[Closed] Fast road cars

There it is again.. fascinating.

What I always found fascinating was the number of people in vanilla diesel supermarket hacks and asthmatic superminis that would drive like their underwear was on fire the minute they saw something clearly a bit special. They outnumbered the kids in their Max Power pride & joy by 10 to 1.

+1, and try to speed up as you overtake

There's also the guy who proclaims to love driving so much they don't want a 'fast' car as they will speed everywhere, so that have a boring passat/mondeo/vectra/whatever. I can never understand that. There's a guy at work like that.

I swapped the head unit for a Sony touch screen as the standard fit iPhone set up drove me mental! Still got it to fit back though.

I've no problem with mods but when I see an untouched mk2 16v, series 1 rs turbo etc against a modded one, I know which I'd have. Just personal choice I suppose.

I used to have a Pug 306 GTi, I guess it's not *that* fast by today's standards. The most satisfying part was giving it a squirt on the M1 to get past a particularly annoying pillock in the middle lane, and feeling the 'go' even at 70. The most fun part was windy B roads - and again, it didn't have to be over the speed limit to be enjoyable.

Nowadays I drive a Toyota Highlander - V6, AWD, and again, being able to feel the shove at 60mph is reassuring. And with the Canadian winters, you can have a ton of fun at <20mph just going round corners.
I'm idly looking at S4s or something similar as a second car now...

cobrakai - Member
Ben_h, a friend got rid of his mk5 r32 for a mk 7 gti. He says the gti is quicker and better handling but he weeps when he hears mine. I oblige him by revving a lot.
^^ I almost bought a Mk7 GTI about a month ago.

I decided at the last minute to live a little and to go down the tuning route with my R32. The upfront cost is obviously substantial, but it'll cost less overall than any new car of even 2/3rds the power - and of course I'll have the presence, feelgood factor and knowledge (mainly to myself!) that I have a real sleeper.

The fact that I'm a 34-year-old sensible dad of 2 with a boring career etc just adds to the fun! No 320d in recession white for me...

The R32 sounds amazing, especially with a non-resonated Miltek on it. I'd never get bored of listening to it. They were on my list when I bought the 330 but they were more money, heavier on tax etc for no extra performance. Just a better noise. I also couldn't find one in budget with the bucket seats that reminds d me of the ones in the RS4.

Fast cars are more than just fast. It's an attention to how they work that those who are interested will notice. Our fastish car (when new, but a bit average now, 944 S2) rides better than newer motorway cruisers I've owned or driven, corners steadily with great traction out and an ability to pull hard in any gear, anywhere on the tachograph with some good noise.
Wife probably gets more out of it within the limits as she struggles to get it in 5th (although 3rd will have you at motorway speed with revs to spare).

Previously had a Mx5 mk2 that was good to fling in and certainly benefited from being lighter. Cheap Corsa bought as an interim was good too as driven with no concern for its longevity.

I think my car is pretty fast, and I love it. However it does 8mpg and I can't get my bike in it. But hells teeth does it go...

Fast cars are generally going to cost a lot more to buy, tax, fuel and insure, as well as any frustration from wasting 90% of their capability...
Most cars spend 22 hours a day parked up so the more £££ you spend on it, the more you're wasting...
Buy a cheap car and a really nice bike for the same overall ££? In town, cycling's generally faster anyway 😀

Or buy both! Just don't try to put one in the other...ahem

The Fabia is roughly the same weight and power as an XR2 that was once considered a boy racer car, in fact due to the turbo diesel torque it's probably faster in most situations.

But it won't be. Not even close.

My CDTI has more torque than the Type-R it shares a body with, care to bet which one is quicker (I'll give you a clue, it's not the 100hp emphesemic).

Sorry but your 1.4 Fabia isn't fast by any stretch of the imagination nor can I really see you using so little of it's power unless you regularly transport open containers of nitroglycerine through Holland. My diesel regularly gets the foot to the floor (apart from anything else it serves as preventative maintenance to the VNT vanes) and struggles to overtake anything without a 20mph differential and a decent amount of road.

Also, XR2 is more powerful and lighter (94hp, 800kg vs 80hp, 1130) so not sure where you got those figures from.

I find it odd that people are saying how good a car is by how fast it is in a straight line and how many cars they can overtake.

