Jason "Car Savvy Ryan Reynolds" Cammisa and Derek "Equally Car Savvy and More Buffed Since COVID-19" Tam-Scott, every time I see a new video you post I am happy because you make this difficult time pass easier and even if it's only for an hour and seventeen measly minutes. I would personally love to see more content, maybe some Proper Care and Feeding and maybe two Carmudgeones per week? 🤭 Congratulations on your work, you're simply the best (by Tina Turner)
you flick your cheek so that the nail strikes you flatly. Simultaneously, your jaw needs to be open, but your lips at small round diameter. You make the opening in your mouth larger immediately after you strike your cheek.
Jason preaching the truth at 51:17 - "Fast fades. You have to have an experience. The experience is going to last forever." Some of the best driving experiences I've had have been in slower cars because I could extract 90-100% of their potential. That has been much more rewarding than some of the fastest cars I've driven. It's not just about the speed. That's one thing (arguably an important one), but not the only thing.
This is the best episode yet of Carmudgeon and I have faithfully watched them all. The description of what makes a car "good" and the idea that flawed cars are the best experience is spot on. Jason's comment that "fast fades" is something that is lost by those who simply look at the numbers on a spec sheet and think they are buying the best car available. Cars have a personality, and just like people, you don't get along with everyone and some of the most "interesting" people turn out to be boring in short time. In fact, sometimes it's the unexpected person that becomes your best friend and is a joy to just hang out with, flaws included.
This video is pure gold. If there was to be an award for superlative youtube videos this one deserves it. As a car enthusiast since the 1980s the discussion resonates very deeply for me.
In my experience, disappointment only happens when expectations are incongruous with reality. I've driven Lamborghinis from the Miura to the Aventador, factory Porsche 908 prototypes to modern 911s, Alpine A110s to modern Clio Cups, DB5 to DB9 Astons, etc. Imho, the modern cars are vastly more disappointing because they rely on numerical statistics to generate their intrigue. They have very little to no steering feel, no sense of speed, and they tend to only be capable of doing a couple of laps on track before the tires go (mostly due to the tremendous weight of modern cars). Older cars don't always have the numerical performance, but boy do they deliver on the experience front. The weight and response of the steering, the smaller footprint on the road, the noise, and the lack of noise isolation all contribute to not just a greater proportional sense of speed, but a more sensual experience. If you're fine with lower limits of adhesion, braking, etc. (which you can actually enjoy on the road as opposed to purely on a track like most modern supercars), vintage is definitely the way to go.
Thank you for such a beautifully written point but also such an accurate reflection of the reality of what car enthusiasts should look for versus what we tend to fixate on: stats and bragging rights over what we actually enjoy. Cheers.
Nice points on your side, but I'd have to politely disagree. I think not all cars today are bound to feel isolated. Modern Porsches (in any trims including GT3s, GT4s, etc.), Lotuses, McLarens, Alfa Romeos, even the Alpines, etc. all offer tons of feedback to the driver and communicate back to the driver brilliantly. Sure, EPAS (Electric Power Assist Steering) is going to be nothing like old-school hydro setups to many purists, but EPAS too, when properly tuned, can be praised by the driver. The sounds of engines today are also magnificent, especially the N/A engines. There are cars today that still evoke a ton of emotion. Everyday supercars like Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc. do have numerical stats and are about bragging rights. Driver's-focused cars like the Porsches, Lotuses, Alpines, etc. offer that next-level sensory experience, emotion, and thrill when the steering, shifting, chassis response, and handling all combined give the character these cars are known for.
I would have gone with "Derek Quaran-Tam hyphen Scott" and "Jason campin-inside Cammisa". Also, that was an excellent voice rendition of the MB 5 cylinder diesel. The grandfather of which is the 3.0L OM617, but it really doesn't start to make that sound until the Diesel pump is updated for 1980/81. So the unit everyone knows is the 2.5L 5 cylinder in the W201 (and w124 euro) the OM602. a wonderful power plant. Interestingly, most of that sound is coming from the diesel pump itself! Catch a dieselmeken show when they test the pumps on the pump dyno. All OM602 sounds!
I really like your takes on fun cars. The fact that they can be bad at some things, and its what makes them great. Could you do an episode on great starter fun cars (not dailys or onlys)? Maybe a few budgets, 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, and something that is relatively accessible and easy to work on, but fits your philosophy of interesting and emotional, not just competent?
I totally believe the 959 is a disappointment to drive, but I have had the good fortune to go to Canepa's shop and see them in various states of disassembly a few times, and my impression is: The 959 is to 1980s automotive engineering what the Saturn V rocket is to plumbing.
@@WatanabeNoTsuna. *A cursory glance* at the business end of a Saturn V rocket reveals an assload of plumbing, elevated to the bleeding edge of precision engineering, fluid mechanics, and materials science, and assembled into what are still the most powerful single-chamber liquid-propellant rocket engines ever made. Also they both take shit to where you can't see it.
@@vaffangool9196 I think that's pretty obvious, and my comment was stupid as hell. I must have been half drunk or half asleep when I posted it... 🤷🏻♂️
The ultimate hot hatch experience: Chrysler PT Cruiser ·Most practical hot hatch to date ·It's middle name is body roll ·It's actual middle name is Plymouth Truck ·It's a nightmare to work on ·Classic 1930's styling Owned one and it was the best love/hate relationship to date with a car, countless memories of it overheating and hangouts with friends. The alternative if you want the space of an suv while being able to throw it around without fearing it might tip over.
A suggestion for a future show. Cars we should have bought but didn't. Missed opportunities. I turned down an opportunity to buy a Ferrari 250 GT Boano in the mid-1970s for only $6500. I've been kicking myself ever since.
As Jason waxes poetic about you want a car to be bad at some things because flaws provide lovable character, it is very clear you show has the most accurate name possible.
The e-type, my first car, drove wonderfully -- good brakes, good acceleration, nice cornering, much better than most cars of the time..It spoiled me for cars that followed.
Agreed. I’ve driven a few 50s and 60s cars. Then you get into a S1 E type...very ahead of its time. Fantastic driving experience, almost as good as it looks.
My hero car is the V10 E60 M5. Got to meet it two years ago when I was a freshman and college, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Now I just got to figure out how to afford the running costs one day...
Yes! I've been saying for years that instead of replacing the 911 with the 928, Porsche turned the 911 INTO the 928! Look at the size and feel how it drives. It's the GT that they wanted their halo car to be when they introduced the 928.
They (some porsche guy) once mentioned that the big size todays 911's are in, is due to US emission and fuel consumption regulations. (basically they didn't want the have to fulfill stricter rules than the Corvette has to, and the rules were somehow connected to the wheelbase if i remember correct. Or wheelbase and width?) Anyway they basically sized the 911 up to Corvette dimensions for this.
