How does getting in your car(s) make you feel?
Discussion
For the purposes of this question I'm not talking about 6.30am on a Monday morning for your commute because I suspect you'd be thinking "I'm tired and I'd rather not be commuting this early!"
Nor am I talking about 8am on the best summer's day of the year getting in your weekend toy where you are bound to be fairly happy.
Imagine a more normal drive that is neither a chore nor purely for fun. Just imagine the weather's dry, it's a Sunday, you have to drive 10 or 20 miles to meet friends for lunch. How does it feel getting in your car(s)? What are you thinking?
For starters... with my Abarth 500 Esseesse I just look at it and smile. I get in, turn the engine on and the silly teenage hooligan exhaust puts a smile on my face. I smile knowing that it's silly fun chucking it about and I smile knowing that the closer the accelerator is to the floor the better it is going to sound and the bigger my smile is going to be.
Do I think it's a particularly great car? No. Do I think it is at all classy? Lol. No. But it puts a massive grin on my face.
Nor am I talking about 8am on the best summer's day of the year getting in your weekend toy where you are bound to be fairly happy.
Imagine a more normal drive that is neither a chore nor purely for fun. Just imagine the weather's dry, it's a Sunday, you have to drive 10 or 20 miles to meet friends for lunch. How does it feel getting in your car(s)? What are you thinking?
For starters... with my Abarth 500 Esseesse I just look at it and smile. I get in, turn the engine on and the silly teenage hooligan exhaust puts a smile on my face. I smile knowing that it's silly fun chucking it about and I smile knowing that the closer the accelerator is to the floor the better it is going to sound and the bigger my smile is going to be.
Do I think it's a particularly great car? No. Do I think it is at all classy? Lol. No. But it puts a massive grin on my face.
Fred Smith said:
For the purposes of this question I'm not talking about 6.30am on a Monday morning for your commute because I suspect you'd be thinking "I'm tired and I'd rather not be commuting this early!"
Normally yes, but i am about a year into ownership and even this morning at 6:30am as i headed for london it was "ohh i like this" and smiledI've got a 2017 Alfa Giulietta 1.4 MA tuned to about 205ps.
In my opinion a good looking car, its very well speeced, lots of carbon fibre look bits etc, it sounds ok ish (doing a centre box delete soon) and it goes well, its manual with a chunky gearknob and steering wheel.
Its no where near the fastest car I've had but it feels like a drivers car.
but 2 bits make me feel a bit meh, firstly the suspension is creaky/clunky which annoys me and secondly the drive will be ruined by some throbber doing 30/40 on a NSL limit within seconds, the second part, id probably rather be sat in an EV just cruising behind them. Part one, ive got a load of parts waiting to be fitted.
In my opinion a good looking car, its very well speeced, lots of carbon fibre look bits etc, it sounds ok ish (doing a centre box delete soon) and it goes well, its manual with a chunky gearknob and steering wheel.
Its no where near the fastest car I've had but it feels like a drivers car.
but 2 bits make me feel a bit meh, firstly the suspension is creaky/clunky which annoys me and secondly the drive will be ruined by some throbber doing 30/40 on a NSL limit within seconds, the second part, id probably rather be sat in an EV just cruising behind them. Part one, ive got a load of parts waiting to be fitted.
cerb4.5lee said:
Glad you're enjoying it Fred. 
I'm another one who looks forward to driving my cars as well, and I generally enjoy it, and they put a big smile on my face. Plus I enjoy driving in general as well, so I think that helps too.
You generally enjoy driving AND you enjoy driving in general?I'm another one who looks forward to driving my cars as well, and I generally enjoy it, and they put a big smile on my face. Plus I enjoy driving in general as well, so I think that helps too.
I've realised what makes an interesting car and really have noticed the difference a car can make to how you feel and how it makes a mundane 20mph journey feel thanks to Khan. No bad thing, I guess, because it's opened my eyes to what actually makes a car interesting to be in - it's generally cars older than 2010.
