Why Do we never run into fast imports on the street??

[youngblood]

the only replacement for displacement is technology.
I'll always own a turbo car from now on.

 

[TwoLaneBlackTop]

All you can do to these import motors you can do to a larger domestic v-6 or v-8.

 

[ttypewhite]

Originally posted by Blown&Injected
IS MORE COMFORTABLE?!?
How big are you, so many of the Jap cars are still designed for Japs - about the size of American woman.

And if your TR is only good for straight line - get it fixed, it will not cost nearly as much as import repair.
-------------------------------------------------
You guys are still talking about the exception.

JUST GO TO THE TRACK AND LOOK AT WHAT'S RUNNING 12'S AND FASTER.

Test and tune Friday - Hundreds of rice burners, maybe 1% in the 110+mph range, and of all the cars running over 110, over 90% are domestic.

Argue all you want to argue, but the numbers tell the story.

What I have not heard is how the fast domestics have had a 50 year head start while the import's have been at it in mass for only maybe a dozen years.

Unless your a over weight pig, then yes you can't compare the two. I can swing a corner in my Integra and stay in my very comfortable seat with wing support, side support and everything else that goes with it. I am a die hard Buick guy but lets not be stupid here. We are talking about a seriously dated interior of a GN to the refinement of a import????? My Buick is just straight line, yes. I don't want to swing my low 10 sec Buick into turns. I didn't build it for that. I get exactly what i want outta my Buick, and that is a auxilerating rush of power and gobs of torque for a short sprint down the track. It is utterly retarded to compare cars. I own both because i enjoy both aspects that each car gives. You seem to be stuck in the 60's with your mentality. Jap cars are for Japs???? That has to be the most racist statement i have ever heard. No i am not a oriental nor a women. I am 175 pounds at 6 feet tall. My race has nothing to do with the car i drive so i won't even go there. Maybe where you live the import scene is not as great, so what! Take a drive down here with your high to mid eleven sec GN and i have more then enough imports that will blow your doors off. It is completely childish to talk like this but i read your sig and did the math and don't understand why your so cocky. Just because its a import doesn't mean its junk. Different strokes for different folks. Hate them all you want, thats completely your choice, but get used to them buddy because they are not going anywhere.


Here is a list put together by a chap on this board about STREET CARS. Daily driven Hondas, half these guys in this list , thats there only cars they have and drive them anywhere. Look at the mph on these cars and tell me what would happen if you pulled beside on the roll with these cars in 2nd gear. http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=607396
Comparisons are gay to do but WTF, Including myself, i would hate to be beat by one of these cars but it could easily happen.

 

[GoldT]

I just want to chime in here with some first-hand experience. I work at an import dealership, and I own an 87 TR. We have a customer that comes in every once in a while with a 96 (or so) Integra GS-R with a turbo and intercooler. He makes a lot of horsepower, so much in fact that he has a severe problem with wheel hop and traction until 3rd gear. He runs high 12's-low 13's @118-120 mph! He autocrosses it so he runs 13 inch brakes and 17 inch wheels. He runs about as fast as my Chevy Silverado from 0-60 mph. It's all about torque and traction with our cars. I was running 13 flat @104 on street tires w/297 whp @3600+lbs. to his 12.9's @119 on autocross tires w/370 whp @<3000lbs. Maybe I should convert my car to wrong wheel drive, change it to manual trans., and put it on a serious diet. Yeah, then I can start all over and shoot for high 14's. See, these guys like a challenge. It's the guys who are into the whole David and Goliath thing that you have to look out for.....but only above the legal speed limit. Just look at what kind of wheels and tires your import prey is wearing. 18's with 35 series rubber is good for those 3rd or 4th gear freeway races, as well as those change-lanes-quickly, slam-on-the-brakes, take-the-next-right-turn-really-fast-to-avoid-a-drag-race kind of manuevers.

It's the heavily modded rwd and awd imports that we have to worry about, and even then, just a small percentage.

Besides, I've learned to just ignore anything slower than a stock Lightning or your basic LS1 F-body.

 

[Blown&Injected]

ttypewhite Why don't you and the strawman you rode in on get out of town.

Why don't you debate the things I mentioned?

I never said that Jap cars are for Japs, just that the seats and interiors are often designed for the average sized person which in Japan is considerably smaller than Americans. The doors are skinny and interiors generally constricting.

