The Car Thread [Archive] - Women's Cycling Discussion Forums

reddDesign

04-22-2009, 04:24 PM

Well as I've stated before I'm a car nut...I'm president of a car club, director of media for a charity road rally, and am a very active member of a Mazda club...plus I LOVE my car, and have taught myself everything there is about them.

So yeah...chat about car stuff in here :)

Me...well I ordered some goodies for the car today...new motor mounts, a/c compressor o-rings and my 'wink' mirror came in today (have to pick it up at the post office tomorrow). Will be working on Macy all weekend hopefully...including helping the cute guy from Autozone with his car on Sunday maybe...

How about you? What do you drive? What's your favorite car? Talk it up!

Blueberry

04-22-2009, 04:52 PM

Paging Mr. S - you can finally talk about your zoom-zoom on TE:D:D

Mr. Bloom

04-22-2009, 05:00 PM

I won't say I'm a "car nut", but I have some zoom zoom too!

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa201/MrSilver1963/x18.jpg

I'm the second owner, and my mechanics, Hans and Jorn, love me because I believe in fixing things and fixing them well. I have every receipt and piece of paper work going back to the sticker from late '68!

However, I am still getting used to having a car classified for insurance purposes as an ANTIQUE - it's 6 years younger than me:eek:;):o

But, I feel fortunate to own a car that I've admired since I was 10 years old!

And my Madone fits in the trunk (when I leave the spare tire at home)

Tuckervill

04-22-2009, 05:04 PM

What's a "wink" mirror?

I have never been a big car freak, but I have owned 4 red Beetles in my life time and I do know a lot about them. I really appreciate the New Beetle people and the Honda Element people I've met through the clubs I've encountered online. Such fun.

I was way more into my New Beetle than the Element. The Element doesn't require any extra knowledge because it's a Honda, but the Beetle...you HAVE to know how to change your own headlights, or pay the dealer $100, and it's NOT easy! :)

Karen

melissam

04-22-2009, 05:35 PM

My dream car has always been the Porsche 911. For me, it has everything -- good lucks, fantastic handling, a bit of oomph, and some quirkiness (air cooled rear engine, anyone? :))

I promised myself I'd by a 911 when I graduated from college. So, upon getting my first "real" job after graduation, I went to the Porsche dealership and found out that the payments would take up most of my paycheck. That didn't even include insurance and maintenance.

I had to go with Plan B for a while -- non-Porsche sports/sporty cars. I bought a Pontiac Fiero GT (not as bad as its reputation, it was my Porsche in training), a Ford Probe GT, an MGB. All were nice enough cars, but they were no Porsche 911.

After over 10 years of "real" jobs, I could afford a 911 and its upkeep, and still make the mortgage payments. I bought a used '90 911 and have enjoyed it for the past 10 years. We've been to a few track days and autocrosses. For a while it was my daily driver, now it is in semi-retirement in the garage.

Here's my car doing what it does best at an autocross school, with me in the driver's seat:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1113/547233094_b5d14ef059.jpg?v=0

mayanorange

04-22-2009, 05:44 PM

VW Scirocco junkie here... I went through 3 of them and there's a new 2009 (the last one was 1992ish) coming out soon! I'm sooooo excited.

http://www.scirocco.org/photos/16v/sciroc_2.jpg

Currently driving a Pontiac Vibe, which is fun too, but nothing beat my old 16V zoom zoom

reddDesign

04-22-2009, 05:55 PM

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa201/MrSilver1963/x18.jpg

Very nice! I almost bought an older Merc...included a hard top and a brand new soft top...but at the time needed some welding done. Looking back I probably should have gotten it, but it wasn't right at the time.

What's a "wink" mirror?

A wink mirror is a full length, paneled rear view mirror ala:
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x319/89GLIMAN/87%20Jetta%202%20Door/2-15-098.jpg

My mirror fell off so, since I do a lot of driving and road rallies, I opted for that style instead.

I had to go with Plan B for a while -- non-Porsche sports/sporty cars. I bought a Pontiac Fiero GT (not as bad as its reputation, it was my Porsche in training), a Ford Probe GT, an MGB. All were nice enough cars, but they were no Porsche 911.

Awesome...funnily enough...I love Fiero's, my 3rd car was a Probe GT (the motor/trans from that is in my car now!) and a good friend of mine owns an MGB...was his daily for awhile.

