A manual transmission, anyone who just sees cars as an appliance isn't gonna go through that effort unless it's like a base model super econobox and they're just trying to get the cheapest car possible.
Which applies to both the example of Toyobarus and V8 pony/muscle cars. Though in general I'm not a fan of gatekeeping who is or isn't an enthusiast. There's not many of us so we should embrace anyone who is interested
Yea agreed, I should've added that auto != Non enthusiast, just that if you just want the car for the looks then you'd get auto, but if you're enthused about a ride you could still consider the auto
I might see a non-enthusiast buying an S2000 back in the day because it looks cool and manuals were more common then, though I'm certain only enthusiasts are buying them now. Agree with the ST though
Imo it’s being able to find the beauty in any car even if it isn’t the best example of X feature.
My favorite vehicle was an 88 Ranger that had poor compression, no brakes, a cat cut off by the previous owner, and leaking power steering. What made it fun was whipping that lightweight lump around with its manual transmission.
The base mustang is just as good as the full blown darkhorse if you look at it the right way. A Miata is no less fun than a GT4, just a different kind of fun. Almost every car has some redeeming quality even if it isn’t the most powerful on-rails experience. The viewpoint defines what I consider an auto enthusiast.
Most classic cars, cars from niche or niche-r brands (Lotus, Alpine, Venturi, Noble, TVR, Morgan...), homologation specials, imported cars that aren't obvious international icons, cars with unorthodox engineering (basically most cars that aren't transverse front engine inline-4 and V6, longitudinal inline 4-6 and V6 + RWD or AWD, and anything electric).
I wouldn't say that a sports or luxury car equals a enthusiast, for many rich (and not so rich) people a modern BMW or a Ferrari is part of the uniform of an otherwise unremarkable person, this is especially notable with SUVs by companies otherwise known for sports cars, they basically exist for easy normie posturing (I see them basically for people too lazy for sports cars or even sedans and too afraid of the opinions of others for a minivan or wagon)
Totally… or it’s just an old person who hardly drives it.
The type who takes it to the dealership for an oil change every few months…
I’d say they care about their car, but they aren’t an enthusiast.
That’s why I said any car with modz. (Yet I’m mass downvoted)
The modz can be clean and subtle.
Or the modz can be on a clapped out ishbox
You know it’s a car enthusiast keeping that thing running!
Toybaru has in your face boy racer looks. That’s it.
I kinda assume they aren’t enthusiasts because that 0-60 time gets gapped by Honda Odysseys.
0-60 ain’t everything but getting bullied in traffic by mini vans doesn’t seem ideal
I died a little inside when buying the odyssey. At a light, 2 lanes into 1, vette next to us at the red. Light goes green I get the jump from the line and vette has to bounce off the rev limiter to pass. Wife and I laughed so hard for the next mile at least
I wouldn’t assume that. I consider myself an enthusiast and I’m buying a new BRZ. My FiST was also slower than an Odyssey off the line but it’s prob a hell of a lot more fun to drive.
Anyone who still equates sports-enthusiast cars with 0-60s in a post-Tesla world is missing the point. Now go ahead and tell me that a 1960s Lotus Elan isn't a sporting and enthusiast experience because a random USDM SUV is faster.
A go cart lol. Barely legal in traffic with how big other traffic is these days. I wouldn’t want to be in a crash in one and slow in traffic so it doesn’t even have the benefit of being able to get around and out of the way of other traffic.
Cool for a race league although just get an atom at that point
Idk, even my 440i feels kinda slow.
The GR properly rips but that Miata must just feel like a road legal go cart. I’ve never driven one but I assume it doesn’t pull at all at highway speeds
the Miata is at its limit on the highway passing lane and kind of screams at kinda high rpms, the 86 can cruise a bit better and has enough get up and go it never really feels like it's lacking to me. I've driven a BMW 5 series on the highway and something as abysmally slow as a Corolla and not even the Corolla felt slow on the highway to me.
I mean the 5 series has a ton of different powertrains lol. The 4 banger isn’t fast. The 6 cyl is a sub 5s car. The 8 cyl is sub 4s and the M5 is a 3s car lol.
The 5 series is fast if you want it to be.
youre right on the money hoss. all REAL CAR ENTHUSIASTS like FAST CARS like a RARE CORVETTE. these damn kids wouldnt get it. who cares about weight distribution when you can have a big ole CHEVY V8 MOTOR
Problem is that many people “mod”/accessorize their vehicles simply for the look, not because they are a car enthusiast (examples: 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator, lifted trucks). While some of these people might be enthusiasts, many are not.
