How much has your taste in cars evolved over time, or has it mostly stayed the same?
Posted by lazarus870@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 144 comments
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InternationalBite690@reddit
Most of my life I loved cars. Then about 5 years ago I became a mechanic. Now I know all cars are garbage. The funniest thing I’ve learned is the cars people consider high end are some of the least reliable and not designed to last beyond the life of the loan. Nothing will ever take anything away from the love of the American muscle cars 50’s-early 80’s. My childhood dream car was a late 70’s stingray. That car is still my dream car but now I’d need an engine swap to an ls.
aponderingpanda@reddit
Speaking to this point, I took my BMW 760 in to the dealership because the steering wheel is peeling and they said that's expected wear after 3 years. It's wild how awful the build quality is for something that's supposedly a flagship.
JupiterTarts@reddit
I guess its different when you get to see how the sausage is made.
Did becoming changing your opinion about certain brands after seeing whats under the hood? Like "ya, this brand is unreliable but at least they're stupid easy to fix" or "this slept on brand is actually better than i thought."
InternationalBite690@reddit
I always thought Porsche and Mercedes and BMW were “high end” “high class” . Just my opinion but quality equal to Kia/Hyundai with too much attention to details that don’t matter. All are miserable to work on and require another box of tools cause torx etorx hex heads trash clamps on 1000 hoses that will all leak eventually at the plastic connectors. Etc.
There are those who say that doesn’t matter because I don’t fix it the shop does- to that I say once it’s paid off and the problems start hitting the wallet it gets traded in. Very easy to have a coolant leak cost several thousand to repair and could take weeks to get some parts.
Subaru was an eye opener for me. Easy to work on, nicely laid out so it all makes sense. About as reliable as Toyota or Honda or Mazda.
After-Wall-5020@reddit
I was ambivalent until I opened the bonnet on my Subaru Outback. I immediately spotted that oil filter on the top of the engine and had an epiphany that was like to meeting God. I’m buying this car. That’s it, done and all. I don’t think I’ll ever own another car.
TimeTravel_X@reddit
Agreed! I own a modern post vw acquisition porsche and theyre indeed just any vw parts bin car. The GT cars less so.
The VW derivative macan has some terrible intercooler setup, but the porsche designed engine in the cayennes/macan general makes sense and coherent.
The b58 in my bmw- same thing. Same manufacturers for water pumps, and whatever. All german manufacturers with plastics that last 100k mi. That said I’ve noticed these modern german cars are hard to repair because they offer sooo much features. The only compromise is the wallet.
A loaded x5 is a different beast compared to say a lexus 450.
Csharp27@reddit
If there’s one thing this sub has taught me, it’s that all cars are crap except Toyota and Honda and even then a lot of those are crap, so the only car I should ever own until I die is a Camry.
Slice5755@reddit
You're sounding like Scotty Kilmer here...
socketz67@reddit
Took the words out of my mouth. “Rev up your engines!”. The Toyota Camry or FWD Lexus YouTube channel.
Grambo-47@reddit
Bro you’ve already got the “for life” car with that LS430 lol that’ll outlive the cockroaches
Csharp27@reddit
I expect to hand it down to my grandchildren
Grambo-47@reddit
Lmao to be fair I’m basically in the same boat 😂
timetravelerfrom2027@reddit
I just picked up a 60k mile LS400 that will become my 7yo daughter’s first car. ;)
Astramael@reddit
This is where I ended up too. All cars are polished turds. Some are just shinier than others.
I’ve worked on enough cars at this point that some cars I’ve always wanted I know now I couldn’t own for my own sanity. But that isn’t relevant if you have somebody else work on your cars for you.
That’s probably been my biggest change as I’ve gotten older. I try to find the happy medium between fun, practical, and serviceable. Rather than just chasing the fun and practical exclusively.
ScipioAfricanvs@reddit
I gotta be honest - there's something really funny in saying that all cars are garbage and simultaneously lusting after Malaise era cars.
No_Sail5739@reddit
Started off in a Merc 300TD, moved to a Volvo 245, a manual-swapped Audi S6 Avant and, after an Altima totaled first, another Audi S6 Avant. Longroof lifestyle roolz.
Mandydeth@reddit
It's 1996: I want an RX-7
Its 2006: I want an RX-7
It's 2016: I want an RX-7
Its 2026: I want an RX-7
Mother____Clucker@reddit
An FD is one of my dream cars. But considering a) the price, b) I had to do a foamectomy in my NB Miata to get my head under the top of the windshield, and c) I'd get tons of hate by putting an LS in it, it will probably never be a reality.
JALbert@reddit
Why don't you have an RX-7?
jiggajawn@reddit
They've had 4
/s
SalesAficionado@reddit
😂 same
Bassracerx@reddit
Mine has mostly stayed the same. I used to REALLY like german cars. Well i still do but i dont know if i could actually convince myself to put up with spending the dollar amount it takes for upkeep. But the heart wants what it wants if i had a good income i could see myself behind the wheel of a z4 m coupe.
Mother____Clucker@reddit
My horizons have gotten much wider. When I was a kid/teenager, I only cared about muscle cars and whatever Lamborghini and Ferrari were putting out.
Over a couple of decades, I've owned wagons, pickups, SUVs, small roadsters, and economy cars. I spent many years evolving from muscle cars to an interest in sports cars, sport wagons, big stupid 700hp trucks, momentum cars, kei cars, etc.
I hate myself for my current evolution, but the top of my want list at the moment is a Cypress Green on Macadamia leather interior Sienna. Someone please help.
deegood@reddit
Fell for BMWs via video games in my mid 20s. 20 years later I'm on my third and they're all I think about. Mostly because no matter how successful I get, Porsche just keeps feeling more and more outrageously expensive.
Vhozite@reddit
Do you have a minute to talk about our Lord and Savior Need for Speed Most Wanted?
fhs@reddit
All praise Razor "5k" Callahan
deegood@reddit
Lol it was actually gran turismo! 4 if I remember correctly.
AgisterSinister@reddit
I've always had an interest in efficienct cars, I asked a Honda dealer about the original Insight back in the late nineties, but it's become more of a concern in recent years.
