Inner Light posted:

If your car already has some amount of imperfections and small rock chips, will PPF do anything? Is PPF mainly avoiding things like debris residue screwing up clear coat and rock chips?

I just don't see a reason or benefit to put it on if I'm not cursed enough to care about small imperfections. I mean, I used to care but stopped as I became more jaded about life.

Jymmybob posted:

We had our 996TT wrapped and ceramic coated and holy moly that makes a ton of difference in cleaning. Basically hose it off, rinse with a gallon of distilled/RO water and you're done in 5 minutes. It works extra well with wrapping because then you have much less of a chance of messing with the wrap, especially edges, during cleaning.

quote:

Porsche explains why the 911 will receive much bigger engines in 2026

The future looks grim for the naturally-aspirated variants

Porsche recently spent millions of dollars downsizing its range of engines, yet new regulations scheduled to come into effect across Europe in 2026 will force it to upsize once again. One of the company's top engineers predicted the next round of engines developed for the 911 (pictured) will be bigger than the units currently available.

"In 2026, the next wave of regulations will come with EU7. This will be the worldwide toughest regulations considering emissions, especially in the spread between real driving emissions and what we see on the test benches," explained Frank-Steffen Walliser, Porsche's head of sports cars, in an interview with Wheels.

These draconian regulations passed to coerce automakers into going electric will put a limit on relative power per liter of displacement, meaning an engine's horsepower output will legally and directly depend on its displacement. Carmakers allocated a considerable amount of time, money, and energy into pursuing the exact opposite (making big power from a small engine) in the 2010s, hence why the base 911 gets a turbocharged, 3.0-liter flat-six.

"I expect 20 percent more displacement on average for these EU7-capable engines. Many manufacturers will jump from four to six, or from six to eight [cylinders]," Walliser predicted during the same interview. "The regulations are completely counterproductive to CO2 regulations, so this will go up," he added.

Upsizing will trap carmakers into an expensive pickle. Bigger engines inevitably burn more gas and emit more CO2, yet they'll need to comply with ever-stricter emissions regulations. This leaves engineering departments with two options: compromise power, or invest in more advanced anti-pollution technology. Porsche is taking the second route. Walliser said making engines compliant will require catalytic converters that are three to four times bigger than today's, resulting in a "small chemical industrial factory" on board to keep emissions in check. In turn, this will increase the cost of developing and manufacturing a car, and consumers will pay the difference.

"This means all-new engines, and especially for the 911 this gets really, really difficult," he said. "But, we will never give up. Whatever it takes, we will do it. We want to keep six cylinders, for sure, but we will have to overwork it. We will have to make a new engine. That's the fact. Again."

He stated the days of high-horsepower, naturally-aspirated 911 variants (like the GT3) are also numbered, because making an emissions-compliant engine will become too complicated. "There will come a day, within the next 10 years, when we have to say 'now this is the last of its kind,'" he warned. Of course, Porsche hasn't ruled out making different variants of the 911 (including naturally-aspirated high-end models) for markets where looser emissions regulations allow them, like the United States and Australia, if the numbers add up.

With all of this in mind, it's no surprise that the entry-level 911 Carrera will never again come with a naturally-aspirated engine. The 4.0-liter flat-six developed recently for the smaller 718 GTS models won't fit in the 911, Walliser told British magazine Evo, and developing another engine from scratch doesn't make financial sense.

On the bright side, Porsche pledged it will continue to offer the 911 with a manual transmission for as long as there is a genuine demand for it from buyers. Here again, though, the end of the stick is looming on the horizon. "We will offer [a manual transmission] for as long as possible, but one day it will not be possible to do so," he told Evo without going into further details. "I hope that day is a long way away."

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

flat 16 u cowards

Neo_Crimson posted:

Neo_Crimson posted:

flat 16 u cowards

TKIY posted:

Put a deposit in on a 2021 G80. I've had my '15 Genesis since new and it's been a really good car but it was the last Hyundai branded year so it really didn't have an ownership experience that was anything other than ordinary Hyundai level.