The 911 is still very athletic and emotional, granted the base variant is more towards comfort, but still handles pretty good. The Carrera S/4s and GT3/RS/Touring variants are all charismatic and appeal to the people who love that expressive driving.
The first time I got to go into a 1956 300 SL: the owner was shocked that I knew to decouple the steering wheel to make it go forward to ease entry and exit. Trust me: there's nothing disappointing about the Gullwing, it really lives up to the hype.
faiz31887 having driven a 996 Turbo, unfortunately only briefly, you have nothing to feel bad about. For all these guys’ experience, what they don’t say enough is that everyone’s experiences and preferences are different. If you enjoy your Turbo then that’s what really matters, not whether JC or DTS likes it.
That's normal I own some what most people would consider enthusiast cars and these two hate them with a passion (z3 2.8 and a 14 focus st) it's fine everyone has different opinions I'm sure if I had $200,000 to blow on some Italian car that I could drive once a month I wouldn't like these cars either
At the turn of the 80s and 90s Murray Gordon made a research for the starting point of the McLaren F1 supercar. He chose the following 4 cars of the time: Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary, Ferrari F40, Porsche 959 and Lotus Esprit SE. He summed up the 959 same way as Derek did. It was feeling like a really quick GTI and doesn't feel like a supercar despite of the numbers you can measure, nor the supreme techniques it introduces. He decided by the experience that he would need a high revving, bigger N/A engine over the turbo (the carburetted Countach was the only one with the same type contrary to the other 3's turbo engines). He took the decision that it must be light as the F40 was and better vision from the driver's position as in the 959.
I would love to see a carmudgeons on some good drivers cars from the late 2000s and 2010s. As a college student, I am years out from being able to buy E30s and A1 Volkswagens as second, third and fourth cars. You touched on this in the last episode but what are great one car solutions? I drive a Fiesta ST which I love and think is a great drivers car and great daily. It’s not as fun as the E30s I have driven but it is still a riot. What other current cars are good options for those who can only have one car to tackle back roads track days but also snow, traffic and commuting?
E46s should be cheaper if you want a BMW or maybe a 1 series (I've not driven either). I can vouch for a Mazda Mx5 they are great fun and I daily mine but I don't really tend to have any passengers or need for a lot of room. Might also be worth looking at a Toyota GT86.
-E46 Coupe with an M54,a set of eibach springs, bilstein shocks and premium tyres and you just can’t get a better car for 3000 euros. -Mk5 GTI, personally I don’t care for them, but a lot of people around me seem to love them. They are responsive to mods and can get very fast very cheaply if you are into that. -Mk3 Focus ST, never driven one but i saw some adds for 4-6 year old cars with good milage for 10000 euros and thought they are very good value for money. If you are from Europe -Alfa Romeo GTV or GT with a Twin Spark engine. I only drove the 147s, 164s and 166s with a 2.0 TS, the engine oozes character and they are very nice places to be. The coupes can only be better. They do break a lot though. -Renaults are a very good option. Clio 187, Clio 200, Megane RS Mk3, they drive superbly, but people seem to have a problem with their interiors not being on par with VW. Mkay. Don’t get a Megane GT. It’s not a baby RS, it’s a regular megane with more uncomfortable seats. -BMW 123d. As good as a 4cyl diesel can be, very easy on your fuel bills. Fast, competent, frugal, but ultimately not very rewarding. -Smart Roadster. If you can get over the gearbox it’s a fun car to drive, very easy to live with in an European city, cheap and frugal.A wierd, generally unsuccesful French take on a kei car made with German money? I think that sums it up. Never driven them, but generally acclaimed: mx5, gt86, sti, vtec hondas
9:51 as someone that has built an aftermarket s14 on e21(looking at you hyphen lol.) I simply don’t understand the lack of love, the M10 deserves a podcast within it of itself. That block built this company. And with twin cam heads and independent throttle bodies it’s a magical combination.
Jason’s ADHD (idk if he does actually have it but I’d be surprised if he didn’t) energy is hilarious to see play out in this format, I enjoy it so much
I drove my Hero...Porsche 928....first one I drove was a 88 S4, but it needed a bit of work but I was surprised with how comfortable it was, I LOOOOVED the dog leg gear box.
I think Jason's comment about the NSX is interesting. It demonstrates the way things have moved for automotive manufacturing. At the time a mid-engined sports car that was logical and reliable was such a novel thing in and of itself that debates about its merits as a sports car go out the window. The next question is this: when every car is a tesla and will go from 0-60 in 2 seconds and evacuate your bowels for you while you get a massage and watch corny reality shows, what do we do then? Maybe the runaway magazine number brawls we have are symptomatic of how unattainable new cars are for younger folks too. P.S. Hope you guys get some better audio recording set up because I would enjoy being able to listen to this as a podcast without noticing the hissing and noise.
DT-S is on the money with his take on the 300SL. I have two Benzs & I never have to worry about anything. I just drive them. They are taken care of for sure and I try to stay a head. But my 1977 450sl can do 90mph all day, or when the tank goes empty. Plus they don’t feel cheap. My 2001 E55 AMG is dead simple to drive and is fast. It’s even more dead simple to maintain.
Pre facelift C4 Corvette for whatever reason is a hero car for me. Looks incredible, has the futuristic LCD gauges, comes with a wonderful sounding V8, just a magnificent snapshot of the 80’s. My perfect version would be a manual swap from the facelift cars and some stancey mods in tandem with a better brake setup.
I know this is an old video but I'm just seeing it for the 1st time. I owned an E30 M3 when new. I am telling you that it BEGS to be driven hard and when you get the revs up it is an absolute Hoot. It is agile and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Regretted selling it ever since. I don't know who would let you drive it that hard but I highly recommend it.
The Porsche 959 was developed as a Group B rally car, so I have to disagree with Jason about it being "an old men machine" - all the technology in the car was put in it to try and harness a 200 mph car's power on a rally stage....... it was never designed to be a road car. The few road-going versions that exist were only made to satisfy homologation regulations. That's why the Ferrari F40 is such a "non-old men machine" - because, although the performance of both cars are similar, they are totally different types of cars to drive - because they were each built/designed for very different purposes. They are both amazing cars, but in very different ways.
Great Video again. Most people forgot about the reason for the Veyrons target speed. - All other records after that have been "useless" for Bugatti after that. - very excited for the Piech special. He pulled off some amazing stuff - mostly against the advice from everybody else in the company.
S54 rod bearing wear reputation is largely due to the early engine oil pump issues. The rod bearing wear of the later S65 and S85 were from a different issue altogether 😅
Funny thing when Jason talks that he likes high RPM, engine noise and instant response, you are descibing something that is called a motorcycle, jajajajajaja
12:46 after watching the BTS with DTS, it has buddy rich for an exhaust, that alone is worth a 100. I’ve never heard such organic bangs and pops, it’s truly unpredictable.