I currently drive a Ford Fiesta with over 200,000 km, or 125,000 miles, on the odometer. The aircon melted, the clutch is making noises, and I lost the remote fob a year or two ago. It needs replacing.
The cars I'm looking at include the Mini Cooper JCW EV, the Hyundai Inster, and the Honda Prelude. I'm interested in the Cupra Raval, VW ID.Polo and Ioniq 3 (especially if they build an N), but I'm not sure on whether they'll arrive in Australia before the Fiesta dies.
There's also a burgundy Mustang V8 at the local dealership, but I can't justify that on environmental grounds, or with fuel prices at their current levels...
I don't find most Porsches to be that exciting these days. I'm hoping that they haven't cancelled the 718 EV, though Audi has confirmed that their version is still happening.
The other upcoming cars that appeal are the Alpine A110 and A310 EV, and Renault 5 Turbo 3. I liked the Clio V6 back in the day, but I'm too tall to fit into one comfortably.
hobbitz09@reddit
As a kid 90's corvettes, 90's v12 jags, rx7, loved crown vics and town cars. Now almost 40 my boxy bronco sport. Want to buy sports car and been thinking challenger
MNAAAAA@reddit
Used to idolize super fast track weapons, but now that I've been on track and can buy my own car, I realize that those tend to go way faster than I care to, and that the fun comes from being able to wring a car's neck on a regular basis at reasonable speed. I just started autocross in a GTI this year lol
socketz67@reddit
I grew up with muscle cars and often reminisce on owning one again as the utter simplicity seems attractive amidst of sea of tech Nannies and ECU controlled ride options. However, I also realize nostalgia removes a lot of the rough edges from our memories, like carrying around a tool box in the trunk for roadside repairs and replacing things like water pumps every 15k miles. We now also see 100k miles as midpoint in the cars life, not the end.
Naturally aspirated port injected cars have come a long ways in terms of build quality and reliability. The recent trend towards smaller displacement and turbos has definitely been a step back from a reliability perspective, but also has introduced a performance model that was unheard of even 15 years ago.
I think what I like the most about living through the various evolutions is appreciating the pros and cons of each
lazarus870@reddit (OP)
I think this is a big reason I turned away from European cars. People will say they're extremely reliable, just as long as you do a ridiculous amount of maintenance at very short intervals...but even that's no guarantee.
My criteria for my cars is something easy to maintain, inexpensive and readily available parts, and NOT temperamental. And that's what I loved about the late 90's/early 00's F-bodies too - insanely reliable and robust LS engine and a T56. People complain about the plastic interiors being spartan, while completely glossing over BMW VANOS or subframe maintenance like it's no big deal.
So many of the major enthusiast cars today - MX-5, BR-Z, Mustang GT, Camaro SS, etc. are insanely reliable and easy to maintain, it's an absolute joy.
It's funny how much longer the intervals have stretched for maintenance. Toyotas spec spark plug changes at like, 100,000+ miles on some cars.
I remember my dad telling me about the old cars in the 60's and 70's, how often you needed oil changes, tune ups, spark plugs, tires, etc.
I had one European car (a VW GTI) which was fun to drive, but holy shit that thing needed a LOT of repairs in a short amount of time.
humdizzle@reddit
everyone always ends up at porsche lol.
I started with a high revving 2002 celica gts, e36 m3, and then had an e46 m3 which was a similar high revving NA motor. I made a detour with a nissan gtr, there was alot of hype around it back in 2012 when i got it... did all the basic bolt ons.. 600+whp tune on e85. But after a while you just get used to it and its boring. the awd fixes all your mistakes and it didn't feel as involving to drive as my prior cars. After i finished medical training porsche announced the 911 gt3 was automatic only so i was bummed about that... bought a used 458. Great car but i was bored with the paddle shift, i wanted more involvement with my weekend car, and by the same token less involvement with my daily (manual f80 m3). So when they announced the manual was back for the GT3 in 2018 i sold it and got my gt3 in 2020 and have owned it since (i've owned it 6 years now and all my prior cars were 3-4 years). I look at all the newer stuff from the exotics and none of it really resonates with me. auto, awd, turbo is fine for a daily driver...which is what our x3 m40 has and its wonderful. I love the b58 alot and will get an 840 coupe for my next daily. But for the weekend its only manual, NA, rwd and ideally around 3000 pounds or less. There are faster cars for sure, but you can't make a turbo feel like an NA car... unless you go hybrid... in which case the car balloons in weight and you can't hide that in the feel
strongmanass@reddit
As I've gotten older, Porsche has become one of the least interesting or compelling brands to me. All peformance cars are more than capable enough for me at road speeds. I don't drive on track or really push my cars that hard, so I get no benefit from the extra engineering expense Porsche puts into their cars. Instead I want something more relaxed with a really nice interior. Porsche's interiors are not very good for the price.
They're great at what they do and obviously people love them. But their ethos is at odds with mine. Porsche's greatest utility to me is their contribution to Bentley's driving dynamics.
Astramael@reddit
Yea, I keep on telling myself this too. Then I drive that high revving NA flat six again and the howl is just intoxicating. I don’t think I’ll ever own one, but I sure do like to drive them.
strongmanass@reddit
I don't even like them. They're very capable, but it's just not my kind of experience. For me it's like scotch. If you give me a glass of Macallan 18 I can tell it's better than Johnnie Walker Black Label or whatever. But I don't like scotch so the difference is just academic. I'll finish the glass and never give it another thought. Same with the 911 and 718. If someone offers me a drive I probably won't say no, but it'll be an interesting rather than an enjoyable experience.
Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit
Not I, no desire for a Porsche. Had some air cooled Porsche and VW when I was younger, no desire to own any of it now. Some Panamera models are mildly interesting, but way too much $$$.
ScipioAfricanvs@reddit
Used Panameras are screaming deals.
Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit
Ehhh not really, compared to new sure, but not compared to non-Porsche options.
jbh1126@reddit
sorta like “miata is always the answer” but once some real money is involved “gt3 is always the answer”
Musabi@reddit
I don’t know, I have a 992.1 911 and my next car will actually be an ND Miata! I think the real “teacher” was my C7 Z06 that could have killed me at every turn haha. I learned that slow(er) car fast is a lot more fun than fast car slow!
xlb250@reddit
There’s a Miata for every budget level
i-wear-extra-medium@reddit
I have a v10 miat!
