Car Enthusiast Club [Now Motorcycle friendly!] - First thread to 150k! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Bitter]

Well that was a yesterday! Went out a couple hours away for a car meet with some local people. I leave on time, didn't forget anything, hit up Walmart to grab some Capri Sun and salsa from the group chat that they said the needed. Now the fun starts, I'm cruising on some of my favorite country roads. I get into Ottawa on time and I'm driving up the main road in town to get on Rt 71 westbound when I come to the turn and....road is closed westbound. I wait about 5 minutes for a break in traffic to pull a U, pull off onto a side street, figure out that OK there's this road down over here that connects I'll grab it since it's a few miles away and the road is surely open that far along if there was an accident or construction happening. I pull off a light and a big group of motorcycles out for a cruise are on my right, road goes to one lane so I slow down and let them all in ahead of me, we turn down the same road so I'm feeling pretty good cause they probably know where to go to get on 71 west. Nah. Roll down this road for a bit and come up on 71 west closed there too! This time I can talk to a sheriff and he says it's closed west all the way to highway 178 and you gotta bypass by going on the north side of the river then down at Utica. What a pain in the ass, I drop this in the group chat, some people who just take the highway there are starting to arrive.

On the way there J calls me to tell me that D is getting his car towed to Oreillys in Ottawa because it stalled and crank/no start on his way to the meet. I'm still in Ottawa so I head over just after the tow truck dropped it off and get some information from him about what it's doing. He describes what sounds like an ignition failure that's been worsening over a long period of time. Says it's never really ran smooth for a few years but it's a 5S-FE and they're not smooth engines (which isn't wrong) but he's describing some misfiring under acceleration and it got a lot worse on his way here from NEBRASKA 6hrs away. It actually got undriveable several times starting 2hrs after he left as the day started warming up, worse when accelerating at a certain amount of load. 70mph it breaks up bad but 60 was OK, then 60 wasn't OK anymore, then he stopped and grabbed some spark plugs and let it cool to change them, it was good again for another hour, stopped and grabbed cap/rotor/wires, it cooled down, good for another hour. Not all the way good but felt OK to drive kind of. He figured he's moving toward where we all are and one of us will probably know what's wrong and might have some spare parts so pretty sound logic. But then it stalled going 30mph over a bridge in the heat and would not restart. After the tow truck dropped it off, I showed up, then we waited for J to show up with his wife S. Car starts because it's cooled off, but that's CLASSIC Toyota Igniter/Ignition Coil failure right there. Oreillys can't have a coil and ICM until 4pm next day but it's at the warehouse up in Naperville about 90 minutes away and they're open till 10pm. He decides that he wants those parts but since he brought the grill and some stuff we need for the cook out we load it all in my car and hustle on down to the meet spot and get cooking, people have been waiting for a couple hours that arrived on time/early. By this time 71 is open both ways again, I hustle my car through the mini twisty road behind a late Mazda 3 that thought he could hang but spooked himself with some under steer/hard brake/over steer into a tight corner and slowed up, passed him on the straight, had a little fun on the 2nd half of the road, and roll into the meet. We cook, we eat, we hang out, we're all tired from the heat and D wants to go get his parts, so we cancel the usual hike and pizza dinner. I run D up to Naperville, get parts, back to Ottawa, install parts, he takes off home, I take off home.

At this point I've been up since 7AM, left the house at 10AM, and I arrive home at 10:30PM.  Wake up this morning to a post on the forum that he made it all the way back home. Based on the time he left and the time he posted I'm pretty sure the car isn't broken anymore.

 

tldr a car broke and i'm a nice dude.

[Levent]

10K+ for LSD, $40K base.

 

Time to sell a kidney and get a E92 M3. This is not a $50K car by a long shot.

[IPD]

3 hours ago, Levent said:

10K+ for LSD, $40K base.

 

Time to sell a kidney and get a E92 M3. This is not a $50K car by a long shot.

They want 50k?  I can go up 10k more and get a c8 corvette....  Or 10k down and get a used MK5 supra...scratch that.  For 50k, I can get a used ZL1 Camaro.

[JoaoPRSousa]

I could also buy the nearest shitbox for 50k, if they accepted.

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, IPD said:

They want 50k?  I can go up 10k more and get a c8 corvette....  Or 10k down and get a used MK5 supra...scratch that.  For 50k, I can get a used ZL1 Camaro.

Nostalgia.

[IPD]

48 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Nostalgia.

Nissan hasn't put out a good sports car since the Z32 and R34.  Everything starting with the z33 onwards is a portly, quasimodo-looking walrus--yes, including the R35.

 

Heck the best thing I can say about the G35 coupe is that you can bin all the cosmetics and turn it into a Vaydor.

[Levent]

I have been thinking about converting a cooled/ventilated car seat into a computer chair for close to a decade now, any ideas about common cheap candidates? 

