The Car Thread ... !

[Matz]

It's been more than 15 years since I drove a manual transmission car, and I thought I'd never own another. Of course that recently changed. Now that I've put ~1000 mi on my HHR SS 5 Spd, I have to say that overall, I'm really enjoying driving a manual transmission vehicle again.

I'd forgotten how much more of an involved experience it is compared with driving an automatic. Since most of the driving around here is on two-lane country roads, with about half of them pretty curvy, rowing the gears is actually a treat. It took me a bit to get back in the groove, but now it feels quite natural again.

My SO, who introduced me to the idea of getting an HHR as a daily driver, never learned how to drive a manual. She's skeptical of learning to at this point, and I'm not sure that I'm capable of teaching her. We'll see how that goes.

 

[Bug-Creator]

HHR SS 5 Spd,

Had to look up what that is supposed to be:

-> ugly people carrier with a thirsty&underpowered engine limited to 180km/h.

No wonder Chevrolet failed in Europe long before GM sold Opel....

 

[quagmire]

Had to look up what that is supposed to be:

-> ugly people carrier with a thirsty&underpowered engine limited to 180km/h.

No wonder Chevrolet failed in Europe long before GM sold Opel....

I wouldn't say it was underpowered with 260 HP......

 

[Bug-Creator]

I wouldn't say it was underpowered with 260 HP......

Well, o.k. they only sold a base 2.4 with 170HP in Europe so I kinda missed the NoNo version.

Don't even want to know fuel economy of that and just can't believe any amount of HP could make something that looks like a blown up PT-Cruiser fun to drive.

 

[Matz]

Or limited, with a 150 mph top speed.

Ugly, of course, is an opinion.

Here in the south, we also use that term to describe certain types of statements .

 

[quagmire]

Well, o.k. they only sold a base 2.4 with 170HP in Europe so I kinda missed the NoNo version.

Don't even want to know fuel economy of that and just can't believe any amount of HP coul make something that look like a blown up PT-Cruiser fun to drive.

The HHR was certainly a late to the party of retro wagons and caught the tail end of that fad. Though I consider it better than the PT Cruiser.

And certainly had a craptastic interior, etc. But the Cobalt SS T/C/HHR SS were decent drivers for their day.

 

[Bug-Creator]

Or limited, with a 150 mph top speed.

Makes sense, sell the 150mph version where the speed limit is 65 and sell those limited to 115mph ... well it's obvious isn't it

 

[Matz]

Makes sense, sell the 150mph version where the speed limit is 65 and sell those limited to 115mph ... well it's obvious isn't it

I'm guessing you're not having a very good day so far, and just needed to rain on someone's parade to feel better. At least I hope that the condition isn't more persistent than that.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Gave the car a much needed wash. After a trip to a quarry on Friday it looked like I’d been rallying! View attachment 1923459

Love the Golf, always solid and fun to drive

 

[Apple fanboy]

Love the Golf, always solid and fun to drive

It’s doing alright. 53 mpg on the way home tonight.

 

[ericwn]

I'm guessing you're not having a very good day so far, and just needed to rain on someone's parade to feel better. At least I hope that the condition isn't more persistent than that.

Yup I’m just not getting why one would join to talk somebody else’s car down. Sure I get that GM wasn’t really clever or successful in Europe, that’s all well established but if you don’t like what someone is driving, why drag that in here. Just share your own passion and focus on that.

 

[44267547]

I’m very agnostic when it comes to brands with vehicles through years of ownership with almost every domestic brand in my garage. I suspect a true car enthusiast doesn’t look at the brand, but looks at the style of what they appreciate.

I remember when I was looking at buying a Chevy SS sedan v.s a Taurus SHO, and and the car guys around me, called it a ‘glorified Chevy Cruze with a V-8’. Anyone that understands anything about the Chevy SS, would understand it looks nothing like a Chevy Cruze. My point is, what does it matter? What one person thinks about the aestheics of a car, should have no bearing on the owner, because we’re all different on what we perceive.

 

[44267547]

I’m just thinking out loud, but there’s a big part of me that is contemplating trading in my Scat Pack and Ford SHO for a Corvette C8 in summer 2022. Domestically, of all the American muscle cars, the Corvette is the one car I haven’t owned, and I feel I need to fulfill owning an iconic car like the C8. I’m getting ready to go electric in my future and I’ve reached a point where I really don’t desire to get rid anymore of my V8 cars, and I’d rather just have specific ones that really are special to me and hang onto them forever.

If I sell those cars privately (The Scat and SHO), I can generate a very lucrative return, given the used market is at a striking point where most cars are worth considerably more with inflation.

There’s a few people in my community that have a C8, and even though I’m not really interested in so much about the power, as much as I am hooked on the aesthetics.

I think this will be my next move, it just depends if I find the right color (‘Amplify orange’) at the right price, which is the downside given they do have a higher markup. But there are deals to be had, it’s just where in the country do I find the ‘right one’.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Oh yes, nearly forgot. The Golf MK2 GTI returned from paint. Photos don't do it justice, it is awesome and like new again...