ExplosiveMachine@reddit
I'll never afford one, but I've recently driven the new Carrera 4 GTS, and I get it. The quality of the vehicle is high, the handling superb, the noise and vibration controlled, the styling restrained, the cockpit intuitive and comfortable, the materials exquisite.
And yeah obviously it's no GT3RS but Porsche sells a LOT of cars that aren't the GT3RS and that's probably why. I drove a Macan EV back to back with the 911 and that was also a very nice car. Would have preferred it in ICE but I'll take what I can get.
badcrass@reddit
I have 4 cars for the same price as 1 decent Porsche. Shits overblown. And not POS cars, a Miata, a STI and a 63 falcon muscle car. Also a Volvo daily, they aren't worth the extra $50k tax anymore. Porsche up my ass
newtonreddits@reddit
I don't know, I liked Porsche a lot more over the 00s/10s than just very recently. They've become overpriced and sterile. I drove a 991.2 a few months ago and really felt nothing.
They feel very "clouty" these days. People just want to flex the it car and don't care as much how much engineering it takes overengineer what effectively is a badly designed configuration.
threeinacorner@reddit
I feel the exact same way. To me, news Porsches has the same connection Ferrari does to wealthy boomers, but to douchey tech bros instead.
Outside-Reindeer9855@reddit
What’s your specialty
DudeWhereIsMyDuduk@reddit
I like things that are built to do one thing really well, so I'd say holding fairly steady. I just happen to be more into outdoor pursuits where a good 4x4 comes in handy, so that's where I am right now.
Square-Cockroach-884@reddit
My first "car" was a 1962 F100. My daily is a 65 F100, and I have a 63 F100 project. So, you know.
mob19151@reddit
I'd say my taste has stayed consistently terrible.
browsk@reddit
Ever since I felt a turbo and boost in a car I’ve been addicted to it
TheArchist@reddit
the more i drive cars the more i appreciate lexuses lmao
Huge_World4801@reddit
Oh and I used to want a 911 one day but that interest has vaporized quickly over the past 6 years
fcman256@reddit
Same, grew up around 911s and always saw myself becoming a Porsche guy. Now I’m approaching 40 and modern Porsches just do nothing for me
CallLivesMatter@reddit
The price of a lower mileage manual 997.2 illustrates how many people agree with you.
fcman256@reddit
Well, there also the never ending cycle of "last real 911" that plays into pricing as well. "Last aircooled", "last NA", "last hydraulic steering", etc. Soon it will be "last ICE only" and "last manual" lol
CallLivesMatter@reddit
That is all very true and pretty much captures every debate in any Porsche community.
HL12122106@reddit
I still love MG TC but now I wouldn’t own one
Trail-Hound@reddit
In my late teens/early 20s I was all about Tacomas & Mazda rotaries. Watched a lot of Top Gear in college and was influenced by that, came away from that with opinions like big SUVs are dumb and hard-top cars are always better than their convertible versions.
Now that I’m in my late 30s the only part of my tastes that has really remained consistent is how I feel about the Mazdas. I daily drove an RX-8 for six great years, and if life gives me the chance I’d love an RX-7 at some point. Don’t care much for Tacomas anymore, my truck tastes have shifted entirely towards older powerstroke Fords. Owning Jeeps has completely shifted my stance on convertibles, as has Dad life altered my view on fast SUVs. A clean hemi Grand Cherokee is in the running as the next addition to the fleet.
Just_a_happy_artist@reddit
I too enjoyed the America muscle car when I was a kid until it just became associated ( whether it’s true or not) with a certain kind of America…and although I owned a 65 mustang and would love to one day have a Pontiac GTO my taste is now mostly geared towards 60-70 euro coupés, bulbous in the back with a long hood. And I also love two seater convertibles. Modern cars…nah thank you.. got to drive a few of them, beemers and such and once you get passed the gizmo wows, it is just a bore to drive
bluffbuster@reddit
I'm old and trying to de-tech so I jumped on survivor '99 CR-V garaged with 70 dealer service records. I think I found my grail. They probably don't even know where it is.
RogerThatRacing@reddit
I love a wide variety of vehicles. I have had diesel Land Cruiser, Camaro SS, pickup, Miata. When I was little I loved the 993 turbo. Then I started to track cars and realized all roads lead to Porsche. The 911 is ultimately a bit flawed and so the logical conclusion is a cayman GT4. Then it stops. lol.
NegotiationPrudent80@reddit
Worked in NASCAR about 20 years ago as an instrumentation engineer, absolutely loved V8s and gave so much crap to those who drove hybrids.
Today, I drive a Tesla M3P, and am an absolute EV enthusiast.
lazarus870@reddit (OP)
What do you think changed for you?
NegotiationPrudent80@reddit
Lost my job during the financial crisis in 2009 when our team sponsors started tightening their belts. Times were bad anyway for the auto industry, so I decided to further my education at university with the money I had saved and with the hope that things would recover when I graduate.
Instead, after graduating with a master's degree in engineering, I was then offered the opportunity to pursue a fully funded PhD. The catch? It was in the area of drivetrain electrification (it was all the rage back then as both industry and academia were heavily funding research in this domain).
Anyway, I enrolled as a total sceptic (I was driving an old E38 740i at this point). But as I progressed through my doctorate, I started appreciating it more and more, and by the time I submitted my thesis, I had "seen the light".
After the E38 conked out, it was replaced by a GS450h, and when that went, I moved on to the M3P 🙂
Autobahn321@reddit
I loved domestic trucks as a kid growing up, and all the Lund/Leer 90's accessories like fender flares, stuff on the windows etc.
Then I went deep into Japanese cars, having about 20+ Integras, Civics, CRX's, over the course of my later teens and early 20's.
Then I got into German cars with my first BMW (E46 330i), and 15+ BMWs since.
I've now found a balance of German & Exotic cars, and 80s/90s Domestic Trucks and SUVS in OEM+ condition. I love my Porsches, Lambos, Ferraris, but still enjoy an old square/boxy Ford/GMC/Chevy.
I have two 2015 Benz G550's (for me and my gf) as her daily driver, and a weekend runabout for me, a 2016 RAM 1500 for a beater and moving stuff, a 1982 Camaro Z28 for jokes, and a 2013 BMW 535i MSport with some tasteful modifications that I use as my "fun car" in the summer.
