What Happened to Car Culture?

p1 ama on 24/02/2019 - 22:08

Have an interesting question for all you car folks here. What happened to the car culture of the 90's?

For some context, when I was growing up and getting into cars, car culture was really different to what we have these days. For most people I know, their first car was a beater that would manage to get them to uni on a good day, but tough luck if it was too cold. When we managed to get a bit more money, we'd be looking at something like the Supra or maybe the MX-5, that was a super cool chic car. There would always be some kid who got his hands on a Lancer (maybe RalliArt) and tried to convince everyone it was an EVO.

I still remember the halo cars were the RX-7, Integra Type R, 300ZX, WRX STi, EVO. I dreamed of an R32 Skyline when I was first getting into the car scene. Remember at uni, there would be car clubs, we'd go to car meets, spend the weekend in the garage fixing our cars, looking at ads of new cars for the next big project…etc. It really seemed like cars were a big deal back then. People actually loved what they drove and it wasn't just a status symbol.

I recently went back to uni to give a presentation and I had a walk through the carpark to see what students were driving these days. No cool cars anymore. No old cars anymore. Seems like everyone drives a Corolla, Mazda 3, bunch of people drive SUVs (never got the appeal of SUVs). The cool kids now drive Golfs, if you're a bit cooler, maybe a BMW or Merc. Seems like the car culture of the 90's is dead and cars have just become a fashion accessory. It's all about the brands and cool features, not about how nice it drives or how much time and effort you put in to make it work.

Seem to see some of the same culture on here when people are looking for car recommendations. People care about things like fuel consumption (never really saw anyone care about that back then), safety features, whether the interior looks "modern", rather than how quick the cars are or how it handles on those windy mountain roads in the wet.

Am I just being nostalgic or have people's tastes about what cool cars are really changed that much? When did all this happen?!

Automotive

Comments

  • GoatLord64 on 26/02/2019 - 05:41

    Not a car person but why would i want a high performance car when im at uni? As long as its safe, big enough to fit my lanky ass in and it gets me from place to place idk what im driving.

    • p1 ama on 26/02/2019 - 11:14
      +4

      Not a car person but why would i want a high performance car when im at uni?

      Only time in your life when it really matters. When you're old, you don't have time and everyone can afford a "nice" car.

      I think you misunderstand the point. It's not about "high performance", it's about having something with character that reflects who you are, that you put work into building and is your pride and joy when you drive it.

      You earn the respect of other drivers because they know the time and effort you put into your car, not just because you're a rich kid who managed to pony up for something expensive.

      If, to you, a car is just a commodity to get from A to B, and you honestly don't care, then that's fine. Plenty of cars that will do just that.

      • jace88 on 03/03/2019 - 16:22

        Evo definitely kept my uni days more entertaining.

    • Bid Sniper on 26/02/2019 - 12:28

      Kept me sane during my PhD. Project was going to hell but having plans for the next mod, repair, track day kept me going. Along with the social life that went with car culture. Really diverse and interesting people. I was (still am) in the WRX scene since early 2000s. so much lolz and friends I made.

      Id rather cycle than drive a microwave on wheels. Let alone pay for one.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 26/02/2019 - 08:21
    +4

    "Ask any racer. Any real racer. It don't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning."

    Nothing much has changed man. That generation is in their 30s and 40s. A new generation and a new generation of cars are the main things on the street. Just like 40 year olds back in 1995 were flabbergasted that kids were driving around in ricers instead of Monaros and Escorts.

    The culture is still alive and well in places we're not cool enough to know about.

  • Szemen on 26/02/2019 - 09:29
    +1

    Something to keep in mind is that the kids of that era are now in their late 20s-mid/late 30s. Disposable income is higher which means those cars are going to see less and less backyard mechanic jobs. I would say only late turbo era cars are common sight now, such as EVOVIII and later.

    Case in point, look at JZA80. Their price rise is crazy, now within 60k. FDs, BNR32-34, all those halo cars are now becoming garage queens.

    I had a NA8 in uni and loved it to bits; Chase White. It's getting near impossible trying to find a mint Chase White NA8 now.

  • leiiv on 26/02/2019 - 09:51

    It is the beginning of a new era, electric cars, self-driving cars, flying cars.. The definition of "cool" is probably different now.

    • Euphemistic on 26/02/2019 - 16:55

      Electric conversions are going to be then next big thing for car enthusiasts. Cheap to run and powerful. Once the batteries get to an economical price point and factory electric cars are turning up in wreckers more often it will really take off.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/02/2019 - 10:56

    Cant imagine that the triumvirate of tits that presented top gear helped. Anything they championed lost its coolness in that very moment.

    • wetwork on 26/02/2019 - 12:21

      Which triumvirate? The knowledgable old ones or the newer, ignorant and continually changing ones?

      • [Deactivated] on 26/02/2019 - 13:36

        I was thinking of the original twerps

        • smartazz104 on 28/02/2019 - 10:10
          -1

          You're in a minority with that kind of thinking.