So with that in mind...
Golf warm hatch: getting in feels like I'm about to visit a customer to sell paper for Wernham-Hogg. It's mildly dull like most 4 door cars no matter how you colour it. Even if it had 3 times the power and an ironing board attached to the boot, it's still a mildly dull car. Supportive, comfy, but ultimately I feel a bit dead inside. A mobile coffin, if you will. It's boxy, too. Edit: there is one saving grace for this warm hatch. If I get stuck in traffic, I'm not really bothered by it any more because I'm not burning petrol going nowhere - I just switch it into E and crawl along serenely.
Mk1 TT: well, all I can do is get in it now as it doesn't drive, but sitting in it, even though it is now a dead car, feels mildly interesting. I can't even comment on the performance (0-0 in 8 seconds) or handling (it hasn't fallen off my drive so it can't be too bad). But it does feel mildly interesting to sit in. The low-slung sitting position, the low roof, the stylish thought-out design - I guess it adds something to the experience.
The boring Porsche: everyone says it's boring... and the headlights are ugly (it's quite hard for me to see the ugly headlights when I'm climbing into the car - everyone else must be pro yoga teachers), but the weird thing is, even just sitting inside it, it feels like an event. I've had it for 4 years so it's no longer "new broom sweeps clean." Maybe it's the "dated", "ugly" swoopy interior (which looks more interesting than the Audi interiors of the 930-993 and 997-992 which lack any imagination or style). Maybe it's the anticipation that everything feels heavy when I drive away through my housing estate at a dizzying 12mph. Who knows. I was only supposed to keep this for about a year but considering I'm just paying to keep the thing on the road, it seems a cheap way of having access to an interesting driving experience even when the limit is 20mph.
So with that in mind...
Golf warm hatch: getting in feels like I'm about to visit a customer to sell paper for Wernham-Hogg. It's mildly dull like most 4 door cars no matter how you colour it. Even if it had 3 times the power and an ironing board attached to the boot, it's still a mildly dull car. Supportive, comfy, but ultimately I feel a bit dead inside. A mobile coffin, if you will. It's boxy, too. Edit: there is one saving grace for this warm hatch. If I get stuck in traffic, I'm not really bothered by it any more because I'm not burning petrol going nowhere - I just switch it into E and crawl along serenely.
Mk1 TT: well, all I can do is get in it now as it doesn't drive, but sitting in it, even though it is now a dead car, feels mildly interesting. I can't even comment on the performance (0-0 in 8 seconds) or handling (it hasn't fallen off my drive so it can't be too bad). But it does feel mildly interesting to sit in. The low-slung sitting position, the low roof, the stylish thought-out design - I guess it adds something to the experience.
The boring Porsche: everyone says it's boring... and the headlights are ugly (it's quite hard for me to see the ugly headlights when I'm climbing into the car - everyone else must be pro yoga teachers), but the weird thing is, even just sitting inside it, it feels like an event. I've had it for 4 years so it's no longer "new broom sweeps clean." Maybe it's the "dated", "ugly" swoopy interior (which looks more interesting than the Audi interiors of the 930-993 and 997-992 which lack any imagination or style). Maybe it's the anticipation that everything feels heavy when I drive away through my housing estate at a dizzying 12mph. Who knows. I was only supposed to keep this for about a year but considering I'm just paying to keep the thing on the road, it seems a cheap way of having access to an interesting driving experience even when the limit is 20mph.
Edited by Hoofy on Monday 8th June 15:39
My daily driver is a bright orange sportscar, so it makes me smile before I even open the door. Then i press the start button and the four cylinder engine does its best to make an entertaining noise, which makes me happy and ready to enjoy the drive.
In the Alpine, even the most mundane drive is a pleasure.
Fortunately I don’t have to drive everyday, so it isn’t a chore.
The only downside is some of the other drivers I have to share the road with, but that’s not the fault of the car.