I take home a different vehicle off the lot at work every day during the week so I don't have to use my stuff for commuting.
pvera@reddit
I was born a car nut. (I'm 55) I can remember car magazine articles better than people I went to school with in the same year. I was lucky enough to see the exotic car explosion starting with the Ferrari 288 GTO, F40, the Porsche 959, etc. I went thru a sports car phase (owned 3 Miata in a row) which ended when I got a metro rail accessible job that cut down my driving from 300+miles per week to less than 50, so I gave away to a charity my last sports car. Had one kid along the way which triggered our driving appliance era. The only break in our appliance streak was the Ford Focus, fantastic car with a really terrible dual clutch transmission. As soon as we paid off our two Focus Titanium hatches we bailed and switched to our current Escape hybrids.
Still a car nut, but 20+ years telecommuting means my very nice appliance car is not getting 1000 miles per year and my dealership yells at me if I complain about how fast it loses charge. I have been lucky that I can make a distinction between the car fandom/interest part and the driving part.
Along the way I lost the speed bug. I spent 3+ years in Germany and drove over 60,000 miles, then I moved to the People's Democratic Republic of North Virginia, which to me is one of the most cool car-hostile places I have ever lived. During the same amount of time the overcrowding got really bad to the point that I feel sorry for anyone that lives here and has a cool exotic car because unless they want to risk getting arrested for reckless driving or have some no-license yahoo plow into their cars, their only choice is to drive whatever many hours to the closest race track. This was not an issue with the Miata because you could drive them super hard without even hitting the speed limit, and the commute times meant nothing since I would actually take the long way just to have a more interesting route than our beltway. There is something special about hitting a curvy scenic bypass road with a Miata and not even risking a ticket.
My tastes vary wildly. Some are constants, for example I have never stopped loving the 911, but I never know how I am going to react to the Cayenne. I sort of lost taste for modern Ferraris as I learned about how intrusive and petty the company can be when it comes to their customers. The Mustang in V8 shape is another of those that I never lose interest, but for about 5 minutes I liked what they did with the Ecoboost.
There are plenty of cars that run in yo-yo mode in my head. For example, very large SUVs like the Lincoln Navigator, the Escalade, etc. My last Audi phase lasted less than a month. Mercedes is still in yoyo mode but it was almost derailed when the EQs started to show up. almst considered a VW for our next pair of cars until I got stuck with a rental one and it was just not how I remember VW from the mid-90s, it felt cheap. This week's lotto winner car for me is the G-wagon for baller mode, BMW X5 for stealth mode (yes, X5s are expensive, but in this town an X5 in a non-weird color turns you invisible) .
There's also an interesting flow as it comes to my auto related biases, like going from a manual transmission nut to having to compensate for my old man knees. Or making the distinction between a really shitty DCT (Ford DPS6) or the Porsche PDK. Or the switch to smaller cars with turbo to try to meet fuel economy rules when one is old enough to remember people saying that there is no substitute for cubic inches. Or going from driving with the top down even if it's snowing to driving the appliance with its glass moonroof with the curtain deployed.
ShortBrownAndUgly@reddit
Don’t really give a shit about most Ferraris or lambos because I’ll never comfortably afford one.
Used to dislike the Porsche look and now i think it’s great.
I used to not think of BMW as a performance brand, just luxury. Now I have an m2 and it’s great
p_rex@reddit
My tastes have not changed that much. As a kid, I liked Ferraris and the hot Japanese cars of the era (the 90s). I still love that stuff. But I added interests in the German cars of the 70s-90s (especially Mercedes-Benz), classic muscle, and weird old stuff. My first car was an Integra, and my current car is a BRZ (so not a lot of change there!)
Dirtyace@reddit
I have always liked American cars and that hasn’t changed. I used to think Japanese cars were boring but as I have gotten older I realize all cars are cool in their own way and all cars are junk also lol.
I have only ever owned fun American stuff (viper, corvette, hellcat, trackhawk, blackwing, etc) but every now and than I am tempted to buy an M3 or NSX or something and it never happens. I do appreciate all of them though.
reverse_cowperson@reddit
More like I've come to understand what I like about cars: simple, lightweight, high personality, fun on the street at normal or elevated speeds, and juuuuust a touch trashy.
My dad has been a BMW obsessive since the 1980s, so I started driving in what turned out to be the perfect car: a 1991 BMW 318is. In 30 years of driving and many high horsepower M cars, Porsches, factory tours, Euro deliveries, and racing schools, that E30's still the apex of real-world, smile-inducing driving.
The good news is there are still a tiny handful of new cars that play to my tastes. Of those I've driven: Alfa Romeo Giulia, Toyota GR86, Hyundai Elantra N, Mk.VII GTI.
I don't plan to sell my current Giulia Quadrifoglio or the Cayman GTS I custom ordered with PTS 11 years ago, but if I were buying now knowing what I know, I'd probably get a Giulia Intensa and a BRZ.
dadmantalking@reddit
Grew up with air cooled Porsches, still love air cooled Porsches above all else. Broadly speaking, three door Hondas are a close second.
newcarguy2019@reddit
It went full circle. Started with american muscle and v8, got a miata, then back to old (and new) school american muscle and v8. It's not about power, it's about sound. The v8 is intoxicating.
AmNoSuperSand52@reddit
As a kid growing up on Top Gear I always gravitated towards small light sports cars (Alfa 4C as an example) and the practical performance cars (BMW M3)
As an adult I think one of my favorite cars has got to be the Lancia Delta Integrale; I love the idea of a vehicle that excels in most scenarios whether it be track, street, or off road. Seeing the Rivian R3X caused me shortness of breath because it’s the closest I’ve seen to that car made in the modern era. I will have one
So id say overall I still gravitate towards cars that deliver a versatile experience. It’s not really a surprise I ended up with a GTI which is kind of the poster child for a practical fun car
wanakoworks@reddit
When I was a little kid in the 90's, I was all about Ferraris and Porsches: F40, F50, F355, Testarossa, 964, 993. These were the cars that adorned my wall. It was around that time I learned about the Supra, RX-7, 3000GT, etc., and began to fall in love with these cool, high-tech Japanese sports cars. I remember reading car magazines at the library, seeing the ads, jotting down the phone numbers and when I got home called them for a free brochure. lol.
