Your definition of a Fast car – can we agree?

[98GSX-WI]

Last night while I was sleeping, I pondered the idea of whether I thought that my car right now was Fast. This lead me to the following... What is your definition of a Fast car? Allow me to provide a real-life example. In 1992, I bought a brand new 5.0 Mustang LX with 5 spd. I believe that had 235hp. When I bought the car, I bought it because it was a Fast car. Needless to say, I traded it in after 3 months and 3000 miles….the reasons….the car was not Fast to me. Compounded by the fact that I didn't think that the car was fast enough for me, it rode like crap…bounced all over the road, just didn't like the way it drove.

After going to the Drag Strip last Sunday and watching all kinds of cars race, I decided that I don't care how much horsepower that my car has, or what I suspect it has. Bottom line, it is as fast as I can drive it and the time slip that I get.

Anyways…that still doesn't answer the question of what I think is fast. And without yet being ready to race my car on the track (not done with fuel mods yet), I can only estimate how Fast I think my car is. Here is what I came up with:

¼ mile time Terms to describe how Fast car is
Above 15 sec = Slow
14 to 15 sec = Responsive
13 to 14 sec = Quick
12 to 13 sec = Fast
11 to 12 sec = Very Fast or Really Fast
Under 11 sec = Terms such as Bad Ass, Mean, etc., may be used
Under 10 sec = Race car

I'd love to hear your opinion of my assessment and what your definition of a Fast car is

 

[blaster1812]

Last night while I was sleeping, I pondered the idea of whether I thought that my car right now was Fast. This lead me to the following... What is your definition of a Fast car? Allow me to provide a real-life example. In 1992, I bought a brand new 5.0 Mustang LX with 5 spd. I believe that had 235hp. When I bought the car, I bought it because it was a Fast car. Needless to say, I traded it in after 3 months and 3000 miles….the reasons….the car was not Fast to me. Compounded by the fact that I didn't think that the car was fast enough for me, it rode like crap…bounced all over the road, just didn't like the way it drove.

After going to the Drag Strip last Sunday and watching all kinds of cars race, I decided that I don't care how much horsepower that my car has, or what I suspect it has. Bottom line, it is as fast as I can drive it and the time slip that I get.

Anyways…that still doesn't answer the question of what I think is fast. And without yet being ready to race my car on the track (not done with fuel mods yet), I can only estimate how Fast I think my car is. Here is what I came up with:

¼ mile time Terms to describe how Fast car is
Above 15 sec = Slow
14 to 15 sec = Responsive
13 to 14 sec = Quick
12 to 13 sec = Fast
11 to 12 sec = Very Fast or Really Fast
Under 11 sec = Terms such as Bad Ass, Mean, etc., may be used
Under 10 sec = Race car

I'd love to hear your opinion of my assessment and what your definition of a Fast car is

Thats pretty much what i think 11-12 fast

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

I have never really understood all the excitement of the two biggest american motorsports. In one you accelerate in a straight line, and in the other you drive around in circles for hours on end. I would agree, to be fast it has to have top end. I think I will have a truly fast car when it accelerates, stops, and turns, faster on dirt than most modded cars do on pavement.
Pavement sucks anyways, Way too much tire and drivetrain wear when you drift her.

 

[Camel_Kid]

12.5 or quicker is quick. 115 mph or more is fast.

-T

I'd say the same about 1/4 time, but speed... I'd go 125 or 135... going 115 in my Dakota was fast, but going 130 in Joe's Impulse from Bismarck to Jamestown (98mi. drive), is just not as fast-feeling as the Dakota was.... maybe it's something to do with me expecting less of the Dakota.

 

[Imortalfu]

2g AWD top out at about 170 mph(270km) gear limited...gst speed limited to 130mph..

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Thats funny considering I was only able to get my 98 GSX up to 130 in 5th gear, screaming along at 6000rpm.

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

I dont know, maybe they changed the gearing or something? I noticed pauls is a 95, Mines a 95 and I have only had it a little above 120 but I remember there being plenty of power and plenty of tach left.

 

[14.5 drift]

Paul has a freakin race car though, his redline I believe is higher than stock.

I'd say the same about 1/4 time, but speed... I'd go 125 or 135... going 115 in my Dakota was fast, but going 130 in Joe's Impulse from Bismarck to Jamestown (98mi. drive), is just not as fast-feeling as the Dakota was.... maybe it's something to do with me expecting less of the Dakota.

