So I graduated HS in 2007 and back then I was known for having one of the fastest cars; a 1990 Mustang GT 5.0 with 225hp. It's just crazy how much things have changed in the 15yrs since then.... Right now my daily driver is a 1995 Acura Legend with the 200hp 3.2 V6. It does 0-60 in 8 sec. Back in HS I would've won a lot of races with that car, all the younger grease monkey's would've respected it, etc. IDK if I'm just getting older but I just don't see younger people getting into cars anymore; guess just whoever has a trust fund and buys a Tesla or Lambo at age 16 wins now like Justin Bieber. Back in the mid 2000's installing a cold air intake on a V-Tec Honda gave you another 10-12Hp and that was a big deal but why bother making a 200hp car into a 210-220hp car when a grandma with a new 60k Tesla will just beat you and all the high powered ICE cars are in the 400-700hp+ range now?
I just don't see the fun in it anymore, what do you guys think? I mean crap in 2005-2007 if you had a stock L-98 350 F-body you literally were the king with 230hp, I kid you not. Back then only rich older guys had an LT-1 or LS-1 Vette, etc. that did 0-60 under 6.5 sec...
An engineer I know predicted that this would happen. The OEMs have an army of full time PhDs employed in their R&D while aftermarket performance companies maybe have one to two and the average hotrodder rarely having even one. This gap will only continue to grow and the aftermarket is eventually doomed. However, speed has always been determined by the depth of one's pockets and it will only get worse as the law of declining returns holds true even for the OEMs.
I disagree with both views.
The aftermarket will exist as long as the ICE is allowed on the roads and the tracks. No electric car gives the same feel and response, nor, ever will.
Perfect example of this: the pickup truck. Older trucks are, without a doubt, less capable than new ones hands down. