"Sleeper" Cars
Discussion
I've often thought a de-badged M3/M5 would be like that, as it looks like pretty much all other diesel M Sports on the road (exhausts aside) and people who knew about cars would be able to tell.
The only hint that my car has as much performance as it does is that fact it has stripes on the side, remove them, it's like any other 90hp Fiat Grande Punto Sporting, except with a lot more oomph.
The only hint that my car has as much performance as it does is that fact it has stripes on the side, remove them, it's like any other 90hp Fiat Grande Punto Sporting, except with a lot more oomph.
There's some fun videos on the tinternet of an old Lada estate with mega power but they've left it looking fairly standard. I've also seen a big old box Volvo with the same effect.
The trouble with really fast Q-cars/sleepers is fighting the urge to take on anything known to be fast that comes along. You could end up racing all the time and losing your license. Sometimes it's nice to be driving an obvious fast car as you've nothing to prove. You can just let the Audi TDi pass you in the knowledge that you both know who would win if you did decide to play.
The trouble with really fast Q-cars/sleepers is fighting the urge to take on anything known to be fast that comes along. You could end up racing all the time and losing your license. Sometimes it's nice to be driving an obvious fast car as you've nothing to prove. You can just let the Audi TDi pass you in the knowledge that you both know who would win if you did decide to play.
PoleDriver said:
Fittster said:
When is it ever safe to drive 'to the limit' on a public road?
When the road is quiet.When the car can handle it.
When you drive within your own capabilities.
NB.'the limit' does not always equal 'illegal'. Neither does it always denote unsafe!
Thought for the day:- If I were to drive at 130MPH on a motorway in UK and got caught I would have the book thrown at me because the speed limit is set at 70MPH as it is too dangerous to drive faster than this.
If I travelled at 190MPH on derestricted Autobahns in Germany the Police would say...Cool!
Why?
toon10 said:
...
The trouble with really fast Q-cars/sleepers is fighting the urge to take on anything known to be fast that comes along. You could end up racing all the time and losing your license. Sometimes it's nice to be driving an obvious fast car as you've nothing to prove. You can just let the Audi TDi pass you in the knowledge that you both know who would win if you did decide to play.
Excactly this point.The trouble with really fast Q-cars/sleepers is fighting the urge to take on anything known to be fast that comes along. You could end up racing all the time and losing your license. Sometimes it's nice to be driving an obvious fast car as you've nothing to prove. You can just let the Audi TDi pass you in the knowledge that you both know who would win if you did decide to play.
In a sleeper you'd have to prove it all day long. Almost all your defeated prey would think you're a knobber. These days unfortunately, show really does mean more than go.
I'd rather be in something that looks good, if it happens to have real ability that's just a bonus.
Edited by fausTVR on Wednesday 30th July 08:56
I've had a couple of cars which were a lot quicker than they looked.
To be honest I found the experience rather frustrating. Everyone imagines Q-car ownership to be one embarrassment of a more expensive car after another.
The reality I found was that people see you coming, assume that you're a slow, doddering old fart then pull out in front of you - then flat refuse to get the f
k out of the way. You can drive for 20 miles down the overtaking lane of the A1 behind some generic little wktank hatchback that just won't move over to let you pass because your car looks crap.
The opportunities to have a sly grin as you get a traffic light race neck and neck with an Audi A3 TDI at the white line, or leave someone for dead away from a roundabout are totally and utterly eclipsed by the volume of drivers that ignore your existance.
With a sportier looking car people seem to assume you'll be driving quicker than you probably are and move over. If they feel intimidated to move over just by the looks of the car then tough luck - it's better than following them at 64mph in the overtaking lane for miles on end.
To be honest I found the experience rather frustrating. Everyone imagines Q-car ownership to be one embarrassment of a more expensive car after another.
The reality I found was that people see you coming, assume that you're a slow, doddering old fart then pull out in front of you - then flat refuse to get the f
k out of the way. You can drive for 20 miles down the overtaking lane of the A1 behind some generic little wktank hatchback that just won't move over to let you pass because your car looks crap.The opportunities to have a sly grin as you get a traffic light race neck and neck with an Audi A3 TDI at the white line, or leave someone for dead away from a roundabout are totally and utterly eclipsed by the volume of drivers that ignore your existance.
