Yardspeed

This is not a street encounter as such. It's more something I've recently noticed re street encounters. I've lived in South Florida for a few years. In this period, I've owned the following cars: S2000 then 350z then Evo 8 then E90 325i (mistake for me) and now a Z4M. When I had Japanese cars, my street encounters were mostlly with other Japanese cars and American cars. I was always under the impression that most of the drivers of European cars were well too mature (or old) to indulge in such acts. I mean I've had the odd encounter with an M3 or two with one of my Japanese cars but generally not with Porsches for example.

Fast forward to my current car.... My Z4M is not faster than my lightly modded Evo (306 whp) was. That said, I've had quite a few European cars initiate encounters in the 5 months I've owned the M roadster. Let's see, three 996's, a 997 (up to 150 mph), an E60 M5, a 650i, a 997 turbo, a 996 GT3 etc etc. I mean just this evening an older fellow in a SLK55 came after me. Now some of these guys didn't realize my car has the same engine as an E46 M3 and thought I would be an easy kill but some did know. The point I'm making is that I'm sure a good percentage of these folks would not have taken me on in my Evo (although it was at least as quick as my M). So what do you folks think re the reason for this discrepancy? I mean I even noticed that when I had the 325i that I got into one or 2 quick runs with an older SL500 and once with the current Jag XJ? etc.

Is it just that the typical owners of Porsches, BMW's etc. think other cars are "not worthy" or what? I don't know... Just something I noticed....

GT_2003

not everybody is familiar with cars of al types. Some know German steel, some can't tell an M3 from an M5 without a badge but have a poster of an 80's Celica(?!?) on their bedroom wall. Some people have a grudge against a certain car, be it a Mustang or a BMW they don't think is as fast as the owners do.

And then there is the risk factor - I'm not going to put my car or license at risk racing a car I don't care about. Some sedans are pretty quick, but I don't see any reason to pick a race against something like a Maxima, regardless of the numbers. I just have no interest in running against one. Nothing against the cars, but I'd rather test myself and my car against a late 70's 911 than a mid-2000's sedan of any make. It's the cars I want to see run, not just the cars that might give me a good run.

Envied

I dunno about that.. I would say that there is a stereotype out there by cars.. Keep in mind I am only a 23yr old... In my view I wouldn't prolly mess with an older guy in an evo if I had a highly respected car like a turbo porsche or bmw.. Reason you ask. Most older guys that drive nice cars usually don't mod them. If they do mod them, they usually mod them VERY lightly' generally not wanting them appearing much different than factory. Now that being said. You driving around in a fellow euro car, they figure what the heck and see what you got. I know when I am out running the streets, the type of car and the age of driver is what I go by when deciding to race. Most people my age usually have either A) riced out slow cars or B)rich kids that have a really built car from mommy and daddy. I usually target someone that is a lil older than myself to race around where I live. They are usually the more experienced drivers and give you the better race. I dont even care if it is a guy with a built ass v8, it's still fun to toy around.

Alexei

Good point. Lots of times when I get some open road in front of me and someone in another nice car who is willing to "play", it's not a simple matter of win or lose; I really enjoy seeing what the other car/driver can do, and I love hearing what their cars sound like at high RPMs. Around here (Santa Barbara, California) lots of the "higher end" Porsche and BMW ///M drivers are pretty cool; although, there has been an occasional Boxster poseur who has learned the hard way the my little Honda was more than they could handle. From my experience most of the younger WRX-Evo set have been nice (cool, respectful, whatever...) as well.


Even though I'm TWICE your age, you've got me pretty well figured out... Damn!

Envied

Lol it's not just you.. I just know a bunch of older guys with really nice cars.. One of my buddies at work is in his 50's and has a really nice 2003 M3 and I love that car! I tried to talk him into moddin it a bit and it's always an argument.. He got a wild hair in his ass when I started modding my old car and my buddy started modding his rx8.. So he started searchin around for parts.. And of course being the older guy that he is, he wouldnt go with any aftermarket stuff. He wanted Dinan.. Which is BIG MONEY!! I priced the stage 1 kit (cf intake, cat back exhaust and tune) and it was something like 2500 or something like that.. I found the same package but with like a Borla Exhaust, some aftermarket bmw intake and a tune for like 1200. But that looked more modded to him so he didnt want it. This is a trend I have found with most older guys. Then you have the older guys that are into modding and those guys go big or go home so to stay.

UMDSuzuka

That's the equivalent of S2000 owner's preferring Mugen or Spoon to anything else. I think, for the most part, they do. It's just that since the S2K is affordable by a younger croud on a whole than the M3, that they just don't have the excess money to be blowing on top-of-the-line Mugen/Spoon/J's Racing stuff like the older closer-to-retirement guys that have been saving for 30 years can. They choose Dinan because they can afford it, and more S2K guys can't swing the Brand name JDM stuff. I think.

Envied

True. But I really dont look at it like that. Sure the quality is top notch.. But I look at all the options and weigh it out.. I mean there are lots of quality parts that are available at a fraction of the cost.. For example.. The J's Racing intake.. 1100 for an intake.. To me an intake is an intake.. As long as you dont hydrolock, it looks clean and the functionality is there... Why pay 1100 for an intake that you can pay 300 for an intake that yields the same gains while keeping quality and functionality. I have been down the road with modding cars.. Have been doing it since I was 17. Hell I used to drive a 96 Grand Am GT.. They DIDNT make hardly any aftermarket for those cars for the longest time. I custom fabricated a bunch of stuff for that car.. Then I moved up to an SVT Focus. I modded that very tastefully. Then I started a 89 Toyota Supra Turbo Targa project.. I loved that car, but didnt have the funds to really restore the car like it needed. I have a lot of friends with the import cars as well as domestics.. I have worked on both.. I never was a big fan of the import cars that were affordable (civics, integra, etc) and never thought I would buy an S2000, but I found a good deal and took it out for a spin.. To tell you the truth I was sold in like 10mins. Hell the salesman didnt even say anything to me or ride with me on the test drive.

stitos2k

I think you guys missed it entirely.

Cars like the Evo are super easy to mod and make huge power, the bmw and porche snobs don't want to get embarrased by a car that cost a 1/3 as much with 4 doors.

Lionheart

Could it be they think it's just another 'soft' Z4 so it's an easy/certain win for them?

Evo's for example look fast and mean, so I think the psycological fast comes into play too

And of course, Evo's and so can be made really fast quite easily, so who want's to mess with those if you don't wanna loose? No Porsche/BMW/Merc etc driver wants to loose to one of those, therefore I can imagine they just don't dare to give it a go

pdexta

It's funny how stereotypes play into our street encounters. If I see a Japanese car (evo, sti, 350z) my first reaction is to try to find out if they want to play. If I see a European car (porsche, bmw) I immediately lump them into the "old guy who doesn't push his car" category and go on my own way unless they persuit a run with me. With american cars it seems to go car by car. A mustang/firebird/camaro would get thrown into the potential encounter group, while a corvette is thrown into the "old guy" group.