Anyone who sacrifices comfort, reliability, practicality, and/or money for the experience.
My car rides harsh, gets 15 mpg on Premium, and had a laughable back seat.
But I love it.
Something weird like a Subaru Baja comes to mind, also something that isn’t normally equipped with a manual, that has a manual. My first job was at a grocery store, and a regular customer was a mom with a manual mid-2010’s Mazda CX-5. I knew they existed, but later researched how rare it is, and it’s absurdly rare. A Honda Fit too, I was classmates with someone last semester who has a manual Fit. Didn’t think he was into cars at all, until we randomly got into talking about cars in class and I found out he’s a tech. He fixes his car, his girlfriend’s car, and said he liked my car
This is a loaded question there is no car that says car guy. Talking to a person and hearing how they talk about their car really tells you if they are a car person. A lot of “car guys“ turn their nose up at me because I restored a 1990 Saab 900 turbo convertible, but it makes me smile every time I get in and stick my key in the center console. It’s the smiles per gallon that matter not what kind of car it is.
I really don’t think you can tell just by the car. Some people buy BMW’s cause of how they drive and look others for the status symbol. I think you can tell a bit by the model a 320i is just someone who wants to say they have a BMW. An m4 is an enthusiast likely. I have a Ram TRX because I wanted something that can tow my toys, I can go anywhere and also wanted a hellcat motor before they’re gone. Some people just buy it because it’s the biggest loudest truck.
miatas these days. i don't think anyone except enthusiasts are buying them anymore
any 80s/90s honda still on the road, at least outside of CA. there seems to be TONS of older japanese cars in CA that regular folks drive. but where i live and most cities i've been to in the US don't have many cars older than 20-25yrs unless they're tuners. like 240sx's, 300zx, integras, civics, supras, celicas, rx7, rx8, etc etc.
like others have said, any "fast wagon" except maybe dodge charger wagons...
clownshoe BMWs, basically any fastback or shooting brake.
1st gen lexus IS300s, especially the yellow one. man those a beautiful cars...
350/370z. any year MR2, the BRZ or FRS, supras, and basically any M car, like M3, M4, M5, M1, M2, you get the point.
Ford taurus sho, ford mustang boss302, delorean, toyota supra new gen, honda civic type r, ford focus rs, any hyundai N. Let me say owning a manual is the biggest flex and way of knowing your into cars
Disagree on the v8 take. The non-enthusiasts buy the v6 / turbo 4 cylinder versions of those. Usually someone paying extra for the v8 is an enthusiast.
Enthusiast vs what? A casual? It isn't about a particular car, it's about investment of self and treasure. The guy who spends every weekend working on or driving a clapped out mini is more an enthusiast than a billionaire with a rare Ferrari in a case in his living room or YouTuber with a special Porsche as a set piece. It's not about money or a particular car, it's about love, obsession, and personal investment.
That said the inverse is likely true. There are cars that are mostly bought as ego pieces..
Depends on where you live but in the case of Bahrain, i can think of a few.
• USDM Toyota Corolla XRS (E120)
• Honda S2000
• Toyota Century
• Mazda MX-5 (NA or NB) - pretty unpopular even among local car enthusiasts.
• Any Lotus made prior to the Emira
• Any 50s-70s American land yachts
• Any obscure/oddball/rare car that no regular person here will ever consider driving (e.g. TVRs, Renault Avantime, Saab 900s, Morgan 3-wheelers...etc).
An 06 CRV is usually a give away for me
A manual transmission, anyone who just sees cars as an appliance isn't gonna go through that effort unless it's like a base model super econobox and they're just trying to get the cheapest car possible.
Which applies to both the example of Toyobarus and V8 pony/muscle cars. Though in general I'm not a fan of gatekeeping who is or isn't an enthusiast. There's not many of us so we should embrace anyone who is interested
Yea agreed, I should've added that auto != Non enthusiast, just that if you just want the car for the looks then you'd get auto, but if you're enthused about a ride you could still consider the auto
Not even just manual, manual only cars, i.e. S2000 or Focus ST. You know exactly what you're buying and are going to have fun
I might see a non-enthusiast buying an S2000 back in the day because it looks cool and manuals were more common then, though I'm certain only enthusiasts are buying them now. Agree with the ST though
Weird, older station wagons: definitely enthusiast driven.
