The Car Thread ... !

[quagmire]

It's spun aluminum, they do small, round buffs into for a textured pattern.

I think Ford likes limiting some models to a simpler execution, more engaging experience, the GT350s, the BOSS, the previous GT500.

This is neat, the exhaust isn't "dual mode" it's multi-mode:

View attachment 711125



Hahaha, and you can schedule times for the different modes (nice if you forget to dial it back and are coming home late, leaving early):

View attachment 711126

The performance exhaust on the Camaro also has a stealth mode where it closes the valves and quiets the car down. But it's certainly cool you can schedule it to go into quiet mode. In order to get the exhaust in the Camaro to go into stealth mode, have to go into the cars settings and will stay in stealth mode until you change it back to be tied to the driver mode or individually set the exhaust in a particular mode separate of the driver mode like I have. I have the exhaust set to track which keeps the valves open even though the car starts up in tour mode.

But it highlights yet again how superior Ford's marketing is compared to GM's. But GM must know something I don't as they keep marching forward with the lame focus group based ads which have been the only ads I have seen the 6th gen Camaro featured in( but never talked about).

 

[0388631]

They're pushing the Camaro to some sweet limits. The new ZL1 is a hoot. I suspect the Camaro will be the new hot car from Chevy and the Corvette may be classed-up. I saw some new spy shots of a mid-engine Corvette. Supposedly. I don't know how much you follow GM rumors, but the mid-engine Corvette is a 50 some odd year rumor. Some suspect it's going to be a Caddy but I doubt it. The closest Cadillac got to a performance coupe was the XLR, which turned out to be crap later on. The CTS-V isn't a bad car, just outdated inside and the design of the car's body leaves a lot to be desired. Besides, Cadillac is dropping a few of their cars in the next three years to focus on two vehicles. From memory, one's introductory luxury and the other is set to be luxury. What they think luxury is anyone's guess.

By the way, very off topic, but I just found out about 20 minutes ago the new SQ7 TDI has a speaker in its exhaust system. As in an actual speaker or something to focus sound waves?

 

[quagmire]

They're pushing the Camaro to some sweet limits. The new ZL1 is a hoot. I suspect the Camaro will be the new hot car from Chevy and the Corvette may be classed-up. I saw some new spy shots of a mid-engine Corvette. Supposedly. I don't know how much you follow GM rumors, but the mid-engine Corvette is a 50 some odd year rumor. Some suspect it's going to be a Caddy but I doubt it. The closest Cadillac got to a performance coupe was the XLR, which turned out to be crap later on. The CTS-V isn't a bad car, just outdated inside and the design of the car's body leaves a lot to be desired. Besides, Cadillac is dropping a few of their cars in the next three years to focus on two vehicles. From memory, one's introductory luxury and the other is set to be luxury. What they think luxury is anyone's guess.

The ZL1 1LE is a freaking beast. It's 13 seconds( 16 seconds unofficially) faster than the normal ZL1 around the 'Ring. The DSSV shocks and that aero( which does make it look like a ricer special I admit) does a freaking fantastic job and keeping the car planted. Randy Pobst just drove it around Laguna Seca and it hanged with an Audi R8 V10 Plus ( was only .07 seconds slower than the Audi) and the McLaren 570S( .2 seconds faster than the McLaren). Only really being bested by the Viper ACR. It's almost 4 seconds faster than the 5th gen Z/28 as well around Laguna Seca.

I doubt the mid-engine car will be a Caddy. As the new shots show, it's getting closer to production form and it has too many 'Vette cues. It may spawn a Caddy super car too( XLR reborn), but it definitely is going to be the C8 Corvette. Bowling Green just shut down yesterday for 3 months to under go " paint shop upgrades". I definitely agree the Camaro is being positioned as the new 'Vette while the 'Vette is being pushed more upmarket. It's also pretty cool that GM is developing the C8 and the C7 ZR1 at the same time. As much as I love my Camaro SS, I still wish I could have afforded a C7 Stingray Z51.

