Car things you've never done despite being a petrolhead...

[rxe]

RobM77 said:

Cars are a vast topic; broader than for example, tennis or running. This is a good example: many people live for track driving and aren't interested in road cars or road driving, and vice versa. The important thing is to try lots of new things so you know what you like

Agree on this. Got the Alfas, got the V6s, got the V8, and I'll happily spend the w/e rebuilding an engine or welding something rusty. Loads of people aren't interested in that stuff. The track day was brilliant, I had most of Silverstone to myself, but after about 10 laps, all I could really think about was "if I go faster, I'm going to stick this into the barriers". Glad I've done it, and I would do another, but I'm not that fussed about it.

This is all good. If everyone wanted Alfas, then there would be no cheap ones for me....

[yellowbentines]

Never attempted a heel 'n' toe gear change
Never owned a car with more than 4 cylinders
Never executed a handbrake turn

[Riley Blue]

Never owned a sports car.

Done quite a few of the things others haven't.

[Baldchap]

I'm feeling pretty smug about this thread, but I have never had a V10 or an Alfa (driven a 156 though).

[Shrimpvende]

Never owned an Alfa
Never been to Goodwood Revival
Never been to the 'ring (or any of the other popular foreign circuits)
Never been to a Grand Prix despite being a fan

[TheAngryDog]

Plenty.

Never done a burnout
Never owned or driven a V12
Never done a track day
Never got points on my licence
Never been to the 'ring (it doesn't interest me in the slightest)
Never owned an Alfa
Never owned anything with 2 turbos

And much more.

[donkmeister]

Reading these posts made me realise both what a broad church petrolheadism is, but also how much common ground we share!

Things I haven't done but want to:
- Vmax'd on the autobahn
- Lapped the 'ring
- Visited Goodwood FoS
- Driven Route 66
- Own a V12
- Own something with over 1000bhp
- Own a classic yank pickup truck
- Build my own restomod

[Stuart70]

Never owned an Audi, a Lotus or an Alfa.

Two out of three of these I would like to resolve in coming years.
Short of an R8 V10, not worried about never having an Audi.

[likesachange]

EVO Triangle or NC500....

[james_gt3rs]

Never owned a hot hatch. Or a BMW

[Frimley111R]

likesachange said:

EVO Triangle or NC500....

Think you've missed the boat on the EVO triangle, it now has cameras all over it i think.

[Salmonofdoubt]

I'm never convinced by the idea of things you should do if you're a petrol head. But the things related to cars/driving I still want to do are:

Lap the ring
Drive around Iceland's ring road
Do the NC500
Own a convertible
Own a camper

[Krikkit]

Frimley111R said:

likesachange said:

EVO Triangle or NC500....

Think you've missed the boat on the EVO triangle, it now has cameras all over it i think.

2 sides are still good, truth is there are loads of roads around there which are better imho. The triangle was simply a nice rounded test of different kinds of surface and corner for them to assess a car.

[anonymous-user]

Donuts

[RobM77]

Baldchap said:

I'm feeling pretty smug about this thread, but I have never had a V10 or an Alfa (driven a 156 though).

Maybe you mis-understand the thread then Most of the things people haven't done are things that don't interest them. Anyone with a true passion for cars will seek out the experiences within the world of cars that interest them, and they won't seek out things that don't interest them. Sure, money does play a part in some things listed here, but less so for most of them, if you read through, it's just desire.

[PTF]

Have done:

Car racing including some wins, podiums, pole positions and won a championship
Plenty of car trackdays
Have ticked off plenty of cars - elise, boxster, mx5s, m135i, 130i
Have ridden plenty of motorbikes - fireblades, gsxrs, etc
Have ridden a motorbike on track (Ron Haslam School)
European road trip in a cool car (took my Boxster across Belgium, Germany and back through France).
Owned a new superbike (bought fireblade 5 yrs ago)

Haven't done and still want to:

Own a proper M car - M2 comp, E92 M3, M4, etc.
Own a proper supercar - F430 being my current fav
Go on a european motorbike tour. Either on my own or with 1 or 2 (at most) others
Own one of the latest superbikes (2020 S1000RR or Fireblade)
Road trip across america (or at least along the west coast)
Goodwood FoS or Revival
Drive around Spa racetrack (never been)
4X4 - i kind of fancy having a go off road in a car

Haven't done and not fussed about:

Go to the TT. Would like to, but i don't like things being busy, too many people.
Go to the Ring. Again, i might if i could have it on a quiet day, or maybe a top quality trackday.
Getting points on licence! (still clean!)
Never owned an Alfa, and i don't see the attraction

Edited by PTF on Wednesday 19th February 11:37

[i prefer a flan]

Never matched or exceeded 200MPH.

[RobM77]

PTF said:

Drive around Spa racetrack (never been)

This is a good one. I've raced on most UK tracks and been to the ring many times, but have never driven Spa, despite really wanting to. I've been there a few times, but never to drive. I even maintain a Nat A licence just in case I get the chance

Incidentally, the distinction between going there and driving it leads me to an amusing story: after Bertrand Gachot was arrested for picking a fight with a taxi driver in London and couldn't drive at the Belgian GP, Eddie asked up and coming driver Michael Schumacher if he had Spa experience, to which he replied "yes, I've been to Spa". As a result, Schumy got the drive. Turned out he'd never driven it. What's more, he'd never driven an F1 car. He had a quick seat fitting and a practise at the tiny Silverstone south circuit, then turned up at Spa and outqualified his team-mate by four places on the grid.

[Chubbyross]

Never taken a car on a track (not interested and much prefer touring and the occasional fast road driving)
Never owned a BMW or Alfa (driven the latter and wasn’t impressed)

[RobM77]

Chubbyross said:

Never taken a car on a track (not interested and much prefer touring and the occasional fast road driving)
Never owned a BMW or Alfa (driven the latter and wasn’t impressed)

I've driven several modern Alfas and whilst they had lots of character, they were all a soggy understeery mess. Many have very pointy steering due to the front geo, but the second you lean on them it all goes limp on you. I enjoyed having them as hire cars, but I'd never want to actually own a recent FWD one. I'm sure the 75 and earlier models are a different thing altogether though. The whole 'petrolheads must own an Alfa' thing is based on a brief comment from Jeremy Clarkson years ago. His comment probably shows his age, as he remembers a time when Alfas did handle well, but took commitment to own because they were unreliable. These days that's reversed: they're reliable, but boring, at least if you're interested in handling.