  • myusername on 26/02/2019 - 11:05
    -2

    plenty of bogans still around

    • p1 ama on 26/02/2019 - 11:17
      +7

      This attitude is the problem.

      Bogans who zip down suburban streets at 100km/h in their '95 Commodores are not car enthusiasts. They're morons. They are not interested in cars, do not own nice cars, do not care about cars. Lumping people interested in cars in with them is an insult.

    • smartazz104 on 28/02/2019 - 10:11
      -1

      Must be nice living in a bubble.

  • martz201 on 26/02/2019 - 11:15
    +1

    Car culture is very much alive, check out Mighty Car Mods (MCM) on YouTube and their spin-off channels (Skid Factory). Have to agree that the visibility of modified cars has reduced, likely from a combination of factors, people garaging their classics, practicality of driving in city traffic, and cost. All that said I'll continue to daily my modified GC8 WRX - powered by seven-11 98 via app ;)

  • DarthAntz on 26/02/2019 - 11:48

    Cops and the price of petrol killed it. You're better off in a white corolla looking inconspicuous.
    There will always be another fast and furious movie, and need for speed underground 1 still holds value.

    Outrage culture and modding salads is all the rage these days. Best way to support your personality.

  • mini2 on 26/02/2019 - 12:24

    What car culture? I thought kids aren't even getting their licences till much later in life than it used to. No new blood to the culture and with cars being more locked down than it used to, bit hard for it to sustain let alone to thrive.

    The cool kids now drive Golfs, if you're a bit cooler, maybe a BMW or Merc. Seems like the car culture of the 90's is dead and cars have just become a fashion accessory. It's all about the brands and cool features, not about how nice it drives or how much time and effort you put in to make it work.

    Back in the early to mid 90's, there were these bunch of cool kids called themselves the CABIN boys running around in lowered Merc's and Audi's so nothing's really changed. Somehow these group of blokes managed to grow something out of it and ended up with Autosalon. I got a funny feeling some of the Autosalon cars might've been the cause of the demise…think of the Osman's and their WRX's, R BABY and whatever else escaped my mind at the moment. Sick Division and their Excel's, SSV/Carmate crappy ill fitting fibreglass kit kitted Lancers probably did nothing to improve the situation.

    hashtag oldmanscreamingatclouds

    • smartazz104 on 28/02/2019 - 10:12

      I guess everyone grew out of the Autosalon fad, once the FnF movies lost their appeal.

  • w0lf on 26/02/2019 - 12:29
    +1

    This certainly is the case around my town. Back in high school there was a huge car scene, everyone cruising the main strip on a Friday night there would be hundreds of cars driving around, parked and chatting to mates etc. Most cars were at least slightly modified with body kits or flash wheels.

    What happened? Here a few old people were complaining about noise, so council put up a ton of no parking after 10pm signs around all the popular areas. Police patrol the town like crazy. Anyone even thinking of actually giving their cars a slight hit on the throttle were pulled over. Defects handed out like crazy for petty things.

    Seems young people have just given up on it. Driving past the high school now and it is just standard Mazda 3s and Corollas, for 4x4 utes. No one bothers to modify their cars any more. There is still plenty of older people with nice cars in our car clubs etc, but the Friday and Saturday night car scene is nothing like it used to be

  • MementoMori on 26/02/2019 - 13:50
    +1

    I think it's because these awesome cars are not profitable to make.

    Corollas and Mazda 3's are.

  • tryagain on 26/02/2019 - 14:06

    I think it has probably moved somewhat, the introduction of laws prohibiting P platers driving powerful cars saw a lot of them move to 4wd's, they could still individualise their ride, make it look tough, and it is easier to get away with a bit of hooning offroad. Unfortunately, due to their immaturity and their inability to stay on the tracks, a lot of the tracks to go offroad have been closed because of this influx.

  • Laizay on 26/02/2019 - 15:31

    I am a university student that is into the car scene. Previously had a Golf R MK6 but was too expensive to run and modify so now I'm running a 1994 MX5 NA. Many of my colleagues at university couldn't care more about a car apart from getting to A to B. Since my recent purchase of the MX5 I have realised alot more appreciation of my car from other car enthusiasts on the road. All my friends that are supposedly into cars only really care about its power and not its culture. More and more of my friends are also moving towards buying big 4X4 to go off roading on the rare occasion.

  • Freitag on 26/02/2019 - 15:45
    +1

    "No replacement for displacement" as they used to say in another car culture. They might look at your preferred cars and wonder where it all went wrong.

  • pitoui on 26/02/2019 - 16:00

    Nowadays cars are faster, have better stereos and don't blow up when thrashed.
    That said, I still snap my neck when I see a nice S15 or R32 go past.

    • smartazz104 on 28/02/2019 - 10:13

      Any car that "blew up" would be result of poor mods and maintenance, not inherent build quality.

