Know anyone who gave up on owning exciting cars and went full boring cars? | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Know anyone who gave up on owning exciting cars and went full boring cars?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by TeamF1Jr, Sep 9, 2019.

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  1. plastique999

    plastique999 F1 Veteran
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    This is me too....raced Lotus’ for fun in early 2000’s/10’s. Love driving analogue cars.
    Agree forget the hypercars...trying to consolidate to fewer cars - I like the 2 iconic car collection.
    Don’t think I could go to none full tilt.
    It’s in my blood....


    Sent from my 16M
     
  2. plastique999

    plastique999 F1 Veteran
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  3. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    I think there are a number of issues, and the defintion of exciting car has changed, as so many "pedestrian": cars are good dircvers these days. When you get older, the hassle of an older classic(service repair, traffic condition) seems more of a pain and lekss worth it for many. The newer "sports" cars in road conditions dotn really have a performance benefit over any number of hipo sedans, nor are they more interesting to drive, given sedans and sports cars all have paddles and excess hp/grip and lifelss eps. So what is an exciting car today and whats a boring car. many a japanese and koren car drive great, steer as well as any otehr and have more than adequate power, plus theyre anonomous. In the old days to drive an exciting car you really needed something special.

    The most entertaining new car I have driven is the Gulia, greats steering (for a modern), resolved ride, more than adequate performance etc. So besides the pose why have a modern sportscar for the road, your not going faster, its mildly less comfortable and not really more interesting to drive.
    If you have acess to the right roads and the time to use them, then an anolog car makes sense. Modern "sportscars" are really Gt cars that can on paper go really fast.

    I will say that at the track the majority of people are in the 50 and up age bracket, maybe due to budget. There are very few people on track in their 70's and for good reason. Not to knock people in their 70s and there are a few greats out on track. But Ive seen it more than once, where someone was on game and two years later due to age theyre not really even safe out there.

    If a bently counts as an exciting car, look around florida, lots of old people drive those as well as paddle porches all at 30 mph..
     
  4. G. Pepper

    G. Pepper Three Time F1 World Champ
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    I can't imagine ever getting over vehicles (Not just cars). About to move to CO, which is summer mecca for sports cars, and winter is ATV/snowmobile time.

    Place has an epic garage.
     
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  5. Michael B

    Michael B F1 Rookie
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    Yeah, I have several pals that have shifted to pedestrian cars.

    I read all the replies and I see the answer.

    I think it goes like this... Interesting cars are in general just more work. But its not just the manual labor of ownership (looking after that special vehicle), its the work that it takes to have them in the public. I have a 10 year old Illinois Grey Camry that I drive on occasion. I take it as a commuter to the racetrack (1.5 hours from home) and I notice that its just absolutely no work to drive it. I don't have to deal with the social media peeps that hang out their car windows videoing me as I drive in my Ferrari (using two lanes of the road to get their video). I don't have to deal with the Fast & Furious types that want to race me on every road. I don't have to absorb a load of time at each gas station answering questions about it. I don't have to watch the gauges, or think about where to park, or even wonder what that sound is as I motor... Its just no work.

    Hey I would rather be driving a number of cooler cars... But heck. I am just commuting. Give me the ease of a generic appliance. I would bet that has a lot to do with what we are all seeing.

    That will have a lot to do with autonomous cars in the future. Just let me sit in the back seat as the appliance self-drives me to my destination. Once there I will drive my exciting car with other like minded friends.
     
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  6. plastique999

    plastique999 F1 Veteran
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    But then where does the car passion go?


    Sent from my 16M
     
  7. Michael B

    Michael B F1 Rookie
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    #32 Michael B, Jan 19, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2020
    Yes I hear you. From my perspective I think the car passion is weakening by the year. I am still all in (110%) but I see both the older set & the younger set pulling away quite often. I am not happy about it, but it may be reality.

    Years ago I remember being at a car event with a speaker who gathered a great crowd. After speaking for 1/2 an hour he quite literally pled with the audience to interject car language in every day life as often as we could. He said to just keep involving our car interest in everyday life or we would slowly lose it. To this day I still do as he asked, but I think threads like this are showing that winning the battle is very difficult if not impossible.
     
