I really love... (the joys of driving)
Discussion
Driving in general has been on a bit of a downer of late. Fuel prices, insruance costs, speed cameras, the Brake organisation and public perception in general etc. Even on PH, plenty of enthusiastic threads have since been replaced by those wishing to find 70mpg and a Korean motor with 7 year warranty.
Personally, I've been a bit annoyed with my own car. Returned to it after work to find a nice sized dent on the left wing (CCTV failed to identify the culprit who drove off sans note). An issue with the battery requiring constant jump starting every couple of days (now sorted with a new battery). Plus the cold winter has been harsh on the car, an old skool rag top is not the ideal car for the M25 commute.
With all the above and the daily grind, it's not difficult to fall out of love with one's car and driving in general.
Had a little holiday over in Cornwall last week and it was the perfect opportunity to rekindle my love.
Lovely scenery, epic twisty roads, blue sky and sun, proper roof down/sunglasses weather. Joy!
In those few days, the cost of petrol didn't matter. Neither did the worries about economy, mpg and all that day to day malarkey. Petrol in, roof down, off we go. Who cares where, it's the journey, not the destination that counts
Here's some of the things I love, feel free to add your own.
- Petrol motors. Forget your diesels, no-one cares about torque or mpg when you are blatting through a tunnel at 7k revs. Diesel cabrios do not make sense to me.
- Cabriolets. Sun, blue sky, the smell of cut grass, the sound of the engine. Glorious.
- Good old fashioned steering (& wheels). Thin rim, simple design, good weightiness none of that terrible overassistance that afflicts many new cars these days.
- Random tiny countryside petrol stations. Only one pump, a converted house, 5p a litre more than the Shell down the road, but who cares. Love the character and conversations with the locals.
- That first fill up of the morning when you know you've got a big trip planned. The cold still in the air, the smell of petrol, map laid across the bonnet working out where you're going.
- When the motorway is clear and people actually stick to Lane 1. No muss, no fuss. Perfect progress.
- These signs on twisty roads:
- My old E30 Cabrio. Love the looks. Love the 2.5 straight six and the sound it makes. Love the fact that it provokes a positive response from all. No-one thinks you're flash or showing off. Character by the bucket load and just proper good old fashioned fun.
- That little glance over your shoulder at the car as you park up reaching your destination after a long trip. Yeah, it's just a machine. But what a machine.
Personally, I've been a bit annoyed with my own car. Returned to it after work to find a nice sized dent on the left wing (CCTV failed to identify the culprit who drove off sans note). An issue with the battery requiring constant jump starting every couple of days (now sorted with a new battery). Plus the cold winter has been harsh on the car, an old skool rag top is not the ideal car for the M25 commute.
With all the above and the daily grind, it's not difficult to fall out of love with one's car and driving in general.
Had a little holiday over in Cornwall last week and it was the perfect opportunity to rekindle my love.
Lovely scenery, epic twisty roads, blue sky and sun, proper roof down/sunglasses weather. Joy!
In those few days, the cost of petrol didn't matter. Neither did the worries about economy, mpg and all that day to day malarkey. Petrol in, roof down, off we go. Who cares where, it's the journey, not the destination that counts
Here's some of the things I love, feel free to add your own.
- Petrol motors. Forget your diesels, no-one cares about torque or mpg when you are blatting through a tunnel at 7k revs. Diesel cabrios do not make sense to me.
- Cabriolets. Sun, blue sky, the smell of cut grass, the sound of the engine. Glorious.
- Good old fashioned steering (& wheels). Thin rim, simple design, good weightiness none of that terrible overassistance that afflicts many new cars these days.
- Random tiny countryside petrol stations. Only one pump, a converted house, 5p a litre more than the Shell down the road, but who cares. Love the character and conversations with the locals.
- That first fill up of the morning when you know you've got a big trip planned. The cold still in the air, the smell of petrol, map laid across the bonnet working out where you're going.
- When the motorway is clear and people actually stick to Lane 1. No muss, no fuss. Perfect progress.
- These signs on twisty roads:
- My old E30 Cabrio. Love the looks. Love the 2.5 straight six and the sound it makes. Love the fact that it provokes a positive response from all. No-one thinks you're flash or showing off. Character by the bucket load and just proper good old fashioned fun.
- That little glance over your shoulder at the car as you park up reaching your destination after a long trip. Yeah, it's just a machine. But what a machine.
Edited by g3org3y on Friday 1st April 23:28
All the above!
Plus roof down on a warm spring evening/night with occasional glances at the stars above and empty, empty roads.
Different petrol engine noises and being able to recognise them. Especially anything including and over 6 cylinders.
Out for a hoon and meet up randomly with someone else who is doing the same thing. You end up appreciating and enjoying each others company. It is not a race, it is the enjoyment of the cars you are driving and no ones ego is evident at all. You leave eachother with a and a 
.
Small children yelling 'give it some mista' (yes I am a girl, I know
) as you burble past. 
That perfect drive; the one where you are totally in the zone, the road is gloriously sinewy and you are at one with the car. Cars in front just melt away, turn off, pull over as they see you approach so you can make progress. The drive you will never forget.
Trace
Plus roof down on a warm spring evening/night with occasional glances at the stars above and empty, empty roads.
Different petrol engine noises and being able to recognise them. Especially anything including and over 6 cylinders.
Out for a hoon and meet up randomly with someone else who is doing the same thing. You end up appreciating and enjoying each others company. It is not a race, it is the enjoyment of the cars you are driving and no ones ego is evident at all. You leave eachother with a
and a .Small children yelling 'give it some mista' (yes I am a girl, I know
) as you burble past. That perfect drive; the one where you are totally in the zone, the road is gloriously sinewy and you are at one with the car. Cars in front just melt away, turn off, pull over as they see you approach so you can make progress. The drive you will never forget.