My teenage and young-adult years I dreamed of more affordable, practical, but still fast cars like the WRX STi, Evos, Cobalt SS, MazdaSpeed 3, etc. Life never allowed me to get one, but that's where my tastes were at.
Now at 40, I'm really into smaller, lower-powered, lightweight sports cars like the Miata and 86 twins. Hell, I own a '25 RF now and I absolutely love it! I'm also very into 1960's and 70's Italian and Japanese classics, like the 240Z, Skyline GT-R, Alfas, Ferraris with the Colombo V12, and all kinds of beautiful cars from that era.
clutchthepearls@reddit
Every new variant of the unobtanium cars is just noise to me at this point. Your experience and age are very similar to mine, but I still love hot hatches and quirky things the most.
newtonreddits@reddit
I'm the same way. I felt nothing the other day when I saw a new Artura.
But an F355 or 993 still snaps my neck.
Hockey_Player_007@reddit
F355 is one of the most beautiful cars ever made
wanakoworks@reddit
Here in LA county, you find SO MANY cool cars around. I saw a Dino 308 GT4 on the highway, a few weeks back, and i was very giddy seeing it. lol.
Hockey_Player_007@reddit
I owned a few Eclipses but a 3000GT VR4 was my favorite car growing up in the late 90's-early 2000's. I still find myself tempted to get one sometimes. Then I got older and I fell in love with Aston Martins when I saw that DBS in James Bond Casino Royale.
SpaceCorgi3000@reddit
3000GTs for the win!
boostedisbetter@reddit
Not a popular opinion… I’ve had 36 cars from mustangs to s2000s… I will die on the hill that smiles per dollar, my model 3 performance is untouchable. Every single day I drive this thing I get a rush. I love rowing gears, but this is just a different level. Before you said it’s a novelty, I’ve owned it for a year my opinion has not changed.
SwissMargiela@reddit
As I’m getting older I’m getting super into trucks because fast cars or just small cars in general don’t appeal to me or my hobbies.
Legit thinking of trading my S2k and S3 for an LX4something and an F150 or a similar combo.
I’ve gone from wanting to be that guy that weaves through traffic to being that guy who is the traffic lol
SolaceinIron@reddit
I’ve loved the same cars since is was 10 as I approach 40.
My tastes has just “refined” a bit.
No love for wacky body kits anymore, but still the same cars.
AverageGuy16@reddit
It became less about speed and performance and now about comfort, character and engagement as a driver. Also I began really wanting cars I used to see as a kid. The 560sec being one of them.
RuinedGrave@reddit
Always been a muscle car guy. Also had a Toyota 86 for a bit, but muscle cars are my bread and butter. Last year, I decided to get a Colorado ZR2 for a daily driver so I could modify the Mustang more, and have something more practical than the LX470 I had before it. Turns out, I enjoy owning a truck a lot more than I expected. I don’t drive my Mustang much now (due in part to Ford’s laziness in providing a remedy on my recalled seatbelt pretensioners since September), and mostly drive my Colorado everywhere.
gahbageked@reddit
When I was younger I loved supercars and hypercars. Coffee tables books, posters, die-cast miniatures, models, anything and everything I could get my hand on.
Now, I don't care at all. I don't get excited seeing a Ferrari, Lambo, Porsches. I get excited seeing pristine, preserves 90s cars. I was more excited to see a clean early 90s Ford Probe at a recent C&C event.
I still have a soft spot for muscle cars (especially 90s GM nonsense and Corvettes) and I am a die hard water cooled VW fan.
I can live without the rest.
Spong_Durnflungle@reddit
Gone from liking extravagance to simplicity, from large to small, from more to less.
Used to lust after supercars, now desire a Scion xB. Currently drive an ND2 Miata. Am very content.
Vhozite@reddit
Same I used to want an Escalade with spinners and a PlayStation inside lol. Now I want a car with as little technology as possible and would unironically buy a car with no AC. 90’s/early 2k economy interiors are peak design to me.
Cloth seats master race
Mustang1718@reddit
Very similar story to most of these comments I've seen here. As my username suggests, I started off with Mustangs but branched off from there to more affordable and lightweight Japanese cars.
The twist I didn't see coming is that I now drive a VW ID.4 after hating German cars when I worked at a quick lube place. I had the lugnut studs and rear drum brakes, but I will rarely have to interact with either of those. I can't deny it is the smoothest ride I've ever felt.
Also, I am completely obsessed with EVs. I always had a curiosity about them even back to high school, but now that I have one, I'm not sure if I can go back. But the sporty hatchbacks like the Ionia 5 N are a bit too big, and the Mini Cooper SE only having like a 100 mile range is too limited. I'm not sure what my Goldilocks situation is there yet.
Vhozite@reddit
I drive a Mustang now and increasingly find myself attracted to lighter, smaller cars. I wouldn’t mind trying an EV but speaking purely in terms of form factor there is nothing I’d actually want to own.
Huge_World4801@reddit
Mine has stayed the same. 90s sleek design is the best imo. Modern cars are bloated, heavy, and don't look sleek at all. Even the Ferraris got beat with the ugly stick
Vhozite@reddit
Yeah I really can’t stand how bloated cars are now it looks awful. Even a lot of cars that aren’t that big have styling cues to purposefully make them look wider and longer.
Not only do I the style itself ostentatious, but I absolutely hate the feeling a car feeling huge on the outside but tiny on the inside.
ReidBuch@reddit
As a 16-20 year old I thought cars needed to be modified and super fast. Now I look at a new sienna minivan like wow I could probably drive that for many years, getting great fuel economy, being comfortable, with very little maintence issues and it not cost a ton. I bet the insurance is cheap too. The idea of a high powered sports car just does not interest me much anymore. I just want a big comfortable car to eat up miles in.
Vhozite@reddit
Mostly the same. When I was a kid (90’s baby) my favorite cars were the Mustang, the Viper, and the Audi TT. Pontiac was my favorite brand in general. The S2000, RX-7, and RX-8 were my favorite Japanese cars. I wasn’t in to cars as much as I am now I mainly just liked how they looked using them in video games.
