What Is Your Car Related Experience of 2014?

"Matthew Keyser" (teisco15) 10/16/2014 at 00:30 • Filed to: None

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2014 is nearing an end, meaning you'll soon be confronted with many lists of "2014's Best This" and the "2014 ___ of The Year Awards" and blah blah blah. To help prepare you for the end of year wrap ups, I'm challenging you to think back and leave a comment below talking about your best car related experience of 2014.

I had a great 2014 when it comes to cars, mostly because it was the first year i have owned my car, the 1986 Merkur XR4Ti used on Top Gear US I bought off of Matt Hardigree back in December. After some work, I'm driving using the this as my daily driver before it sadly gets stowed away for the winter. I had a great year with it, and some very good drives.

One particular drive happened after school. I had been recently confronted with some health issues, and just wanted to go for a little drive to clear my mind. I took a nice drive on the northern Indiana equivalent of "twisty roads." I practiced heel-toe down changes, I hit apexes. I had a great time driving around on this beautifully sunny afternoon. I came home after an hour or so refreshed with a clear mind. Amazing what some quality time with your car can do for you.

So what is your best car related experience of 2014? Leave it in the comments below.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 00:36

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I had a couple. Number one had to be getting my first car, and, with fingers crossed and knocking on wood, number two will happen on Friday.

Big Bubba Ray > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 00:44

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Buying my Baja Bug and having that rusty, loud, obnoxious, insanely fun piece of shit around for a few months was a great way to start my year.

Bought the car for dirt cheap and made a tidy profit off of it. The money I made from it helped put the 240 in my garage! It's been a great car year for me.

McChiken116 - Patrick H. > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 00:44

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My best moments this year were my first exotic car rides. 430 Scud and a GT3RS 4 liter.

Matthew Keyser > Big Bubba Ray 10/16/2014 at 00:46

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Wow man! the "Corvette" is looking good! hahaha

Big Bubba Ray > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 00:48

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Haha thanks! I put new doors on it last week cause the originals were rusted and full of trim rivet holes. Looking even better now!

Matthew Keyser > Big Bubba Ray 10/16/2014 at 00:49

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Always had a soft spot for the 240. Looks like a good time!

camaroboy68ss > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 00:50

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I think the top thing this year was debuting our 56 chevy "Miss Taboo" at the Portland Roadster Show. It's was the first time since 94 the car was shown. It did amazing winning 4 awards, Best in Class (Full Custom), Napa Auto Parts Sunset pick, John D'Agustino Pick, and King of Kustoms that came with a $3000 cash prize. It was amazing to win those awards because we never expected to do that especially since my grandpa and I did most of the work ourselves. To top of the amazing experience, a couple months ago they unveiled the artwork for the show this year and Taboo is on it! Just can describe how cool that is.

Matthew Keyser > camaroboy68ss 10/16/2014 at 00:52

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That's awesome! Have any pictures? I'd love to see the thing!

camaroboy68ss > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 00:55

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here are some from the show that pdx car culture took

Matthew Keyser > camaroboy68ss 10/16/2014 at 00:56

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Looks great man! No wonder she won all those awards!

Grindintosecond > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 00:58

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Hail storm and resultant $5000 insurance repair quote.....I have to schedule the fix. Itll look new when I get it back.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > camaroboy68ss 10/16/2014 at 01:02

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SUICIDES!

Big Bubba Ray > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 10/16/2014 at 01:05

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Whoa, wait, what are you getting? Did I miss something?

Decay buys too many beaters > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 01:13

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For me it was hitting ORP in my FR-S. That tight rollercoaster of a track is about as close as I've ever come to a religious experience.

#3 is a slightly smaller version of the corkscrew, except 3, 4, and 5 are all off camber.

ihm96 > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 01:16

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Mine would have to be getting to drive a real stock car for around 15 laps as a surprise late birthday present from my dad.