Trace
Getting up early on a cool summers morning on the day of a long road trip - preferably to the continent where you know that at the end of it, in 12 hours and 600 miles time, you'll be somewhere hot, scenic and have a beer in hand.
That beer.
The ticking noise your car makes while it cools after you've given it a real hard time.
Picking up a like minded 'wing-man' on a drive. Works well on the motorway. You scythe your way along together for an hour or so, changing places at point. You depart with a wave or a flash as one of you pulls off at a junction - your best friend for the last 60 minutes and you've never even met.
The smell of my garage
The noise the fuel pump makes when it primes on my Tiv and the little bit of quiet just before you turn the key.
The noise after you turn the key.
That beer.
The ticking noise your car makes while it cools after you've given it a real hard time.
Picking up a like minded 'wing-man' on a drive. Works well on the motorway. You scythe your way along together for an hour or so, changing places at point. You depart with a wave or a flash as one of you pulls off at a junction - your best friend for the last 60 minutes and you've never even met.
The smell of my garage
The noise the fuel pump makes when it primes on my Tiv and the little bit of quiet just before you turn the key.
The noise after you turn the key.
Ace-T said:
All the above!
Small children yelling 'give it some mista'
This is always cool, I was exactly the same at that age, will always remember seeing an F50 leaving the lights outside my school Small children yelling 'give it some mista'
On a run last weekend, after stopping for lunch there was a queue of us at a crossroads, and at the other side a bunch of kids spotted us and were giving the thumbs up. They were then treated to:
Noble, westfield, lotus, tvr and mr2 all launching into an NSL road out of town loudly. Smiles on everyones faces!
Even when the car isn't running the weather can make all the difference. Changed thermostat and a few other things on the car and it was in bits most of the weekend, but had fine weather to work in and was really satisfied to have got everything done myself
My 996 has spent most of the winter in the garage & with the cold weather I must confess I haven't washed her. Well it was a lovely day yesterday so I spent 4-5hrs washing & hoovering her & my god, how damn good she looked when I'd finished! Not the joy of driving exactly & I know the looks of the 996 can divide opinion but it put a very big smile on my face
Ah, great thread.
I too am a diesel driver at the moment. Although the car is not bad - cheap and entertaining at times, I crave the petrol. I crave the times I had with my last car.
It was nothing more special than a saxo vtr. Scoff you may, but on the correct summers evening, on the right country road, sunroof open and windows down, tank full and revvy 4pot revving - Heaven. Those moments crystallised my love of driving forever.
I too am a diesel driver at the moment. Although the car is not bad - cheap and entertaining at times, I crave the petrol. I crave the times I had with my last car.
It was nothing more special than a saxo vtr. Scoff you may, but on the correct summers evening, on the right country road, sunroof open and windows down, tank full and revvy 4pot revving - Heaven. Those moments crystallised my love of driving forever.
I've been living in the city since September and I don't have a car over here.. The only times driving was when I went home for the Holidays. Not having a car has left me borderline mad .. But I finish up next week and move back home for the Summer. I'll be picking up an MX5 before I leave, and then hopefully I'll be able to experience all the wonderful things I've been missing..
.. But I finish up next week and move back home for the Summer. I'll be picking up an MX5 before I leave, and then hopefully I'll be able to experience all the wonderful things I've been missing.. The diesel convertible comment made by the OP struck a chord with me. Last Tuesday I handed back a new, BMW 320d M-Sport automatic convertible. I had it on loan while my car was in the bodyshop. It was a nice car but with the roof down it just didn't feel 'right', I can't quite explain it but it didn't have that something a petrol convertible can give you.
One thing I like with driving is when the car feels spot-on and on-song. Something else I couldn't quantify in words but when it happens you 'just know' and it feels totally sorted as you press on.
One thing I like with driving is when the car feels spot-on and on-song. Something else I couldn't quantify in words but when it happens you 'just know' and it feels totally sorted as you press on.
I'm also a massive fan of making the car spotlessly clean - maybe not by everyone's standards, but to me it's like restoring to full glory - even down to spotting something right before driving off and wiping it away, knowing damn well that a hundred yards down the road she'll be much worse off. Does not matter at all
The ticking noise is also excellent, especially so if you're sitting with a beer somewhere you can see and hear the car doing it.. That is the car's shallow breath-catching after you've finished
Something else I love is a really smooth tickover. Not necessarily smooth as in without the tiny little consistent vibrations that make the car feel alive, but smooth as in warmed, revs exactly where they should be sitting, quiet and clearly ready and waiting to be driven. This always cues a contemplative moment before starting off or carrying on especially satisfactory after a massive hoon, actually. Makes me think the car's saying "Yeah, I can do all of this, and the moment you back off, it's back to complete calm readiness again."
Great thread
The ticking noise is also excellent, especially so if you're sitting with a beer somewhere you can see and hear the car doing it.. That is the car's shallow breath-catching after you've finished
Something else I love is a really smooth tickover. Not necessarily smooth as in without the tiny little consistent vibrations that make the car feel alive, but smooth as in warmed, revs exactly where they should be sitting, quiet and clearly ready and waiting to be driven. This always cues a contemplative moment before starting off or carrying on
especially satisfactory after a massive hoon, actually. Makes me think the car's saying "Yeah, I can do all of this, and the moment you back off, it's back to complete calm readiness again."Great thread
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