The Car thread - The Bear and Badger

b0r1s

Funkstain wrote:

cockbeard wrote:

Hmm, I'm not so sure it's that bad. Google Home understanbd near on everything I ask, admittedly it often replies, with "I'm not sure how to do that yet"

Sure but I was talking about car versions. Merc probably has best based on reviews and unc’s comments, but some way from home Alexa and even Siri

I don’t know about Alexa but Merc’s system is definitely more reliable voice input than Siri. I use it a lot now for directions making calls controlling heating etc. It rarely gets it wrong.

cockbeard

Funkstain wrote:

cockbeard wrote:

Hmm, I'm not so sure it's that bad. Google Home understanbd near on everything I ask, admittedly it often replies, with "I'm not sure how to do that yet"

Sure but I was talking about car versions. Merc probably has best based on reviews and unc’s comments, but some way from home Alexa and even Siri

I haven't driven for almost two decades, so an completely out of the loop there. I thought Google did a few of these in car things, so assumed it was just as good. No idea why they aren't using the same recognition stuff as Google/Alexa/Siri, there's really no good reason not to

GooberTheHat

Google do have Auto, which some cars accept as the default voice control.

HawBawJaws

Watched an episode of the grand tour last night, they showed a clip of a Scottish guy trying to pair his phone to an astra using voice control. Much hilarity ensued.

Dinostar77

What a car. New 911 Turbo S.

The transition at 7:20min to 7:40min from road to track is amazing.

10:30min, standing start against a m135i, is eye opening.

LivDiv

Just had a massive panic.
I thought the 6 month MOT extension was for all MOTs but the cut off date is July 31st.
My MOT is due 7th August and I need the brake lines changing.

Luckily my BMW guy can fit me in next week.

Dinostar77

So the new 911 Turbo S is becoming something of a legend. Beaten a Mclaren 720s, Lamborghini Hurcan and a Porsche Taycan (electric), from a starting start amongst others (Carwow has the videos). Its a proper mental 154k (base starting price weapon).

Now porsche have released the 718 Spyder. You can change the toe, camber and anti roll bars on the car. Thats not something ive seen in many cars. Obviously thats for track use, but its still cool.

In terms of current cars available to buy, the 911 turbo s, civic type R and the audi rs3 sportsback strike me as three that will become legends in years to come (not by rarity or technology but performance). Any others that you guys think will be legends in years to come?

Roujin

That little honda electric lad.

afgavinstan

My Mazda 3 for giving me a massive grin on the road through Callander to Loch Katrine, and then back home. My googlemaps via Android Auto in the phone holder bottom left of my eyesight. Was like I was playing Forza Horizon 4 with the mini-map, little glances as each corner came to get an edge on how tight it was. (I chose my braking areas myself, before yous start!)

Other than the time away with pals which never happens, it was the best part of the trip. Loved the drive.

poprock

afgavinstan wrote:

… best part of the trip. Loved the drive.

You’re one of us now, Gav.

Jim Jalco will draw you up a membership sticker.*

(*Not really.)

poprock

Dinostar77 wrote:

So the new 911 Turbo S is becoming something of a legend.

The 911 Turbo always spanks everything else on the market. But it’s not the one that becomes legendary, or most valuable. 911s aren’t just about power. They’re about feel. That’s what they have over competitors, and what gives them such longevity as a product brand. The GT2RS is usually the widowmaker. The GT3RS for trackdays. The base spec Carrera 2 is often the experienced driver’s choice. And there are always limited run specials that become the ones to invest in.

Personally, yeah. I like the Turbo. I like the stupid grin it puts on your face when you hit the accelerator. I like the fact that it’s more car than I could ever use. And I like the wide hips and broad air intakes. Every generation of it looks badass.

I’ve thought about this a lot though, because I do intend to buy a 911 one day. And I don’t want a modern 911. Ideally I’d like one from the ’70s, but my budget is likely to be more ’90s. And as much as I admire them, I won’t be going for a Turbo. Been there, done that, with my 944. It’ll be as simple and clean a model as I can find at the time. I want classic looks and relatively light weight.

Dinostar77

I'll definitely defer to you on the porsche stuff. Porsches always strike me as an expensive vehicles to maintain, probably because they have such performance and balance. I think id have to win the lottery to have one in my garage. God knows how much new brakes, servicing etc would cost on a modern day porsche like the 911.

poprock

Massive generalisation here, but I think most modern 911 owners fall into two brackets: Rich enough not to worry about it, or leasing so don’t have to think about it.

poprock

Have you ever read the Karenable blog, Dino? Just personal thoughts from a friendly American bloke who buys a lot of supercars. He’s a good one to follow for honest chat on mental expensive cars. He’s very open about things like the way manufacturers allocate certain cars to certain buyers, what the depreciation hits are, how practical they are to live with, etc.

