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Villanova U

Villanova U

All VUSports.com Team
Sep 22, 2014
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Not the juice.

For some reason, I've been sweating the big, American V8's lately. I came to the realization that these aren't going to be around forever, and gas prices are cheap now, so might as well pop on one before you have to pay out the ass for the novelty.

Test drove a bunch over the weekend. I was floored when I saw that the only V8, RWD full size sedans left are the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Charger, which are really the same car with different badges on them.

These new ones aren't that bad on gas mileage either. I drove a manual Mustang GT with like 435 hp that averages 20mpg. That's what my loser Infiniti gets.

Am I crazy here, or just having a crisis of conscience? It seems like we're in the last renaissance of american performance cars and I'm getting antsy.
 
Charger and Challenger Hellcat. A stupid 707hp when you use the special red ignition key. Normal key tunes it down to 500. The reviews I've read say that it is the scariest production car to drive ever.

American muscle cars have never been short on power, the problem comes when you have to turn or accelerate under less than ideal traction conditions.
 
I did the same thing a fews ago, bought one those loaded Arcadia's and after 8 months realized why I never bought American cars. Don't give in. They are great for the first 6 months and then perform like the poorly made pieces of junk we all know and love. If you're going to do it, get a Ford as they at least know what they are doing and the thing won't fall apart within the first year.
 
HereComeTheCats said:
Charger and Challenger Hellcat. A stupid 707hp when you use the special red ignition key. Normal key tunes it down to 500. The reviews I've read say that it is the scariest production car to drive ever.

American muscle cars have never been short on power, the problem comes when you have to turn or accelerate under less than ideal traction conditions.
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Yeah, but they are surprisingly refined now. Still raw, and you're never going to forget you're in an american car, but they aren't death traps like they once were. The Mustang and Camaro were surprisingly easy to drive when you just wanted them to be normal cars. I was shocked at the build quality and other things like steering response that have been so lacking for so long in those cars. I'm 31, and the Mustang has pretty much been a garbage car for as long as I've been alive, but the new one is really something.

The Hellcat is a special car that costs 60 grand, and for that much money I'd probably get an M3, but it's still amazing how much you get for your dollar with these cars at the ~35k price point.
 
I had a Camaro SS as a rental car last winter and I couldn't believe how quick it was. I was in Boston shortly after a snow storm so while the roads were dry, the sand/salt made wheelspin an adventure. Getting a little sideways while accelerating up the onramp of the Mass Pike was exciting.
 
A guy I know sold his company, got a decent payday and ended up buying a 2014 911 Turbo. His second choice was the new corvette. He's 40, and said he couldn't rationalize being under 60 and owning one...
 
Gas guzzling hogs. I never understood the need for a car with more power than you can use on legal streets. And the price you spend on gas to boot is a joke. Bought the '16 Accord Sport this wk. Looks like a sports car but doesn't bend me over when I go to the gas pump. I don't give a crap about raw power. Just want something that looks nice yet efficient and practical.
 
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Because maybe there are a few people left who think that cars can and should be fun? It doesn't bother me much if a car costs an extra few chipotle burritos to run each month if I enjoy driving it. When you factor in all of the other expenses of owning a car, the difference in gas between a 20mpg car and a 30mpg car is basically a rounding error. If you drive 1000 miles a month, the 20mpg car will use 50 gallons and the 30mpg car will use 33.3 gallons. The 16.7 gallon difference, at $3/gallon (high by today's prices), is $50. 50 bucks! You can save that much money by shopping around for insurance or getting an interest-free loan. And that's assuming you will actually get 30mpg out of your 30mpg car, which will actually require you to never stop in traffic, overinflate the tires, and put the car in some dorky "eco" mode in order to even sniff that number.

The Japanese killed it by selling cars that are basically appliances for people that don't give a shit about cars. That's like 90% of people. They want cars that are "efficient" and "practical" and walk around a car lot like they are buying a refrigerator. That's great, and that's why they sell so many cars. Shoot, I drive one of those "efficient" and "practical" cars right now. Nothing wrong with it at all. But I do think that car culture is basically dead, and I fear the day when we all just sit around and let our autonomous cars drive us around while we stare at our phones. So for the time being, I've made it a point to drive a real "driver's car" as long as one is available to me.

That Accord is a real gas guzzler compared to a Prius. Why didn't you get that? Because you wanted something that was a little cooler and sportier? Same argument could apply to any selection.
 
I said to someone the other day that in 30-40 years, no one is going to want to buy a "classic" 2015 car. Even if you could, with all of the computers that run the cars these days, you'd never be able to work on it or it would cost more than it's worth.

The days of building a classic car in your garage are over. Basically, the classic car market will only ever be cars from 1980 and earlier.
 
Adp,

You still an Audi guy? Would I be nuts to buy an A4 right now with the whole VW debacle going on?
 
Disagree. There are some cool cars out there that are fun, not too expensive, and will be collector's items in the future. You may not be able to do all of the wrenching yourself, but that's besides the point.

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If you want to go higher end, I can guarantee you that pretty much every M3 and 911 is going to become valuable at some point.
 
I don't think this is the direction merc was trying to take this thread. You got one guy chiming in about his mid-size SUV woes and another guy talking about his daily driver sedan. Jalopnik this is not.

The new corvette has nice styling and definitely seems to provide gr8 bang for your buck in terms of performance. My pops had an '87 Callaway twin turbo (one of less than 200 made) which pushed it to something like 345hp and an absurd amount of torque if i recall . The performance stats in its day put it in territory far outside of its price range. Interior was garbage but i rather fondly look back at the C4 edition 'vette exterior styling. I ended up selling it some years after he passed but now kind of wish I had held onto it. Was real fun to drive.
 
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Villanova U said:
Because maybe there are a few people left who think that cars can and should be fun? It doesn't bother me much if a car costs an extra few chipotle burritos to run each month if I enjoy driving it. When you factor in all of the other expenses of owning a car, the difference in gas between a 20mpg car and a 30mpg car is basically a rounding error. If you drive 1000 miles a month, the 20mpg car will use 50 gallons and the 30mpg car will use 33.3 gallons. The 16.7 gallon difference, at $3/gallon (high by today's prices), is $50. 50 bucks! You can save that much money by shopping around for insurance or getting an interest-free loan. And that's assuming you will actually get 30mpg out of your 30mpg car, which will actually require you to never stop in traffic, overinflate the tires, and put the car in some dorky "eco" mode in order to even sniff that number.

The Japanese killed it by selling cars that are basically appliances for people that don't give a shit about cars. That's like 90% of people. They want cars that are "efficient" and "practical" and walk around a car lot like they are buying a refrigerator. That's great, and that's why they sell so many cars. Shoot, I drive one of those "efficient" and "practical" cars right now. Nothing wrong with it at all. But I do think that car culture is basically dead, and I fear the day when we all just sit around and let our autonomous cars drive us around while we stare at our phones. So for the time being, I've made it a point to drive a real "driver's car" as long as one is available to me.

That Accord is a real gas guzzler compared to a Prius. Why didn't you get that? Because you wanted something that was a little cooler and sportier? Same argument could apply to any selection.
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A Prius? You missed the part about wanting a car that actually looks nice. Those cars are heinous.
 
I'm in the process of buying a new car in the next few weeks. As a result, done a lot of pricing. Where I live audi is not discounting their cars as demand is strong. Is that true everywhere? No clue. I have ruled those out due to the diesel situation. Like merc, I love to drive so looking for somethin fun.
 
Villanova U said:
You can probably get a gr8 deal on any VW product right now.
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Merc as the resident car guy... why doesn't Audi have the A4 Avant in the USA anymore? I've always wanted an S4 Avant and started to look at used prices last winter (very good) and was really thinking about getting one until i read a Doug DeMuro piece that said when the timing chain fails (which appears to be inevitable and random in terms of mileage) its an 8k plus repair.
 
collectors cars prior to 1980 probably have about as much power as Gdog's accord. Merc said it right. Cars are appliances. Most people buy based on not wanting the aggravation of getting ****ed at the car repair shop regularly. You can buy a $10k fridge and a $100k car if reallu means that much to you.
 
