Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

1…158159161163164…435

Comments

  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    I find the same pleasure in the corners. Any idiot can take his car to 80-90-100. But in most of the car they're driving, they simply can't corner. On the open freeway (not during rush hour) I usually set my cruise between 75-80 and never touch the brake pedal. It's funny to watch the people blow by you at 85 and then at the freeway interchange you zip by the them on the ramp as they're braking so much to negotiate corners. Also fun to watch the way people corner anyway...they're not really looking for lines or apexes.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    The best is, in any US manufactured car (or truck) I've ever driven, the same speed that I can leisurely take into a bend with this car would result in tragedy. Including Cadillac and Lincoln.

    Regards,
    OW
  • frisconickfrisconick Member Posts: 1,275
    LOL :P

    Didn't the police say he was going 110 or something and the car can't go over 100?
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    You have never driven a "V" then. ;)

    Rocky
  • frisconickfrisconick Member Posts: 1,275
    LOL

    The slowest thing I ever drove was 96 Camry. :P
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,527
    Actually, when I was in traffic school in my late teens, the instructor provided by the state said they were valid speed limits... at least here...

    But, I never did very well in school, anyway.. ;)

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Rocky,

    Correct...never driven a V or a C6. Other than those 2, same result.

    You'd think that the Home Boys and Girls would have been able to at least come close by now with their entry level fare.

    Regards,
    OW
  • frisconickfrisconick Member Posts: 1,275
    Where you driving a Model T back then kyfdx? ;)
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    ... 256K is at best metal tape quality. ...

    I hate to drag this from the depths, but this sparked a bit of nostalgia. Does anybody remember the very brief fad of cassette tapes made of actual metal? I think it was aluminum. Ahh, memories... :blush:
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Barely remember tapes. I'm only 32 but tapes seem like a distant memory. Just like my 4 year old niece has no concept of CDs.
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    That's funny. My kids don't even know what a typewriter is! :surprise:
  • allargonallargon Member Posts: 75
    Please--a Prius can corner most onramps at high speed--not that I would know anything about taking a 15mph curve at 65mph in a touring model. :blush:

    It's tracks and mountain passes that really take handling and cornering to the limits of some (not most) ELLPS.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,527
    Horse and buggy... with an 8-track player.. ;)

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Gas street lamps!
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    I think it's a manual printer...
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Well you have a few more options next fall like the "8". :D

    Rocky
  • frisconickfrisconick Member Posts: 1,275
    LOL ;)
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    You wanna power through a 35 corner at 75-80 in a Prius, be my guest.

    I agree about the track. Unfortunately, going through 1k in tires over a weekend just isn't my cup of tea on a regular basis.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    IIRC, their were "normal bias" tapes at 120uS (Type I), and "high bias" tapes at 70uS (Type II).

    The normal bias tapes were made of ferric oxide and the high bias tapes were made of chromium dioxide and later, metal (Type IV) was introduced.

    The first cassettes that were considered hi-fi were the CRO2 tapes when used with Dolby B noise reduction.

    I bought my first hi-fi cassette deck in the mid-80's. It was a Denon DRM-44HX. I used "metal" tapes and Dolby C with "headroom extension (HX). The deck had an internal computer to custom tune the bias to the particular tape by recording and analyzing test tones on the tape (this was more accurate than pushing a button to select "normal" or "high" bias.

    This is pretty much as far as the compact cassette format evolved. At the time, CD's I recorded onto metal cassette using all the bells and whistles were indistinguishable from the original CD source. That's how I remember it anyways.

    Thanks for the memory tayl0rd. I was quite the hi-fi buff back in the day, and I still have that cassette deck and those "old" recordings - they're collecting dust under the guest bed in the spare bedroom.
  • carmonkeycarmonkey Member Posts: 32
    I caught your statement about displacement and you even mentioned the Pontiac GTO. A picture (or video) is worth a thousand words - LEXUS IS350 beating a Pontiac GTO at the 1/4 mile track! http://lexustech.org/Performance.htm
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    My RA-1's cost about $600 for the set (including tax and installation). They saw 3 track events last year and they'll probably make it through 3 or 4 more events.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    The silver GTO in that video ran the 1/4 mile in 14.2 seconds?!?! I could've beat that granny with my Taurus.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    >CD's I recorded onto metal cassette using all the bells and whistles were indistinguishable from the original CD

    Do you mean CDs which you recorded or LPs which you recorded to tape...?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • ventureventure Member Posts: 2,869
    I hope you haven't been holding this grudge for three years.

    cornellpremed is probably a real doctor by now. :surprise:

    2020 Ascent Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport

  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    He means recording a CD to tape(say to play in your car or whatnot, since protable CD players were far from the norm back then)

    My friend had the higher-end Harmon Kardon model of the same deck and other than the slight background hiss(unless you were listening to incredibly soft music at a horrendously loud volume it was inaudible), it was indistinguishable from CD. Most CDs are compressed to about half their actual dynamic range in the studio so as to not damage your headphones or speakers. So, with almost all of them metal tape was/is good enough to capture everything. Of crouse, finding good metal tapes these days is hard - the best ones weighed about 3-4 ounces each and had ceramic or metal cases and parts. They jsut don't make them like that anymore.

    I'd say it was comparable to 1/4 inch tape running at 3 1/2 inches a second.(reel-to-reel deck).

