So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

[rogerkambah]

If it is where i think it is, I'd trust him over a Porsche dealership any day! He does a lot of work on race/track cars in this area as well.

He's done work on some of my cars as well over the years.

Chris at Inline

 

[TheRealTMA]

Here's what the well dressed Melbourne Police Force were driving in 1970!

 

[tgh]

Mi_eg has just had its last visit to the dealer, out of warranty and the nearby workshop is much more reliable.
A heads up… it had a new battery while it was there ($500) .. it is a big battery and I could not find a non genuine replacement.
Battery was slowly dying and I wondered why.
I eventually decided that the camera wakes up and takes a bit of footage every time someone walks past the truck in the garage.
As it spends a lot of it's life sleeping the average charge was probably on the low side and slowly killed it...

 

[TheRealTMA]

Mi_eg has just had its last visit to the dealer, out of warranty and the nearby workshop is much more reliable.
A heads up… it had a new battery while it was there ($500) .. it is a big battery and I could not find a non genuine replacement.
Battery was slowly dying and I wondered why.
I eventually decided that the camera wakes up and takes a bit of footage every time someone walks past the truck in the garage.
As it spends a lot of it's life sleeping the average charge was probably on the low side and slowly killed it...

You probably should have a Lithium battery backup for the dash cam?

 

[tgh]

Both the car and the camera "claim" to monitor voltage and prevent the battery dropping too low.
Batteries don't like long periods of less than full charge, hence the problem.
I suspect that a big lithium battery would be needed and there could be handover issues when the car is mobile.
I can turn the camera off when I park it at home (remembering is the problem) , or plug in a little float charger and hope to remember to unplug it before departure.
I guess there is conceptually value in the camera on watch , so the charger can share the car and the bike.

 

[Buzzard]

If it is where i think it is, I'd trust him over a Porsche dealership any day! He does a lot of work on race/track cars in this area as well.

He's done work on some of my cars as well over the years.

On a similar note I get my Harley serviced by a place that has an association with the Hells Angels.
They even have a social at the workshop every Thursday night.
Couldn't be happier. The local Harley dealer was (is?) hopeless, I'll not be going back.

 

[jb747]

Here's what the well dressed Melbourne Police Force were driving in 1970!

Are you sure that it's police. It looks like the RAAF Academy uniform of the era.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Are you sure that it's police. It looks like the RAAF Academy uniform of the era.

Actually, no i have NFI who they were. Just took the photo of the car and "men in hats"

 

[rogerkambah]

Was it National Porsche Day today?
On my way to the medico for a small facial skin biopsy I saw 4 Porsches in the the space of 5km.
Spoke to the last one in his 718, while we were waiting for the lights to change. He informed me that the 718 goes very well. I have no reason to doubt him. Zero to 100 in 4.9 secs. Mine is a slug taking 5.7 secs. Even my WRX is quicker at 5.3 secs.

 

[jb747]

I’d take the Porsche no matter how much it gave up to a WRX.

 

[tgh]

A bright young engineer bought one of the first wrx's made, he was super excited and insisted on taking anyone and everyone for a blast.
I recall being impressed at the 4paw traction as he did his little sprint demo.
He only managed a few days of demo's before the clutch gave out….
Subaru paid for one but told him the next one would be on him.
I believe that he subsequently invested in a lot of clutches before moving on to something more robust..

 

[rogerkambah]

On a nice sunny day there is nothing quite like going topless in a Porsche and hearing the exhaust wail as the revs rise towards the cutoff point. Sadly I can only do this in second gear as, having respect for the machinery, I don't like to run first gear very hard and the legal limit is passed before the symphony reaches a crescendo in the other gears.

 

[rogerkambah]

A bright young engineer bought one of the first wrx's made, he was super excited and insisted on taking anyone and everyone for a blast.
I recall being impressed at the 4paw traction as he did his little sprint demo.
He only managed a few days of demo's before the clutch gave out….
Subaru paid for one but told him the next one would be on him.
I believe that he subsequently invested in a lot of clutches before moving on to something more robust..

Anything can be broken if one mistreats it long enough. I have only broken one clutch and that was many years ago in my Bolwell, when I was much younger and drove more 'enthusiastically'.

