The Car Thread

[Chickenhawk]

FYI: Updating the tuning on an H&S Mini Maxx takes for....ingever.

Should be worth it, though. I've enjoyed this programmer so far, and now that they've got a very well known, and respected tuner working for them (Ryan Milliken also known as EFIBYRYAN), things should be rather kick ass.

 

[ras1988]

'07 BMW e92 driver here.... it's a love hate thing. It's finicky, needs large ticket repairs and constant maintenance (all of the window regulators, a few ignition coils, and two head gaskets already WTF), the run-flat tires are just about worst things created, and its interface is very nuanced. However, when you hit a nice empty stretch of I-35......nothing has ever put a grin on my face quite like it. I am totally ruined on other cars, everything feels so vague and unresponsive, almost like driving a boat through toffee.

I think I will stick with the brand for a while. The other German marques don't appeal quite as much, haven't tried an American car I like yet, the Japanese manufacturers make some fun cars (Mazda 3 ^_^, Nissan 370z, etc.) but aren't quite as appealing to me. So it stands a little expensive and annoying to live with but it all pays off for "that" moment.

 

[Chickenhawk]

'07 BMW e92 driver here.... it's a love hate thing. It's finicky, needs large ticket repairs and constant maintenance (all of the window regulators, a few ignition coils, and two head gaskets already WTF), the run-flat tires are just about worst things created, and its interface is very nuanced. However, when you hit a nice empty stretch of I-35......nothing has ever put a grin on my face quite like it. I am totally ruined on other cars, everything feels so vague and unresponsive, almost like driving a boat through toffee.

I think I will stick with the brand for a while. The other German marques don't appeal quite as much, haven't tried an American car I like yet, the Japanese manufacturers make some fun cars (Mazda 3 ^_^, Nissan 370z, etc.) but aren't quite as appealing to me. So it stands a little expensive and annoying to live with but it all pays off for "that" moment.

I've heard that from quite a few BMW owners.

I feel pretty similar about my truck. I don't enjoy shelling out what it costs to maintain and modify my truck...but it's pretty enjoyable to hook up to the corner of a house and watch it collapse without the truck even trying

The look on a lot of import owners faces is pretty decent too, when an 8000lb diesel outruns their "suped up" Hondas.

 

[UV7BK4LIFE]

Pop Quiz: Answer one or all.

What is this? Why did I take it off my truck? What did I do to it? Why did I do what I did?

Winner(s) gets a prize!



EDIT:

Reminder: I have a 2009 Dodge Ram 2500, with a 6.7l Cummins I6, 6 speed manual, EGR and DPF are gone, and an H&S MiniMaxx programmer I run on the hottest setting. Oh yea, and 35x12.5x17 Cooper Discoverer STTs. Only one part of that could help with the answer.

That's clearly a Seymour Duncan Dimebucker. And you ruined it.

 

[Chickenhawk]

That's clearly a Seymour Duncan Dimebucker. And you ruined it.

You can ruin a Dimebucker? I'm pretty sure they're unruinable by nature. Shit is already shit.

 

[troyguitar]

So I'm probably trading in my GTI for one of these:

Girlfriend wants something with automatic transmission that is small, nice, fun, and AWD - test drove a TT and loved it. Probably getting black with tan leather interior, kind of reminds me of an old 911 or something.

Our garage will be her TT and my S4, hard to complain about that!

 

[Joose]

^Definitely can't complain!


I'm going to a Cars And Coffee show tomorrow. So excited! I've always wanted to go, and apparently there are 2 here, 1 of them being weekly. Not sure about the other.

Lambos, Ferraris, GTRs, Bentleys, classic muscle, modern muscle, even a couple more modern Charger Daytonas .

Usually, there would be a Ferrari F40.... however, earlier this month, a fcuking MINI-VAN merged into him, caused him to lose control and then the motherfcuker fled! It's a dream of mine to just see one in person, I'm so depressed about it. Probably nowhere near as much as the owner though. I mean, can you repair a car that was hand built by 17 people in 1990?

Aftermath:

 

[Prime]

That Will Buff Out

 

[wilch]

Spent last Sunday at the Porsche Rennsport Motorsport Festival in Sydney @ Sydney Motorsport Park and had the best time. By far the most interesting car event I've ever been to. So much to do and see. I've never been more tempted to sell my two toys and become a Porsche only household. Everyone was so happy, so many smiles, the whole vibe was amazing and fun. No hate, no bad vibes, only good.

We were told to park with the rest of the Porsche's. Porsche's as far as the eye could see.

Rennsport Festival - Sydney 2013 by wilch, on Flickr

other photos on my flickr.

 

[angus]

May have a "ordered a new car" post soon- just trying to finalize which diesel SUV I end up ordering. I'll probably only shell out for the cheapest because I'm turning into a cheapskate, but I need to make sure the others don't change my mind!

...the run-flat tires are just about worst things created...

AMEN to that. I freaking hate them on my GTR. I drove a friend's with non-run flats and it completely changed how nicely the car rode. I can't wait to get rid of the run flats.

 

[Furtive Glance]

^Definitely can't complain!


I'm going to a Cars And Coffee show tomorrow. So excited! I've always wanted to go, and apparently there are 2 here, 1 of them being weekly. Not sure about the other.

Lambos, Ferraris, GTRs, Bentleys, classic muscle, modern muscle, even a couple more modern Charger Daytonas .

