Dream Car Thread

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

I have owned Civics that would utterly slay your car. They both pushed 230hp NA one was a 90 Civic SI the other was an 89 Civic CRX both had modified B16 engines no turbo charging no nitrous oxide. My style is "clean sleeper".

If it's modified I would hope you would slay it. My car is bone stock. No mods except window tint possibly. A modified Civic can put out some decent power...but if you're talking stock, the SVT Focus was built to compete with the Civic Hatchback...and the SVT won. However, the SVT was only produced for 3 years so there's not many.

If I had money, I'd add some power...there's a guy who runs a tuning shop near a drag strip about an hour away who does great work. Someday...

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

It's not that, really. I have a huge dislike for sedans, and I like little sport wagons.

Audi made an awesome sport wagon.

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same Escorts. Mine was mid-90s, and still the body style I like the most.

I like the US Escorts but I was talking about the first gen European models. The mid 90's US Escort is cool too though. I'd have to say the coupe is my favorite.

I also believe that dropping it for the Focus was the worst styling move they ever made. To me the Ford Focus is one of the ugliest cars ever. Period.

It's not exactly beautiful (i'll admit it was pretty darn ugly until recently)....but the Focus has sold very very very well...and it's hard to argue with the sales numbers vs the Escort.

I nearly bought a 1994 Ford Escort last September. I would've been happy with it...but I then saw the ad for my current Focus.

[Betonov]

Since I can't afford a Škoda Octavia Scout, I'm going back to Clio.

The last time I owned one I got 50 000 km out of it, 20 000 of it was not on pavement, for €500.

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

If I had money, I'd add some power...there's a guy who runs a tuning shop near a drag strip about an hour away who does great work. Someday...

OK, now I'll write the thing again that I had deleted.
You should not have 170 HP to begin with. You are still an inexperienced driver, sorry but that's what it is. You have already totaled a car which could have been fatal and you ran over a dog all in less than 2 years apart. The fact that you try to race your new car already just adds to my opinion that you should NOT HAVE a high powered car. You live in a country with a speed limit of 85 MPH which each and every 4 banger with less than a 100 HP can reach (usually with ease). So what do you need that power for? Just "mine's bigger than your's"? That's like gorillas banging their chests. Are you really on that level? It doesn't make you a better person to have a faster car than someone else. It doesn't meant that you have "defeated" him in any way.
You know when you have managed to drive for 5 years without incident then you are perhaps ready for a car with more than 150HP but right now I see trouble ahead. It's not only your own life you are playing with but you are also disrespecting the lives of everyone else on the road if you race other cars.
Sorry for these harsh words but we are loosing so many young people to accidents with high powered cars and I lost people I know to those accidents too.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

OK, now I'll write the thing again that I had deleted.

I respect this.

The fact that you try to race your new car already just adds to my opinion that you should NOT HAVE a high powered car.

Being 100% honest, I've never been in a real race with anybody. The closest thing that I've done is go about 400 yards on a completely empty road in the lane next to a friend.

Just "mine's bigger than your's"?

Concept barely applies to 4-cylinders...but I know what you're saying.

Are you really on that level?

It's more talk than anything else. I give my Honda-driving friends crap but at the end of the day wheels are wheels. It's just friendly jabs more than it's apes beating on their chest.

It doesn't make you a better person to have a faster car than someone else. It doesn't meant that you have "defeated" him in any way.

You know when you have managed to drive for 5 years without incident then you are perhaps ready for a car with more than 150HP but right now I see trouble ahead. It's not only your own life you are playing with but you are also disrespecting the lives of everyone else on the road if you race other cars.
Sorry for these harsh words but we are loosing so many young people to accidents with high powered cars and I lost people I know to those accidents too.

I understand completely where you're coming from. I have a close friend who has lost 4 family members to terrible car accidents. Every summer, I work at a Youth Traffic Safety Conference organized by a local police department and sponsored by the state. I've talked to enough victims and families....i've seen pictures of what happens. I've even covered myself in fake blood/gore and climbed into a wrecked car to act out what happens at the conference.

I hear you and I want to say that I would never do anything unnecessary to endanger anybody's life. Practicing my powershift on a completely empty flat road at 10PM is one thing, but true street racing is really dangerous and the roads are too curvy in my area to do that.

My two accidents have more to the story than what was on Subsim. Yes, the first one I attempted to move into the left lane...No, it did not work. It's something I'd done fifty times but the landscape didn't allow it at that point in time. It happened too fast. What happened happened and I'm moving on. I think that the experiences have made me a better driver.