VW Scirocco junkie here... I went through 3 of them and there's a new 2009 (the last one was 1992ish) coming out soon! I'm sooooo excited.

Ever checked out the durocco? http://www.durocco.com/

redrhodie

04-22-2009, 06:01 PM

I drive a 13 year old beater that I feel safe in, but my bikes are hot!

reddDesign

04-22-2009, 06:07 PM

Hey now...my car is 16 years old and my daily driver, and cost half as much as my bike :)

wannaduacentury

04-22-2009, 06:23 PM

redrhodie

04-22-2009, 06:24 PM

At least you love yours! If there's anything to love about mine, it's that

no wait, there's nothing lovable about my car :o

wannaduacentury

04-22-2009, 06:33 PM

reddDesign

04-22-2009, 07:12 PM

At least you love yours! If there's anything to love about mine, it's that

no wait, there's nothing lovable about my car :o

haha what kinda car?

smilingcat

04-22-2009, 08:19 PM

My younger sister got her car first thanks to mom&dad. She got a CJ5 jeep. I decided to one up her so I bought a four wheel pkup chevy short bed. :p totally impractical so sold it after 80k miles??? And bought something more proper, a Tercel stationwagon. I loved that car. Sadly it fell apart after 190k miles.

Then came yet another pkup this time a toyota pkup. A come-on in the ad... I actually managed to snag it dirt cheap. no radio, stick shift, hand crank window... It didn't make it to old age as it was rear ended and totalled. :(

Seeing how badly it was damaged my next car was/is bit more substantial. I currently drive an Audi A6 station wagon. It also happens to be our dog mobile. dawgs love the ride. It has 220k miles and still going strong. yippeee... hope it goes another 100k miles.

badgercat

04-22-2009, 10:52 PM

So I don't have any sort of 'special' car, but it's sure special to me. :D I got my car to transport myself to and from my summer job and then my high school, which was several miles away from home. It's a green '99 Honda Civic which was 3 years old when I got it. My parents and grandpa fronted me the money when I got it, and I gave them 80% of every paycheck for three summers (when I worked 40+ hours each week), and my parents kindly forgave the balance (they didn't tell me what it was) when I left for college. My friends all thought that was a completely bogus arrangement, as all I got to keep from each check was a little pocket money, but I'm grateful that I had to work to pay off that car... unlike some of my prep-school classmates who were given new BMWs and Corvettes for their 16th birthdays and didn't seem to appreciate it at all.

I don't drive often (in about 7 years, I've put about 40,000 miles on it), but it's been so many places... I lived in IL/WI until very recently, and from there, my car went all over IL, all over WI, to Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Toronto/Niagra Falls/Boston/NYC on a road trip with my BF, rural Virginia for a service project, and then a few months ago all the way out here to Arizona where I go to graduate school. I will be very sad to see it go, whenever that day comes, just because of all the places it's taken me.

PS The autocross pic above reminds me... my BF tried to get me to do autocross a couple years back. He used to do it in his little pickup truck, and was quite certain I would have done very well with my little go-kart of a compact car, but I never got up the nerve to do it. I sort of regret that. :o

ZenSojourner

04-22-2009, 11:40 PM

My dream car has always been the Porsche 911. For me, it has everything -- good lucks, fantastic handling, a bit of oomph, and some quirkiness (air cooled rear engine, anyone? :))

Oh yeah, I had one of those in college. It was in a '69 VW Fastback.

I loved that car. It was my first car that RAN. We'll ignore the Mercury Comet that never ran, bought on the advice of a bf who of course never fixed it.

And I learned my lesson. I learned to fix things on that car MYSELF.

Ah, the happy memories, me on my back, scrunched up under the car with a half a hacksaw blade, sawing the hose clamps off the fuel lines so I could replace them . . . me on my back, scrunched up under the car with a socket wrench, removing the oil screen so I could change the oil . . . me on my back, scrunched up . . . well, you get the picture.

You know, I haven't owned a car since that I could get under without having it on a lift.

I bought a book, "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive". It was spiral bound, in black and white, and it told you EVERYTHING about your VW, up to and including step by step instructions for how to tear down and rebuild the engine. I was chasing the Snap-On man around town, looking for that one elusive specialty tool I needed that nobody else sold (it was some kind of specialty torque wrench) so I could accomplish the engine rebuild, when I opened the trunk one day (which was on the FRONT of the car) and found myself looking at the tire, and I don't mean the spare.

