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  • BrettM

    June 17, 2009 11:09 a.m. BrettM Reader

    In reply to Tim Baxter:

    Hey Tim, you are correct in that the Fiats are coming. Participation is a good thing and I suspect that was what you were going for when you did the contest back when this all started. I will be happy when the day comes that some other marque gains some votes, more power to them. We are a tight group and this should be considered when you do your marketing, remember who we are.

    As for being over represented, well, everyone else has the same opportunities that we do. I have voted for some of the really cool stuff that is being "pushed" down. The British guys will eventually pass our numbers and that is ok, there is room on the back roads for all of us and we welcome the company.

    Just remember that we are here and that we are excited about our cars. As I have said, I do not have issues with other classics, I love them all. I just had the opportunity to ride in a 1932 Ford this morning for a TV shoot and it was a blast. It was an all original car down to the paint and interior.

    Steve started the challenge when he started questioning the merits of the X1/9 based on engineering. Come on, if the X1/9 has anything, it has engineering. this car was designed in the early 70s and had some nice features that it took years for the British to implement.

    Thank you for providing this forum to express our passions for our cars.

  • blackrabbit

    June 17, 2009 11:18 a.m. blackrabbit New Reader

    WOW seems like alot of angst over just one ninth of a car! seriously though x1/9's are cool... its just that there are plenty of them. and i dont think the "algorythm" really works anyway! I see my rotten old DKW all the time and its only got 4 votes. Ive never seen my celica and it has many more?? mabey its been up a 3 in the morning... doesnt really matter though cause I know its cool... get out there and vote!!

  • blackrabbit

    June 17, 2009 12:00 p.m. blackrabbit New Reader

    SEE! see... there it is again in the sidebar right now. probably will be gone by the time you look but its there now

  • BrettM

    June 17, 2009 12:18 p.m. BrettM Reader

    The DKW IS cool, I just voted it up.

  • vtwelve

    June 17, 2009 12:20 p.m. vtwelve New Reader

    Darn! Still no offers on trading a decent X for my Jag XJS! Still waiting!!!

  • Gary

    June 17, 2009 1:59 p.m. Gary Reader

    Probably as a result of the colorful la Cosa Nostra heritage here in RI, we coined the expression “not fuh nuthin’ but ...” (fill in the topic). So a typical use would be: Not fuh nothin’ but the participation of the Fiat gang on this forum is either a lot higher or maybe just more enthusiastic than other marque enthusiasts. Having said that I have no idea how the readership breaks down for mainstream Classic Motorsport magazine subscribers. (I expect publisher Tim would know that number just about as well as he knows how many feet of steel tubing went into the ersatz Bezerkley). But I’d guess it’s something like 60-70% British and the remaining 30-40% spread out among German, Japanese, Scandinavian and Italian marques, and possibly French, Czech and Russian too. So what’s represented on this forum is skewed. But getting back to the RI Goodfellas heritage, it don’t mean nuthin’. We’re all enthusiasts and CM was reinvented a long time ago from strictly British to cover all classic marques. So we should celebrate diversity … even if Fiats are a miniscule minority and don’t generate any interest outside their small community. Just joking! Fuhgetaboutit!

  • vtwelve

    June 17, 2009 2:13 p.m. vtwelve New Reader

    Hopefully CM will get the message, as Brett stated, and think a little harder about who its' current readership includes. The Fiat group isn't anywhere near as large in numbers as the Brit followers, but shouldn't be ignored, either. If these people are reading and spending, I would certainly think that the potential advertisers and additional content variety would help make CM that much more interesting and profitable.

  • BrettM

    June 17, 2009 2:24 p.m. BrettM Reader

    Hey, with Fiat coming to Chrysler's rescue, who knows what the future may hold for Fiat. They may crash and burn (again) but if they succeed, there will undoubtedly be more Fiat enthusiasts coming out of the woodwork. Think new mini vs old mini, then think new Fiat vs old. The new Abarths should create quite a following and give a choice to those who want a fun, economical sports car.

    I just think it is ironic that Fiat, the butt of so many jokes is bailing Chrysler out. What does that say about Chrysler?

    Anyway...

  • Coupefan

    June 17, 2009 2:54 p.m. Coupefan Reader

    Is it my imagination or has the random car image generator been sped up? My car is now gone and another is up there. I seem to remember a Featured Ride hanging around all day if not longer.

  • Tim Baxter

    June 17, 2009 3:07 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

    Coupefan, depends on where you're looking. If it's here on the forum, it doesn't stick around all that long. The one on the readers' rides section sticks around 24 hours (and is tougher to get into).

  • Gary

    June 17, 2009 3:37 p.m. Gary Reader

    This might be a little off-topic, but speaking about the irony of Fiat bailing out Chrysler: As far as new Fiats are concerned I can tell you without a doubt that the build quality will be exceptionally high, better than Fiat was even 5-10 years ago and better than Chrysler is today (or probably ever was). The head of Fiat Group Quality was formerly with Audi and has implemented Audi quality procedures in all Fiat plants in Italy, Eastern Europe and India. I was in the Mirafiore factory outside Torino last year and saw first hand what they’re doing. They’re building great cars. And during the past 30 years Fiat learned how to galvanize sheet metal. The quality procedures will be duplicated in the North American factories in Toluca, Mexico for the Cinquecento and a Michigan facility for maybe the Punto or preferably the Alfa MiTo. Fiat Group includes Alfa Romeo and Lancia plus the two premium brands. So with talk of Alfa Romeo coming back to the North American market, it’s very possible that Fiat will build the Alfa MiTo here, which is a great small car.

