"ethan drives dumb cars" (helloroad)
04/28/2020 at 19:35 • Filed to: 944 turbo, porsche 944 turbo, porsche 951, porsche 944, parsh
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"ethan drives dumb cars" (helloroad)
04/28/2020 at 19:35 • Filed to: 944 turbo, porsche 944 turbo, porsche 951, porsche 944, parsh | 10
| 22 |
After being cooped up in the house for weeks I finally needed to get out for a sanity drive. Though I’m realizing there isn’t much sanity to be had when you drive a 400k mile, 34 year old Porsche.
I’m one of the many “non-essential” workers that hasn’t traveled much since California put the Covid-19 stay-at-home order in place. In the last seven weeks I’ve only driven twice, both times to go to the supermarket. Such infrequent driving feels incredibly strange considering I own 11 cars. Before you get too excited, most of those cars are terrible and a drain on my sanity. Including this 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo. But more on that in a bit.
The California stay-at-home order has been effective in discouraging people from leaving home—traffic is noticeably light. It also seems to have been effective in slowing the trend of new Covid-19 cases in California. I’m happy to stay at home to help minimize the spread of this virus, but there are only so many times I can take the same walk around my neighborhood before I start to go a bit stir crazy.
It had gotten to the point where I just needed to go for a drive. On a back road. Somewhere. Anywhere. While there is nothing legally keeping Californians from driving, the stay-at-home order certainly generates extreme social pressure to drive only for essential activities. However, many have pointed out that it is quite easy to maintain social distance if you’re alone in your car.
For me, it was also somewhat of a moral or ethical question, as I’ve spent the last couple years
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about driving cars to unique locations. My question was twofold: should I drive during a pandemic, and should I film myself driving during a pandemic? I don’t exactly want to promote non-essential driving, especially if it amounted to even one person taking social distancing less seriously.
I figured I’d ask some of my friends on Twitter to find out how their driving habits have changed since the “lockdown” started.
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It’s quite clear that most of the 219 people polled are still only driving for “essential” activities. Though, a good deal of those that responded are taking drives just to clear their head or pass the time. Apparently I wasn’t the only one with this idea.
Certainly, fewer cars on the road mean fewer chances for crashes that could tie up medical resources. And traveling long distances may require gas and food stops, making it more difficult to practice social distancing. However, even on the outskirts of the Los Angeles metro area of 13 million people, there are still plenty of places to drive where I won’t see another soul for quite a long time.
After struggling with this Coronadriving question for a couple weeks, I finally decided to straddle the line. I’ll go for an “essential” drive to the supermarket, but I’ll take the long way. The long way through a few beautiful canyon roads with sweeping vistas. A good place to avoid people, and a great place to clear my head before I forage for toilet paper. The plan was to avoid driving like a complete idiot, and avoid putting myself or others at risk. Basically, the same as what I was doing pre-Covid.
However, choosing a 400,000 mile, 34-year old Porsche 944 Turbo as my social distancing chariot may not be the best way to maintain sanity.
The gods have good taste in cars.
Yes, you read that correctly. This old Porsche has nearly a half million miles on the clock. And it’s not exactly the most reliable car in my fleet. It leaks a staggering amount of power steering fluid. Last year the radiator sprung a huge leak. And just a couple months back, the parking brake mechanism decided to explode and exit through the brake rotor. Good times.
Even with the thought that this ultra-high-mileage 944 could suffer another catastrophic failure at any minute, it was still my social distancing chariot of choice. This vehicle has more miles than any car I’ve ever owned, but the 2.5L turbocharged engine just keeps on providing heaps of power. The wonderful chassis continues to serve up incredible balance, making it a joy to drive, even at low speeds.
Perhaps this temperamental old 944 Turbo isn’t helping my sanity after all. But I just don’t care. Taking it on a windy back road always puts a huge smile on my face.
If you have a few minutes to spare, feel free to check out my most recent video with my 944 Turbo.
How have your driving habits changed during the Covid-19 lockdown? Do you go on “non-essential” drives? How many of you take a long drive to clear your head or decompress?
Anyone else have high-mileage cars that just won’t quit? Let me know! Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 19:49 |
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I’m assuming you went for a drive on a weekday? Weekend driving is the usual bullshit midday like it always is. None of the stupid weekend freeway traffic but the canyons are still chock full of slow prius’. I’ve been working my normal schedule and hiking every weekend. So I’m driving at least as much as usual. Hiking is a great social distancing activity assuming you pick places that are less popular! I get mad if I see more than 4-5 people the whole day so it’s easy to keep my distance.
And yeah both my cars are certainly considered high mileage. 255k on the miata and 180k on the STi. Miata needs an engine rebuild to pass smog come December but subaru needs nothing.
I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:06 |
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My 1986 Cabriolet has 258k on it. It’s a bit beat, interior wise, and there’s a bit of body damage. And it needs a few mechanic bits, like wheel bearings, and it idles at about 1400 rpm (I really need to fix this), but it usually starts and it’s always a fun driver.
JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:11 |
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My 1992 Alfa 164-S had just about 400K on it when we parted ways due to critical rear subframe rust. Yes, thats right. An Alfa Romeo. It was one of the top 5 most reliable cars I have ever owned.