If the 'engineer' was regularly destroying clutches I'd think he would have had a huge tyre bill.

However, my opinion of Subarus is that they are basically well made and quite tough. I think their record in WRC and more recently in competition like Targa Tasmania and High Country testify to this.

 

[efektt]

Currently driving a pre-facelift Audi RS3, pretty much untouchable in a straight line. Had an engine re-tune with a couple supporting modifications, managed 0-100 in 3.5secs.
Don't really trust the handling capabilities of the car through.

 

[tgh]

#2 son had a 2018 BMW R1200GS , I only rode it once (could have ridden it more if I wanted) but when the tap was wide open off the mark it took all the grey matter out of my brain and I quit in second iiirc.
Bikes are quick ; a 1200 does 0-60 in 2.9 and my woosie "girls bike" does it in 3.8..

 

[jb747]

Currently driving a pre-facelift Audi RS3, pretty much untouchable in a straight line. Had an engine re-tune with a couple supporting modifications, managed 0-100 in 3.5secs.
Don't really trust the handling capabilities of the car through.

They handle well...as long as you like understeer. But they make the best noise on the planet.

I used to have a '96 MR2. That handled well too, unless you decided to explore the limits. I once flew with an FO who said he'd had one, but for only two days before he crashed it. I asked if he'd backed off in a corner, and gone off the road backwards. Yep. Lift off oversteer, in a huge way. But, up to 9 tenths, it was great.

 

[JohnM]

I think its time for an update on my Ford Everest.

I took delivery on 24 April - 10 weeks ago last Friday. It's just coming up to 10K clicks on the odo. Mostly country driving, pretty obviously.

I'm particularly impressed with the fuel economy - a significant factor for me (as long as power doesn't suffer too much ). I have the newer 2.0L bi-turbo donk (diesel). It comes with the 10-speed auto (8-10 are O/D). The overall average is running at 8.0-shading 8.1L/100km. I'm impressed. What I have noticed is if I sit at 90-100kph that seems to be a very sweet spot for fuel consumption - and bizarrely on the face of it, the average shades back down when I return to the city for a couple of weeks. Pushed up to 110kph the hit is noticeable - but certainly not excruciating. Most of that 10K clicks has been at 110kph (we do have a sensible open-road speed limit in WA ). The auto trans is smooth-as.

My previous Audi A4 2.0T Quattro (Nb. not an 'S') sedan over 90+K clicks - including lots of country running and a trans-con run - averaged 8.4 shading 8.3L/100km on 95RON. Frankly, not brilliant (but, hey, it was made by a criminal organisation) - and noticeably consumption took a hit when back in the city - seemingly opposite to the Everest.

The other thing that impresses is rolling acceleration. I've had quite a few occasions of ramping up to be sailing well N of 150kph overtaking a semi without being flat to the floor.

It goes well on dirt (I did swap out the standard-fit road tyres for 'crossover' AT Michelin LT Force boots to give it a bit more duty without going totally scratchy off-road style). Seems to have worked well. And - importantly - they are quiet on coarse-chip bitumen.

It suits my needs very well - very good 'cruisability' over long distances on both bitumen and (good) dirt (some of the firm sandy/clay dirt roads in outback WA are actually smoother and much nicer to err, how shall I say, get along on , than the bitumen on Highway 1).

Bits of off-road use on sand or rocks have been so trivial so far that I can't make sensible comment on that aspect. But I was never aiming to be a beach or rock-crawler.

So far, so good.

 

[Muppet501st]

First time ive seen this thread
I have a few old cars, that my son and i enjoy
Original unrestored 1954 FJ Holden,
Nearly original 1959 FC Holden
Original unrestored 1974 LH Torana
1978 MGB
1976 Mazda rx5
1980 Ford courier ute
1971 Mercury Cougar xr7, 429 Cobra Jet

 

[Cossie]

Wow, that's a a wide and impressive variety of vehicles, photos of the Cobra Jet possible?

Also like the number plates that match.

 

[tgh]

In the 60's us good old country boys would buy traded in ,sometimes pristine, 30's collectors cars from dealers for the price of a burger and thrash and trash them around the bush for "fun".
You couldn't give away a 48/215 in those days….