Turns out the only reason the car had held together as long as it had was because the extra heavy duty trunk liner was holding the chunks of rust together.

I loved that car. The owner's manual was in German. It had been bought by a service man or woman IN GERMANY and then shipped back stateside, in fact I found an old driver's license (long expired) when cleaning the car out one day with a picture of a pretty young black woman in uniform. The first thing I found after I bought the car was an ashtray full of illegal drugs - apparently one of the mechanics at the dealership where I bought it had thought it was a safe place to hide his stash. I was about to throw it all out when my older brother offered to do it for me. Well, I'm sure he disposed of them SOME way (I was young and naive and it never occurred to me what he intended or I'd have flushed them myself, but I was honestly afraid to touch them).

That car had a NAME. Oh, I've named cars on occasion since - the Tetanusmobile, the TestosteroneMobile - but not like this. This car had a PERSONAL name.

Lola. Because "whatever Lola wants, Lola gets".

I remember rejoicing when the odometer turned over 100k miles. I remember long drives in the winter - well they SEEMED like long drives - with me wrapped in 2 quilts, bundled up in a heavy parka and mittens, ice scraper in one hand and the window open because the air cooled engine didn't work up enough heat to defrost either the window OR the driver. So I would alternate scraping off the ice forming on the inside of the windshield with scraping off the ice forming on the OUTSIDE of the window. A running joke among my friends was me getting a speeding ticket in winter: "But officer, I'm telling the truth - I HAD to go 60 in that 35 mph zone because the heater won't work if I don't!" The only warm spot in the car in winter was the rear seat, right over the heat exchangers.

I was pissed because JC Whitney cashed the check I sent them for parts AFTER they had gone into bankruptcy (this was 'way back before the internet would warn you about things like that). They were my prime source for parts, I was waiting for some stuff that was supposed to turbo-charge my heat exchangers.

I once snapped off a stud when replacing the oil screen after an oil change and gave myself a huge goose-egg on my forehead, the morning of a family Xmas get together. Boy did my older sister pi ss and moan about how I ruined the family pictures (and that gives you some idea of HER personality, that all she cared about was "ruined" pictures, not that I might have given myself a concussion).

Oh Lola, Lola, Lola! Fond remembrances! It's a lost and lorn woman I am these 29 years since your passing. There'll always be that Lola-shaped hole in my heart where you rested easy while you were with me! Wherever you've gone must be car heaven, for in what universe could justice and mercy exist were it otherwise? You were my chariot of fire, who carried me forth boldly and brought me home safely. You saw me through lean times when selling my plasma for grocery money was the only way to keep from starving. It was in you I learned to drive, and to love driving stick. You were a forgiving teacher and easy on the pocketbook back when gas prices lurched from 35c to over FIFTY CENTS A GALLON (29 mpg, thank the lord!)

Wherever you are, may God hold you in the palm of his hand, but never clench his fist too tight!

Mr. Bloom

04-23-2009, 12:55 AM

And I learned my lesson. I learned to fix things on that car MYSELF.

Good for you ZenSo!

So, in 1986, Silver and a couple of women from work took AUTO MECHANICS:p

Although she bought all the stuff to change her own oil, she only did that once (and I think I just saw the filter wrench in the garage...20 years later:cool:)

But, where it served us well was when we bought a 1987 Mazda 626. It totally disarmed the saleman that:

While Mr. Silver is sitting in the front seat playing with the stereo,
Silver is under the hood talking with him about "rack and pinion" this and "fuel injected" that:D

I realized that we were on to something, so we decided (over HER objections) that SHE needed to negotiate the price:D:D:D!

Well, we knew this was good when she laid out a price...and the salesman said "SHOULDN'T I BE TALKING WITH YOUR HUSBAND?":eek::D:eek::D:cool: and she said "Nope, this is the deal..."

To this day, I'm absolutely convinced that we got the car for less than invoice (because she got twice as much on our trade as it was worth...)

But, that was a different day...

reddDesign

04-23-2009, 03:12 AM

Mazda 626 :) Was it the older two door one?

I have a soft spot for Mazdas...clearly...

