Driving cars that make you appreciate yours more.

[bigaudiofanatic]

This morning I had to take my parents to the airport for their trip. Because they had so much luggage we used my mothers civic sedan. Before I go any further I would like to say I have owned 2 civics a hatchback 1999 and a 2003 Coupe.

 

So I got in and instantly reached for the push button start. "My altima has this" Next was the road noise fallowed by the poor acceleration. Next was stopping for coffee, walked up to the door and tried to unlock it by the key-less button like my altima has "which the civic does not" The final stray was how cramped and uncomfortable I felt by the time I got back home.

 

As soon as I recited in my altima to head to work, I knew how much I appreciate and love everything about it. The comfort, the room, the convenience of push button start and keyless entry. Even the hood release on the back hatch.

 

What I am getting at is simply this. If you ever feel like a higher end car is not enough take a budget car out like a civic out for a drive. See how fast you RUN back to yours.

 

Love my Altima and so happy I picked it.

[Chuckkilo3]

I rarely if ever get to drive other cars. I do get to drive state owned trucks though. I haven't driven one yet that I like more than my own truck. I also have a car with smart key technology. It's nice having a car where you can leave your key in your pocket and still gain access, start and drive the car.

[matts88yj]

I had an 89 Toyota MR2 I drove back and forth to work for a few years. No A/C, no power steering. Just a go kart basically. It was fun taking corners in that thing and just enjoying it. I had the MR2 at work and went to pick up my 09 G8 GT over my lunch break. I got to drive it to work and park right beside the MR2. Now I have a 50 mile one way commute that's mostly highway. What did I take first? The G8. I wanted to get it home as fast and safely as possible. Once that was in the garage, my dad took me back to work to pick up the MR2. Holy crap am I accelerating? What's that rattling noise? Is that the wind? I feel like I'm bouncing all over the place! I can't see worth a crap with these headlights. Is the radio even on?

 

You get the idea

[Marylander]

I had an 89 Toyota MR2 I drove back and forth to work for a few years. No A/C, no power steering. Just a go kart basically. It was fun taking corners in that thing and just enjoying it. I had the MR2 at work and went to pick up my 09 G8 GT over my lunch break. I got to drive it to work and park right beside the MR2. Now I have a 50 mile one way commute that's mostly highway. What did I take first? The G8. I wanted to get it home as fast and safely as possible. Once that was in the garage, my dad took me back to work to pick up the MR2. Holy crap am I accelerating? What's that rattling noise? Is that the wind? I feel like I'm bouncing all over the place! I can't see worth a crap with these headlights. Is the radio even on?

 

You get the idea

 

Funny, I have an 85 MR2 and a luxo-quiet, smooth 2010 VW. The VW is hands-down 1000% more civilized, quieter, safer, and superior in every measurable way. But the MR2 makes me smile and giggle every time I drive it -- it's just so simple, raw, and pure. You can rev it to 7500 rpm on every shift if you want. No it's not fast. And faced with a 50 mile drive I'd take the VW 9 times out of 10. But the MR2 has the fun factor locked down. Like they say, it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

[XQIZT]

I rarely drive my '85 (with the Z51 suspension) but every time I do, I grin like a fool. You'd swear it was on rails. I love the road feel. Every time I drive something more "sophisticated" I actually feel disappointed. There's a reason people say you "put on" a C4.

[Tim]

I rarely drive my '85 (with the Z51 suspension) but every time I do, I grin like a fool. You'd swear it was on rails. I love the road feel. Every time I drive something more "sophisticated" I actually feel disappointed. There's a reason people say you "put on" a C4.

 

I rented a Mustang last weekend to go to the clinic at Thompson because I wanted something fun (but yet still inexpensive) to drive. Not nearly as fun as my '84 with the Z51, you have it easy with an '85!

[XQIZT]

I rented a Mustang last weekend to go to the clinic at Thompson because I wanted something fun (but yet still inexpensive) to drive. Not nearly as fun as my '84 with the Z51, you have it easy with an '85!

 

OMG, the '84 Z51's are BRUTAL!! Amazing handling car and they'll rattle the fillings right out of your skull. But, even now, they are GREAT autocross cars. Instant torque and 1G on the skid pad.

[70'sChevyGirl]

I really enjoy driving all of my cars but I do notice that my Vette has the hardest ride, the 350Z isn't much better-I guess because they sit so close to the ground and then my Camaro...it isn't a nice smooth ride like my Charger was.

 

Good thing I prefer the HP over the ride!

 

 

I also drove a lil Midget Kia of some sort. Talk about getting a strange feeling when your doing 70 mph next to a Semi.

[Tim]

OMG, the '84 Z51's are BRUTAL!! Amazing handling car and they'll rattle the fillings right out of your skull. But, even now, they are GREAT autocross cars. Instant torque and 1G on the skid pad.

 

OH, they're fine, a very smooth ride - at least until you run over a speck of dust.

[DemoN]

i drive this daily:

 

and this on the weekends:

 

jeep: sits high...lots of ground clearence

silverado: have to take everything at angles or air it up for clearence.