I know there are ricers that are faster than my low 11 second car (with GT-100) 1.60 60' on street tires with big front tires KYB's and sway bars so I go around the turns just fine. I said to the OP, that you do not see them because there are not many out there. Not that they do not exist or that there are non faster than me - so you can stick that part of you strawman argument too.

A few year back, MIR had a race called World War Three: import vs. domestic. There is a huge import crowd around here and there is lots of big money around here. Again the numbers tell the story.

I am not talking about my car or my friends cars. That type of evidence in anecdotal, I'm talking about the repeated observation of $hit loads of cars.

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by Blown&Injected
I never said that Jap cars are for Japs, just that the seats and interiors are often designed for the average sized person which in Japan is considerably smaller than Americans. The doors are skinny and interiors generally constricting.

I have to say I thought the same thing until a few weeks ago. My only experience with a Japanese car was a 1984 Celica I bought for $50 for use as a winter beater. But, I bought a 2004 Toyota Sienna last week. Why? It's bigger than any of the domestics. Head room, leg room, hip room and shoulder room for front and middle-row passengers is more than any other van but one. Ironically, the only one that's bigger is the Nissan. It's more comfortable and rides better than the domestic offerings, too.

While I was at the Toyota, Nissan, and Honda showrooms I got to look at their sedans and other offerings. They're not cramped at all. They all appear to be as big or bigger than my '99 Buick.

The Sienna is designed and built in the U.S., too (albeit it was designed by a Japanese dude - I guess maybe he has an office here or something).

But, back to the topic at hand....the reason you don't run into any fast imports on the street comes down to statistics. Think about it - if you drive a 13 second car you don't really run into much of anything that's faster - imported or otherwise. There are plenty of cars that are faster than 13s, but it comes down to meeting up with them at a particular point in time at a red light.

At the track, though (which really wasn't the question) I'd have to agree the domestics are still waaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of the imports. Unless the Intergalactic Association of Supra Owners happens to be there, you don't really see many quick imports at the track despite the huge numbers that typically show up. As with any rule, there are exceptions to look out for. And the old adage holds true no matter what you're driving: there is always someone faster. Nowadays "someone faster" could be in an import and that makes some folks uncomfortable.

Jim

 

[Blown&Injected]

>>For starters, the new Sienna is big and roomy. It's considerably larger than last year's model, and about $1,000 cheaper. It offers more cargo space than the full-size Sequoia sport-utility yet retails for $10,000 less.<<

It seems the nice size is something just done for this year for this model. A few months ago I told my friend to look at other vehicles - he was going for the Sequoia, he tried the Suburban and was so thankful to me for getting him to test drive the big GM.

A buddy of mine has an Acura Legend, and that has a fair amount of room in it but the seats hit the legs a bit short and the entire door is about as wide as just the interior door panel of my Bonneville. It also bounces and rides down the road like a cheap light car.

I was riding in an Intrgra and in a 69 Mach 1 changing seats every rest stop for a 1,000 miles. Except for the noise, the Acura was not a better ride than a 1969 Ford! This was in a fairly new, perfectly maintained Acura.

Just like my earlier comment about the domestic having a 50 year head start and the import crowd catching up. It seems that the import group of cars and trucks is beginning to come around size wise.

If you wanna talk imports, then bring on the E55 AMG!!! Them krauts are always keeping busy.

Sorry - forgot the cite for the opening quote.

 

[NEARING]

Around where I live very fast inports are like UFO's.......I beleive in them and think I saw one once but I have never been abducted by one!

I guess it depends on where you live. You'r more likely to see
a Big foot in the pacafic north west too.
I know that's not a very good example.

 

[Pronto]

"A buddy of mine has an Acura Legend, and that has a fair amount of room in it but the seats hit the legs a bit short and the entire door is about as wide as just the interior door panel of my Bonneville. It also bounces and rides down the road like a cheap light car."

Shoulda got a Maxima. I fit mine great. The doors are plenty wide for me to get in and out of. It rides well with a good solid ride, not cheap or unstable at all.

As far as fast imports on the street, I have not run into any really fast ones. My friend (has since enlisted in the Army) has an Turbo Intergra. He worked for an Acrura dealer in town and he got all the right parts. No rice. It went 13.5 on street tires and had more to go but he's in Afaganistan for now. You would not give this car a second look but he would show plenty of unsuspecting racers his tail lights. Maybe you just not in the right place at at the right time to pick a race. I don't go out looking for races but Little Steve does. He goes after them with his Olds 88, kicks their tailpipes too.

