Imports rule?

[Art161]

I was watching MotorWeek on TV. One of the segments was about an activity called Hot Import Nights, Night Shift. It's about drifting, motocross, testing your car on a dyno, hip-hop, etc. Oh, you have a chance to win a grand prize--a one-off Roush Mustang!

 

[ranger04]

If imports rule, then why are they offing a mustang for the grand prize? the fast and the furious thing was hot a round here for a while, but it's sorta dieing away now. Not a lot of 6ft wings and canon barrel mufflers anymore.

 

[UrbanRedneck]

The whole import scene is dying. Chicago (where I live) used to have a huge import street racing scene, that is all but gone now. Many shops have closed, only a few ramain. Even the ricers roaming the streets have diminished. It was a fad, that is dying, and will be gone before long. I know a lot of people that used to be into imports, some of them had some pretty fast ones too (a buddy had a civic that ran 12s N/A), and all of them would rather have a V8 now.

 

[Ice Hawk]

They're seeing the light. It's a good light. Walk into the light.

 

[DarkFireGT]

What's sad, though, is since the imports racers have died down, so has the muscle cars. It's rare now a days for me to pull up beside another modified V8.

 

[NastyStang113]

What's sad, though, is since the imports racers have died down, so has the muscle cars. It's rare now a days for me to pull up beside another modified V8.

Not around here thankfully. I live in a pretty small town, it's close to some big towns though. I've seen two Challengers, already. We've got quite a few Mustangs, Carmos, W6s, etc. Of course, we've got our fair share of the WRX and EVO drivers who believe they own the fastest cars on the road and try to drive them like they are in the movies. It's one thing to drive fast and be safe. These guys try to drive fast and make it as dangerous as possible for themselves and everyone around them. It makes me want to shove their fart can muffler down their throat.

 

[SpartaPerformance]

+1 Here in NYC Long Island area there are tons of Mustangs and even Challengers are starting to pop here and there....ofcourse we're still plagued with 350Z and G35 Coupes but they never bother anybody...it's like they know their cars are heavy and slow!!!

 

[walter]

What's sad, though, is since the imports racers have died down, so has the muscle cars. It's rare now a days for me to pull up beside another modified V8.

I think that goes with the time and the gas prices. I'm in Houston which has an enormous import presence (I came from that crowd H-i which is a huge forum with 1000's of members) and it has subdued somewhat but you can still catch some good meet here and there which of course draws mostly imports with a few domestics sprinkled in there for good measure.

Nothing wrong with having an import (as I said I had one and loved it), It's having something and making it out what it isn't (read ricers) that gives the scene a bad rep and ruins things for everyone.

I had a 240SX Auto-X / Drift car for a long time while everyone laughed at my choice in their riced out civics. Then suddenly videos from Japan started flowing in and guess what everyone dumped their lousy FWD econoboxes and jumped in on the drift bandwagon and screwed things up for us. That's when I exited stage right and went back to V8 muscle cars to up the power a little and walk away from the crowd.

 

[WhiteFox342]

The "Scene" here in San Antonio has really changed. Back in the early to mid 90's you couldn't swing a stick without hitting a 5.0. Friday night cruising on Naco was common with many many cars turning out. It was fun for quite a while, but the ususal one moron in the crowd would screw things up. They ruined the Walmart hangout and later the Albertsons hangout. Later San Antonio passed a law if you are caught street racing you lose your car. That killed everything.
A few years ago I had an S2000. It was a realy fun car to drive. We went on some cruises and found out about the Best Buy hangout. We went there a few times until the same old **** happened again. This time some dork in a Neon was practicing his drifting skills in the parking lot. That was the last time I went. Later I sold the S and bought a 69 Charger.
I think the excessive police presence resulting for the usual dumbass in the crowd is what killed the scene. Now with FF4 coming out I guess we'll see what happens.

 

[05MGT]

I don't think the scene is dying at all, just growing up.

You don't see the huge wings, the altezza lights, the fartcans, and stickers anymore because people are growing up and realizing that part is rediculous. I know many people whom I work with that are still heavily into the import scene. Their forums are still thick with members and the aftermarket is still huge. It's that they are finally focusing on performance modifications and steering away from the BS parts. Many of these imports you are seeing are probalby sleepers. I got taken by a MkV GTI a while ago. I looked stock but got me by about 2 cars after we hit 70. I did some research on them and they have all types of pop and swap ECU's that give between 50-70hp with only and intake and exhaust and on pump gas. If you swap for a bigger turbo you can see 100+ gains. This guy must have been running low 13's in a FWD Volkswagen!

My point is it's still alive, just all grown up.

 

[blacksheep06]

I don't think the scene is dying at all, just growing up.

You don't see the huge wings, the altezza lights, the fartcans, and stickers anymore because people are growing up and realizing that part is rediculous. I know many people whom I work with that are still heavily into the import scene. Their forums are still thick with members and the aftermarket is still huge. It's that they are finally focusing on performance modifications and steering away from the BS parts. Many of these imports you are seeing are probalby sleepers. I got taken by a MkV GTI a while ago. I looked stock but got me by about 2 cars after we hit 70. I did some research on them and they have all types of pop and swap ECU's that give between 50-70hp with only and intake and exhaust and on pump gas. If you swap for a bigger turbo you can see 100+ gains. This guy must have been running low 13's in a FWD Volkswagen!

My point is it's still alive, just all grown up.

I was thinking the same thing. The true import racers are still out there, it's just that the wake left by "The Fast and Furious" is dying. That movie basically launched ricer nation by inspiring every teenager to throw a few bolt on's and a double stacked wing on their econobox. There's definately a LOT less of that around here compared to 6 or 7 years ago. It's just not as cool anymore to drive a "cracker jack toy"

 

[blacksheep06]

What's sad, though, is since the imports racers have died down, so has the muscle cars. It's rare now a days for me to pull up beside another modified V8.

I have noticed a lot less sn95 GT's on the roads too. I'm seeing more and more s197 GT's though but their almost always bone stock right down to the axle back and usually driven by middle aged and older people. (and plenty of women drivers at that)

It's always nice to go to a bigger town every once in a while because I'll always meet another heavily modified GT ( Lowered, rims, body pieces, etc.) These cars truly look amazing coming down the road with a few mods. I'm always in awe when I meet a lowered S197 with some fat tires. In stock trim they look piss dull. No offense to any stockers just saying.

Stock Bad
Mods Good

 

[scupking]

I noticed the same thing around here over the past few years. Not many ricers anymore but there still WRS STIs, 350z and a few other high performance imports running around. I do see a lot of s197 V6s with older people driving them. Most of the S197 GTs that I see are moded but I don't see them that often. Mostly around here we have tons of sn95 99-04 mod GTs. Last Sunday I went for a ride around town and came across 8 other that I passed all moded and all gave a rev or a wave. Heck at my work there is one moded S197 GT and 9 sn95s. One thing I don't see around here are Camaros or Fiberbirds or if I do they are the ones from the 80s.

 

[07ToRcH]

Same here in south texas alot of s197 popping up, mostly older men and woman, i guess they wanna feel young again, the ricers are still out and about but not as big as the mustangs crowd, I do see less and less fox's.

 

[xxrequiemxx]

+1 Here in NYC Long Island area there are tons of Mustangs and even Challengers are starting to pop here and there....ofcourse we're still plagued with 350Z and G35 Coupes but they never bother anybody...it's like they know their cars are heavy and slow!!!

yeah man - long island has a lot of muscle cars around.

However, Mustangs (IMO) get a lot of respect around here. My friends absolutely love it when I can drive places and people stare at my car