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Fun Car...

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Skier
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Years back, when Smart Cars were a thing, I saw one pull into the rest stop at the top of Vail Pass as I took a break on a bike ride.

The Smart Car was brand new with temp tags, and the couple that stepped out looked terrified and rather unhappy with each other, possibly regretting their life choices. I can't imagine driving that thing on I-70 surrounded by big rigs and trying to stay with traffic on ascents and descents. Yikes.
 

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Back to fun cars, the hybrid Corvette looks amazing:



Most importantly, a hybrid design like this hopefully will keep all the ICE fun cars around for another generation. Use electrification as a performance enhancement, while allowing the automaker to say all models are electrified.

It's awesome that electrified performance cars will compete with Teslas' acceleration while making a lot of noise!
 

cantunamunch

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What's awesome is electrified performance cars can compete with Teslas' acceleration, while making a lot of noise!

Unless Musk can pull out something completely unexpected out of his backside (and not talking Twitter here), Tesla are about to be completely surpassed in a broad range of categories, from acceleration to autopilot to range to energy recovery %/traction management under braking.

By Euros and GM and Koreans.
 

James

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Yeah but Elon can tweet about how bad those cars are. Then use 1 million fake accounts to agree.
That way, he’ll kill two companies with one tweet.
 
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scott43

scott43

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Unless Musk can pull out something completely unexpected out of his backside (and not talking Twitter here), Tesla are about to be completely surpassed in a broad range of categories, from acceleration to autopilot to range to energy recovery %/traction management under braking.

By Euros and GM and Koreans.
Especially when the stock price is becoming uncomfortably low... Down 62% in the last 52 weeks..
 

Tom K.

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Cayenne S returns to V8 power!


I'm in the very early stages of shopping, and pleased that the nearest P dealer is 3 hours and two mountain passes away. ;)
 

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View attachment 179367

After its first week in Colorado, I'm super happy with my new-to-me 2008 G35S 6MT. The car is in fantastic condition and drives like new despite being 14 years old and having 97K miles. It certainly doesn't look or drive like either.

Buying this unicorn sight unseen from across the country was a risk that I'm glad I took. The PPI helped mitigate that risk, but there's nothing like test-driving a car. Fortunately, the sounds and smells all check out, and nothing funny has popped up through my first tank of gas. I've yet to find anything that doesn't work on the car.

As for the fun part, the car is freaking fast and a blast to drive with 306 HP, RWD, an LSD, and a six-speed manual! The NA V6 engine wants to rev to its 7600 RPM redline. It needs a redline buzzer like my old RX-7. :ogbiggrin:

My relationship with the clutch is off to a rocky start. G's and Z's are notorious for difficult clutches, per the magazine reviews from back in the day and forum posts. I've stalled it a handful of times, including twice the first night taking the family out to dinner. Glad they had a good laugh at my expense. I'm finally getting used to it, and I don't think I'll have to resort to any of the mods that purportedly help.

I'm not happy with the dark tint on the rear windows. Doing a little research, it looks like it was legal in CA but not here in CO. It makes seeing out the back very difficult at night. Even during the day, I don't think my peripheral vision catches cars as easily to the sides and in the rearview mirror. I think I'll get it retinted with the maximum allowed in CO, which should be similar to the current front windows.

I was lucky enough to find some winter wheels on CL dirt cheap. They are off a G37xs that burned (with aftermarket wheels) when the car next to it caught on fire. They wanted them out of the garage, including tires with a little tread left and TPMS for $240.
They are 18" like mine, just not staggered as came on the RWD sport models (225 front, 245 rear vs. 225 all around).

I like the look of my OEM wheels better, but they are hard to find and expensive. My CL find wheels are great lightweight Enkei's that were OEM on the sport models G37s and will fit over my big brakes standard on sport models. If not for the brakes, I'd go down to 17" for the winter. Now I need to decide on winter tires.

View attachment 179370
I'm loving my new-to-me G35 6MT Sedan. Such a fun daily. It puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. I went way too long without a manual transmission in my life.

I'm bumping because this G37 6MT Sedan popped up in a search and looks great (same car as mine with .2 more liters displacement):

If you don't get a manual transmission this year, you will be one year older when you do!:ogbiggrin:
 

doc

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I'm bumping because this G37 6MT Sedan popped up in a search and looks great (same car as mine with .2 more liters displacement):
Yea, but the price does not include $599 for 4ever start battery program or 1 yr exterior environmental warranty. WTH?

I'm keeping all of my 6MT cars, even if they begin to require baling wire to hold them together. Drives me crazy manufacturers don't see the market for MTs.
 

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Does that car have a folding rear seat?

I've got a friend in Austin.....
No, unfortunately, the sedans only have a stupid ski pass-through.

