So this isn't about my car, but one I've been driving:
While I'm moving, I've been borrowing the company pickup truck. It's a 2014 dodge ram 1500, longhorn edition.
This truck is weird.
It's the first pickup I've ever driven, and it just feels so odd to be so high up from the road, while I'm used to an acura EL.
Also, it handles so damn lightly. This thing is fucking huge, and yet my little acura feels lighter than this thing, I feel like I have less control with it just because my mind associates bigger = feel heavier.
And it's also so freaking nice inside. The back row is huge, full leather interior, keyless start, touch screen entertainment dash w/GPS and rearview camera and probably a bunch of other stuff I haven't even noticed.
I don't know if it's my opinion of all pickup trucks, but this thing is just all around a really weird vehicle.
The longhorn edition pickup is basically their attempt to make a luxury vehicle inside a truck. most pickups are definitely not like that, but almost all the brands have versions that are similar. I test drove a 2014 longhorn when they brought their lineup to my office, it was definitely nice.
a lot of trucks have a luxury edition... if you want something roomy and luxurious and don't care about having no acceleration in any gear other than "1" then there are worse ways to spend 45 grand.
There has also been a push to create trucks that can operate as mobile offices for construction managers/field techs/contractors/what have you. This has led to an increase in the amount of integrated tech and niceties in once spartan pick-ups.
Not that you can't get a bare-bones work truck, but a lot of trucks on dealer lots are optioned well.
It kinda reminds me of a couple years ago when my bank acquired another bank that had been shut down by the FDIC for "unsafe banking practices" and we discovered the bank owned six company cars, which included a Lotus Evora, a Hummer H2, a Caddy CTS-V, and three actual normal company cars used for actual business purposes rather than the all-too-obvious executive toys.
When I discovered that I realized that maaaaaaaybe the FDIC called this one right.
I'm sure there were some actual, better reasons, but the type of "company" cars is certainly indicative of the environment and what was considered normal.
BillyIdleWhat does "katana" mean?It means "Japanese sword."Registered Userregular
Maybe....
I know I have the black sheep of SI's but I feel like the minor mods I put have given it some oomph. It's been a great car to learn stick on but the time has come for smaller and RWD
PSN: BillyIdle_
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Have you considered an NSX? How much do they cost these days in the US?
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
I'm not sure that's why they did it, but there's no question that business owners often do some dubious things in the name of "for the company".
Man if I had a business that was making enough money that I could get myself a business car, you bet your ass I'd buy something really nice like an RS5. If the company can afford it, the company can afford it. It's just another depreciating asset. Put custom plates on it and a vinyl wrap job and claim it as advertising expenses or something. I'm not working 100 hours/week for fucking nothing.
bare minimum for a 90's NSX is 40 grand according to a quick search... that's two and a half S2000's duck taped together as far as I know
Jasconius on
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Hmm. A bit high! I'd have thought prices would be better over there because of the number of units sold back in the day. There's hardly any of them in Australia. One that I k ow of and see all the time belongs to one of the salesman at a Honda motorcycle dealership in Midland, dude was top salesman in Australia three years in a row, so Honda were like "Yo here's a car, good job!".
Over here, NSX prices have been very slowly creeping upwards. Very slowly. They're kind of in the same bracket as Lotus Elises though, you buy an NSX for $40k, drive it for a year, then sell it for $40k.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Really? Why would you sell it after a year? You're supposed to have the engine built to 3.5 litres and slap a pair of GT2560R turbos on it, not sell it!
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BillyIdleWhat does "katana" mean?It means "Japanese sword."Registered Userregular
Oh don't get me wrong, an NSX would be be great... in a few years when I'm out if school and can afford it. My range for the S2K is $12k tops (I am indeed in the US). An NSX with the same miles (100K) would be 3 times as much!
Yeah, I'm seeing really good condition first-gen S2000s for like $14k in my area (essentially Chicagoland) with between 50,000 and 80,000 miles. That really does not seem like a lot.
OK either learning stick is harder then you all presented it, or I'm just shit at it.
Oh well at least I can afford to have two cars for a while.
It does take some getting used to. What specifically are you having trouble with? It honestly does help to watch instructional videos, or better yet find a good driver and have them coach you in person. You might already be doing that, but I just want to put it out there. There are some intricacies that make driving stick much easier/more pleasurable that can only be taught/explained by someone used to driving stick.
Basically still having issues with timing my gas and clutch, and getting going without stalling. Once I'm up and going it is easy.
My dad is a professional driver and has been teaching me, and I've got a few tips from around. It's just I need to get out of my own head, and I'm also trying to unlearn 15 years of certain habits.
Edit: And everytime I rev the engine of the new car and hear that turbo spin up, I get a new bit of encouragement
My two cents from when I learned manual on my Evo, yes I bought my dream car without knowing how to drive it shut up, is you want to give it more throttle than you think when coming out of a dead stop.
What car is it? A WRX? (I thought I remembered you mentioning you were getting one).
