What's the most fun car you've ever owned?

[topspeed]

I love to drive my Beamer 330i with sports suspension and 5 speed manual trans! I don't know about the manual 6 speed trans in the M3, but the 5 speed in the 330i is the smoothest shifting tranny I've ever driven. Next to this 4 passenger extremely well engineered fun car, the newer Z06 Corvette was probably the most exhilarating machine I've ever driven! We boys seem to never grow out of our toys! Ed

Ed? As in Ed Frias? I've read alot about your speakers but finding information about your company and products is harder than double clutch downshifting! Can you provide a link or website address? I'd love to read about your toys.

A question about your 330. I bought mine without test driving a stick based solely on reviewer's incessent praising about how smooth the shifter is. I know, I know, this is like a buying speaker without hearing it. However, every dealer always had the stupid Steptronic but not a good 'ol manual. Ultimate Driving Machine? Sure, that makes sense to not have any manuals...

Alas, I digress. The 5spd in my car sucks, period. It's so bad I actually had the service dept. look at it only to find everything was "within spec." It is impossible to be smooth in this car and it's not just me; all of my friends agree. My wife hates driving my car (not a bad thing, btw) because of this weird tendency for the car to pause after you've let the clutch out before it starts to accelerate hard. It's like there's a glitch in the drive-by-wire algorithm. I dunno, but it's mighty unsettling. The box also HATES to be rushed and will fight like a mule if you try to flick it from gear to gear quickly. Do you have these problems? I prefer sticks but if the 6 spd acts like my 5 spd, I'm getting the SMG. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[EFE Speakers]

Hi Topspeed,
It's hard to believe you are speaking of a 330i. The first time my wife drove this car, she shifted it smoother than any manual transmission she has ever driven, her and I were amazed how smooth she drove it without any jerking. The clutch, the shifter and the gears are all like a fine sewing machine.

What made me even look at a BMW was driving a brand new 528 with an automatic, it was the smoothest shifting automatic trans I have ever driven! I couldn't feel the trans shift, even when I was on it at full throttle. I heard the RPM change but no jerk or jolt from the trans whatsoever. I was shopping for the car for an older lady friend (89) who insisted she wanted a new BMW, even though the 1994 Toyota Cressida I got her only had 14k miles on it. She had peviously owned a older BMW back in the early eighties and was just convinced she wanted another one. I tried to talk her out of it at her age, but after driving the car I could see how she loved it (so did I) and I gave in! Shortly after driving that 528, I took my wife to drive a 330i with the 5speed manual and she loved it, who was I to argue? ((( ; I actually ordered the car (loaded) and waited 3 months for it to arrive directly from Germany. It's a 2002 with 19k miles on it, and the car has been simply perfect since I bought it in Dec 2001.

Regarding my speakers!
I don't have a website because I have all the business I can handle without one! I do have literature I send if you want to e-mail me (efespeakers@commspeed.net). I'm in the middle of a transition right now, I've ran out of my EFE cabinets till I receive the new ones being built offshore, and at the same time I have some new imported speakers I designed arriving any day. E-mail me and I'll be happy to send the info.

Sorry to hear about the problems with your 330i, I've never heard of such a thing from any BMW owner. Go drive a new automatic and see if it shifts as you describe, then demand from the dealer to fix yours. Thanks!

Ed Frias
EFE TECHNOLOGY Speakers

[dave123456@mail.com]

99' Honda Civic

[Geoffcin]

The most fun I've had is with my new Mustang GT convert. I've owned some pretty fast cars but I've never owned a ragtop until this car, and you'll never get me out of one now. There's just something about being out in the air that changes the whole way you feel about driving.

I had some work done to bring the performance inline with the hardtop. I've added a welded subframe to stiffen it up, free-flowing catback with Flowmaster mufflers and 3" SS exaust. A 70mm Cobra throttle body with oversized mass air and free flow filter for the induction . These modest changes turned the car from just good fun into; Ye-ha! wer'e on on way to 75 mph in less than six seconds kinda fun. The engine is pre-drilled to accept a roots type supercharger, and next year that's on the list of "things to do" along with a set of Cobra R wheels and 4 piston Brembo brakes with cross drilled disks.

Oh, it runs BETTER on regular gas. Don't ask me why.