    Of course, MP3s are taking over now, but audio was almost as good 20 years ago - if you had the money, that is.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Fed, by 3 track events, what does that entail? My last event day was 2 days at button willow. We drove 4 times each day, 25-30 minutes a shot. 4-5 hours of track time at button willow gobbled up my tires in a hurry.

    http://buttonwillowraceway.com/race_01.htm

    That's the layout we used running west from the start.
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    Good history/science lesson, fedlawman. But I was referring to the actual cassette itself being made of metal, not the tape ribbon. :blush: I think they made them out of metal to make them more durable. People used to leave cassettes laying in their seats back then and if a careless passenger just plopped down in the seat without looking... CRACK!
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    You all have me confused about cassettes. I didn't think any used a metal strip of tape. I don't recall the case being made out of metal. I do remember different magnetic capable materials for the plastic tape, including chromium dioxide, which required different record head capabilities and playback curves, but combined with Dolby could reproduce LP (you know, 33 1/3 rpm plastic things) disks with almost no hiss.

    Of course you all remember magnetic recorders that used actual iron wire on spools instead of plastic tape.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    The guy in the silver GTO looks like he missed a shift. ;)

    Rocky
  • robbiegrobbieg Member Posts: 346
    With regards to the Pontiac, the caption below the picture says the color and material are for the show car only.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    You wanna power through a 35 corner at 75-80 in a Prius, be my guest.

    Tragedy!
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Blueguy - Two of the events were one-day HPDE's. 5 sessions, 30 minutes each. The third event was a two-day HPDE - 10 30 minute sessions total. I would love to get down to Buttonwillow someday - it's on my list of tracks to drive.

    Tayl0rd - I remember those "metal" tapes too. They had a see-through case, with a metal frame and screws. IIRC, they were made by Sony - $10 each back in 1986, and very rugged.

    Joe131 - Just ignore that posts that don't interest you.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    http://protapes.pc-gr.com/tapes/TDK_MA-XG60.htm

    They still make them. $15 each, but worth the money. This has a ceramic/metal composite frame and weigh a TON. Essentially, it's DAT grade tape in a studio quality case.

    http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?s=31fc239b9f0c1671256bbb0cce63e488&showtopi- c=17988&hl=
    This is why it's so expensive - they stopped making them three months ago. Normally they were about $7 a tape.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    It took some digging, but I finally found a picture of the tapes I have:

    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:TDK_MA-R_C90_cassette.jpg
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Joe131, did you notice the metal frame of the TDK MA-R? These tapes were prized in their day for their anti-resonance characteristics and durability - traits highly valued by audiophiles.

    Personally, I find the anti-resonance design of these tapes to be very effective at mitigating wow and flutter when playing recorded music in my ELLPS. It has also proven to be a boon to longevity when faced with the intense heat/sunlight that can penetrate the interior of my ELLPS.
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 4,721
    And can any ELLPS truly be considered an ELLPS without the ability to play casettes??? Especially those with a fabulous mix of songs from the 70's and 80's made for that special lady. And ultimately returned... :cry: To live on and play proudly in my ELLPS! :D

    "Come back baby, Rock and Roll never forgets!"

    '21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)

  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Hey, my ELLPS does NOT have a cassette player...What gives? I thought it was part of the Premium Package. I want to play those Chromium Dioxides!

    If this is not offered, does this eliminate the 3 Series from the ELLPS forum??

    I am sure the CTS must have this technology!

    "I'm a Highway Star!"
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    And surprisingly they eliminated the 8-track as well...ELLPS indeed :shades:
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 4,721
    Well, I think that it at least eliminates the L for "Luxury" from the 3's description. You'll just have to live with the P...

    Because, "Out here in the field, I fight for my meal! I get my back into my living!"

    '21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)

  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 4,721
    My BetaMax doesn't play 8-tracks, so I can forgive that piece of technology for going the way of LA Raider winning season's...

    '21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)

  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    OK...no tape player I will live with the entry performance.

    "Drove my Bimmer to the Levee but the Levee was dry....this will be the day that I DIE."
  • frisconickfrisconick Member Posts: 1,275
    you forgot the part about drinking whisky and rye :P
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    and good old boys.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    have actual cars with (or without) tape players that you'd like to discuss? ;)
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    How about another kind of music - music to my ears?

    My new Supersprint exhaust...

    http://www.carspace.com/videos/play!id=.5a1235f7
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Fed,

    What is the vibrational differnece on the road? These are pretty loud!

    BTW, is this the same car you posted the road coarse video last summer?

    Regards,
    OW
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Below 3700 RPM, it's kind of "buzzy" inside the cabin - sort of a harmonic resonance. Above that RPM, it turns into a wicked purr that makes it all worth it. It's definitely too loud right now so I plan on installing a resonator on the center section to quiet it down a little and add a little back-pressure to boost low end torque somewhat.

    I think I linked the lap where I paced an instructor (also driving an M3) around the track.

    Here's another lap around Spokane without any traffic:

    http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1225387497

    You can definitely hear the difference between the old exhaust and the new one. The power change with the new setup is dramatic - I can't wait to get the M back on the track in a few weeks.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    It looks like you are moving faster on your own. Hats off to the line you take through the track. I need to try that soon.

    Just to get a perspective, what speeds did you attain in this vid?

    The engine sounds real fine at the high end of the revs through the gears. What a difference from when you just reved it in park from the back of the car.

    Regard,
    OW
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Spokane Raceway Park:

    image

    130 on the front straight, 120 on the back straight.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Awsome track...and you get the most out of that car. Who needs NASCAR?

    Regards,
    OW
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles