Automobiles

[oldmuthariley]

Buy yourself one of these.
Much more stylish, fastish but quirky and unreliable..
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[j44ke]

Buy yourself one of these.
Much more stylish, fastish but quirky and unreliable..
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Jay Leno loves his, though his model is an earlier one that pictured above.

[twowheels]

What a load of BS !

Actually no its not. Its a natural progression. Buy a GT3. Realize its completely absurdly ridiculous on the road. Track it and have a ball. But, then you realize its far too heavy and expensive for a track car and that a $20k van diemen with a 4 cylinder Cosworth will destroy it and produce a far more visceral experience. Sell the GT3. Buy a van diemen. Burn a huge wad of cash. Sell the van diemen. Buy a prius and an aerotac and realize the aerotac is a higher performance machine than the GT3. And better for your health.

[oldmuthariley]

I had a DS - great cars!
The SM I posted is early 70s and a lot quicker!

[Too Tall]

Don't argue boys, these are all very amazing experiences 'cause they ain't transportation.

I've heard it said that all tin roofed cars are the same going around corners, it just depends on the car and driver. Bottomline, any jamoke can mash the throttle but to finesse speed thru turns is something entirely out of this world.

I've watch guys who are at the top of their game turn POS corollas thru Autocross courses while demonstrating to the owners what the cars are capable of. They do this at speeds I'm not able to match in a car worth ten times.

It's political, it's nonsensical, it's impractical and it's unobtainable so yah gotta dream large.

[jerk]

A GT3 is an amazing car that you can daily drive despite how crazy it is. I’m not sure anyone has ever in the history of the model- been as enthusiastically positive about a frukking 914. Having owned one- I can tell you it wasn’t all that awesome. The car’ steering wheel isn’t even in the right place- it’s about five six inches off to the right. It wasn’t all that reliable when new let alone now- and they didn’t have much room. Comparing one to a modern Hyundai velocster is laughable-let alone another Porsche let alone a 911 let alone a GT3! Now if Lionel had posted about his yearning for a pal’s Lotus.Europa.,..then a 914 wound be a great alternative. Of course all of this is kidding. I realize Thomas posted a 914/6 and thiey are special. Still- best streetable track Porsche for me would be something like my Cayman with a Metzger engine and tranny swap, a little bit of suspension work, some nice Nitto NT01 tires, and a gutted interior with Kirkey seats and and fancy Rennline interior bits. This could all be had for under 45,000 and it’d be fun although I think my GT500 is more fun because it’s louder, faster, dumber and NASCAR spoiler.


I also owned a Citroen CX. It was very strange- but very fast on the highway, looked cool I thought, and you could mockingly raise and lower the car at a light to rchallenge a car to a drag race. It’s steering wheel also had one spoke.
I

[snotrockets]

Re Citroën, I had a 1st gen C5 before I moved to the US – the last of the "real" Citroëns (or maybe that title belongs to the C6 that followed shortly after was, but that one was quite rare). The 2nd gen C5 you could buy with spring shocks.

By the time the C5 came out, they got rid of most of the quirkiness (but kept the hydropneumatic suspension). It was a very nice car to buy used: they'd depreciate faster than any other car in their class, and you could have a lot of comfort for very little cash (and the fuel economy wasn't bad either). With a new baby in the back seat, it was a very nice car to have. Some days, I wish I could bring it over the Atlantic, with all the broken roads we have around here.

I still drive it when I visit Israel, and dread the day it'd die and I'll have to rent.

[dgaddis]

Don't argue boys, these are all very amazing experiences 'cause they ain't transportation.

I've heard it said that all tin roofed cars are the same going around corners, it just depends on the car and driver. Bottomline, any jamoke can mash the throttle but to finesse speed thru turns is something entirely out of this world.

I've watch guys who are at the top of their game turn POS corollas thru Autocross courses while demonstrating to the owners what the cars are capable of. They do this at speeds I'm not able to match in a car worth ten times.

It's political, it's nonsensical, it's impractical and it's unobtainable so yah gotta dream large.

If by POS corollas you mean the AE86 corollas, those things are pretty bad ass for AutoX. Good suspension geometry, RWD, light weight.

The formula for speed at AutoX is really simple - sticky tires + as little mass as possible. That's what makes the CRX's so damn good for AutoX - they're under 2,000lbs with a short wheelbase. Put some sticky rubber on them and they'll peel your face off in the corners. And they don't have enough power to get out of hand too quickly on you.

