On Car Camraderie and Corvette Owners 

"Swayze Train GTi" (swayzetrain) 04/21/2017 at 16:05 • Filed to: None

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Today, driving home in my Aurora, I passed another Aurora and, behind it, an NB Miata. It may seem as though this was an innocuous turn of events, but it triggered a pain deep within my heart. For I knew, that as much as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and despite how few there are left, I will never get a wave from another driver.

For others, the Aurora is a cheap car they got on Craigslist for a grand. They have to top it off with coolant regularly, but they won’t even try something like K-Seal. No, for them, just top it off and wait until it doesn’t drive anymore. Even worse, I could have been driving my Miata. 45 in Michigan is top down weather, just bring a jacket. But my beloved and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , new engine in place, but waiting on parts.

But at least I’m not walking around this in my garage anymore.

However, this has introduced a great query for the ages to my mind. Which group of owners has the best camaraderie? The metric to be used is “waves”, that is, any type of hand gesture or other type of acknowledgement between drivers of similar vehicles, I.E the Official Jeep™ Trail Rated™ Wave™

I’ll start with the cars I’ve owned. Both NA Miatas have a pretty good hit rate. It’s hard to not be in good spirits while driving one, so it makes sense. You can also pop your headlights at other cars, which adds a nice little touch. However, there are people who won’t wave back to you, and they’re mostly old people driving NCs (Third generation). It’s not that they’re rude, or that they think they’re better than you. Most of them genuinely have no idea of the shared history of your vehicles. The NC Miata isn’t a bad car, but you get the feeling that plenty of people who drive them (elderly women named Janet or something) would have had a Sebring if the Chrysler dealer was closer than the Mazda one. I’m assuming they don’t have sex, and they drive automatics. It looks sporty, but not intimidating, with that big Mazda smile out front, but they won’t find inspiration in the sportiness. They’ll never test out whether you actually can drive fast enough to not get wet in the rain with the top down (you can, on the highway). The car works for them, but you get the sense that they aren’t aware of it’s true potential.

HI NEIGHBOR, SURE IS A HOT ONE, HUH?

A Miata has a pretty good hit rate, but the Corvette probably has things sewn up. I had a C4 for awhile, which you may recognize as the least popular generation. It’s unfairly maligned, but nevertheless at the bottom of its depreciation curve. I knew this going in, and was prepared for the worst. I imagined pulling up to a 1970 Stingray, driven by an older man on a Sunday drive. I roll my window down, and he stares straight ahead. He knows I’m there, but some kid whose parents bought him a crappy old C4? Probably a liberal, too. The light turns, and he accelerates gently. As I pass, I can feel him staring down the long hood of his classic, looking down upon a car and a driver who besmirch the lineage of his prized possession.

But not once did that happen. I found out that, for the most part, Corvette owners are just friendly sentient dad-beards all wearing the same pair of jean shorts who really love the cars they drive. Engage one in conversation, and you’ll get a very nice discussion about your mutual love for America’s Sports Car. Not once did one rag on my lowly LT1 C4. Not once did they ever insinuate that I was given, or somehow didn’t deserve the car.

I will never not use this picture when I have the chance.

I recall meeting a man, clearly in the deepest throes of a midlife crisis at a Shell gas station on Woodward at 2 A.M once. No, I wasn’t soliciting, he drove a C6 up to the station as I was filling up. Rick Jeffery’s “I’m Old, You’re Young” blared from the open top, he downshifted each gear, even first, as he approached. He stepped from the sleek black car, wearing a getup he’d presumably stolen from his son. When he heaved himself out of the lowered car, one could notice the subtle way he stomach-sucked and chest puffed as soon as he was able. At two A.M, he had Ray Bans in his pocket. A massive, chrome “timepiece” as watches are called when you spend enough money on them, adorned his wrist. Gold chains were prominently presented by loose buttons at the top of the shirt. As it turned out, he had recently divorced, and apparently was filling that lost chunk of his life with horsepower and boost. And despite the getup, he did actually know his stuff. The 427 was now supercharged (Whipple, I believe), cammed, with head work and a full exhaust. It apparently was dynoed at 650, although I’m not certain if it was brake or wheel figures. But of course, it was only a matter of time before he began a very loud diatribe against marriage and relationships in general. It didn’t take him long to refer to his wife in a manner that was both very creative and equally unprintable, at which point I decided to leave. Still, aside from the last bit, a good chat was the last thing I expected from that guy.

