The love of driving.
Discussion
I've been out of the performance car market for a few years now and some (including myself) would say far too long. Due to various factors I drive a wallowy diesel barge thats cheap to run and low on thrills but i love it - No not the car but i've come to the conclusion that I love driving in general no matter what car i happen to be in.
Many years when i first passed my test people told me i'd get fed up of driving, but I didn't and I dont.
Pretty much every single car i've ever owned has given me a thrill in one way or the other in it's own little way.
I bought a 1.1 Pug 205 which i gave 50 quid for, It was boderline dangerous as it slid about on near legal limit tyres on Snake Pass in the pouring rain but had great throttle response and direct steering and despite being gutless i loved it and thrashed it.
I owned an Audi A6 2.8 Quattro that again was a wallowy old so and so but had a decent turn of speed on the motorway and was a lovely place to waft along in comfort yet was utterley hopeless on any sort of twisty b road if you decided to press on but again for what it did i loved it.
My first and best performance car was a Scooby which was the best, It was ugly, noisy and harsh and It financially destroyed me over our ownership period but i didn't regret owning it for one minute and i miss that car every day but in the end I had to admit defeat and she had to go.
Now I go to my car every morning and whilst I no longer get that thrill like i did with my Subaru when I climb aboard even my trusty wallowy old barge gives the odd thrill even if its on a far smaller basis.
On the odd occasion when time permits i'll stick some fuel in and head off god knows where just because i love driving, I come back and i feel relaxed and better for it.
Thing is just recently my annual mileage has dropped and i'm getting an itch, an itch for something that whilst not a road rocket will at least have super unleaded running through its veins and have a redline above 4000 rpm and i'm hoping will pull back some of the thrill that the Subaru did.
Quite simply I love cars, I cant fix 'em and i'm technically inept but as for driving them I love 'em.
God knows how i'd react if i stepped aboard a Porsche GT3 - I'd probably wet myself, still this maybe a long way off even at my age but if i can replicate just 10% of that thrill then surely i'm onto a winner and I just am getting an itch that i think needs scratching.
Many years when i first passed my test people told me i'd get fed up of driving, but I didn't and I dont.
Pretty much every single car i've ever owned has given me a thrill in one way or the other in it's own little way.
I bought a 1.1 Pug 205 which i gave 50 quid for, It was boderline dangerous as it slid about on near legal limit tyres on Snake Pass in the pouring rain but had great throttle response and direct steering and despite being gutless i loved it and thrashed it.
I owned an Audi A6 2.8 Quattro that again was a wallowy old so and so but had a decent turn of speed on the motorway and was a lovely place to waft along in comfort yet was utterley hopeless on any sort of twisty b road if you decided to press on but again for what it did i loved it.
My first and best performance car was a Scooby which was the best, It was ugly, noisy and harsh and It financially destroyed me over our ownership period but i didn't regret owning it for one minute and i miss that car every day but in the end I had to admit defeat and she had to go.
Now I go to my car every morning and whilst I no longer get that thrill like i did with my Subaru when I climb aboard even my trusty wallowy old barge gives the odd thrill even if its on a far smaller basis.
On the odd occasion when time permits i'll stick some fuel in and head off god knows where just because i love driving, I come back and i feel relaxed and better for it.
Thing is just recently my annual mileage has dropped and i'm getting an itch, an itch for something that whilst not a road rocket will at least have super unleaded running through its veins and have a redline above 4000 rpm and i'm hoping will pull back some of the thrill that the Subaru did.
Quite simply I love cars, I cant fix 'em and i'm technically inept but as for driving them I love 'em.
God knows how i'd react if i stepped aboard a Porsche GT3 - I'd probably wet myself, still this maybe a long way off even at my age but if i can replicate just 10% of that thrill then surely i'm onto a winner and I just am getting an itch that i think needs scratching.
See the GT86/BRZ threads...
otolith said:
What I find odd is how many people on Pistonheads want a car which requires as little interaction to drive as possible. I think there are people who mostly like driving and people who mostly like owning and being seen to own.
Its funny you should say that, i was discussing this last week with a work collegue and he likes classic cars purely because of the styling, performance and on road ability takes a back seat.My Subaru was ugly and to some was socially unacceptable however I loved how it drove.
I along with the vast amount of drivers can be accused of letting my head rule my heart with my last couple of cars and what they were chosen for (cost) but for me how a car feels on the road is the main thing for me and not looks.
Although my current steed is probably as detached as they come hence the itch.
otolith said:
What I find odd is how many people on Pistonheads want a car which requires as little interaction to drive as possible. I think there are people who mostly like driving and people who mostly like owning and being seen to own.
You've lost me! What cars have little interaction?
ewenm said:
Lightweight, narrow tyres, no power steering, no power brakes, low power. Not surprising it was fun. 
It wasn't quite so much fun the day it shed it's drivers door mid corner, ejecting my cassette collection over the carriageway. I had quite a large audience picking up the door & throwing it in the back of the van!Edited by 2thumbs on Sunday 5th February 21:31
Good post OP. I love driving too, and can derive enjoyment from either my Boxster or my old diesel wallowy barge-ette and indeed enjoyed driving modern 44 tonne artics. I like fiddling with cars and I like mucking about with them in a semi-competitive fashion, but I don't like buying or selling them.
But I do enjoy driving. I would say I'm more of a driving or 'motoring' enthusiast than I am a car enthusiast.
But I do enjoy driving. I would say I'm more of a driving or 'motoring' enthusiast than I am a car enthusiast.
Great topic OP. Nice to see people still loving driving, as my love for it has dulled since putting the mr2 into hibernation. However, all i need to do is start it up let it warm rev it a little and suddenly im in love again. The memories of getting stupid ammounts of sunburn from my spitfire, or hooning around the peak district chasing and being chased by motorbikes. Also the thought that out there are some people who love their cars like i love mine and will greet me with a wave or a nod when travelling in the same direction or will want to play on a B road.
We're few and far between but most of the deeper parts of followings are i suppose. Thank god we have the most opinionated, sometimes agressive and argumentative forum out there.
We're few and far between but most of the deeper parts of followings are i suppose. Thank god we have the most opinionated, sometimes agressive and argumentative forum out there.
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