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Old 07-16-2018, 05:55 PM   #31
Nick M3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wdc330i View Post
I liked the Camry rack on the 2001 330i. I know I'm the only one.
I find it exhausting to drive cars with light/fast on center steering.
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Old 07-16-2018, 06:25 PM   #32
John V
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So, apparently that not even correct.
According to all the external markings, the turns lock to lock and the total travel, they were identical.
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Old 07-16-2018, 06:44 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
I find it exhausting to drive cars with light/fast on center steering.
That was my thought when I test drive a Evo VIII with two turns to lock
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Old 07-16-2018, 09:17 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
I find it exhausting to drive cars with light/fast on center steering.
Completely agree. While I didn't mind ZHP steering, I didn't mind the slower (pre-update) e46 m3. I don't need the car to change a lane if I sneeze.

Boxsters and Caymans have a variable rack, slow around the middle, sensitive as you keep turning.
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Old 07-16-2018, 09:38 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
I find it exhausting to drive cars with light/fast on center steering.
Thats my biggest complaint with the electro steering in the current 3 series cars (speaking specifically about my short term 335GT). Not only is it light with minimal feedback, but it is quick with very little dead zone. Every minor wobble of the wheel makes the car move. At least if you're going to make camry steering, make a big on center dead spot so you can wobble the wheel without changing directions.
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Old 07-17-2018, 05:25 AM   #36
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I don't need super quick steering but the E36 is absurd. Any one of the more modern E46 racks would be perfectly fine, I think.

I really wish there were more modern cars that I found interesting. I enjoyed my ZHP, but it was just a little too neutered to be interesting, and I was getting to the point where I was working on it all the time. Niggling stuff like airbag lights coming and going, random CELs that would come and go. I had done all the major stuff but it was getting a little tiresome.

An E36, even a well-maintained one, would be as bad or worse in that regard, but they're more engaging to drive which at least buys something. I would need to put a bluetooth audio and handsfree system, plus decent headlights in one if I went that route, but beyond that I think I would be okay with the oldness of it. Maybe not. I don't know. I really enjoyed Nick's car, even when tooling around at speeds where the engine swap wasn't really adding value. I fit in those cars well and am comfortable in them.

I have thought about a turbo Camaro like Clyde got. I probably should drive his to see. It's so cheap that it makes sense to consider one. I can't see myself getting one, but maybe that would change if I drove it.

None of the modern BMW stuff is remotely interesting to me. They all drive like there is a thick layer of wool between the driver and the chassis (minus the ones that are out of my price range). They're not designed to be worked on easily and anecdotally they develop a lot of problems as they cross over 80,000 miles, and I find the styling abhorrent. Not for me.

I'm not in love with the way the GTI drives, but they tick a lot of boxes. Cheap, cheap to insure, good fuel economy, reasonably fun to drive, limited slip diff, comfortable seats, manual transmission, good headlights and bluetooth.

I'm going to leave the Boxster parked for a couple weeks and see if I start to really miss driving it before making a decision one way or another.

Last edited by John V; 07-17-2018 at 08:00 AM.
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Old 07-17-2018, 09:25 AM   #37
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I have thought about a turbo Camaro like Clyde got. I probably should drive his to see. It's so cheap that it makes sense to consider one. I can't see myself getting one, but maybe that would change if I drove it.

I'm going to leave the Boxster parked for a couple weeks and see if I start to really miss driving it before making a decision one way or another.
We can swap Camaro for Boxster for a couple weeks anytime. Just let me know which tires you want on the Camaro. They make a difference.
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Old 07-17-2018, 09:30 AM   #38
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Why not make a daily out of the Boxster? Get winter tires and use it almost every day other than the worst storms or on days of carrying large items.

Will a turbo camaro or a done-up e36 be that much better than a 987.2? I don't think so. If you find a zhp too "neutered", 987 is where you want to be.

I don't think it'll cost THAT much to maintain, my porsches have been reliable and reasonable. It's a different thing if you were putting track/race miles on it.
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Old 07-17-2018, 09:46 AM   #39
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Originally Posted by clyde View Post
We can swap Camaro for Boxster for a couple weeks anytime. Just let me know which tires you want on the Camaro. They make a difference.
That might be fun.

Quote:
Originally Posted by equ View Post
Why not make a daily out of the Boxster? Get winter tires and use it almost every day other than the worst storms or on days of carrying large items.

Will a turbo camaro or a done-up e36 be that much better than a 987.2? I don't think so. If you find a zhp too "neutered", 987 is where you want to be.

I don't think it'll cost THAT much to maintain, my porsches have been reliable and reasonable. It's a different thing if you were putting track/race miles on it.
No track / race miles.

The Boxster has been my daily driver. But I have no interest in driving it through salt and snow. It's just in too nice of shape, and I don't want to subject it to that. I got winter tires and wheels the first year I owned the car and quickly decided that just wasn't for me.

I'm starting to realize I'm just not a convertible person. At least not in this climate. For the few days where it's not crazy humid or hot or raining, yeah, it's great. But there are very few days like that around here. Maybe the solution is to move?

And here's the thing, I don't really like driving the car that much with the top up. This was an issue I had with my first Boxster - I loved it when I could drive it top-down. But top-up, the visibility sucks, and you're always reminded you're in a convertible. Wind noise, some creaks and rattles, etc. It's just annoying.

This sounds like I don't like the car. I do like the car. It's a phenomenal car. If I didn't have the race car(s), I'd almost certainly keep it (or turn it into a Cayman) because I'd need something really stimulating to scratch the "fast car" itch. But for the dollar value of the two cars I could have one do-it-all car plus cash to finish the RX-8. That's more appealing than owning a zoomy street car.
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Old 07-17-2018, 10:15 AM   #40
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It sounds like you should sell the boxster and go halfers with JST on a 911T.

When you mentioned finding the zhp is too neutered, I thought the same as equ.
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