In a message dated 3/29/01 11:51:18 AM Eastern Standard Time, kturk@ala.net
writes:
> you mentioned the One thing that I always come back to on an LBC... Soul...
> it's about the feel and heart of a car.... the Hundred has never failed me
> ever.... but Like I have said before I did a fair job of restoring it for a
> kid...
>
>
Amen, Keith. But I also find the German cars to have souls, too, something
I've never experienced with a Japanese car. From 94-95, I had a 93 Prelude
Si, which was really a good car -- handled better stock than any car I had
ever driven. Lots of useful torque, quick, short, slick shifter, etc. It
was the fastest, best handling, least fun-to-drive car I ever had. I can't
exactly put into words why, but I'll try: the car was essentially unknowable
-- just an appliance that had no interest in establishing a relationship with
me. Extremely competent if you look at the facts, but ultimately very
unsatisfying to drive, despite bulltproof reliability and the ability to snap
your head back at 80 mph in 5th gear. So I sold it and got a 95 GTI VR6 as
my daily driver. Not as reliable or as refined, maybe a little faster, not
nearly as competent at cornering, but just a lot more fun. A LOT more fun.
I guess I just thought the Prelude had been refined and refined and perfected
to the point that it had no personality. I hope the folks on this list will
understand this moreso than non-car folks, but to me, cars over time become
like your friends -- you know their moods and their bad days and what they
like and don't like, and the Prelude just couldn't be bothered with
communicating with me. So I sold it and didn't look back.
I have since traded the GTI for an older Audi S4 TQ -- a car with more
personality than is probably good for either of us.
BMW = Chevy? IMHO, no. Not ever.
Chris Eck
59 Bugeye
59 TR3A
93 Audi S4 TQ
(ex) 71 Midget
(ex) 95 GTI VR6
(ex) 85 Scirocco 8v
(ex) 80 Audi 4000
(ex) 93 Prelude Si
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/// (If they are dupes, this trailer may also catch them.)
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