So Long Z - it was Fun(ish)

[rocksandblues]

It seems like we are in a little bit of a golden age of car culture. I mean the 90s was good, but I was too young to enjoy that properly.

I love that there are so many options for so many types at the moment. All of the new sports cars are just great in different ways.

Get in an older sports car and you realise how lucky we are today. The new M240i is such an incredible car, you get in a 2000 M3 and its just night and day.

I did a track day recently with a guy in a new M2, it was a rocket.

Older cars were too analog, future cars will be too tech heavy (looking at you 2024 Mustang) or electric. Today we have a really nice balance.

Hoorah for all cars!

I agree with golden age and hooray for almost any 2-door sports car.

h o w e v e r, as someone that still owns a 2002 M3- that analog/raw feeling is lacking these days. Lots of these sports cars have lost the driver/road connection with all the gee wiz ecus, sound deadening numb feeling/safe handling responses.
Yes, there are tons of run of the mill machines that can outrun my lowly 333hp. But none communicate back and have the personality.
In 2002- 333hp, built in pedal commander, 6 gears, was amazing. And it still holds up as an exciting and passionate ride. .02

there are a few older sports cars from different eras that just never get old. Friends 964 Porsche is another one.

 

[zpro_fast]

I agree with golden age and hooray for almost any 2-door sports car.

h o w e v e r, as someone that still owns a 2002 M3- that analog/raw feeling is lacking these days. Lots of these sports cars have lost the driver/road connection with all the gee wiz ecus, sound deadening numb feeling/safe handling responses.
Yes, there are tons of run of the mill machines that can outrun my lowly 333hp. But none communicate back and have the personality.
In 2002- 333hp, built in pedal commander, 6 gears, was amazing. And it still holds up as an exciting and passionate ride. .02

there are a few older sports cars from different eras that just never get old. Friends 964 Porsche is another one.

100 agree.

I’ve got 90s cars. That raw feeling is awesome.

The maintenance costs not so much.

The fact that we can still buy something new. Under warranty. Fixed price servicing. Turn key go fun yay.

I just feel lucky in that way that’s all I’m saying.

There are people who would say that a 2002 M3 just doesn’t have the same raw feeling that a M3 e30 had.

Everyone is right and we all win because we can choose old or new.

 

[trackratZ]

Us enthusiasts should ALWAYS keep one analog, sports car, my RB26DETT 240Z is so raw that no modern machinery can compare - the noise, notchy short shifter, no ABS, no power steering, etc. Modern sports cars/coupes are much faster and so effortless in getting up to speed and on-rails handling in comparison. Have both and swap rides often, grins at both ends!

 

[takemorepills]

It seems like we are in a little bit of a golden age of car culture. I mean the 90s was good, but I was too young to enjoy that properly.

I love that there are so many options for so many types at the moment. All of the new sports cars are just great in different ways.

Get in an older sports car and you realise how lucky we are today. The new M240i is such an incredible car, you get in a 2000 M3 and its just night and day.

I did a track day recently with a guy in a new M2, it was a rocket.

Older cars were too analog, future cars will be too tech heavy (looking at you 2024 Mustang) or electric. Today we have a really nice balance.

Hoorah for all cars!

Respectfully disagree.

New cars have one foot in the dumpster.

I had a 2016 GTI DSG SE PP LP, and my old 1987 Prelude Si concurrently.
No doubt, the GTI was by far superior in metrics. It was tuned and quite fast for a FWD 4 banger.
But, devoid of spirit.
The Prelude was so good that even my son, then 10 years old could tell the difference. With lower limits, big windows, and a feeling it rotated under your ass, instead of out front, somehow made corner carving way more enjoyable. Even though the GTI was faster in every way....

Modern performance machines are so saddled by regulation, quickly obsoleted tech and market share loss that they've become disposable or just a shadow of their former nameplates.

I do agree that BMW and Porsche are making the best of these headwinds, but too many have given up.

And many of the excellent German cars require an expensive software license to even repair them. Ford mustang does too.

It's all screens and firmware now, and all of that will become obsolete way too soon, weighing down an otherwise excellent platform with outdated bloatware.

The Z and GR Corolla are about the only vehicles left that could be considered collectable, but the tech-light approach they take holds them back with modern consumers....

With so few players in the game, this isn't a golden age IMO. I would say we are lucky that the few choices left are pretty good. But, they're expensive and oftentimes hard to find...
I have never seen a 3.0L Supra at any of the Toyota dealerships I routinely visited during my 3+ years long search for a new truck.....

 

[trackratZ]

Another example, observation. My prev E46 M3, lightly tuned was so visceral and twitchy at limits, and then compared to a friend's E92 M3 I was instructing, that the latter eventhough stuck really well on track, it was SO quiet and no tactile feelings driving it; the difference I'm talking about. Modern machinery are too capable with nannies (if numbers are the metric) but too muted. Keep an analog car somewhere in your garage or car port or barn, or you'll miss it.

The new Z thankfully still kept a lot of that, less electronics, more to tinker with and upgrade. My draw actually, still here on this form, and turning heads when passing a Nissan dealer LOL. Last few of the breed.

 

[DEUPRA]

The Z and GR Corolla are about the only vehicles left that could be considered collectable, but the tech-light approach they take holds them back with modern consumers....

Add the GR86/BRZ and Miata to that list? All 4 of these still have manual hand brakes

 

[zpro_fast]

Respectfully disagree.

New cars have one foot in the dumpster.

I had a 2016 GTI DSG SE PP LP, and my old 1987 Prelude Si concurrently.
No doubt, the GTI was by far superior in metrics. It was tuned and quite fast for a FWD 4 banger.
But, devoid of spirit.
The Prelude was so good that even my son, then 10 years old could tell the difference. With lower limits, big windows, and a feeling it rotated under your ass, instead of out front, somehow made corner carving way more enjoyable. Even though the GTI was faster in every way....

Modern performance machines are so saddled by regulation, quickly obsoleted tech and market share loss that they've become disposable or just a shadow of their former nameplates.

I do agree that BMW and Porsche are making the best of these headwinds, but too many have given up.

And many of the excellent German cars require an expensive software license to even repair them. Ford mustang does too.

It's all screens and firmware now, and all of that will become obsolete way too soon, weighing down an otherwise excellent platform with outdated bloatware.

The Z and GR Corolla are about the only vehicles left that could be considered collectable, but the tech-light approach they take holds them back with modern consumers....

With so few players in the game, this isn't a golden age IMO. I would say we are lucky that the few choices left are pretty good. But, they're expensive and oftentimes hard to find...
I have never seen a 3.0L Supra at any of the Toyota dealerships I routinely visited during my 3+ years long search for a new truck.....

When I said golden age I’m referring to two things.

1. We have options now. You can drive an old car, new car, whatever is your preference. Lots of people love new reliable and lots love the classics. I love both.

2. Car culture is really strong at the moment and I think lots of the new cars are the reason for that. The generation coming through can buy a cheap ft86 or brz and daily drive it.

I didn’t say new was better. I just said they are very different. And I love that we have all the options.

In Australia is easy to get sports cars. We don’t have dealer mark ups and we don’t have any shortage of decent second hand cars around. Cost of living is high here though.

We do, however, miss out on lots of cars in general. Which is why JdM is strong here, same side of the car we drive on.

 

[takemorepills]

Add the GR86/BRZ and Miata to that list? All 4 of these still have manual hand brakes

For sure! Manual hand brakes are a must.

I remember when GTI/Golf R was still manual hand brake. When they went to haptic touch buttons, killed the 6MT and added screens instead, they went off my list.