When I hit the dog, I had 3 choices. My little brother was in the car with me and we were going to school. There were 2 large dogs and a small dog in the road. I wasn't going to run off into the steep treelined ditch, so I tried to split the gap but the small dog matched my movements. I had no choice but to hit it. Once again, the landscape didn't allow much of a choice. If I slammed on the brakes and skidded, I would've wrapped the car around one of many trees lining the road. If it hit one of the bigger dogs, I would've totaled the car easily.

As a fan of cars, I like to throw a jab at rivals...jabs I will probably never back up with a race unless it is on a proper track and I'm not unnecessarily endangering anybody else. When I talk about adding power to my car, I'm talking way down the road. That gets expensive and dangerous and I can't do that working part time at a grocery store and going to school.

I respect your post and what you have to say. I completely agree. Too many people are dying in car accidents. I've met people who have had traumatic brain injuries who have major disabilities. I've nearly had one myself and now I tell my story to a new group of young high schoolers I work with every summer.

[Schroeder]

First of kudos for that calm response. I must admit that took me by surprise as I usually get different results when trying to talk to local people about that topic (even worse with bikers...).
The way you write it now sounds much more mature than what the previous post made me expect.
I know I'm a preacher when it comes to safety in traffic topics but I see too many crosses at the streets marking fatal accident sites. It's especially bad when you learn that some people died because one had to act like an idiot. It's all fun and games and then someone dies.
So many of these accidents would have been avoidable.

OK, you seem to have understood that and I hope you'll heed it during your driving career and stay accident free from now on.

BTW doesn't the Focus have ABS and ESP? If so skidding is almost impossible from what I hear.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

First of kudos for that calm response. I must admit that took me by surprise as I usually get different results when trying to talk to local people about that topic (even worse with bikers...).
The way you write it now sounds much more mature than what the previous post made me expect.

I'd say the same about this. It's been a pretty calm discussion. *knocks on wood*

I know I come across as an immature kid sometimes...to most, that's what I am...but I'd say I'm at least one step ahead of most in my age group on this subject.

I know I'm a preacher when it comes to safety in traffic topics but I see too many crosses at the streets marking fatal accident sites. It's especially bad when you learn that some people died because one had to act like an idiot. It's all fun and games and then someone dies.
So many of these accidents would have been avoidable.

There's nothing wrong with being a preacher. There was a girl who died on a bad curve two years ago this April. She died the night before prom. My best friend was really close to her. I can't drive by that cross without getting goosebumps bad. A truck driver who was screwed up on drugs had crossed the center line and the trailer had turned on its side. It was across the road and two vehicles hit it...one of which had this girl and her friends.

It makes my blood boil every time because some idiot had decided to get high and drive. Mistakes pile up... I never knew her personally...but many people I knew were close to her.

It's because not enough people are aware of (or not enough care about) the dangers

And of course, this is just one of many many stories. Too many people are stupid/ignorant/careless.

OK, you seem to have understood that and I hope you'll heed it during your driving career and stay accident free from now on.

I'll certainly do my best to stay accident free. I can't control everything that goes on in other vehicles...so the best thing I can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

The Missouri Highway Patrol estimates that it's a 100% chance that you will be involved in at least one traffic crash in your lifetime. I've had 1 major and 1 minor. It's out of the way and done with now.

BTW doesn't the Focus have ABS and ESP? If so skidding is almost impossible from what I hear.

They all have ABS as far as I know. I know for a fact that my car doesn't have traction control. Not sure if it's got anything else like that. Ford Foci with manual gearboxes usually don't have traction control (AFAIK). Electronic systems might be used on the later models...but like I said...I'm fairly certain mine doesn't have any of that. The fact that it's a sport model might affect that. In 2004, I think the SVT had a traction control option but I have a 2003...so yeah.

[Stealhead]

I believe that ABS became a requirement of FDOT for all cars some time in the late 90's or early 2000s. If not its one of thoses features that simply became an industry standard before becoming a regulated safety feature.

Your second from last paragraph sounds dangerously complaisant. I have been involved in four accidents only one while I was the driver. You should never assume that something will not happen or will not happen again you can drive perfectly and encounter a bad driver or have a tire blowout and enter a bad situation at any moment. While driving ALWAYS expect the worst I don't if you had an accident the previous day or ten years ago. I realize that you mentioned alertness in the
paragraph prior but then to have an its over and done now statement implies that you feel that way more than the other.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

I believe that ABS became a requirement of FDOT for all cars some time in the late 90's or early 2000s. If not its one of thoses features that simply became an industry standard before becoming a regulated safety feature.

I believe that.