NickleDimer said:
collectors cars prior to 1980 probably have about as much power as Gdog's accord. Merc said it right. Cars are appliances. Most people buy based on not wanting the aggravation of getting ****ed at the car repair shop regularly. You can buy a $10k fridge and a $100k car if reallu means that much to you.
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Or 25K for living room furniture.
 
Who drives a car to meetings in the city? And if you do, only the valet knows or cares. Struggling lately.
 
Silly, I don't have a special seat for my wallet. Center console works fine.
 
adp98 said:
I'm in the process of buying a new car in the next few weeks. As a result, done a lot of pricing. Where I live audi is not discounting their cars as demand is strong. Is that true everywhere? No clue.
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Negotiating on an A6 right now, they seem willing to deal. Came down $5K without even really negotiating. Going gasoline, not diesel, though.
 
Audi has a lot of cool cars in Europe (a5 5 door, RS6 wagon, etc) that they don't sell here. Why? Not nearly enough demand for the cost to get the cars to meet the US regulations

The Allroad is a good option if you're looking for an a4 avant.
 
TwoDecks said:
Audi has a lot of cool cars in Europe (a5 5 door, RS6 wagon, etc) that they don't sell here. Why? Not nearly enough demand for the cost to get the cars to meet the US regulations

The Allroad is a good option if you're looking for an a4 avant.
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Yeah that RS wagon looks awesome. the all road just doesn't appeal to me. I read some relase from Audi USA that talked about the 2016 S4s that made mention of an avant but didn't see it mentioned anywhere else
 
bgranc02 said:
Yeah that RS wagon looks awesome. the all road just doesn't appeal to me. I read some relase from Audi USA that talked about the 2016 S4s that made mention of an avant but didn't see it mentioned anywhere else
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Go to audiworld forums and look there, those folks will know. I'd also spend time there before you buy, you'll learn about all of the good, the bad, and the ugly from the diehards
 
bgranc02 said:
Merc as the resident car guy... why doesn't Audi have the A4 Avant in the USA anymore? I've always wanted an S4 Avant and started to look at used prices last winter (very good) and was really thinking about getting one until i read a Doug DeMuro piece that said when the timing chain fails (which appears to be inevitable and random in terms of mileage) its an 8k plus repair.
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As said above, it's a demand issue. You can't really just take the European avants and send them to the U.S. Between all of the safety and government regulations about bumper height, air bag sensors, lens colors, etc., it's actually pretty expensive to sell a car that you've already built in the U.S. American's don't like wagons, never have, and never will, so they just can't justify the expense of bringing it over here to sell a couple thousand units a year.

I do see that we are getting the RS4 back next year after a decade-long layoff. So, that's fun.
 
gldendog said:
A Prius? You missed the part about wanting a car that actually looks nice. Those cars are heinous.
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But you're making fun of someone who values a car that looks a particular way or has a lot of power? Don't you see the fallacy here? People value different things. Some people want an efficient car and don't care that it makes them look like a penis, they'll buy a prius. Some people want a comfortable luxo-barge and don't care that it makes them look like an out of touch old man and they'll get an ES350 like Mainliner. It all comes down to preference.
 
adp98 said:
I'm in the process of buying a new car in the next few weeks. As a result, done a lot of pricing. Where I live audi is not discounting their cars as demand is strong. Is that true everywhere? No clue. I have ruled those out due to the diesel situation. Like merc, I love to drive so looking for somethin fun.
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I think that most people don't even understand that Audis are made by the Volkswagen Group so they probably aren't seeing the blowback that VW dealers are seeing. Plus, they are the best engineered cars on the planet, so they have that going for them, which is nice.
 
When I was in the Mercedes dealer they actually had cards stating they are not owned by VW/Audi and adhere to the utmost environmental standards blah, blah....it was interesting to see how they were aggressive on that front.
 
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