[raymondlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Clarkson bought the Ford GT not once, but twice. He got rid of his first one because it was a POS with a bunch of little problems that basically kept it in its parking space, as I remember the story. Then he regretted it and bought it again. Yeah, the guy's just a xenophobe, has no clue what he's talking about and no experience whatsoever. Yeah, uhhuh, he could pwn us all, and knows it. Just once I'd like to see Hammond and May beat him in one of those races. Speaking of - did we visit the Cool Wall this episode? I'm no gearhead, but I don't think you have to be, to enjoy driving. If you enjoy driving, then you'll understand how they do their reviews, no problem. They describe what the car feels like without me having to be a gearhead and without me having to get in it. /is more on the Hamster's side of cool.

Yup. his first GT had LOADS of bugs, one time the anti-theft tracking thing kicked in. He got a call on his mobile phone from Ford (or the security company) on the phone tell him someone has stolen his car and driven it away, except he was the one driving it at the time ! The car alarm also went nuts, going off for no reason at the middle of the night, which his wife didn't much appreciate. So he took it back to the garage, then sometime later he bought another one. You HAVE to love a car to be able to risk that bunch of problems again.

And you are spot on with them talking about cars in a totally non-tech head kinda ways, everyone i know enjoys the show. It is the best hour of television on Sundays here, i look forward to it everyweek.

p.s. they didn't do the cool wall this week, they don't actually do that everyweek, it seems to be only now and again.

 

[Tuberoller]

Clarkson failed to mention that his alarm was an aftermarket item and was never meant to be installed on his car. It did not work well with the factory Ford anti-theft system and the starter-interrupt circuit but I guess it was just easier for him to rag on Ford. You know, it makes his points about bad American car designs look legit.


As far as the Corvette goes, you may not like it but it's fast, reliable and wins races against the best in the world. In most forms of racing where Corvettes race head to head against the likes of Porsche and BMW, Corvettes rule the roost. Drivers in American Lemans, Speed Challenge, Grand Am and SCCA Stock and Showroom stock choose Corvettes when they want to win. They use BMW and Porsche when they have factory support and like to blow large sums of cash looking good. I like how Corvettes were basically "ruled out" of most forms of Euro racing after they won so much. I guess watching Corvettes finish 1-3 and a Cadillac finish second at Lemans was just too much to bear.

Yes, I've owned a few Corvettes..... And a BMW and a Porsche.

 

[m_memmory]

If I remember correctly though Clarkson wasn't the one ragging on Ford with all his problems with the car - he was saying that it was annoying and everything but that he still loved the car and thought it was great. If anything he was pointing out that, even with all the problems, the car was brilliant and the best supercar available (hence he brought one)

However Hamster and Mr. Slow loved all the problems ... and not so that they could rag on Ford either - just because it was something with which they could poke fun at Clarkson.

Can't comment much on Corvette's racing pedigree as I've never seen any races where they compete. I don't really know much about car racing but the things that I do take some interest in (TOCA, Rally & F1) I don't think I've ever seen a Corvette take part.

 

[Dimitris]

I think that everyone who is a bit reasonable would agree that European cars are better than American ones. I mean if someone was giving you a car as a gift and you had the option of it being European or American who would pick an American one?

 

[raymondlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimitris /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think that everyone who is a bit reasonable would agree that European cars are better than American ones. I mean if someone was giving you a car as a gift and you had the option of it being European or American who would pick an American one?

The clip in Clarkson's new DVD does it for me, a 1.8 litre Lotus v a 400BHP Ford Mustang. The lotus won eassssssssssssssssssssily. Actually I think a fat guy on a horse beat it too in one of the test....

 

[Tuberoller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimitris /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think that everyone who is a bit reasonable would agree that European cars are better than American ones. I mean if someone was giving you a car as a gift and you had the option of it being European or American who would pick an American one?

better as in what? Yeah, I like the way some Euro cars look, especially Audis but I'd have to get something like a F430 to make it worthwhile.

 

[m_memmory]

I don't know what is meant by "better" either ... I mean I've never driven many American cars so I wouldn't be able to say one way or the other how they compare to European care (which I've also not driven many of)

All I can say with any real knowledge is that, of the cars I've seen, I generally prefer the European styling to the American sytling.

 

[raymondlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuberoller /img/forum/go_quote.gif better as in what? Yeah, I like the way some Euro cars look, especially Audis but I'd have to get something like a F430 to make it worthwhile.

Corners better, better fuel economy (a VW Golf can do better miles per gallon than a Toyota Prias), better handling, better built quality.

 

[StevieDvd]

I suppose it makes it easier to watch when you know that all the digs at europeans (non-UK) and US are tongue-in-cheek. I don't blame our American friends for not picking up on that - a lot of UK folk don't like him as they take him too literally as well.

