"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
07/15/2015 at 12:00 • Filed to: cheap cars
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"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
07/15/2015 at 12:00 • Filed to: cheap cars | 95
| 100 |
What if you’re an enthusiast who, due to various circumstances of life, is unable to own an enthusiast’s car? Maybe you’re a student who can’t afford much besides school right now. Or maybe you can only have one car and the significant other, kids, and dog won’t all fit in your Miata. Or maybe you’ve fallen on hard times and had to sell your BMW to pay the bills for another few months. You’ve had to pick up something cheap, or practical, or unexciting, or possibly all of these in one big boring beigemobile. What’s an enthusiast to do? I say if you can’t be with the car you love, love the car you’re with.
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Years ago, when my marriage collapsed and our house in Massachusetts got sold, I moved in with some friends in Maine. I had a company car that I lost when I left that job to move, so a friend of a friend gave me her 1991 Honda Civic wagon for free because it wouldn’t start. I replaced the battery and it worked fine. It was the front wheel drive version, not the sought after Real Time 4 Wheel Drive version, but although it seemed as boring as oatmeal, the little Civic was just what I needed - good, practical, reliable transportation. Fortunately, being an EF Civic, it also handled quite well, despite a bit more body roll than a typical Civic due to the taller, heavier body, so it was actually fun to drive in a “slow car fast” kind of way. Another friend gave me an 8-ball shift knob, which I put on just for the wrongness of it. The same goes for the genuine Civic Type R badge, despite the car having absolutely no performance upgrades whatsoever - unless you count some weight reduction in the form of rust around the wheel wells. A friend visiting from the UK told me I should put Mini Cooper hood stripes on it. I considered the natural contours of the hood lines, grabbed a roll of black duct tape, and added the stripes, right then, right there, and they stayed until I got rid of the car. I’m quite sure they added 20hp, in addition to the 50hp the Type R badge gave me. I never raced this car, but I still had a lot of fun with it. My general philosophy was, “It was free, so who cares?” which is why I did all of those ridiculous things to it. But it was also the car that moved me from a part of my life in one state to another, both figuratively and literally.
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Later on I got a job as a courier, and picked up a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan AWD for the job. This is about as non-enthusiast a vehicle as you can get. But it was comfortable, and much better for my work than the company’s pickup trucks. It got my ham radio, XM radio, helper springs on the rear suspension to improve cargo capacity as well as handling, and a rumbly Flowmaster muffler to replace a rusted mid-pipe. It also got a can of NOS. Seriously - I kept an empty can of NOS energy drink in one of the rear cupholders so I could show people my minivan with NOS.
To practice for the inevitable emergency blood bank delivery in the middle of a Maine blizzard, I took the van to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! events. I ran in class X - all wheel drive with all-season tires. I was up against BMWs, Audis, and Subarus that were far more maneuverable, and 4x4 trucks and SUVs with knobbier tires and better ground clearance. At the final event of the season, the ice was thick but it was relatively warm, softening the top layer. I had enough traction to give the 3.8 liter V6 full throttle on the straightaways, then drift through the corners as quickly as I dared. The ABS said screw you and gave up at random times, but despite that I managed to win class X that day - in a minivan, of all things. Nobody was more surprised than me.
Later on I moved back to Massachusetts to find better work. I was on the road a lot, and I needed the newest, cheapest, most reliable car that I could easily find parts for. I ended up with a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (which I’ve written about !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ). With a stiffer, performance tuned suspension rather than the civilian version’s couch-on-wheels handling, this was at least the enthusiast version of the car, but it was still a lump of body-on-frame American iron that weighed as much as two Miatas.
Having watched a bunch of police pursuit videos, I wanted to see what the car could really do. So I took it out to a couple of autocrosses, and even a time trial event at an outdoor go-kart track. I didn’t take it at all seriously. I slapped “car 54 magnets on the doors, threw an amber flashing light on the roof, and cranked the Beastie Boys’ Sabotage as I ran through the course.
And I had a blast doing it. It was among the slowest cars out there, but also one of the most popular. Everyone else wanted to see what an ex-cop car could do, too, and many were surprised at how well I could hustle that beast around. One competitor, a driving school instructor for a living, shot video of my car on the kart track specifically to show his students that police cars aren’t slow, and you shouldn’t try to outrun them.
Whatever you drive, you can find ways to have fun with it. Even if you never touch a track or autocross course, you can have fun with your otherwise boring daily driver, and make it more interesting. It may never be as quick or as fun as a true enthusiast’s car, but you can personalize it and have fun with it. To me, having fun is the most important part.
