmann-ghia
*VW phaeton
*aston martin laganza.

For a while, before I had my AMC Eagle, I drove around a 2001 Buick Century Custom for a while. It was barebones basic, had a very bland color combination of Gold Exterior with Tan interior (the only time I don't like tan interiors which are usually my favorite), the dash was a Christmas tree of warning lights, and the tires were bald and bumpy. Even with all the issues, that 3.1 V6 was a good engine and even with the tires you could tell it had a very nice ride. The seats were comfortable too. We got rid of it because I had my heart set on an AMC Eagle. But that Buick has since then made me interested in them and if I put my Eagle away as a classic car and needed a new daily driver, I would consider a Buick in a heartbeat, especially a 95-99 Buick Riviera with the 'mini 350' 3.8 V6.

I also drove my Grandmothers 2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S around for a while. It was Blue with a gray interior, was great on gas, and it only had 42k miles on it or so. It was a good little car and would have been the 'ideal practical' choice, but I had my heart set on a classic, like the AMC Eagle The one thing I didn't like about it were the seats. Out of everything I have ever driven, that Nissan had the most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in. I decided against buying it from her (her driving days were over) because it was a bit out of my price range and from reviews it seemed like that year Nissan Sentra is known for having the head gasket fail on them. Probably a good thing I didn't buy it.

I drove a '99 buick century and its ride was the worst of all worlds, boaty AND bumpy. but I drove a '97 and it was like a magic carpet. what happened was that buick got buyer feedback saying "I'd buy this if it handled more like a foreign car" so they added stiff antisway bars and increased spring rates/stiffer shocks and bushings, and not only did that not make it handle appreciably better but made it harsh over bumps in the road. if I were to get another buick century it would be the base sedan [with power seat] made in 1997 and '98.

Love my 2013 Ford Focus ST, best car I've ever driven.

drove a top of the line focus in 2000, was impressed with it then. it both handled well AND rode well, not too common a combo.

I have a Staaaaag

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGJty_Rdp1U[/youtube]

They're pretty neat. I'd consider an early 2000s Focus if I can't find a decent old Civic or Integra for my next car.

the only problems with the first foci, were mediocre reliability. they've improved since then, when they changed to mazda underpinnings.

I had one of those too, a 2001 ZX3, it was very reliable. In 13 years the wiring harness broke once, the clutch pedal broke once, and I had to replace the valve cover gasket. Other than that, no problems. I lowered it and drove the hell out of it all the time.

from reading consumer reports, I'd have to conclude you were lucky. anyways, the 2000 ZTS model I drove was very impressive, easily the best riding and handling ford up to that point. I drove it over raised railroad tracks and manhole covers and such and it was unflappable, didn't even spill my drink. yet it had almost no dive or squat or weave, handled like a sports car. ford spent a good sum on the suspension and it showed in spades, it easily equaled Mercedes benz in the ride and handling department.