In the Alpine, even the most mundane drive is a pleasure.
Fortunately I don’t have to drive everyday, so it isn’t a chore.
The only downside is some of the other drivers I have to share the road with, but that’s not the fault of the car.
I enjoy all my cars.
On an early morning run the McLaren is just sublime, so fast, yet so sure footed, that busy sounding V8 twin turbo with sports exhausts pops and bangs on downshifts and the directness of the steering takes your breath away. (And then you stop for coffee and have to do the special McLaren dance to get out without banging your head!)
The GT3 I mainly drive on track, but it feels only a few steps away from a full on cup car what with the cage and harnesses. And it feels like it could lap all day and all night without any issue. Probably because it could.
My NSX just feels light and special, a reminder of just how far ahead Honda were and still relevant even today. It feels wrong to tag such a car now even though it would be fine, but even at 8/10ths it’s quite a thing.
The track car, once you’ve faffed around getting belted in with HANS, helmet, earplugs etc etc (including forgetting to take the immobiliser fob out of your pocket which means you have to start all over again!) feels frankly terrifying, but mainly because you realise that the weakest link in the whole chain is you! But once you’re going it’s all consuming.
And the EV just feels like the future, so capable, yet engaging and actually fun in its own unique way.
On an early morning run the McLaren is just sublime, so fast, yet so sure footed, that busy sounding V8 twin turbo with sports exhausts pops and bangs on downshifts and the directness of the steering takes your breath away. (And then you stop for coffee and have to do the special McLaren dance to get out without banging your head!)
The GT3 I mainly drive on track, but it feels only a few steps away from a full on cup car what with the cage and harnesses. And it feels like it could lap all day and all night without any issue. Probably because it could.
My NSX just feels light and special, a reminder of just how far ahead Honda were and still relevant even today. It feels wrong to tag such a car now even though it would be fine, but even at 8/10ths it’s quite a thing.
The track car, once you’ve faffed around getting belted in with HANS, helmet, earplugs etc etc (including forgetting to take the immobiliser fob out of your pocket which means you have to start all over again!) feels frankly terrifying, but mainly because you realise that the weakest link in the whole chain is you! But once you’re going it’s all consuming.
And the EV just feels like the future, so capable, yet engaging and actually fun in its own unique way.
I comment to my wife, that when it comes to driving there is "turn right" driving and "turn left" driving.
Where we live, turning right takes you towards civilisation (if there is such a thing in Shropshire), the M54 and then motorways (or the A38, always the fecking A38). That's work driving. I use my EV (sorry) for that. It's a case of A to B, meetings and B to A as quietly and smoothly as possible, not putting work miles on other cars. I don;t feel engaged with it, but I feel less tired and relaxed when driving it.
Turn left, that's towards the borders, into the hills and into Wales.
That's when I get to really enjoy my cars.
If it is the 928, then I like the ruthless efficient with which it drives. It is an auto, but the box works well and it just stomps along, sat low and enjoying its ability to "make progress" completely unruffled. It is still an unusual and striking car and I feel like I am some sort of early adopter, even in a 35 year old car.
The Duetto has that proper old car smell of oil, coolant and petrol. It's analogue. There are no airbags or abs or safety aids. It has static seat belts and in t he vent of a major crash, I'd be removed and placed in a bin bag. My arse is just off the ground and the twin 45's have that lovely intake bark. The Jaeger gauges flicker and at night they have that soft cream glow. It's noisy, follows the crown of the road a bit too much and a bit light on the rear.
But, it is just a lovely old hector to drive. It is quick (115 bhp on less than a tonne) and the 5 speed box is snicketty.
The Vanquish S- that's another level. It has the automated manual, which Clarkson couldn't drive. Once you dial into it, it is a really involving way to drive It gives you plenty of feedback and the box makes you think about your driving anticipating when you'll need to change down rather than just wait for a DCT to do it. It's a real event to be in it and I still pinch myself and feel the privilege. It's like being aboard cavalry horse. It might be placid and unflinching but it can storm along, snorting and charging. I feel like I'm in a very select club, and I never take for it for granted. Like the Duetto, I connect with the heritage that it brings, that I am part fo something that has history behind it.
