Top 10 Cars According to Face

Quote: Pacomartin

Does BMW i8 take #10 spot?

Not even close. There's just so much going wrong here.

First, it looks ridiculous. I can appreciate it as art, but not as a car guy. It looks like a caricature of the future of cars. I'm not saying it's ugly, because I don't think it is. But it's not... something. I dunno, it looks like an example. It looks "concept", like every other new model that comes out, where they show you what they could do, before they release the realistic commercial version.

Second, I don't think I could ever put an electric in my list. It has nothing to do with performance. After all, Merc makes this...



Some 800hp. 750ft/lb of torque. And since it's electric, you get all of that torque always. It has four electric motors, one for each wheel. So all that computerized stability and traction controls are truly independent. It looks (other than the green) absolutely stunning. It performs like a super car in every aspect. But, and this is a huge but, you mat the gas and it just goes "hmmmmmmmm".

Noise is the car's voice. So much of the character of a car is found in it's voice. The sloppy "blahp, blahp, blahp" of a big V8 idling at the light. The raspy, crackling scream of a Ferrari at 9k rpm. The mutant mosquito buzz of a tricked out 4 banger. I don't care what else is going on, I could have the baddest 'Cuda that's ever seen the streets. But if you put a pillow soft muffler on it so it sounds as tame as a house cat, I just can't get into it.

That car you posted looks like a relaxing pool of water. Soothing. Mellow. Even looking at it, I feel relaxed. The things I look for in a car, the stuff I like about them, I couldn't imagine getting from something like the i8.

Quote: Face

Second, I don't think I could ever put an electric in my list. It has nothing to do with performance. After all, Merc makes this...

I couldn't imagine spending $115K on a car with 357 horsepower, while for $45,400 you can get a BMW 335i xDRIVE SEDAN with 300 horsepower.

Electric cars are so trendy. A recent article in Slate estimated the net decrease in national CO2 emissions would be about 6.4 percent if we replace the entire fleet of gasoline powered cars (not diesel trucks, buses or diesel cars) with electric vehicles.

This 6.4% reduction would be done at huge cost. If all the current vehicles are permitted to run to the end of their lifespan, he estimates $1.5 trillion.

You can do three times as much good per dollar by fitting coal plants with carbon capture systems. Not to mention even better alternatives like replacing coal plants altogether with nuclear, wind, or combined-cycle gas plants.

So the idea of spending that much money on a car, and feeling good about yourself because it is electric is almost insane.

Quote: Pacomartin

I couldn't imagine spending $115K on a car with 357 horsepower, while for $45,400 you can get a BMW 335i xDRIVE SEDAN with 300 horsepower.

Oh, I dunno ;) Charger, Challenger, Cuda, Dart, Duster, Demon... all of these can fit a 383 B engine, which has 325hp. Gimme 10 seconds and I'll show you 50 Challenger's and Cuda's alone that someone would buy for $100k+ =)

But electric? I'm am just about sick to death of even the mention. Yes, I think it is something that should be pursued. And I've been following that cotton battery thing with interest. But to consider it a real option at this time? Who are they trying to fool?

I would love an electric option. Whether towing or pulling tree stumps, there's nothing I want more than all my torque all the time. But it's not an option right now. Make an electric truck at today's range with a 12-20hr charge time and I'd have to camp at work all week.

And maybe I'm ignorant, but solve all the charge time and range issues, and you think it would be that easy to switch? I know there's parts with vast and cheap electricity. Usually some sort of high tech manufacturers pops up there to take advantage. But when I think electricity, about the only thought that pops into my head is our failing infrastructure. Maybe that's a result of being from the northeast and experiencing all the problems we've had, but if a large chunk of people went electric, how we gonna fill them? We get freaking warnings to go easy on the a/c in summer because it makes entire regions flicker. How in the blue hell could we plug in our millions of cars then?

Quote: Face

How in the blue hell could we plug in our millions of cars then?

I am 100 miles from NYC near the Bethlehem Sands casino, and there are no charge stations here. I've never seen an electric vehicle around here (either a LEAF or a TESLA). Everyplace has hybrids, especially the Prius.

It seems more sensible to simply by an inexpensive gasoline car (like the Corolla) if you want to be conservative. That "plug-in" models give you the ability to go your first 11 miles on electric only (seems like a lot of money just for something so small).


Corolla $16,800 28/37
Prius c $19,080 53/46
Prius - $24,200 51/48
Prius v $26,750 44/40
Prius Plug-in $29,990 95/50

Quote: Face

And maybe I'm ignorant, but solve all the charge time and range issues, and you think it would be that easy to switch? I know there's parts with vast and cheap electricity. Usually some sort of high tech manufacturers pops up there to take advantage. But when I think electricity, about the only thought that pops into my head is our failing infrastructure. Maybe that's a result of being from the northeast and experiencing all the problems we've had, but if a large chunk of people went electric, how we gonna fill them? We get freaking warnings to go easy on the a/c in summer because it makes entire regions flicker. How in the blue hell could we plug in our millions of cars then?

I find that support for electrics, along with other liberal ideas like banning bottled water, rises id direct correlation to how little blue-collar work a person has done. It might have something to do with the idea that in an office you click x on the computer and y happens instantly, and if it doesn't you call IT Support and they fix it in a few minutes while you get coffee. OTOH if you are more used to dealing with people and physical things, you know this isn't the case.

"Yeah, I know the Mitchel Manual says 2 hours but those guys work on new cars off the line whereas I have to work with cars with gunk all over them, so it is going to take 3 (even though the shop only pays me for 2.)

Same with electric cars. Some people only see the car run and say, "ooooh, no tailpipe!" The thinking person sees we will need new power plants, better grids, more lead or other materials for batteries, more whatever; and they say, "I don't see the point."