"Fast fades" YES!! Speed acts like a drug. When you taste something new it's awesome and exciting, but then you get used to it and that becomes normal. So you get something faster, it's a trip for a week, and then it's normal again. Rinse and repeat. Pretty soon you start telling people you could never own a sub-500hp car because a 300hp car feels like you're going to get rear-ended. No! No no no no no! Go for something that entertains with tactile engagement and a fundamental sense of joy. That feeling lasts forever. I've been saying this line for a while, and I think it really works. If you want something fast, go on Craigslist and buy a used Yamaha R1. Scrape off the bits of meat and hair from the previous owner (RIP) and enjoy your new ability to DOMINATE the freeway. And you know, some people live out in corn country where the freeway is all there is. Well hey, you just skipped $200,000 worth of leap-frogging escalation and now you can focus on a turbo Busa. But if you live somewhere with good twisty roads, park a Miata next to that R1, spend a few months playing with both, and see if you don't prefer the thing that you have to actually USE to go fast. Maybe in the end you'll split the difference and pick up an R7 or a Boxster. Thank God for the Miata. 3 days with an NC2 completely changed me. I had gotten over chasing speed a while before, but that car sparked a love for 4-cylinders and convertibles - two things I thought I didn't want.
Another great episode. I TOTALLY agree, the "better" car isn't always better. That is why the Focus ST was way more fun than the mk7 GTI. I owned both, back-to-back. The GTI is a junior Audi. Very nice but not nearly as fun as the mk5. The ST with all its understeer, is just more visceral and entertaining.
great conversation boys, i really enjoy listening while doing the dishes. :) I was a passenger in a 330/365GTC about 15 years ago, and i will not forget it: birlliant in every way. Also, i'd like to add that all this is very personal, like music or movies: you share some love, but most of it you don't. I love my 325i E30 touring to death, just like Jason, but i also love my 1981 911 SC targa .... sorry! I'm not a cock! it's rusty and unwashed, please like me :)
But 911s always were big, fat GTs ;) Every generation of 911, if not counting the race versions, weights pretty much the same as contemporary V12 GT Ferrari. From the very begging up until now. But I get your point, let’s make all cars lighter please!
@@indiebekonn Your wrong. 911's were small nimble sports cars until 2012. After the 997.2 all 911's since have been bloated Grand Touring cars that are no longer driver focused.
Haha I called it. You shaved your head. NSX went to 90 in 2nd gear. ☹️ US market. JDM had short gears. NSX-R had short final drive. Stiffer chassis improved as recommended by the great Senna. Racing seats are lower so i can fit. Only problem is first generation runs $100k+ before importing. All mods can be done and a glorious exhaust can make it sound like a Ferrari. The steering sadly remains. Big let down. Come to Madison, Wisconsin. You can drive my Integra Type R And my big turbo r32 GTR. My heroes that you should meet. Out of like 60 cars I have had, these are my keepers.
John Le i had a higher redline and I remember seeing 90. It still sucks. Jason or DTS, drive an NSX Type R and review it for us. They’re national treasures like the Hakosuka GTR.
I feel like I accidentally stumbled into Derek's research for this episode a couple days ago. Also, I just spent an hour and a quarter staring at the Porsche B32 van over Derek's shoulder. Best van nobody has ever heard about, super cool to see a model of it. Have either of you driven a BMW M1? How does that stack up? They sound amazing from the outside at least.
I'm a huge B32 fan! Good eye. They're cheap on ebay (as 1:18 models go), just search "Porsche B32." I've driven an M1. It was slightly disappointing but quite nice overall. It was much more German feeling than a Countach, despite Lamborghini's heavy involvement in the project. It's an easy, accessible car from a driving standpoint. 50% more comfortable/easy to use than a Countach: more spacious, better ventilation, better visibility. Maybe 10-15% more comfortable/easy to use than a Ferrari Boxer. Control forces have good harmony and aren't too heavy. Engine is tractable but it's a racey motor in the sense that it needs to be wrung out to feel fast, not a ton of low down oomph. Makes great noises, although not as great noises as a Countach or Boxer (especially carbureted ones!), definitely feels less torquey than both, unsurprisingly since both have double the cylinder count and over a liter more displacement. Overall it's a surprisingly good car, much more usable than I was expecting, a little bit 70s German austere inside and without the Italian sense of theater of the others.
The NSX with the Gen 2 drivetrain is much better Jason, like you said the gearing was fixed, the ABS was revised and the power steering was improved. With a supercharger the car is BEYOND great and it fixes everything except the lack of Pop-Up headlights. My dad has a C2 middle tier engine and it seriously was made better with good tires and some nice shocks. It's still horrible to steer and the suspension isn't as terrible. We also have CTS-V brakes with C6 rotors which help braking too.
Caveat on the first gen NSX: Early cars, pre-1995 would be a disappointment. 1995-1997 were okay. 1998+ very good cars. I passed on buying a 1992 and 1994 NSX before I bought a Supercharged 2000 NSX. At 390HP it was just enough power, perfect steering, best shifter action ever. All of the earlier bugs were worked out.
Not disagreeing that the Integra Type R isn’t one of the best handling cars but there are several other FWD cars that I’ve driven that are very close if not as good such as believe it or not even cars like the Fiesta ST for example. BTW, I owned a Type R in the early 2000’s so I am a big fanboy just saying I think it sometimes gets blown out of proportion because of its somewhat legendary status that is like night and day better than everything else FWD as far as handling when in actuality I have since driven others that were perhaps even better in some ways (in my opinion)
I completely agree with you about the first Gen Honda/Acura NSX. No power, long gears, uninteresting sound. I was a member of the Classic Car Club Manhattan for a couple of years and driove the NSX, vintage Jags and Alfa's, Ferrari 308 GT4 (awesome!!) and so much more. The NSX was such a disappointing drive in comparison. No life or excitement at all. On the other hand, the car that surprised me the most was the 2001 BMW Z8. It made me think, "Maybe I'm a GT guy, not a race car guy." Theatre, power and pure fun. So good.
I kind of agree with the hot hatch idea. But the car definitely needs to be the hottest version. Particularly the Italian hot hatches. IE the integrale 16v and the abarth 500.
does anyone remember the episode when Tam Hyphen was talking about a vehicles controls and it's response to control inputs being predictable or coherent, and what the nice, proper term he used for that was? Or what episode that was? I can't remember for the life of me.
When it comes to cars, I have a dichotomy to deal with - I need a reliable safe family car, but I want a (relateively) lightweight chassis, V8, manual trans, rwd with a mechanical LSD; basically a first gen mustang with a 90's OBDII powerplant, drivetrain & SN95 brakes (minus the ABS). No traction control, no nannies; I do want AC at this point in my life though - I just want a car I have to drive that makes good noises and doesn't cost me an arm and a leg to maintain, that I am familiar with mechanically. Resto-mod is the right way to go for me honestly. My first E30 M3 experience was in the surrounding areas of Boston, I was 18 at the time I think; I owned a heavily modified Fox mustang at the time which jaded me - torque man, it does things - I bet I'd appreciate an E30 M3 now that I'm twice as old, although if I could drive my modified Fox back to back with it again, I don't know that I'd like the E30 any more than I did back then. Perspective is an odd thing.
