Author Topic: Jeremy Clarkson-The Good The Bad The Ugly (Read 10243 times)

Excel1 · « **Reply #165 on:** January 10, 2007, 02:05:10 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by eskimo2
I’ve owned 7 Fiats, just because I hate myself and like to make myself as miserable as possible. They are the worst cars in the world… ever. Some of them get a few points for style and even humor. The 128 had awful torque steer, would go up on two wheels and wanted to roll in a hard corner, there were these stupid shims for adjusting the valve gap, etc.

The only thing reliable about a Fiat is that you can be sure that it will be ready for the scrap yard just past 30,000 miles.

Still, there was something that I likes about the 500:

Sorry, but I can’t see what’s to like about the Fiat 500. It looks like it was designed by a smurf.

I've never owned a Fiat but one of my brothers had a Fiat 127 as his first car. At first when he told me he had bought a Fiat I had an expectation of Euro sophistication of a poor mans Ferrari. But when he told me he had only paid $200 for it I had my doubts; until the first time I saw it... it turned out to be a 900cc micro hatch chitbox. At the time it was only about 10 years old but it was so riddled with tin worm that the only thing holding the body together was the paint. It was crude and unreliable, and as my brothers unpaid mechanic I had to get intimate with the damn thing. I prolly spent more time working on it than he did driving it. It was easily the worst car I have had anything to do with and I have had a few cheap and nasty cars over the years.

Viking · « **Reply #166 on:** January 10, 2007, 02:05:43 AM »

American road:

Classic American affordable and practical sports car:

European road:

Classic European affordable and practical sports car:

Each to his own.

moot · « **Reply #167 on:** January 10, 2007, 06:34:51 AM »

Vike, how much of the US have you experienced first-hand?

Viking · « **Reply #168 on:** January 10, 2007, 07:02:59 AM »

Nada, zip, zilch.

moot · « **Reply #169 on:** January 10, 2007, 07:25:02 AM »

Then you'll understand that a picture of a random car and a random road doesn't tell the whole story.
e.g. The Utah salt flats.

Mini D · « **Reply #170 on:** January 10, 2007, 07:27:01 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by 1K3
About your Integra GSR.

Was it a 4-door model? Was the suspension modified (i.e. lowered & cambered). Integras GSR and Rs are suppose to be one of the best handling front wheel drive cars in the market.

No. It was a 2 door and it sucked in the corners. You can talk about what "its supposed to be" like all you want. The V-tech high rev madness, the torque steer and the poor mileage mean that you couldn't even enjoy it as a commuter by backing off a bit. There really wasn't an area it accelled in other than being light.

Mini D · « **Reply #171 on:** January 10, 2007, 07:39:35 AM »

It's OK moot. Viking is going out of his way to avoid any reality based assessments and stick to stereotypes as much as possible. It's always been his way, thus multiple handles.

Take that chevelle he linked. It's lighter and has twice the horse power of that 633csi, but he'll swear the BMW is better based on his vast understanding of everything he's seen on tv.

lazs2 · « **Reply #172 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:16:03 AM »

fastfwd... I believe that we were talking about a lotus (english) and a tv show that was british with british comedians and actors. The show is funny.. I have watched it a few times. Of course I would talk about the brits.

It is also painful to watch if you know anything about cars. They don't. It seems the people who like the show the most are ones who really don't have any mechanical background or know anything about cars.

viking.. America is a very big place with a lot of different types of roads. I have 3 cars and a motorcycle... all three cars are vastly different and I enjoy them for what they are. I would be extremely unhappy with the choices of cars I could own in your-up. I hated the roads and I hated driving on the wrong side of the road and shifting with the wrong hand and getting screwed on gas prices.

Americas roads are of a wide variety and not all of us are fat. We do have better dental care but... why hate us for that?

The BMW that you show as "affordable" can be bought here for a couple of grand.. old BMW's are a drug on the market... extremely expensive to repair... a starter for one or alternator costs 10 times what one for an old muscle car costs for instance... they are gutless... mostly womens cars here.

lazs

1cemanVS · « **Reply #173 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:17:12 AM »

TWO WHEELS ONLY

i win right? surely?

just throwing it out there, and its totally unrelated, but im interested in the reaction

lazs2 · « **Reply #174 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:32:06 AM »

Have you rode a lot of motorcycles?

just throwing that out there. If soooo... what do they have to do with the subject?

lazs

1cemanVS · « **Reply #175 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:37:33 AM »

im only nineteen, so have only had 2, my first 400, and the one you see in the pic (but the 600 version, not the thousand there)

but my dad has had a bazillion, all across the range, and ive been a passenger on all of them, been taken to the limits

the last couple of posts have been regarding performance, cornering, acceleration, speed etc

also i think motorcycles are a more universal mode of transport, less manufaturers means there is alot less divide than the euro-american stuff your discussing...i believe. like i said its not 100% relevant, a new element, if you like. discuss it or do not, that is up to you, and anyone else.

lazs2 · « **Reply #176 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:44:28 AM »

I rode em for decades and... they are either hot and uncomfortable or cold and uncomfortable and they can't carry more than 2 people or tow a boat or 30 foot trailer (that would cut the performance a little eh?)

They are toys. not real transportation. You are dirty and tired when you arrive. You are vulnerable to the slightest whim of the cars around you or the road conditions or the weather. Most of the time I have spent in the hospital in my life was because of motorcycles.

I never wanted anyone on the back because I felt it limited me ( I have a concience) I have never been so misserable in my life as I have been a few (more than a few) times, on a motorcycle. I have also had some of the best times of my life.

But... as serious transportation? not even close. For the average person? you got to be kidding.

lazs

1cemanVS · « **Reply #177 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:00:52 AM »

every market has its niches, like the fiat guy up there ^ some people will ride 2 wheels come hell or high water, and will enjoy every moment of it

your right, they are generally toys (the more toy like; motors in plastic, with a seat, a la superbikes definately)

but, although i understand the on-going argument of american muscle..practicality AND speed, against the elise, are these not also "toys" to some extent?

sluggish · « **Reply #178 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:07:38 AM »

Has good ole' Jeremy ever looked at one of these?

Doesn't it seem like he should have put something like this against the Lotus? Granted, the Lotus probably would have still won but his comparisons were just a farce...

edit: holy crap that thing's huge!

lazs2 · « **Reply #179 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:13:23 AM »

yes they are but... they can be very practical. My elky is, after all.... somewhat a pickup. I can load a big screen TV into it or a fridge or.. bring home a V8 and transmission in the back... it will cruise on the freeway at 70mph at two thousand rpm all day long or..100 mph at less than 3 thousand. it has air conditioning and a huge interior... it has brake and suspension upgrades and handles well.

My Healey is a monster.. it wears you out.. the windshield folds flat and you get every bit as tired and grimy as on a motorcycle. your hair gets all tangled up just like the old days on Harleys and you get bugs in your face. It will run low 12 sec quarter miles. You will be tired and sunburned and partially deaf after a long drive in it.

My Lincoln town car is comfy beyond any BMW or mercedes I have driven and has a huge interior and trunk and a satalite radio... great for trips or the girlfriend or grand daughter.

My bike is an old BMW 750 my son gave me but with the helmet laws here I just don't enjoy riding it like the old days.

I have ridden the kawa sport bikes and the new screwedzuki 1200 plastic thingie that one of my men at work has. it is the stupidest looking bike I have ever seen and also the fastest. I would not enjoy riding it and would not like to be seen on it.

lazs