Where we live, turning right takes you towards civilisation (if there is such a thing in Shropshire), the M54 and then motorways (or the A38, always the fecking A38). That's work driving. I use my EV (sorry) for that. It's a case of A to B, meetings and B to A as quietly and smoothly as possible, not putting work miles on other cars. I don;t feel engaged with it, but I feel less tired and relaxed when driving it.
Turn left, that's towards the borders, into the hills and into Wales.
That's when I get to really enjoy my cars.
If it is the 928, then I like the ruthless efficient with which it drives. It is an auto, but the box works well and it just stomps along, sat low and enjoying its ability to "make progress" completely unruffled. It is still an unusual and striking car and I feel like I am some sort of early adopter, even in a 35 year old car.
The Duetto has that proper old car smell of oil, coolant and petrol. It's analogue. There are no airbags or abs or safety aids. It has static seat belts and in t he vent of a major crash, I'd be removed and placed in a bin bag. My arse is just off the ground and the twin 45's have that lovely intake bark. The Jaeger gauges flicker and at night they have that soft cream glow. It's noisy, follows the crown of the road a bit too much and a bit light on the rear.
But, it is just a lovely old hector to drive. It is quick (115 bhp on less than a tonne) and the 5 speed box is snicketty.
The Vanquish S- that's another level. It has the automated manual, which Clarkson couldn't drive. Once you dial into it, it is a really involving way to drive It gives you plenty of feedback and the box makes you think about your driving anticipating when you'll need to change down rather than just wait for a DCT to do it. It's a real event to be in it and I still pinch myself and feel the privilege. It's like being aboard cavalry horse. It might be placid and unflinching but it can storm along, snorting and charging. I feel like I'm in a very select club, and I never take for it for granted. Like the Duetto, I connect with the heritage that it brings, that I am part fo something that has history behind it.
The Evo. My best automotive friend of 23 years. No other inanimate object has the effect on me it does.
The MR2. Just opening the door takes me back to the early 90’s when I worked at Toyota and we were still getting them in for servicing. It’s a smell I wish I could bottle.
Porsche. I don’t have to drive it to feel what I feel about owning it. I grew up in what might be called poverty these days. Even after a decade of ownership and despite it not having been expensive , I still sometimes stop and stare at it in the garage and wonder at how far owning that is now from how I grew up.
The 2018 Ford Connect work van. Occasionally you buy something and wonder how you ended up with so much and something so capable for so little money. Serves it’s purpose in exactly the manner intended with all my work gear in, is genuinely entertaining on a deserted country road when empty.
Lexus IS300 Sportcross. Endearingly reliable dog chariot, and admirable for winning over my hard bitten ex motor trade wife to the point where she has an “emotional attachment “ to it and dreads the day she has to part with it. It’s worth about 4k. I could spend 40 and end up with a worse car.
I love cars, I’ve been very lucky to have sampled so many great ones over the years.
The MR2. Just opening the door takes me back to the early 90’s when I worked at Toyota and we were still getting them in for servicing. It’s a smell I wish I could bottle.
Porsche. I don’t have to drive it to feel what I feel about owning it. I grew up in what might be called poverty these days. Even after a decade of ownership and despite it not having been expensive , I still sometimes stop and stare at it in the garage and wonder at how far owning that is now from how I grew up.
The 2018 Ford Connect work van. Occasionally you buy something and wonder how you ended up with so much and something so capable for so little money. Serves it’s purpose in exactly the manner intended with all my work gear in, is genuinely entertaining on a deserted country road when empty.
Lexus IS300 Sportcross. Endearingly reliable dog chariot, and admirable for winning over my hard bitten ex motor trade wife to the point where she has an “emotional attachment “ to it and dreads the day she has to part with it. It’s worth about 4k. I could spend 40 and end up with a worse car.
I love cars, I’ve been very lucky to have sampled so many great ones over the years.
Whether I'm getting into my car at 04.45 for the gym or trundling up and back to work it makes me feel happy and safe. I often compare this feeling to slipping on an old pair of worn out trainers or a hoodie you have had for decades. You know there are newer, better alternatives, but they still do a job...and you will replace them eventually....just not YET.
When I jump in my Mrs car it puts a huge smile on my face. It feels and acts like a space age transport pod designed in 1970 by a creative toddler. I love driving it, it feels sharp, makes me smile, town or city.
My cars. An old Mini One D, 150k miles and I hope to male 200k and a Honda CRZ. But then, I take huge pleasure driving ANYTHING anywhere. Happiness is a choice.
When I jump in my Mrs car it puts a huge smile on my face. It feels and acts like a space age transport pod designed in 1970 by a creative toddler. I love driving it, it feels sharp, makes me smile, town or city.
My cars. An old Mini One D, 150k miles and I hope to male 200k and a Honda CRZ. But then, I take huge pleasure driving ANYTHING anywhere. Happiness is a choice.
E46 M3 - Paranoid of it getting stone chipped, being taken out by another driver, how much fuel costs
MR2 - Hope it doesn't rain and dissolve
330d - Hmmm this is okay?
Cupra Born EV - FANTASTIC! The speed, reliability, handling and it costs buttons to run. Best suspension and build quality of the lot too.
MR2 - Hope it doesn't rain and dissolve
330d - Hmmm this is okay?
Cupra Born EV - FANTASTIC! The speed, reliability, handling and it costs buttons to run. Best suspension and build quality of the lot too.
Fred Smith said:
For the purposes of this question I'm not talking about 6.30am on a Monday morning for your commute because I suspect you'd be thinking "I'm tired and I'd rather not be commuting this early!"
Nor am I talking about 8am on the best summer's day of the year getting in your weekend toy where you are bound to be fairly happy.
Imagine a more normal drive that is neither a chore nor purely for fun. Just imagine the weather's dry, it's a Sunday, you have to drive 10 or 20 miles to meet friends for lunch. How does it feel getting in your car(s)? What are you thinking?
For starters... with my Abarth 500 Esseesse I just look at it and smile. I get in, turn the engine on and the silly teenage hooligan exhaust puts a smile on my face. I smile knowing that it's silly fun chucking it about and I smile knowing that the closer the accelerator is to the floor the better it is going to sound and the bigger my smile is going to be.
Do I think it's a particularly great car? No. Do I think it is at all classy? Lol. No. But it puts a massive grin on my face.
Mr Smith,Nor am I talking about 8am on the best summer's day of the year getting in your weekend toy where you are bound to be fairly happy.
Imagine a more normal drive that is neither a chore nor purely for fun. Just imagine the weather's dry, it's a Sunday, you have to drive 10 or 20 miles to meet friends for lunch. How does it feel getting in your car(s)? What are you thinking?
For starters... with my Abarth 500 Esseesse I just look at it and smile. I get in, turn the engine on and the silly teenage hooligan exhaust puts a smile on my face. I smile knowing that it's silly fun chucking it about and I smile knowing that the closer the accelerator is to the floor the better it is going to sound and the bigger my smile is going to be.
Do I think it's a particularly great car? No. Do I think it is at all classy? Lol. No. But it puts a massive grin on my face.
I'm very happy to hear that you are enjoying your car, an Arbarth is a car that should be enjoyed IMO.
I don't have my own car at the moment so when I hire a car it's a relative treat. When I get in the car it makes me feel really rather old, I'm not as young as I used to be and my joints and bones protest when I'm inconsiderate with them....
However, even in a mundane hire car I feel like a young 'un again, it's that sense of independence that driving brings and I like that. Long may we all continue to enjoy our cars.
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