Hooniverse Asks- Is it Really More Fun to Drive a Slow Car Fast Than a Fast Car Slow?
The old saying goes that it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. Having driven my share of both slow and fast cars, I can say that it’s most fun to drive a fast car fast, but that opportunity doesn’t come up all that often. Usually driving with any alacrity is constrained by traffic, stop signs, and those guys in the Smokey the Bear hats. But that’s not to say there isn’t a lot of fun to be had while eschewing warp drive for impulse power.
So, what say you- Do you think that there’s fun to be had in a car of limited means when you are hitting 11/10s of what it’s got? Or does fun only come with an appreciable dollop of horsepower on the side?
Of course some people make their fun themselves-
Image source: [kingoffunny]
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I appreciate horsepower as much as the next guy, but I definitely fall into the slow car fast camp.
The best part of pushing a POS is that if you ball it up, parts are cheap and the pain-to-worth it ratio is always in your favor.
My experience driving truly *fast* cars is basically zero, but I can tell you with absolute certainly that one the bright points of my commute is hitting the highway off-ramp with no traffic and running my little CRX's 1500cc four-banger through the full range of the tachometer at WOT… just to get to highway speeds at the to of the ramp.
On the other hand, a CRX with decent tires will out-handle most supercars, so maybe that's not the most fair of comparisons.
I dunno. There is little else that I've driven that compares to the noise and tire pains my truck makes at WOT.
But I sure did feel proud the 1st time we hit 60 in the Laser, sputtering and smoking the whole time. And the 4 feet of air helped too
The closer to 10/10ths that you can drive the more fun. A fast car can only be driven at 4-5/10ths on the street without being a danger to yourself and/or others and/or attracting the attention of the law. A slow car can be driven 7-8/10ths on the street without too many problems, if you keep the tire noise to a minimum. Of course the slow car has to at least be nimble. Slow and big usually aren't going to be fun unless you get stupid. As points of reference my 120hp ish 87 MW 325e was as much fun on an average commute as my 300hp 94 Corvette, but my 150hp '88 F-150, long bed extended cab, usually isn't fun to drive, but it gets the truck jobs done. All of these vehicles have manual transmissions. I think this was sort of what Graverobber was saying.
…but meanwhile, there's nothing wrong with 'getting stupid' as long as it's in an unoccupied area. My car's not excessively fun on pavement – it's a good time, but the body roll and snow tires limit it, as does the lack of power. However, on a fairly smooth gravel road, it becomes a rally car; kicking out the tail at 35 around a sandy corner isn't terribly unsafe, but it is a good time.
Getting the very most that a slow car has to offer is something that is exhilarating to me. The consequences of such hoonage rarely include fiery death and multi-hundreds of thousands of dollar repair bills. Some of the stupidest and most fun things I have done while driving were in a $500 1979 Subaru hatchback at the tender age of 16.
Chalk me down for "slow car fast", due to some small amount of license preservation instinct. If I have a fast car, I will drive it fast. Not to say I don't know restraint, but six or seven tenths in anything remotely quick is deep into 'go directly to jail, do not pass go' territory.
It's definitely more fun to drive a slow car fast when compared to a fast car slow. But driving a fast car fast is something that's so sublime, so wonderful, that just the occasional ability to do so can make up for a whole lot of slow times. A few minutes at 120mph+ on a one-lane road in the desert, a single trip through the hills when you've already confirmed the lack of traffic and police, a half hour turning hot laps…
But then, driving a Miata makes every commute a blast, with the ability to push it to 8/10ths without really exceeding the speed limit. (Except for the "RAMP" suggestion signs that Thrashy pointed out.) Every day is a blast.
I've never actually owned a truly fast car, but have borrowed/rented some. So it's tough to say for sure, but I'd have think it would be ideal to have one of each. If the budget won't allow it, stick to the slow car. Not a POS, but something like a Miata / E30 / Triumph / Bugeye Sprite / etc. If the budget will allow it, throw in a C5 Z06 and you've got both bases covered!
I normally don't like slow cars.. but that doesn't mean that I love ultra fast 500+ bhp cars, I prefer a good power to weight, and tiny cars (has to be a hatchback too). That's why, while having the pleasure to drive supercars i have found the most pleasure out of driving a Renault 5 turbo, Renault 5 Alpine, Delta Integrale Evo (you get the point)
And one day.. ONE DAY.. i'll be able to afford the ultimate cheap fast car.. an Exige !