I started having the most success starting off once I learned the catch point of my clutch. It wears the clutch a bit more than normal, but if you're just doing it for a little but to learn it won't be a bug issue. Just letting the clutch out super slow until the RPMs start to drop and then putting on the throttle until you have the balance right and you get moving.
2005 Saab 9-2x Aero, so yeah it's a WRX. Actually I was told the same thing by a co-worker who used to be in the forces. It's ok to ride the clutch a little bit (like maneuvering into a parking spot), just don't do it all the time.
Last time dad and I were out, I was actually doing great. Found a technique to worked for me for getting going. I think I just tried applying the same thing today while in a rush and being watched like a hawk by said co-worker and being very tired.
Basically I just need to chill.
I never finish anyth
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BillyIdleWhat does "katana" mean?It means "Japanese sword."Registered Userregular
Stick really kicked my ass when I was learning it...you got this, just keep practicing and it will become natural once you get it.
Yes, practice slowly letting off the clutch and entering first gear even without any gas applied. This will give you the feedback of the gear actually taking hold from idle rpm.
I do this every time I sit in a different manual vehicle. Just to get that feel.
Really? Why would you sell it after a year? You're supposed to have the engine built to 3.5 litres and slap a pair of GT2560R turbos on it, not sell it!
The other problem with the NSX is that it is really hard to find a manual in decent condition, most of them were wrecked by someone in the last 25 years. There are 3 dudes who own NSXs near my place of residence, I've checked em out a couple time, 2 are auto
If you want an inexpensive high rev RWD your best bet is probably a early 90s SR-20DET swapped 180sx.
And on learning to drive stick, find a super slight incline, then practice getting a bit of forward momentum, push the clutch and roll backwards, do it again repeat till you can sit there and just rock back and forth on the incline.
Posts
While I'm moving, I've been borrowing the company pickup truck. It's a 2014 dodge ram 1500, longhorn edition.
This truck is weird.
It's the first pickup I've ever driven, and it just feels so odd to be so high up from the road, while I'm used to an acura EL.
Also, it handles so damn lightly. This thing is fucking huge, and yet my little acura feels lighter than this thing, I feel like I have less control with it just because my mind associates bigger = feel heavier.
And it's also so freaking nice inside. The back row is huge, full leather interior, keyless start, touch screen entertainment dash w/GPS and rearview camera and probably a bunch of other stuff I haven't even noticed.
I don't know if it's my opinion of all pickup trucks, but this thing is just all around a really weird vehicle.
Not that you can't get a bare-bones work truck, but a lot of trucks on dealer lots are optioned well.
Also, watch Mighty Car Mods and watch Moog's mad S2000 powered by unicorn farts (Vtech YO!) chop Marty's dirty little MX5.
A. Employees moving.
B. Taking customers out to lunch.
It kinda reminds me of a couple years ago when my bank acquired another bank that had been shut down by the FDIC for "unsafe banking practices" and we discovered the bank owned six company cars, which included a Lotus Evora, a Hummer H2, a Caddy CTS-V, and three actual normal company cars used for actual business purposes rather than the all-too-obvious executive toys.
When I discovered that I realized that maaaaaaaybe the FDIC called this one right.
I know I have the black sheep of SI's but I feel like the minor mods I put have given it some oomph. It's been a great car to learn stick on but the time has come for smaller and RWD
Man if I had a business that was making enough money that I could get myself a business car, you bet your ass I'd buy something really nice like an RS5. If the company can afford it, the company can afford it. It's just another depreciating asset. Put custom plates on it and a vinyl wrap job and claim it as advertising expenses or something. I'm not working 100 hours/week for fucking nothing.
Oh well at least I can afford to have two cars for a while.
I never finish anyth
It does take some getting used to. What specifically are you having trouble with? It honestly does help to watch instructional videos, or better yet find a good driver and have them coach you in person. You might already be doing that, but I just want to put it out there. There are some intricacies that make driving stick much easier/more pleasurable that can only be taught/explained by someone used to driving stick.
My dad is a professional driver and has been teaching me, and I've got a few tips from around. It's just I need to get out of my own head, and I'm also trying to unlearn 15 years of certain habits.
Edit: And everytime I rev the engine of the new car and hear that turbo spin up, I get a new bit of encouragement
I never finish anyth
I started having the most success starting off once I learned the catch point of my clutch. It wears the clutch a bit more than normal, but if you're just doing it for a little but to learn it won't be a bug issue. Just letting the clutch out super slow until the RPMs start to drop and then putting on the throttle until you have the balance right and you get moving.
Last time dad and I were out, I was actually doing great. Found a technique to worked for me for getting going. I think I just tried applying the same thing today while in a rush and being watched like a hawk by said co-worker and being very tired.
Basically I just need to chill.
I never finish anyth
I do this every time I sit in a different manual vehicle. Just to get that feel.
The other problem with the NSX is that it is really hard to find a manual in decent condition, most of them were wrecked by someone in the last 25 years. There are 3 dudes who own NSXs near my place of residence, I've checked em out a couple time, 2 are auto
If you want an inexpensive high rev RWD your best bet is probably a early 90s SR-20DET swapped 180sx.
And then watch the rematch.