(Photo credits: Nicholas Crovo, Wikipedia, Justin Hughes)
TheHondaBro
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 12:09 |
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Great write up.
ElanaR
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 12:11 |
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Best car ever!
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Justin Hughes
> ElanaR
07/15/2015 at 12:13 |
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I can’t wait until we can rallycross that beast!
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Justin Hughes
> TheHondaBro
07/15/2015 at 12:15 |
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Thanks!
CB
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 12:16 |
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Do you have the footage that the instructor took of you?
Svart Smart, traded in his Smart
> ElanaR
07/15/2015 at 12:20 |
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Are those Saab wheels?
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Justin Hughes
> CB
07/15/2015 at 12:21 |
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Ha! Nice timing - I just updated the post with that video.
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CB
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 12:28 |
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Sweet dorifto in the video.
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Justin Hughes
> CB
07/15/2015 at 12:29 |
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Thanks! I hammed it up for the camera a bit.
CalzoneGolem
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 12:33 |
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My car by virtue of being “my car” becomes way cooler.
Where’d you stay while you were in Maine?
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Justin Hughes
> CalzoneGolem
07/15/2015 at 12:34 |
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Absolutely true!
I did time in Lewiston, Auburn, and Augusta.
Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 12:40 |
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Don’t worry, I do.
Nibbles
> ElanaR
07/15/2015 at 13:03 |
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Those are Saab wheels, ain’t they
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CalzoneGolem
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:07 |
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I work in L/A. I did some time in MA in Waltham, Wenham and Salem.
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ElanaR
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:13 |
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Someone took a picture of it this morning. I need to add the Chin Motorsports sticker for an extra 2hp.
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Justin Hughes
> CalzoneGolem
07/15/2015 at 13:38 |
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I’m sorry. :) OK, Salem is pretty cool, and there’s a good brew pub there. And Waltham has Bison City, so that’s something.
Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:41 |
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Doing stupid shit to a free car?
I got you.
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Justin Hughes
> Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
07/15/2015 at 13:44 |
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Aw yeah!!!
Wurrwulf
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:45 |
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What was the camera car?
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Justin Hughes
> Wurrwulf
07/15/2015 at 13:45 |
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A supercharged Miata - hence the whine. And having absolutely NO trouble keeping up with me.
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CalzoneGolem
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:47 |
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Beer Works?
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Justin Hughes
> CalzoneGolem
07/15/2015 at 13:56 |
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That’s the one!
Taylor Hedgie
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:57 |
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One can only have so much fun in a 5 speed Cobalt LS before the clutch overheats, haha.
Edit: Had to star this article just because you blasted Sabotage while tearing up the track. A+
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CalzoneGolem
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:58 |
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Yup, never left without a growler.
OMG, TTA!
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:58 |
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Living in Michigan, I want a winter beater. Knowing I’m not going to afford a WRX solely for winter use, I’m looking forward to purchasing into the plethora V6/FWD American sedans that overrun this state’s highways, and making some Mad Max style modifications.
William Clavey
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:59 |
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Everyday hero: my 2004 Honda Civic Si(R), best car I’ve ever owned:
http://williamclavey.kinja.com/the-2004-honda…
drdude
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 13:59 |
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No.... get a car you can enjoy. If you cant/dont its simply because its not a priority in your life.
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ElanaR
> Nibbles
07/15/2015 at 14:00 |
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Yes they are :)
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ElanaR
> Svart Smart, traded in his Smart
07/15/2015 at 14:01 |
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They are indeed Saab wheels. I think it adds a little something special.
Margin Of Error
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:02 |
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“this was at least the enthusiast version of the car, but it was still a lump of body-on-frame American iron”
Since when is this a bad thing ?
BaconSandwich is tasty.
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:02 |
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My current (and first) car is a 2001 4-door Civic. It’s not fast, luxurious or particularly sporty, but I like it. I’ve had it now for... 8 years. I bought it at roughly 80,000 km and now it’s up to something like 235,000. It’s happily hauled me many places: to/from school (while packed full of stuff), down the California coastline, out to the Bonneville salt flats, and a multitude of other places. I even ended up sleeping in it a few times.
Sure, it’d be nice to have something different, but it’ll be a sad day when I have to let it go.
That, or I’ll wreck it trying to stuff a small block Chevy into it (with rear wheel drive conversion).