Even the redneck rich, those who have managed to step up from the drudgery of last-chance F-bodies and Foxes with holes in the subframes. They drive late model C3s that somehow got into the hands of farmers and sat behind barns for 15 years before our buyer shows up. They end up getting it for a non-refundable deposit of half a pack of Special Blend Reds and the provision that they would be successful in evicting the established tenants, a family of raccoons, from the vehicle’s interior. This is why many cheap C3s have such bad interiors. If not a C3, then a 1984 Crossfire Injection C4. In all reality, the CFI isn’t hard to maintain if you just bother to learn how it works, but no one does. So they get a non-running CFI with a fuel issue (because of course it is), and just slap the biggest damn Holley they can afford on it, just straight pissing fuel into the intake manifold, and it smells like gas all the time. It’s okay for the guy driving though, he doesn’t notice the smell because he’s usually smoking. You’ll have a great conversation with either of these guys about how they don’t trust fuel injection even though their daily driver is a Monte Carlo “Intimidator” edition that always starts. And despite the fact that they’re the kind of guys who show up to the annual car meet at Uncle John’s Cider Mill wearing a shirt that prominently displays the word “FUCK” while walking past little children, they’re usually not completely awful people either, at least if you share an interest.

Overall, I’d say the Corvette has a hit rate of over 90% in waves, and a full 100% in terms of coincidental gas pump conversations. If there’s any group out there that can beat that, it would be the Wrangler guys. However, they’re brought down by the number of sorority girls who want to drive around pretending to be in a Ray Bans commercial, giving the edge to the Vette. Of course, there may be some others that I have overlooked, especially on higher price scale. Maybe Porsche?

So I leave it to you, which of your cars has had the best ownership groups? Which owners stand out the most? Can you put a group of owners in a box? Would they simply destroy that box? You tell me!

TheHondaBro > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:10

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Why is the C6 riding so high?

Swayze Train GTi > TheHondaBro 04/21/2017 at 16:12

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that would definitely not pass the shoe test, not sure though

Arrivederci > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:14

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My Dad has a C5 and from my experience driving his car and things he’s told me, the Corvette wave is a real thing, and awesome.

I’m a former NC Miata owner and while I don’t appreciate your stereotyping, I waved at every NA, NB and NC I ran across. Oddly enough, the ones that most often waved back were in NCs.

Now I have a BRZ and nobody waves at anybody.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:20

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When I first got my Jag, I swear that in about the first month at least five different Jag drivers waved or blinked their lights. I actually started to think that that was a “Jag thing,” but then it stopped and has never happened again.

I have noticed that Jag drivers tend to be more courteous to other Jag drivers. Even F-Paces, where I’d imagine the average owner to be a bit more of an asshole, are more courteous.

mjswee > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:21

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Classic British roadster owners (MG, Triumph, Sunbeam, Austin-Healey) are pretty friendly, but I think that’s just something that comes with the personality of someone wanting to own one.

Swayze Train GTi > Arrivederci 04/21/2017 at 16:26

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That’s the thing, NCs are still great cars. And my god, they are VERY reasonably priced at the moment. Hell, I almost bought one myself.

I’m not surprised that other NC people waved back though. They like their car, they just don’t know that an NA or and NB is the precursor.

Swayze Train GTi > mjswee 04/21/2017 at 16:27

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That’s because if you’re friends with all the other Brit guys they’ll stop and help you when they inevitably see you on the side of the road

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Honeybunchesofgoats 04/21/2017 at 16:29

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Funny story on being courteous. I was waiting at a yield in my S600 once and no one would let me in. Like, 20-30 cars passed by at least. All of the sudden, some guy I had met at a car show happens to come by in his ‘72 600 and let me in. So cool.