  • Turbz on 26/02/2019 - 16:20
    +1

    So clearly none of these people have either been in a rotary or driven one. Life isn't about 0-100 nor is it about an airbag or fuel consumption. Life, my friends is about redlining at 9000rpm and looking at your passenger and seeing just how far past 9000 the car will go. There's no car culture anymore, gone are the days of seeing a group of chrome bumper cars just doing their thing…i still own my weekend cars yet still drive a fuel savvy car for work.
    I think the crackdown on modified cars has had its toll on the car scene however I don't believe this is a bad thing, it's just made people build cars that are actually roadworthy and legal.
    My naturally aspirated Mazda 1200 would decimate most modern turbocharged cars.

    • Zachary on 26/02/2019 - 23:52
      +1

      My naturally aspirated Mazda 1200 would decimate most modern turbocharged cars.

      That looks like a decent car to mod up, mind sharing pics of it….? :P

    • Speckled Jim on 01/03/2019 - 09:01

      Rotaries literally stink to high heaven and sound even worse. You'd better be ready to DIY as most mechanics won't touch them.
      I'm sure you know your way around a rotisserie Turbz, but it's not for everyone.

  • crentist on 26/02/2019 - 16:21

    I think this happens with any technology as it matures. We are seeing the same with mobile phones too. A few years ago if you bought an android you'd often be frustrated with it, or trying to hack cfw on it to optimise it. Or you just got an iphone where the main benefit was less frustration, but it also does less.
    Now reliability and performance has improved enough to cover up most of the frustration, and they can all be overpriced luxury items. CFW is still around, but it just seems like it'd introduce new hassles for less benefit than before. I'm saying that because I stopped using CFW once my new phones started feeling somewhat nice to use.

    Same with computers. If you were a kid who just wanted to be comfortable running games on windows98, you've probably developed IT god skills. Nowadays, you get a macbook and a ps4, and you got a decent pc and gaming experience without ever lifting a finger. Building a desktop has gone from a useful skill lots of kids had to know, to a hassle exclusively reserved for the cheapest and geekiest around

    Similarly, most people never cared about cars, so they either got a boring thing for convenience, or a good one that came with potential extra frustration. So you'd have to decide if you want to drive the most boring thing possible and hope nothing goes wrong, or get something decent with the expectation that more might go wrong and you'd have to make an effort. Which also meant you might be prepared to modify it since you expected it to be troublesome anyway. Nowadays, performance comes with better reliability and comfort, so the choice between a boring car and a fun car is only a matter of money, but no effort. So there's a higher barrier to optimisation and tinkering, and it now introduces hassle where there was none before

  • yoonibear on 26/02/2019 - 17:54
    +1

    I think they've all moved onto higher yielding cars now. But seriously I think the people/culture's moved on from the fast and furious days - seems they're all into Euro cars now. Was genuinely surprised seeing an S13 Silvia on the road the other day

  • Ekliptix on 26/02/2019 - 18:12

    I’ve been lucky enough to own a bunch of different performance cars, from S15 when I was 19 through to Evos, Focus RS, STi etc.

    I’m now in my 30s and have a mint condition NA8 MX-5 which is 25 years old. It’s not as quick (nothing a turbo can’t fix) but it’s verging on classic car status and is fun to drive as a weekend car. Plus it is cheap to maintain and rising slowly in value.

    The car culture is still around, you just have to look for it. I like to go to cars & coffee events once a month or so and there are car clubs for various makes and models who do drives, shows or track days.

    These days I don’t have as much time with work and family commitments, and I think like all things it changes. The JDM hero cars are expensive these days and most young people don’t even learn to drive manual. Combine that with expensive housing in capital cities and it makes sense why many drive normal cars or gravitate towards modern hot hatches.

  • cdaddy on 26/02/2019 - 18:42
    +1

    Fortnite

  • Circly on 26/02/2019 - 19:23
    +1

    Traffic is worse now?

  • modgod on 26/02/2019 - 19:39
    +1

    I have a C63s amg as my “high yield investment vehicle” does awesome skids, Golf gti mk6 daily and an Evo 7 with no engine sigh
    Car culture here in WA is great albeit ruined by muppets
    Racewars is on this weekend down in Albany
    There’s car cruises on every weekend but go at your own risk lol

  • SydStrand on 26/02/2019 - 19:59
    +1

    I still remember the halo cars were the RX-7, Integra Type R, 300ZX, WRX STi, EVO.

    My teenage dream car was also a gunmetal GTR R32, but car tastes have definitely changed. Fact is, there are now better value performance options. The hot hatch segment is absolutely stacked (Golf GTi, Civic Type R, i30 N, Focus ST, etc.), so there's no real cost benefit to JDM imports; even the 86 isn't particularly good value anymore, and the better Japanese options like GT-R and upcoming Supra are now in the German performance bracket. If the mythical RX-9 ever materialises, it'll easily be in that company.

  • Lv80 on 26/02/2019 - 20:05

    "People actually loved what they drove and it wasn't just a status symbol."
    Car's have always been a status symbol. Be that a high end expensive one or because they had 'street cred'.

    There are more interesting and important things to spend money and time and effort on than cars. Cars are a mode of transport. That's all. If you want to sit around and oogle cars because they go fast, sound loud and guzzle heaps of fuel then great. Outside of their inherent design (at least the much older models), cars are a mode of transport. End of story.

