"TheJWT" (thejwt)
06/22/2015 at 21:40 • Filed to: None | 1 | 29 |
Every form of transportation I own is undeniably cool, but completely inconvenient and slightly terrible. Don’t believe me? Take a look yourself-
Starting with my lovely automobile:
Pros- First gen SE-Rs are, as far as I can tell, one of the few cars which are universally liked. And what’s not to like? It sounds like a racecar, it drives like a slow racecar, and it’s got the coolest wheels ever.
Cons- To paraphrase Jeremy Clarkson “It’s not what you’d call an everyday car, in that everyday it breaks”
My “brand new” 1984 Motobecane Grand touring-
Pros- The bike equivalent of driving a Citroen SM while sucking on a smelly French cigarette.
Cons- The wheels may as well be made of tinfoil, and trying to shift up more than one gear at a time will cause the bike to explode and result in a fiery death. And seat technology has come a long way since 1984...
And finally... my 20” Stolen (That’s the brand...) BMX
Pros- Stronger than a Hilux and lighter than a small bird. Sick tricks. Probably the quickest way through a crowded city
Cons- It does not have brakes.
I’d imagine that most people on Oppo have a similar problem, what are your awesome, horrible rides?
SaveTheIntegras
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 21:43 | 1 |
I have a TL...i check the boxes for ‘fast enough for me but also not stupidly fast’ as well as the ‘practical enough’. I think i did a good job of the best of both worlds.
CB
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 21:44 | 4 |
My legs.
Pros : Fairly comfortable, parking is a non-existent issue.
Cons : Knees are currently having issues, can’t be solved with WD-40.
TheJWT
> SaveTheIntegras
06/22/2015 at 21:46 | 1 |
That’s nowhere near horrible enough! I’ve always liked First gen TLs
lone_liberal
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 21:46 | 0 |
My Mercury Mariner? My wife’s G37x? Ok, maybe I’m the exception.
TheJWT
> CB
06/22/2015 at 21:46 | 3 |
New parts difficult to find...
TheJWT
> lone_liberal
06/22/2015 at 21:47 | 0 |
You’re the smart one!
CB
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 21:47 | 2 |
You want to avoid the part of Craigslist that offers used parts. And official replacements have a long wait list and have a long break in period.
SaveTheIntegras
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 21:48 | 1 |
I’ve done the ‘horribly impractical car’ before, I’m enjoying the comfy life style for now...
TheJWT
> SaveTheIntegras
06/22/2015 at 21:50 | 1 |
My idea when I was buying my roadbike was to have something comfartable, easy to ride, and stylish. It didn’t quite work out that way, I went all stylish.
Doug DeMuro
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:01 | 1 |
First-gen SE-Rs are so cool. I haven’t seen one in forever. Enjoy it!!!
TheJWT
> Doug DeMuro
06/22/2015 at 22:02 | 1 |
Coming from the man who owns an r32. My life is complete.
4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
> CB
06/22/2015 at 22:02 | 3 |
Titanium upgrades are available though... add lightness and simplify.
Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:05 | 0 |
I have a 4Runner. It’s not sexy, fast or great on gas (not even 4wd) But the leather seats are nice. And the back window rolls down.
TheJWT
> Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
06/22/2015 at 22:06 | 0 |
Still cool though
CB
> 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
06/22/2015 at 22:06 | 0 |
Fuck yeah.
Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:07 | 0 |
It’ll be great if I ever bother to get an OPPO sticker for it.
beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:12 | 1 |
no photo’s cause I’m posting from work.
1990 JDM MR2 Turbo
Pros
: It’s a mid engine sports car with Toyota reliability
cons
: it’s a 25 year old mid engine sports car. Even Toyota reliability can only stretch so far.
2003-4ish Giant OCR of some kind
Pros
: it’s light and was free, and the only OEM part on it left is the frame. everything from the forks to the hubs are all upgraded from what I can tell.
cons
: it’s the women’s version. It’s yellow but it’s a wee bit short for me. I don’t use it competitively though.
BMX = Torker 2
Pros
: retro as fuck
cons
: rusty as fuck. about the only good part left is the frame. I sold the skyway tuff’s I had on it way back in 2005 after I stacked the bike. I’d like the restore it one day.