SiennaMan
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:11 |
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I don’t take a lot of non-essential drives, on the other hand I do make sure all of our cars get a decent little drive at least once a week or so. Most of the time I’ve managed this by alternating which car goes to work when I have to go in, which is 25 miles of 2 lane roads one way, so plenty of miles to keep things in good working order.
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thatsmr
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:14 |
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400k is awesome! I like to think i will keep whatever car forever, but usually theyre not worth fixing anymore RIP SAAB 9000 for your shitty climate system at 150k, RIP Volvo s70 for countless problems at 200k, my Astro went 250k before not worth fixing. Funny I was just thinking my 96k 2008 Lexus should have a decade left in it considering how little I drive (especially now) took 15 months to drive 10k miles, and it is a brilliant machine overall
Poor_Sh
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:21 |
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My cars have 143,000 combined which averages a little over 5k per year lol both were used lightly before me though so I average more like 14k per year. I'll beat these things till they die but I sure hope they last another 100k each.
Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:24 |
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I’ve learned that my Jag is the neediest car, with a battery warning in about 1.5 weeks after the SIP order. It gets the trickle charger. I swear I have another charger but can't find it.
I try to drive both cars once a week, but usually to run essential errands .
M 4C starts right up and the wife’s Jeep also doesn’t seem to care about the 98% reduction in driving.
Cops haven’t been ticketing people for just being on the road here, but I’ve noticed a lot more crazies on the road so the risk is nonzero IMO.
Stay safe!
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ethan drives dumb cars
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
04/28/2020 at 20:25 |
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Yes I went on a Wednesday . I have heard that the canyon roads are quite busy on the weekends, but I haven’t been out there on a weekend yet. They’ve closed the parking lots on most of my usual hiking spots, I’ll have to venture out a bit further to find some new spots.
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ethan drives dumb cars
> SiennaMan
04/28/2020 at 20:26 |
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Good idea. I’ve already got a dead battery (need to buy another battery tender)!
functionoverfashion
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:46 |
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I sold my car last year that I really enjoyed driving, for strictly practical reasons. So I don’t go for drives for fun now, but I do enjoy taking my 1961 Ford F100 just about anywhere for any reason, which I’m doing now that I got it back on the road for the summer. When I get my boat in, though, I’ll be looking for any excuse to burn up some cheap gas, because that is fun and my whole family enjoys it with me.
wafflesnfalafel
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:52 |
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Y ou gotta let the car warm up and battery charge right? That 944 Turbo has provided so much pleasure at 400k.
way2blu does a rev update
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 20:54 |
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With both a low-mileage car (Camaro 2.0T) and a high-mileage car (1991 MR2) I’ve found that all the “essential” driving has happened with...
The MR2!
Doing only limited miles in a given week has led me to take the analogue fun-car far more often. With manual-everything and an intake just outside the driver’s window, it makes even a grocery run awesome.
Watched the video and will be subscribing, that was nicely informative. The interior review with the details like the parking brake location was great.
Thomas Donohue
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 21:15 |
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This is a great picture.....
I’ve always liked the 944 in white, possibly because of this ad. (I know, it’s really a 924 in spite of what the ad said. Who cares.....410 HP!)
Anyway, white (and black) were better than red for me on the 944.
CaptDale - is secretly British
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 21:17 |
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As a fellow Californian I feel your pain. Being coped up at home sucks especially when you just want to take a canyon run to clear your head and kill the boredom . I have gone o ut a few times for fun drives. My rational is that I am not meeting with anyone, I am not spreading anything, and it is essential to my well being.
This is all getting up my itch to go drive again. Might need to hit up 2 or 39.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 21:33 |
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Some very good spots out in Los Padres. Getting quite hot now though so you gotta start early. Also, if you're in the LA area and interested in doing drives and meetups with local oppos I've got an email list for ya! We have been doing Malibu drives a couple times per year (back in the before times when socializing was allowed).
glemon
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/28/2020 at 22:19 |
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Personally I don’t think it is much of a question. If you are going in your own car by yourself for a drive, out and back, you are social distancing. You could trip over a shoe at home and have to go to the hospital too. Should we just lay in our beds? There is some risk involved in everything, go for a drive and enjoy yourself, not a great time for much else, but great time to wrench on a car or go for a drive.
I will add that I have gone for a few sanity drives in my old convertible. People smile and wave more than ever. I also use the Triumph as the car of choice to take groceries to my mom when the weather is nice. It puts a smile on my face, and I am pretty sure some others who see me as well.
Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/29/2020 at 11:04 |
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I’ve done a couple “sanity ” drives, but also when doing “essential” trips I’ll take the loooooooooong way there and back. So suddenly a 15 min trip is more like an hour.
davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/29/2020 at 12:27 |
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125k+ miles on my E90 M3 - I’ve got some work to do!
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ethan drives dumb cars
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
04/29/2020 at 13:08 |
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Yep I’m in the LA area, a post-Covid meetup would rock.
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ethan drives dumb cars
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
04/29/2020 at 13:09 |
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That’s amazing.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/29/2020 at 16:23 |
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If you shoot me an email at rduncan5678@gmail.com I’ll add you to the list. Got like 20+ people on the list but only a group of about 3- 5 who usually show up. Always a fun time anyways! I'm living in malibu now as well so it's easier to coordinate that for sure.
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> ethan drives dumb cars
04/29/2020 at 19:09 |
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I dearly loved that car, and I still miss it.