rp430

Along the same lines as to mod or not to mod, I would like to pose the question as to what motivates people to want to drive fast cars.

In my time I have drag raced (at the strip, and on the street too ), competed in hill climbs, gymkhanas (now known as autocrosses), rallies, and competed in a regional Late Model circle track tour (full tubular coil over chassis, fiberglass body, 600 H.P).

Obviously the car I drive on the street must handle well and be reasonably fast. To me, a car has to be performance oriented or I can't be happy with it because racing of one type or another has always been in my blood.

What is it within you that makes you want to drive a fast car?

byip25

fully agree w/ you. i can't drive slow! when im doing about 80 mph, my blood pressure isnt even starting to rise. hell, i dont get excited until the speedo reads alteast 120 mph. i guess its the rush of speeD!! My benz is my second car. my first car was a 90 maxima and it hauled *** for a first car. but to answer ur question of what constitutes the need to have a fast car: For me, its just one of the few things that make u feel a rush that only the select few understand

B

Newbie

I want to pursue a career in racing because of my need for speed, actually.

sorlo

I don't really drive fast, but it's good to have a fast car to beat some a$$ when needed!!!
:p

SmoothJyzz

For me, it's the fact that to drive slowly takes almost no skill, whereas to drive at speed takes concentration, quick reflexes, planning (always have an out), skill, etc....

Plus, I like to push it. There's nothing better than to get be on a two-lane state road driving 85 or so when the sun comes up...listening to the jams..feeling fine!


dee

LowRydeR

I've gone to 140mph on the freeway before, I'm only 17 but I love driving my car and hit its max speed. Going that fast on the freeway is needed sometimes because some ******* need to get their *** kicked by us Mercedes owners.

Drew

You know rp430, for me, its not so much the abililty to 'go-fast' that I prefer ... its the ability to 'go-quickly'.

My take is that most-any car can go 100 MPH ... but very few can go from 0-60 in 5 sec., or 60-100 MPH in what seems like the blink of an eye.

I'm an impatient SOB ... i hate to wait (in lines at the grocery store ... or behind some moron going 55 in the fast-lane ... or behind some comatose-person who takes 5 minutes to launch his vehicle to cruising speed from a standing stop at a stoplight).

I also find it hard to go fast in most highway-situations safely. When I do get a chance to open it up ... there's always some moron who see's me coming-hard, but changes into my lane anyway (usually some blue-hair-driver-who-should-have-hung-up-the-drivers-license-20-years-ago-!)... or that other moron who cruises 55 in the fast lane and doesn't move over for anyone (most likely a blue-hair too). My Beast is so comforatable and quiet at speeds over 100 mph ... its almost too boring!

Whether it's accelerating from 80-100 to get to a clear lane that enables me to go around some moron on the highway ... or just stoplight to stoplight ... I want to be there NOW!

Quick is the way for me.

IMHO.

rp430

I think most of you misinterpreted my question.

Which was: "What is it within you that makes you want to drive a fast car? ". not - Why do you drive fast?

OK, some might say they drive a fast car so that they can drive fast, but I was really looking for for some philosophical reason one needs to own a powerful car, if there is one.

Drew

Try this:

"One's physical presence here on earth is much too short to squander whilst idling behind some idiot-moron-turn-signal-on-clueless-to-everyone-else-on-the-road-blue-hair-wearing-too-afraid-of-his-own-shadow-pull-over-out-of-every-one-else's-way person".

Or:

"Pull over ... shut up ... and get the heck out of my way ... I've got a life ... and time's-a-ticking". (my personal favorite)

jkelley

Philosophical? That would likely be streching things, but my gut tells me - I drive a fast car because, for the first time in my (just barely four decade old) life, I can. After 25 years of the cheapest four wheels I could find, twenty of those years having my wife first in line to get solid, reliable wheels (leaving little or nothing for me), I WANNA.

Secondary reason - with my newly acquired 82 mile (each way) commute, being able to cruise at 80+ without breaking a sweat sure makes the drive much more enjoyable. I've yet to meet anybody in person who believes me when I say I LIKE my time in the car. A couple hours a day in a CLK55, listening to what I want to listen to, driving the way I want to drive, thinking about what I want to think about - I really love it.

If anybody is going to get that part of it, I figure it'll be some of the fine folks 'round here.

rp430

YEAH! Now we're gettin down to it. I'm with you on that one.


YES!!! Drop the hammer, feel the rush and get on with it.

That's more like it folks, share your enthusiasm with the rest of us car nuts.

dtclk320

Its the rush for me.


115 in my 98 Exlporer.
135 in my beloved 93 325is.
140 98 CLK 320/ 99 E 430.

Martin

For me its not about driving fast (I will admit that I almost never drive over 100 and have not gone over 120 recently), but knowing that I can gives me a nice fealing of security.

A reasonable amount of reserve power allows me to choose how to manover in a particular situtation. I hate driving cars where my only option is to slow down to avoid a problem.

I get a lot of pleasure just crusing along at between 80 - 100 in a nice comfortable safe car while listening to some of my favorite CDs.

Now if I could find some time to take a car to a track I would enjoy seeing just how fast I could drive. But on the highway there are just to many ***$$$$$ in my way

hmrdwn

I'd have to say that the desire to drive fast relates to the quest for FREEDOM and power over your surroundings. It's a control thing...and there is nothing wrong with that.

RezaH

Is the power and desire to be ahead of others... Speed gets me in front of them, not behind.... I got agree with Drew and Hammer...

IDOITBST

if so CLK320's are governed to 135 lolol )

CLIFF

dtclk320

i know, im just rounding off.:p

karl k

rp430 wroteThe inner most bottom line is: INSECURITY.
(...but since self-analysis does not work, let me check with Dear Abbey and Ann Landers...)

With a performance car, I have an insurance policy:

I can out run 99% of all cars on the road, while doing this with class and relative safety in my CLK, -... in case the "need arises".

TimmyC230boy

I did the Richard Petty driving school for my 18th B-Day. That was the most fun I've had since forever. I hate to go back to what "dom" from fast and furious said but its true. With the camaro I had a while back I always 1/4 raced, for that 12.1 seconds while grabbing gears and spinning tires all your troubles seem to fade away. The same way with driving fast, yeah i know its dangerous, but if done in the right way thats a chance I'm willing to take. The driving school let me hit speeds in excess of 170MPH. At the same time feeling just as in control as doing 75 in my C230K on the freeway. Its like everything else except the road and the car becomes a blur. When I would race my Camaro I got good enough shifting that I didnt need to use the clutch anymore, it felt almost like the car was an extension of my body, that was on the edge but so far from out of control. Speed to me just feels good.
To some reading is a relaxer to others fishing, writing, etc, etc, etc... for me its Speed and power!

Henrik

I wonder why some MB's sold in the US seem to be governored at less than 155 mph.. Do you use other sorts of tires over there??

No European sold Merc is governored at less than 155 mph except maybe the M or G-class..

There's no problem going maximum speed with a Merc since high speeds are what it's built for. I've driven about 165 mph on the speedo with my 500E. That's as relaxing as it could be if there are no other cars on the freeway. You don't need more than a couple of fingers on the wheel at that speed. It's not the most comfortable speed since you're reving the engine a bit.. but say at 140 mph.. you can just lean back in the seat at watch the world rush by.
Mercs are the most stable cars at high speeds that I have ever driven.

Talos

So... why are you driving a slushbox?

karl k

...and the older you get, --

you have less time left on your clock, - for you to get there...