    People use cars less now. Or as little as possible. Cost of fuel, structure of cities and suburbs all means cars get used less. Many teenagers don't even bother getting their licenses too. Own and maintain a car…or travel the world/buy a house.

    The later offering more significant value to a lot more people, before travelling wasn't as frequent, and houses didn't take infinite amount of saving to achieve ownership.

    Can't see the world in a car…can't live comfortably in a car.

    • p1 ama on 26/02/2019 - 20:27
      +1

      Car's have always been a status symbol. Be that a high end expensive one or because they had 'street cred'.

      It depends who you are speaking to. High end, expensive cars are status symbols to people who like brands, the same kinds of people who buy LV handbags and wear expensive designer clothes. Cars with "street cred" are status symbols to people who actually love cars and understand the value they have. The art of a status symbol, in my eyes, is something that is worthless to the uninitiated, but worth a lot to those who know more.

      There are more interesting and important things to spend money and time and effort on than cars.

      To some, there are, to some there aren't. People spend money on different things, that's normal. What I'm talking about is an empirical reality - the fact that there used to be many more custom cars than there are now, and that there used to be more of a car scene. Regardless of whether you personally are interested in cars or not, it is true that the general population's interest has decreased over time.

      People use cars less now. Or as little as possible. Cost of fuel, structure of cities and suburbs all means cars get used less. Many teenagers don't even bother getting their licenses too. Own and maintain a car…or travel the world/buy a house.

      I would actually disagree. People are living further away from centralised locations than ever before and distances are only going to get greater. If anything, a car is more essential to commuting. However, the difference is that today, there are a lot more things to keep people busy as opposed to "wandering around". Back in the mid '00's, say, the internet wasn't as big of a deal, people didn't have Netflix and YouTube and Facebook and smartphones and things of that nature.

      In the evenings, we'd actually drive out to our mates' places or take a drive down to a place where we'd all meet. There was just nothing else to do other than being bored at home. Basically, cars have become less necessary as people become less social, there's less of a need to go places unannounced and on quick notice.

      Can't see the world in a car…

      Really? Kind of strange coming from someone living in a country known for some of the world's best drives.

      • Lv80 on 27/02/2019 - 18:59

        Agreed…if cars are your thing then money and status and design and beauty will always be important. I genuinely think that the place of the car as an important object and industrial design has faded. Maybe I'm just getting older and have other interests…but it seems from the younger people I speak with…driving and owning a car isn't as important. Traveling the world…owning tech like phones, fashion, bicycles even, are far more important to pursue and own.

        Understanding the custom car scene is what you were speaking on…perhaps the money thing is key. The really nice cars that are worthy of admiration are now horridly expensive. Where as once upon a time, the cult cars were a lot cheaper. People could also work on these cars themselves, where as perhaps now with them being almost all electric, what a person can do DIY is limited…and so a lot more money is needed, and in so, a lot less of ones self invested in said car…making the experience less.

        Perhaps you are right about distance…but more and more people catch mass transport from those significantly further residences. I guess I was speaking on people not necessarily going to town on the weekend and instead going to the local town centre or shopping centre. Long drives all day don't happen because petrol costs a fortune.

        I agree that the internet has made a significant impact on things. A kid growing up now can 'drive' a ferrari' or any car in a very realistic environment. And so to aspire to own a car that isn't as far, expensive, can't be driven as ridiculously or at its capacity on the road…is less?

        Hear you on driving to mates houses. I used to do the same. Heck…we used to go and place car 'tiggy' just for kicks. Now I cycle to town to save on fuel.

        I also disagree with our country being known for some of the worlds best drives. Not sure how much of the world you've seen, but there are significantly greater drives and experiences…and all a heck of a lot closer to each other in places like Europe. Don't get me wrong..Australia is nice. It's different…but I woudn't say it's prime driving.

        • p1 ama on 27/02/2019 - 19:13

          Maybe I'm just getting older and have other interests…but it seems from the younger people I speak with…driving and owning a car isn't as important. Traveling the world…owning tech like phones, fashion, bicycles even, are far more important to pursue and own.

          Yes, I agree, which was sort of the point of this thread.

          Understanding the custom car scene is what you were speaking on…perhaps the money thing is key. The really nice cars that are worthy of admiration are now horridly expensive. Where as once upon a time, the cult cars were a lot cheaper. People could also work on these cars themselves, where as perhaps now with them being almost all electric, what a person can do DIY is limited…and so a lot more money is needed, and in so, a lot less of ones self invested in said car…making the experience less.

          It's certainly not the cost, I actually see a shift away towards more expensive cars, not cheaper cars. There are more luxury cars on the road, more SUVs, newer cars…etc. just less modified/custom cars.

          Perhaps you are right about distance…but more and more people catch mass transport from those significantly further residences. I guess I was speaking on people not necessarily going to town on the weekend and instead going to the local town centre or shopping centre. Long drives all day don't happen because petrol costs a fortune.