The XLR was a POS. It was based on the C5 Corvette chassis instead of the C6's chassis, cheap interior, the Northstar V8 was ancient, etc. The CTS lineup is great, but you're right on the design of the exterior. Once you're behind the A Pillar, it gets incredibly boring looking. The front end looks good just let down by the rest. The ATS/CTS will be merging with the CT6 at the top. Seems like Cadillac will be going back to the 1st/2nd gen CTS tweener style with the CT5 and a CT3/CT4 will be under it.

 

[Suture]

How about a Cadillac CTS V Sport or a Lincoln Conti Black Label?

Beautiful interiors!

I do like the CTS-V... I had looked at them some time back, but actually didn't care for the interior. Heck, I even looked at the first gen with the ticking time bomb rear end. I've always liked them.

I completely forgot about the new Continental. I remember seeing pictures of it on The Car Lounge when it first unveiled, and was impressed with how it looked. I had to go to the Lincoln website just to see what kind of specs it had... and to see if it came with scotch.

 

[0388631]

Heck, I even looked at the first gen with the ticking time bomb rear end.

Hmm? I seem to have missed that.
[doublepost=1501741162][/doublepost]

The ZL1 1LE is a freaking beast. It's 13 seconds( 16 seconds unofficially) faster than the normal ZL1 around the 'Ring. The DSSV shocks and that aero( which does make it look like a ricer special I admit) does a freaking fantastic job and keeping the car planted.

It can, but they do make a difference. And, yes, that figure difference is mind boggling. Even though it's a track car, it can be still driven around with creature comforts. Impressive stuff from GM.

Is a ZL1 on your radar as an upgrade in a few years? I think the ZL1 looks great, to be honest. It's beefy, it's hunkered down, and it looks like it's a blast to drive and won't kill you. The biggest flaw with the Camaro is its low visibility. If the next design iteration fixes that flaw, it's going to be amazing.

 

[Alphazoid]

Just had one of those mornings. Tried to park too quickly, in a narrow spot, at the wrong angle, because i was obstructing traffic. And of course scuffed/dented my bumper against a guard rail.

Was dreading having to pay to get it fixed, but thankfully i just remembered i got cosmetic insurance when i bought the car so I'm covered. It has effectively paid for itself considering the quotes i've been getting from body shops.

Luckily i didn't damage the actual rear wheel arch, just the bumper. And the overall damage was minimal.

Still a terrible start to the day.

 

[quagmire]

Hmm? I seem to have missed that.

Yeah 1st gen CTS-V's suffered from wheel hop and rear differential issues.

It can, but they do make a difference. And, yes, that figure difference is mind boggling. Even though it's a track car, it can be still driven around with creature comforts. Impressive stuff from GM.

Is a ZL1 on your radar as an upgrade in a few years? I think the ZL1 looks great, to be honest. It's beefy, it's hunkered down, and it looks like it's a blast to drive and won't kill you. The biggest flaw with the Camaro is its low visibility. If the next design iteration fixes that flaw, it's going to be amazing.

You wouldn't want to daily the ZL1 1LE. Those DSSV shocks will not provide a comfortable ride unless you're always on new asphalt. Especially since they are directly mounted to the body of the car with no bushings, etc. But yeah it's certainly nice though it still has all the creature comforts of the ZL1 unlike the 5th gen Z/28.

It all depends where I am in life at the time for my next car. Right now I am actually eyeing my moms 2013 Equinox as my next car purchase so I don't have to daily the Camaro anymore. But that is 2 years from now. Whether I step up to a ZL1 is up to my financial situation and the state of the Camaro( if the 7th or 8th gen appeals to me) at the time. I may just want to keep my SS for as long as practical( if not for life).

Certainly the visibility isn't great. But you get used to it and I haven't had any near misses yet due to the blind spots. As long as you remain situational aware of your surroundings and proper mirror setup, it doesn't become that big of a deal.

 

[D.T.]

