What do you drive?

[Panther063]

Basically I want to know if the old saying about men getting older and their car getting bigger is true.

[TBG 150]

That would depend on where you reside I guess. When I clicked to answer, 27 people had viewed the thread and not one bothered to answer. Weirdest group I ever saw.

There used to be a time that your car was your status symbol. As you got more successful, you bought a more luxurious or sportier car. In the early to mid 20th century, if you drove a Cadillac you were considered to have reached the pinnacle of your profession. Then, Cadillac was considered the Standard of the World.

Now, most anyone can have anything with the costs of leasing being so affordable to most. Joe Average can drive a Mercedes or a Cadillac on a lease, whereas he likely could never afford to buy one.

It seems nowadays, the somewhat successful people or those that want to appear successful, drive Lexus, BMW, Porsche, M.B.'s Audi's and a lot of other high end imports. 90% of them are leased because of the silly tax laws in America, the cost of the lease can be written off as a business expense, even though there is no business, the guy is merely an employee of a company.

Those that reside in Europe, it seems to what I see, drive EuroEconoboxes. With fuel being the price that it is in most countries, big automobiles are for the very rich or dignitaries.

And you down under are losing your Holdens to the frickin Chinese. Just like the US, your government is selling you out by letting the Korean, Japanese and Chinese junk into your country.

[Guest Pirate]

You are right about our problems, we are about to loose the Holden to China. Everybody is blaming the current Liberal government but they have only been in office for about 130 days, even they couldn't screw up the motor industry that quick. This has been an issue consecutive governments have stuffed up for years, making the industry survive on subsidies, which offsets the cost of every car by about $2500. Now the government have withdrawn the support, Holden's can't put up their prices because they become uncompetitive, so close the doors. If the government hadn't interfered in the first place and let the market find its own level, this would never have happened. Would I pay an extra $2500 for a $35000 car? Probably would, especially as my taxes would probably be lower because I wouldn't have to prop up the subsidies. And it would be Australian made!

As for what I drive, tbg150 right again,  small 4 cylinder diesel 'cos I can't afford the fuel. And the diesel comes from Singapore.

[dlar26]

I guess it depends on the weather, and mood, and where I'm going. If I'm taking the little woman out or feel like being the old respectable gueezer, I will drive the silver Chrysler 300. If I'm wanting to go out and play I drive the old 85 Ford F150 to pull the 1959 Cutter to the various lakes. If I want to go out with my biker freinds I ride the Harley Heritage softail. Mostly I just really enjoy my favorite at the moment. A 95 mitsubishi 3000GT. I have always had trans ams or z28 camaros or corvettes, but they are getting harder to get in and  out of. Or maybe its me. The insurance company and the state of Florida really love me. But the old saying is if you want to play, you have to pay.

[Guest jackson23]

I drive a 2009 Ford Ranger. Have always been a Chevy man ( first in 53) but can't bring myself to buy Government Motors.

[Guest Squirrel]

To keep TBG150 happy, I'll respond.

To keep the Aussie's happy, I'll let you understand that I know what the Holden is. One of my distant Aussie cousins was an engineer who worked with GM to get the Aussie auto industry started. You can be proud of the result.

The Chrysler 300 absolutely rocks. I'd buy one if I hadn't been relocated to Obamaville.

I drive a Pontiac G6. Nice sedan; freeway mileage is good. I dumped a Mercedes for it.

Once a man gets older, especially if he's Northern European or African genetic stock, he'll go for leg room. I have trouble folding up into most economy Asian cars. Plus, kids show up, and then you find out you need an automatic transmission so you can back-hand them when they fight in the back seat, or when you need that cup of coffee on the way to work.

If you are a real working man in North America, you'll need a truck. Smart Cars may work in Europe; but wouldn't last 6 months in the Dakotas or other expanses of the west. Plus, the cowboys would laugh at you.

I learned to drive on a '57 Ford Fairlane 500 with the big engine: It weighed as much as a WWII aircraft carrier and hauled ass. 100 percent metal monster. 12 mpg on the freeway; 7 mpg when my brother and I raced it on back roads at 130 mph.

My first car was a real '66 Triumph (Not British Leyland) Spitfire Mark II. It fit my 6'3" frame. I could WORK on it, from crankshaft to the chrome. In fact, even with the Lucas electricals, I kept that sucker rolling for 500,000 miles over 25 years. It was slow as hell; but it was nimble as a weasel, was tweaked to get 50 MPG (important during the Carter years), and most importantly, it was a chick magnet. Still have dreams about that car.

The only problem with it was that Nora and Leora weren't in the passenger seat. I had to settle for look-alikes.

How's that for a response TBG? Kinda long? Sorry 'bout that. Maybe you can talk me into cruising in your Caddy with fine women and entice me to get my ass outta here to gator-land... and yes, it was the Rolex watch of the time period...(we now que ZZ Top at full blast...)

[TBG 150]

I've been a Ford man for many years. Before that it was always GM. The last 6 have been Fords. But I still gravitate to GM for the old ones. There have been 6 Cadillacs over the past few years. I also began driving on the big Chryslers. I love the big luxobarges.

First car was a '69 GTX, 426Hemi with a Hurst 4 speed and Dana 4:11 rear. WTH? Gas was 40 cents a gallon. Who cared about 8mpg them. Plus it would outrun the Staties and and you could play cat and mouse with them.

In the driveway now is a 2011 F150 Platinum, a 2011 Ford Explorer, (wifes) and the Cadillac sits in the garage.

I know if I were to ever get another muscle car, I'd die in it.

[Panther063]

Myself, I started out in Holdens as my dad was a Holden man.

I drove them since before I could legally drive on the roads.

After a few of them I downsized and fell in love with V.W. Beetles, restored a number of them and sold them on, wish I'd kept one of the pristine examples now.

Not satisfied with their speed or performance, I took a spanner to one and did what I had to, to make it competitive on the roads.

From a stock 1.6L engine I used a new rhino case and turned it into a 2.2L street racer, that thing was quick over the quarter but still had a low top speed.

Now I'm happy driving a Jap 4cyl that cruises comfortably at highway speeds and is relatively fast, just wish the handling was better than a wet sponge.

[hapval55]

I learned to drive in my Dad's 58 Dodge 9 passenger station wagon with the rear facing third seat.  The 383, 4 barrel provided plenty of power.  Gas was 33 cents a gallon but it was still difficult finding the money while working part time and going to school to have some fun on the weekend.  My first car was a "Nader Loved" 65 Chevy Covair convertable.  I scrapped the inside of the windshield during the winter months.  The gas smelling heat might be part of my problem now. LOL  I now drive a 99 Dodge Dakota P/U that gets about the same gas mileage as the 58.

[TBG 150]

The 58's had either 350 or 361 V-8's. The 383's didn't come around until 1959 along with the 413 and 426. The 426 was a 'Hemi', while the rest of the B series engines were 'wedge' engines. The earlier RB engines were 392 Hemi's.

**EDIT**

Did some digging and you can get some confusing history here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_B_engine

[Guest Squirrel]

Gee. I now wanna join the new generation and buy a Tesla.

On the other hand, maybe I'd like to have the bitcoins instead...

[Panther063]

Give me a Tesla roadster or sportscar any day.

(not too sure about Lithium batteries though)

Bitcoins are too volatile, especially now that China refuses to accept them.