 

jeep: floor shifter

silverado: column shifter

*this REALLY messes with you when you first switch over LOL*

 

jeep: window switches are on console

silverado: manual window cranks on doors

 

Jeep: emergency brake in console

silverado: emergency brake? what?

 

jeep: v6 and very little power

silverado: cammed ls1 and very little traction

 

Jeep: gas milage isn't bad at all

silverado: really?? LMFAO

 

jeep: care nothing for the paint and body. it's been egged and i don't care.

silverado: if a bird craps NEAR it, i make sure none got on the truck

 

Jeep: silver SUV surrounded by millions of silver suvs. disappears on the highway.

Silverado: stands out like a sore thumb. constantly dealing with people tailgating, driving in my blind spots, watching in their mirrors (instead of the road), drifting in my lane...all so they can get a better look at the truck.

 

Jeep: Your mom's ride

Silverado: your mom WANTS to ride

 

 

 

both vehicles make me appreciate the other. each brings something to the table that i like...

[LDM]

Back in December I had to leave my G8 at the dealer for some warranty work and they gave me a G6 sedan so that I could get to work and back. First thing I do is start it up, put it in reverse, take my foot off the brake and nothing happens. I'm so used to having enough torque even at idle that I don't have to press on the gas to get it rolling. So I step on the gas to get it moving and I learn that the thing has the turning radius of a boat while trying to get out of the parking lot. My car is physically bigger, yet could still turn circles inside this thing. Anyway, on my way to work there's a stretch through town where the speed limit is 30 and my car usually chugs along in locked-up overdrive with AFM engaged at 1,000 RPM. This thing needed to screw at 2,000 RPM just to maintain 30. I was so glad at the end of the day to return that thing and get my beloved Holden back. And this is why it bothers my when people get the G8 confused with a G6.

[Chuckkilo3]

And this is why it bothers my when people get the G8 confused with a G6.

 

That's not as bad as calling a Avalon a Camry.

[whiterp199]

That's not as bad as calling a Avalon a Camry.

 

In my mind it is worse. :cheers:

[Chuckkilo3]

In my mind it is worse. :cheers:

I hear ya.

[LDM]

That's not as bad as calling a Avalon a Camry.

 

I think the Avalon and Camry have a lot more in common than a G8 and G6 do.

[Chuckkilo3]

I think the Avalon and Camry have a lot more in common than a G8 and G6 do.

 

Yes, they are both Toyotas.

[LDM]

Yes, they are both Toyotas.

 

Well if we're going by that reasoning alone, the G8 wasn't even built by Pontiac... Not even designed on the same continent... But my point is that both Toyotas are FWD cars and in the upper level Camry you can even get the same V6 you can get in the Avalon. Even the top of the line G6 GXP still has less power than the base G8 with the V6, and they definitely don't get the 6.0 or 6.2L V8s that the G8 GTs and GXPs get.

[Chuckkilo3]

Well if we're going by that reasoning alone, the G8 wasn't even built by Pontiac... Not even designed on the same continent... But my point is that both Toyotas are FWD cars and in the upper level Camry you can even get the same V6 you can get in the Avalon. Even the top of the line G6 GXP still has less power than the base G8 with the V6, and they definitely don't get the 6.0 or 6.2L V8s that the G8 GTs and GXPs get.

True enough that they are both FWD. The Camry is mid size while the Avalon is full size. I am glad I bought mine before they decided to "redesign" it. The front grille on the 2013 Avalon is way too big for my tastes.

[LDM]

True enough that they are both FWD. The Camry is mid size while the Avalon is full size. I am glad I bought mine before they decided to "redesign" it. The front grille on the 2013 Avalon is way too big for my tastes.

 

And likewise the G6 is mid-size while the G8 is full-size. I'm not saying the Camry and Avalon are alike, I'd be upset if someone mistook my Avalon for a Camry too, just saying that the G8 and G6 are less alike.

[Chuckkilo3]

And likewise the G6 is mid-size while the G8 is full-size. I'm not saying the Camry and Avalon are alike, I'd be upset if someone mistook my Avalon for a Camry too, just saying that the G8 and G6 are less alike.

 

 

I don't really get upset. I just tell them it's not a Camry. If they ask what it is, I then tell them the real deal.

[3PedalMINI]

yeah. 3 years ago we were in florida and rented a camry that was brand new. Complete and total POS.

 

last year while in florida for 10 days we rented a buick regal Turbo Premium that literly had 100 miles on it. That thing was a turd. Cheap interior, nothing worked right and and it was literly the "cheapest" car i have ever been in. The quality was S***, honestly the new kia/Hyundai's blow that out of the water.

 

Im fortunate to of been spoiled with all my vehicles (with the exception of my sierra)and my parents vehicles over the years to know what real quality is.

[Superdutytd]

Days that I don't need to haul I drive the little one and the other days well

[whiterp199]

I will say i would never buy a camry but I would look at an avalon if the price was right. I looked at a fully loaded one a coupe years ago wit my dad and it seemed like a nice car.

[GXPaycheck]

Nothing compares to the G8. And I have looked!