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Oh yes, nearly forgot. The Golf MK2 GTI returned from paint. Photos don't do it justice, it is awesome and like new again...

View attachment 1932222

View attachment 1932221

In my opinion the best looking car I have seen on Mac Rumours. Always wanted one of these when growing up in the 80’s. You lucky do and so, enjoy

 

[Apple fanboy]

Oh yes, nearly forgot. The Golf MK2 GTI returned from paint. Photos don't do it justice, it is awesome and like new again...

View attachment 1932222

View attachment 1932221

Beautiful. The correct colour for a GTI as well.

 

[Apple fanboy]

In my opinion the best looking car I have seen on Mac Rumours. Always wanted one of these when growing up in the 80’s. You lucky do and so, enjoy

Same. Also a Mk1 Escort. Have you seen the prices of those things? Upwards of £30,000 plus. To rich for my blood.

 

[danny842003]

Had to look up what that is supposed to be:

-> ugly people carrier with a thirsty&underpowered engine limited to 180km/h.

No wonder Chevrolet failed in Europe long before GM sold Opel....

I genuinely can’t understand why anyone would buy an American car in Europe full stop.
Tesla is the exception I guess
If you want something reliable buy Asian, if you want something with a soul buy European. I don’t understand where American cars fit in the market.

 

[44267547]

If you want something reliable buy Asian, if you want something with a soul buy European. I don’t understand where American cars fit in the market.

Although the likes of Toyota and Honda are reliable with a higher resale, there has been some really reliable domestic brands over the years (The 9th Gen Chevrolet Impala had a lengthy history of being a mass market car that would accrue 220,000 miles with proper maintenance.) FCA and GM manufactured some garbage that tarnished the domestic market with reliability, but for the most part, domestic brands are pretty good.

And I don’t know what you’re referring to ‘soul’ with European, if you’re referring to styling, I’d say that’s solely dependent on what someone appreciates, perhaps just on loyalty to branding. As far as performance is concerned, there is plenty if that in the domestic market.

 

[44267547]

a Mk1 Escort. Upwards of £30,000 plus. To rich for my blood.

A $40,000 car is almost standard for a mid level trim here in the U.S. But that’s neither here nor there, If someone was considering a fully restored car, both drive train and body work, that’s not a bad price at all for a vintage piece.

By the way, Merry Christmas Applefanboy!

 

[danny842003]

Although the likes of Toyota and Honda are reliable with a higher resale, there has been some really reliable domestic brands over the years (The 9th Gen Chevrolet Impala had a lengthy history of being a mass market car that would accrue 220,000 miles with proper maintenance.) FCA and GM manufactured some garbage that tarnished the domestic market with reliability, but for the most part, domestic brands are pretty good.

And I don’t know what you’re referring to ‘soul’ with European, if you’re referring to styling, I’d say that’s solely dependent on what someone appreciates, perhaps just on loyalty to branding. As far as performance is concerned, there is plenty if that in the domestic market.

I love the fact on an international forum you’re using the term ‘domestic’ in a conversation about car sales in Europe.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Same. Also a Mk1 Escort. Have you seen the prices of those things? Upwards of £30,000 plus. To rich for my blood.

I have yeah and it’s insane. My step father had one and it was stolen in the late 90’s. He never got over it and would be extra sad seeing todays prices. Iconic cars. I know of someone who has a 1959 Mini in storage with less that 20k on the clock. It’s their pension fund and I dread to think how much it’s worth.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I genuinely can’t understand why anyone would buy an American car in Europe full stop.
Tesla is the exception I guess
If you want something reliable buy Asian, if you want something with a soul buy European. I don’t understand where American cars fit in the market.

American brands with exception of Ford have always failed in Europe and it’s easy to see why. Dodge, Chrysler, and Chevrolet have all released European variants that have either been poorly manufactured, or based on successful brands like Saab with awful styling and poor build/trim quality. I’ve experienced some of these when I have hired a car with work and got first hand experience of just how appalling they were. Chevrolet here was a rebadged version of Daiwoo here which were previously a god awful brand from South Korea. Some used Vauxhall parts and chassis, but they were cheap.

Never been sure whether these American companies were less than bothered about selling in Europe, or they didn’t have a clue about what the market expectations were. No amount of plastic chrome and chunky bodywork is going to influence tastes here I don’t think.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Beautiful. The correct colour for a GTI as well.

Helios blue, it is stunning now restored. And here is an interesting fact, the recipe for Helios blue does not include any blue paint 😀

 

[44267547]

I love the fact on an international forum you’re using the term ‘domestic’

There’s no relevance to this being just an international forum, nor was that the point I was making in my post. This is a car thread for discussion of all cars alike (‘Domestic’, European, EV…). Me using the term ‘domestic’, is simply describing North American vehicles in the context of my reply and viewpoint of how I understood it. You’re misreading my interpretation of that.