Usually, there would be a Ferrari F40.... however, earlier this month, a fcuking MINI-VAN merged into him, caused him to lose control and then the motherfcuker fled! It's a dream of mine to just see one in person, I'm so depressed about it. Probably nowhere near as much as the owner though. I mean, can you repair a car that was hand built by 17 people in 1990?

*Snip

I remember seeing those on a photographer's facebook page. Heartbreaking But I think it can be fixed from what I remember reading.

 

[scherzo1928]

I kept reading this thread, and being surprised at how much "petrolheads" care about MPGs. I always care about 2 things and 2 things only... handling and power. Ok, and looks... in that order.

BUT THEN, I come over to the US for a couple of weeks (might be spending lots of time here in the near future), and seeing how people actually drive here it makes perfect sense. I'm driving a 2012 Focus (same car I drive in Mexico (well, last moth I was using a 2013 Fusion Titanium (what a fudging great car!!))) and I'm getting 31 MPGs, while back home I only get 14.1... I don't think I've even gone over 3500 rpms in here.

Just for reference, "back home" is in Mexico city at over 8300 ft altitude. All roads around me are windy mountain roads, and a couple of aaawesome highways

 

[troyguitar]

I kept reading this thread, and being surprised at how much "petrolheads" care about MPGs. I always care about 2 things and 2 things only... handling and power. Ok, and looks... in that order.

BUT THEN, I come over to the US for a couple of weeks (might be spending lots of time here in the near future), and seeing how people actually drive here it makes perfect sense. I'm driving a 2012 Focus (same car I drive in Mexico (well, last moth I was using a 2013 Fusion Titanium (what a fudging great car!!))) and I'm getting 31 MPGs, while back home I only get 14.1... I don't think I've even gone over 3500 rpms in here.

Just for reference, "back home" is in Mexico city at over 8300 ft altitude. All roads around me are windy mountain roads, and a couple of aaawesome highways

When you drive 30000 miles a year it is worth considering mpg. That's why I drive a 4000 lb V8 AWD performance car that gets 19 mpg on the highway

 

[Joose]

I love that I can get 25-26 mpg if I need to. But can also get 8 or 9 if I feel like having some fun haha.

 

[scherzo1928]

When you drive 30000 miles a year it is worth considering mpg. That's why I drive a 4000 lb V8 AWD performance car that gets 19 mpg on the highway

Driving here is just such a different experience. I actually have to watch my speedometer!

But yeah, I don't mind spending more on gas, I see it as an investment in mental health.

Aaaanyways, once I'm back home I'll try and post pics of the cars I've had... it's a sweet list

 

[Chickenhawk]

This is a long shot:

Anybody here ever ran nitromethane in a diesel? I've been reading up on it, and am very...VERY interested.

If you have, or know somebody that has, PM me. I have questions.

 

[angus]

Run it in a few racing motors I've built (in a previous life) and seen it run in diesels. Sounds great, but nitromethane is extremely hard on the motor- it'll wash your bearings and cylinders pretty quickly, and it destroys oil in no time flat. Nitromethane has substantially less combustion energy available than diesel, so even running 1/3 nitro, 2/3 diesel you'd be dumping in almost double the fuel volume to keep up. The only reason nitro is used in racing applications is because it burns with less oxygen, so you can dump wildly more fuel in than with gasoline (or diesel). This gets expensive really, really quickly.

If you were building a drag racing diesel truck or something, then fine, but not for something you drive. You'll destroy the motor in no time flat.

 

[Chickenhawk]

Run it in a few racing motors I've built (in a previous life) and seen it run in diesels. Sounds great, but nitromethane is extremely hard on the motor- it'll wash your bearings and cylinders pretty quickly, and it destroys oil in no time flat. Nitromethane has substantially less combustion energy available than diesel, so even running 1/3 nitro, 2/3 diesel you'd be dumping in almost double the fuel volume to keep up. The only reason nitro is used in racing applications is because it burns with less oxygen, so you can dump wildly more fuel in than with gasoline (or diesel). This gets expensive really, really quickly.

If you were building a drag racing diesel truck or something, then fine, but not for something you drive. You'll destroy the motor in no time flat.

I had heard that, and was thinking it myself, but I hadn't heard it from someone that had actually used the shit

It's not going in a drag truck. I'm very curious as to how much power I can make with just a lift pump and tuning. Eventually I'll swap out the turbo to something slightly larger, same with injectors.

There's 6.7l Cummins that dyno'd 525hp with just a tune (and probably a lift pump). Very curious as to how much higher that number can go...that's where the nitro came in.

I might just have to steer clear for now. Thanks man

 

[angus]

Nitro is a horrible idea when the Cummins can make a ton of power with just injectors, pump and exhaust.

Besides, at that hp level you are already going to have to replace the transmission with a built unit soon anyway, so going higher without saving for a trans is silly.

This makes me miss my 5.9L, especially when I'm about to buy another diesel vehicle!

 

[Chickenhawk]

Nitro is a horrible idea when the Cummins can make a ton of power with just injectors, pump and exhaust.

Besides, at that hp level you are already going to have to replace the transmission with a built unit soon anyway, so going higher without saving for a trans is silly.

This makes me miss my 5.9L, especially when I'm about to buy another diesel vehicle!

The g56 can handle a lot more than I'll ever throw at it. I'm gonna replace the clutch, and that's it.

Honestly, unless I win the lotto or land some amazingly high paying job, my truck will be lucky to break 500hp.