On Being an Enthusiast

by "RightFootDown" (rightfootdown)
Published 01/24/2017 at 16:58

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We recently read Fails piece on how the enthusiast is a dying breed . If you need a pick-me-up, check out my article from last February about how being an enthusiast is free or one from 2014 where I predict that Gen Z will still be car enthusiasts . But, If also figured that misery loves company so as we slowly cling to our door in the frigid waters waiting for rescue or death, we can compare notes on being an enthusiast. Yes, that was a Titanic reference, what of it? Us enthusiast types, either real or self-proclaimed likely experience similar things in life. Some good, some bad. Here are mine, leave yours in the comments.

Full story at RightFootDown . Yup, a link. If we see this story is popular, we’ll bring you more. Help us help you enjoy this wonderful hobby.

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“Oh you’re into cars, well then you can help me pick one” says everyone you ever meet. Some people may not enjoy that element of enthusiast living, but I absolutely love it. I get a contact high from helping other people car shop. It’s a very real buzz from the experience of talking someone through their requirements; their needs, their wants, their limitations. If, within every dozen, I can steer one person away from an appliance to something interesting, the world will be a better place. I’ve gone so far as to visit dealerships with friends or family, go on test drives, maybe even sit nearby during the negotiation phase. I had a buddy who once bought an enthusiast model 350Z, first year of production who offered it to me to buy when he was ready for something different. I had been so invested in his buying process, I bought the damn thing from him.

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This one probably is valid for many of you, but I’m not especially mechanically inclined. I’ve mended some things, I’ve “done it yourself” or “myself” or whatever, but overall I’m not always the person to come to help fix your issue. I’m getting better, learning as I go, but at age 40 I’m not exactly Pat Goss at this point, which everyone just assumes to be the case.

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No. Absolutely not. I’ve even struggled to follow motorsports in general.

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You start to sniff out another enthusiast. It’s a beautiful, yet dangerous dance. You size each other up, not wanting to go too fast. You’ve been burned one too many times. You hope beyond hope that your new coworker is legit and isn’t pretending, because you have invested way too much time and emotion in a conversation only to find out that they really aren’t that into cars. It’s not even a knowledge issue, although that’s an element of it. Knowing many horsepower and torque figures or makes and models is part of it, but just the general level of enthusiasm on the topic is how you can tell a real enthusiast from a pretender. As I tell my writers, it’s about emotion; it’s sort of like dating, if you aren’t on the same level it’s just not going to work out. But oh man, when it does. Bliss.

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You’re God damn right I do. Ride or die, tuna no crust, too soon junior, street’s closed pizza boy, etc. Take a look at our virtual tour of F&F filming locations , road trip!

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No, but most people assume that I at least have an opinion on the topic. Which, of course, I do, and it’s not all negative. While most hybrids are soul sucking anti-fun machines, it’s not all doom and gloom. Look at any Tesla and you’ll see a future worth living. Instant torque for all! And those hypercar hybrids sure look fun. Heck, a hybrid Mustang actually sound pretty fun to me, assuming I wasn’t a “V84LIFE” guy. Which I am. And autonomy isn’t all bad . I actually hate to drive in a commuting situation, thanks Obama Washington DC and your nation’s worst traffic.

So if I can hop into a car and tell it to take me somewhere, I’m all for it. I just want to be able to remove it from manual mode when the traffic clears and the roads get twisty. Like when Will Smith was chasing that robot in his Audi, sort of. Point being, the future is likely some sort of electric autonomous world, and we might as well make the most of it. Invest in your local track, they’re going to have a fucking line of people once it’s more difficult to drive your petrol powered dinosaur fast.

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I know I’m missing some, leave your anecdotes, stories, and such in the comments.

-William Byrd, Editor-In-Chief @ RightFootDown

Replies (6)

"Cherry_man1" (Cherry_man1)
01/24/2017 at 17:27, STARS: 1

In the classic car world I get asked where I found my car, engine size, etc.

The Gran Torino is a well appreciated car where it goes.

"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
01/24/2017 at 18:13, STARS: 1

There are so many varieties of enthusiast. Some of us have motor oil running through our veins; others, it’s petrol.

"veryloud435iwouldn'thaveitanyotherway" (fencingboughtmy435i)
01/24/2017 at 18:33, STARS: 1

People that only like one type or one manufacturer of car and anything else is automatically garbage. not so i say, not so! Why does it always have to be that way? can’t we all just get along.

"wiffleballtony" (wiffleballtony)
01/24/2017 at 20:39, STARS: 1

I’ll respond in order of the segments you used. I want to help family and friends shop. However more often than not, they’ve picked out some horrid shit box and are just looking for reassurance that it won’t leave then on the side of the road.

There’s always that assumption but I’m very much a novice as my folks aren’t car folks.

I’ve mentioned going on track days and the assumption is that I’m driving an oval. Ugh.

More often than not I’m burned because someone chooses a fun car because it’ll make them look fun not because they know the drive train layout or the power figures.

F&F is awesome in the same way Top Gun is. If that doesn’t make sense we can’t ve friends.

As for as for electric cars, I couldnt be less interested. Driving a car without an exhaust is like watching a movie without the sound. I don’t care how fast it accelerates, it’s dead to me. IMHO autonomous cars are the first step to the elimination of private car ownership.

"William Byrd" (thedriver)
01/25/2017 at 15:13, STARS: 1

Replying to your replies to my...uh..article. I’m bored, sue me.

Yep, most people give me a list like “RAV-4 or CRV, which is best” and that’s their whole list. They need something with decent space, but still small and that’s about as far as they’ve researched. I try to elicit some requirements/criteria beyond that, but it’s tough.

My folks weren’t really either, not sure where I got it.

I have tried to like NASCAR, it just hasn’t taken. I hear the “you have to go to a race” a lot, and I haven’t, but I might. Maybe.

Agreed about image vs. performance. Although at age 40, I’ve started to appreciate something like an A7. It’s not the fastest (decent powertrain from the lesser S-cars though) but it has a nice classy image that I’m starting to dig.

OMG yes. TG is my all time favorite movie. It’s no oscar contender, but damn it’s good. I went to a midnight showing of the re-release in 3D a few years ago. My wife and I were the only ones there. People don’t appreciate the classics. F&F will always be classics to me, I like all of them to varying degrees (sorry for the plug).

I see it as an inevitability. I’m a Mustang guy, love a V8, and will be sad to see it go one day. So maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better. :( Off to ford.com to build a new V8 Mustang...

Thanks for the reply, good stuff.

"William Byrd" (thedriver)
01/25/2017 at 15:21, STARS: 1

Agreed. I’ve had cars from most major countries producing cars for the US (still need to add Italy to that list) and most (attainable) layouts/drive trains, etc. and still don’t 100% know what I want. RWD and V8 is usually my answers but I’d buy from any manufacturer that produced something I like. The whole “one make is best” I’ve never understood.