          That's not true. I put together a graph here for average petrol price in Perth from 2005 to today. WA has really good data for petrol (FuelWatch), it actually looks as if prices have not significantly changed over the past 15 years. http://i64.tinypic.com/24yae6w.png

          The story that petrol prices going up reducing car sales is just not true.

          Not sure how much of the world you've seen, but there are significantly greater drives and experiences…and all a heck of a lot closer to each other in places like Europe. Don't get me wrong..Australia is nice. It's different…but I woudn't say it's prime driving.

          Not saying Australia is the best, but there certainly are some very well known drives in Australia and it's a country which is designed for driving.

          • Lv80 on 27/02/2019 - 19:43

            @p1 ama: Seems you are right about the petrol pricing. Crazy.
            https://bitre.gov.au/publications/2017/files/is_082.pdf

            Perhaps it's disposable income? I definitely never concerned myself with petrol in the 90s. Now I'm more aware and careful about it.

            Perhaps safety and reliability are also factors? Older cult cars are great…but most people don't want to risk being stuck on the side of the road…not when as many say, they car is mostly a form of transport…not entertainment.

            And maybe that is it too. Lots of factors…but the car is now transport and not the source of entertainment. We use cars to get to the entertainment…not as the entertainment.

            Definitely a lot of roads around the world designed for driving ;) And incredible views. The Great Ocean Road is always a nice bit of the world..same with the Otways…(take your pic of areas around you)…but comparing these to the amalfi coast, the alps/pyrenees etc…they pale.

          • cheng2008 on 27/02/2019 - 19:44

            @p1 ama:

            Not saying Australia is the best, but there certainly are some very well known drives in Australia and it's a country which is designed for driving.

            Sure but when the speed limit on them is 60 or 80 and you're in a car designed for well over 100km/h then yes, the experience would be sorely lacking. It's unfortunate really.

  • TightAssDude on 26/02/2019 - 20:37

    You forgot the VL Turbo… Never forget the day I got to ride in one.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/02/2019 - 21:43

    A car is a depreciating asset and anything more than a reliable one will end up a lot costing more than what the fun is worth.

    Its stressful owning a car that isn't reliable. Every little odd sound drives you crazy from thinking how much it might cost you. (It isn't so simple to fix everything yourself now).

    I'm lucky that my group of friends aren't keen on cars so I have less pressure there.

    Also, most of the time you spend burning off its value is in traffic.

  • duchy on 26/02/2019 - 23:27

    A car is just a tool to get me from A to B.

    Yes, I bought a reliable car that was 9 years old and will sell when it's 15 years old (to minimise depreciation).

    Boring? Maybe, but I would feel silly to talk about microwave or dishwasher culture. :)

    These are all things, just like my computer or … you guessed it - my car.

    • p1 ama on 27/02/2019 - 02:48
      +1

      Boring? Maybe, but I would feel silly to talk about microwave or dishwasher culture. :)

      Maybe, but people appreciate different things. I have friends who appreciate coins, art, classical music - things I just could not care less about. That's fine by me, people have different interests.

      These are all things, just like my computer or … you guessed it - my car.

      I have two things I'd call my pride and joy - computers and cars!

  • BartholemewH on 27/02/2019 - 05:20

    The demise of the true B & S style ute over 20 years has been stark too. Sure, they were rarely tasteful, but they were part of car culture.

  • BartholemewH on 27/02/2019 - 06:52
    +1

    I think the cost of entry for collectible cars has increased at a rapid rate, leaving many (guilty) languishing in garages around the country. To those 'in the know', the number of enthusiast cars even in a small town/city is surprising, they just aren't driven very often. I do not discuss mine as it is a theft magnet, even unrestored. As for JDM collectibles, while I am of that generation, I feel that while they always had power (and mechanical grip in some cases), form followed function and they weren't 'beautiful' in a traditional sense. Now power and grip are readily available their advantages are eroded.

  • John on 27/02/2019 - 08:39

    Wondering if this culture has got to do mostly because of the Asians migrants? At that time I noticed it was mostly the Asians who is in the car scene and the kids with fancy cars are usually migrants who are loaded. The poor ones bought something cheap and try to slowly make the car look fancier (my first car was a modded Daihatsu charade with body kit etc..). These days the migrants aren’t as spoilt anymore. They actually care about what they studied. Back then study was pretty low priority lol kids were here just to waste parents money

    I’m guessing I’m wrong though because I’m a migrant myself so I was hanging out with fellow migrants.. not sure exactly what the culture was like for the locals at that time. But I’m curious..

  • Thatsgold on 27/02/2019 - 11:02

    You might offend some of the kids these days with this post….LEL

  • Cluster on 27/02/2019 - 12:18
    +1

    Where has car culture gone? It's simple: the Japanese stopped caring. Have a look at the line up of Nissan, Toyota, and Mitsubishi cars now. Where is the EVO? Dead. Mitsubishi hasn't really updated the Lancer in a decade and is selling itself as an SUV only company. Nissan doesn't really have anything exciting to offer either. Their one sports car is a niche offering that hardly sells. Toyota doesn't have anything either, it's just rebadged cars from other brands (86, etc).