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Justin Hughes
> OMG, TTA!
07/15/2015 at 14:03 |
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Here’s some inspiration!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
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Justin Hughes
> William Clavey
07/15/2015 at 14:04 |
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I wish those had been more popular in the States so that I could find a cheap one now.
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Justin Hughes
> Margin Of Error
07/15/2015 at 14:04 |
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I never said it was. It’s just not a Miata. In fact it’s two of them.
Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:05 |
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Yup, The best car is the one you love. Regardless of anything else. Here’s some photos of my ride:
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Justin Hughes
> BaconSandwich is tasty.
07/15/2015 at 14:06 |
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I’ve seen an Olds Alero with a 454 and RWD conversion. Anything’s possible!
Stan
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:07 |
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Any Subaru.
protodad
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:07 |
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Had to do this many times. From trading a friend on the spot my car that just blew up for his running one to having another kid and need something practical, to my first rx7 wont start and im only 17 can I borrow your minivan mom. Other people can hate all they want but you should still love your car.
Also, since it often doesn’t cost more (unless its a freebie) opt for the stick version of whatever crapcan you have. There is a huge difference between the shitbox with an auto and the shitbox with a stick in terms of fun.
MowtownMuscle1996
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:09 |
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I know this will be the best I’ll ever own, and it’s only my second car. I love my little Mazda
Takuro Spirit
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:09 |
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“I beat you because I love you”
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Justin Hughes
> Stan
07/15/2015 at 14:09 |
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That’s the corner of my ex’s Subaru in the bottom left corner. 1996 Impreza L 5-speed sedan. Absolutely nothing fancy or special about that car. We loved it.
When she replaced it with a Forester she offered it to me first (after the divorce, even). If I hadn’t had a RT4WD Civic wagon at the time, I would’ve taken it.
Karfreek
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:13 |
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I traded my 2011 Challenger R/T Classic Manual in on a 2013 Honda Accord EX Sedan I4-MT6. I know, i’m not going to win any hardship awards, here. But, I got sick of borrowing the Challenger from the service department so I could drive it on the weekend, so it had to go. To help cure my service department anxiety I went with a Honda. On paper the Accord is the most boring car I have ever owned (its even silver). But, I can honestly say its one of the most funnest cars to drive, yes, funnest. Sometimes its just fun to drive a slow car fast. And, to hear when someone gets it “Wow, its a manual!”.
JeffFurbs
> CalzoneGolem
07/15/2015 at 14:14 |
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Hope you ended up at Nick’s Roast Beef (which i think is technically Beverly). Oh so good
Sorry to hear you had to be in Waltham too. I did a short stint of work there commuting from Southern NH to there. The traffic is atrocious for how short of a ride it actually is
WarShrike
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:14 |
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I do as well. Sometimes it is a tumultuous relationship with an on again off again manner where the off again usually ends up as long stints of the car up on jack stands... I’ve made extensive changes in my 13 years of ownership, never really felt right in selling it off.
It might not be powered by V8 of its other brothers in the family, but when it’s on point, it’s really ON.
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Justin Hughes
> WarShrike
07/15/2015 at 14:16 |
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I admit a Firebird is on my list somewhere, because Knight Rider .
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CalzoneGolem
> JeffFurbs
07/15/2015 at 14:18 |
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Of course I went to Nick’s! I worked down the road for a bit at Not You Average Joe’s.
brzedr1
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:24 |
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You have (had?) a BRZ too, right?
Intensive Purposes
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:27 |
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269hp, all-wheel drive, 18” wheels, and you can manually select all 5 gears of the automatic. Heel-toeing possible with timing even.
The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:27 |
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I totally agree. When my 03 AWD Vibe crapped out (needed over $5000 in work) I said screw that listed it online for $1200 as is and sold within 2 days. I got 2012 sonic base 5spd to replace it, it has no AC so it weighs under 2500lbs. Apart from the brake fade it is super fun car.
8695Beaters
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:28 |
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And this is why Top Gear’s cheap car challenges hit so close to home for true car geeks. Any car is fun if you make it fun.
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WiscoProud
> protodad
07/15/2015 at 14:28 |
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A thousand times yes. A friend of mine in high school had a shitty little Isuzu pickup from god knows when, but it had a stick. As a result, that POS was a blast.
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JeffFurbs
> CalzoneGolem
07/15/2015 at 14:30 |
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Haha awesome! I used to go longboarding with a bunch of guys down there which is the only reason I know Wenham even exists.