  • VClassics

    June 17, 2009 5:11 p.m. VClassics New Reader

    I happen to own Volvos, but I like all sorts of classic cars, including Fiats.

    So, what would be wrong with simply displaying a randomly chosen pic every time a page is viewed, rather than using a complicated algorithm and having the pic stay for some period of time for every viewer? Should be a piece of cake to have php do that.

  • Tim Baxter

    June 18, 2009 6:46 a.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

    Pure random doesn't really work very well, either. Tried it.

    I don't want to single anyone out, but if you look around Readers Rides, you'll definitely see some cars that probably shouldn't be "Featured".

    Honestly, it's pretty simple. If there's a car you like, vote for it or leave a comment.

  • Roostah

    June 18, 2009 9:38 p.m. Roostah

    I cant believe I'm still ranked No. 6!

    BTW, I'm now turbo charged.

  • BrettM

    June 19, 2009 9:56 a.m. BrettM Reader

    In reply to Tim Baxter:

    How can one determine if the car "shouldn't" be featured? I mean, I could see drawing the line at a farm implement or maybe something that is less than a certain age (Classic Motorsports).

    There are so many cars out there that I absolutely love to look at and admire from a stylistic/historic perspective but would never consider owning. I love an old Corvair but would never own one. Nothing personal, that is just me. For me, it is not about status, but more about the car itself. I like BMW but do NOT like the stigma attached to owning one, same goes for a Corvette, great cars but...

    I like the fact that you can vote for a Trabant, one of the world's worst cars ever. Even those lowly cars need love.

  • Tim Baxter

    June 19, 2009 12:44 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

    C'mon, admit it, that's a REALLY cool Trabant.

    And that may be the only time in the history of the world the words "really cool" appeared next to Trabant.

  • blackrabbit

    June 19, 2009 1:13 p.m. blackrabbit New Reader

    Thank's Tim!! it IS really cool.... partly because it is just totally rare to see one! the new engine and other spares arrived from germany just a week ago so it will be on the road this summer! will load more pics soon.. did you know the factory team ran these in the monty!! as well as MANY other rallys around europe.

  • BrettM

    June 19, 2009 1:22 p.m. BrettM Reader

    In reply to Tim Baxter:

    I agree. I voted for it. Brett

  • ddavidv

    June 19, 2009 10:13 p.m. ddavidv UltraDork

    I went in and voted for a bunch of cars that weren't Fiats. Including the Trabant.

  • Series6

    June 20, 2009 12:52 p.m. Series6 New Reader

    Geez... Now I'm depressed. I thought it was random and that I missed seeing my car because I must have been driving it when it came up on the rotation. Now I find it's weighted towards Fiats? I'm going over to my neighbor's place (who has 4-5 Fiats) and ride my bicycle over the rocks in his front yard as a protest. (This is Phoenix. We don't have front lawns.) That will make a statement!

    Maybe Marque recognition is important on this site as it's more social than technical.

  • bmw327

    June 20, 2009 8:58 p.m. bmw327 New Reader

    BrettM wrote: For me, it is not about status, but more about the car itself. I like BMW but do NOT like the stigma attached to owning one, same goes for a Corvette, great cars but...

    It seems to me that these two sentences contradict one another. How others do or don't perceive my car has no bearing upon whether I think it's cool and would be willing to own one. I've had people occasionally act rudely while I was driving my old 535i and I've gotten odd looks while in my Fiats and I just don't care. The only time I ever got upset was when some guy in an old VR6 Passat decided to cut me off twice on the highway for no good reason...so I deflated his ego with the old 5er and that was that. I like Corvettes and Corvairs and would drive one of either as well .

  • ddavidv

    June 20, 2009 9:41 p.m. ddavidv UltraDork

    BMW owners are arrogant SOBs because we know our cars are better than everyone else's.

    I drove Fiats for 23 years...status obviously means nothing to me.

  • BrettM

    June 21, 2009 8:59 a.m. BrettM Reader

    A modern M3 ranks in the top 5 cars that I would like to own someday. Amazing cars to drive, especially with the SMG.

    Please don't take it personal, I simply see so many Bimmer owners who don't have a clue about what they are driving. Seems like a waste of great equipment.

  • Series6

    June 22, 2009 1:02 a.m. Series6 New Reader

    The way I determine if a BMW owner is and enthusiast or just another guy who could get financed and thinks owning one makes him something I ask him 2 questions.
    1-What does the emblem represent and why and

    2-What do the colors represent? (The original colors were blue/white and black/gold.

    Fail that and get tossed into the pit like in the Monty Python movie Search for the Holy Grail...

  • ddavidv

    June 22, 2009 6:21 a.m. ddavidv UltraDork

    1. The theory is it's a spinning propeller, yet I've also read that is not true.
    2. I honestly don't know, nor do I give a fig.

    If that's your way of determining a true enthusiast, I vote it a big FAIL. To me, the guy with the Zymol and the BMW embroidered everything is usually a poseur. The real car-guy doesn't clean the dead bugs off the front; he just drives the crap out of it. Better still if he's painted his car with a roller.

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