Fast forward to today and if you replace the Viper with the Fiero my tastes are basically the same, but unfortunately a lot of those cars are gone…the Mustang is the only thing left and I vastly prefer the pre-2015 styles
Scazitar@reddit
Started as a JDM kid, as i started driving during peak Tokyo drift / NFS underground era. Most notably my second car the Infiniti G35 really is what skyrocketed my car obession.
Their was a brief era where I had a scat pack which was a blast and while I've never been super into American cars it gave me really soft spot for Mopar.
Though, as I got older really fell in love with German cars and started fucking around buying those. That's a whole story in itself but I'm strongly considering buying an M4 right now it's pretty much top of this list, blew me the fuck away. Porchse isn't out of the question but it's out of the budget for now lol.
Still love Japanese cars, in specfic I've had a modded NC Miata for 7 years now. Everything else comes and goes but this miata is forever lol.
I've thought about how one day though Ill probably get a GTR. As it really would be the full circle with Nissan. Learned to wrench on a junker maxima, fell in love with my G35, my car blows and I die in a boosted 1000hp GTR lmao. Would be pretty poetic.
RhymeGrime@reddit
Always wanted a turbo, manual, and BOV since I was a kid... 30 years later I still just want a turbo, manual, and BOV.
Hockey_Player_007@reddit
I've always been into fast/sporty cars ever since I was a kid. When I was younger I had a few Mitsubishi Eclipses which were a great reliable fun daily driver. Then I later got a nice Infiniti G37 sport model.
Now that I'm older and have a bit of money I currently have a 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage (6 speed) and a 2019 Jaguar F-Type V6. My dream car is a 2017 V12 Vantage with a 7 speed manual, they only made 100 of them for the US and it's one of the last cars you can get with a V12 and a manual transmission.
Other cars I would love to have in my dream garage would be a gated manual Ferrari F355 and Lamborghini Gallardo. Lately I've also been wanting a Viper, specifically a 5th gen GTS model.
zeronian@reddit
It's changed big time. Used to love sports cars and muscle cars as a kid and then I moved to sports SUVs and now I like off road pickup trucks
kyonkun_denwa@reddit
I've kind of gone all over the place.
When I was a kid, my best friend and I were obsessed with American muscle cars. My favourite by far was the 1969 Dodge Charger, because it just looked badass. Also, a car with 425 horsepower was insane in the early 2000s, very few cars even then were making that kind of power.
As a teen, my interests shifted to Japanese cars, probably because of Gran Turismo on the PS2. I coveted the Mazda RX7, Nissan R34, Subaru WRX STI and the Lancer Evolution.
I got my first car at age 19, it was a 2000 Suzuki Esteem wagon that belonged to my grandfather, and he gave it to me when he could not longer drive. It was light as a feather and a lot of fun to drive. This car started my appreciation of wagons, and it also made me a "manual transmission master race" young male. It was also around this time that I started watching Top Gear, and began developing an appreciation for Euro cars. This lead me down the BMW rabbit hole, and I decided in my early 20s that I wanted to own an E34 one day.
I bought a Golf Sportwagon TDI that nearly killed my interest in Euro cars. Went for a manual Lexus IS250 after that because I was so traumatized. What a piece of shit. But my then-girlfriend (now wife) had a Mini, and it was an absolute delight which kept my interest and appreciation for Euro cars alive.
Nowadays, I mostly value comfort and practicality, which is why I have a Volvo XC70. I don't much like most American cars but I still have a soft spot for muscle cars and Crown Vics. I eventually got my E34 and I still appreciate a good old-fashioned manual, but I don't really care to daily a manual anymore, I'm fully on Team Autotragic now. Oh, and I'm also firmly in the "fuck Volkswagen" camp and nothing anyone says can change my mind. I don't care if the Phaeton is nice, I got burned too badly by those fuckers.
I_amnotanonion@reddit
We have fairly similar trajectories. I was not a euro guy until my 20’s. I wanted old muscle cars or something Japanese.
Then I picked up my W123 wagon, then I met my wife who had a Mini and whose dad has a 1971 911. I love euro stuff now. Still love American and Japanese stuff too, though I currently don’t own any Japanese cars
5GCovidInjection@reddit
I detest unreliable cars. I don’t mind any car now so long as it works.
orangebikini@reddit
Not a ton, honestly. As a child I was mostly interested in racing cars, most mostly rally cars really. When I got older and eventually got my licence I found my self gravitating towards more unusual older French, Italian and Japanese cars.
Today that's still mostly the case, but I'm more open to older cars from Germany and other European countries too. Like, I could see myself getting an older BMW or Audi or something at some point, that was never on the cards when I was younger.
But still it's mainly old French, Italian and Japanese for me. I've never been interested in supercars, and only a very few sports cars.
benmarvin@reddit
My most recent car purchase is the same model as my first car, just 30 years difference. I think it's much like anything else, there's some threads that say the same, and some that change. I've always been a nerd for Euro sports sedans and wagons. Never got into the Asian cars much. 30 years ago I never cared for a truck, but now I have 2 of them.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I've owned 2 outta the three major swedish car makers, but I'm way too fucking poor for the 3rd. But I did get a birthday card signed by Christian back when the CCR was all the rage.
Lazy-Ad5380@reddit
I wanted the coolest flashiest thing for the money. AFter owning a 986 Boxster, I want a Crown Vic. That's it. I want the lowest cortisol level car with some character.
For a 2nd car, fine. I'd do a Miata or something. But preferably a 2v 4.6 Mustang
Viperlite@reddit
I’m still hooked on 1990s Japanese sport coupes and SUVs and 2000’s European sport sedans. But they’re not getting cheaper to buy or to keep running.
OutrageousRhubarb853@reddit
I went from caring more about how it looks to caring more about how comfortable it is.
PatrickGnarly@reddit
I didn’t like cars 10 years ago and then I watched a Regular Car Review video about Miata’s and I was enthralled.
I really love cars and had some fun ones for a while.
My taste in cars went from not caring or knowing, to being fascinated and learning manual and getting fun ones, to going back to commuter cars since they’re cheaper.
I would love to have my Focus RS or my 2015 Mustang GT back but I just can’t afford it anymore.