[LumbermanSVO]

My favorite is the car I drive now, a 1985 Mustang SVO, slightly modded and fully gutted. The car handles great and goes like a car pushing 22lbs of boost should go.

I am about to step off the deep end with this car, the new engine is on the way and the 500hp mark should be relatively easy to break with it

[texlle]

The most fun car I've ever owned would probably be my present car....a 2003 black Hyundai Tiburon GT V6 6-speed.




Not MY car, but that's basically what it looks like. With a short antenna, chrome door handles, and chrome rings around the foglights! Fun with a cold air intake .

[cvc]

My orange 1973 Datsun 240Z. All original except for Eibach springs, Tokico 5-way adjustable struts, and poly urethane bushings all around. The car is so fun in the turns it sometimes amazes me. And I still haven't put sway bars on yet. Sweet ride!

[ericl]

I just got 1997 BMW 318ti, with a new engine and high performance bridgestone potenzas. man is it a fun car. Automatic, so its not all it could be, but still a great ride. great handling very smooth, all the action is in overdrive.

Coming from a very reliable but definitely not performance oriented toyota pickup driving this car has been a revelation for me. I need to get some pics up of it soon!

-Eric

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Wow, everyone has these fancy schmanzy high powered vehicles, shoot, I enjoy driving my 2002 Honda Insight. It doesn't move like a porsche of corvette, but it has nice pickup for getting on the freeway, or passing some slow a$$ car. I get 56.4 miles to a gallon, and it cost me $23.00 to fill it up with premium gas. I can park in places most nobody else can, and I get alot of compliments about it from the ladies. You can't have much more fun than that!

[ericl]

Good for you, Terrence

I was torn between getting a hybrid and this car, but once I drove the bmw, it was pretty much over. Considering that this car was so cheap (<10k, hard pressed to find a hybrid for that price) it became a no brainer.

All that was left was the guilt about the emissions that this puts out over a hybrid. but in the big scheme of things, I don't think it is a huge deal (~10.5 tons annually for the bmw vs 6.5 for an insight). I also justify it too myself with the fact that I walked, biked or used public transport to get to work and school for the last 20 years! I'll get a hybrid for my next car, I promise!

Eric

[piece-it pete]

Eric,

Am I reading those figures right? 6.5 TONS ANNUALLY even for a gas-sipper like the Insight?

Pete

[EFE Speakers]

Absolutely incredible!

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...threadid=28506
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...threadid=28901

Ed Frias
EFE TECHNOLOGY Speakers

[piece-it pete]

Ed,

The links need logged-in but I would guess the new Vette Z06? Very nice!

Pirated this:

2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 With more of everything that makes a Corvette yummy, the new 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 makes 500 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 475 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm from a 7.0-liter, LS7 V8 that is based on the standard Corvettes' LS2 6.0-liter motor. That's a smidge more than 427 cubic inches, for you oldie oldsters, and you should also know that the majority of the motors' twist comes online at 1,600 rpm.

With a redline north of 7,000 rpm, a six-speed manual transmission, three-inch diameter exhaust pipes, and a curb weight of about 3,150 pounds, the 2006 Chevy Corvette Z06 is equipped with plenty of firepower to produce sprints to 60 mph in under four seconds, making it directly competitive with not only the Dodge Viper but a variety of machinery priced well into triple digits. Chevrolet predicts that 100 mph will arrive before the eight-second mark, and that the Z06 will cover the quarter-mile in less than 12 seconds.

Chevrolet used an all-aluminum chassis combined with magnesium bits and carbon fiber pieces to keep the weight off. For example, the Z06s' front fenders are carbon fiber, as are portions of the balsa wood sandwich floor construction. The new Z06 comes as a coupe only, with the standard removable roof panel permanently affixed for improved structural rigidity.

Polished wheels wearing Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar run-flat tires are two inches wider in back, tucked beneath flared quarter panels with 1.5 inches more girth so that they'll fit. The Z06s' butt is three inches wider than standard, a bad attribute on American bodies but a great attribute on this American sports car. Helping the tires to keep the Z06s' power from overwhelming its driver are Sachs monotube shock absorbers that replace the standard Corvettes' available Magnetic Ride Control Suspension dampers, stiffer springs, and heavier duty struts. Red-painted, six-piston brake calipers clamp down on drilled 14-inch front and 13.4-inch rear rotors to scrub speed.

