Why do people on Pistonheads hate new(ish) cars?
Discussion
A genuine question.
I was reading through some of my posts and people's replies and other posts last night and it hit me that most people hate diesels/modern cars/any sort of modifications etc... And it got me wondering why?
I've admitted before that I'm not the most knowledgeable member, infact I'm probably in the bottom 1 percent. I do however enjoy driving, and I do enjoy watching programs about cars and reading about them and how they work.
So yes, why do you all hate cars which are relatively modern?
I was reading through some of my posts and people's replies and other posts last night and it hit me that most people hate diesels/modern cars/any sort of modifications etc... And it got me wondering why?
I've admitted before that I'm not the most knowledgeable member, infact I'm probably in the bottom 1 percent. I do however enjoy driving, and I do enjoy watching programs about cars and reading about them and how they work.
So yes, why do you all hate cars which are relatively modern?
New cars seem to be bloated, overly automated, overly complex, expensive, ugly, "soulless", uninvolving & dull to drive, and overly image focused. They also seem to be increasingly compromising driving dynamics and fun for green purposes; whether or not this is a good or bad thing is beyond the point, but alot of people (including most of PH) don't appreciate the changes. Electric steering, eco tires, tiny turbo engines, etc etc.
I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
I don't think your question applies to "all" the people here,it's more of likes and what suits your personal needs.
Everyone has different tastes ,and like myself I run what I like though many would not.
Variety is the spice of life ,we all have different reasons for what we drive.
I could go on ,but I'm too tired after a long day.
HTH.
Everyone has different tastes ,and like myself I run what I like though many would not.
Variety is the spice of life ,we all have different reasons for what we drive.
I could go on ,but I'm too tired after a long day.
HTH.
Gooly said:
New cars seem to be bloated, overly automated, overly complex, expensive, ugly, "soulless", uninvolving & dull to drive, and overly image focused. They also seem to be increasingly compromising driving dynamics and fun for green purposes; whether or not this is a good or bad thing is beyond the point, but alot of people (including most of PH) don't appreciate the changes. Electric steering, eco tires, tiny turbo engines, etc etc.
I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
But I don't see what people's problem is with some new shiny stuff. Who really want's to drive down the motorway with the windows open getting bugs all over your car when you can be sat in an icebox with aircon on?I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
Same goes for most things... Built in satnavs... Who want's to pull over to read a map when a machine can direct you, use it's built in internet to avoid congestion for you AND warn you about speed cameras?
And another one, is why do you guts hate cruise control? If you have 50 miles to go straight on a motorway do you really want to have your foot on a pedal when you could be relaxing?
Gooly said:
New cars seem to be bloated, overly automated, overly complex, expensive, ugly, "soulless", uninvolving & dull to drive, and overly image focused. They also seem to be increasingly compromising driving dynamics and fun for green purposes; whether or not this is a good or bad thing is beyond the point, but alot of people (including most of PH) don't appreciate the changes. Electric steering, eco tires, tiny turbo engines, etc etc.
I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
Thanks, you have just saved me about 20 mins of typing, spot on!I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
Gooly said:
New cars seem to be bloated, overly automated, overly complex, expensive, ugly, "soulless", uninvolving & dull to drive, and overly image focused. They also seem to be increasingly compromising driving dynamics and fun for green purposes; whether or not this is a good or bad thing is beyond the point, but alot of people (including most of PH) don't appreciate the changes. Electric steering, eco tires, tiny turbo engines, etc etc.
I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
What you mean the Focus RS that weighs around 1500kgs (it's a FWD hatch!!) , is bloated, overly automated, overly complex, expensive, ugly, "soulless", possibly uninvolving & dull to drive, and overly image focused?I understand why cars are moving in that sort of direction but it doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially with the UK's fantastically cheap used car market.
There is also the fact that it's becoming increasingly hard to find a straightforward affordable RWD coupe with a manual gearbox. Which is part of the reason the FT86 is so hotly anticipated by many.
Personally the FT86 is the first new car I've truly felt excited about for a long time; the last one was probably the Focus RS, and even before then there were very few.
To be honest I don't anticipate owning (out of choice) anything newer than my current car in the future. Most of my dream cars are from the 90s and 80s.
I love classic cars, they are the cars I grew up wanting, and now can afford.
I also love the reliability of modern stuff.
I have had a lot of very charismatic old cars, but my next one will be an E63 BMW 645ci not a E24 635CSi.
Why? The E63 does almost everything I liked about my E24's, but does not leak or need a mig welder.
Practically there is a popular idea that the complexity of cars reduces reliability and drive-ability, this is mostly down to bad experiences of mid 90's cars where all this stuff was 1st generation. Old adage, never use anything with a version number less than 3. Car electrics are now into the 3rd gen and getting better all the time, the unreliable nightmares counjured up by images of cars like the E31 8 series coupe are less likely as the cars become more sorted and the specialists get to grips with the tech.
Emotionally there is no contest, no matter how good the rock band you hear when you are 35 are they will never compare to the bands you heard in your youth that woke you up to that style of music. The young mind is very impressionable: Music, cars, girls, films etc etc.