Have either of you driven the mk2/mk2.5 Ford Focus ST or RS? I don't think it was ever available on your side of the pond. Not the best handling car as they were quite heavy at the front end but the 5 cylinder engine more than made up for it especially with an aftermarket exhaust fitted. It made them sound like a group B quattro rally car.
I wouldn't call it a hero car, but a lot of people talked up BMW's and at the time I was DDing something really boring, so I started romanticizing trading it for a 330i. And then I went and drove a 328 that had ~100k miles on it, and it felt like it actually had 300k on it. It didn't handle very well (felt sloppy), it was far slower than I expected, the windows where both really slow, the interior rattled, etc. It was just a pile of junk. Maybe the odo was rolled back...I'm not sure, but it kind of put me off BMW's. (To finish that off, later I had a friend get a 335i, which was really nice, but ended up having a lot of minor problems, that I always helped to fix because the dealer wanted astronomical amounts to fix simple things).
I drove a 308 in san diego for a dock car for a month. I was so excited to drive a Ferrari.. but it was awful to sit in and drive. It was geared so it was so slow. The pedal position and steering wheel position was very out of alignment to make driving it no fun. I drove a 72 porsche 911 around the same time and loved it.
OlderAge= maybe just bushings and dampers... my 200kmile z3 coupe is awaiting full refresh on that... I’ll report after ... another great episode by the way... more “smiles per mile” content please
For years the FX45 snapped my neck around every time one went by. LOVED the design - but they were always very expensive in 5 Series territory. Years later while working at a dealership I was thrilled we had one as a trade, and I jumped at driving it. I was so disappointed I can't tell you. Plastic interior, TERRIBLE harsh ride. I have never fallen out of love for car so quickly. Another car that thrilled me to own but disappointed me to drive was the original Fiat 124 Spider. GREAT style, GREAT SOUND. PITIFUL get up and go. Made all kinds of Ferrari noises and drove nowhere near it. The car that surprised the hell out of me as to how fantastic is was to drive: the MBZ 190e 2.6. Did everything better than you'd expect.
Jason, You have now talked about driving a MX5 as a 'must do' experience in three of these shows. In a previous life you argued that both the MX5 and the GT86 were equally as good as each other. Is there any reason why you now only mention the MX5? Did the MX5 make a greater impression in your mind or do you still feel that they are both as good as each other?
Gt86 downfalls: Torque dip Not a convertible Heavier and wider Not a classic Probably something about suspension Mazda engineers prioritize experience not handling or whatever Toyota choose to do
The only car from the 70’s I ever drove was a Dino 246 and I absolutely adored every minute, I was so impressed how good it felt, everything was precise. The same week, I drove a 1957 fiat 500, which is the most horrible car I ever drove, nothing fun about it.
Peugeot 106 Rallye S1 is the most awesome car ever. I had the great privilege to own one of those and an Integra Type-R DC2. I would take the Rallye over the Integra any day of the week. The handling was simply astonishing.
I'm distracted by how good looking these guys are, not to mention funny and smart. Spot on about the 308/328's. It's too bad car magazines push the number and not how a car actually makes you feel. Another great video guys! Great work.
I met my childhood hero car about 10 years ago: a black, 1984 Trans Am. It was bullshit... it didn't even talk.
Most old muscle cars weren't as good as people imagine them to be
But sure they look good.
knight rider reference, not a genuine muscle car crush... I assume
@@blueridgegarage a sexy mute
Your name isn't Michael
Jason "Car Savvy Ryan Reynolds" Cammisa and Derek "Equally Car Savvy and More Buffed Since COVID-19" Tam-Scott, every time I see a new video you post I am happy because you make this difficult time pass easier and even if it's only for an hour and seventeen measly minutes.
I would personally love to see more content, maybe some Proper Care and Feeding and maybe two Carmudgeones per week? 🤭
Congratulations on your work, you're simply the best (by Tina Turner)
2:44 my brain couldn't process that drop sound being made by Jason's mouth.
I watched it like 10 times and still can't xd
you flick your cheek so that the nail strikes you flatly.
Simultaneously, your jaw needs to be open, but your lips at small round diameter. You make the opening in your mouth larger immediately after you strike your cheek.
4:25 my brain couldn't process that sound either.
@@abalakrishnan4152 maybe he’s a car lmao
@@liammaupin9492 4:24 here’s one of your proof.
Jason preaching the truth at 51:17 - "Fast fades. You have to have an experience. The experience is going to last forever." Some of the best driving experiences I've had have been in slower cars because I could extract 90-100% of their potential. That has been much more rewarding than some of the fastest cars I've driven. It's not just about the speed. That's one thing (arguably an important one), but not the only thing.
Where is the video of Jason talking about saving cars from the Sonoma fire? Sounds like a good story
A classic BMW 328 at that! I agree that story should get its own episode.
This is the best episode yet of Carmudgeon and I have faithfully watched them all. The description of what makes a car "good" and the idea that flawed cars are the best experience is spot on. Jason's comment that "fast fades" is something that is lost by those who simply look at the numbers on a spec sheet and think they are buying the best car available. Cars have a personality, and just like people, you don't get along with everyone and some of the most "interesting" people turn out to be boring in short time. In fact, sometimes it's the unexpected person that becomes your best friend and is a joy to just hang out with, flaws included.
This video is pure gold. If there was to be an award for superlative youtube videos this one deserves it. As a car enthusiast since the 1980s the discussion resonates very deeply for me.
In my experience, disappointment only happens when expectations are incongruous with reality. I've driven Lamborghinis from the Miura to the Aventador, factory Porsche 908 prototypes to modern 911s, Alpine A110s to modern Clio Cups, DB5 to DB9 Astons, etc. Imho, the modern cars are vastly more disappointing because they rely on numerical statistics to generate their intrigue. They have very little to no steering feel, no sense of speed, and they tend to only be capable of doing a couple of laps on track before the tires go (mostly due to the tremendous weight of modern cars). Older cars don't always have the numerical performance, but boy do they deliver on the experience front. The weight and response of the steering, the smaller footprint on the road, the noise, and the lack of noise isolation all contribute to not just a greater proportional sense of speed, but a more sensual experience. If you're fine with lower limits of adhesion, braking, etc. (which you can actually enjoy on the road as opposed to purely on a track like most modern supercars), vintage is definitely the way to go.