 

[TurboJunky]

Originally posted by BlownZ
If I can drive it on the street...and not get a ticket....it's a street car....no matter how much you whine about it.

Hahah, nope. It means your illegally equipped vehicle wasn't stopped, inspected and you got away with one that evening.

Most people don't realize that simply adding a NOS setup makes vehicles illegal to drive on the street in most states. This is a fact though little known. You are transporting hazardous materials without proper permits....get it?

So my interpretation of "street car" is one that's 100% STREET LEGAL...period. No NOS, DOT tires and must have fenders, working headlights, tail lights, brake lights, wipers, turn signals and not above/below bumper height standards. Did I leave anything out?

The original poster is correct in that there is this perception of 11 second imports everywhere and at every stoplight. People are pointing out EXCEPTIONS which is easy to do with damn near any car. How many imports are running around the streets today?....500,000-1,000,000 perhaps. How many Turbo Regals are left running around?....20,000 at best. See what I'm getting at...anyone?... Bueller....Bueller....

 

[The Don]

This is the same type of thing guys with v8's say about us guys with 6's....

Onefastjackass
_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I was out cruising in my modded 12 second turbo buick the other day and I ran up against this _____ (fill in the blank with youre favorite import.) He threw a couple of revs at me at the stoplight so I decided I would show him a lesson.I brake boosted and we both took off at the same time I got a great launch and so did he.I thought as soon as my tubo reaches full boost the I would walk him but no he actually stayed with me and started pulling away.Boy that was one fast
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cause as everyone keeps telling me, this is a turbo buick forum…know one wants to hear about a “Z” beating a GN..K..go check out the ls1 or the supra forums…ou’ll hear moren enuff of this talk! If a roll from 60 don’t impress you well that’s you, but a lot of guys say a race with a top speed of 110mph ain’t no race…a ¼ is a contest of acceleration not speed…and a race from 50mph-160mph is insane so don’t say it ain’t! ( refer 2 da below)

TurboBuickSix-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was out taking a few turbolink runs before I put the car up for the winter and.... boost set around 15 -18 psi a nice running and DR'd 300zx TT gave me a nice view of his tailights.I was very unprepared,but I don't want to make excuses either,a kill is a kill by my own rules.
But I'll be damned if it will happen again.
I respect you man…a lot

The Radius Kid-you took da words out of my mouth

I not into notice that most kids like imports cause they independently can afford the initial buy of the car it self, they are cheap and insurance is low! This whole race scene reminds me of the Hot Rod scene of the 50’s and 60’s-taking an average car and trying to work it….

 

[turbojimmy]

Maybe I'm hanging out in the wrong places, but it seems to me that there is very little that you'll run into on the street that would give a 12-second anything any trouble. As I mentioned before, think about how many 12-second cars are on the road, in your town, at the stoplight you're about to roll up to. If you run into one, buy a lottery ticket too - especially if it's an import.

I was at the track Sunday (ran a personal best, in my sig). There were a LOT of imports there as usual. Mostly rice - Civics, CRXs, Integras, DSMs, etc. The Germans were well represented with a number of Jetta, GTIs, and 2 Audi S4s. There was also a nice C32 AMG Benz. There were 4 350Zs, 2 were turbo'd, 2 were stock. The fastest import there was one of the turbo Zs. Ran a 13.2. Second was the other 350Z turbo, 13.4 or something. The Benz was 3rd running solid 13.5s. The rest of the imports were in the 15s and 16s. Not that there's anything wrong with that....

The point is that I consider these cars, since they all have license plates and presumably valid registration, are a representative cross section of the imports that I'd run into on the street on any given day. I can stretch that hypothesis and say that these may even represent the faster portion of the population since they are willing to cough up the dough to run them at the track.

Yeah, there are much faster examples out there but I'm not likely to see them on the street. If I do happen upon one, and get wasted, I'd give respect where respect is due. Because let's face it, something that can beat a 12-second Buick is pretty quick in anyone's book.

Oh yeah....I'd buy a lottery ticket, too.

Jim

 

[Little6pack]

Why am I in this Thread?
It is pointless. Who really cares if someone can beat your car?