To me that just smacks of people with insecurities and the car gives them power.

Good cars are those that are a joy to drive on empty roads where every corner is an event and you can easily take the car beyond its level of grip.

I've never driven a Ferrari etc, but I bet they are pretty crap on the roads as you can never really get to their limit of grip safely

Sorry but your 1.4 Fabia isn't fast by any stretch of the imagination

Fast is relative. We aren't all boy racers.

I find it odd that people are saying how good a car is by how fast it is in a straight line and how many cars they can overtake.

To me that just smacks of people with insecurities and the car gives them power.

I have a quick in a fast line but awful in corners type car (A6 V6 Quattro with 250 BHP). I have it because I like powerful cars (always had small fast cars like 1275GT Minis, XR2s, Pumas, Clio RSIs, TTs etc) but now have a young family so need a practical car. I am not at all insecure in any way.

I'm not sure it's insecurity, but it's quite odd that people can be all grown up and mature generally, but still get a kick out of the fact they can go faster than someone else.

I mean going fast is fun, I completely understand that - the visceral thrill of acceleration can't be denied. But why the comparison with other cars and even their drivers?

You only have to look at What Car to see whose car is faster - it's a clearly defined and well known statistic.

What smacks of insecurity to me is the need to belittle someone else's interests by feigning a lack of comprehension of those interests.

Anyone who's driven a properly quick car will know that straight line acceleration is supremely exhilarating. But acceleration is very, very rarely the only "trick" in the car's repertoire. Apart from purpose built dragstrip cars, a car that does the 0-60 sprint in less than 6 seconds will have suspension, tyres, brakes etc. to provide handling characteristics that complement the power. It's just that the power is one of the main things that defines it.
A Defender 90 will go round a corner perfectly well but that's not the stand-out feature you'd use to describe it to someone else. Just as a 911 will potter about happily at 30mph. That's not what grabs the headlines though.

It's not often Molly speaks sense...but most blokes I've met have fast(er) cars, not so they can go fast per se, but it's so that they can go faster than "someone else"

Isn't that the not so unsubtle point of fast cars?

Good cars are those that are a joy to drive on empty roads where every corner is an event and you can easily take the car beyond its level of grip.

I've never driven a Ferrari etc, but I bet they are pretty crap on the roads as you can never really get to their limit of grip safely

nickc - Member

It's not often Molly speaks sense...but most blokes I've met have fast(er) cars, not so they can go fast per se, but it's so that they can go faster than "someone else"

It's not really revelatory this; Most times when mine is doing more than a 2000rpm lazy cruise, it's because it's overtaking. I use the performance for fun sometimes but it's mostly [i]useful[/i] for more easy and safer overtaking of Peebles coffin dodgers and other slow movers. Going faster than someone else doesn't imply racing, it just means you want to go faster than someone else

There it is again.. fascinating.

What I always found fascinating was the number of people in vanilla diesel supermarket hacks and asthmatic superminis that would drive like their underwear was on fire the minute they saw something clearly a bit special. They outnumbered the kids in their Max Power pride & joy by 10 to 1.

alt view

intresting how many fast cars/marque brands really get miffed and speed up when an innocuous looking car overtakes them.............

are they threatened?
are they demonstrating their 'power'?
are they Clarkson-esque?

........Spike Milligan had a mini tuned up in the 70s to a ridiculous level, used it for seeking out rolls royces and other fast cars, would pull up next to them, wave and speed off leaving them for dead, laughing as only Mr Milligan could....

driver of innocuous souped up car.

I bought a 3.2 v6 a3 a couple of months ago as I've started commuting to work a short distance (25miles each way on a roads)..

For me its the best compromise as it's super comfortable, the initial cost was cheap (50k on the clock 06 - top spec everything sline £5k). It's the dsg model and I've never had an auto before but when I went to test drive it I was blown away - it's flipping ace and the flappy paddles and manual shift are good fun when you want to feel more connected.

It does struggle to ever see 30mpg ... might get 33mpg at 65 on a motorway but I didnt buy it for that.

I figure I've got a lot of fuel to spend as I've saved a lot on the price of the car... equiv spec in something more boring from audi in the a3 range would be closer to 10k.

Oh and 250bhp via a v6 is frikin ace!

I didn't say it was "fast" by todays standards, an XR2 wouldn't be either.