Oh and Zen...my car's name is Macy :)

mayanorange

04-23-2009, 03:43 AM

I too had to buy my first car- my 78 Scirocco cost $380 and I spent a year and a half bringing her back to life (replacing shocks, spring, brakes....). Then he died about 2 weeks into being on the road- apparently there was more rust under there than we realized. I was on my way to take my SATs and hit a larger bump and there was this weird rubbing noise- turns out the only thing hold the left rear wheel onto the car anymore was the wheelwell. Poor Hobbes.

Then I found my little red 1987 16V. She was called the Millenium Falcon because she had electrical issues and didn't reliably start. Just like Han trying to kick in the hyperdrive! 16V was only made for 5 yrs and was rather rare, so parts got expensive and she started hitting the wall after 130k miles.

Then I found a 1985 silver 8V in really good shape. She was named Spoons and had hardly a problem. Had to sell her when I needed a bigger car to move to CA.

Maybe someday I'll get another 16V and get into SCCA racing like my bro... As much as I'm excited to see the 2009, I need more than 2 doors these days.

redrhodie

04-23-2009, 03:47 AM

haha what kinda car?

It's a Nissan. It's not fun to drive, but it's not not fun, either. It's the car equivalent of mashed potatoes.

I've never had a car I cared about. I don't want worry about scratches and dings, or the chain lube on the upholstery. All I ask of my car is that I not be left by the wayside. I'd prefer to be car-less, but that's not feasible in my current locale. I've got to have someway to transport the bikes!

Crankin

04-23-2009, 04:11 AM

I've never cared about cars, per se, although I've had some nice ones. But they were all bought for some type of practical purpose (the 82 Volvo 240 wagon , because all "moms" had one, a Mazda mini van with AWD, so I could get up the hill and take my kids and their friends places), except for for my current car, a 2003 BMW 325xi.
I bought it because the promotional literature/brochure featured the Milan-San Remo bike race in the background, on all of the pages.

tulip

04-23-2009, 04:41 AM

Crankin, that's the best reason for buying a car!

I'm partial to VWs in particular, and German cars in general. My first car was a 1973 VW Superbeetle with a Porsche interior. It was screaming yellow. It was 10 years old when I got it and after I went to college, my younger brother took it over. Then he went to college and it was sold. I had a series of Hondas ('79 Civic wagon--great car! that a boyfriend totaled, '93 Civic hatch that I bought new but sold a few years later to go to grad school, an '88 Accord, followed by a '92 accord). I also drove a 1984 Chevy Cavalier that was one of the best cars ever. It wasn't fun to drive, but it was soooo reliable. It was about 15 years old when I drove it.

My current car is a 2007 VW Rabbit that I adore. I can fit anything into it, it gets 34 mpg, 5-speed stick, and plenty of Farfugnugen! I expect to keep it for a long time.

I really would like an old Nissan or Toyota pickup for under $2k for chores, but that'll have to wait.

Aggie_Ama

04-23-2009, 04:48 AM

I really like my 2007 Dodge Caliber I have named Gretchen. I have had for three years, it was inexpensive and has these red seat inserts that look wicked cool. The sunroof is fun, the steering wheel radio controls are nice to use and the car is practical.

But through college I leased a 2001 VW Beetle in bright yellow I called her Venus. It was a 5 speed and was so much fun to drive! I told my husband now that he has a quad cab truck when my Caliber bites the dust (I plan on having it awhile) I am getting another Beetle. :D

sundial

04-23-2009, 09:15 AM

I was way more into my New Beetle than the Element. The Element doesn't require any extra knowledge because it's a Honda, but the Beetle...you HAVE to know how to change your own headlights, or pay the dealer $100, and it's NOT easy! :)

I drove a 1984 Volkswagon Thing. :D The engine was in the rear and the front was the trunk so to speak. Our family piled into that car and drove 1000's of miles on a vacation. And dad always had his repair manual ready. Of the cars we owned in the 80's, the VW was the easiest to repair. I wanted to take auto mechanics in high school but my parents wouldn't have any of that! :rolleyes:

Karma007

04-23-2009, 09:44 AM

I drive a 13 year old beater that I feel safe in, but my bikes are hot!

That's funny! When I moved back to CA, I didn't want a car at all, but bf thought it was a good idea. I have a 1998 Mustang, in black. It looks really sharp, especially w/ the bike rack and my red/white/black bike on the back. It's just too big for me. I have a hard time seeing out the window and parking.