Just had one of those mornings. Tried to park too quickly, in a narrow spot, at the wrong angle, because i was obstructing traffic. And of course scuffed/dented my bumper against a guard rail.

Was dreading having to pay to get it fixed, but thankfully i just remembered i got cosmetic insurance when i bought the car so I'm covered. It has effectively paid for itself considering the quotes i've been getting from body shops.

Luckily i didn't damage the actual rear wheel arch, just the bumper. And the overall damage was minimal.

Still a terrible start to the day.

Dang, bummer, but yeah, that's the nature of operating a car in the real world. Sounds like you've got it covered
[doublepost=1501777213][/doublepost]This is fun, it's Leno's window sticker - love the option costs: $10,000 for stripes and $15,000 wheel upgrade

 

[2298754]

Randy Pobst just drove it around Laguna Seca and it hanged with an Audi R8 V10 Plus ( was only .07 seconds slower than the Audi) and the McLaren 570S( .2 seconds faster than the McLaren).

Comparisons like this have never made sense to me. The average R8/570S buyer isn't considering a Chevrolet. Same with all the Camaro versus M3/4 nonsense.
[doublepost=1501802356][/doublepost]

Right now I am actually eyeing my moms 2013 Equinox as my next car purchase so I don't have to daily the Camaro anymore.

That's unfortunate. What's the logic behind this?

With the significant incentives that the General needs to move Camaros, they will never hold their value.

 

[AustinIllini]

Just had one of those mornings. Tried to park too quickly, in a narrow spot, at the wrong angle, because i was obstructing traffic. And of course scuffed/dented my bumper against a guard rail.

Was dreading having to pay to get it fixed, but thankfully i just remembered i got cosmetic insurance when i bought the car so I'm covered. It has effectively paid for itself considering the quotes i've been getting from body shops.

Luckily i didn't damage the actual rear wheel arch, just the bumper. And the overall damage was minimal.

Still a terrible start to the day.

View attachment 711307
View attachment 711308

Well, at least no one got hurt and anything like that can of course be fixed.

That's unfortunate. What's the logic behind this?

With the significant incentives that the General needs to move Camaros, they will never hold their value.

Right? Camaros are meant to be driven every day. They're one of a long list of sport daily drivers. Unless Quagmire is worried about snow, he doesn't need to waste time and resources on a daily driver to go with a Camaro.

It's a (really nice and really fun) Chevy. It's not a big deal. That money should go for a down payment on a house or something

 

[D.T.]

A guy was talking about driving dynamics of a Telsa? Hahahahaha ....

It's a (really nice and really fun) Chevy. It's not a big deal. That money should go for a down payment on a house or something

Let's see ... ZL1 in 5 years, or living with Mom and Dad at 35 ...

 

[2298754]

Right? Camaros are meant to be driven every day.

Agree. They're not some rare Ferrari. The Camaro is just another Chevrolet on the road...

 

[0388631]

A nearby Porsche dealer is due to send me some info material on their upcoming "shooting brake" wagon. I'm not terribly interested versus what I plan on getting, but I've been pleasantly surprised in the past. It doesn't hurt to expand your options.

They recently had a mint 997.1 Turbo in manual up for sale. It sparked a bidding war. I placed a bid myself. All I'll say is that whoever got it is lucky, but at the same time they could have brought an almost new 991.1 Turbo S for the money it went for. Low miles, under 18K IIRC, rare color or a factory custom paint, fairly loaded to the point the OO paid out of his or her nose, came with steel brakes but also factory OEM PCCB included, a few years of dealer maintenance and other goodies that Porsche wouldn't offer on a regular CPO car. Car's underside was very clean and orderly. The car looked brand new.

I wish I could say I was fairly close with my bid. I bid a high but appropriate number. I simply didn't expect the final sale amount to go as high as it did. At some point you do draw a line. It wouldn't make sense to spend the final amount because you could grab a 991.1 Turbo S with under 10K miles for the amount it was won for.

