Cars. What does the typical audiophile drive?


Just curious. People have asked about watches,
cigars, beer, and even ones income here.

1: What do you drive (daily & weekends)?
2: What might you be driving in the future?
3: What would you drive if $$$ was no object (pick 2 ;-)?

My answers to the above:
1: Toyota truck.
2: Newer Toyota truck.
3: Lamborghini Murcielago & McLaren F1.
houndco
just traded in my '07 Acura mdx for a Honda Osyssey mini van. Damn Kids! need more space.
Funny, although i care about hi-fi quite a bit, I've gotten to the point where I rarely listen to music in the car. Yes, on a long monotonous highway drive, but in daily driving, I want to hear what's going on around me, including what the car is doing, particularly if it is a sporting type car.
And, after quite a few so-called supercars, which have evolved to the point where they are far too fast and cosseting for the street, I've become much more interested in older cars, whether vintage or simply more primitive.
Thankfully, my wife prefers a manual transmission too, so all of our cars are sticks. My list of 'dream' cars these days would include the odd, the arcane and the truly ugly, rather than the latest uber-car. I doubt it's a sign of maturity. Probably more a sign of insanity. Like this hi-fi "thing" we share.
:)
1 I walk or bike as much as possible
2 Land Rover Disco 3 (LR3) for the mountains and off road (with the stock Harman Kardon sound system)
3 a moon buggy would be nice
An Audiophiles car is an extension of his/her personality and reflects that. Me I have a Dodge Stratus chosen solely for it's pass thru trunk and cheap repair bills. I filled every thing with expanding foam, cut, hacked, reworked and tweaked what wasn't already usable. I added 10 Farads worth of caps, two 1,000 CCA batteries, and endless other little things that added up to a car that can and would win SPL comps while playing music - not bass tones. My best? 158.6 db and all the while being able to play music that keeps up with that SPL level.

My dream car is almost a clone to my Dodge, with a few changes.
1st. It has to be faster and have much more power.
2nd It must have a beautiful interior.
3rd It has to corner like a super car.
4th have room for groceries and four doors.

I'm thinking a AMG Merc or M series, but I fear I'm not the typical Audiophile.

Andrew
Synesthesia Studios
It certainly has the electrical power required for a good SPL competition vehicle.:-)

Andrew
Synesthesia Studios
Yamaha R1, with the stock exhaust in place for street riding, a fairly quite Suomy helmet, and I wear earplugs of course.
My weekend ski trip mobile/grocery/kid hauler is a Mercedes wagon. Good for hauling audio gear, too. Self leveling rear suspension can handle the weight of coffin sized loudspeakers, and giant tube amps.
Soon to be purchased car is a Nissan 350z, because I think the 370z looks like a catfish, and I'm cheap. But I'm also considering a low mile E46 M3, or a Porsche Cayman...but that will take away from the new motorcycle budget, tire budget, engine budget, track rental budget, skiing budget, and of course, audio equipment and record budget.
Dynami 28, if you listen to your audio in-car at even remotely close to those levels, you will not have hearing long enough to worry about being an audiophile.
SPL competition in cars and good sound seem to be at odds to me.
(And I run class A amps, with 300 clean watts to double 6.5's in my door pods.)
I don't even get involved in the car audio thing anymore, because all the kids I helped to properly install their system are basically deaf now from "competing."

I wish the best of luck. I hope you wear hearing protection.
I drive a POS 1975 AMC Gremlin but it has $5,000.00 worth of tires and wheels and $7,000.00 worth of stereo equipment. Oh yeah, it also has a sweet glass pack muffler !!!!!!
2010 VW GTI bought new, with the $476 Dynaudio sound system upgrade. I had a $50K budget and it came down to a BMW 335 coupe or the GTI. The GTI Dynaudio sounded better than the upgraded BMW Harmon-Kardon. Other reasons too, but money wasn't the major one.
1. 2012 BMW 335xi
2. BMW M135 (if they imported it instead of the trash they import), BMW 3-series wagon? (bigger or smaller)
3. Tesla for the city, Porsche 997 for longer stretches or without the kids
1. modified 2012 Audi S4
2. Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo (only the Gran Tur - no GT, no Panamera); possibly the new E63 Wagon, now that it's AWD; Tesla Model S? Could be...
3. Money no object, I'd want at least two cars: maybe the new Range Rover for daily use, and the Mercedes SLS coupe for weekends and track days. I'd need a roadster too though. Hmmm...
Sorry - I did not mean to imply that. Should have been more explicit. I was commenting on the post above by Noromance.

Regards,
Rolls Canardly.

Rolls down the hill, can hardly make it up the hill.
Still driving my 2003 Passat just 89K miles and for the last year or so paid off! Making it my ultimate fantasy car! Seriously though still fun to drive and it's been super reliable. Best purchase I have ever made, non-audio category.
I also drive a Passat. It's a 2002 GLS with 190k miles. We bought it new and it's been paid off since 2006. It's been unbelievably reliable and still looks almost new. It's our 3rd VW. When we finally have to replace it, we'll buy another VW.

Last month my father-in-law drove it, he said, "it handles better, rides smoother and the front end is tighter than my brand new Ford Fusion".
My wife drives a 2010 VW Jetta Wolfsurg Edition and its an awesome car. I'm not sure the new U.S. made VW's are as good as the older ones. Not sure if they're making the Passat here.
@Thesaint519: the 335i is my wife's; the 330i is on loan, probably permanent :-), to my son.
Hey Lenny_zwik,

Gotcha. At some point I want a Porsche Cayman or 911. AT 6'1" and 245 lbs. will I fit in one?
of more interest is what type of woman (personality) is most compatible with audiophiles ?

perhaps those of us who have successful marriages might comment here.

since i suggested the topic, i will chime in with two traits which i have found are a must, namely, tolerance of the hobby and patience.
... of more interest is what type of woman (personality) is most compatible with audiophiles ?

No Woman, No Cry
McLaren MP4 - wife drives a Lamborghini Gallardo

How come?

I don't spend much on hi-fi :-)

Actually - a 2003 CR-V and my wife drives a 2012 Jetta TDI - but when we win the lottery...

I did once own a 1962 MG Midget (ragtop) that had side windows that you could unbolt - they were held on by two large knurled screws. The ultimate power window - toss it in the trunk!

Definitely the most fun of all my cars. You really get the sensation of speed when your butt is only 10 inches from the asphalt, side windows removed and nothing except a little flat windshield to stop getting bugs in your face - seat belts? - for woosies - it also had an ashtray !

My how things have changed :-)

BTW - I still don't spend much on hi-fi :-)
Was driving Audi S5 convertible but audio gear and impending changes to "dosmetic" situation forced change to something more practical for kids so now driving Honda Odyssey Minivan and Infinity G37S sedan. Oh well, I still have my stereo system!
I love volvos sound system. Staying for the past 7 years due to the superior stock sound system!
I used to want expensive cars. Now, I love only spending $43 to fill up the tank. I love my '12 Ford Focus Titanium. The Sync system sucks, but it's overall the best vehicle I've owned so far.