 

Late 00s 7 series what came to my mind but I hate leather with a passion, so those are out I guess.

[IPD]

1 hour ago, Levent said:

I have been thinking about converting a cooled/ventilated car seat into a computer chair for close to a decade now, any ideas about common cheap candidates? 

 

Late 00s 7 series what came to my mind but I hate leather with a passion, so those are out I guess.

I don't honestly know if you could do better than an HM Mirra or Aeron.

[Levent]

6 minutes ago, IPD said:

I don't honestly know if you could do better than an HM Mirra or Aeron.

I cant, but I also cant drop $2K on a chair. Worst case scenario, If I can figure out how ventilated seats work with upholstery, I might try to retrofit my ikea backbreaker as its due for major cushion work.

[IPD]

1 hour ago, Levent said:

I cant, but I also cant drop $2K on a chair. Worst case scenario, If I can figure out how ventilated seats work with upholstery, I might try to retrofit my ikea backbreaker as its due for major cushion work.

Best of luck to you.  You'd probably need gel cushioning or something, and perforated fabric over it.  I'm going to add a Purple cushion on mine...just for the extra padding.

 

P.S.

You can sometimes find great deals on HM chairs from surplus and secondhand outlet stores.

[vetali]

11 hours ago, Levent said:

10K+ for LSD, $40K base.

 

Time to sell a kidney and get a E92 M3. This is not a $50K car by a long shot.

I am gonna disagree, and I personally have disliked Nissan for a while now. Probably since the 90s. If you can get one at MSRP, then I don't see much competition here out of the box. Nissan appears to have put out a solid offering without bending over the early adopters like with the MK5 Supra. Between the first year revisions and now the manual transmission being confirmed, its a slap in the face. Also pretty funny for the designer to call that out specifically in the video.

[bcredeur97]

43 minutes ago, vetali said:

I am gonna disagree, and I personally have disliked Nissan for a while now. Probably since the 90s. If you can get one at MSRP, then I don't see much competition here out of the box. Nissan appears to have put out a solid offering without bending over the early adopters like with the MK5 Supra. Between the first year revisions and now the manual transmission being confirmed, its a slap in the face. Also pretty funny for the designer to call that out specifically in the video.

It’s good but I guess we’re just used to them coming out with a super solid product at a lot less money that what it competes with, and (I didn’t look into it much so please correct me) I think the argument they are making is that they didn’t do this? 
 

like the 350Z was amazing for the $. So was the GT-R when it was first released. For like $85k you got a supercar competing machine 

 

kinda like what corvettes do. But with a tad bit more polish? 

[IPD]

I don't think Toyota compromised on the MK5 Supra.  I think it is true to what the OEM MK4 was.

 

The issue is, F&F and years of internet lore have somehow created this mythology around the MK4 that builds it up like it's some kind of golden god.  Of course the MK5 can't compete with that mythos, even though it is a better (OEM) car in every respect than the MK4.  And it doesn't hurt that the MK5 has a different "flavor" to its BMW sibling as far as how it drives.

 

Honestly, the new NSX is far further from the old NSX tree...than either the 400z or the MK5 are from their progenitors, imho.  I personally am going to shit on all of them though, because the Mitsubishi GTO will never come back; and that's a far worse crime to me.

[Bitter]

3 hours ago, Levent said:

I cant, but I also cant drop $2K on a chair. Worst case scenario, If I can figure out how ventilated seats work with upholstery, I might try to retrofit my ikea backbreaker as its due for major cushion work.

Fords use a Peltier module, you can buy the heating/cooling module and probably make your own controls.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185355221687

They're not terrible expensive and the TEC and blower are all dumb parts, the smart bit is the control module but I'm pretty sure you could just wire up a simple thermostatic control for the TEC and have the fan just blowing all the time maybe on an old school dial type PC fan controller.

[bcredeur97]

32 minutes ago, IPD said:

I don't think Toyota compromised on the MK5 Supra.  I think it is true to what the OEM MK4 was.

 

The issue is, F&F and years of internet lore have somehow created this mythology around the MK4 that builds it up like it's some kind of golden god.  Of course the MK5 can't compete with that mythos, even though it is a better (OEM) car in every respect than the MK4.  And it doesn't hurt that the MK5 has a different "flavor" to its BMW sibling as far as how it drives.

 

Honestly, the new NSX is far further from the old NSX tree...than either the 400z or the MK5 are from their progenitors, imho.  I personally am going to shit on all of them though, because the Mitsubishi GTO will never come back; and that's a far worse crime to me.

When a product is good and becomes a “legend” it’s almost impossible to make a successor to it because no matter what people will complain about x being “not the same”. 
 

If anything I think (performance) cars could be so much much better than they are today if we go back 20 years in safety and emissions standards but keep all the other tech we have. A lot of just those 2 categories has shaped the cars we have today, and it’s almost impossible to make a agile lightweight car now because of them, arguably mazda did the best they could do with the ND Miata but that’s about about as far as you’ll get.