He posted a good one the other day on the new breed of three-seater hypercars. The Gordon Murray one vs the McLaren Speedtail vs the Glickenhaus special (which he’s ordered).

https://karenable.com/21st-century-3-seaters-mclaren-speedtail-scg-004-the-gma-t-50/

I’ve had a tiny bit of insight into the GMA and the Speedtail through work, but all I knew about the Glickenhaus (until reading that) was from getting the PR emails …

afgavinstan

poprock wrote:

afgavinstan wrote:

… best part of the trip. Loved the drive.

You’re one of us now, Gav.

Jim Jalco will draw you up a membership sticker.*

(*Not really.)

Absolutely getting a MX-5 when shona comes to her senses and leaves me.

poprock

MX-5, the answer to everything.

poprock

My pal just sold this lovely one.

Fast road/track build. She dropped in a 1.8 RS engine, reshelled it, fitted coilovers, lowered and reinforced the floor, sat it on lightweight rims and added roll bar, composite race seats, six-point harnesses, and fire extinguisher.

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Dinostar77

poprock wrote:

Have you ever read the Karenable blog, Dino? Just personal thoughts from a friendly American bloke who buys a lot of supercars. He’s a good one to follow for honest chat on mental expensive cars. He’s very open about things like the way manufacturers allocate certain cars to certain buyers, what the depreciation hits are, how practical they are to live with, etc.

He posted a good one the other day on the new breed of three-seater hypercars. The Gordon Murray one vs the McLaren Speedtail vs the Glickenhaus special (which he’s ordered).

https://karenable.com/21st-century-3-seaters-mclaren-speedtail-scg-004-the-gma-t-50/

I’ve had a tiny bit of insight into the GMA and the Speedtail through work, but all I knew about the Glickenhaus (until reading that) was from getting the PR emails …

No, never heard of it. Will look it up. Tbh my knowledge of cars going over 100k isnt great. I tend to lose interest when they start taking Aston Martin, Lambos, Ferrari, Mclaren, Koninsegg etc. Its a different world. Whereas sub 100k cars hold more interest, maybe because you see them out and about and they dont look as poncy as 100k plus supercars.

My dream 3 car garage wouldnt have a single 100k plus car in it. Nor would a dream 5 car garage.

MattyJ

I too aim to one day buy a 911. Even if it's just a year or something, I will get one.

poprock

It’s something I’ve settled on as a car goal purely because of the dog, really. If I plan to cut down from two cars to one, then it needs to be practical as well as fun. It needs a small back seat for the dog. Two-seaters are out of the question.

LivDiv

I will have a vintage death trap 911 one day. Even having a nice, work all done 944 again and I will be happy.

poprock

944 values have rocketed up, so I’ll go 911 instead now. Can’t imagine I’ll enjoy it any more than I did the ’44 though.

GooberTheHat

afgavinstan wrote:

poprock wrote:

afgavinstan wrote:

… best part of the trip. Loved the drive.

You’re one of us now, Gav.

Jim Jalco will draw you up a membership sticker.*

(*Not really.)

Absolutely getting a MX-5 when shona comes to her senses and leaves me.

Aren't you fairly tall gav? I'm 6'2" and am too big for the new ones. I had one as a curtesy car a while back and my left knee was against the handbrake the whole time.

afgavinstan

Hahahaha we joked about that. I'm 6'4".

So I'll need to adjust seats. All part of the renovation!

afgavinstan

I remember sitting in my friends dad's TT when I was 15 and having a lot of trouble.

GooberTheHat

They're really nice fun cars, but unfortunately I could never own one. Just a couple of days was really uncomfortable for me.

isanbard

I got pretty close to trying to get a currentish gen MX5 at one point not that long ago.

At 6'2"ish it was going to be .. open top motoring as much as physically possible. With the roof on you felt pretty damn safe as you were essentially a structural member of the car.. not that comfy but you weren't going anywhere in a crash that's for sure.

LivDiv

poprock wrote:

944 values have rocketed up, so I’ll go 911 instead now. Can’t imagine I’ll enjoy it any more than I did the ’44 though.

Time and place innit.
Having that car at 25 years old and paying less insurance than my previous 1.2l Ibiza was insane.

Bob

Even the unloved 996 are going up in price.

poprock

It’s really only the headlights that were unloved. The car is fine.

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