Styling differences include a revised front fascia with a larger air inlet and a functional hood scoop, new side vents, a rear lip spoiler that increased downforce at speed, and unique wheels. Inside, the Z06 loses its power passengers' seat and the electric seat bolsters to save weight, but still comes standard with air conditioning and a head-up display. Options that add price and poundage include a Bose stereo, side-impact airbags, and other goodies.

Pricing could be as high as $75,000 when the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 arrives, a substantial boost from the originals' sub-$55,000 price tag. But purists who value the performance of what can rightly be called the ultimate Corvette won't mind paying the fare for this thrill ride.

______________________________

Automobile mag is saying this is serious competition to the 911!!

Pete

[Resident Loser]

...some measure of accord between TtT and myself...will wonders never cease...

Currently I own a '91 Jeep Cherokee(and have been a Jeep owner since 1980)...I use mass transit to and from work and the Jeep sits in the garage to be driven on weekends...when it finally gives up the ghost, I'll probably opt for a hybrid of some sort...not only because it's clean and green, but I'll be able to distance myself from the "me too" crowd of trendy SUV owners...

jimHJJ(...la-de-dah...)

[piece-it pete]

RL, you could always get a hybrid Escape .

No love for the bb rat stompin' 6.0? [edit: whoops I mean 7.0?!]

Pete

[Resident Loser]

...forgive my ignorance, what means "...the bb rat stompin' 6.0? [edit: whoops I mean 7.0?!..." and I do know that it's displacement, but could you be more specific as to your intent...

Howzabout a Duramax or a Cummins or maybe one of them V-10 gas guzzlin' dealies!!! Woof!Woof! I mean I may be tryin' to clean up my act(for what it matters) but I ain't dead yet!

BTW, I'm waitin' on delivery of a Hitachi 10in. compound dual-bevel sliding miter saw...I think it'll be quite OK for a DIY home-improver such as myself...the 12in. Dewalt was just too big and pricey...the 10in. Makita and Bosch units just plain too pricey...this one was on sale at Lowe's just before Christmas(although there's a story with that---heck, that seems to be the story of my life!) It's even got a laser! The money I saved will get me a nice 72 or 90 tooth carbide or will go towards the purchase of a proper workstation/stand...now if I can figure out a way to convince the missus that a nice powertool deserves a nice home for it to perform at it's true potential...arf! Then maybe a bandsaw for my birfday...

jimHJJ(...More power!!!!...)

[ericl]

Eric,

Am I reading those figures right? 6.5 TONS ANNUALLY even for a gas-sipper like the Insight?

Pete

You read that right. Of course, it depends on how much you drive, but cars put huge amounts of this stuff. Check out FuelEconomy.gov. You can find your car and enter your driving habits and fuel costs to figure out how much you're spending and polluting.

Since I started this job I am driving about 400 miles a week which is somewhat higher than average (i used to walk to my last job, and in college I rode my bike or took the bus!), but still, cars put out tons of junk, even nice little hybrids.

I think Biodiesel is probably the best way to go, but a good diesel car is really hard to find. VW makes nice diesels, but they've been outlawed here in Cahleeforneeah and people are gobbling up used models at way above their actual value.

-Eric

[piece-it pete]

Jim,

I should have said "the stompin' bb rat" - Big Block Chevy rat - generally considered the 427ci but can also mean the mighty 396.

I did not mean I enjoy stomping rats lol. Wayyyy too messy.

The baddest car I ever drove was a friends' 70 Impala coupe (flat black) with a '68 'vette 427 rat (425 HP version - 4 bbl. carb) grafted in - this big car was MONSTEROUSLY powerful.

The high-output 427 with a six pack in the old 'vettes made 435 "bench" (engine on the bench) HP, while the new 7.0 liter makes 500 "brake" (at the rear wheel) HP.

So all those old muscle cars I drool over are toast. The Viper makes 550 HP. Most top of the line luxury cars are now well over 400 HP, as well (as of 2005) - so if you see a new big Mercedes/Beemer/Caddy it will prolly smoke most muscle cars, too, even while pretending to be family-friendly sedans. O to be wealthy.

And while we're wealthy, we could pick up the 12" DeWalt! Though the Hitachi sounds nice. What is your application?

