I’m not really a car guy anymore.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

I'm with Wood on this (not like THAT! ) - the idea that you can't mod the living shiit out of a modern car is absurd, and it doesn't have to be a Subaru. Plenty of folks with deep enough pockets replace the turbochargers, intercoolers ect. that come on modern 911 Turbos with units that are better performing (or perform in a manner that the owner wants), for one example.

You can add a turbocharger(s) or supercharger to a modern car, and if you don't have the capability to re-tune for increased fuel demands there will be a speed shop within reach that can do that part of it.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

The point remains that many older guys have zero knowledge about modern car culture.
Probably never even seen a video on Youtube

Is that supposed to be ironic? If it is, it’s very funny. I’m just no sure you intended it to be clever.

[Won]

But what is a car guy/gal? Does someone who buys a brand new GT3RS, pays big money to shops for upgrades and maintenance, and runs track days count as one? I bet if you asked them, they are the definition of a car person. Is it just a state of mind? Are there actual requirements? Do you need to know how to wrench? And who's deciding all this??

My apologies if I turned this into a millennial bashing thread. That wasn't my intention. I'm sure every generation has their stereotype and those who feel unfairly grouped into that. Boomers and GenXers, feel free to comment!

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Won, your van is pretty cool. Is it just bed & storage, or do you have a small galley, too? #vanlife

My wife & I have a MB Sprinter-based RV, which we are anxious to use once this CV thing has sufficiently abated.

If I can wrap up my current house project in the next day or two, I’m going to try resuming my 5-speed tranny refresh for the 280Z. Keep on wrenching.

Thanks Jim, perhaps I'll take it to a new thread. It would be cool to see what other people have too!

[pc100porsche]

What a depressing thread .... better go turn on the TV and get an update on CV to brighten my day

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

A lot of ricer culture annoys me, but you can't argue that the younger generation who mods the crap out of Subarus and the like isn't really into cars. The opposite -- they're so into cars that they spend all their time and money on them, swapping parts, tweaking this and that, an endless evolution of continual improvement to eek out more power and performance.

I guarantee that your typical Subaru boost maniac knows a hell of a lot more about the internals of his engine than a checkbook enthusiast does about his 911 garage queen.

I have more respect for an STI ricer who actually wrenches and drives his car than the Microsoft Millionaire who buys a GT3 only to commute 5 miles at 15mph and parks it in the company lot so his underlings can gawk at it on their lunch break.

Cars are like music preferences. I prefer old V8's with carbs on top. I don't get into 'tuning' or 'boost' and I don't care if the guy online says he's got more HP. For me, it's about 1) working on 'em, then 2) driving them.

As for the Subaru crowd- one reason I left ownership was the absolute idiocy of the average enthusiast. Parrots, all of 'em- they just follow what everyone else online does. Compared to other marques the Subaru has a very small aftermarket footprint- Porsche included. Coilovers, turbos and exhaust. About it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I consider a car guy anyone who considers a car more than an appliance. There are about a million different flavors of car guy or gal. People who throw out “not a real car guy” statements are a ridiculous form of snobbery.

[RANDY P]

Checkbook enthusiasts could technically be the Barrett Jackson crowd as well. Ruins it for the average Moe.

Reliving their childhood youth, it's the fashionable investment, whatever. If you're owning it at an inflated price simply because it's hot and now- and you want to be seen on TV paying $150K for a Chevelle (LOL) well, you're not really a car guy.

rjp

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I consider a car guy anyone who considers a car more than an appliance. There are about a million different flavors of car guy or gal. People who throw out “not a real car guy” statements are a ridiculous form of snobbery.

That would be my dad. He talked about working on his car when when he was first married and just in pilot training making very little money in the Air Force. I don't ever remember seeing him work on any car, lawn mower, or bicycle. And he for sure never helped me at all to work on a car. He had even worked in an auto parts store in the early 50s before he was commissioned into the Air Force.

I have had many co-workers over the years that only knew how to put gas in the tank and twist the key, and did not even know how to open the hood. Then when they asked me for some sort of diagnosis of an issue, and they would say something like "You are lucky, you know how to work on things". I always replied I was not born with an innate knowledge of how to fix things, but a simple thirst to learn how things work and I was too broke to pay someone else to fix simple things. Anyone can learn this, but you have to want to do it.

One co-worker was a chick that had a 1974 VW bug. She pulled into the parking lot at work and it sounded like a diesel. There was no oil in the engine. I found a short block back then that was fresh re-man for just a few hundred bucks, and I did the engine swap overt the weekend by myself. It was easy. She ended up with a fresh engine for way under a grand.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I consider a car guy anyone who considers a car more than an appliance. There are about a million different flavors of car guy or gal. People who throw out “not a real car guy” statements are a ridiculous form of snobbery.

Or, everyone gets a participation trophy.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Or, everyone gets a participation trophy.