The coupes have a folding rear seat, though, for some reason. Coupes are also easier to find with a 6MT. Not easy, but easier.
 

Tom K.

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No, unfortunately, the sedans only have a stupid ski pass-through.

The coupes have a folding rear seat, though, for some reason. Coupes are also easier to find with a 6MT. Not easy, but easier.

Excellent news. Wallet safe.

FWIW when this car was first introduced, I would have been a buyer in a sportwagon (had an Infinity connection at the time).
 

Tom K.

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On a whim, I pulled the trigger on a new toy, as I seem to be inclined to do every 8-10 years. My criteria for as much fun as I can have:

4WD and decent ground clearance.
Fits dog and/or bike in back.
Back seat folds dead flat or really close.
Pulls Mrs. K's small horse trailer.
Can be serviced in my rural area.
More power. Always more power.
Firm-ish handling/suspension.
Decent highway fuel economy.

The fuel economy criteria is fairly soft, as I'm a pretty low mileage per year guy, but I have this mental block at less than 20.

The local servicing requirement crosses off the BMWs I've owned and loved over the decades, as well as Mercedes, Porsche, Audi and the like. Never an Audi guy but the QS7's sweet little V8 has appeal.

So........a somewhat pedestrian Ford Explorer ST incoming. Surprisingly stoked! I never thought I'd have a faster/more powerful vehicle than my 350 x 350 XC60 R-Design, but this at 400 x 410 is more ....

No stick shift options available that fit my needs, but at least I'll have paddle shifters.

I will miss the sweet song of the Volvo's inline six, though I love the crap out of the Ford Ecoboost V6 in our Transit van, and the dealer is 7 miles away.

Thanks for listening!
 

Uncle-A

In the words of Paul Simon "You can call me Al"
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Dec 22, 2015
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On a whim, I pulled the trigger on a new toy, as I seem to be inclined to do every 8-10 years. My criteria for as much fun as I can have:

4WD and decent ground clearance.
Fits dog and/or bike in back.
Back seat folds dead flat or really close.
Pulls Mrs. K's small horse trailer.
Can be serviced in my rural area.
More power. Always more power.
Firm-ish handling/suspension.
Decent highway fuel economy.

The fuel economy criteria is fairly soft, as I'm a pretty low mileage per year guy, but I have this mental block at less than 20.

The local servicing requirement crosses off the BMWs I've owned and loved over the decades, as well as Mercedes, Porsche, Audi and the like. Never an Audi guy but the QS7's sweet little V8 has appeal.

So........a somewhat pedestrian Ford Explorer ST incoming. Surprisingly stoked! I never thought I'd have a faster/more powerful vehicle than my 350 x 350 XC60 R-Design, but this at 400 x 410 is more ....

No stick shift options available that fit my needs, but at least I'll have paddle shifters.

I will miss the sweet song of the Volvo's inline six, though I love the crap out of the Ford Ecoboost V6 in our Transit van, and the dealer is 7 miles away.

Thanks for listening!
Good Luck with your new toy.
 
Thread Starter
TS
scott43

scott43

So much better than a pro
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
13,549
Location
Great White North
On a whim, I pulled the trigger on a new toy, as I seem to be inclined to do every 8-10 years. My criteria for as much fun as I can have:

4WD and decent ground clearance.
Fits dog and/or bike in back.
Back seat folds dead flat or really close.
Pulls Mrs. K's small horse trailer.
Can be serviced in my rural area.
More power. Always more power.
Firm-ish handling/suspension.
Decent highway fuel economy.

The fuel economy criteria is fairly soft, as I'm a pretty low mileage per year guy, but I have this mental block at less than 20.

The local servicing requirement crosses off the BMWs I've owned and loved over the decades, as well as Mercedes, Porsche, Audi and the like. Never an Audi guy but the QS7's sweet little V8 has appeal.

So........a somewhat pedestrian Ford Explorer ST incoming. Surprisingly stoked! I never thought I'd have a faster/more powerful vehicle than my 350 x 350 XC60 R-Design, but this at 400 x 410 is more ....

No stick shift options available that fit my needs, but at least I'll have paddle shifters.

I will miss the sweet song of the Volvo's inline six, though I love the crap out of the Ford Ecoboost V6 in our Transit van, and the dealer is 7 miles away.

Thanks for listening!
Just drove 17hrs to Myrtle Beach in an Explorer limited. Nice vehicle except for the annoying wind rattle in the drivers door area and the anemic gasping sounds of the V6. It has power through. Nice vehicle.
 
Thread Starter
TS
scott43

scott43

So much better than a pro
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
13,549
Location
Great White North
IMG_20230316_104308231_HDR.jpg


Found the car I did my driver's test in....
 

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