TsPoet

04-23-2009, 09:53 AM

I just traded my MINI (Cooper) in on a...
MINI (Clubman)
I can't imagine every driving anything else. Once you go MINI, you never go back.

I tried to detail it myself this weekend. Took me about 10 hr (I kid you not) and I did a terrible job! Guess it's worth the $150 they charge to get it done right.
Hydro is the best car product ever, for those between detailing times.
I'm in a random mood today, obviously.

TsPoet

04-23-2009, 09:55 AM

Although I'm not going to sell my MINI, I think I'm going to get one of these (with an electric assist) to be as car free as possible next year

http://www.greenspeed.com.au/Glyde.htm
if I could only get over the price and the sex toy looks of the thing.

andtckrtoo

04-23-2009, 01:22 PM

Adventure Girl

04-23-2009, 01:57 PM

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hAaVAWSMZ8k/SfCA5gpIJcI/AAAAAAAAAGE/Z6agZiFmvXg/Bethy_photo.jpg
This is Bethy. She's a 1971 Super Beetle. I have had her since 1976. Originally she belonged to my Uncle when he lived in Germany. I drove her through high school and college. When Robert and I got married, we left our wedding in Bethy with "Just Married" on the windows! Robert hates working on her, but he does it because it makes me happy.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hAaVAWSMZ8k/SfCA8GraK4I/AAAAAAAAAGM/UAbKUhxQMj8/s640/TREK_VW2
This is my every-day car. It's a 2001 New Beetle. The trunk is full of bike stuff. And there is at least one bike on top about 75% of the time the car is on the road! The license plate says I (heart) MY VWS.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hAaVAWSMZ8k/SfCBUKyHSmI/AAAAAAAAAHs/MEs6FAHP2mE/s720/reflection
And this is Robert's hot rod truck. It's a 1965 GMC with a 427 small block. It consumes lots of fossil fuel! It's a perfect "date night" truck. Robert has done EVERYTHING on this truck and it has been on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine. He's very proud of it!

mayanorange

04-23-2009, 02:17 PM

I drove a 1984 Volkswagon Thing. :D The engine was in the rear and the front was the trunk so to speak. Our family piled into that car and drove 1000's of miles on a vacation. And dad always had his repair manual ready. Of the cars we owned in the 80's, the VW was the easiest to repair. I wanted to take auto mechanics in high school but my parents wouldn't have any of that! :rolleyes:

So jealous you had a Thing! I had the opportunity to buy one a long time ago and it was too much for a HS student, but a steal because it had 12000 original miles.

skinimini

04-23-2009, 02:29 PM

I just traded my MINI (Cooper) in on a...
MINI (Clubman)
I can't imagine every driving anything else. Once you go MINI, you never go back.

I so agree! I've never been particularly car crazy, but I just love my Mini. And, Ive never named anything else before, but when I laid eyes on him, he was definitely a Maxx.

Christine, oooh! How lovely!

Mr. Bloom

04-23-2009, 06:13 PM

Mazda 626 :) Was it the older two door one?

Mazda 626 was a 4 door, then I got a Millennia that I absolutely loved (until a teenager rear ended me and totalled it!)

Best Car I Ever Owned: 1985 VW Jetta - Tight handling and 40mpg!

Worst Car I Ever Owned: 1979 Camaro - Fast, but Poor Quality and 8mpg!

I used to really care about cars. Notwithstanding the Benz, now they're just a necessary evil. I even don't sweat my bike rack scratching the paint on my Lexus!

I drove a 1984 Volkswagon Thing. :D
I used to love their commercials!

msincredible

04-23-2009, 09:58 PM

I have an '07 328i which has become my husband's daily commuter, he has a '62 Ford Falcon which needs some work. :rolleyes: I get to drive my car about once a week.

My daily commuter is my Ducati. We live in the twisties so really appreciate having vehicles that handle well. :D

crazycanuck

04-24-2009, 03:25 AM

We recently novated a Toyota Hilux after many moons of trying to decide what vehicle to get. Ian spent quite a few months up on site around mining vehicles & the Hilux won him over. I love it :cool: as it's fast :D, holds our mtn bikes nicely, doggie goes well in the tray & people give us room on the roads. If a rough chick or dude on a mining site in Australia can't break the vehicle, must be good!!!

Prior to owning the Hilux, we mainly had second hand vehicles and all oddly enough have been Toyotas.