Thank you for such a beautifully written point but also such an accurate reflection of the reality of what car enthusiasts should look for versus what we tend to fixate on: stats and bragging rights over what we actually enjoy. Cheers.
PREACH
Amen
Nice points on your side, but I'd have to politely disagree. I think not all cars today are bound to feel isolated. Modern Porsches (in any trims including GT3s, GT4s, etc.), Lotuses, McLarens, Alfa Romeos, even the Alpines, etc. all offer tons of feedback to the driver and communicate back to the driver brilliantly. Sure, EPAS (Electric Power Assist Steering) is going to be nothing like old-school hydro setups to many purists, but EPAS too, when properly tuned, can be praised by the driver. The sounds of engines today are also magnificent, especially the N/A engines. There are cars today that still evoke a ton of emotion.
Everyday supercars like Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc. do have numerical stats and are about bragging rights.
Driver's-focused cars like the Porsches, Lotuses, Alpines, etc. offer that next-level sensory experience, emotion, and thrill when the steering, shifting, chassis response, and handling all combined give the character these cars are known for.
Take a drink every time DTS says "visceral." You'll last about 12 minutes.
S1D3KlCK I think I’m almost paralytic
Don't you mean DT-S?
Not if you're Finnish 🤔
I would have gone with "Derek Quaran-Tam hyphen Scott" and "Jason campin-inside Cammisa". Also, that was an excellent voice rendition of the MB 5 cylinder diesel. The grandfather of which is the 3.0L OM617, but it really doesn't start to make that sound until the Diesel pump is updated for 1980/81. So the unit everyone knows is the 2.5L 5 cylinder in the W201 (and w124 euro) the OM602. a wonderful power plant. Interestingly, most of that sound is coming from the diesel pump itself! Catch a dieselmeken show when they test the pumps on the pump dyno. All OM602 sounds!
I really like your takes on fun cars. The fact that they can be bad at some things, and its what makes them great. Could you do an episode on great starter fun cars (not dailys or onlys)? Maybe a few budgets, 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, and something that is relatively accessible and easy to work on, but fits your philosophy of interesting and emotional, not just competent?
Miata has most of those price ranges covered
I totally believe the 959 is a disappointment to drive, but I have had the good fortune to go to Canepa's shop and see them in various states of disassembly a few times, and my impression is: The 959 is to 1980s automotive engineering what the Saturn V rocket is to plumbing.
Sorry I'm not a engineering major, saturn V to plumbing?
@@johnbacon4997 Saturn V is advanced, plumbing is simple
So... unrelated...? 🤔
😂 🤣
@@WatanabeNoTsuna.
*A cursory glance* at the business end of a Saturn V rocket reveals an assload of plumbing, elevated to the bleeding edge of precision engineering, fluid mechanics, and materials science, and assembled into what are still the most powerful single-chamber liquid-propellant rocket engines ever made. Also they both take shit to where you can't see it.
@@vaffangool9196 I think that's pretty obvious, and my comment was stupid as hell. I must have been half drunk or half asleep when I posted it... 🤷🏻♂️
My 1st e30 m3 experience was with a BMW CCA driving instructor driving his own car on Thunderhill track back around 1997. Absolutely unforgettable.
Can we get more of these plz I need something to watch to get me through this quarantine
The ultimate hot hatch experience: Chrysler PT Cruiser
·Most practical hot hatch to date
·It's middle name is body roll
·It's actual middle name is Plymouth Truck
·It's a nightmare to work on
·Classic 1930's styling
Owned one and it was the best love/hate relationship to date with a car, countless memories of it overheating and hangouts with friends. The alternative if you want the space of an suv while being able to throw it around without fearing it might tip over.
My ex wife rolled hers.
One of the happiest days of my life.
'Fast fades. The experience is gonna last forever.' - PUT THAT ON THE T-SHIRT.
A suggestion for a future show. Cars we should have bought but didn't. Missed opportunities. I turned down an opportunity to buy a Ferrari 250 GT Boano in the mid-1970s for only $6500. I've been kicking myself ever since.
This +1. Well done.
As Jason waxes poetic about you want a car to be bad at some things because flaws provide lovable character, it is very clear you show has the most accurate name possible.
The e-type, my first car, drove wonderfully -- good brakes, good acceleration, nice cornering, much better than most cars of the time..It spoiled me for cars that followed.
Agreed. I’ve driven a few 50s and 60s cars. Then you get into a S1 E type...very ahead of its time. Fantastic driving experience, almost as good as it looks.
I did 700 miles in a XKE series 1.5, fantastic car. I would daily drive one in a heartbeat
DT-S, Thank you for pointing out "Control Harmony" you put words to one of the most important things a machine can have.
You are making my 6am commute much easier 🇦🇺!
My hero car is the V10 E60 M5. Got to meet it two years ago when I was a freshman and college, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Now I just got to figure out how to afford the running costs one day...
Yes! I've been saying for years that instead of replacing the 911 with the 928, Porsche turned the 911 INTO the 928! Look at the size and feel how it drives. It's the GT that they wanted their halo car to be when they introduced the 928.
They (some porsche guy) once mentioned that the big size todays 911's are in, is due to US emission and fuel consumption regulations. (basically they didn't want the have to fulfill stricter rules than the Corvette has to, and the rules were somehow connected to the wheelbase if i remember correct. Or wheelbase and width?) Anyway they basically sized the 911 up to Corvette dimensions for this.
The 911 is still very athletic and emotional, granted the base variant is more towards comfort, but still handles pretty good. The Carrera S/4s and GT3/RS/Touring variants are all charismatic and appeal to the people who love that expressive driving.
The first time I got to go into a 1956 300 SL: the owner was shocked that I knew to decouple the steering wheel to make it go forward to ease entry and exit. Trust me: there's nothing disappointing about the Gullwing, it really lives up to the hype.
I always feel bad about my 996 Porsche Turbo whenever I watch your videos.
faiz31887 having driven a 996 Turbo, unfortunately only briefly, you have nothing to feel bad about. For all these guys’ experience, what they don’t say enough is that everyone’s experiences and preferences are different. If you enjoy your Turbo then that’s what really matters, not whether JC or DTS likes it.
Yeah try having a 2.7 Boxster that Jason hates lol
That's normal I own some what most people would consider enthusiast cars and these two hate them with a passion (z3 2.8 and a 14 focus st) it's fine everyone has different opinions I'm sure if I had $200,000 to blow on some Italian car that I could drive once a month I wouldn't like these cars either
More information that I will never use or need. Another great episode.
At the turn of the 80s and 90s Murray Gordon made a research for the starting point of the McLaren F1 supercar. He chose the following 4 cars of the time: Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary, Ferrari F40, Porsche 959 and Lotus Esprit SE. He summed up the 959 same way as Derek did. It was feeling like a really quick GTI and doesn't feel like a supercar despite of the numbers you can measure, nor the supreme techniques it introduces. He decided by the experience that he would need a high revving, bigger N/A engine over the turbo (the carburetted Countach was the only one with the same type contrary to the other 3's turbo engines). He took the decision that it must be light as the F40 was and better vision from the driver's position as in the 959.