I own my GN because I like my GN's Style & getting to be borderline classics. The more you guys beat em up or race them
the balance of stockers will eventually go the route of the older American muscle.

I did not buy it to beat up on ricers.
I bought it cause I couldn't afford one when new.

Face it there are both FAST & SLOW domestic cars
& FAST & SLOW import cars.

I will agree that the import crowd Spends $$ that is why products
are being sold.
Also import car companies that are smart like Subaru & mitsu
are filling a void for those kids who owned moms Honda a few years ago. Now he or she maybe in a real job after college & have the bucks to to buy a pocket rocket.

 

[kenny]

So now we've gone to how there aren't any fast imports to which imports have more interior room to what a street car is and now back to how there aren't any fast imports.

This thread sucks.

 

[The Radius Kid]

Re: This is the same type of thing guys with v8's say about us guys with 6's....

Originally posted by The Don


The Radius Kid-you took da words out of my mouth

I not into notice that most kids like imports cause they independently can afford the initial buy of the car it self, they are cheap and insurance is low! This whole race scene reminds me of the Hot Rod scene of the 50’s and 60’s-taking an average car and trying to work it….

I'm sure which words,but I guess they were the right ones.
Let's look at some numbers:
A 3.8 making 600 hp on race gas is making about {158} hp per liter.
A 2.0 making {225} hp per liter[same fuel].
They're making 42% more hp per liter than we are.
I give them that.

Converting to turbo status is gonna cost lots,especially considering the cars were not configured for turbo status from the factory.
Don't believe me?Look it up on the net.
Some of those kits are $5,000 plus.
That's not even for a full race kit.

However,giving credit where credit is due again,thank the engineers at Buick for making the T/R a viable idea for the street.
Brilliant work guys[if you ever read this].

The cost for converting to turbo status for a lot of import guys is high,but they are out there.
Cool.

 

[Sleeper]

I'm bored... thought I'd stir it up
I'm a import Daily driver, I run 12's on pump gas, no alky, no nitto's or DR's. I've whupped a couple of GN's (sorry NastyV6)


Paul

 

[Blown&Injected]

Hey Paul, I see your sig; that's cheatin'!


I'm helping a friend put his turbo Celica Alltrac back together. It is(was) a very clean Toyota with lots of mods; not quite as modded as your car, his is still a 2 liter Toyota engine. He put down 254 wheel HP but the car got totaled by a drunk kid with no insurance before he could go to the track.

254 at the wheels with an AWD should be solidly over 300 engine HP. Nice 4 cylinder IMO

See guys, I am not a rice hater, it is not my preferred, but just because I realistically acknowledge that the domestics still rule by-an-large does not equal import hate

 

[The Don]

Its ironic that peeps say they aren't rice haters, when they select a term that is derogatory describe a asian car!! WTF...thats so backwards...

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by The Don
Its ironic that peeps say they aren't rice haters, when they select a term that is derogatory describe a asian car!! WTF...thats so backwards...

I use, or try to use (too lazy to re-read my own post) the word "rice" to describe a foreign car modified in a particular manner. Doesn't necessarily have to be a Japanese car, IMO. I'm not a "rice" hater, I just don't get it. Like a lot of things I don't understand, I try to keep an open mind or at the very least tolerate them. A lot of them bring the "hate" upon themselves with their behavior on the street and at the track. I guess it's typical punk behavior and is not necessarily tied to what they drive, but the stereotypes have already been established.

What term would one suggest to describe the 16-second, gauged-out, tinted, big-winged, 20" rimmed, dropped-to-the-ground, fire-extinguisher on both a-pillars, fart-canned, blue washer lit, graphics-applied, sticker-laden, ground fx'd <insert import name here> car with the crazy paint job driven by a punk with no respect for other people on the road or at the track? Really, I'd like to know because I can see how "rice" could offend.

Jim

 

[The Don]

turbojimmy
the 350Z just cam out..you can't compare its aftermarket to an american cars aftermarket that has been out for 16yrs...

I said stock 4 stock with $$$$ you can make anything do anythig...you give me $1 bil I'll build a 4cylinder gremlin that will beat a mclearean f1

stock for stock all THE HIGH END IMPORTS DO HIGH 13-to 14'S FLAT!!13.8-14.0

don't belive me do you own research cause some of these cars can beat a gn in the 1/4 mile