AAAAAAAAAAAAAND i have completely missed the question.. I like to drive slow cars fast..
Slow car fast. I have driven a few painfully slow cars, but the manual and decent handling make things fun.
I'd lean towards slow car fast, but it's dependent on the slow car. Saddled with an automatic, my future Accent isn't much fun to drive, no matter what. It just feels like I'm fighting the thing. Now, on the other hand, a fast car is more likely to be nice to drive, even at slow speeds.
For slow-car-fast, it has to be the right slow car. I'd rather do 30 in a CTS-V than 65 in a minivan.
When it comes to driving, it's definitely slow-car-fast. But that doesn't make me want to buy a slow car more than a fast car.
You are right on. I have an Alfa that is slow and I would prefer to drive that over mostl vehicles. On the other hand, if I never have to drive another Kia Spectra it will be too soon.
As for the minivan thing, I too would prefer to drive the CTS-V at low speeds. However:
1) I don't consider a minivan to be a car. The few times I have referred to one as such the term has been preceeded by the words "my wife's".
2) Most modern minivans aren't particularly slow.
It really depends on your definition of fast or slow, where are you going fast and how are you acheving that feeling?
Personally I'm preferencial to handling and corners so power doesn't play into it as much leading me to a "slower" car. Balance is what the name of the game really is, some guy could hav 700HP and a lousy suspension setup and my little 942 Turbo that is known for it's prowess in the corners can hold onto his rear end like a highschool football star does to his chearleader girlfriends ass. Then the second we exit the corner he becomes the "fast" car and takes off.
My answer for me would be "slow" but I do hope someone here plays the drag racer and comes out to tell every one that power is all you need.
It's better to drive a fun car, regardless of how the car manages to be fun.
Driving a slow car fast needs some stipulations. The excitement that you get when you can't quite get up to speed before merging isn't the kind of excitement that I look for in my commute. But there is not doubt that some of the most "tossable" cars are not winning many stoplight drags, but quick handling is fun even without 1+G of roadholding.
Driving a fast car slow can be quite enjoyable in the aforementioned stoplight drags, whether actual or just perceived. There is something quite grin-inducing about a hard launch, as you're pushed back into your seat, even if you stop short of reaching felonious speeds. It's better to utilize the "quick" over the "fast" capabilities, unless you really want that ticket.
Then there are slow cars that aren't fun to drive fast, but when used as intended are a blast. i.e. Jeep Wrangler.
Solidly in the Slow Car Fast camp. Were I made of money, I’d be able to afford to drive a fast car fast (at track days) and know pure enjoyment. But, until I win the Lotto, it’s the joys of maximizing the available performance for me.
I'll be the first to agree that "fast car fast" is probably the pinnacle of driving enjoyment, but in normal situations (normal where I live, at least– I'm not counting the Autobahn here) I think "slow car fast" is way more entertaining than "fast car slow."
When I was eighteen, my aunt's then-husband wanted to show me his new car. He wouldn't tell me what it was, but took me out to the garage and said "I think you should drive it" with a stupid grin on his face. It was the just-introduced 996-chassis Porsche 911 Turbo, and I nearly crapped my pants just looking at it. Zero to sixty in less than four seconds! With my then-uncle in the passenger seat, I puttered around town for a few minutes, and then he told me to go onto the freeway, "and make sure you floor it on the on-ramp."
When I put my foot down, I felt exactly the same surge of power you get when you take off in a commercial airliner. It was amazing. After the ride, my then-uncle pointed out to me that I had never gotten above 75 miles an hour on the freeway and that I had never taken the engine anywhere near its power peak. I had still scared myself. The car was magnificent, but its ruthless Teutonic pursuit of speed just made me feel unworthy as a driver. In the back of my head, I knew I could never do it justice– I could never push it the way it wanted to be pushed, and even if I could I wouldn't be able to afford the speeding tickets.