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Justin Hughes
> brzedr1
07/15/2015 at 14:34 |
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That’s what I drive now, yes.
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CalzoneGolem
> JeffFurbs
07/15/2015 at 14:35 |
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There is literally nothing happening in Wenham at any given point.
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Justin Hughes
> The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
07/15/2015 at 14:36 |
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Better brake fluid and pads are an easy way to help cure that fade. I have no idea if performance pads are available for the Sonic, but fluid is fluid.
wkiernan
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:40 |
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Remember, lead foot conquers all!
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Justin Hughes
> wkiernan
07/15/2015 at 14:41 |
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“When in doubt, flat out!”
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JeffFurbs
> CalzoneGolem
07/15/2015 at 14:42 |
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Oh god too true. We got yelled at by an old lady once but that was it (Bunch of 20+ year old’s with helmets and other safety gear...you know real hood rat stuff)
5 Liter Beater
> CalzoneGolem
07/15/2015 at 14:42 |
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im from salem!
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CalzoneGolem
> JeffFurbs
07/15/2015 at 14:44 |
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What a bunch of Hooligans!
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CalzoneGolem
> 5 Liter Beater
07/15/2015 at 14:47 |
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Nice! I wasn’t there long but I lived a lot of life in Salem. I lived on Porter up above the Salem Car wash.
Mr. Malaise
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:50 |
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How can you not love a Panther, let alone a CVPI? :D
DinoTheDinosaur
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:51 |
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What if you’re an enthusiast who, due to various circumstances of life, is unable to own an enthusiast’s car?
See now, you’re insinuating a lot of things in just one sentence there ... first of all, what exactly is “an enthusiast’s car” to begin with? I was pretty goddamn enthused about my first car, cheap piece of shit that it was. It enthused me. I was enthusiastic about it. I am still enthusiastic about cars, hence every single car I’ve ever owned is or was in fact an enthusiast’s car (because they were my cars, and I am an enthusiast). Even my beat up mid-80’s base model JDM Mitsubishi Galant that I drove for 6 months in Okinawa. It played ‘Greensleeves’ every time I put it in reverse.
Oh, wait ... you mean a SPORTS CAR ENTHUSIAST’s car? I’ve never owned a sports car, nor shall I ever bar winning the lottery. I do love cars. I especially love cars that do what they were designed to do, and do it well. Even those cars that were designed to simply be economical commuter boxes, or relatively cheap people carriers. A car does not have to be a SPORTS car to be an enthusiast’s car.
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brzedr1
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:53 |
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Twins!
amb310
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 14:54 |
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My 1998 Honda CR-V is old, can barely get out of it’s own way, permanently smells like my dog, has perpetual valve click no matter how much I adjust the lash, creaks, groans, and is otherwise the antithesis of enthusiast car.
And I love it. It was the first car I actually owned and the one I cut my teeth wrenching on when I was too poor to take it to a mechanic and decided to start fixing it myself.
Its done things soccer moms and critics that gave the first gen CR-V shit would have never dreamed of. Hell, I’ve probably done more off-roading on it while camping than a lot of people have in real SUVs or Jeeps. It’s a fucking beast and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I’ll shed manly tears when it finally goes wheels up.
svt2026
> Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
07/15/2015 at 14:58 |
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Thumbs up to the ranger. My view was always I rather have a plain truck then a plain car. Thats how I ended up owning 3 rangers over the years. Fun, practical and durable.
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Justin Hughes
> DinoTheDinosaur
07/15/2015 at 15:00 |
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Quite true. Nobody’s going to mistake a Civic wagon for a sports car. But like you, I enjoyed it for what it was, and what it could do. I moved my antique dining room table to Maine in that car. It also towed my motorcycle a few times. I can’t do either of those with my BRZ. No one would mistake a 1995 Mercury Tracer automatic for a sports car, either, but that’s the car I started autocrossing. It wasn’t very good at it, but it’s what I had, and at a novice level any old car would do. I even liked my $200 Mazda B2200 pickup truck. I could heel-toe it, and I even put a Zoom Zoom sticker on it.
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PrefabulatedAmulite
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:00 |
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Mandatory.
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Justin Hughes
> brzedr1
07/15/2015 at 15:01 |
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My next story is going to be about dicing it out with another WRB BRZ in my run group at Palmer Motorsports Park last weekend. Think KITT vs. KARR, but without lasers or mid-air collisions.
