Modern Cars- No Character!?

[Ahbefive]

I enjoy my focus RS as much as any car I have driven. It's not rattly and raw like old cars but it is very playful and the engine makes noise and has a modern character.

[Wills2]

Cpb1702 said:

Struggling to get excited by new cars and been looking for a while. M4, S5, 718 Cayman, etc. Been trying them all.

Are cars getting like sports stars no personality no character!?

Just buy an old one then.

[lucido grigio]

It's only recently that many cars have been tagged as "white goods".

Buy,use for a bit,discard.

[giggity]

C63 AMG with the 6.2 engine. Endless hours of pure fun and noise.

[colonel c]

True. I really enjoy driving my old Defender. My RRS is a nice place to be in but there is not much sense of involvement.

[Alpinestars]

Ahbefive said:

I enjoy my focus RS as much as any car I have driven. It's not rattly and raw like old cars but it is very playful and the engine makes noise and has a modern character.

Has very little character compared to a Mk1. Even the 2 lost a lot of character. The 3 has the shortcomings of most modern cars, e steering which is not great and fidgety, poorly damped suspension. And those artificial noises.

[jamoor]

GT86?

[exelero]

The car I drive at the minute is my second car. This has all the gadgets I need ie: electric windows and POWER STEERING. My first car which was a 1989 Seat had the window part sorted but not the steering.

For me new cars are just white goods and IMO got no character

[Alpinestars]

jamoor said:

GT86?

st engine. And underpowered.

[ian2144]

jamoor said:

GT86?

Please don't start another 86 bashing thread......my heart couldn't stand it

[kurt535]

any car in the landrover range. what a load of utter st.

i followed the ass of a new discovery today. ugly as sin and like the back of a van.

also laughed my face off when i saw my first evoke soft top at traffic lights last week. not sure the driver was that happy with me.

whoever buys these pieces of modern junk and thinks they're great?

[300bhp/ton]

Cpb1702 said:

Struggling to get excited by new cars and been looking for a while. M4, S5, 718 Cayman, etc. Been trying them all.

Are cars getting like sports stars no personality no character!?

I really doubt it. Seriously if you have that kind of budget and can't find anything then there is something wrong with you. Has to be.

That said, if modern cars aren't hitting your sweet spot. Isn't it obvious to look at classics or even just used alternatives instead?

[DoubleD]

ian2144 said:

Please don't start another 86 bashing thread......my heart couldn't stand it

Good car spoiled with a crap engine seems to be the general consensus.

[ian2144]

300bhp/ton said:

Cpb1702 said:

Struggling to get excited by new cars and been looking for a while. M4, S5, 718 Cayman, etc. Been trying them all.

Are cars getting like sports stars no personality no character!?

I really doubt it. Seriously if you have that kind of budget and can't find anything then there is something wrong with you. Has to be.

That said, if modern cars aren't hitting your sweet spot. Isn't it obvious to look at classics or even just used alternatives instead?[/quote

The classic thing I've done, which is great. I'm now to old to be crawling around under a car with a tin of Hammerite.....

[Jonmx]

ian2144 said:

mikefacel said:

That just, reiterated my thoughts......MX5 boot space not big enough...!

How much luggage do you travel with!? The wife and I did 10 days in France a couple of years ago in a MK1 MX5 and that was camping so we had the tent, sleeping bags etc as well as clothes and all the usual stuff. Didn't have one of those racks on the boot either. The only issue was the 20 year old A/C didn't work and it was far too sunny and hot for the roof to be down on quite a few days. We had loads of attention in every town we drove into, felt like I was driving an F40 rather than a ropey old MX5.

[TheDrBrian]

Jonmx said:

ian2144 said:

mikefacel said:

That just, reiterated my thoughts......MX5 boot space not big enough...!

How much luggage do you travel with!? The wife and I did 10 days in France a couple of years ago in a MK1 MX5 and that was camping so we had the tent, sleeping bags etc as well as clothes and all the usual stuff. Didn't have one of those racks on the boot either. The only issue was the 20 year old A/C didn't work and it was far too sunny and hot for the roof to be down on quite a few days. We had loads of attention in every town we drove into, felt like I was driving an F40 rather than a ropey old MX5.

He might be powerfully built. On the other hand there's an awesome carbon fibre luggage rack for the ND

[Ahbefive]

Alpinestars said:

Has very little character compared to a Mk1. Even the 2 lost a lot of character. The 3 has the shortcomings of most modern cars, e steering which is not great and fidgety, poorly damped suspension. And those artificial noises.

Totally disagree. The mk1 is very muted and quiet as standard, has much more roly poly suspension which still feels solid, far less direct steering albeit with more feedback and feels like an old car. The way the mk3 handles is full of character.

The only reason the mk1 feels to have more character is that it feels old and "thin/tinny". It looks better perhaps but then I always think old cars do. One day the mk3 will look old compared to a mk5 etc.

[Alpinestars]

Ahbefive said:

Alpinestars said:

Has very little character compared to a Mk1. Even the 2 lost a lot of character. The 3 has the shortcomings of most modern cars, e steering which is not great and fidgety, poorly damped suspension. And those artificial noises.

Totally disagree. The mk1 is very muted and quiet as standard, has much more roly poly suspension which still feels solid, far less direct steering albeit with more feedback and feels like an old car. The way the mk3 handles is full of character.

The only reason the mk1 feels to have more character is that it feels old and "thin/tinny". It looks better perhaps but then I always think old cars do. One day the mk3 will look old compared to a mk5 etc.

The sound is muted compared to the new one's synthetic sound. Steering and damping are miles better in the 1. The aggressive diff makes it and rewards commitment, and takes time and effort to get the best out of compared to the numpty 4 wd system of the mk3 and the clinical, sterile revo knuckle affair in the 2. There's more going on at road speeds.

There's also a massive weight difference which the 3 tries to mask with electronics and 4wd.

1 is much purer and miles more entertaining in my book.

I guess we'lll have to disagree.

[Ahbefive]

Have to disagree indeed, the mk3 is miles more fun and playful, mk1 is merely raw due to its feeling of old age.

A front LSD is good but is nowhere near as fun as overdriven rear wheels. For a modern car the mk3 has bags of character where most new cars do not.

Edited by Ahbefive on Saturday 20th May 07:09

[dvshannow]

Some yes but others no. Just picked up a 991.2 gts coupe and it's fantastic! feels amazing and shows how moving to turbo charging and electric steering need not dull the experience.