On the other hand, I did spot a very beautiful new 911 GTS with plenty of options in Miami Blue. Decent price, very beautiful car, but too loud of a color. The color reminded me of @AutoUnion39 because he likes Porsches in weird colors. I wouldn't mind buying a GTS new in a few years. I would mind buying a Turbo S new in a few years. There's no point, because in a year, it'll drop about $40,000 in value. That's not good. I'll let the poor shmuck who bought it new to take the drop and not me.

Comparisons like this have never made sense to me. The average R8/570S buyer isn't considering a Chevrolet. Same with all the Camaro versus M3/4 nonsense.

I don't believe it's consumers that Pobst is trying to influence. It's simply a numbers game. In the same way a lot of vehicles cheaper than the Alfa Quadrobreaksdownalot or even older smoke it at the ring.

 

[2298754]

That reminds me! GM released pricing on the Diesel Equinox.

Can't wait to get ours soon!

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2017/07/2018-chevrolet-equinox-diesel-to-carry-31435-starting-price/

 

[0388631]

Agree. They're not some rare Ferrari. The Camaro is just another Chevrolet on the road...

It's funny you say that. I was reading a thread recently about this. There are people who keep low miles on their new age American muscle cars. GT350/R I can understand, but a GT, for example, makes no sense. Funny enough, a fortnight ago I was reading old posts of mine on MBWorld and came across a mileage thread where some of the roadster owners casually mentioned they only drive their cars on the weekends including Fridays to keep miles down.

 

[2298754]

I was reading a thread recently about this. There are people who keep low miles on their new age American muscle cars.

Yup, the same idiots who'll try to list them for way too much money in a few years because they're in some stupid obscure options combination.

"1 of 3 in metallic black with rainbow leather interior. no sunroof, manual seats, USB port, unicorn pink shift knob, etc"

Gimme a break...

 

[D.T.]

I'll let the poor shmuck who bought it new to take the drop and not me.

In his favor, he's out driving a 911 Turbo S, and you're still price shopping

 

[0388631]

Yup, the same idiots who'll try to list them for way too much money in a few years because they're in some stupid obscure options combination.

"1 of 3 in metallic black with blue leather interior. no sunroof, manual seats, USB port, unicorn pink shift knob, etc"

Gimme a break...

Speaking of blue. Did you know BMW Individual still offers blue leather on new cars?

In his favor, he's out driving a 911 Turbo S, and you're still price shopping

Regular old 997.1 Turbo, not an S. I don't believe the S came with a manual option. Or if an S was available for the .1 generation. I'm not price shopping. I want my power wagon. It's mostly my wife who wants the 911. Though I want to get rid of her car within the next year.

A point to be made is I didn't think a 9 year old Turbo would go for more than the upcoming wagon's MSRP when optioned out to a fair degree. I bid just under six. Like I said, I never expected a Turbo of that age to go that far. I've been scouring Rennlist and 6SO and found a few good cars over the past few months, but when requesting info found they were fairly basic in options.

Though in the same regard, I'm not sure if I should be surprised. 996 Turbo prices have exploded since last November when I began looking at them. There's been a 20-30K increase over the prices I saw then of comparable vehicles.
[doublepost=1501806053][/doublepost]

It's a (really nice and really fun) Chevy. It's not a big deal. That money should go for a down payment on a house or something

Yeah, to be honest I don't understand his post either. I can get the car being bad in snow, but so what? The ZL1 is a nice car, but as you pointed out, he's better off getting it when he can afford it and his priorities are set straight. Wanting to build a down-payment for a house and paying off his license loans are far more important.

The ZL1 is a car I'll never own, though. It's a nice thought, but as someone who gets easily disjointed by a firm ride, it's not for me. I've had a fair amount of injuries in my life that prevent me from dailying something harsh. The comfort mode in most sports cars is about the max I'll go.

Just to clarify, Quag, I'm not trying to be a dick to you. I made quite a few stupid car decisions when I was your age and younger that set me back. Granted that was during a different era where things weren't absurdly priced and we didn't have as many luxuries.