Edited for spelling.
I also love the reliability of modern stuff.
I have had a lot of very charismatic old cars, but my next one will be an E63 BMW 645ci not a E24 635CSi.
Why? The E63 does almost everything I liked about my E24's, but does not leak or need a mig welder.
Practically there is a popular idea that the complexity of cars reduces reliability and drive-ability, this is mostly down to bad experiences of mid 90's cars where all this stuff was 1st generation. Old adage, never use anything with a version number less than 3. Car electrics are now into the 3rd gen and getting better all the time, the unreliable nightmares counjured up by images of cars like the E31 8 series coupe are less likely as the cars become more sorted and the specialists get to grips with the tech.
Emotionally there is no contest, no matter how good the rock band you hear when you are 35 are they will never compare to the bands you heard in your youth that woke you up to that style of music. The young mind is very impressionable: Music, cars, girls, films etc etc.
Edited for spelling.
moronic said:
A genuine question.
So yes, why do you all hate cars which are relatively modern?
I'm going to go with that whatever your nearly new car costs there are 3 or 4 older alternatives that will offer a lot more in terms of driving and ownership experience.So yes, why do you all hate cars which are relatively modern?
It also depends on what the car is used for but a...
Civic type R < Lotus Carlton
as one (extreme) example.
Vladimir said:
What you mean the Focus RS that weighs around 1500kgs (it's a FWD hatch!!) , is bloated, overly automated, overly complex, expensive, ugly, "soulless", possibly uninvolving & dull to drive, and overly image focused?
Being a lifelong fast ford fan it was amazing to here that the RS badge was coming back. Would I buy a MKII FRS? No, probably not, but it was exciting to see Ford make it nonetheless. And to be honest I don't think it was expensive for what it was, or ugly, or soulless, and I doubt it's uninvolving or dull to drive. And the image suits the car just fine.The point remains though, there have been very few cars made within the past few years which have genuinly made me think "I want to hold the keys to that". It's probably a good thing, it's easier to dream about a 4k car with little or no depreciation left than a 40k car with a mountain to drop after purchase.
My car is 10 years old, has aircon and that's about it. It also has rock hard suspension, panels of of thin tin and no torgue so most diesels full of gadgets pull away from it in 6th gear on the motorway. And I don't care one bit, it's fun to drive, quick enough to get me into trouble with the police if I'm not paying attention and there's nothing similar on sale that's as much fun to drive. Faster yes but fun no.
I don't dislike new cars, but none of them inspire any lust inside me, as it were, everything I look at in the Classifieds whether it's something I can afford or not is pretty much all older stuff, Evo 6's instead of 10's for example, S1 Elise's and Exige's. There's just a rawness to older cars that makes them more fun to drive.
That said I'd happily w
e myself out if it meant putting an R35 in the drive.
I don't dislike new cars, but none of them inspire any lust inside me, as it were, everything I look at in the Classifieds whether it's something I can afford or not is pretty much all older stuff, Evo 6's instead of 10's for example, S1 Elise's and Exige's. There's just a rawness to older cars that makes them more fun to drive.
That said I'd happily w
e myself out if it meant putting an R35 in the drive. haha my car is 20 years old no power steering no abs no heaters no carpet no interior and cost 1.5k
But that is how I like it! new cars bore me to tears sat in my mates new 1 series doing 120 leptons felt like we were doing 40 leptons, my car is st to drive on the road bumps grinds cracks bangs but I would much rather have it like that! got abit of soul to it.
But that is how I like it! new cars bore me to tears sat in my mates new 1 series doing 120 leptons felt like we were doing 40 leptons, my car is s
t to drive on the road bumps grinds cracks bangs but I would much rather have it like that! got abit of soul to it.Gooly said:
Being a lifelong fast ford fan it was amazing to here that the RS badge was coming back. Would I buy a MKII FRS? No, probably not, but it was exciting to see Ford make it nonetheless. And to be honest I don't think it was expensive for what it was, or ugly, or soulless, and I doubt it's uninvolving or dull to drive. And the image suits the car just fine.
The point remains though, there have been very few cars made within the past few years which have genuinly made me think "I want to hold the keys to that". It's probably a good thing, it's easier to dream about a 4k car with little or no depreciation left than a 40k car with a mountain to drop after purchase.
I know where you're coming from but I'm not sure the FRS is the ideal exception. It's VERY heavy and TBH the 0-100 time is pretty poor for a 300bhp hatch. Over 14 seconds. Even my bloated soot chucking hearse can knock almost a second off that.The point remains though, there have been very few cars made within the past few years which have genuinly made me think "I want to hold the keys to that". It's probably a good thing, it's easier to dream about a 4k car with little or no depreciation left than a 40k car with a mountain to drop after purchase.
There are plenty of modern cars that get me excited. Current proper Range Rovers, Caterhams mad offering, Porsche's more focussed machines, the VW we just bought (NOT a drivers car but still a lot of fun), some BMWs and plenty more.
Yes your average run of the mill car has got a lot bigger but it's also safer, comfier and probably more reliable. I'd seriously hesitate piloting my family around in my old mk2 GTi, fun as it was to drive.
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