Maybe one day I’ll get a Miata or a Porsche and have fun when I need to drive again.
Clareth_GIF@reddit
Let me say I used to like whatever was fast and highly customisable on Gran Turismo. And now I like everything that Jay Leno likes. Everything cool I find out about, it's already been on Jay Leno's garage.
ayyitzTwocatZ@reddit
Nah. I first loved the New Edge Mustang face lift. And today I love the S550 facelift. Sporty-looking pony cars apparently is my thing. The last gen of Camaro, the current Mustang both are absolutely perfect.
mrpoonjikkara@reddit
I was not a fan of old cars. I hated my mom's W124 as a kid. As I grew older I started to appreciate older simpler cars with minimal tech.
lonewolf_860@reddit
When I was a small boy it was Ferrari, lambo and JDM.
Now that I'm an older millennial, I can't justify the jdms and I now look at Porsche haha
turb0_encapsulator@reddit
I have realized that the cars that came out when I was a kid (late 90s / early 2000s) are the best, so in that way my tastes actually haven't changed. But I also stopped getting excited about the newest thing to come out, so in that way they *have* changed.
How's that for a paradox?
beforesunsetearth@reddit
Definitely evolved over time. Went from being a Camaro/Mustang/Vette die hard to being exposed to Ferrari and Lambo/Pagani etc through NFS and similar. Had a stretch where the only thing I'd pay attention to was any modern hypercar. Now I'm in love with pre and post war cars - Packard, Dusenberg, Auburn, Alfas, Stutz, Buick, etc thanks to nearly a decade of regular Concours attendance in the Northeast. I'm spoiled. Still love a good Pagani but I'd take an 851 or a Model J or a New Yorker all the same.
Makeitquick666@reddit
The first brand that I dreamt about was Audi. Simply because my uncle who lived overseas had one. Then... probably the R35, SLS, Veyron... you know, the kind of supercars that TopGear endorsed. Porsches became a reoccurring theme (I mean they were very good cars which unlike Ferraris could live away from the spotlight). Then there was a backlash, less was more, kei car and micro cars, you know, things that could carry 4 adults in the space of a pickup's bed, while being extremely economical. Now I'm thinking along the lines of vans and the likes.
That being said my goal in life is to own a Land Cruiser, those sell for S Class money where I live and like a proper drink but man, those are always cool
Stropi-wan@reddit
Emotions rather than an analytical mind dictates my taste in cars. This would cover a wide spectrum. I like simplicity the most, regardless stuff like performance, fuel consumption, safety, etc. This is why my current daily drivers are 28yrs & 23yrs old. Aftermarket spares are readily available, so it works for me. My maintenance costs balance out the comforts & technology of modern cars.
rkrum@reddit
I’ve always got a thing for smaller cars since I was a kid, but I didn’t have the opportunity to own many of them due to life priorities. But today I happily own a 22’ BRZ.
stoned-autistic-dude@reddit
Grew up loving Hondas and dreamed of owning an S2000. Loved Miatas and was obsessed with Porsches. When the GT3 came out, I was convinced I’d own one. Still loved Hondas and continue to daily my S2000. Now I’m obsessed with Miatas and don’t want a 911 anymore. No reason to deal with all that expensive ass maintenance for a car that is arguably less fun than a Miata or S2000. More power is nice but there is something to be said about going 10/10ths in a tiny car.
Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit
The opposite, while I've always liked muscle cars I had preference for driving smaller cars. Had a 510, and friend has a 914 I really liked. Now though, I have zero interest in small cars or anything import.
Also there was a time when I liked hotrods, now I find them cringe.
Motohvayshun@reddit
My tastes have not really changed. I love all cars. One of my favorite cars is one of my work vans I decided to modify. It’s fantastic, has great handling, and you can haul stuff. I prefer it to most any other car I own.
zeromutt@reddit
I went from liking big performance sedans like the m5, 300c srt8, s55 amg as a teenager because those cars are what my boomer dad liked and had.
Now as an adult my taste in cars are muscle cars.
MotorcycleCar@reddit
I used to be into mustags specifically as well as other muscle cars and also classic cars.Having now owned an S197 mustang gt for several years I no longer have any interest in driving boats with slushboxes.Also having a jeep cj5 for much longer has made me absolutely despise carbeurators.I used to be more into power now I'm more into the driving experience and my Miata fits me just right it's one of the quickest cars I've ever driven (yes it's stock there are many cars slower than a 1999 miata) and it has a nice manual and convertibke top I love it it is best drivibg experience I've had.The last 2 or 3 years now I've been exclusively into 2 door sports cars and sports bikes.
FireflyOD@reddit
I always loved muscle cars and Japanese sports cars and that has stayed the same.
But I no longer have any interest in exotics, overly modified cars, engine swaps, or anything German.
I did gain an appreciation for practical cars like minivans, economy hatchbacks, and small pickups.
jbh1126@reddit
used to be fine with a stripped interior full cage e36 m3 on coil overs
now I have a cayenne with active suspension and heated / cooled seats man I love it
that said I got the itch for another dumb project
strongmanass@reddit
Me when I first got into cars: "Lambo is the best. It's low, fast, has dramatic styling. Why would anyone want a Bentley? You pay all that money just for a regular-looking old man car."
Me today: "That Lambo is cool, but it's loud, harsh, stiff, has poor visibility, uncomfortable seats, and I barely fit. That Bentley though...speed, comfort, massaging seats, the veneer - the subtle light brown color, the thickness of it...oh my god. They can even hand carve your own watermark."
...have I become the old man?
On a serious note, part of me maturing as an enthusiast was discovering that I don't really enjoy the cars and driving experiences that enthusiasts are told we should want. I wish the car community was more accepting of the breadth of driving experiences and vehicles that can be rewarding and enjoyable.
Bebealex@reddit
In high school we were the shit when we had installed big screen after market radio. Then our cars just had them ? Awesome.
Mandatory back up camera was awesome. Look at this techno !
Now I despise them lol. Everything is just something to break.
mr_lab_rat@reddit
It got broader I would say.
I still appreciate the hypercars but now I can also be impressed by a solid off roader, classic American cars I previously had no interest in.
MVolkJ1975@reddit
It really hasn't changed much. I've always owned small coupes, mostly Japanese.