I would love to see a carmudgeons on some good drivers cars from the late 2000s and 2010s. As a college student, I am years out from being able to buy E30s and A1 Volkswagens as second, third and fourth cars. You touched on this in the last episode but what are great one car solutions? I drive a Fiesta ST which I love and think is a great drivers car and great daily. It’s not as fun as the E30s I have driven but it is still a riot. What other current cars are good options for those who can only have one car to tackle back roads track days but also snow, traffic and commuting?
E46s should be cheaper if you want a BMW or maybe a 1 series (I've not driven either). I can vouch for a Mazda Mx5 they are great fun and I daily mine but I don't really tend to have any passengers or need for a lot of room. Might also be worth looking at a Toyota GT86.
-E46 Coupe with an M54,a set of eibach springs, bilstein shocks and premium tyres and you just can’t get a better car for 3000 euros.
-Mk5 GTI, personally I don’t care for them, but a lot of people around me seem to love them. They are responsive to mods and can get very fast very cheaply if you are into that.
-Mk3 Focus ST, never driven one but i saw some adds for 4-6 year old cars with good milage for 10000 euros and thought they are very good value for money.
If you are from Europe
-Alfa Romeo GTV or GT with a Twin Spark engine. I only drove the 147s, 164s and 166s with a 2.0 TS, the engine oozes character and they are very nice places to be. The coupes can only be better. They do break a lot though.
-Renaults are a very good option. Clio 187, Clio 200, Megane RS Mk3, they drive superbly, but people seem to have a problem with their interiors not being on par with VW. Mkay. Don’t get a Megane GT. It’s not a baby RS, it’s a regular megane with more uncomfortable seats.
-BMW 123d. As good as a 4cyl diesel can be, very easy on your fuel bills. Fast, competent, frugal, but ultimately not very rewarding.
-Smart Roadster. If you can get over the gearbox it’s a fun car to drive, very easy to live with in an European city, cheap and frugal.A wierd, generally unsuccesful French take on a kei car made with German money? I think that sums it up.
Never driven them, but generally acclaimed: mx5, gt86, sti, vtec hondas
4:20 perfect merc diesel impression. 👌
9:51 as someone that has built an aftermarket s14 on e21(looking at you hyphen lol.) I simply don’t understand the lack of love, the M10 deserves a podcast within it of itself. That block built this company. And with twin cam heads and independent throttle bodies it’s a magical combination.
Okay, new game. Drink a shot every time they say "visceral". ;-)
Jason’s ADHD (idk if he does actually have it but I’d be surprised if he didn’t) energy is hilarious to see play out in this format, I enjoy it so much
Hi Jason,
Piëch is pronounced the way you have said it the 2nd time. Trust me, I am from Austria 😉
When the family themselves use different pronunciations there isn't a "right" way.
Imagine being Thomas from Throttle House and having Jason spill that you screwed your M3 :v
It's ok I told the story myself on a doubleclutch.ca podcast last night. I've never been shy of sharing how I only seem to buy broken BMWs...
@@ThrottleHouse Is that why you didn't call the speed academy guys?
thank you guys! this is the best car show in youtube.
I drove my Hero...Porsche 928....first one I drove was a 88 S4, but it needed a bit of work but I was surprised with how comfortable it was, I LOOOOVED the dog leg gear box.
I think Jason's comment about the NSX is interesting. It demonstrates the way things have moved for automotive manufacturing. At the time a mid-engined sports car that was logical and reliable was such a novel thing in and of itself that debates about its merits as a sports car go out the window. The next question is this: when every car is a tesla and will go from 0-60 in 2 seconds and evacuate your bowels for you while you get a massage and watch corny reality shows, what do we do then? Maybe the runaway magazine number brawls we have are symptomatic of how unattainable new cars are for younger folks too.
P.S. Hope you guys get some better audio recording set up because I would enjoy being able to listen to this as a podcast without noticing the hissing and noise.
When will this become JRE of car podcasts ?!
Shubha Dinesh what’s JRE
Joe rogan experience
DT-S is on the money with his take on the 300SL. I have two Benzs & I never have to worry about anything. I just drive them. They are taken care of for sure and I try to stay a head. But my 1977 450sl can do 90mph all day, or when the tank goes empty. Plus they don’t feel cheap. My 2001 E55 AMG is dead simple to drive and is fast. It’s even more dead simple to maintain.
I could listen to you guys for hours during this quarantine, you could really release longer episodes, no need to cut it short
Piech might deserve his own mini series of podcasts. One won't be enough
Pre facelift C4 Corvette for whatever reason is a hero car for me. Looks incredible, has the futuristic LCD gauges, comes with a wonderful sounding V8, just a magnificent snapshot of the 80’s. My perfect version would be a manual swap from the facelift cars and some stancey mods in tandem with a better brake setup.
I know this is an old video but I'm just seeing it for the 1st time. I owned an E30 M3 when new. I am telling you that it BEGS to be driven hard and when you get the revs up it is an absolute Hoot. It is agile and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Regretted selling it ever since. I don't know who would let you drive it that hard but I highly recommend it.
The Porsche 959 was developed as a Group B rally car, so I have to disagree with Jason about it being "an old men machine" - all the technology in the car was put in it to try and harness a 200 mph car's power on a rally stage....... it was never designed to be a road car. The few road-going versions that exist were only made to satisfy homologation regulations. That's why the Ferrari F40 is such a "non-old men machine" - because, although the performance of both cars are similar, they are totally different types of cars to drive - because they were each built/designed for very different purposes. They are both amazing cars, but in very different ways.
Great Video again. Most people forgot about the reason for the Veyrons target speed. - All other records after that have been "useless" for Bugatti after that. - very excited for the Piech special. He pulled off some amazing stuff - mostly against the advice from everybody else in the company.
My porsche 944 was a hero I was glad I owned for over 15 years.
And my lancia scorpion made me smile and laugh every time I got in it.
S54 rod bearing wear reputation is largely due to the early engine oil pump issues. The rod bearing wear of the later S65 and S85 were from a different issue altogether 😅
so many people say "do not meet your heroes". I went one step further and actually bought my absolute dream car and it is better than I imagined.
Funny thing when Jason talks that he likes high RPM, engine noise and instant response, you are descibing something that is called a motorcycle, jajajajajaja
12:46 after watching the BTS with DTS, it has buddy rich for an exhaust, that alone is worth a 100. I’ve never heard such organic bangs and pops, it’s truly unpredictable.
What motorcycle is behind you? Reminds me of the 2-stroke Ducati I need to finish restoring.
Good job guys, can't wait for a Ferdinand Piech episode.