Swayze Train GTi > Honeybunchesofgoats 04/21/2017 at 16:30

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I am rather surprised about the F-Pace, but then again, it is one of those vehicles you buy when people tell you you have to get rid of your fun car now that you have kids. At least in my mind

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:40

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I feel like the STs/RSes from Ford have a pretty solid wave/convo rate. That and SRT-4 neons (no one likes the caliber) seem pretty tight knit.

Honestly most corvette owners I’ve seen don’t seem that possessed to reach out to one another but maybe it’s just my lack of observation skills.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:41

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Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:52

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I had a pretty good hit rate with other E36 M3s when I had it. The fucked up riced out ones tended to ignore, but if someone had a relatively stock one I usually got a wave back. I guess when you drive the unloved M you gotta stick together.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 16:59

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Alfa owners tent to lose their shit when they see another Alfa, at least in the states, but this is far for a daily occurrence. (It has happened to me twice in 1.5 years of ownership)

Classic VW owners are generally a wavy bunch too.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 17:04

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Farmers in pickups, but only using their pointer finger while leaving their hand still on the wheel. Doesn’t matter what kind of truck, everyone waves. I had to remember that when I moved back.

I had no idea the Corvette wave was a thing until the second time I was driving mine, had a guy in a C6 chase me down just to wave.

JRapp: now as good as new again > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 18:13

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I think Fiero owners are pretty high up there as well as this day and age, though probably not as high as the Corvette owners.

A few years ago, while on a drive with the local Fiero club, our convoy met a convoy of Corvette owners in a little tiny town in the middle of nowhere, going the other direction. There was cross-crowd waves going on too. It must have been an interesting sight for the locals.

Axial > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 18:23

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Aw yiss, Corvette owners represent!

Your boy, BJR > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 19:19

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You ever go on the aurora forums? I used to go there when I had auroras. Creepy place. A few members at the time were registered sex offenders. I got bant for posting their shit from family watchdog.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 19:55

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In the 914, usually only other classic porsches wave. British car drivers wave all the time. Maybe its an orphan thing.

Swayze Train GTi > JRapp: now as good as new again 04/21/2017 at 22:14

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I’ve always wanted a Fiero, especially with a Northstar or 3800 swap. Of course, getting a proper last year one is kind of hard.

Swayze Train GTi > Axial 04/21/2017 at 22:20

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Really is a great community. Ask a question on a forum, and you never get that “oh you fucking idiot blah blah google it you shouldn’t be working on cars”. That pretty much tells you all you need to know.

Swayze Train GTi > Your boy, BJR 04/21/2017 at 22:22

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I’m not registered (on the forums or the sex offender list), but I do often look up instructions on the Aurora Club of North America forum. As you know, they’re not common so you can’t just go on youtube most of the time.

Axial > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 22:26

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I hope it rubs off on more of my younger kin. I fear when the olds pass on, some of that courtesy may be lost to the “just look it upon Google” or “search the forums” crowd.

Swayze Train GTi > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 04/21/2017 at 22:27

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I wave at the British car guys in my Miata, but I guess that kind of makes sense seeing as it’s a ripoff of theirs. I guess the 914 kind of looks similar to an MGB from the rear? Maybe it’s got more to do with the whole classic roadster ownership fraternity.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Swayze Train GTi 04/21/2017 at 22:46

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Miatas also wave. Roadsters need to stick together.

JRapp: now as good as new again > Swayze Train GTi 05/03/2017 at 16:20

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Unless you’re gonna be racing it, there isn’t too much difference between the 88s and the pre-88s. Really the only difference is the rear suspension geometry and engine cradle. You’ll notice the improved suspension geometry on a track, but not likely in day to day driving. And there’s sawp kits available for both generations. I went the easy way and swapped a 60-degree push-rod 3.4L from an F-body instead of the stock 2.8. It’s not a huge power gain, but it is noticible, and everything just bolts on without any adapters needed.