    Mazda canned the RX-8 and promises to make rotaries not disappointing. They've been saying that for the last 40 years. Honda's sales have been dropping and they simply don't have the money to invest in a hot new lineup that makes teenagers salivate.

    I was driving around Japan last year and I spotted exactly 3 hotted up cars that I would describe as true enthusiast vehicles. Everyone else just buys a normal car.

    Young people are now saddled with more debt than ever before with rapidly rising housing and education costs. They simply don't have tens of thousands of dollars to drop on a car and keep replacing parts on it.

    • p1 ama on 27/02/2019 - 19:27

      Where has car culture gone? It's simple: the Japanese stopped caring.

      I agree, I also think it's Euro manufacturers upselling car buyers to the point where Japanese manufacturers could no longer keep up.

      Look at something like the WRX STi or Civic Type R, both are great cars, but too expensive as a "fun" car. The STi is no longer an Impreza with a turbo, and the Type R is no longer a Civic with a turbo. Heck, even the latest GT-R's are no longer just Maxima's with turbos. They are unique cars with more upmarket features (e.g. sunroof, leather seats, cool gadgets…etc.) and this has come about out of a need to compete with manufacturers like Volkswagen with their Golf R. With prices reaching closer to $60k, they're starting to be within spitting distance of cars like the BMW M2 or M3. The "performance" market is now much more upmarket than before and if you're spending $60k on a car, you might just stretch a little more to get an M2.

      The 86/BRZ is a great success story, IMO. They're coming in at a great price, are fun to drive, easy to mod…etc. But they make too many compromises. Not enough power for throttle-thrashing fun around suburban roads (you need to really go to smaller mountain roads and sling them around to feel their handling advantages). Basically are two-seater cars (back seats are useless) and generally not practical.

    • Speckled Jim on 01/03/2019 - 09:15

      Japan's natural conservatism is understandable when the bread-and-butter stuff from Korea started hurting them in the 90s. They had to fight for survival, thus the fun stuff was largely shelved. Toyobaru shared development costs for their thing and BMW-Toyota have done the same for the Z4/Supra. Without that strategy those cars would not exist.

      Honda soldiers on with the Civic Type R and (cough) NSX. Ugly, mostly American and mostly irrelevant, but still.

      What's happening is Europe and Korea have seen the opportunity and are trying to fill the void. Not super-desirable but there's the Stinger, i30N, various capable Renaults and the Alpine.

      Truly cheap performance will come with EVs. Lots of people are stealth-building their e-bikes to get around the 250W limit. Similar hacking will become popular to over-voltage EV cars. They sound crap, but we can simulate sound with anything (think gaming).

  • HKS on 27/02/2019 - 12:23

    fast and furious ruined the car scene tbqh

    • jace88 on 03/03/2019 - 16:25

      I actually bought an Evo after watching Tokyo Drift… but it's the newer movies in the franchise which focused less on cars and ruined it for me :(

  • brad1-8tsi on 27/02/2019 - 13:06
    +2

    Increased complexity makes DIY impossible for most people.

    Price of getting work done at a workshop is too expensive

    Increase in company cars that can't be modded due to lease restrictions

    Better cars that don't really need to be modded

    Longer warranties and people not willing to risk warranty due to modifications

    Insurance / compliance hassles

    Smaller houses / land size / apartments means no room to store tools / project cars / workspace.

    More people treating car as an appliance

    None of my immediate friends would dream of modifying their car in any way. They all go to the dealership.

    My "car friends" have all lost their mojo. Their biggest car "mod" is buying a new wax. Look at the popularity of Bowden's Own FB page. It's sad.

    • jaimex2 on 27/02/2019 - 14:56
      +2

      I think your first two points nail it.

    • lachhelix on 01/03/2019 - 10:16

      This is 1000% accurate

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 27/02/2019 - 13:30
    +1

    Speeding fines went up

    Fuel prices when up

    Insurance premiums have gone up

  • rippa69 on 27/02/2019 - 13:33
    +1

    Never mind the cool cars, where did all the cool horses go?

  • ThatKiwiFella on 27/02/2019 - 14:39

    I'm unsure what it is but comparing the car scene in Australia compared to New Zealand, it's pretty dead.
    I'd put it down to very tight regulations and harsh penalties.
    I also find Australians like more up-market cars and status seems to be quite important for a lot of them
    I did go to a car meet in Victoria which was quite cool, a lot of nice Skyline GT-R's.
    Those in Australia that are into car culture seem to have a lot nicer cars than here in New Zealand, such as R34 GT-R's, but those people seem quite far and few between.

    Here in New Zealand you'll frequently see lots of lower end(value) performance Japanese cars. Such as the RX-7, R32 GTS-T's, Silvia's, WRX and WRX STI's etc
    You'll see a few almost every day and we also have less strict regulations and penalties to modifying cars

    • ThatKiwiFella on 27/02/2019 - 14:42

      There's also a factor that many people would rather spend similar money on a newer car than an older one that has higher mileage, more rattles, less comfort etc

  • jaimex2 on 27/02/2019 - 14:55

    No one cares about internal combustion engines anymore. The tech peaked in the 90s and nothing novel has come out in years aside from auto-stall fuel saving tech and mobile phone mirroring on a screen.

