Cars We Drive!

[A Y]



That's why you get complete sets including wheels and TPMS. Swap them in a parking lot with a Sears torque wrench in 45 minutes.

I'd have separate winter wheels too if I had to use snow tires. Using the same size profile tires with winter tires is often not possible (because not many winter tires are manufactured in the large summer tire sizes), and not a good idea. Winter wheels are generally smaller and narrower, both of which help with winter driving.

And now for something completely different: the greatest car that will ever be built in racing trim at Spa, racing against some old CanAm machinery:

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

Highlights:

2:18 - the awesome sounds of a flying start
3:18, 3:28 - compare the sounds of the BMW V12 against a big old Chevy V8 as they head up to Eau Rouge
9:30 - in-car in the Big Mac as it goes into Eau Rouge. The violence of the upshifts is one of the most distinctive sounds of that car. Too bad modern double-clutch transmissions all sound like slushboxes now.

You can hear the difference around 4:00 when he's coasting, and when he picks up the throttle a few seconds later. Gordon Murray, the F1's designer, wanted, in his words, a "vivid" throttle response, and the drivetrain (lightweight flywheel) and engine (multiple fuel injectors, no turbo) was designed to facilitate that.

And as a sign of how fast that section is, he's not full on the gas, is going uphill, and has to correct for his car sliding.

 

[username79]



dude has like a CL600 and a 997TT or something like that though - I think he can spend the $25 to get somebody to do them. Do dealerships offer storage for winter tires if you buy them off them? (yeah i realize what I am saying...) - they do it in Asia for prestige marques since most of them are RWD, and storage space for even 4 tires is genuinely expensive....

It's not about cost it's about convenience. I have at the moment four sets of wheels for my M3 - all seasons for winter, summers, and two sets for the track. Do you really want to deal with the hassle of taking your car somewhere to do something as simple as switch wheels? Storage is not too bad (though I am not in Asia) -- live in a condo and bought a locker.

 

[JayJay]



dude has like a CL600 and a 997TT or something like that though - I think he can spend the $25 to get somebody to do them. Do dealerships offer storage for winter tires if you buy them off them? (yeah i realize what I am saying...) - they do it in Asia for prestige marques since most of them are RWD, and storage space for even 4 tires is genuinely expensive....

I don't change them myself, I take the car to the tire shop to have them switched. Making time to go is the problem. The dealers here no longer store the tires and wheels for you.

 

[GreenFrog]

dude has like a CL600 and a 997TT or something like that though - I think he can spend the $25 to get somebody to do them. Do dealerships offer storage for winter tires if you buy them off them? (yeah i realize what I am saying...) - they do it in Asia for prestige marques since most of them are RWD, and storage space for even 4 tires is genuinely expensive....

It's not about cost it's about convenience. I have at the moment four sets of wheels for my M3 - all seasons for winter, summers, and two sets for the track. Do you really want to deal with the hassle of taking your car somewhere to do something as simple as switch wheels? Storage is not too bad (though I am not in Asia) -- live in a condo and bought a locker.

You use all seasons for a dedicated winter setup?

 

[impolyt_one]



It's not about cost it's about convenience. I have at the moment four sets of wheels for my M3 - all seasons for winter, summers, and two sets for the track. Do you really want to deal with the hassle of taking your car somewhere to do something as simple as switch wheels? Storage is not too bad (though I am not in Asia) -- live in a condo and bought a locker.

It'd work if you can do it at home or near your locker, but none of these cars can fit all 4 wheels to take them someplace, so it wouldn't work in my living situation. My garage will be a block or two from my house and have nothing but some painted lines in there, and my wife wouldn't let me keep car parts in the spare room. I had a few sets of wheels for my last BMW but I don't remember how i handled that, I think I left them in my dad's garage but I do remember having wheels and tires in my apartment kitchen for awhile. No longer 22 so I can't do stuff like that anymore.

 

[jet]

That's why you get complete sets including wheels and TPMS. Swap them in a parking lot with a Sears torque wrench in 45 minutes.