They started life as a 80something horsepower btw and the car weights were notoriously a work of fiction.

I owned both a mark one and two both were fun at the time but utter crap in comparison to modern hatchbacks without sporting pretensions.
If you gave me choice of a car to cover a good distance in as short time possible the Fabia would be a much better choice every time.

The point being is that modern cars.. even basic ones are way more capable than UK road conditions allow you sensibly utilise them, making "sports" cars unnecessary for practical purposes.

There primary function is establishing status, maybe aesthitic and fun for those who like that sort of thing.

As others have said if you want something that gives the illusion of speed with a massive grin factor, then get a kit car. Lotus 7 types are great but there are others available which would be worth a look. The Arial Atom was at the top of the Top Gear lap times board for a long long time.

I think there are few different types of drivers

Drivers who want to be quicker than the other car
Drivers who want that sensation of driving quick
Drivers who want the sound of a V or screaming revs
[i]EDIT: There are more types[/i]

I am Driver #2 & #3: Personally I am not a huge fan of cars similar to the RS4, you have to be going damn fast (twice the speed limit) for it to feel quick. Driving at normal speeds is like most other normal cars.

Take an old car like a Mk2 RS2000, driving at 30mph in a 30 zone feels fast, it feels more like 50mph and yes the speedo is correct. It's more than speed, it's the fact that you get the sensation of driving fast, while still being within the speed limits.

When deciding on a car you need to ask yourself which driver are you.

If you are driver #1 and want to drive fast, prove to yourself that you are fast, take it to a track.

Completely standard mk2 3dr 16v small bumper here. Love it - it's tiny compared to newer hatches & goes like a rocket (relatively speaking) from 4k. I've even cleared out the garage so that it's got somewhere warm & dry to live.

There's also the guy who proclaims to love driving so much they don't want a 'fast' car as they will speed everywhere, so that have a boring passat/mondeo/vectra/whatever. I can never understand that. There's a guy at work like that.

I like driving and I drive a dull, but capable diesel Mondeo. I do that for practical reasons not because I fear for my lack of self control and observation skills. Money no object rapid rear wheel drive German estate please Preferably six cylinders and petrol. In reality 20k a year and other priorities for cash means I stock with the Mondeo, which is a pleasant place to spend a journey and very capable at all the essentials

Having owned much quicker more fun cars there is still pleasure to be had from driving even a dull box well and with precision. It's just a different kind of cchallenge.

I like driving and I drive a dull, but capable diesel Mondeo. I do that for practical reasons not because I fear for my lack of self control and observation skills.

Perhaps I wasn't describing you then? I'm sure there are very good reasons why you drive the car and the way you do, and I'm sure your pleased with it and there's nothing at all wrong with that. However I'm talking about a very specific but common personality type I come across that drives a boring car and justifies it by saying if they had a quick(er) car they would lose their licence.

I thought i'd got a farily fast motor until i went for a spin in a mates RS6 avant (V10 lambo jobbie), 653bhp and the way it builds speed is unreal! Everything is relative but the want now from sitting in this thing is just like a fat lip from a automotive presenter 😯
There's a unemployed presenter in us all right? That said i'd have my old MK1 mex back any day!

bamboo
What did you do on the p1 project max torque? Who were you working for?

I did the hybrid powertrain development/calibration (not on my own obviously, i'm good, but not THAT good... 😉

I like driving and I drive a dull, but capable diesel Mondeo. I do that for practical reasons not because I fear for my lack of self control and observation skills.

Perhaps I wasn't describing you then? I'm sure there are very good reasons why you drive the car and the way you do, and I'm sure your pleased with it and there's nothing at all wrong with that. However I'm talking about a very specific but common personality type I come across that drives a boring car and justifies it by saying if they had a quick(er) car they would lose their licence.

Sorry my post came out badly I didn't think you were describing me! 😀 I was in the process of agreeing in a very roundabout way but a combination of the edit cut off, my stop on the train and a 3g black spot meant it didn't get on here!

In many respects those people may be better off in their more restrained vehicles if their observation skills and self control are so weak 😉

I'm not sure it's insecurity, but it's quite odd that people can be all grown up and mature generally, but still get a kick out of the fact they can go faster than someone else.