Eric, thanks for the link, I've got to digest a bit, I'll respond in the morrow.

Pete

[Resident Loser]

...shoulda known, how dumb am I?...back in '63 my cousins' then boyfriend bought a brand-spankin-new Impala SS with either a 427 or a 409(don't quite recall---one of those senior moments!) with at least a single 4bbl....maaaan! woof!woof!...Deep burgundy with the black and chrome interior...talk about the cat's @$$...looked good, sounded good and did it move!!! Ah...the days of cheap gas, muscle cars and no environmental concerns!!!

As far as the Hitachi is concerned...I know what I'll be doin' this spring...back to the window replacement and a new front door and storms...so basically a lot of framing, casing and trim...and while I have done reasonably well with the ol' Craftsman circular saw, in some applications some of the set up and home-made jigs are a royal pain in the netherlands...I downloaded the users manual and it can be set up to do thru dados and rabbets. It can also can do some tenon work, or so it would seem...mortising will still be the ol' drill'n'chisel routine.

I did some research before I made the decision...I doubt I'll ever be using much in the lines of 4by, probably 2in max so while the capabilities of the Dewalt might be nice, I'm willing to make the trade-off. They all seem to handle nominal 12in width...1by, 5/4 and 2by is what I've used thusfar. I think it should be OK for my needs and future projects. On 90s I can always flip the work if the need arises. And huge cornices, crown moldings and the like are highly unlikely...

I know the Makita tools get good press(and my bro-in-law swears by their stuff---at least cordless drills) and my local tool rental place uses Bosch...however the Hitachi has a 5yr guarantee(the others a year) and there is a mail-in offer for a free 1/4 sheet orbital sander...plus the price was right...and now for the rest of the story: Lowe's ran a 20% off deal prior to Christmas but were out of stock on the second day of the sale...they tried to give me the old "limited to store stock" routine, so later that day, I saw the teevee ad, we taped it and read the fine print...guess what!...no such disclaimer! Soooo, I called the home office "customer happiness hot line" down in one of the Carolina's and they agreed with my position(or so it would seem). They put me in touch with a specific contact at the store...and voila! As of yesterday, the stock is in and I'll be pickin' it up Sat AM...A new toy...can't wait for Sunday to do some set-up and trial cuts...I'm like a kid at Christmas!

It has a soft-start feature, some constant speed electronics and the laser as I mentioned, which can be set up to show on either side of the kerf or right down the middle...I don't know about the usefulness of the whole light-guide concept, but hey, I'll give it a whack...The only downside that I have read about is a: trying to set odd miters close to the presets can be problematic and b: there may be too much plastic to withstand the rigiors of day-in, day-out commercial applications. However the review goes on to say those reservations are mostly related to subjecting it to the daily grind of loading it in and out of the truck and multiple users who may not really give the proverbial rat's @$$ re: anything that isn't their property...accuracy was not an issue. I treat my stuff well so I think I can discount those caveats.

So it'll be the ol' Sawzall for the demo work and the Hitachi for the install...and the rest of the winter for drawing up the plans and making cardboard mock-ups if required...

jimHJJ(...at least I can enjoy some music while doin' the paperwork...)

[piece-it pete]

Eric,

Interesting, I never would've believed THAT MUCH.

A little googling came up with this:

No average tonnage overall, so use 8 tons/year (probably a bit low) at 15k miles annually, 8 x 2000 = 16000#, divided by 15k miles = 1.07 #/miles driven, x 12,100 (average miles driven in 1997) = 12,947#/driver/year, x 190,625,023 (licensed drivers in 2000) = 2,468,022,173# of gases per year (US only) divided by 2000#/ton = 12,340,011 tons of greenhouse gases per year.

Well, that's far more than I would have guessed, even if you give the annual tons/car a slop factor of two!

I wonder how many cubic feet of greenhouse gases it takes to equal a ton?

Pete

[piece-it pete]

... how dumb am I?...

lol THAT'S a loaded question!

That Hitachi sounds great! I've never used any of their stuff, but 5 years is a long time. I own a Bosch sawsall, which I love (hand saw? We don't need no stinken' hand saw!) and have used many larger DeWalt tools, seemed pretty decent.

