I saw a Subie ...

[trnsxck]

modding is the quintessential aspect of self identity in a car... it has nothing to do with what others think... or it shouldnt.. Some people are happy with what comes from the factory and dont care if everyone else has the same. Others personalize their car for their own needs not someone elses.

I'd rather walk than be in a subaru

[Muscle SS]

If the right civic fell into my lap, as my accord did, i would likely take it, because it could either be a great daily beater or, dare i say it, a decent track car. I would likely say at all times that, "it's still a civic", but i wouldnt be ashamed of it.

[ffrcobra_65]

I don't know but all I know if the Colts had a nice Subie for Manning, their GM and his brother would not have gotten fired. Maybe.

[JamesNoBrakes]

Here's how I like to do mods, whether it's my subie or the SS:

I don't want anyone to be able to see them. I just want it to make a difference to me when driving. I'm not going to lower the car for looks, or add "22s" because it fills the wheel well. I've upgraded the handling and there's no external way, short of getting under or opening the hood, that you can tell this. On my subie it was putting out around 300hp, and I re-worked and modified the splitter to route air to my bigger intercooler and still cool the turbo, but from outside it looked exactly stock. The exhaust system actually looked like the subsequent year (2007?) when they went to a single pipe, and although it was nice big tube the whole way (I forget now, but at least 3") it didn't stick out like the fart-can/coffee-can type you see all too often. Borla makes some nice exhaust IMO BTW I'm not trying to make a statement or personalize how my car looks, I bought it for how it looks and anything I do makes it more fun to drive/capable, etc.

No stickers, no stripes, no emblems, minimal fake intakes (not crazy about the "mustache" on the front) and so on.

I think there are people where the looks are a lot more important, then there's people that go crazy with both, and so on. Everybody is different. I chuckle at Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements all the time, but I know the difference between those and something like an STI/WRX exhaust meant to allow the turbo to spool up faster and to more pressure, as annoying as it may sound. Plenty of rice shown on this website with spoilers, hoods, axle-back exhausts and so on. I can and do judge these, but I also don't care to the point where I don't think I should try to tell someone what they can do with their money. My opinion is more of an "I wouldnt", not "you shouldn't". If they post it on the internet it's fair game for comments AFAIC, but you gotta take it with a grain of salt.

[8cd03gro]

Originally Posted by rez333

No. What I'm doing is emphasizing the fact that I am stating an OPINION. I've refrained from the redundancy before which has often resulted in people getting upset because they can't differentiate between opinion and a statement of fact. Furthermore, by putting myself into the statement it softens an argument and reduces the chances of someone mistaking my discussion as a rebuke. It's not a rebuke, it's my perception of human behavior - inclusive of myself.

Think of your least favourite brand (eg. Lada or something). Imagine someone modded a car from that brand it to have the same specs and quality as a Camaro. Would you consider buying it? If you said no, you fit what I am describing.

Are we through talking about me yet?

I'm well aware that your statement is an opinion. However, it's clearly YOUR opinion and in addressing you i am addressing others of the same opinion. YOU included yourself in this analysis so why are you getting so upset when I respond to you? Why don't you just bold the portion of the OP you would like responses to, describe the ideal response and write it yourself? You say your observation is self-inclusive, so what's wrong with me including you in my response? I didn't insult you or attack you, I argued an opinion contrary to your own that one should not worry about what others feel about their car. How unforgivable! It's incredible how annoyed you're getting over someone addressing you directly in a thread that began with a post ending,

" I am saying this because I am considering some performance mods, and some of which will make my car look "better" than the garden variety. But if I'm honest with myself - those conspicuous mods actually won't make any difference to people's respect for the car. That's why Camaro owners are often heard remarking "it's still a Civic" despite whatever the Civic car owner has done to his car."

It seems from this paragraph that your motivation behind this thread is the consideration that YOUR modifications will not bring more praise from others. Is that not the subject of the above paragraph and your own explanation of why you are, "saying this...?"

[derklug]

Not everything is done to impress others. My friend has one of the fastest belt sanders in the world, it will impress nobody other than fellow belt sander racers. I make diesel engines run and produce average results and last a long time, just what their owners desire, but they are not impressive. My hobby is making gas engines run fast and who cares about longevity, but I don't build top fuel cars, so my little motors only impress me. My Miata looks more like something my wife would drive rather than a curve buster, but I like to twist it's tail and could care less if people wonder why the old fat guy is driving a "girls car". Make your car please you, and damn the rest of the world.

[midnighter]

I like the horizontally opposed 4 cyl engine.

[rez333]

Originally Posted by 8cd03gro

" I am saying this because I am considering some performance mods, and some of which will make my car look "better" than the garden variety. But if I'm honest with myself - those conspicuous mods actually won't make any difference to people's respect for the car. That's why Camaro owners are often heard remarking "it's still a Civic" despite whatever the Civic car owner has done to his car."

It seems from this paragraph that your motivation behind this thread is the consideration that YOUR modifications will not bring more praise from others. Is that not the subject of the above paragraph and your own explanation of why you are, "saying this...?"

which I already explained in an earlier reply:

Originally Posted by rez333

Furthermore, by putting myself into the statement it softens an argument and reduces the chances of someone mistaking my discussion as a rebuke. It's not a rebuke, it's my perception of human behavior - inclusive of myself.

But since you are more interested in arguing and being proven right instead of having a conversation where both sides understand each other, I'm through discussing with you.

[rez333]

Originally Posted by derklug

Not everything is done to impress others. My friend has one of the fastest belt sanders in the world, it will impress nobody other than fellow belt sander racers. I make diesel engines run and produce average results and last a long time, just what their owners desire, but they are not impressive. My hobby is making gas engines run fast and who cares about longevity, but I don't build top fuel cars, so my little motors only impress me. My Miata looks more like something my wife would drive rather than a curve buster, but I like to twist it's tail and could care less if people wonder why the old fat guy is driving a "girls car". Make your car please you, and damn the rest of the world.

Yes, but clearly an entire industry exists to support the ricer industry. Surely these non-functional mods were done to "impress others".

And clearly by the responses of thousands of people all over the world (see how many hits "It's only a civic" there are on forums:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22it...aq=f&aqi=&aql=
)
that people respect/disrespect cars based on the stock model, regardless of mods.

Unlike some self-righteous people, I recognize that we are all of us humans who feel good when we are affirmed - either by our bosses, our spouses, our children, our parents or even fellow motorists; what I'm doing is proposing a theory that modding our cars will generally not get the car any more respect than the base model itself. The number of google hits on "It's only a civic" is proof of that.

[8cd03gro]

Originally Posted by rez333

which I already explained in an earlier reply:


But since you are more interested in arguing and being proven right instead of having a conversation where both sides understand each other, I'm through discussing with you.

Originally Posted by rez333

yes, but you'd have to develop a thick skin driving a 4 banger that sounds like a fat guy farted in a bucket.



chill dude. I am assessing the general populace as a commentary on the human condition. Don't make things personal or it could get ugly.