    Car culture will come back as electric vihecles become mainstream.

  • pingponged on 27/02/2019 - 18:03
    +3

    Is it me or is there also a general trend for p platers to have much nicer and relatively newer cars than previously. Like I get that say a bmw or Merc in relative terms is cheaper now than say 15 years ago, but even at current prices there's no way I could have bought it when I was a p plater.

    Though I guess access to credit is also allot easier these days

    • brad1-8tsi on 28/02/2019 - 08:15

      You are correct.

      It seems to be trend that rather than trade in the 4yo BMW, they first pass it on to the wife and then to one of the kids. Given the rubbish trade-ins offered, it makes sense.

      We have a 2005 Accord Euro that my Sister bought new (no, it isn't a high-end luxury car). Dad bought it off her for the trade-in price in 2012 and in 2016 (when he passed) my daughter took it as her learner / P-Plate car. It's a no-brainer to keep it in the family as the history is known and the price is fair.

      I was going to give my Octavia to my kids but the lazy buggers CBF learning to drive a manual. They would have had a very nice car for nothing if they learnt to use a stick.

  • bhubb18 on 27/02/2019 - 18:50

    Depends where you're going man, plenty of cool cars around, GTIs and 86s are the P platers cars of choice atm though haha. 90s Jap stuff has gone up in value a lot, and police are more strict on stuff than theyve ever been.

    Personally, I love old shit boxes man. So much more character than new cars, I couldn't care less about the compromises.

  • sator on 27/02/2019 - 20:33

    Come on guys, think outside the box a little. Significant causes to the demise of the car culture:

    1. No longer cool, not going to help you get laid
    2. Affordable international travel. Most would rather save their money for real life experiences
    3. Fantastic stock vehicles at affordable prices. Who cares about sinking huge $$$ to improve performance by 5%..
    4. Zippy electric cars (Tesla)
    5. Community and Environmental activities
    6. Larger variety of hobbies
    7. Exercise culture (fitness and muscles). Now that is a huge time commitment. That will get you laid
    • p1 ama on 27/02/2019 - 23:30

      No longer cool, not going to help you get laid

      Yes, I would agree with this. I think it's the continuous association between car enthusiasts and shadier groups that have made things worse. To some extent, I feel that dates are now "meet on location" rather than "pickup from home". On the same note, I do hear that having an expensive car is more conducive to getting laid than having a car with good street cred.

      Affordable international travel. Most would rather save their money for real life experiences

      Not sure this is the case, as people certainly still buy expensive cars. If anything, the amount people have spent on cars have increased, substituting away from JDM modified cars towards European cars.

      Fantastic stock vehicles at affordable prices. Who cares about sinking huge $$$ to improve performance by 5%..

      I wouldn't say affordability has anything to do with it (if anything, prices have gone up), but there certainly is a better selection of faster stock vehicles these days, especially from the German manufacturers.

      Zippy electric cars (Tesla)

      Not really a factor, in my opinion. They're a tiny proportion of the market.

      Exercise culture (fitness and muscles). Now that is a huge time commitment. That will get you laid

      This is a big one. Very true.

  • tap on 27/02/2019 - 23:11

    No.

  • letmethefuqin on 28/02/2019 - 00:40
    +1

    Man thanks for this thread
    The car scene was possibly the biggest part of my life

    For teenage years reading hot 4s and fast fours and hanging out on those forums listening to everyone discuss crx’s and swifts (what ever happened to rbaby)

    A mate had a na s13 Silvia in high school which got me hooked on imports, wanting an r32 bad enough I eventually got one when the drift scene was sort of starting, (shout out to denzo? From SA)

    Cops weren’t on to it back then and you could spent hours sliding a corner

    I think a lot of interest in cheap jdm imports and cops increasing their interest started to make things harder.

    I ended up owning every jdm car, and bent a few of them.
    I left the scene and came back twice until I lost my licence for a year and sold my last car, (4door 33)

    Still to this day, out of all the cars all the power, the car I regret swapping was my ae86, that car was such a fun car with stuff all power (now they are over 30k! While mates where buying them for 500 bucks!)

    The culture was great, I met a lot of great people from drifting and everyone had their own “garage” crew.
    Grass roots drifting was fun before it changed

    90s forums gave me a starting point
    Drifting and garage groups have me some great experiences and mateship

    All though that’s all gone now and I only see 1 or 2 of those people these days, We’ve all moved on..

    I hope the youth these days have something like the 90s early 2000s car scene to experience , it was a damn good time!

    • p1 ama on 28/02/2019 - 02:14

      Thanks for the story man, good to know that even if the scene has died it still lives on in our memories as an important and formative time in our lives.

      I think a lot of interest in cheap jdm imports and cops increasing their interest started to make things harder.