I've heard the lazer line is a wonderful thing, of course I've never operated any equipment that had anything resembling a computer control on it, let alone lazers.

I'll be clearing trees and stumps this summer - the joy.

Pete

[EFE Speakers]

Gave a Chevrolet dealer a deposit today, it put me first on the waiting list for a new 2006 Z06. Without a doubt this will be the best and most exhilarating Corvette ever built. It's really the stuff dreams are made of and it has taken a lot of hard work, goal setting and discipline to save for what I want. If anybody comes and buys a pair of speakers directly from me, I'll give them a free ride. Just kidding, no purchase necessary! (( ;

Silver will be the color!
http://webpages.charter.net/rogassian/DSC04914.JPG

Ed Frias
EFE TECHNOLOGY Speakers

[topspeed]

Gave a Chevrolet dealer a deposit today, it put me first on the waiting list for a new 2006 Z06. Without a doubt this will be the best and most exhilarating Corvette ever built. It's really the stuff dreams are made of and it has taken a lot of hard work, goal setting and discipline to save for what I want. If anybody comes and buys a pair of speakers directly from me, I'll give them a free ride. Just kidding, no purchase necessary! (( ;

Silver will be the color!
http://webpages.charter.net/rogassian/DSC04914.JPG

Ed Frias
EFE TECHNOLOGY Speakers

Way to go, Ed!

The Z06 sounds awesome on paper. I sure hope you're friends with that dealer, otherwise you'll be hard-pressed to pick it up at its $65k projected sticker.

BTW, my M3 cabrio was just delivered yesterday ! Happy, Happy! Joy, Joy! As you may remember, I had a heck of a time with the clutch take-up on my previous Bimmer (I later found the cluprit was a CVS valve that's there to extend the life of the clutch) so I ordered this one with the SMG gearbox. After 48 hours, the jury is still out as to whether I made the right decision. While flicking paddles helps realize my Schumacheresque fantasies of barreling down the Casino turn, I still find myself instictively pushing into the dead pedal thinking it's the clutch and quite frankly, I do miss rowing the box. Needless to say, there will be a period of re-calibration for my brain.

Perhaps the worst part of this however, is the seemingly interminable 1200 mile break-in period that is sternly dictated in the owner's manual about, oh...7,256 times. In boldface no less. It's like David Spade in that Capital One commercial:

Can I go over 5500rpm? NO!

Can I engage Sport Mode? NO!

Launch Control? Nada!

Full power at any time? Uh...NO!

Sport settings on the SMG? Nein!

Have any fun at all? HELL NO!

AUUUUUGGHHHH!

This is going to be a looooooooooooooong 1200 miles.

[Geoffcin]

Way to go, Ed!

The Z06 sounds awesome on paper. I sure hope you're friends with that dealer, otherwise you'll be hard-pressed to pick it up at its $65k projected sticker.

BTW, my M3 cabrio was just delivered yesterday ! Happy, Happy! Joy, Joy! As you may remember, I had a heck of a time with the clutch take-up on my previous Bimmer (I later found the cluprit was a CVS valve that's there to extend the life of the clutch) so I ordered this one with the SMG gearbox. After 48 hours, the jury is still out as to whether I made the right decision. While flicking paddles helps realize my Schumacheresque fantasies of barreling down the Casino turn, I still find myself instictively pushing into the dead pedal thinking it's the clutch and quite frankly, I do miss rowing the box. Needless to say, there will be a period of re-calibration for my brain.

Perhaps the worst part of this however, is the seemingly interminable 1200 mile break-in period that is sternly dictated in the owner's manual about, oh...7,256 times. In boldface no less. It's like David Spade in that Capital One commercial:

Can I go over 5500rpm? NO!

Can I engage Sport Mode? NO!

Launch Control? Nada!

Full power at any time? Uh...NO!

Sport settings on the SMG? Nein!

Have any fun at all? HELL NO!

AUUUUUGGHHHH!

This is going to be a looooooooooooooong 1200 miles.

My advise is a long drive to get through the breakin period ASAP.

[piece-it pete]

Wow, while I change the front engine seal on my Metro (in the freezing weather, of course ) I'll think of you guys, M3, Z06, either one will do and I'll remember - I could be so fortunate someday.

Congrats, guys, give us your reviews! (Well, after some will-power-testing breakins!)

Pete