I'm suprised at the comments I get on my 2000 Firebird, and its funny to see the frowns when I tell them its a V6!
In reply to Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) :
I very rarely see 4th gens anymore
Patrick
MegaDork
10/13/24 11:12 a.m.
In reply to ddavidv :
If you REALLY HATE attention do not build a wartburg gasser then paint it green and gold
Snrub
Dork
10/13/24 11:22 a.m.
I used to get lots of compliments on my RX-8. It got looks from many a young women too, whom I'm sure were quickly disappointed.
I get compliments on the FiST from teenage boys, but that doesn't feel the same.
It was a beautiful day on Friday and I gave the thumbs up to someone in a nice convertible FC. The car put a smile on my face and they seemed to appreciate it.
I've never understood Harleys, they're like a charactature of themselves. They deliberately have a misfire to mimic something from 80 years ago. They're like a Morgan 3-wheeler without the coolness. If you want to use it like a touring bike why not have something like a BMW which isn't pretending to be running poorly and has better handling. Something like the deceased Harley v-rod seems far cooler to me too.
In reply to Patrick :
Yeah, you need to finish the 57 so you can drive under the radar
The '81 RX-7 cannot be driven anywhere without someone shouting "nice car" or getting thumbs up. Half the time I stop at a gas station I end up talking to someone for ten minutes. Feels weird after a life of crapboxes. But I accept that as the normal and try to respond in kind even if I'm having a crappy day.
This is not about that car.
I deliberately wanted a nice car that was fast and reliable and didn't look like anything special, no slats or spoilers or wings or anything, which is how I ended up with an S60R (it was that or a Passat W8). When driving somewhere, in the middle of a weird road construction/multi interchange combo near Pittsburgh, I saw someone in a S60 2.5t do all the haulassing up through traffic just to give me a thumbs up "in person". That was amusing - that was someone who Knew.
Earlier, I drove up to Toledo to pick up a bunch of Coupe Quattro parts for spares for someone who was running at SOFR. He had a bunch of older Audis and we talked shop a while. This was a neighborhood where probably the mailboxes had more property value than my entire block so I felt really out of place but fine Swedish metal made me feel like I could fake being there without someone calling the police on me . We're checking out the brakes on my car (no need for big brake upgrades like a 200 needs) and his kid walks out. Maybe 13 or so. He starts gawking at my car for a moment and then says "Omg this has a two point five liter engine that makes two hundred and ninety six horsepower". Just out of the blue, from memory. That was both touching and weird and also I felt like that was me at that age
stuart in mn said:
I daily drive a 1986 BMW M535i in the summer, and a 1988 BMW 325iX in the winter. To me they're mainly just old cars that I've owned forever, but I guess over time they've evolved into cars of interest. Pretty much every single day I get some sort of recognition - a thumbs up on the highway, a "Hey, nice car" if I'm parked somewhere, or even asking if they can take pictures. Yeah, it feels good.
My wife has a very clean red/black 1991 318is that she's owned for 26? years. In that time it went from just the last gen 3-series to a slightly desirable collector car.
I drove it somewhere one day and two people asked if it was for sale as I walked from the car to the store. She drove it until '19 and there were constant reports of people asking about it. Local teenage kids screaming at her "we love your car". The headmaster at the kid's school mentioned it every time he saw her (hidden among the Range Rovers and Escalades).
Pete. (l33t FS) said:
In reply to Patrick :
I deliberately wanted a nice car that was fast and reliable and didn't look like anything special, no slats or spoilers or wings or anything, which is how I ended up with an S60R (it was that or a Passat W8). When driving somewhere, in the middle of a weird road construction/multi interchange combo near Pittsburgh, I saw someone in a S60 2.5t do all the haulassing up through traffic just to give me a thumbs up "in person". That was amusing - that was someone who Knew.
I sold my V70R to a local guy who was apparently looking for additional maintenance thrills he wasn't getting owning a fleet of BMWs (he showed up at my house in an AWD 6MT E60 wagon). I see it from time to time and it looks SO good. I hope he worked through its million issues and is enjoying it.
SkinnyG
PowerDork
10/13/24 4:03 p.m.
When I was trying to decide between keeping either the Locost or the V8 Firefly, I chose the Locost because of the "Look at me!" factor at every gas station/parking-lot/intersection.
After I got a set of Niche gamma's on my Model 3,i've been getting a "Nice car!" or someone stopping me to ask at a stoplight almost every week.
I don't do a lot of car shows, but occasionally I'll take the Outlaw Bug to one. I usually enjoy the drive to and from more than the standing around. All that said, I'll leave the rear deck lid open at a show and soon the conversations begin. Those that are into "Built not Bought" seem to really appreciate the work that went into completing the project. And yes, it does feel good to get the recognition from those nice folks.