I mean going fast is fun, I completely understand that - the visceral thrill of acceleration can't be denied. But why the comparison with other cars and even their drivers?

Why race bikes? Why use Strava? Why buy a longer travel bike for the downhills? Why shave weight off wheels, frame, components? Why train to get fitter? Why buy good quality kit and clothes? Why attend a skills course?

Hell, the average cyclist must be totally insecure by your standards. Who want's to be grown up and mature anyway? Not me 🙂

Interesting topic. I used to be of the opinion that I wanted at some point a silly fast car , but as time has gone on, I've drifted away from that view a bit . . . or more like softened in that want.

I think that one of the factors has been my job (police) giving me the element of being able to drive faster (in certain circumstances) than what you normally would. My patrol area includes everything from urban to really rural, so that faster driving is done across a range of road types. In doing so, you get your fill of the speed element such that when you are in your own car, the need for speed doesn't really exist so much - if at all I find.

I am definitely more mellow in my normal driving in general. I rarely rush, and don't get phased by others impatience.

To me, the silly fast want has moved towards a want for the car to be engaging when you drive it progressively. I think I would find that something like an RS6 as mentioned above would be frustrating in that you're rarely able to push it hard without having to then back-off fairly quickly.

I had an 04 mini cooper recently, which had great handling, but felt like i was ragging it when driving it. I now have a 730d BMW and its engine and power delivery are brilliant, but the handling is . . . well . . . soft.

I think now, the perfect car for me would be along the lines of a small / medium car with a decent grunt engine . . .3 series with 3 litre engine type thing. That way your getting good handling, with an engine that can be pushed hard at times, but isn't too over the top you feel its wasted.

A 3ltr in a 3 series is too much. I've got a 2.0 one and its plenty quick enough.

I think now, the perfect car for me would be along the lines of a small / medium car with a decent grunt engine . . .3 series with 3 litre engine type thing. That way your getting good handling, with an engine that can be pushed hard at times, but isn't too over the top you feel its wasted.

My wife was a 325i that seems spot on apart from not being able to hear the engine enough.

My desire to drive fast cars waned after having big motorbikes. Once you pin the throttle on a 1050 speed triple almost everything else in the world seems slow.

That's why I like the mx5. It's all about cruising with the tunes on and top down, or getting corners 'just right'

RS6 avant (V10 lambo jobbie)

yourguitarhero - Member
My desire to drive fast cars waned after having big motorbikes. Once you pin the throttle on a 1050 speed triple almost everything else in the world seems slow

Try my ZX14.......

Why race bikes?

Different. On a bike, it's man to man - your own effort, sweat and determination. Plus a race is something everyone signs up to for the purpose of racing each other. If you win it's because you trained and rode hard, you put the effort in.

Burning off people at traffic lights or roundabouts is.just shouting about the car you happen to have bought. You haven't achieved anything beyond spending money and moving your right foot. Might as well go around town looking for someone with cheaper jeans than you and pointing it out.

Or how about like up at the lights on your carbon road bike next to some kid on an MTB and tearing away.. Show them who's boss.

Note I am not arguing against fast or nice cars (on this thread!) nor am I arguing against going fast (on this thread). I am expressing surprise at the prevalence of the sentiment that enjoys beating some random on the road in an inferior car.

I thought i'd got a farily fast motor until i went for a spin in a mates RS6 avant (V10 lambo jobbie), 653bhp and the way it builds speed is unreal! Everything is relative but the want now from sitting in this thing is just like a fat lip from a automotive presenter

I used to think that about my bosses RS6. Then we had to do a 1000 mile mostly motorway round trip in it. After that I'd be happy to never go in it again. Noisy, uncomfortable but spectacular down the slip road after the frequent service station stops to fill it up....

I think there are two elements, having a great car you know is very capable, superbly engineered and good looking and then driving it to use the performance. I've always liked fast/sports cars and have owned a Cayman S for 8 years. The most usable performance is the acceleration and cornering ability obviously, top speed is just a number and going fast in a straight line is pretty boring anyway. In the same way you'd go out on your MTB to search for the best trails in such a car you go out for a drive to find some twisty roads or make special road trips to do so.

As an aside I used to find keeping to the speed limit harder in the A6 I had as its so quiet and smooth.

I have a Clio 172 cup, it's a little short of power on track, 50bhp more would make it better but it's a little too fast for the road, pushing it to it's potential around corners on the road is suicidal.