  8. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    We still have Miatas, Gt86's vettes, Mustangs, R8 lambos etc.
    Even a camry will blow away a 20yo exotic.
    Thing is while moderns certainly put down the numbers very few are really exciting.

    But look at the component car industry, its exploding, people still love cobras and all sorts of old exotica that is replicated.

    Car people are out there.

    However as others have said its a hassle dealing with cellphone fools and the fast and furious crowd.
    The hardest part though is where do you use the machine. Roads are really crowded and speeding is right next to murder on the socialy unacaeptable scale, not to mention the insurance and points. Plus moderns are not really fun untill extrme speeds, whereas the older fun cars were already flying by 100mph. So rules and traffic are restricting speeds whiel ars are gettign faster and less fun at more "moderate" speeds.

    You can own all the exotica you wish, but using it in the manner designed, thats a risk.

    Theres a reason why there has been an explosion of De track events.

    I guess for many it becomes not worth the effort.

    But if its in your blood, youll always have something a bit fun be it a miata, m series beemer,lambo Bently etc.

    Do we count an audi S4 as a fun car?.
     
  9. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    Just got an Alfa Gulia
    You can have a fun and practical car all in one.

    if someone gave up fun cars it’s because it’s not in their blood. There are simply plenty of cars still on the market that are both fun and practical, probably ore than ever.
     
  10. jkddad

    jkddad Formula 3
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    Don't despair, I am in my 60's and still a car fanatic. Reflexes not as good as they use to be, but having participated in athletics most of my life, and still exercise daily, my reflexes are still good enough to enjoy weaving and navigating through freeway traffic in the right hand lanes, while all the mindless drones all fill up the left lane. (I swear, the right lanes are the new left lane, but don't get me started). Also, I think the regular exercise makes access to low slung automobiles much easier. (It is funny when I take a car in for state inspection, and the 20 something mechanic has difficulty getting in and out. And then ends up standing there wondering how that old man can just get in/out so easily.) It also helps to live in an area with a few good roads. I moved out of a major metropolitan area to a location that is approximately 40 miles from two large cities. Nice curvy roads in the area, and still access to fine dining and fun nights out. Keep the faith, age does not need to be end of motoring fun.
     
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  11. VAF84

    VAF84 Formula 3

    I think it's different reasons for different people.

    My mentor buddy always had some kind of cool and interesting vehicles. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Porsche, RRS, etc. However, over the last two years it seems he went cold turkey. He's about to get married for the first time (at an older age), and I've noticed his mindset has completely shifted to a more domestic life. He says he has zero interest in buying another sports car. The other trigger was that after taking his 458 for its yearly they told him the mileage since his last visit; he realized he very rarely drove the car. The mental burden of maintaining the car, the lack of use, and his belief that his reflexes are diminishing all lead him to sell it. He now advocates that the best value to him, is buying the base version of a luxury car. I will note that he works very close to his home, and rarely strays far from it, so it probably impacts his decision.

    In my case, I still love cars, but I go out of my way less often to do car related things; especially with two small kids. When I'm away on jobs (most of the year) I get close to selling my Ferrari (even though I'm still half way looking up 458's); but when I come home and find a minute to take it for a spin, I fall in love again.

    Michael B made an excellent point. As I'm getting older, I'm much more aware of the work aspect of an "exciting" car, which detracts from the experience. Have to work to make time to drive, have to work to keep it maintained, have to literally keep working to pay for the car/storage/maintenance/insurance, have to work to park it publicly, have to work to keep it clean (the car wash I trust is across town), I notice the opportunity costs, etc.

    My last comment is there are a ton of great cars/SUV's out now that have a reasonably fun driving experience. I'd almost rather spend $100k on full size raucous V8 sport type SUV that is fun to get on the pedal, and can haul my family and our stuff comfortably. Regardless of whether I plan to own sports cars, I am still adamant that whatever car is in our family has a minimum standard of acceleration. I found that 6.5 second (0-60) is my personal threshold.

    Ultimately, I'm now at a point where I don't miss it if I don't have it; but I love it when I do.
     
  12. G. Pepper

    G. Pepper Three Time F1 World Champ
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    I'm 62 and the strongest I've ever been. Feel and look like I'm in my 40's. I do a lot a squats and that keeps ingress and egress of my Ferraris easy.

    I don't notice any loss of reaction time. I think age related caution is more likely. :)
     
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