That's what I love about driving the Riley. Every time I stop, someone wants to talk about it. Usually the first question is what is that, or a random guess about what it is. I usually run errands in it if I'm not in a hurry.
Shadeux
SuperDork
10/13/24 6:03 p.m.
I still get comments about the '16 Corvette Z51 I have. At least once or twice a week from people. Something about the color. Everyone says, "that color!" It's Shark Gray with black wheels and gray interior. I think the best compliment I received was from a guy that was a bit of a foamer, but he yelled out, "It looks like a gun!" lol
The NA Miata not so much. One time a ND with a lady in it pulled up next to me at a light. She recognized it was a Miata, and we chatted about Miata's since the tops were down. Light turns green, we drive, weave a bit in traffic, and end up side by side at the next light. I said "We've got to stop meeting like this!" and she busted out laughing.
please don't tell my wife
I got a lot of attention driving the 98 blue neon rally cross car as my daily driver around Flint. Couple days ago I had two young guys walk up to me inside the grocery store and said hey you're the dude with the blue neon. We talked for a while they're rally enthusiast. This is good motivation for me I hit a deer with it in August and it's been sidelined I need to fix it
I know I already posted in here, but for how slow it is I get amazing feedback on the bugeye at an autocross.
I get comments in the Z28 all the time, which is weird to me because it's just a 3rd gen. I was getting fas once and somebody asked me if it was 'a sleeper'
It's got numbers on the side, 10 inch wide semi slicks and goes 'wub-wub-wub-wub-wub'... Those are clues.
The [Volvo] C30 is a bit of a different story. It's weirder, faster, and rarer than the Z28, but nobody really knows what it is.
I pulled up at a light with my windows down and overheard the guy in the car next to me say to his passenger "now that's a cool car"
so that was neat.
buzzboy
UltraDork
10/13/24 7:03 p.m.
In reply to AClockworkGarage :
My first thought went to you having a fast Chevy C30 and I was a lil confused but very excited.
Sonic
UberDork
10/13/24 7:04 p.m.
I can't go anywhere in the NSX without some comment or another, and people staring. I don't mind, and have gotten used to it. When little kids are excited about it I let them sit in it and it makes them happy.
SkinnyG said:
When I was trying to decide between keeping either the Locost or the V8 Firefly, I chose the Locost because of the "Look at me!" factor at every gas station/parking-lot/intersection.
Yeah, I owned a Locost for a while (bought it from the guy who built it, although it wasn't as "done" as it looked), and that car got WAY more attention than anything else I've ever driven. The FD that replaced it gets its fair share of comments though.
Tom1200 said:
My son had come to appreciate the Foxbody Mustang as every time we go out in it people compliment it.
It took me a long time to get used to people complimenting the 1200.
Drove this about 150 miles on i95 few weeks ago and probablyhad over 50 interactions. Most compliments any of my cars have ever gotten.
preach
UberDork
10/14/24 6:48 a.m.
If I am out in the Cayman or the Ghia I am sure to get into a conversation about them. It is nice to introduce someone to the cars or listen to their story of how an uncle had one etc.
What is annoying about nice cars is all the Subarus with a Megan Racings exhaust revving their engines as the pass by my house or the crackle tuned berkeley boiz in the Lexus' purposfully crackling when they go by.
ddavidv
UltimaDork
10/14/24 7:21 a.m.
On the flip side...putting gas in my '06 Mustang and the guy at the next pump over comments politely on "Nice car. You don't see those in nice shape anymore".
I then do the math and realize my daily driver is 18 years old.
Dang, am I THAT old already?
preach said:
or the crackle tuned berkeley boiz in the Lexus' purposfully crackling when they go by.
There's a youngster a few blocks away who had a crackle-tuned FoRS for a while. Heard that stupid berkeleying thing all the time. So when I drive by that house in the SS, I switch to sport mode and drop throttle for at least a couple seconds. Because I'm a 57 year old juvenile.
The random thumbs up will always bump me out of a crappy mood while also helping justify some of the hassle of driving and maintaining something old.
It certainly takes adjustment when going from a normal daily to something that people interact with and both options are nice at times. But I am always up for talking about what year the car is and what their uncle used to drive.
ShawnG
MegaDork
10/14/24 10:23 a.m.
-Me, driving a 1956 Continental MkII-
Lady at the intersection: "My dad had a Thunderbird just like that!"
Yup...
You can see the family resemblance but you can fit one inside of the other.