I'd have separate winter wheels too if I had to use snow tires. Using the same size profile tires with winter tires is often not possible (because not many winter tires are manufactured in the large summer tire sizes), and not a good idea. Winter wheels are generally smaller and narrower, both of which help with winter driving.

And now for something completely different: the greatest car that will ever be built in racing trim at Spa, racing against some old CanAm machinery:

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

Highlights:

2:18 - the awesome sounds of a flying start
3:18, 3:28 - compare the sounds of the BMW V12 against a big old Chevy V8 as they head up to Eau Rouge
9:30 - in-car in the Big Mac as it goes into Eau Rouge. The violence of the upshifts is one of the most distinctive sounds of that car. Too bad modern double-clutch transmissions all sound like slushboxes now.

You can hear the difference around 4:00 when he's coasting, and when he picks up the throttle a few seconds later. Gordon Murray, the F1's designer, wanted, in his words, a "vivid" throttle response, and the drivetrain (lightweight flywheel) and engine (multiple fuel injectors, no turbo) was designed to facilitate that.

And as a sign of how fast that section is, he's not full on the gas, is going uphill, and has to correct for his car sliding.

Goddam this was so good thanks for sharing.

 

[Cedric]



Astons maintenance cost is actually one of the cheaper ones in it's class in comparison to Ferrari, Lambo or Bentley. It is around the same range as a Porsche, just very sligthly more. For wear and tear, it really depends what breaks down in the car. For Vantages, the most common problem seems to be oil leaks, those tend to be covered by warranty but it cost cost a grand or two to fix at times.

i wonder where you get your facts from RFX45 lol

Astons? Forget about it.

Here's to give you idea of Ferrari service costs.

 

[Find Finn]

A mate of mine has a 360 spyder, he had it serviced just before putting in winter storage and it was 12000$ for a service and new brake pads.

 

[junior varsity]



A mate of mine has a 360 spyder, he had it serviced just before putting in winter storage and it was 12000$ for a service and new brake pads.

does that include hookers and blow and the emperor's suite at the las vegas mandarin oriental?

 

[Find Finn]



does that include hookers and blow and the emperor's suite at the las vegas mandarin oriental?

Nope standard rate at Ferrari Copenhagen.

 

[JayJay]



Finally swapped my winter tires out for summers on my 535i. My car is fun to drive again!

I walked into the garage this morning to find one of my tires completely flat. After inflating it with my bicycle pump, I was motivated to load the summer set-up into the trunk and back seats, and take the car to get the tires switched. It's about time I got this taken care of.

 

[akatsuki]

Anyone seen a direct comparison of the Jag XJ vs Panamera? Preferably by someone who actually knows what they are doing and isn't all that obsessed with handling in a luxo-cruiser?

 

[JayJay]

^^^I've heard nothing but positives about the XJ's handling. I can't recall reading a comparison of the Pan and XJ though.

 

[RFX45]

Astons maintenance cost is actually one of the cheaper ones in it's class in comparison to Ferrari, Lambo or Bentley. It is around the same range as a Porsche, just very sligthly more. For wear and tear, it really depends what breaks down in the car. For Vantages, the most common problem seems to be oil leaks, those tend to be covered by warranty but it cost cost a grand or two to fix at times.

i wonder where you get your facts from RFX45 lol

Astons? Forget about it.

I actually know a few who has Astons and I frequently lurk 6speedonline. I always talk to people who owns Astons when I track car, there are also a few who tracks Lambos, Ferrari's, plenty of Porsche owners, etc... No point in making up the Aston maintenance cost.

Plus I actually considered a used V8 Vantage before I bought my Z4 so I did my research on them too.

 

[epb]



It's not about cost it's about convenience. I have at the moment four sets of wheels for my M3 - all seasons for winter, summers, and two sets for the track. Do you really want to deal with the hassle of taking your car somewhere to do something as simple as switch wheels?

Compared to the hassle of driving thu a Chicago winter on summers or ruining my winters by driving on the year-round? Yeah.