Sorry I just don't buy in on using this as a form of judgement. Not everybody can afford an air cooled 911. The dude with a WRX slammed on coilovers with a fart can and a blow off valve isn't my particular flavor, but I still consider him a car guy. And you know what, normally if you give them a chance you realize that they are just as passionate about cars as you are. I probably had more 20 somethings with flat brimmed Monster Energy caps compliment me on my 911SC than I did grey haired retired guys.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Sorry I just don't buy in on using this as a form of judgement. Not everybody can afford an air cooled 911. The dude with a WRX slammed on coilovers with a fart can and a blow off valve isn't my particular flavor, but I still consider him a car guy. And you know what, normally if you give them a chance you realize that they are just as passionate about cars as you are. I probably had more 20 somethings with flat brimmed Monster Energy caps compliment me on my 911SC than I did grey haired retired guys.

Judgment? Either you are a car guy or you aren't. There's no judgment in that. Your examples are comical Matt. EVERYONE considers the dude with a slammed WRX a car guy. EVERYONE. The guy who sortof likes cars, not so much. Anyway, not everyone gets a trophy just for liking cars.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Judgment? Either you are a car guy or you aren't. There's no judgment in that. Your examples are comical Matt. EVERYONE considers the dude with a slammed WRX a car guy. EVERYONE. The guy who sortof likes cars, not so much. Anyway, not everyone gets a trophy just for liking cars.

Trophy? What's the trophy Shaun? The incredible honor of having your respect as an official car guy? It's not some form of official title that you can bestow upon people.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

they would say something like "You are lucky, you know how to work on things". I always replied I was not born with an innate knowledge of how to fix things, but a simple thirst to learn how things work

You did get lucky but can't see it. You had someone to get you started. A friend, a relative, whatever. No one who works on cars started in a vacuum. Not one person. Zero chance in hell you just picked up a Clymer or Haynes book and started buying tools. You wouldn't even know what you were reading or looking at. You wouldn't even know what tools to buy, or where to even get them. Most people don't have the faintest idea that cars can even be repaired at home. So, yea, you were also lucky. Most people don't have anyone to show them its even possible. This is why apprenticeship is still a thing after 2000 years.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Zero chance in hell you just picked up a Clymer or Haynes book and started buying tools. You wouldn't even know what you were reading or looking at. You wouldn't even know what tools to buy, or where to even get them. Most people don't have the faintest idea that cars can even be repaired at home. So, yea, you were also lucky. Most people don't have anyone to show them its even possible. This is why apprenticeship is still a thing after 2000 years.

Probably one of the most ignorant things I've ever read on this board.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

You did get lucky but can't see it.

A curious mind requires a mentor?

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

You did get lucky but can't see it. You had someone to get you started. A friend, a relative, whatever. No one who works on cars started in a vacuum. Not one person. Zero chance in hell you just picked up a Clymer or Haynes book and started buying tools. You wouldn't even know what you were reading or looking at. You wouldn't even know what tools to buy, or where to even get them. Most people don't have the faintest idea that cars can even be repaired at home. So, yea, you were also lucky. Most people don't have anyone to show them its even possible. This is why apprenticeship is still a thing after 2000 years.

Never turned a wrench (didn't have one ), before discovering Pelican, it inspired me....I CAN own, and maintain a 911....

The journey began

[look 171]

Everything is learned in life, but there a the few that are gifted and those things come to them naturally.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Probably one of the most ignorant things I've ever read on this board.

Actually, it's one of the most truthful things ever posted here.
People are totally full of ****. Car guys especially.

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

A curious mind requires a mentor?

I'm curious about space travel.
I guess I'll just build a space ship out back.

There is not one car guy on the planet who didn't see someone else car fixin'.
People aren't always that lucky to have farmer neighbors or friends or relatives who own tools.

So, yea, most people have no idea that fixing cars is even a thing. It literally is not even in their imagination of realm of possibility.
They literally have never seen anyone turn a wrench (even dealerships now do not let you view the service bays)
why on earth would they think to start fixing cars? Have you ever decided to undertake space travel? Why not, you're curious.

Originally Posted by KC911

Never turned a wrench (didn't have one ), before discovering Pelican, it inspired me....I CAN own, and maintain a 911....

I call bull****.

When did you buy a 911?
You were a checkbook mechanic until you got a $30k sports car?
You're telling us that you never changed an air filter and you bought a used 911?

You didn't have even ONE friend who was working on cars and gave you the idea that you could also?
How did you even find this forum? What made you even think there was a forum for fixing cars?
And why on earth would you go to a DIY forum when you don't even know what DIY is?
Did you accidentally type for random letters p-e-l-i-c-a-n-p-a-r-t-s and stumble onto a DIY forum of a car you miraculously happened to own?

[dafischer]

Did someone take an extra dose of belligerent this morning?

[pwd72s]

Well, maybe I'm still a little bit of a car guy? Had a project requiring the floor space of the garage for a couple of days. So, batteries of both cars down a bit from starting & parking elsewhere in the property...each car doing this 6-8 times, in and out of the garage, travelling feet not miles after each start.

So, checked voltage with the multimeter...Mustang battery 11.9 V...currently on a 2 amp auto charge. Camry battery at 12.3. plan on hooking it up after the Mustang is done.

At age 76, I don't care to do much more than that...wrenching hurts now and offers none of the joy of years past. I'd rather be driving, but with the lockdown nowhere I can go. My favorite pool hall is closed.

On the learning curve? Those of you who cut your teeth on a computer are lucky, Back before then, word of mouth, various manuals, how to articles in Pano and other magazines, and snail mail letters were all we had. No youtube "how to" videos at the click of a mouse.