I also have an old mini van running 80bhp and it's great on the road, full throttle everywhere and you never get in trouble. You can really extract everything it's got and for me that's where the fun is.

Despite thinking 80bhp is just right for it, I find myself building a new turbo motor for it lol.

molgrips - Member

I am expressing surprise at the prevalence of the sentiment that enjoys beating some random on the road in an inferior car.

Not sure how surprised you can be, tbh, since you're choosing to see it in places where it's not. You chose to interpret my comment earlier in the thread this way, for instance. It's not as prevelant as you want to think.

I thought i'd got a farily fast motor until i went for a spin in a mates RS6 avant (V10 lambo jobbie), 653bhp and the way it builds speed is unreal!

I had the use of a tuned/mapped/etc Impreza STI for a day.

You'd floor it looking at the horizon and blink and you were there. Nothing inbetween it seemed. Going round a motorway curving sliproad it gripped like crazy- looking at the speedo I shat myself. Literally.

The only time I've felt scared in a car driven by me.

Too much power is pointless. 99.9% of the time you only appreciate the ingear acceleration 30-50, 50-70 for overtakes etc.

A decent diesel would sort that (don't flame me)

Any good steering/suspension-sorted car with 150bhp is all we need IMO.

I wish the motorbike lot would keep themselves out of threads like this. We're talking about cars not bikes. We're all aware that bikes can be fast, hey some bikes are even faster than some cars, but then again there are some cars that are faster than some bikes.

Where they can be compared though is that riding a bike you're unfortunately much more likely to meet your maker by riding into a stone wall. It was the multitude of fatal accidents caused by irresponsible bikers that have lead to a blanket 50mph speed limit and average speed cameras across swathes of the Peak District's previously best driving roads, ruining it for those of us who like to drive a nice twisting road swiftly but responsibly. Thanks chaps 😕

I shat myself. Literally.

Where they can be compared though is that riding a bike you're unfortunately much more likely to meet your maker by riding into a stone wall. It was the multitude of fatal accidents caused by irresponsible bikers that have lead to a blanket 50mph speed limit and average speed cameras across swathes of the Peak District's previously best driving roads, ruining it for those of us who like to drive a nice twisting road swiftly but responsibly

They are just as likely to run wide and go through the windscreen of a car too.

I think the 50 limit came in not due to bikers but all road users.

Example- theres a think water drainage overflow that runs across the road just after the start of the drop down on Snake Pass. In colder months it freezes. You get people overturning and crashing into the steel-guaze/rubble bails at the side of the road as they think OMG MY CAR HAS LOST CONTROL when really its 0.5secs of light steering so they oversteer madly for some reason.

Then theres another further along.

Then there are the thousands of drivers who see two solid white lines and a imminent corner/bend as 'time to overtake this slow driver'.

TBH roads like Snake will one day have average cam sections mostly thanks to the car drivers who are thick ****s or just can't drive (but add to the accident stats that are skewered into speeding stats all the same).

molgrips - Member

I am expressing surprise at the prevalence of the sentiment that enjoys beating some random on the road in an inferior car.

I overtake cars because they are impeding my progress.
I may find amusement in passing a dawdling molgrips in [i]my[/i] inferior car, but then that's hardly random, is it?
😛

I've overtaken lots of people in a 65bhp Citroen C1. The only issue that I ever accounted doing this was when a mans ego was spiked and he decided to match my speed once alongside him.

I found angry drivers get more angry with you doing the same things in a smaller car.

I used to have a MkII Polo, 1.1l. If I were in a hurry I might be doing 80 or so in the outside lane overtaking things, and rep-man in his Merc would sometimes be apopleptic behind me. I must admit on one occasion I did slow down to match the car to my left for a minute or two, just to wind him up.

agent007 - Member
I wish the motorbike lot would keep themselves out of threads like this. We're talking about cars not bikes. We're all aware that bikes can be fast, hey some bikes are even faster than some cars, but then again there are some cars that are faster than some bikes.