[DOOFUS]

Well. Craig maintains that fwd Fords are shitboxes, and there is, perhaps more than a measure of truth in that statement. However, I am tempted by a the possibilities of a Fiesta ST with a Cobb Stage 2 or 3 tuning kit. Would be a reliable daily driver with a nice kick. Although I do love the ludicrous strut of the 500 Abarth, a tuned Ford could be a more sensible approach....

[Saab2000]

Well. Craig maintains that fwd Fords are shitboxes, and there is, perhaps more than a measure of truth in that statement. However, I am tempted by a the possibilities of a Fiesta ST with a Cobb Stage 2 or 3 tuning kit. Would be a reliable daily driver with a nice kick. Although I do love the ludicrous strut of the 500 Abarth, a tuned Ford could be a more sensible approach....

I think you could do a lot worse than a Fiesta ST. Based on my personal dimensions (which IIRC are close to yours), I'd rather have the VW GTI. It's a bit roomier inside than a Fiesta and probably better quality overall as well.

But I get the idea of the heart wanting what the heart wants WRT the Fiat Abarth.

[DOOFUS]

Mrs. Doof wants a line in the sand of 25 grand.

So a GTI would need to be a screamin' deal, or used.

Look, if I lived a logical and measured life, I'd get the GTI. But, my existence is all about moderately competent obscurity and absurdity, that nevertheless makes some small brute claims to glory. On that basis, an Abarth is a perfect fit.

[Lionel]

Jay Leno loves his, though his model is an earlier one that pictured above.

The SM and the DS are two different cars. The fact they they are referenced in a 2019 GT3 touring discussion is absurd !

[rmplum]

I think you could do a lot worse than a Fiesta ST.

Yup - and that would be a Fiat Abarth.

[DOOFUS]

Yup - and that would be a Fiat Abarth.

boom

[rmplum]

boom

Man, I hate to pee in your cheerios but in my 20 years of testing cars the Fiat 500 (and Abarth) may be the cheapest feeling new car I've ever been in. No - it was the worst. Total Fisher Price. We had one at the same time as a Fiesta ST and a mini Cooper and the differences were shocking. The only thing the Abarth did "better" that the Fiesta was make louder noises. I just don't get that car.

[j44ke]

The SM and the DS are two different cars. The fact they they are referenced in a 2019 GT3 touring discussion is absurd !

You started it. Besides, what isn't absurd here?

[DOOFUS]

Man, I hate to pee in your cheerios but in my 20 years of testing cars the Fiat 500 (and Abarth) may be the cheapest feeling new car I've ever been in. No - it was the worst. Total Fisher Price. We had one at the same time as a Fiesta ST and a mini Cooper and the differences were shocking. The only thing the Abarth did "better" that the Fiesta was make louder noises. I just don't get that car.

No toasted oats have been urine-soaked.

I agree about the Abarth interior -- it's shit. I do love the character of the car, nevertheless -- however, since this decision is still months away, I suspect that in the end I'll do the sensible thing. Used GTI, or new ST (if only for that last episode of The Grand Tour on Ford saloons -- granted, the Focus RS was the true bad boy, but the ST is the last US-available car in that long and honorable and largely British line of mild-looking, but hot handling, daily drivers).

[j44ke]

Man, I hate to pee in your cheerios but in my 20 years of testing cars the Fiat 500 (and Abarth) may be the cheapest feeling new car I've ever been in. No - it was the worst. Total Fisher Price. We had one at the same time as a Fiesta ST and a mini Cooper and the differences were shocking. The only thing the Abarth did "better" that the Fiesta was make louder noises. I just don't get that car.

Friends have both a current Fiat 500 and an original Fiat 500 and both are sitting up on blocks in the garage due to various problems. So in that sense, the new one is an authentic reproduction.

[Saab2000]

You started it. Besides, what isn't absurd here?

This whole forum is founded on absurdity. It is the bedrock of V-Salon.

[Saab2000]

No toasted oats have been urine-soaked.

I agree about the Abarth interior -- it's shit. I do love the character of the car, nevertheless -- however, since this decision is still months away, I suspect that in the end I'll do the sensible thing. Used GTI, or new ST (if only for that last episode of The Grand Tour on Ford saloons -- granted, the Focus RS was the true bad boy, but the ST is the last US-available car in that long and honorable and largely British line of mild-looking, but hot handling, daily drivers).

I wouldn't take too long. I think this may be the final year for the Fiesta in the US.