James May is my spirit animal
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:04 |
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They can get up and go off the line pretty decently, when the engines are still young.
P.S. 96 was body change?
I’ve hoon-ed the ever loving piss out a ‘92 grand caravan with the Mitsubishi engine in my teenage years.
revarthurbelling
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:09 |
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Very nice post. My commute is about 2 miles round trip, so I don’t really “enjoy” my DD. It’s functional (Hyundai Sonata), but I don’t want to take it to a track or whatever and then be stranded with no car. That’s why I’m searching for a 2nd car (small pickup) to have fun with. :)
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revarthurbelling
> Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
07/15/2015 at 15:09 |
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Dammit! Is that a Ranger? If so, I’m very jelly.
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Justin Hughes
> James May is my spirit animal
07/15/2015 at 15:11 |
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I had to look it up, and you’re right - 1996 was when they became egg-shapes rather than Star Trek shuttlecraft.
My van with the 3.8 V6 had more power and a ton more torque than my BRZ, and with AWD it got out of its own way extremely well.
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revarthurbelling
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:13 |
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My favorite car I ever owned (even more than the Toyota wagon) was a little 323 that I bought from a friend for $500. Brown, manual, and already well broken in. Great little car that got me through some rough times. I still miss that one. :(
Krazeecain
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:16 |
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I love this article, I’ve always wanted to take my CVPI to an autocross course or something, but always thought I’d be laughed off the track... Now I feel a little more confident about the idea. I should probably get some non-winter tires first though lol.
I also want to clarify that, although the PI’s have stiffer suspension, they also have a higher ride height, and according to some reviews actually have worse handling for it.
hackunamatata
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:18 |
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For a reason that is not completely clear to me to this day I bought a Suzuki SX4 2 years ago. I hated that car ever since I drove it from the dealer. I knew I was getting a cheap car, but even the french competition was built far better and more sturdy than this. I hated that car, I could not find one good thing about it, and I did not even wait until my 3 year lease was over, passed the car to a colleague who overtook the last year of the lease, and I bought a nifty little Golf, full of doodahs. I am now for the last week driving both cars, and I love my new car with millions of gadgets including car play and radar cruise control and all that shit, but driving a barebone car, although made in 2013 but it feels like a car (and basically is) car from 1995, there is something about it that I did not see the past 2 years. But I see that only because the car is going away now. And I don’t want to see like every other week when I came home from a business trip I would compare that car to even the cheapest rental cars you can get, like a 2015 Fiesta without central locking (thank you Sixt for renting cars that could qualify as prop in Downton Abbey) and that cheapo rental would still win.
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Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
> svt2026
07/15/2015 at 15:21 |
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Thanks. Mine is a 1993 with the 4.0, RWD, 5 speed manual and a 3.55 Posi rear end. Its a fun little truck. Only 111k miles too.
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brzedr1
> brzedr1
07/15/2015 at 15:22 |
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I dig it.
Mine is actually the darker blue color (not WRB) they discontinued in 2014. I’m not sure I’ve seen a WRB BRZ in person now that I think of it...
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Justin Hughes
> Krazeecain
07/15/2015 at 15:22 |
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My personal opinion is that once the CVPI is loaded up with all the heavy police equipment, it squats back down to the same height as the civilian version. But in decommissioned form, it does ride a bit higher. It definitely rolls a lot in the turns - it’s a two ton car, so what do you expect - but it’s not nearly as bad as I expected, and extremely controllable.
Every club I ran my CVPI with was very enthusiastic about it. Everyone wanted to see what the car could do. I even had complete strangers ask to ride along on my runs to see what it was like.
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Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
> revarthurbelling
07/15/2015 at 15:22 |
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Yup its a RWD 1993 Ranger XLT SuperCab with the 4.0 V6 (160hp, 225lbft), 5 speed stick and a 3.55 Posi Rear End
Rand0nS
> 8695Beaters
07/15/2015 at 15:31 |
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Um no, they beat the shit out of those cars and they are always destroyed at the end. Not the same.
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Rand0nS
> ElanaR
07/15/2015 at 15:33 |
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That gen Focus was very awesome. I enjoyed driving my wife’s 05 about 60% as much as I enjoyed my 05 Mustang GT. About 35% as much as my 11 GT. That says a lot.