Where they can be compared though is that riding a bike you're unfortunately much more likely to meet your maker by riding into a stone wall. It was the multitude of fatal accidents caused by irresponsible bikers that have lead to a blanket 50mph speed limit and average speed cameras across swathes of the Peak District's previously best driving roads, ruining it for those of us who like to drive a nice twisting road swiftly but responsibly. Thanks chaps

Why should we keep out of it?
Seriously - why?
Do you think we don't drive cars?
May I suggest you toddle off and actually look at the stats for Biker injuries and deaths and then kindly shove your "irresponsible bikers" comment up your ....
Seven people I know lost their lives in that area last year - ONLY ONE was their fault.
The other six were all caused because of either a SMIDSY or a CAR driver being where they bloody well shouldn't have been on the road.
As a Biker - you're "much more likely to meet your maker" because of another idiot in a car - not a stone wall.

May I suggest you toddle off and actually look at the stats for Biker injuries and deaths and then kindly shove your "irresponsible bikers" comment up your ....

[url= http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/police-in-bid-to-reduce-snake-pass-686095 ]Here you go[/url]

[url= http://www.itv.com/news/granada/update/2014-04-01/biker-narrowly-misses-car-and-falls-40ft-on-snake-pass/ ]Oh, and . . .[/url]

"A 3ltr in a 3 series is too much. I've got a 2.0 one and its plenty quick enough. "

No its not. 335d driver here and its just about perfect...

So you find two articles on t'internet that directly target bikers - the Derbyshire Police one was/is a directed campaign against Bikers and they were lambasted for it.
The other an inexperienced rider who released the footage to show others what he did wrong.
You still haven't shown anything to back up your comment.
The vast majority of the reasons for the blanket ban is from inexperienced drivers in high powered vehicles having/causing accidents.
Bikers are targeted because they are an easy, soft target without the likes of the AA/RAC behind them.
As so many on here keep spouting - driving is seen as a "right" and no one is going to take the chance of going up against the majority....

A decent diesel would sort that (don't flame me)

Over time, I prefer the low down torque of a large engine diesel than free-er revving petrol.

As for 2.0 diesel being fast enough versus 3.0 - yes and no. The 2.0 will have the pull to do the overtakes, but I feel that your pushing the upper limits to get that performance, where as the 3litre engines seem to give out the acceleration with more ease, and have more on top for when you really want it. The 3 litres / six cylinders have a deeper scope for acceleration which I like personally over a 2 litre / 4 cylinder.

I was behind a BMW 135 and he seemed to be finding it a handful, almost like he was oversteering or too much acceleration then brake - no smoothness. I kept up with him in a wallowy boat of a car by comparison. We weren't racing, I kept a static distance but I think he could see me constantly in the near distance and wanted to be 'gone'. I remember thinking 'why bother?!!!'

I remember years ago blasting off from the lights, disapearing off and then pulling upto the next lights. Only for the old Volvo estate that was behind me originally to slowly round a corner and pull up slowly behind me again. Repeat twice and I thought 'what is the point in this childish driving?!'

May I suggest you toddle off and actually look at the stats for Biker injuries and deaths and then kindly shove your "irresponsible bikers" comment up your ....

Really? 😆

You still haven't shown anything to back up your comment.

So you find two articles on t'internet that directly target bikers

[url= http://think.direct.gov.uk/motorcycles.html ]Okay here's another one then (from the Government this time). Think the stats speak for themselves![/url]

hora - Member
I was behind a shit driver and he seemed to be finding it a handful, almost like he was oversteering or too much acceleration then brake - no smoothness. I kept up with him in a wallowy boat of a car by comparison. We weren't racing, I kept a static distance but I think he could see me constantly in the near distance and wanted to be 'gone'. I remember thinking 'why bother?!!!'

FTFY

We had a similar experience with my Mrs driving the old van and getting held up by a Nissan GTR - apparently you have to smash the break pedal for every single bump/dip/crest/curve in the road in one of them

?! I find that unlikely.

Maybe what's needed is something that isn't that fast, but feels like it is:
[img] [/img]

agent007 - Member
May I suggest you toddle off and actually look at the stats for Biker injuries and deaths and then kindly shove your "irresponsible bikers" comment up your ....
Really?

You still haven't shown anything to back up your comment.
So you find two articles on t'internet that directly target bikers
Okay here's another one then (from the Government this time). Think the stats speak for themselves!

Actually - they don't.
They show a vulnerable road user more likely to be KSI'd. Nothing more.
Again - back up your statement about it being "irresponsible bikers" being the cause of YOU not being able to enjoy your driving road.....