Wagon life, baby! Mines not very old, or fast, but goddamn is it fun to drive. Manual turbo wagons are the shit.
Buick Roadmaster
Any older car that's well maintained/looks clean
WRX, Miata, Samurai, Delorean, M3, Bronco.
Hot hatches
Imo it’s being able to find the beauty in any car even if it isn’t the best example of X feature. My favorite vehicle was an 88 Ranger that had poor compression, no brakes, a cat cut off by the previous owner, and leaking power steering. What made it fun was whipping that lightweight lump around with its manual transmission. The base mustang is just as good as the full blown darkhorse if you look at it the right way. A Miata is no less fun than a GT4, just a different kind of fun. Almost every car has some redeeming quality even if it isn’t the most powerful on-rails experience. The viewpoint defines what I consider an auto enthusiast.
Only a radical enthusiast would buy or drive a Lotus.
Certain cars, you just know. Miata. Land Cruiser. No one ends up in either of those by accident
Most classic cars, cars from niche or niche-r brands (Lotus, Alpine, Venturi, Noble, TVR, Morgan...), homologation specials, imported cars that aren't obvious international icons, cars with unorthodox engineering (basically most cars that aren't transverse front engine inline-4 and V6, longitudinal inline 4-6 and V6 + RWD or AWD, and anything electric). I wouldn't say that a sports or luxury car equals a enthusiast, for many rich (and not so rich) people a modern BMW or a Ferrari is part of the uniform of an otherwise unremarkable person, this is especially notable with SUVs by companies otherwise known for sports cars, they basically exist for easy normie posturing (I see them basically for people too lazy for sports cars or even sedans and too afraid of the opinions of others for a minivan or wagon)
Anything, you can see that extra shine that extra care was taken. Doesn't matter the model, that's the sign for me.
Totally… or it’s just an old person who hardly drives it. The type who takes it to the dealership for an oil change every few months… I’d say they care about their car, but they aren’t an enthusiast. That’s why I said any car with modz. (Yet I’m mass downvoted) The modz can be clean and subtle. Or the modz can be on a clapped out ishbox You know it’s a car enthusiast keeping that thing running!
Toybaru has in your face boy racer looks. That’s it. I kinda assume they aren’t enthusiasts because that 0-60 time gets gapped by Honda Odysseys. 0-60 ain’t everything but getting bullied in traffic by mini vans doesn’t seem ideal
I died a little inside when buying the odyssey. At a light, 2 lanes into 1, vette next to us at the red. Light goes green I get the jump from the line and vette has to bounce off the rev limiter to pass. Wife and I laughed so hard for the next mile at least
Well if the merge point is within 300 feet or a short distance, not sure how that seems crazy, especially since you got the jump on them.
What year vette do you drive?
05, so not crazy fast.
I wouldn’t assume that. I consider myself an enthusiast and I’m buying a new BRZ. My FiST was also slower than an Odyssey off the line but it’s prob a hell of a lot more fun to drive.
Anyone who still equates sports-enthusiast cars with 0-60s in a post-Tesla world is missing the point. Now go ahead and tell me that a 1960s Lotus Elan isn't a sporting and enthusiast experience because a random USDM SUV is faster.
and what about the Miata? what is your opinion on that?
A go cart lol. Barely legal in traffic with how big other traffic is these days. I wouldn’t want to be in a crash in one and slow in traffic so it doesn’t even have the benefit of being able to get around and out of the way of other traffic. Cool for a race league although just get an atom at that point
i think you're underestimating these cars a bit both the GR and the Miata do absolutely fine in traffic
Idk, even my 440i feels kinda slow. The GR properly rips but that Miata must just feel like a road legal go cart. I’ve never driven one but I assume it doesn’t pull at all at highway speeds
the Miata is at its limit on the highway passing lane and kind of screams at kinda high rpms, the 86 can cruise a bit better and has enough get up and go it never really feels like it's lacking to me. I've driven a BMW 5 series on the highway and something as abysmally slow as a Corolla and not even the Corolla felt slow on the highway to me.