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Rand0nS
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:37 |
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I have a love hate relationship with my DD. 2010 Camry LE v6. Enough power to beat most cars off the line and pass on the freeway, smooth ride, stupid reliable and very cheap to drive. But there are some faults. Every turn at over 30mph causes the tires to bitch and moan LOUDLY, the car to understeer, and the body to roll like the ocean. This car has far more engine that the suspension and tires can handle. I’ve tossed around the idea of replacing the minuscule 215/60/16s tires mounted on steel wheels with something better, but wide tires and alloy wheels cost money and this car does not get my money.
Axtech
> Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
07/15/2015 at 15:38 |
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Isn’t this the same logic applied to your wife, children, etc.? Happiness is ignoring the bad, showing gratitude for the good, and rewriting the history of your life regardless of its accuracy “yeah, when I was on tour with the Foreign Legion, I met the most amazing women and drove them around in an old Ferrari, but after banging 25 exotic women around the world, it was time to settle down with somebody down to Earth who can feed the kids and make my bed.”
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Rand0nS
> MowtownMuscle1996
07/15/2015 at 15:39 |
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OMG, its a slushbox. You must kill it with fire.
Says the manual loving dbags.
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ColdsnapBryan
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:42 |
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Hah. This article couldn’t have been timed any better. I’ve been daily driving a Crown Vic for about 3 years. Lately I’ve been getting coupe lust, so yesterday went out and test drove some 2014 mustangs. AND I HATED THEM. I was happy to get back into my Victoria after and was floored at my disdain for them. I dunno, there’s something about slamming on the mushy gass pedal on panthers and feeling that front end go up a bit. Also it feels like your driving around in a cave, it’s so roomy.
Sorry I ever doubted you
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revarthurbelling
> Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
07/15/2015 at 15:44 |
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Aaargh. That’s exactly the kind of truck I’m searching for ! Looks like you’re getting a lot of enjoyment out of it.
matmanx1
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:44 |
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Great article! As someone who learned to drive in equal parts on an 1983 Crown Vic and a 1988 Ford Escort 4 speed manual I have great appreciation for both ends of the spectrum. Both cars were good at doing their thing (big and comfy vs small and frugal) and I loved them.
Boxer_4
> James May is my spirit animal
07/15/2015 at 15:46 |
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In addition, that’s a Plymouth Voyager pictured, not a Dodge Caravan.
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Justin Hughes
> Rand0nS
07/15/2015 at 15:47 |
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I felt exactly the same way about the stock tires on my BRZ, believe it or not. So wear out your tires naturally and when it comes time to replace them, get something a little more performance oriented. You don’t need anything fancy, and you don’t even need to replace your steel wheels. You could even switch to a slightly wider, shorter tire with a similar overall diameter as your stock ones.
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Justin Hughes
> ColdsnapBryan
07/15/2015 at 15:48 |
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I’ll never claim it’s the best car in the world, but even in spartan police trim it ain’t bad none.
Professor-Lavahot
> Intensive Purposes
07/15/2015 at 15:49 |
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These things are disturbingly quick.
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Green Mountain Car Guy
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 15:54 |
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Hey - I was at that SLMP! On Sunday only though so I missed the chase video. Co-drove with my brothers’ white ‘96 Miata (he was there both days).
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Justin Hughes
> Green Mountain Car Guy
07/15/2015 at 15:57 |
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Small world! I haven’t made it back since but I’d love to give my BRZ a try at SLMP sometime.
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Green Mountain Car Guy
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 16:03 |
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Yeah, that’s a track that favors the small and nimble over the big brutes (it was designed for go-karts after all...) so, yeah, the BRZ will be right at home there! Had my RX-8 out there once last summer which was pretty good too once I stopped trying to push too hard. Missed out on the spring session, but, hoping there’ll be another this fall to give it one more run before moving on to something else.
Getting my ass to Palmer and/or Lime Rock is very high on my list of things to do soon too.
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RayMon
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 16:03 |
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Crown Vic involved in article. Instantaneous +1 from me.
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Justin Hughes
> Green Mountain Car Guy
07/15/2015 at 16:06 |
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Rand0nS
> Justin Hughes
07/15/2015 at 16:06 |
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Yeah, that’s the plan. The dealer put on some cheapo tires. They’ll still need to be all seasons though, no point in putting summer tires on this thing.
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Rand0nS
> ColdsnapBryan
07/15/2015 at 16:07 |
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Was it a v6 or GT?
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Justin Hughes
> Rand0nS
07/15/2015 at 16:09 |
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I liked Falken Ziex 912s on my P71 and a Miata. Affordable, all season, decent performance, and held up to the occasional autocross.