This is a picture of the car I drove, although it wasn't me in the car at the moment. It was really fun, and its insane how fast those cars accelerate. I have a really cool picture from above in the flag stand as I drove across the finish line that my sister took, but I can't find it right now. My other most fun times were the plethora of times this winter that it snowed enough for me to go do some snowy drifting in parking lots. Its kinda weird thinking back on this year because only a couple months ago I was still in high school, and now I'm at college. Now you've made me haz feels. It seems like so long ago :(

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Big Bubba Ray 10/16/2014 at 01:18

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Number two experience, not car.

Big Bubba Ray > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 10/16/2014 at 01:19

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Aaaaaah gotcha. May I ask what you're doing or are you keeping it a secret to make a post about?

promoted by the color red > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 01:32

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Canyon run right after my last undergraduate final.

Dusty Ventures > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 01:36

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Couldn't narrow it down to one, so here's my top four:

ihm96 > Dusty Ventures 10/16/2014 at 01:44

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Wow thats a great 4. For me it would be either Porsche rally car, because porsche rally car, or the 3rd picture because MASSIVE AIR. Did you drive all of these, because if so I would like to have your life. Even if you didn't I'm still mad jelly. Next year I need to make it out to the susquehannock rally you posted about earlier because its close enough to Philly. I wanted to go after seeing you post about it (at least, I'm pretty sure that was you? I could be misremembering) but I couldn't make it sadly.

Dusty Ventures > ihm96 10/16/2014 at 02:05

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Drove the first one, which is part of a big story I'm working on, co-drove the other three. The big air photo is us at the Susquehannock Trail rally. It made my list because it was the fastest rally ride I've ever had (10th fastest in a field of 70). Porsche was in Oregon and is on the list because the views and roads were fantastic and it was a classic Porsche. The Fiesta is on the list because it was Mt Washington and both the road and my driver were certifiably insane.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 02:23

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http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/i-competed-in-…

And i won my class

Stef Schrader > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 02:48

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THE STIG TOUCHED MY PUFFALUMP!

(squee)

Justin Young > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 02:52

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Best Car Event of 2014: 1st Ferrari Car Club of Manila Meet

Photo-dump here!

Axial > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 03:18

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My best car experience of 2014? I went and bought a ZR-1. She has a few issues, but I don't care. She's perfect.

Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready > Stef Schrader 10/16/2014 at 06:55

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The Stig? Like the real British one?

thebigbossyboss > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 07:01

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For me it had to be this:

This is me replacing my struts on my car. It was going to cost like $1200 to have the shop do it. I didn't have that kind of money so with the help of a few friends we changed both the front and the back. It also made all the difference in the world.

(Me and Zippy doing the back in the pouring rain! It rained two inches that day!!)

Here is what came out. Mother of god.

I had never really wrenched before at all, so I was quite proud of myself.

ihm96 > Dusty Ventures 10/16/2014 at 09:31

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Your life sounds awesome

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Big Bubba Ray 10/16/2014 at 10:09

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Not a huge secret. A family friend has a collection of about 15 cars, mostly newers Porsches and AMGs along with classic American muscle, and they've invited us over, hopefully tomorrow, to drive them.

JEM > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 10:44

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Buying a motorcycle this year was definitely the best car-related thing I did.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:02

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Haha I didn't know you bought the Hardibro-mobile!

My best experience was probably last weekend driving all sorts of British Columbia back roads seeing bears, moose, elk, owls, and tons of deer. I realized once I moved to Alberta how awesome home really was and I really do miss it.

Bandit > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:04

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Getting my car painted was the best and the worst experience I had.

Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:07

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It's been a good car year for me. I learned to drive manual and bought a Saab, but the best car moment is yet to come. In one week, I will be doing a day at Dirtfish Rally School for my 30th birthday. I can't wait.

functionoverfashion > Justin Young 10/16/2014 at 11:10

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Selling my 2001 bmw 325xi wagon with 202,000 miles on it for something close to book value on craigslist and not encountering ANY crazies, lowballers, traders, scammers, or lunatics. And at the time I sold it, it had absolutely zero issues.

f86sabre > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:20

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Our 24 Hours of Lemons race in September. It was our 6th event. While we finished 49th out of 114 and spent 2.5 hours in the pits, we all got good opportunities to drive, had fun and the car was quick. I also had the hardest impact I have ever had in a car when I rear ended a 240Z that was stopped due to a track blockage. My bad on that one as I was looking at the wrong flag stand. That would be us in the orange car.