Nowadays, my own "fun car" is a '62 Sunbeam Alpine. When it was new, the engine kicked out 80 horsepower… on a good day. The suspension is worn out and the tires are skinny. I've taken it up to eighty-five miles an hour, which means 5000 RPM in top gear and lots of noise. On the freeway, I wind up absolutely caning the car just to keep up with modern traffic. On back roads, I can slide the little beast around corners without having to take it to "go to jail" speeds. Any new minivan could out-drag my Alpine, and plenty of pickup trucks would beat it on a road course. I don't care. While commuters are passing me in their Corollas, I'm pretending to be Paddy Hopkirk, who drove Alpines at Le Mans in '61 and '62. Squeezing every last bit of speed from an old clunker will always feel more satisfying than dawdling in a Porsche Turbo.
Here here!
Like many of the greatest questions of philosophy there are many answers, none of them wrong, and all of them hotly debated. What is the meaning of life? Are humans inately good or inately evil? Mounds or Almond Joy? Are the Lions or Browns the worst teams in the NFL? As such, they offer us a chance to expound on our beliefs and debate the merits of each viewpoint.
Therefore, I'm going to say fast cars slow. Here's why:
First, while it is true that driving a slow car fast will offer enjoyment on a regular basis, that slow car can only offer you the exhilaration it gives while getting up to speed on the freeway or taking a 45 mph curve at 55 mph. It doesn't offer anything more. The limit comes fast and easy, but that limit is mundane.
A fast car, for example a Ferrari 599 GTB, driven slowly may seem a waste. However, it isn't. You see, at a moment's notice, that slow car going fast in the next lane could be left in the dust…because you're faster. When the opportunity presents itself, that fast car can accelerate past most speed limits and into the realm of "reasonable and prudent". That fast car can also outrace anything on a track. Yes, the opportunity to do all this won't present itself as regularly as the opportunity to push a slow car to its limits, but for the times it does it is so worth it.
Second, the looks you get can make the slow driving worth it. When you are cruising at Mach 1.2 in a fast car, mortal drivers don't have a chance to appreciate the car you're in. When you are more earthbound and mingling in traffic with said mortals, they can really take in the car you're in. The way the quad pipes are grouped on a Pagani Zonda. The angularity of a Countach. The flowing curves precisely directing the air for maximum downforce and minimum drag on a Ferrari. Even the ugly-yet-desirable Gumpert Apollo can be fully appreciated. Driving the fast car slow let's people drool, aspire, and congratulate you.
Finally, would you rather say you own a Spyker or a Hyundai? Yes, the Hyundai may handle great and be fun to drive and easier to drive at the limit, but at the end of the day it's still a Hyundai.
I can most definitely have a blast while wringing out one of my escorts. Doesn't matter if it's the slowmattic lx or the 5spd lx-e ( basically a 4 door sedan gt – stiffer suspension, 25% more power, no outside signs of the awesomeness except for an lx-e badge, the dual tip muffler, and some different rims) Of course having triple digit power is always preferred over double digit numbers.
Slow car fast, no question. Unless I lived close to a track and was guaranteed a couple hours track time every weekend. I which case I’d happily drive my fast car slow all week long for the promise of a hoonerific Saturday!
One word: Porcubimmer.
Definitely.
My Volvo may be gutless, but it's fast enough to be fun in the right circumstances, and the rear-wheel-drive, ground clearance, and tough suspension ensure good times on gravel.
Also, I had my long-standing suspicion confirmed on Saturday night – got clocked at 66 in a 50 before I had the chance to brake, was civil, understanding, and slightly apologetic… written warning. "No priors" had something to do with it, but so did "stodgy car", "brown fedora", and "respect".
It was a learning experience for a few reasons, not least of which being "I didn't know it could go that fast on that stretch of road". (I usually take it at 55.) Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that if your car looks responsible – even with a broken windshield – and doesn't smell like filthy hippie, you have an advantage over ricers and sports cars.
I love my silver '03 Taurus DD for that, I've never had a ticket in it dispite breaking the law on multiple occasions and due to that fact I've dubbed it "My Invisible car". I'm alot more cautious on the road in my Toofa than the Taurus.
I enjoy running up the tach on the wifes Impreza 2.5i, and out-cornering most other vehicles on the road.
Slow car fast.
My wife mentioned to me that its a lot more of a challenge to get our Civic Hybrid (those tire are terrible) to 70 on the B roads near our house than the 530xi. She's right, but the Civic doesn't reward me (feel-wise) for driving it hard as the BMW does at even 5/10ths.