 

there’s only so much the manufacturers can do. 
 

plus a lot of the current generation doesn’t care about performance cars, even reasonably priced ones (eg the ND Miata) are basically poster child’s that do not sell well and don’t really make anyone money.

 

having racing pedigree, used to make money but that is dying off, if it isn’t already dead. Hopefully be revived someday. 

[bcredeur97]

25 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Fords use a Peltier module, you can buy the heating/cooling module and probably make your own controls.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185355221687

They're not terrible expensive and the TEC and blower are all dumb parts, the smart bit is the control module but I'm pretty sure you could just wire up a simple thermostatic control for the TEC and have the fan just blowing all the time maybe on an old school dial type PC fan controller.

Always loved how ford gives you actual cooled seats with peltiers instead of just venting them with only a fan. 

 

VW/Audi(not sure on other VAG cars) doesn’t do that... they only vent seats. A lot of other cars only vent too. Not sure who else actually has some kind of active cooling.

 

it’s a big deal down here when it’s 94F outside with 85% humidity lol. Even if it does make you feel like you wet your pants after a little while lol 

 

ford should advertise that their competitors don’t do this more. I think it would help sales some/force others to implement 

[vetali]

2 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

It’s good but I guess we’re just used to them coming out with a super solid product at a lot less money that what it competes with, and (I didn’t look into it much so please correct me) I think the argument they are making is that they didn’t do this? 
 

like the 350Z was amazing for the $. So was the GT-R when it was first released. For like $85k you got a supercar competing machine 

 

kinda like what corvettes do. But with a tad bit more polish? 

I remember the 350z being on the expensive spectrum back in the day. The only thing I can find online of 350z MSRP is 36.5k for the base in 2009. That translates well in favor of the new z if you manage to get it for MSRP (you won't).

[bcredeur97]

9 hours ago, vetali said:

I remember the 350z being on the expensive spectrum back in the day. The only thing I can find online of 350z MSRP is 36.5k for the base in 2009. That translates well in favor of the new z if you manage to get it for MSRP (you won't).

I'd argue in 2009 it was almost not relevant anymore. What about 2003? 

Also holy crap that car was around for a looooong time

 

edit: 2003 was $26k (about $40k in todays junk dollars) according to this: https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2003-Nissan-350Z/specs/

[iDeFecZx]

9 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

I'd argue in 2009 it was almost not relevant anymore. What about 2003? 

Also holy crap that car was around for a looooong time

 

edit: 2003 was $26k (about $40k in todays junk dollars) according to this: https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2003-Nissan-350Z/specs/

Meanwhile

 

Almost $24k 

[IPD]

1 hour ago, iDeFecZx said:

Meanwhile

 

Almost $24k 

hard to imagine any scenario where I'd opt for a Z over a same-year-or-newer C5 or C6 corvette in the same price range.

[bcredeur97]

Regardless of money, I do like the new Z. It’s a cool car. 
 

i do kinda feel like it should be a little cheaper still though too, even though it’s arguably priced /right/. 
 

but I only buy depreciated used cars anyway so what does it matter? Lol 

[IPD]

Anyone else see the Smart Crossblade and think, "Gee!  That looks like the Pontiac Stinger prototype from 30 years ago!"?

[bcredeur97]

15 hours ago, IPD said:

Anyone else see the Smart Crossblade and think, "Gee!  That looks like the Pontiac Stinger prototype from 30 years ago!"?

I think the back of the eclipse cross looks vaguely like an aztec

[DANK_AS_gay]

Took my 2005 5.4 Triton F150 FX4 to the Ford dealership to get my exhaust manifold replaced. They said that they wanted to take the whole engine out because the bolts were going to break. The reasoning? Well, little bits could get in the engine. 

 

IT WOULD HAVE TO GO HALF A FOOT UPWARDS. JUST SHOVE FCKING PAPER TOWEL IN THE HOLE

(picture not of my engine, but an example engine)

Dude, I get that this is one of the most difficult exhaust manifolds to replace, that's why I took it to the dealer (my mistake). But there is no reason to freak out about something that can be solved by paper towel/shop rags. I know that the studs will break. I know that the bolts will break, but unless you intentionally do something to get metal bits in the engine, you aren't going to get any in there.

[DANK_AS_gay]

16 hours ago, IPD said:

Anyone else see the Smart Crossblade and think, "Gee!  That looks like the Pontiac Stinger prototype from 30 years ago!"?

No. I just see stupid. You take a dangerous car that has a reason to be dangerous (MPG, except I could get double that MPG from a Honda Insight), then make it more dangerous, and take away the MPG. What do you have? Nothing. No reason for this to exist. At least sports cars are fun, even though they also have no reason to exist. But this thing is slow, it looks dumb, and it is dumb.