Bring in Carlos Lago as a guest for a chat...or other automotive journalists.
"Fast fades"
YES!! Speed acts like a drug. When you taste something new it's awesome and exciting, but then you get used to it and that becomes normal. So you get something faster, it's a trip for a week, and then it's normal again. Rinse and repeat. Pretty soon you start telling people you could never own a sub-500hp car because a 300hp car feels like you're going to get rear-ended.
No! No no no no no! Go for something that entertains with tactile engagement and a fundamental sense of joy. That feeling lasts forever.
I've been saying this line for a while, and I think it really works. If you want something fast, go on Craigslist and buy a used Yamaha R1. Scrape off the bits of meat and hair from the previous owner (RIP) and enjoy your new ability to DOMINATE the freeway. And you know, some people live out in corn country where the freeway is all there is. Well hey, you just skipped $200,000 worth of leap-frogging escalation and now you can focus on a turbo Busa. But if you live somewhere with good twisty roads, park a Miata next to that R1, spend a few months playing with both, and see if you don't prefer the thing that you have to actually USE to go fast. Maybe in the end you'll split the difference and pick up an R7 or a Boxster.
Thank God for the Miata. 3 days with an NC2 completely changed me. I had gotten over chasing speed a while before, but that car sparked a love for 4-cylinders and convertibles - two things I thought I didn't want.
Appreciate discussion of the Singer car - those cars have a lot of lure right now.
Another great episode. I TOTALLY agree, the "better" car isn't always better. That is why the Focus ST was way more fun than the mk7 GTI. I owned both, back-to-back. The GTI is a junior Audi. Very nice but not nearly as fun as the mk5. The ST with all its understeer, is just more visceral and entertaining.
Because it has been bothering my for half the show, I must ask.
Is jason's office chair an 80's cloth recaro?
I remember like 20 years ago I heard about Canepa and found it. The shock of all the 959s and sadly the lost footage on that disposable camera
great conversation boys, i really enjoy listening while doing the dishes. :) I was a passenger in a 330/365GTC about 15 years ago, and i will not forget it: birlliant in every way. Also, i'd like to add that all this is very personal, like music or movies: you share some love, but most of it you don't. I love my 325i E30 touring to death, just like Jason, but i also love my 1981 911 SC targa .... sorry! I'm not a cock! it's rusty and unwashed, please like me :)
29:28. Nailed it! Porsche can't help from making the 911 more like an "old man" machine, fat, big GT car. Bring back a small driver focused 911!
Cayman
But 911s always were big, fat GTs ;) Every generation of 911, if not counting the race versions, weights pretty much the same as contemporary V12 GT Ferrari. From the very begging up until now. But I get your point, let’s make all cars lighter please!
@@indiebekonn Your wrong. 911's were small nimble sports cars until 2012. After the 997.2 all 911's since have been bloated Grand Touring cars that are no longer driver focused.
Haha I called it. You shaved your head.
NSX went to 90 in 2nd gear. ☹️ US market. JDM had short gears. NSX-R had short final drive. Stiffer chassis improved as recommended by the great Senna. Racing seats are lower so i can fit. Only problem is first generation runs $100k+ before importing. All mods can be done and a glorious exhaust can make it sound like a Ferrari. The steering sadly remains. Big let down.
Come to Madison, Wisconsin. You can drive my Integra Type R And my big turbo r32 GTR. My heroes that you should meet. Out of like 60 cars I have had, these are my keepers.
US NSX 5 speeds go to 81 in second. I have a 6 speed and it still goes to 74 mph which I think is still a little bit too high to enjoy on the streets.
John Le i had a higher redline and I remember seeing 90. It still sucks. Jason or DTS, drive an NSX Type R and review it for us. They’re national treasures like the Hakosuka GTR.
Man I love this show. Gonna save it for Friday night when I can enjoy watching it with a couple beers.
You can always watch it twice.
@@BlueRidgePhantom exactly! :)
I always watch while sipping my favorite Irish whiskey.
What's with the bags bro dont you sleep 😂😂😳🛌🛌🛌
@@jamessandpaper2815 😂😂😂 so true hes a real idiot too he should just stick to driving and shutting his big fat mouth
This episode was a genuine eye-opener, got me really thinking. Much enjoyed!
Well the 70-80’s Ferrari’s suffered BADLY from the U.S. emission regulations. Lower compression etc etc. Buy/drive a non-US car.
I feel like I accidentally stumbled into Derek's research for this episode a couple days ago.
Also, I just spent an hour and a quarter staring at the Porsche B32 van over Derek's shoulder. Best van nobody has ever heard about, super cool to see a model of it.
Have either of you driven a BMW M1? How does that stack up? They sound amazing from the outside at least.
I'm a huge B32 fan! Good eye. They're cheap on ebay (as 1:18 models go), just search "Porsche B32."
I've driven an M1. It was slightly disappointing but quite nice overall. It was much more German feeling than a Countach, despite Lamborghini's heavy involvement in the project. It's an easy, accessible car from a driving standpoint. 50% more comfortable/easy to use than a Countach: more spacious, better ventilation, better visibility. Maybe 10-15% more comfortable/easy to use than a Ferrari Boxer. Control forces have good harmony and aren't too heavy. Engine is tractable but it's a racey motor in the sense that it needs to be wrung out to feel fast, not a ton of low down oomph. Makes great noises, although not as great noises as a Countach or Boxer (especially carbureted ones!), definitely feels less torquey than both, unsurprisingly since both have double the cylinder count and over a liter more displacement. Overall it's a surprisingly good car, much more usable than I was expecting, a little bit 70s German austere inside and without the Italian sense of theater of the others.
850CSi is an amazing GT cruiser, very capable car, ahead of its time in looks and technology
52:30 Match...lmao. I once got an email from them that said "You matched with not 1, but 0 people this week!" I will NEVER forget that rofl
The episodes could be 2hrs and I’d still watch this bih😶..
The NSX with the Gen 2 drivetrain is much better Jason, like you said the gearing was fixed, the ABS was revised and the power steering was improved. With a supercharger the car is BEYOND great and it fixes everything except the lack of Pop-Up headlights.
My dad has a C2 middle tier engine and it seriously was made better with good tires and some nice shocks. It's still horrible to steer and the suspension isn't as terrible. We also have CTS-V brakes with C6 rotors which help braking too.
@40:00 the Fairlady Roadster gets a quick shoutout. Randy Pobst knows.
You should do the turnaround - what cars were you hating until you drove them?
I want a V12 Aston Martin only for the starter noise and the exhaust note
I really like this show, but this episode is the best. Just had to hear it again today. Congrats to you both.
Caveat on the first gen NSX:
Early cars, pre-1995 would be a disappointment. 1995-1997 were okay. 1998+ very good cars. I passed on buying a 1992 and 1994 NSX before I bought a Supercharged 2000 NSX. At 390HP it was just enough power, perfect steering, best shifter action ever. All of the earlier bugs were worked out.