I wish the motorbike lot would keep themselves out of threads like this. We're talking about cars not bikes. We're all aware that bikes can be fast, hey some bikes are even faster than some cars, but then again there are some cars that are faster than some bikes.

I got the impression that people who - me included - have ridden very fast motorbikes are simply saying that they're faster and, more importantly, more visceral than any car, no matter how fast. Which they are, particularly in terms of acceleration. Closest thing to flying without leaving the ground.

Anyway, so I'm quite happy with my modest Corrado VR6 with tweaked suspension etc. I know it's not fast by STW standards, but it's fast enough for me, makes a great noise and has the advantage of being obscure enough that most people don't know what they are.

I can't think of anything worse than driving around in some blatantly obvious rocket-ship of a thing, I don't care about being faster than other drivers or not, and if I were genuinely bothered about going quick, I'd get back into bikes. But that's a whole different thing... 😉

[quote=agent007 ]I wish the motorbike lot would keep themselves out of threads like this. We're talking about cars not bikes. We're all aware that bikes can be fast, hey some bikes are even faster than some cars, but then again there are some cars that are faster than some bikes. As the first person to refer to bikes on this thread, I'll chime in.

The thread has, for a change, actually included some intelligent discourse on the pleasure folk get from driving. For many, it's the feeling of acceleration, the joy of threading through some nice corners or the sight of other vehicles receding in your rear-view mirror. The fact is that all of these pleasures are available on two wheels, and they can be experienced on relatively low powered and less expensive equipment. Of course there are downsides; vulnerability, noise (though that's not all bad) and the weather amongst them.

gofasterstripes - Member
?! I find that unlikely.

Well obviously. My comment was to do with the capability of the driver rather than the car

Just replace motorcyclist with cyclist in the bike complainers' posts.

oh wait.

Anyway, so I'm quite happy with my modest Corrado VR6 with tweaked suspension etc. I know it's not fast by STW standards, but it's fast enough for me, makes a great noise and has the advantage of being obscure enough that most people don't know what they are.

It's fairly high on my wish list of cars...

the joy of threading through some nice corners or the sight of other vehicles receding in your rear-view mirror. The fact is that all of these pleasures are available on two wheels, and they can be experienced on relatively low powered and less expensive equipment. Of course there are downsides; vulnerability, noise (though that's not all bad) and the weather amongst them.

Just buy a 2004 MX5. You don't have to hang up your steering wheel in bad weather, rain, snow or sleet. Just drive, it steers nicely, it feels nice. Its also cheaper than most decent motorbikes.

Job done. Sorry.

I'll also add- a while back I was driving behind a Transit Connect van that was pissing out diesel on the winding roads towards Hayfield. I was beeping and flashing him. Eventually he pulled over .. at lights.

So I said (knowing why now) 'you know your pissing out diesel'?

Yes, oh yeah mate.

He was obviously trying to get to his destination where he could replace the tank etc rather than stop and pay for recovery. This way he saved his wallet but how many ****ing other people will have skidded off their motorbikes?

He carried on after I pulled away.

Pillocks like that don't give a ****. One of the many reasons why I won't ride a motorcycle sadly.

Sounds just like the numbnuts who necked his tank at a filling station here and then promptly left a trail of diesel 135mts long around a bend/junction.
At 3pm on a bright April afternoon there was no way of seeing the spill due to the underpass and not only myself but another rider and 4 cars all crashed. OK - at less than 20mph - nut still a major clear up that closed an A road for over an hour.
Guess what.. despite CCTV and a witness behind him - he did not get prosecuted and the claim had to go against the MIB for "uninsured loss against an unknown driver". Work that one out!

This thread is just the flip side of the "cyclists against fast car drivers" except its the car drivers against bikers this time.

[quote=hora ]Just buy a 2004 MX5. You don't have to hang up your steering wheel in bad weather, rain, snow or sleet. Just drive, it steers nicely, it feels nice. Its also cheaper than most decent motorbikes.Lots of lovely 11-year old motorcycles if vintage transport is your bag.

what is that gofasterstripes?

looks like the bastard lovechild of a Morgan 3 wheeler and Galvatron from Transformers.

Who is against motorbikes? Just because a couple of posters do/are- doesn't mean the rest of us are.

