For Discussion (2012 vehicles reliability)

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
This is your second reply to my post.
I would never question your right to an opinion different from mine.
Much of this site consists of sharing of opinions, and there wouldn't be much to learn if we all thought the same things.
WRT your two citations of buff books, you cited the two I find least credible, so we do differ there.
R&T has one good columnist, while C&D is down to none.
I don't know what kind of racing you or your friends do, but your signiture makes me think that it's mostly in a straight line.
While drag racing is fun to do and fun to watch, not all of us would regard it as being in the same league as racing on a road course.


Actually I am a big HPDE fan, and my car actually set fast lap at one! So I guess it is a credible road course car. I also join a very exclusive group for some cool dicing (120-140 mph!) on a private driveway near my home that would cause you to wet your pants the first time you take a ride along! You might want to check out my posts in off topic where my friend Pat actually won a GT2 event in Canada in a car identical to mine. They whip up on two doors all the time on road courses.

Your conclusions are dead wrong about me. I certainly wish I could imagine you were more correct in your condemnation of two of the most widely respected and credible car rags on the planet. I believe Car and Driver has more senior editors with 200+ mph experience than anyone. Their circulation is worldwide, and they actively support ENTHUSIASTS!

Please elaborate how you manage to simultaneously deny their credibility while endorsing consumer reports. This is the same rag that gave my car a poor rating before it was even made!

Are they psychic? Or are you?

 

[fdcg27]

I'd drive a Veyron at top speed too.
The Germans have pretty well idiot proofed the car.
WRT causing me to wet my pants, I've driven plenty fast in a variety of cars where safe to do so, and I would imagine that I could get you a little loose in the bladder as my passenger, while doing nothing at all dangerous, although doing it quickly.
We both know that it's much more frightening to ride as a passenger than to drive.
I'm glad to hear that you really run your car on road courses.
This is the only form of racing, to me.
I stand corrected.
CR tests and writes for most drivers, not those who have real track experience.
That makes CR more useful to most drivers, as opposed to the buff books, which seem to encourage feats of daring-do by those not able to perform them.
Driving a loaner Corvette, as well as some other manufacturer's loaners, quickly around a private circuit in Illinois doesn't really count.
Once again, most of us could do this, since we know that the car will protect us well should we err and we know that the cost of damage won't be our's, but will be chalked up to some company's promotional budget.
A weekend driving school at any circuit will teach you 99% of what you need to know to drive quickly without getting in over your head.
C&D once had columnists with real racing cred, like Pat Bedard.
C&D once had many very entertainng columnists
There are no such people left at the rag.
R&T has only Peter Egan as a credible columnist.
R&T also once had many such writers.
What I mean is they both had people who had obviously owned, wrenched and driven many cars hard, as well as tracked them.
Heck, R&T once had an authentic old school F1 team owner as its reporter on the Grand Prix circuit.
No more.
Do you own a Chrysler 300?
Sounds like it.

 

[SteveSRT8]

I own several cars and a fleet of vans and pickups we use for a business. I do not like to list all my possessions in my sig.

I would definitely agree it is easier to scare me as a passenger. I made a friend scream in terror as I accelerated out of the banking at Homestead (Skip Barber event) and went all the way to nearly 160 mph just before I braked rather aggressively into the infield raceway. He drives a Porsche that is trailered to these events, and he simply could not believe my car was stock and a luxury sedan.

Re: the 300, I do own one. A 2006 SRT8 that I purchased in August 05. Best new car I have ever purchased in 40 years of motoring. Available in several flavors but rather limited production numbers. Panned BEFORE it was even sold to the public by the idjits at CR. I'm just not a fan.

 

[Volvohead]

I don't track anymore.

But when I did, nobody then really paid much attention to the auto mags, or to CU for that matter. They all had their little biases and publishing masters. I'm sure it's only gotten worse.

As as we all know, a good track car is a good track car, and we don't need the glossy mags to tell us that.

I'll never drive as a passenger on the track, as I can't control what's going on, and it's the lack of control that is most disconcerting.

Still, some great track cars are repair pigs, so I'm not sure how the CU/JDP ratings matter. Porsche #2? Tell that to the guy staring at an engine that just grenaded after the IMS bearing let go.

I guess for the guy just looking for dependable family transportation, CU has some value. But anyone making a buying decision solely on what CU, or any single source, says, needs to get out of the lemming tank.

 

[fdcg27]

Is the SRT the twelve second car in your sig?
These are remarkably strong rides for what they are.
I mean, this is a large, hefty four door that can suck the headlights out of quite a few cars with more sporting pretentions.
A remarkable piece of work, more so than a Corvette, which would lack the daily usefulness of any 300.
I've never been a big Chrysler fan, but Chrysler has made some really neat cars from time to time over the years.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Is the SRT the twelve second car in your sig?
These are remarkably strong rides for what they are.
I mean, this is a large, hefty four door that can suck the headlights out of quite a few cars with more sporting pretentions.
A remarkable piece of work, more so than a Corvette, which would lack the daily usefulness of any 300.
I've never been a big Chrysler fan, but Chrysler has made some really neat cars from time to time over the years.


Chrysler really nailed it. The 300 has been a runaway hit and still sells like crazy in all models. The styling is polarizing, but at least it won't be confused for another car IMO!

I am a car fan, not a brand fan. I don't buy very many new cars so when I get one it is with the intent to keep it forever. I was truly impressed by this one, as I can take 5 people to dinner in silence and comfort and then embarrass my track rat buddies at HPDE's. Even my wife loves the car. You have to spend a LOT more than I did to get anything comparable, even 7 years later.

 

[ChiTDI]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
^^^Same thing in the sixties. Cars have improved so much it is almost unbelievable.


We took delivery of a Ford Fairlane V8 in the late 50s.
Wouldn't start the next morning. Automatic choke was in an envelope twist wired to the carburetor.

Dealer prep. Right.

Improved to the point of being almost unbelievable for sure.