With a sportier looking car people seem to assume you'll be driving quicker than you probably are and move over. If they feel intimidated to move over just by the looks of the car then tough luck - it's better than following them at 64mph in the overtaking lane for miles on end.
fausTVR said:
Excactly this point.
In a sleeper [byou'd have to prove it all day long.[/b] Almost all your defeated prey would think you're a knobber. These days unfortunately, show really does mean more than go.
I'd rather be in something that looks good, if it happens to have real ability that's just a bonus.
Only if the reason you like cars is to draw attention to yourself. If you enjoy them because of what they are instead of what other people think of them, then you don't need to prove anything.In a sleeper [byou'd have to prove it all day long.[/b] Almost all your defeated prey would think you're a knobber. These days unfortunately, show really does mean more than go.
I'd rather be in something that looks good, if it happens to have real ability that's just a bonus.
Edited by fausTVR on Wednesday 30th July 08:56
I've gone from one end of the spectrum to the other having had none to subtle 340bhp Impreza WRX then a 400bhp Evo IX GT previous to my current Q car, a 480bhp Audi B8 S4. Only thing that frustrates me a little is no-one seems to wants to play when I'm in the S4 but looking forward to taking it up to Crail to hopefully surprise a few unsuspecting victims.
Meoricin said:
fausTVR said:
Excactly this point.
In a sleeper [byou'd have to prove it all day long.[/b] Almost all your defeated prey would think you're a knobber. These days unfortunately, show really does mean more than go.
I'd rather be in something that looks good, if it happens to have real ability that's just a bonus.
Only if the reason you like cars is to draw attention to yourself. If you enjoy them because of what they are instead of what other people think of them, then you don't need to prove anything.In a sleeper [byou'd have to prove it all day long.[/b] Almost all your defeated prey would think you're a knobber. These days unfortunately, show really does mean more than go.
I'd rather be in something that looks good, if it happens to have real ability that's just a bonus.
Edited by fausTVR on Wednesday 30th July 08:56
My point about a car which looks good is not so much about what others think, but about what I feel about it. It's that bit nearer to a work of art which can be enjoyed by the owner just looking at it. For my part, I tend to drive mostly on quiet country roads, hardly show-boating is it?
PoleDriver said:
I like to accelerate hard, and I like to drive 'to the limit' (When safe to do so).
What I don't like is the annoying attention you get from the boy racers or the law.
Having something which fades into the background when not being pushed hard would suit me down to the ground!
Precisely why I enjoy driving my bog standard but, well maintained Rover 620ti petrol turbos. So low profile most of the time. What I don't like is the annoying attention you get from the boy racers or the law.
Having something which fades into the background when not being pushed hard would suit me down to the ground!
Pick a tidy one up for well under a grand now.
Mind you, be prepared for some BiBs to pull you over for roadside checks ...
Bibs said:
.
You were a bit brisk there Sir!
All's well. Have a nice day.
.
You were a bit brisk there Sir!
All's well. Have a nice day.
.
for me, who started driving in the 80's- eveything these days is quick.
I don't think more recent drivers will realise that at one point there were cars that literally took forever to get to 60 mph, let alone 70 on a motorway without lots of trauma.
a proper sleeper I recall from about 1990 was a guy who used to go to the leeds cruise in a beige lada riva saloon. absolutely stock as a rock.
but it had a rover V8 in it. now thats retro "sleeper" motoring.
about the same time I had a 72 vw camper. but seriously sorted engine, box, lowered, fitted with 911 discs, calipers- in fact I think I was about the first in the country to have done this. (the porsche discy bit as it took a lot of engineering)
now that would clock an indicated 95 mph. that really surprised people as what you would think an old hippy van, would whack down the motorway. happy days.
I don't think more recent drivers will realise that at one point there were cars that literally took forever to get to 60 mph, let alone 70 on a motorway without lots of trauma.
a proper sleeper I recall from about 1990 was a guy who used to go to the leeds cruise in a beige lada riva saloon. absolutely stock as a rock.
but it had a rover V8 in it. now thats retro "sleeper" motoring.
about the same time I had a 72 vw camper. but seriously sorted engine, box, lowered, fitted with 911 discs, calipers- in fact I think I was about the first in the country to have done this. (the porsche discy bit as it took a lot of engineering)
now that would clock an indicated 95 mph. that really surprised people as what you would think an old hippy van, would whack down the motorway. happy days.
lesstatt said:
Yup that's the Volvo I was on about. This is the other car.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg-j18ba-XM
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