Automotive "trends"

[the_yellow_dart]

Sitxy8 was talking about the miniaturization (de-stroking) of engines being a "trend" that was supposed to continute into the '90s... Are there any other "trends" that the auto rags preached that you bought? What were they?

[Drew Dowdell]

The idea that Schwinn is a better transmission manufacturer because they make a 36speed.

[LosAngeles]

That I absolutely had to have an airbag or ABS....not like I wouldn't want these things in a new car, but it's not a huge deal in anything pre-'94 (or anything used in the case of ABS).

[Flybrian]

If its not a BMW, its crap. "The new Dodge Sprinter is a fine utility beast, but it can't hold the corners like a 325i." That, and my fav bullshit phrase, 'Brand DNA.'

[ToniCipriani]

The idea that Schwinn is a better transmission manufacturer because they make a 36speed.

[post="21357"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I think it's Shimano who makes the "tranny" :lol:.

[Sixty8panther]

Take it from a die hard Muscle Car fanatic: 95% of Pro street = :puke: Pro touring is AWSOME though. I'd love to embarass a 2005 BMW in a SCCA race with a pushrod C4-vette suspension equiped '69 Camaro. :D Edited September 29, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[rkmdogs]

The two top kickers that irk me are: If it isn't a two-door, it is not cool. Manual tranny's are better than automatics for speed and performance, even on a street car or daily driver! Both of these myths are still perpretrated on the ignorant unwashed as if they were written on the tablets that Noah found on the mountain!

[Sixty8panther]

I'm a fan of manual trannys in everything. I'd love to throw a M22 Muncie inot my newly aquired '79 Coupe DeVille. I love sticks and the only reason I keep buying Autos is because so many good deals can be had in classic GM cars wiht automatics. If I COULD have bought a '97 STS, '86 Fleetwood Brougham, '83 Firebird (wiht a 350 crate) or '79 Deville wiht a manual I would have but as it happened all these cars were good deals so I went wiht practicality. I would have never bought the Datsun if it had been an auto. Same as if I ever buy a Porsche 911, 4th gen. F-body, BMW of any kind or a Corvette of any vintage it MUST be a true manual. (three pedals) I managed to find a loaded up Blazer S10 with everything I wanted AND a manual trans. One of the reasons why I never bought any of the C/K Blazers I wantd was cause I coudl not find a 4/5 speed manual. I do agree about the four door bias. I'd love a '62 Caddy hardtop-4-dr, any BMW M5, a '59 Buick flat top 4dr or even a 2nd gen four door Corvair. Pretty much any hardtop vehicle is allowed to have four doors wihtout loosing any "cool" points. Edited September 30, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[rkmdogs]

[quote name='Sixty8panther' date='Sep 29 2005, 11:12 PM']
I'm a fan of manual trannys in everything. I'd love to throw a M22 Muncie inot my newly aquired '79 Coupe DeVille. I love sticks and the only reason I keep buying Autos is because so many good deals can be had in classic GM cars wiht automatics.

Hey Sixty8,

You need to go back and look at some reality.
When Jim Hall was racing his Chapparals, they were made with 2-speed powerglides, not stock of course, because he wanted to concentrate on DRIVING,
not shifting!
Most big-block drag racers, including those with hemi-v8's making thousands of
horsepower used an automatic, 'cause there was no way to engage a powerful enough clutch CONSISTANTLY and win!
If you ever drag-raced, how many runs have you seen lost because of a blown
shift? The auto can think faster and react faster than any human action 9 times out
of 10, and CONSISTANCY and RELIABILITY is what wins races.

We used to run off-road dune buggy races using VW running gear. We would
constantly snap axle-shafts from going air-borne and then hitting the ground
with a stickbox/clutch system.
Switched to an automatic (tickled of course) and never broke an axle after that!
The torque convertor would absorb the shock of an air-borne landing and still
keep on going!
Many people think of automatics as slush-boxes, but that image belongs back
in the '50's!
Even current race-car paddle shifts embrace a form of being automatic!
Come on into the 21st Century, but don't blame all automatics today for the
ills of the past! ^_^ Edited September 30, 2005 by rkmdogs

[Drew Dowdell]

another one "more gears = smoother transmission" Uh, no.

[z28luvr01]

Trucks need to ride like cars cars need to have more utility...like trucks Fake wood is a sign of cheapness...even in a $10,000 car The overuse of the word "premium". Like anyone's going to say they're going to build an "average" or "OK" car.

[Sixty8panther]

rkmdogs:
Come on into the 21st Century, but don't blame all automatics today for the
ills of the past! ^_^

I've driven everything from early 1960s cars with powerglides to triptronic (tap shift) 2001 Porsche 911s... I still prefer the fun of driving a manual trans wiht a clutch. I'm not a professional drag racer so if I bought a 2006 GTO the LS6 would get me down the track fast enough with or without an auto. Yes, you're right autos shift faster and never miss a shift but they're more complex, break a lot more often if the car is driven hard and add unnecesarry wieght and complexity.

Being a car nut is not ALWAYS about shaving 0.02 seconds off your E.T. in some cases it's just about enjoying a well handeling, manouverable car wiht precision skill. I've never driven a car wiht an automatic trans that could read my mind. They always think they know what's best. Donwshifting when you're just cruising or hunting for gears when going uphill, it's irritating and I'm the type that would much rather shift myself. Ultimate control.

There's no BUllshit wiht a true manual.... unlike those tapshift trans that just go ahead and upshifit regardless of what imput you're giving them a true manual will never lie to you. If I want my Datsun in 3rd gear all the way to 7500rpm, it's going to stay in that gear, no computer is goign to over ride my decision like with all these half-assed paddle shift transmisions.

Perhaps if, and this is a big "IF", I had to drive through stop and go traffic for a hundred miles every work day then I might actually welcome an automatic... but only for my daily driver, not my sports car, off roader, drag car, SCCA racer or whatever.

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla. :)

...except in some cases GM refuses to give us the right to choose. (try finding an SUV wiht a manual these days) <_< Edited October 1, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[pow]

another one

"more gears = smoother transmission"
Uh, no.

[post="22436"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I find that to be the case... the drop in RPMs during gear changes is less on a transmission with more gears, so the rate of acceleration is sustained.

[Cory Wolfe]

Sixty8, you just had to make me
do this...

There's no BUllshit wiht a true manual.... unlike those tapshift trans that just go ahead and upshifit regardless of what imput you're giving them a true manual will never lie to you. If I want my Datsun in 3rd gear all the way to 7500rpm, it's going to stay in that gear, no computer is goign to over ride my decision like with all these half-assed paddle shift transmisions.

C&D Oct 05 "The four-speed TAPshift manumatic is better than mst we've experienced, leaving upshift decisions totally in the hands of the driver..." Meaning that it will only shift when you press the up buttom. Unless you pass the redline without shifting or something and it shifts for the sake of the engine... But you have to be an idiot to that in the first place.

Also, my parents have experienced more problems with manual transmissions than autos... and you know how I talk about my mom's driving. :P

However, I like a manual transmission. They are more fun, regardless. I like shifting, but it can get tiresome. Especially in the city. Endless shifting and pushing the clutch, it seems like. My left foot has started to hurt sometimes... I like coupes, too. I don't need the practicallity. They just look better and are lighter as well. Not always the case, though. The G6 sedan looks better than the coupe.

[Casket Demon]

The G6 sedan looks better than the coupe.

[post="22613"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

What the hell happened 2 the G6 coupe??? it looks like a meltrd 350Z. Was that the best GM could do @ the time?