It's really easy to go down the rabbit hole these days with cars. Just ask the guy who sold his Tesla because it didn't have AWD and balding tires. Who knew it'd be dangerous on snow.

 

[A.Goldberg]

That money should go for a down payment on a house or something

Or at least an apartment!

(Sorry @quagmire, I hope you can take my joke!)

 

[0388631]

Or at least an apartment!

(Sorry @quagmire, I hope you can take my joke!)

How do you buy an apartment?

 

[balzac1]

You buy a condo!

 

[quagmire]

Comparisons like this have never made sense to me. The average R8/570S buyer isn't considering a Chevrolet. Same with all the Camaro versus M3/4 nonsense.

That's unfortunate. What's the logic behind this?

With the significant incentives that the General needs to move Camaros, they will never hold their value.

Well, at least no one got hurt and anything like that can of course be fixed.

Right? Camaros are meant to be driven every day. They're one of a long list of sport daily drivers. Unless Quagmire is worried about snow, he doesn't need to waste time and resources on a daily driver to go with a Camaro.

It's a (really nice and really fun) Chevy. It's not a big deal. That money should go for a down payment on a house or something

It wasn't meant to be a comparison. It was an episode of Ignition, not Head2Head. Was just stating the cars capabilities and just on a performance basis, stated cars that got similar lap times at Laguna Seca. Though I know they were all tested on different days and that can play a huge factor in times( see Ignition episode of the ZL1 and the Head2Head of ZL1 vs GT350R where H2H ep saw the ZL1 getting a lap time 2 seconds slower than the Ignition ep).

Not trying to say go buy a ZL1 1LE over the McLaren....

Has nothing to do with trying to keep its resale value or thinking it will be a classic car one day. Part of it is due to snow. Other is just wanting to make it last for years to come on. I am not even thinking of replacing the SS with a ZL1 as Zen asked. That is not in my plans as that would be at least 7-10 years down the road( I can't plan that far out and that is around the time I plan to have the Camaro if I decide to get rid of it while it has any sort of value left in it).

It just would be nice to have a beater sort of speak. Have a vehicle that I don't give a crap about too much if it gets scratched or dented. I am still in protective mode of the Camaro despite owning it for 3.5 months now. And the Equinox won't be worth that much money by the time I would buy it off my parents to really delay me from getting a house as well.

 

[D.T.]

Regular old 997.1 Turbo, not an S.

Though in the same regard, I'm not sure if I should be surprised. 996 Turbo prices have exploded since last November when I began looking at them. There's been a 20-30K increase over the prices I saw then of comparable vehicles.

Doh! Yeah, I added the S.

996 price escalation is interesting, I mean, I can see the sustained 993 (last air cooled), but the 996 is a pretty moderate performer, with a really dated interior.

Funny, I had a 996 Turbo queued up to buy, actually drove to the purchase location that was 2 hours away, wound up bailing. I was a little hesitant because - like always - I was intending on modifications, and when I found out the costs of major component replacement (in the event of a catastrophic failure), I kind of got cold feet, plus I wound up getting an incredible offer on a Viper (the car was at a tuner, there were other cars for sale).

I put down $1K on the Viper, left, was supposed to pick it up in about a week, and in yet another bit of car-craziness, one of the other shops I was talking to found a Supra, which combined with the fact the Viper seller was totally OK with a refund (had a couple of potential buyers lined up), I wound up with the Supra (which became a gross exercise in aftermarket ...)

 

[balzac1]

I just bought a Toyota C-HR 2018 and I love it!!!

 

[A.Goldberg]

How do you buy an apartment?

Ugh fine. People use the terms apartment and condo pretty interchangably here. Oftentimes I feel like Condo and Townhouse are even more interchanged for some reason.

Buy a condo or rent an apartment or get a townhouse... anything to get out of the parents house. He's got the car to pickup a woman, just nowhere to bring them