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Old 10-17-2018, 02:36 PM   #1
John V
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Cars I don't want to want

In between meetings at work, so a counterpoint to the other thread. Cars that I nearly constantly think about, and which I wish I could get out of my subconscious.

1) Third gen RX-7. Have driven a few over the years and been very underwhelmed, but the shape of these calls to me without fail roughly once a year. I have no practical (or impractical, even) use for one. And they're expensive now, even for junky ones. and they're all junky, because they were junky when Mazda built them. But I really want one. If I were rich, I'd have one to park in the garage and look at. Not to drive. Because, you know, you want to get home.

2) Another E36 M3. Coupe. No sunroof. Manual seats. Preferably in white or yellow (sorry, Bren). I loved driving Nick's with the Euro swap, but the gearing was all wrong and I'd need to swap in a faster ratio steering rack. But I would totally daily drive the hell out of one of these... and then rapidly remember why I sold my '95, which yes I'm glad you asked I sold because they're kind of clunky cars with interiors that disintegrate. But they're from that era where BMW made pretty simple, analog cars with airy interiors. Every modern (turbo) BMW I've driven has been not very enjoyable (laggy DBW throttle, soggy engine mapping and turbo response, unengaging noises, disconnected steering, suspect reliability).

3) Mazda RX-8. This is going to sound weird, because I have one, but I can't get the thought of a street-legal RX-8 out of my head. Not with a Renesis, because... no. Cheap V8 swap is the easy button, but I do worry that it would ruin the feel of the car a little bit. People are starting to swap GM V6s into these cars, but ... yeah, no. Nevermind that I don't have time to build a street RX-8 with an engine swap. I still want one. And I don't want to.
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Old 10-17-2018, 02:42 PM   #2
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Like you, my eye goes back to the more analog cars.

Outright speed matters less and less. It’s the subjectivity of the driving experience that matters to me.
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Old 10-17-2018, 03:20 PM   #3
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Old 10-17-2018, 10:13 PM   #4
equ
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I like the idea of this reverse thread (or was Matt's first thread opposite to begin with?).

Guilty pleasures, or cars that we can't stop thinking about. For me, based on looks, it's the Alfa Giulia sedan. Even in the 4-cyl form, it just speaks to me. Haven't driven one.

Caymans, I can hardly get them out of my head. But I have to remind myself that I have one of the best spec'ced Boxsters possible and would lose a ton switching out. Not to mention disappoint C.
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Old 10-18-2018, 06:48 AM   #5
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Hmm...

1. E36 318ti or E36 Touring with an S50/S52 - I really want to make one of these a reality in the next few years before they all completely rust away
2. Isuzu Vehicross - No reason at all, I think they're weird and ugly enough to be cool.
3. Honda S2000 - I've always liked them but have never driven one. They seem to be going up in price and most have been beat on pretty good by now, but it's probably what I'd have if I never bought the FR-S.
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:14 AM   #6
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I guess I should add "An E46 with an LS engine" to this list. It would probably be way worse than I imagine it being, but I would be willing to bet I could build it for less money than I could sell it for if I got bored with it.
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:57 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by equ View Post
I like the idea of this reverse thread (or was Matt's first thread opposite to begin with?).

Guilty pleasures, or cars that we can't stop thinking about. For me, based on looks, it's the Alfa Giulia sedan. Even in the 4-cyl form, it just speaks to me. Haven't driven one.

Caymans, I can hardly get them out of my head. But I have to remind myself that I have one of the best spec'ced Boxsters possible and would lose a ton switching out. Not to mention disappoint C.
I am also drawn to the Caymans, despite the fact that I’m a diehard convertible person and I find the form factor of both the Caymanand Boxster hard to get in and out of.

A Miata or Fiat version are on the list.

And my random American pick: Corvette Stingray.
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:04 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wdc330i View Post
I am also drawn to the Caymans, despite the fact that I’m a diehard convertible person and I find the form factor of both the Caymanand Boxster hard to get in and out of.

A Miata or Fiat version are on the list.

And my random American pick: Corvette Stingray.
After my C5 experience and having a good friend with a C6 Z06 I firmly decided I'm not a Corvette person.

But then I drove a C7 Grand Sport and .. uh... argh...
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:28 AM   #9
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Car I don't want to want:

Honda Accord. Been true since 1999.

Competently forgettable to drive. Anonymous appliance that you can go or take anywhere and no one will notice you, look at you, remember you, or think anything about you. The car won't attract any attention for any reason. Inexpensive. Does anything you need in the practical realm of why cars exist. Generally as reliable as anything.

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Old 10-18-2018, 09:04 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by clyde View Post
Car I don't want to want:

Honda Accord. Been true since 1999.

Competently forgettable to drive. Anonymous appliance that you can go or take anywhere and no one will notice you, look at you, remember you, or think anything about you. The car won't attract any attention for any reason. Inexpensive. Does anything you need in the practical realm of why cars exist. Generally as reliable as anything.

Are they still the most stolen car in America? I had two. That burned off any desire to have another--especially the '94 version. I got it as a manual, but they had already engineered a fixed arm rest that interfered with the stick. Harbinger of things to come...
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