Sn210 > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:26

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Oh god, too many to choose but 2014 was definitely the year of the automobile for me. Top five, no order:

1. Upgraded my Civic

2. Dusty's big story

3. Co-started Live and Let Diecast

4. Pebble Beach week 2014

5. ??? Coming next week!

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:28

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I have two:

I up and went to the 12 Hour at Sebring on my own. Flew down, got a rental car, the whole thing. I did meet up with a couple friends down there, but mostly was on my own.

This past weekend I did this at a track day:

Yesterday I popped in a new spark plug and coil pack, and the car fired right up. All the threads were still there, and it seems to be just fine. It then went on a dyno for the first time, since we just got one at work and had two guys there from Mustang showing us how to use it. I actually got to drive it on the rollers, which was interesting. It did a little less than expected, but it's on my dialed-back, safe, track tune. But the graph is pretty, and the torque curve is practically a straight line.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:30

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My '89 MR2 is my best car experience of the year so far. It's my first project car/dedicated racecar, and it's been perfect. I picked it up for a grand in running condition, the headlights still go up and down, it's completely obnoxious, and it shoots flames on gear . Every surprise that I've uncovered while tearing the thing apart and rebuilding it has been lobbed at me with a wink and a nudge. It's as though the car is egging me on and saying "my floorboards are rusted out. I know you don't know how to weld, but it's going to have to happen eventually, so why not give it a go? It's not like I'm going to break." It's been the perfect learner car for someone who didn't even know how to change oil six months ago. Now it has a completely rebuilt suspension, my feet are not in danger of going through the floor, and it's been more fun than any car I've owned. His name is Charlie after everyone's favorite Always Sunny character. It's ugly and scruffy and obnoxious, but damn near unkillable.

WRXerFish - WRX-Wing pilot > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:32

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I bought my first new car and first Manual transmission vehicle. A 2015 Subaru WRX in WRB. This wonderful car has sent my love for cars into the redline.

Stupidru > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:37

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2014 has been extremely uneventful for me as far as cars are concerned. My time and money has been spent with a new house. Hopefully next year will be more eventful as far as cars are concerned

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Dusty Ventures 10/16/2014 at 11:43

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I am jealous of your life.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Sn210 10/16/2014 at 11:45

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Awesome work!

10w30 > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 11:53

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After a full day of pushing the limits of the suspension through hairpins and sweepers at a Pocono Raceway track day, I finally pushed my stock Miata just a little too hard through the chicanes at the end of the infield straightaway. As the suspension loaded and unloaded, with me bouncing off the curbs on the left and right, I knew I wouldn't be able to make the turn at the end, so I drove straight off the track through the grass, and up on to an access road. No harm, no foul, but my track day was over.
My friend was nice enough to draw up some driving tips afterward so I wouldn't make the same mistake next time:

T5Killer > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 12:44

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Taking my toddler son Nolen for his 1st ride in my Cobra

Dusty Ventures > ihm96 10/16/2014 at 18:19

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It has it's moments

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 18:25

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I have bought my first car.

I have driven my car.

I failed my driving test.

Matthew Keyser > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif 10/16/2014 at 21:56

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that's a gorgeous shot!

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 22:44

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Thanks! Sometimes cell phones take ok pictures!

Ryan > Matthew Keyser 10/16/2014 at 23:23

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So many this year! First of which is getting my license and first car in January. Back in March my dad and I rented a McLaren 12C Spyder for a day in Vegas; driving that car was amazingly fun. Third, Pebble Beach Car Week, which really speaks for itself. Fourth was my dad FINALLY getting a new car. It's been a great car year!

Stef Schrader > Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready 10/21/2014 at 13:15

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Collins himself. Technically Stig #2. Awww yeeeeah.

anon-sxmcyecofnu1eocpqsk9iq > Justin Young 10/21/2014 at 19:34

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Oh God I thought those were toy cars for a minute hahahahah

pip bip - choose Corrour > Matthew Keyser 10/22/2014 at 02:44

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yet to have a crash