TheJWT
> beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/22/2015 at 22:20 | 0 |
We have strangely similar tastes...
twochevrons
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:26 | 1 |
I totally have this. My fleet are all (arguably) highly cool cars, but definitely have their fair share of terribleness. I love them all, anyway.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Pro: Stupid-fast. TARDIS-like capacity for passengers and luggage. Will cruise at get-you-locked-up MPH all day long with no effort. Fantastic turbocharged 5-pot soundtrack. Bright red paint and duct tape holding the front bumper together make it instantly recognisable.
Con: Torque steer is brutal. Leaks, burns, and otherwise consumes an embarrassing amount of oil. Interior looks like an IKEA catalogue gone wrong. Ride quality is more like a racing car than a luxury performance vehicle. Despite the R badge and (mildly) sporty looks, it can’t quite escape the college-kid-got-this-from-his-parents stereotype that older Volvos have around here.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Pro: Barn-find with really low miles (only 40k!) - when it’s running right, it drives like new. ‘80s wedge-tactic shape. You can go flat-out all the time, and it’ll put a grin on your face no matter what you’re doing with it. The AC somehow still works (if you can stand to lose a not-insignificant chunk of the 90hp on tap).
Con: The paint is sloughing off like a bad sunburn. While it certainly feels fast, it’s alarmingly slow by modern standards. Bosch K-Jetronic is amazing mechanical wizardry, but it has not taken kindly to sitting for 20 years with tar-like fuel deposits in it. MTBF is of the order of hours right now.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Pro: Gorgeous shape. Even more fun to drive than the Scirocco. Exudes charm from just about everywhere. Tractor-like mechanicals are so simple that it’s barely needed any repair work, despite having languished in a shed for 30 years when I got it.
Con: Side windows and roof are missing. Rear bumper is a piece of 2x4. Even slower than the Scirocco. Being anywhere near it will make you smell like unburned hydrocarbons for the rest of the day, and give you a pretty good contact high from the fumes to boot. The doors will sometimes pop open while cornering, which is rather scary when you don’t have seat belts.
Steve in Manhattan
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:32 | 0 |
If the Sentra can be made reliable, why not? It has a trunk (boot). It has a back seat. You can get parts for it. And you like it.
beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:35 | 1 |
It’s weirder than that.
10 years ago I had a Ford Corsair/Nissan Pintara which is very, very similar to the Sentra. It blew up with around 300k km’s on it.
before the Giant I had an old 80’s Repco 3-speed but it got stolen by junkies.
My Torker is blue and white, but I always wanted to paint the frame gunmetal.
TheJWT
> Steve in Manhattan
06/22/2015 at 22:40 | 0 |
I’m working on it! I actually just got done fixing all of the vacuum leaks...
TheJWT
> twochevrons
06/22/2015 at 22:42 | 0 |
You clearly understand the struggle! There was an 850R for sale when I was buying a car. I would have bought it without thinking twice if it were a manual.
Steve in Manhattan
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:57 | 0 |
Back in 1991, I bought a new CRX Si. But the Sentra SE-R was a close second, and something I wish I’d gone for it. Certainly more utilitarian than the Honda.
twochevrons
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 22:59 | 1 |
Yeah, the US-market 850R was only ever available with the 4-speed auto. The rest of the world got the option of a 5-speed manual with an LSD and 10 more hp. The transmission really isn’t all that bad when you take its character into account – the car’s driving dynamics aren’t hugely engaging anyway, and the automatic makes for very accessible point-and-shoot power – but I’m toying with the idea of a manual swap anyway.
Nice SE-R, by the way!
Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 23:02 | 1 |
4Runner
Pros: Looks kickass, hugely practical, decently safe for something without airbags, has been down for less than two weeks out of the nearly 4 years of ownership, will go pretty much anywhere I force it to, can be serviced without jacks, can be maintained poorly for long durations of time.
Cons: Never more than 14 mpg is seen, 2 mpg has been averaged on a tank, embarrassingly slow, hunts gears like a rich Texan, weird seating position, handling that takes getting used to.
TheJWT
> twochevrons
06/22/2015 at 23:02 | 0 |
Thank you! I met a guy with a manual swapped Volvo wagon, I’m not sure which one it was though...
Brickman
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 23:29 | 1 |
And cost and arm and a leg :P
Brickman
> TheJWT
06/22/2015 at 23:35 | 0 |
96 dodge caravan
Pros: Drives like a rolls royce (ok, not really, but it rides smooth as butter and steer with a pinky), haul lots of stuff, excellent visibility, anti cop magnet, passes up most beige mobiles :P
Cons: radio doesn’t work, manual windows, it’s a minivan :|