I can respect other types of cars, but have no desire or need to own them.
Super901@reddit
Im all electric and loving it.
Outofcontrolpilot@reddit
JDM guy growing up, dove into American muscle as an adult and decided to combine the two in my current fleet. Not much changes, I still barely look at supercars but break my neck at well maintained old Japanese cars. The only thing that’s changed for me is my growing appreciation for cars that survive, stock cars or near stock cars from yesterday are more meaningful and beautiful to me than modern day cars, despite more than likely being slower and less reliable.
jondes99@reddit
In 30 years time I’ve gone from an old Saab 900 Turbo to a new Integra. So, I guess not much has changed. #architectcars
Sad-Reception-2266@reddit
My older brother gave me a ride in his convertible MG Midget. I wave always loved a droptop after that. I am on my 4th convertible. I had (in order) a 94 Olds Cutlass Supreme, A 99 Camaro, An 04 Cadillac XLR and my 2014 Chevy Camaro I have had for 10 years.
I will need a 2024 convertible next. All because of one of my favorite songs. Dr. Dre's "Let Me Ride"
rudbri93@reddit
I was a farm boy raised on gm A bodies, so as a young guy I was big into the muscle car era and all the history of it all. Randomly my brother picked up an '87 bmw 325e and that started a love affair with the bmw 3 series (cheap ones, sub 1500 dollar range) I had several of those through high school and college.
In college I got introduced to hondas as performance cars instead of economy cars, it did take a bit to win me over since Im definitely a displacement whore, but building a turbo CRX with some friends was a great learning experience.
After college i worked in a euro shop in a wealthy area so i got to play with all different kinds of porsches, MB, audi, vw, the occasional Ferrari or Aston Martin. I consider myself blessed with a wide palate, I can find something fun in a lot of different types of vehicles.
AnonymousEngineer_@reddit
When I was younger, I was all about the fastest, best handling things. As I've gotten older, I've started gaining a larger appreciation for the restomodded or lovingly restored older stuff.
I can still remember an old, restored 23-window Volkswagen Type 2 van I saw as a kid. It was painted in this rich candy apple red colour, and in basically better than new condition. Knowing what I know now, that would have had huge amounts of money spent on it and would be the kind of thing I'd absolutely nerd out over now.
ahtoxa1183@reddit
Started driving during the early Fast and The Furious era and I have a lot of love for OEM+ 90s/2000s econoboxes. Forget the gaudy graphics and big wings, but I love me some modded b18s.
Always been into 4wheeling and that’s been a staple of mine for the last 20 years.
Overall, I’d say my tastes haven’t changed much. I appreciate a wide variety that car enthusiast culture has to offer, though I can’t say I’m really into anything that’s been mass produced in the last 10 years, nor am I into super or hyper cars. I guess I sort of stayed in that ‘affordables’ category from years back.
BeepBangBraaap@reddit
I guess I've mostly stayed the save but I've developed a deeper appreciation for the engineering and a broader understanding of the different ways to make and use power.
I've always loved sports cars but I like so much more now. Trucks, sedans, hot hatches, wagons, NA, turbo, supercharged, every category and class has something interesting. .
FrozenUruguayBallbac@reddit
I used to really like muscle cars and trucks and offroaders, I still do. I have grown more appreciation for cars like the GTR and miata, I always liked them but never appreciated them, also by watching top gear I have grown a liking for the Alfa QV and Jaguar. I now also really like 911s and M cars more
arveeay@reddit
As a teen I loved classic muscle cars and small convertibles. Now that I am older and wiser, I love classic and modern muscle cars, and small convertibles. And motorbikes.
Jnaythus@reddit
My first car was my parents hand-me-down automatic 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo in black. Since then I've had a number of FWD fun cars like an Acura RSX Type S, a Honda Civic Si, VW GTI, RWD V6 Camaro when they put the 300+hp motor in it, later on an SS, and now returning to my roots with a turbo hatchback B9.5 Audi A5 45 tfsi sportback. I enjoyed the SS but it was too fast to enjoy on regular roads and it came with a lot of compromises in my state where winter hits in full force. I only get to drive 911s or Lamborghinis in racing games, so those are out of my realm of possibilities. I'd love a manual MX-5 weekend car, but until then the A5 is as fun and as edgy as my regular pleasure and daily commute could ask for without being dangerous / risky.
TheMysticWizard@reddit
Was given a '82 Firebird when I got my permit.
Totaled it, drunk driver ran a stop sign.
Bought a '87 Firebird, engine blew up a year and a half later.
Drove a Dodge Caravan, then a Mitsubishi Galant, both from family members, so it wasn't really a choice.
Bought my first "new" (used) car, '06 VW Jetta.
Bought a '09 VW CC.
Got rid of the CC and bought a '01 Audi allroad
Bought a '14 Audi Q7
Bought a '15 Audi A3
Allroad died, blew a head gasket and overheated, sold to the junkyard.
Got rid of the Q7 and bought a '18 Audi SQ5
Got rid of the SQ5 and got a '21 VW Atlas
Got rid of the A3 and bought a '14 Mini Cooper Base
Bought a '21 Mini Clubman S ALL4
Bought a '22 BMW X5 M50i
Guess you could say, it has changed, but still have big love for European / German cars...
Coming from Audi to BMW, it's similar, but the BMW feels much more refined, where Audi was comfortable and fast, but also just more raw feeling.
After owning 3 VW's, I don't think I'll be buying another. The Jetta was solid, but leaked oil, the CC and Atlas are shit, mostly engine wise. Just under 100k on both of them and it was constant problems.
Everyone talks about Audi being expensive to maintain, but if you're doing it yourself, it's in line with what other cars cost.
SirLoremIpsum@reddit
18yo me thought wagons weren't cool.
Me now thinks wagons are the coolest.
18yo me thought he wanted stuff sporty car. Now I think I'd take the less sporty comfy one. More an Alpina than an M car for example.
thisisjustascreename@reddit
Similarly to you, my appreciation for all manner of cars has widened. I still don't really care for heavy cars with huge power like a Hellcat or S class AMGs, and there are just an absolute ton of boring shitboxes out there, but just about anything built to be enjoyed, I can find something to enjoy when driving it.
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