      I agree, I think the association by the community of car groups and shadier crime groups led to people no longer wanting to be a part of the car scene. That's sad. In Melbourne, where I live, we have kids loitering around train stations, causing trouble, breaking into homes, joining youth gangs, beating people up. Maybe I'm just naive, but I feel as if some of these kids would really benefit from being a part of a community like the old-time car scene. Gives people something to do on a Friday night and something to research and work on.

      Still to this day, out of all the cars all the power, the car I regret swapping was my ae86, that car was such a fun car with stuff all power (now they are over 30k! While mates where buying them for 500 bucks!)

      You were lucky to own one, try explaining to a pompous 18 year old Merc driver today how great a Corolla can be. At least the spirit lives on with the 86/BRZ.

      All though that’s all gone now and I only see 1 or 2 of those people these days, We’ve all moved on..

      Of course, people move on and go live their lives. We can't be kids forever. The sad thing is the new kids aren't moving along and filling in our place.

      I hope the youth these days have something like the 90s early 2000s car scene to experience , it was a damn good time!

      I think kids these days are different. Things like internet and mobile phones make it too easy to communicate with each other. When I was in school, the only way you could communicate with friends would be to physically go to their house. There was no online gaming, so if you wanted to game, you'd visit the mate who had the consoles hooked up in their living room.

      That sort of culture eventually translated to cars. I think people like to spend money on things that let them express themselves for other people to see. If you look at today, it's all via social media, so people spend more money on things like brunches and eating at fancy places because they can share them. Back then, without all this social media stuff, most of the time people saw you, you were in your car. Heck you wanted to make it look good.

  • YoursTruly on 28/02/2019 - 02:51

    Money happened.

  • G3ck0 on 28/02/2019 - 16:59

    Small cars are cheap, have great features, good safety and are cheaper to run. Why would most people bother buying anything else?

    • p1 ama on 28/02/2019 - 19:15
      +3

      If that's what you want/need, then there are plenty of options for you.

    • happirt on 01/03/2019 - 12:23

      small cars are the least safest

  • computer barn find on 01/03/2019 - 12:23

    I think that car enthusiasts are just saving their car for the weekend and driving a cheap modern car daily, collectable older cars are now more valuable where as before even some good cars were cheap and it wasn't as common to have a weekend only car. Older cars are also good to modify because some of them have some server flaws that are easily fixable.

  • happirt on 01/03/2019 - 12:26
    -1

    A single university car park walk though is what you base the whole car culture on?

    There must be a low correlation between having a uni degree and intelligence.

    • plmko on 01/03/2019 - 13:10

      Or even the statement that people drive to Uni….

    • p1 ama on 01/03/2019 - 14:04

      A single university car park walk though is what you base the whole car culture on?

      No, but I use it as an example of a wider observation - that there are less custom cars and people tend to care less about cars now than in the past. This is corroborated by accounts other people have given of noticing the same thing.

      There are different pieces of evidence which points towards this - if you walk through a carpark (not uni in particular, but any carpark), you'll find that there are now more SUVs, more small cars, more European/luxury cars and less modified/JDM cars. There's also less Falcodores…etc., so it's not just a decrease in JDM cars. On the streets, you tend to see less modified cars, you tend to hear less modified cars. Places where car enthusiasts used to meet are now more deserted. There are car washes and kebab joints around where I live which used to be littered with nice cars on a Friday night. Now there are some, but not the volume there used to be. Online forums are now less common and there is less sharing of knowledge. If you go to car meets, you'll find that there are more classic cars, more expensive cars, but less of the banger Fast4's which were more popular at the turn of the century.

  • Destin on 01/03/2019 - 14:27
    +1

    Smashed Avo on toast happened.

  • Toons on 01/03/2019 - 14:41

    We grew up and realised you can buy cars that outperform the ones we used to play with a fraction of the hassle.

    I used to love building them but in all honesty although my real ralliart group N EVO I had shipped from Japan was awesome my current car is nicer more comfortable handles better and is quicker so you get to the point where 15k of upgrades on a car starts getting you towards the why didn't I just get the HYI without the hassle.

    Once I have free time and some floating funds I plan to rebuild an NSX but I think that is a stretch of a goal at the moment.

  • Dr Prepper on 24/08/2020 - 21:00

    So is the Consensus soccer mum SUVs are hard to enjoy?

  • pleasebekindtome on 25/08/2020 - 00:36

    Millennial can't afford cars whether it be buying or maintenance or rego or insurance, everyone wants to save the earth with the greeny hippy shit, engines are becoming more and more complicated so that regular people can't get into understanding them like when turbos go chew chew chew and that's all that mattered.

  • inasero on 25/08/2020 - 12:18

    All the valid points have been covered and discussed. May I just add I'm impressed by the ability of people here to come up with cogent intelligent answers without disagreements devolving into an utter shitstorm…not like much of the internet nowadays sadly…

    Personally have had a Corolla for the past 12 years (first thing I bought out of uni, for my work)…and most of the modifications are practical - things like tinted windows, acoustic rubber insulation, reversing sensors and cruise control (I'm proud I did that myself!). I know I know, I'm very boring

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