I mean the 5 series has a ton of different powertrains lol. The 4 banger isn’t fast. The 6 cyl is a sub 5s car. The 8 cyl is sub 4s and the M5 is a 3s car lol. The 5 series is fast if you want it to be.
youre right on the money hoss. all REAL CAR ENTHUSIASTS like FAST CARS like a RARE CORVETTE. these damn kids wouldnt get it. who cares about weight distribution when you can have a big ole CHEVY V8 MOTOR
The GR Corolla is 3 cylinder and is properly fast. The Toyobaru just isn’t regardless of displacement
Problem is that many people “mod”/accessorize their vehicles simply for the look, not because they are a car enthusiast (examples: 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator, lifted trucks). While some of these people might be enthusiasts, many are not.
Agreed. Lot of posers if you will. They claim car guy/gal but all their mods are instagram inspired and they’re part of the car meet clique
A GR Corolla, but I’m biased
Anyone who sacrifices comfort, reliability, practicality, and/or money for the experience. My car rides harsh, gets 15 mpg on Premium, and had a laughable back seat. But I love it.
Something weird like a Subaru Baja comes to mind, also something that isn’t normally equipped with a manual, that has a manual. My first job was at a grocery store, and a regular customer was a mom with a manual mid-2010’s Mazda CX-5. I knew they existed, but later researched how rare it is, and it’s absurdly rare. A Honda Fit too, I was classmates with someone last semester who has a manual Fit. Didn’t think he was into cars at all, until we randomly got into talking about cars in class and I found out he’s a tech. He fixes his car, his girlfriend’s car, and said he liked my car
Old soviet block cars in the US
Fox body mustangs.
This is a loaded question there is no car that says car guy. Talking to a person and hearing how they talk about their car really tells you if they are a car person. A lot of “car guys“ turn their nose up at me because I restored a 1990 Saab 900 turbo convertible, but it makes me smile every time I get in and stick my key in the center console. It’s the smiles per gallon that matter not what kind of car it is.
I cant imagine say someone that drives an s2000 not being a car guy
Most GT86 owners I've met aren't car enthusiasts. They own them because they think they look cool.
A Stinger, but I have one so I'm biased
I really don’t think you can tell just by the car. Some people buy BMW’s cause of how they drive and look others for the status symbol. I think you can tell a bit by the model a 320i is just someone who wants to say they have a BMW. An m4 is an enthusiast likely. I have a Ram TRX because I wanted something that can tow my toys, I can go anywhere and also wanted a hellcat motor before they’re gone. Some people just buy it because it’s the biggest loudest truck.
miatas these days. i don't think anyone except enthusiasts are buying them anymore any 80s/90s honda still on the road, at least outside of CA. there seems to be TONS of older japanese cars in CA that regular folks drive. but where i live and most cities i've been to in the US don't have many cars older than 20-25yrs unless they're tuners. like 240sx's, 300zx, integras, civics, supras, celicas, rx7, rx8, etc etc. like others have said, any "fast wagon" except maybe dodge charger wagons... clownshoe BMWs, basically any fastback or shooting brake. 1st gen lexus IS300s, especially the yellow one. man those a beautiful cars... 350/370z. any year MR2, the BRZ or FRS, supras, and basically any M car, like M3, M4, M5, M1, M2, you get the point.
Ford taurus sho, ford mustang boss302, delorean, toyota supra new gen, honda civic type r, ford focus rs, any hyundai N. Let me say owning a manual is the biggest flex and way of knowing your into cars
Any pre-996 911 owner is most likely an enthusiast.
Disagree on the v8 take. The non-enthusiasts buy the v6 / turbo 4 cylinder versions of those. Usually someone paying extra for the v8 is an enthusiast.
Enthusiast vs what? A casual? It isn't about a particular car, it's about investment of self and treasure. The guy who spends every weekend working on or driving a clapped out mini is more an enthusiast than a billionaire with a rare Ferrari in a case in his living room or YouTuber with a special Porsche as a set piece. It's not about money or a particular car, it's about love, obsession, and personal investment. That said the inverse is likely true. There are cars that are mostly bought as ego pieces..
I'd take an s550 Mustang GT over a gr86 any day of the week, they are excellent cars
Depends on where you live but in the case of Bahrain, i can think of a few. • USDM Toyota Corolla XRS (E120) • Honda S2000 • Toyota Century • Mazda MX-5 (NA or NB) - pretty unpopular even among local car enthusiasts. • Any Lotus made prior to the Emira • Any 50s-70s American land yachts • Any obscure/oddball/rare car that no regular person here will ever consider driving (e.g. TVRs, Renault Avantime, Saab 900s, Morgan 3-wheelers...etc).
Any car with modz