Jeremy Clarkson is an actor/comedian whose image is contrived. If you have seen his chat shows you'd see he deliberatley puts his chin up to get a reaction. He has a similar love/hate relationship with the French especially having a dig at their cooking - but he is in fact quite a closet gourmet

Just like dear sweet Anne Robinson - she makes her money by being the sharp-tongued witch - another act!

I don't know what's funnier - being in on the joke or seeing people who don't get it!

 

[raymondlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevieDvd /img/forum/go_quote.gif I suppose it makes it easier to watch when you know that all the digs at europeans (non-UK) and US are tongue-in-cheek. I don't blame our American friends for not picking up on that - a lot of UK folk don't like him as they take him too literally as well. Jeremy Clarkson is an actor/comedian whose image is contrived. If you have seen his chat shows you'd see he deliberatley puts his chin up to get a reaction. He has a similar love/hate relationship with the French especially having a dig at their cooking - but he is in fact quite a closet gourmet Just like dear sweet Anne Robinson - she makes her money by being the sharp-tongued witch - another act! I don't know what's funnier - being in on the joke or seeing people who don't get it!

Very valid point, he pokes fun at EVERYONE, not just americans. Like you said, he pokes fun at the french. Calls that guy who beat him in a race climbing up some cliff "some dude who takes crystal meth", he pokes fun and caravan drivers, young people, old people, the government, everyone.

 

[Dimitris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuberoller /img/forum/go_quote.gif better as in what? Yeah, I like the way some Euro cars look, especially Audis but I'd have to get something like a F430 to make it worthwhile.

Better in the basic expectation of a car actually steering in a corner and not floating like a boat as the average american car. I am driving a 95 Mercury Sable (similar to the Ford Taurus-my father in law gave it to me) and I am stunned by the fact that people in the 90's would build such a poor car and would actually dare sell it. I own a 1977 Alfa Romeo Julietta which handles far better and is much safer to drive too (has disk brakes on all wheels unlike my 1995 V6 3.8lt car, stiffer suspension). Needless to say that its much faster too.

Please note that I am comparing similar family cars.

 

[DJShadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymondlin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very valid point, he pokes fun at EVERYONE, not just americans. Like you said, he pokes fun at the french. Calls that guy who beat him in a race climbing up some cliff "some dude who takes crystal meth", he pokes fun and caravan drivers, young people, old people, the government, everyone.

Ending up with a custard pie in the face

 

[m_memmory]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymondlin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very valid point, he pokes fun at EVERYONE, not just americans. Like you said, he pokes fun at the french. Calls that guy who beat him in a race climbing up some cliff "some dude who takes crystal meth", he pokes fun and caravan drivers, young people, old people, the government, everyone.

And, if you watch some of the stuff he's on, one of the biggest people that he insults and pokes fun on is actually himself.

 

[raymondlin]

One of the comments he made about the French will always stick in my head. He was driving around Europe and he was in Paris, driving round the roundabout in Champs-Elysees. The roundabout was very disorganised, car jumping in everywhere, there he said "France is actually a lovely country, shame about the people in it". That made me laugh lol.

I also like the fact that, to consider a car cool, the test is "Would you drive it to pick up Kristen Scott Thomas for a date ?" LOL, Very random but also very valid!

 

[Tuberoller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymondlin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Corners better, better fuel economy (a VW Golf can do better miles per gallon than a Toyota Prias), better handling, better built quality.

Oh, you mean the subjective kind of "better", because hard test data surely does'nt confirm "better" especially in relation to fuel mileage and Euro cars. Keep in mind that most Euro manufacturers( VW the exception) have refused to comply with currently accepted SAE horsepower ratings and most of the Japanese makers had to "adjust" these figures . They may have been a little optimistic, especially coming from Honda. Nissan has also refused, giving us the new Infiniti G35 with 306 "rated" horsepower instead of "measured" horsepower.

I hope you know I'm having fun here and don't mean to insult you in any way. This is fun like argueing about which car is really fastest. My son gives me far, far more grief than any of you guys ever could. He loves the BMW M5 and insists it should be my next car. My father also traded in his 2006 Caddy STS-V to purchase a new Audi S8 and refuses to shut up about how much "better" it is. He admits the Caddy was much, much faster, smoother and quieter but loves the "planted" feeling of the Audi and the great interior. I'll admit that the Audi has a great exhaust note and the nicest interior I've ever seen but even the Dodge Magnum wagon I'm leasing is faster and stops and handles better.

Ok, so the seed was planted long before I landed in this thread and I'm already hearing it in stereo from my son and dad. I refuse to take it from you and Clarkson.....