I believe he was talking about trap speeds,

13 second cars to the uninitiated are fast as hell. anything running in the lower half of the 13s on the street is respectable imo

werd the the freakin werd, the difference between a high 13 car and a low 13 car is huge. I agree any thing low 13 and under qualifies as fast to me.

for reference, an ss camaro runs a low 13

 

[CanadianTalon]

So by your defenition a porsche 911 twin turbo isn't a fast car?

When you've grown up around tons of fast cars, something like a 911TT doesn't seem as mind bogglingly fast in a straight line. My old daily driver while I was in College was an 88 mustang with a .030 over 351W with heads/intake/cam, it went 11.0's @ 125 naturally aspirated on 15" nitto DR's, and high 9's @ 140 on juice and slicks. When you drive a car that fast daily other cars start to seem not so fast. I also bought a brand new busa in 99 and drove that every other day for 4 years, so that kind of blinds you to "mere mortal" cars. Keep in mind I would take a stock 911TT any day of the week, it's still fast enough for a daily driver, corners amazingly, porsche quality, and lots of top end.

 

[96TSi_Chris]

As i figured it would be, this topic was made by an AWD owner. 1/4 mile does have a saying in fast cars, but there are so many different venues you can judge on to tell whether a car is fast. Ofcourse this is coming from a wrong wheel drive DSMer who is rather pissed that he cant get his "has the power, has the driving skill, doesnt have the traction" DSM into the 13s. I would have to say at the strip, my car is average, but on the highway, my car is fast. Just like supras, most are quick at the track, but are extremely fast on the highway. Its all a matter of what venue you look at and what car you are talking about.

 

[98GSX-WI]

Hey Chris, actually you don't have it quite right. Although, I have an AWD...I have never raced it or taken it to the race track yet. I will have my fuel mods completed this weekend and then I am heading for the track (not the highway) to see what it can do.

Actually, I don't think that most people when they are talking about a fast car, are talking about racing on the highway. I definitely agree, that many questions such as this depend heavily on your perspective. That is why I like this website and forum. I get to hear about why other people are modding their cars and how they typically drive their cars.

However, I must say that for me, it's all about acceleration. To be honest, I really don't believe that even you are really concerned with the top speed of your car. Because practically speaking, none of us are really going to regularly drive our cars anywhere near their top speed...

A good example. Say you are talking to people at work about your car....and say, someone asks you to take them for a ride. Are you telling me that you would search for a highway and attempt to take it up to it's top speed to let them know how "fast' your car is? No way....if you take-off quick and they "feel" the acceleration....it will be considered a fast car by them...and a fast car by anyone...

(Of course, this all written with the friendliest intentions...)

 

[96TSi_Chris]

A good example. Say you are talking to people at work about your car....and say, someone asks you to take them for a ride. Are you telling me that you would search for a highway and attempt to take it up to it's top speed to let them know how "fast' your car is? No way....if you take-off quick and they "feel" the acceleration....it will be considered a fast car by them...and a fast car by anyone...

(Of course, this all written with the friendliest intentions...)

I def feel what you are saying, but in my car when i take people for a ride, i rip off a 2nd gear run and most of the time i hear, "damn this thing is fast as hell". Now if i had AWD i can see what you are saying about acceleration. Thats why its so hard to judge if a car is fast, there are so many different venues you can look at. I dont run my car to top speed, althought i have and never will again, its the 2nd gear pull in my car that make people say to themselves, "damn i really hope i dont run into this guy on the highway". Some may consider that a cheap way of saying a car is fast, but thats why i say, yeah my car is ok at the track, but you gotta feel the pull on the highway.

 

[suicidal2af]

My definition of a fast car? Any car that makes your passenger grab the "Oh shit" handle.

Let's face it, even our stock turbo DSM's are faster than a majority of cars you see out on the road. That says fast to me. Can it be faster? Yes. Doesn't mean it's not fast in stock form

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

My definition of a fast car? Any car that makes your passenger grab the "Oh shit" handle.

Let's face it, even our stock turbo DSM's are faster than a majority of cars you see out on the road. That says fast to me. Can it be faster? Yes. Doesn't mean it's not fast in stock form

My passengers grab the oshit handle no matter what I drive