Can't Comprehend the Attitude

So I got a new co-worker who's ride is a new 'Stang GT500. Plus another $20 grand in aftermarket (bigger blower, bigger brakes, bigger bigger, bigger). Figure, cool. Someone I can relate to.

We get talking car and the topic of Mega Squirt comes up. I start with, "I know of people rigging them with ITB's on Miata's. . ." at which point he interupts with, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! We're talking real cars here!"

Since then he's been nothing but an egotistical, self righteous little prick. Can't even find a level to co-work with him on.

The solution here is to build a Miata fast enough that he E36 M3s his pants in it riding along to lunch.

offer to pay his entry fee to an autox. then, when you trophy and he does not, keep the trophy on your desk, so that each time he sees it he'll remember not to act like a shiny happy person

JoeyM wrote: offer to pay his entry fee to an autox. then, when you trophy and he does not, keep the trophy on your desk, so that each time he sees it he'll remember not to act like a shiny happy person

Yup. Autocross. Make a reasonable bet that you can be faster than him: Entrance fee and lunch once a week for a month. Proceed to embarrass him.

Maybe something like, "loser has to wear a pink tutu to work on Monday".

If you want to make him feel really bad about his car, make another side bet that if he does two runs in the Miata, he will be faster than in his Mustang. Or don't make the bet, just offer to let him try out the Miata, and when he is able to go faster due to the friendlier handling, hold that over his head.

Auto-x topic came up. All he cares about is drifting the on-ramp and how fast he get to 150.

Althou, in retrospect, his driving style may solve the problem itself. Just hope he doesn't take any innocent victoms with him. As we say in the military - "Problem solved, problem staying solved".

JoeyM wrote: offer to pay his entry fee to an autox. then, when you trophy and he does not, keep the trophy on your desk, so that each time he sees it he'll remember not to act like a shiny happy person

He's probably one of those "autocross isn't real driving" type.

You forgot that most "car guys" are douches, it's a rude awakening from the little bubble of motorsports. He'll never drive that car on a track, probably not even a drag strip.

phaze1todd wrote: We get talking car and the topic of Mega Squirt comes up. I start with, "I know of people rigging them with ITB's on Miata's. . ." at which point he interupts with, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! We're talking real cars here!" Since then he's been nothing but an egotistical, self righteous little prick. Can't even find a level to co-work with him on.

He suffers from the drag racing/street racing syndrome. I am sure he only likes Fords as well. His idea of a cool car only involves horsepower, not skill.

Edit: I like Fords, as well as any other car. There actually isnt a manufacturer I can think of that doesn't build atleast one car I like. But the drag racing mentality means you have to love your brand of car and everyone else's brand sucks or is girly.

phaze1todd wrote: Auto-x topic came up. All he cares about is drifting the on-ramp and how fast he get to 150.

Well, that's about all you can do with a truck, anyway.

Hey come on, since the Mustang suspension was revised in the late 00s the handling has been pretty good.

Water off a duck's back. "Different strokes for different folks."

Shelby's are the cheaper version of a Corvette without the middle aged man midlife crisis or money flaunting stigma attached.

Sounds like a drag racer. It seems like every one I encounter is a huge E36 M3 talking pompus prick.

Ranger50 wrote: Water off a duck's back. "Different strokes for different folks." Shelby's are the cheaper version of a Corvette without the middle aged man midlife crisis or money flaunting stigma attached.

Yea, but this guy bought enough "warranty void" to get a Vette!

Ranger50 wrote: Water off a duck's back. "Different strokes for different folks." Shelby's are the cheaper version of a Corvette without the middle aged man midlife crisis or money flaunting stigma attached.

What?

The GT500s typically sell for around $70k. And the new ones have 660+ hp

I don't see where he is worth the bother. Write him off and carry on with your life. Guys who act like big pricks are making up for little pricks.

It's amazing how little some "car guys" actually know about cars.

I did a track day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in my Miata once. On a break between sessions, my cousin asked how it was out there. I told him that it was frustrating because I kept getting stuck behind 300 horsepower cars.

z31maniac wrote:

Ranger50 wrote: Water off a duck's back. "Different strokes for different folks." Shelby's are the cheaper version of a Corvette without the middle aged man midlife crisis or money flaunting stigma attached.

What? The GT500s typically sell for around $70k. And the new ones have 660+ hp

Priced out a ZR1 lately?

I'd be interested in knowing what percentage of performance cars ever see any track/autocross use at all. I bet it's tiny, 1-in-100, 1-in-1000.

Unfortunately, expecting someone with a fast car to have ever put it on a track is like expecting a North Face-wearing coed to have climbed Kilimanjaro.

phaze1todd wrote: Yea, but this guy bought enough "warranty void" to get a Vette!

This kind of customer is usually a pain in the ass because they complain about how much everything costs, despite the fact that they're deliberately doing something incredibly expensive.

On the bright side, they usually get bored with the car after a few months and sell it off to buy something else, so we aren't married to the thing every time they start it and let it idle for 30 minutes and then wonder why the plugs are fouled.

More money than brains, obviously. That's sort of my LTR goal with my forthcoming challenge trainwreck, It's being built to piss guys like that off.

ShadowSix wrote: I'd be interested in knowing what percentage of performance cars ever see any track/autocross use at all. I bet it's tiny, 1-in-100, 1-in-1000.

I expect that the number is much smaller than that.

Knurled wrote:

ShadowSix wrote: I'd be interested in knowing what percentage of performance cars ever see any track/autocross use at all. I bet it's tiny, 1-in-100, 1-in-1000.

I expect that the number is much smaller than that.

Might want to add a couple of zeros.

Point out to him that he bought an overpriced pile of E36 M3 and move on with your life.

forget about him. Like said above, he is in it for the "lifestyle" and the thrill one acceleration run can give him (the onramp)

Like you said, hopefully he won't kill anybody in the process