Not disagreeing that the Integra Type R isn’t one of the best handling cars but there are several other FWD cars that I’ve driven that are very close if not as good such as believe it or not even cars like the Fiesta ST for example. BTW, I owned a Type R in the early 2000’s so I am a big fanboy just saying I think it sometimes gets blown out of proportion because of its somewhat legendary status that is like night and day better than everything else FWD as far as handling when in actuality I have since driven others that were perhaps even better in some ways (in my opinion)
Finally another one!!! Thank you!
Bruh if this episode was another hour I still wouldn't have missed a second of it
I love your show. But it seems you are way more than friends or buddies, more like a couple. Great!
Carsten Schröder - I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. Not that it matters, of course, but I will give you SUCH a pinch...!
I completely agree with you about the first Gen Honda/Acura NSX. No power, long gears, uninteresting sound. I was a member of the Classic Car Club Manhattan for a couple of years and driove the NSX, vintage Jags and Alfa's, Ferrari 308 GT4 (awesome!!) and so much more. The NSX was such a disappointing drive in comparison. No life or excitement at all.
On the other hand, the car that surprised me the most was the 2001 BMW Z8. It made me think, "Maybe I'm a GT guy, not a race car guy." Theatre, power and pure fun. So good.
I kind of agree with the hot hatch idea. But the car definitely needs to be the hottest version. Particularly the Italian hot hatches. IE the integrale 16v and the abarth 500.
How about an episode on cars with double wishbone suspension?
I met my hero Muhammad Ali when I was a kid in 1979. He was a great guy!
Is there a link somewhere to buy the shirts Jason wears?
One of my favorite videos yet. Enjoy the content. Thanks!
Two comedians that love cars.
does anyone remember the episode when Tam Hyphen was talking about a vehicles controls and it's response to control inputs being predictable or coherent, and what the nice, proper term he used for that was? Or what episode that was? I can't remember for the life of me.
This is the episode, like 40-50 minutes in
I like how you guys are wearing 4 headphones =) stereo microphones
When it comes to cars, I have a dichotomy to deal with - I need a reliable safe family car, but I want a (relateively) lightweight chassis, V8, manual trans, rwd with a mechanical LSD; basically a first gen mustang with a 90's OBDII powerplant, drivetrain & SN95 brakes (minus the ABS). No traction control, no nannies; I do want AC at this point in my life though - I just want a car I have to drive that makes good noises and doesn't cost me an arm and a leg to maintain, that I am familiar with mechanically. Resto-mod is the right way to go for me honestly.
My first E30 M3 experience was in the surrounding areas of Boston, I was 18 at the time I think; I owned a heavily modified Fox mustang at the time which jaded me - torque man, it does things - I bet I'd appreciate an E30 M3 now that I'm twice as old, although if I could drive my modified Fox back to back with it again, I don't know that I'd like the E30 any more than I did back then. Perspective is an odd thing.
Have either of you driven the mk2/mk2.5 Ford Focus ST or RS? I don't think it was ever available on your side of the pond. Not the best handling car as they were quite heavy at the front end but the 5 cylinder engine more than made up for it especially with an aftermarket exhaust fitted. It made them sound like a group B quattro rally car.
I wouldn't call it a hero car, but a lot of people talked up BMW's and at the time I was DDing something really boring, so I started romanticizing trading it for a 330i.
And then I went and drove a 328 that had ~100k miles on it, and it felt like it actually had 300k on it. It didn't handle very well (felt sloppy), it was far slower than I expected, the windows where both really slow, the interior rattled, etc.
It was just a pile of junk.
Maybe the odo was rolled back...I'm not sure, but it kind of put me off BMW's.
(To finish that off, later I had a friend get a 335i, which was really nice, but ended up having a lot of minor problems, that I always helped to fix because the dealer wanted astronomical amounts to fix simple things).
I drove a 308 in san diego for a dock car for a month. I was so excited to drive a Ferrari.. but it was awful to sit in and drive. It was geared so it was so slow. The pedal position and steering wheel position was very out of alignment to make driving it no fun.
I drove a 72 porsche 911 around the same time and loved it.
Jason, the High-Land green GT500 - Double paxton supercharged? Aftermarket? Was it a different motor / or aftermarket modded that way?
OlderAge= maybe just bushings and dampers... my 200kmile z3 coupe is awaiting full refresh on that... I’ll report after ... another great episode by the way... more “smiles per mile” content please
For years the FX45 snapped my neck around every time one went by. LOVED the design - but they were always very expensive in 5 Series territory. Years later while working at a dealership I was thrilled we had one as a trade, and I jumped at driving it. I was so disappointed I can't tell you. Plastic interior, TERRIBLE harsh ride. I have never fallen out of love for car so quickly. Another car that thrilled me to own but disappointed me to drive was the original Fiat 124 Spider. GREAT style, GREAT SOUND. PITIFUL get up and go. Made all kinds of Ferrari noises and drove nowhere near it. The car that surprised the hell out of me as to how fantastic is was to drive: the MBZ 190e 2.6. Did everything better than you'd expect.
Jason,
You have now talked about driving a MX5 as a 'must do' experience in three of these shows.
In a previous life you argued that both the MX5 and the GT86 were equally as good as each other.
Is there any reason why you now only mention the MX5?
Did the MX5 make a greater impression in your mind or do you still feel that they are both as good as each other?
Gt86 downfalls:
Torque dip
Not a convertible
Heavier and wider
Not a classic
Probably something about suspension
Mazda engineers prioritize experience not handling or whatever Toyota choose to do
I hope the Bruce Canepa 959's, won't disappoint you both if you drive one. Love to hear your honest opinion after driving one of those cars.
What about modern Mini Coopers? They have super numb steering and they’ve got nothing on the GTI and Veloster N. Great video!!
How do you define modern? My 2003 R50 Mini Cooper had better steering feel than my 2010 Porsche Cayman S.
@@tamasszabo8824 Modern being the newer ones with EPS. I think 2014+. Those R50s had amazing steering, I agree
@@pascutia I see what you mean. The newer ones just got progressively worse with every generation. The newest Mini is a particularly crappy car.
The only car from the 70’s I ever drove was a Dino 246 and I absolutely adored every minute, I was so impressed how good it felt, everything was precise. The same week, I drove a 1957 fiat 500, which is the most horrible car I ever drove, nothing fun about it.
Peugeot 106 Rallye S1 is the most awesome car ever. I had the great privilege to own one of those and an Integra Type-R DC2. I would take the Rallye over the Integra any day of the week. The handling was simply astonishing.
I'm distracted by how good looking these guys are, not to mention funny and smart. Spot on about the 308/328's. It's too bad car magazines push the number and not how a car actually makes you feel. Another great video guys! Great work.