The BaT thread for the cars we won't buy, but kinda wish we would

[Nick M3]

Yeah, I agree that Sport isn’t actually that important on the E53.

BMW used a really soggy torque converter to make the 3.0 feel punchy with the auto. (And an on/off throttle pedal.) I assume that they went super short on the gearing so that the manual would also feel OK.

[kognito]

Originally Posted by JST

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...onte-carlo-10/

These were terrible when they were new and they aren't better now, and it makes me so irrationally angry that there is any amount of nostalgia for these complete and utter pieces of shit.

Like, I am fine even with fondly remembering the Renault Alliance. But this fucking garbage heap with a neutered V8, terrible interior, and cynical "euro" graphics and ground effects should just be shot into the sun.

I owned a first generation Monte Carlo (1970) in 1984. It was a daily driver for about 6 weeks (I think I paid 300 bucks for it) Some guys I worked with talked me into turning it into a demolition derby/Endro race car for use at Flemington raceway in NJ (don't look for Flemington Raceway on a map, there's a Walmart there now) If you ever opened the hood on a first generation Monte Carlo, there is about 20-24 inches of space between the bumper area and the motor. Made an awesome platform for Demo derby's once the radiator was relocated to the rear deck.

We had a lot of fun with that car after it was no longer road worthy

[John V]

Originally Posted by clyde

I had a super ton of fun amount of fun in my Fox bodies. Still think Nick cheated himself by not buying and beating on one when he was still a child.

Nick is smart.

Also, though, you can't simultaneously wear a polo shirt and drive a Fox Mustang. Divide by zero something something

Those cars are of the age now that he could totally pull off driving one ironically though.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by John V

Nick is smart.

Also, though, you can't simultaneously wear a polo shirt and drive a Fox Mustang. Divide by zero something something

Those cars are of the age now that he could totally pull off driving one ironically though.

He's smart, but he's not "that" smart. The man (he was still just a boy at the time I was advising him) has spent his driving life driving quality German cars. Some examples less "high quality" than others, but all of that stereotypical German design and engineering that provide a quality platform.

The reason I think he should have add a Fox body at the time was that the experience would have so broadly expanded his horizons into the real range of what's out there. And a V8 Fox body at that because no matter how flexi-flyer the platform it sat in, or how high-RPM wheezy they may be, the mid-late 80s era fuel injected Ford 302 is the perfect counterpoint to every BMW mill ever with infinite low end and totally bulletproof immediate torque and absolutely nothing up high.

As good with cars as Nick is today, had he spent 18-24 months with a 1987 Mustang GT as his main daily driver in the 1998-2205 range, he'd just be that much better today. Unfortunately, he's now too old to benefit.

...on a more serious note...

I think the first E46 M3 I went for a ride in was JST's black one in 2003(?) All I could think then—and every time I've been in an E46 M3 since—is that it was a Fox body Mustang GT all grown up. Like the incorrigible kid in high school that was rarely "in" school after he's cleaned up, has a kid with #2 on the way as now a junior executive in the corporate world that appears headed to bigger and better things. And, in terms of exhaust, has also moved on from listening to The Stones and The Who to the latest autotuned Top40 bullshit.

[SARAFIL]

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Fil is of the opinion that first was mostly useless with that gearing. I don’t really agree, but I can see his perspective. The lack of a 6th gear is the real problem on that thing.

Originally Posted by nate

I'm not sure no sport package is a problem on an X5, which is a pretty comfort oriented vehicle.



No heated seats definitely odd in Penn.

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Yeah, I agree that Sport isn’t actually that important on the E53.

BMW used a really soggy torque converter to make the 3.0 feel punchy with the auto. (And an on/off throttle pedal.) I assume that they went super short on the gearing so that the manual would also feel OK.

Yea - 5 (4) was getting at my opinion that only 4 of the 5 speeds are really usable. I think the extra gear on 6spd is much needed. Not sure how many of you have actually driven one of these, but it’s just a really weird car to drive.

Re: sport - not saying it’s a must on an X5 generally speaking, I know that majority of them are non-sport. But from my experience, the buyer who wants a manual on one of these probably wants sport package too.

[JST]

No polo and Fox body? Early 90s JST would beg to differ.

In Detroit at least Fox body cars—especially GTs—were prep cars. Partly that’s because all the kids got employee discounts from their dads, but it’s also because they were so much faster than BMWs. Why’d you want to go slow?

F-bodies, in contrast, were not preppy cars. I can’t really explain that.

Monte Carlos and G bodies weren’t either.

[Nick M3]

Originally Posted by SARAFIL

Yea - 5 (4) was getting at my opinion that only 4 of the 5 speeds are really usable. I think the extra gear on 6spd is much needed. Not sure how many of you have actually driven one of these, but it’s just a really weird car to drive.

Re: sport - not saying it’s a must on an X5 generally speaking, I know that majority of them are non-sport. But from my experience, the buyer who wants a manual on one of these probably wants sport package too.

I haven't driven a manual E53, but I figure that if I don't think first is useless with a ZF320 in an E30 with the same rear gear (and a MUCH smaller tire circumference) that I get to say that first is usable on the X5.

The 4.10 rear gear isn't actually *that* short with the X5's BIG tires. It's actually pretty comparable to the 3.46 that they put in, say, my old 325xiT.

[John V]

When I was growing up, Fox Mustangs were driven by two kinds of people:

1) Popular girls (automatic 4.9L GT convertible)
2) Guidos

3rd gen Camaros were driven by the guys (exclusively guys) who skipped gym class to go to the bathroom to smoke.

Of course I liked Japanese cars in the 80's and 90's, so what do I know.

I think Nick should buy a Corvette. Preferably a C4, but I'm not gonna be picky about this one.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by John V

I think Nick should buy a Corvette. Preferably a C4, but I'm not gonna be picky about this one.

I can support this, but C8 doesn't count at present.

[Nick M3]

Originally Posted by clyde

I can support this, but C8 doesn't count at present.

The only Corvette I want is a C2. (OK, I'd take a C1, but I've driven AND liked the C2.)

Also, you've been in my garage. C4 plus corvettes are just too big.