Your second from last paragraph sounds dangerously complaisant. I have been involved in four accidents only one while I was the driver. You should never assume that something will not happen or will not happen again you can drive perfectly and encounter a bad driver or have a tire blowout and enter a bad situation at any moment. While driving ALWAYS expect the worst I don't if you had an accident the previous day or ten years ago. I realize that you mentioned alertness in the
paragraph prior but then to have an its over and done now statement implies that you feel that way more than the other.

Well, I just didn't have a good way to word it that's within the forum rules...but the attitude I have about it is that #*@% happens and we should be prepared for it.

I sometimes get into ramblings where I word things in such a way that looks contradictory. I've had to write too many essays lately....I'm burnt out on writing.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

I believe that.



Well, I just didn't have a good way to word it that's within the forum rules...but the attitude I have about it is that #*@% happens and we should be prepared for it.

I sometimes get into ramblings where I word things in such a way that looks contradictory. I've had to write too many essays lately....I'm burnt out on writing.

Those are supposed to help you master writing.

[Pisces]

Mine isn't a hotrod or anything like that. I loooooove the looks of a Pontiac Transport.



But never had enough stuff or family to put in it. So I probably will never have the need for it to buy one. If there is still one in good shape by then.

[Red October1984]

Had to necro an old thread of mine for one reason.

I was given an opportunity to test drive a 2013 Ford Focus ST3 today!

I could barely contain my excitement. I had just simply stopped to quickly look at it on my way home from work. But the salesman, seeing my Focus SVT had walked out and asked me if i needed any help. I just explained that I was looking to upgrade cars in the next year or so and I was stopping to look at this new locally traded ST. He then quickly offered me a test drive, to which I promptly said yes. He walked back into the dealership and came out with with the key (just a fob, push to start button in the car), dealer plate, and told me to give it a run around town.

I drove it in a large circle leading from town, out onto a state highway and back. I really do think i'm in love.

Pros:

TUUURRRRBBBBOOOOOOOBOOOOSSSTEEERRR!
(Never having driven a turbocharged car before, this was an absolutely amazing experience)

Stiff, but smooth suspension- I'm used to a stiff all-around racing suspension in my daily driver. This felt stiff, but at the same time absorbed bumps very well. I approve

Very smooth shifter and very satisfying power band

Recaro seats!

Cons:

Torque steer- With 252 hp to the front wheels, it's quite different than my 170 hp. I have a torque steer issue sometimes, but this was different when the turbo kicked in at a low gear, i could feel it. Although, Ford does have a great electronic assist for this

Turning radius- 1.8 turns of the wheel to lock. Something like a 39ft turning radius....just awful.


Price: They want $20K for it....keeping in mind this is an ST3, that's not a terrible price for a two year old car with 36000 miles on it and still under warranty. It's got heated seats, navigation, etc.

Overall, I love it. I got to drive a dream car and I'm very satisfied. I'm currently playing with numbers trying to figure out how I can afford one. It would most certainly be a good investment for going off to college. The SVT I have now is getting old and worn out despite having pretty low mileage. It'd be better to have something more fuel efficient and reliable.

[Red October1984]

Made the decision this week to go big or go home.

Bought a used 2005 BMW E46 330i.

Bought it for a couple reasons:

1) I needed to buy a car
2) I love BMW's
3) I love DIY work and learning how cars/engines are put together. (going into engineering school soon)
4) It's nicer than anything else I was finding for sale within my price range in this part of the country.
5) I have some car parts hookups

So yeah. I know there's a lot of hate toward me on the forum regarding things with wheels and motors but it's best for the discussion to leave that crap at the door.

I'm driving something safe that I enjoy fully in almost every aspect. I figured it would be worth re-necro-ing my old dream car thread just because over the past 5 years the engineering and automotive world has really opened up to me. That, and I'm sorta-nearly-almost the owner of one of my favorite land vehicles of all time. The BMW M3. (I'm at least as close as I can get) I'm excited to own something that I'm able to work on easily (easier than the last car) and drive around daily a little more reliably and comfortably than a factory-tuned low-production discontinued "hot hatch."

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

So yeah. I know there's a lot of hate toward me on the forum regarding things with wheels and motors but it's best for the discussion to leave that crap at the door.

In case that was directed at me there is no hate on my part, just concern that you hurt/kill yourself and maybe others. That's all.
I hope you'll enjoy the car and have a long crash free time with it.

[U505995]

My dream truck: 1979 Ford F-150

[Betonov]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Bought a used 2005 BMW E46 330i.

Now you really need to avoid crashes.
BMW parts aren't the same price as a FORD