Curious to see if the brand experience is worth the upgrade.

TKIY posted:

Put a deposit in on a 2021 G80. I've had my '15 Genesis since new and it's been a really good car but it was the last Hyundai branded year so it really didn't have an ownership experience that was anything other than ordinary Hyundai level.

Curious to see if the brand experience is worth the upgrade.

Applebees Appetizer posted:

Isn't it pretty well known that if you own a Genesis that the dealership experience is literally no different than if you owned a Hyundai Accent?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

not true anymore now that it's a stand alone brand rather than a single model. in some places the stores are separate and long term goal is to have separate stores. HMA is trying to differentiate as much as possible even with store-within-a-store. it's a long road but the ownership experience is at least somewhat differentiated and will get more differentiated over time.

Inner Light posted:

If your car already has some amount of imperfections and small rock chips, will PPF do anything? Is PPF mainly avoiding things like debris residue screwing up clear coat and rock chips?

I just don't see a reason or benefit to put it on if I'm not cursed enough to care about small imperfections. I mean, I used to care but stopped as I became more jaded about life.

Kraftwerk posted:

Is the Mazda 3 really that great? I had the 2014 GT model with the 2.5 and while I agree it was a little more buttoned down in feeling it didn't hold a candle to even the cheapest of VW products. The sheet metal felt thin and the lack of a turbo deprived it of the low end torque that really gives some satisfaction in most real world driving scenarios.
I would argue a VW Jetta or GLI would be a better buy depending on your budget than a Mazda at this point. Or if you like the hatch, the Golf/GTI.

Having said that I have not driven the latest generation Mazda 3 which I'll agree is a real looker inside and out. Last I heard it lost its independent rear suspension which to me is concerning...

Anyway if I'm using the 2014 model as an indicator I can't say I'm all that impressed with the car. You're better off in a Civic or anything else that has a turbocharger in it. The only Mazda I'd consider at this point is that Turbo Inline 6 Mazda 6 that may never appear. I'd seriously consider trading my GS 350 in for that.

Kraftwerk posted:

Is the Mazda 3 really that great? I had the 2014 GT model with the 2.5 and while I agree it was a little more buttoned down in feeling it didn't hold a candle to even the cheapest of VW products. The sheet metal felt thin and the lack of a turbo deprived it of the low end torque that really gives some satisfaction in most real world driving scenarios.
I would argue a VW Jetta or GLI would be a better buy depending on your budget than a Mazda at this point. Or if you like the hatch, the Golf/GTI.

Having said that I have not driven the latest generation Mazda 3 which I'll agree is a real looker inside and out. Last I heard it lost its independent rear suspension which to me is concerning...

Anyway if I'm using the 2014 model as an indicator I can't say I'm all that impressed with the car. You're better off in a Civic or anything else that has a turbocharger in it. The only Mazda I'd consider at this point is that Turbo Inline 6 Mazda 6 that may never appear. I'd seriously consider trading my GS 350 in for that.

drgitlin posted:

You are completely and utterly wrong and yes the Mazda 3 is really loving good. The interior is Audi-level.

Guinness posted:

The US Jetta has gotten thoroughly cheapened compared to previous generations. It’s no longer a premium feeling economy car. The Golf still is.

fknlo posted:

I cross shopped the new at that time Mazda 3 with the 2.5 against the Golf TDI I ended up buying back in 2013. The interior of the Mazda had gotten absolutely rave reviews, and while it looked super nice it didn't live up to it in feel. Everything felt cheap. The center console was the most noticeable thing for me in this regard as it felt like something you'd put in aftermarket in the early 2000's on something that didn't come with one. The interior of the Golf didn't look as good but honestly felt way better to me. That might have improved with the current one but I completely agree with him on the previous gen.

drgitlin posted:

Is this the “talk about a seven year old car thread”? Or can people in here maybe accept that if 2013 was the last time they looked at a Mazda, maybe they don’t have up to date information and maybe they should believe someone who does.