I chose not to because I don't trust other road users. Similar to how I feel to road users in my car just alittle more wary.

Lots of lovely 11yr old bikes out there?

I saw a W(?) reg'd suzuki hayabusa 1200- covered in road dirt/grime and what looked like Jap tax/doc(?) stickers- No idea on how it'd ride but it looked ****ING AWESOME.

That is a [url= http://www.polaris.com/en-us/slingshot ]Polaris Slingshot[/url].

I am trying to enthuse my design for a ULEV with something like that pazazz. It certainly caught your eye 🙂

This thread is just the flip side of the "cyclists against fast car drivers" except its the car drivers against bikers this time.

We're not against motorcyclists, it's just that this thread is all about cars, yet all we seem to get is 'yes but my bike is way faster, more fun, more raw than your car can ever be'. Well guess what, my uncles aerobatic plane is way faster, more fun and involving than your bike could ever be, but so what - we're talking about cars.

In the past I have ridden motorcycles regularly off road whilst working for months in the Australian outback, usually with shorts, t-shirt and no helmet and they were a lot of fun but I have no desire to don a thick, sweaty leather suit, restrictive helmet and ride motorbikes quickly on the UK roads.

I'd argue that cars are every bit as involving as bikes once you're on a good bit of road. Not only do you not have to wear an uncomfortable helmet which for me feels like you're insulated slightly from what's going on around you (maybe mine was a rubbish helmet) but because a car isn't trying to kill you at every opportunity, the experience of a fast car, more so when its a small roadster like an Elise, can be enjoyed far more and in far greater safety for you and other road users. I've already pointed out that bikes are way more dangerous than cars (38 x more dangerous mile for mile).

So ride bikes if you want, I've no objection to that, but don't come on here saying that bikes are better, more involving etc. because for me, and many other IMO, they just are not.

the sight of other vehicles receding in your rear-view mirror

Why is this enjoyable?

Presumably because the sight of them in your rear view mirror means you're no longer being subjected to their tiresome, detached approach to driving and you can get on with enjoying yourself.

Just give up pretending to want to try to understand, molgrips. You're not fooling anyone.

Why is this enjoyable?

Some people enjoy it. They have imaginative brains and enjoy the game. Whether the game is real or in their head is irrelevant.

Why do you enjoy pootling everywhere? Only you know.

[quote=agent007 ]In the past I have ridden motorcycles regularly off road ....

I'd argue that cars are every bit as involving as bikes once you're on a good bit of road. And yet many folk commenting here have the experience you lack and disagree with you. Makes you think, eh?

They have imaginative brains and enjoy the game

So they are pretending that the other person is racing them? And that their cars are in fact equal but the other person is inferior and can't keep up?

I find this odd. Well - I didn't when I was 8 years old..

Just give up pretending to want to try to understand, molgrips. You're not fooling anyone.

I do try to understand everyone, but in this case I am trying to avoid the conclusion that anyone who enjoys the sensation of winning a race against some other driver in a slower car has the mind of an 8 year old. Cos that wouldn't be nice.

I find this odd. Well - I didn't when I was 8 years old..

Do you? Do you find it odd?
Do you find it odd that people continue to enjoy things they enjoyed when they were younger? Do you?
Like riding bikes? Like eating chips? Like going on rides at amusment parks?

I think you mean, you don't like it so no-one else should. Is that correct?

For me owning a well sorted fast car or bike means that you can actually enjoy driving rather than mindlessly drifting to a destination. Had to drive some fairly boring company cars for a while and unfortunately they became an office, which was not good.

you can actually enjoy driving rather than mindlessly drifting to a destination

It is possible to enjoy driving without having a fast car. There is another way. Comfortable crusing can be enjoyable.

You still need a well sorted car, but it's all about ride and driver comfort. Handling and performance needs to be just good enough.

Do you find it odd that people continue to enjoy things they enjoyed when they were younger?

Not everything, no. But this one, yes. Do you still worry if you haven't got the proper cool trainers?

I think you mean, you don't like it so no-one else should. Is that correct?

No, it's not.

Not everything, no. But this one, yes. Do you still worry if you haven't got the proper cool trainers?

Nope.

No, it's not.

Yeah, but it demonstrably is. Riding that high horse for that long must be making you sore.