That reminds me – this morning as I was coming up on a 40mph to 25mph limit change, I confidently kept tooling along at around 35-40mph without a thought of a ticket. The yellow C6 Corvette in the right lane quickly slowed down to 25mph and stayed at that speed all the way through the 25mph zone. I have to think that comes from painful life lessons and not a prudence exercised in advance of those lessons.
Meaning: a fast car can't even go a little bit fast without being noticed by the wrong people.
I really don't think that there is much to the whole sports car vs. stealth beater attracting the cops' attention. I drove a red Corvette for about 5 years, like a complete hoon about half the time. I got zero speeding tickets in the car. The only car that I have driven for any amount of time I can say that about. I got my last speeding ticket a couple of years ago in my faded blue 4 door 1987 BMW 325e.
On my 6.7km commute to school and back, through the heart of downtown, in stop and go molasses, my sportier summer car drove me up the wall and into frequent stops at the fuel pump. Conversely, my winter hatchback on winter tires is infinitely more enjoyable to zip in and out of traffic and I can actually see out of it. I don't even encounter speed limits higher than 50 kph during the week.
Slow car fast, hands down. Unless it's something that can't corner to save its own (and your) life.
Oh, man I love this question. I've had so many weird, old and gutless vehicles that I can truly say slow car fast. Now, my '69 Cutlass was not slow by any means, and I wrung her out to 120 once or twice. That's fast by anyone's estimation. But, drive a Deuce and a Half (never had one personally, but drove them while in the Guard) 65 plus MPH, and you're hauling ass. I used to ride Honda 350 twins, and once I had my CB up to 85 for about thirty miles, and that was 9/10ths driving at its most white-knuckle. Hell, my current '66 F100 at 75 is giving its all on a straight road. Off the pavement, it shines, and that's technical driving at maybe 15 in first gear. It depends on what you're driving, and your love of driving. Coupe Z 600 wrote quite eloquently on this subject lately on (REDACTED), talking about his little Honda beercan. Something about hooning the hell out of the little twin while the cops laugh at him, he's nowhere near the speed limit. Try the same thing in a Bitchin' Camaro, and you're explaining your misbehavior to the authorities. Slow car fast, good humor. Driving a fast car to the limits of its abilities has the potential to get you in serious trouble, while wringing out every bit of speed and handling from a slow crock is shits and giggles.
Ok, here goes… Somehow I was unaware it was an old saying. It has been more of a personal mantra for me, starting way back when with hoon-car #1, a used 72 Gremlin.
While my driveway is now blessed with a couple large motor Mopars, I have twice as many underpowered tiny buzzboxes and sportscars for a reason.
Case in point: Several years ago I got to drive a Shelby GTH Mustang around LA county for a few days, and it was one of the highlights of my pathetic life. Every time I hit the loud pedal the world went into warp drive and I ended up "waaay down the road". It was a hoot. And also a huge disappointment. I spent most of the time waiting for things to get out of my way. three seconds at WOT and the fun was over, slowing for corners or poodles or traffic again. Even on the track the straightaways are always too short.
But with a Datsun 411 or MGB I can flog the things at redline all day, and "race" every other car out there on the way to work while barely exceeding the speed of traffic or raising any eyebrows. Hooning 90 degree corner drifts and jumping the curb into the parking lot were how I made my entrance, and my coworkers would wait around just to see me show up. I arrived every morning "PUMPED" full of adrenaline, yet we had a CHP station just a block away. Low key hoonage beats supercar jail time every time.
As a benchmark, I have a friend from India who loves my crazy old cars, and I love to make him scream like a little girl.
In the Shelby the screams were loud, but lasted only about 3 seconds long. Blah.
In comparison, the screams with the MGBs are about 10 seconds long, and in the old Datsun they average full lungs worth on freeway Cloverleafs. AND, the Datsun gets more attention at car shows than Ferraris. Sad but true. Enzo can eat my rust.
I like my drives the way I like romps between the sheets. Long, noisy and a little crazy.
Hey look, I've been banished to page two. Where's my red stapler…?
Sorry, unchangeable setting in our commenting engine. We've been complaining, but we're definitely getting what we paid for ($0).
Handle it up! That's brilliant! Woman gaga! I love it! This material is pure gold!
When you spend a hundred thousand dollars on a Honda, you still have a Honda. Buy the Porsche!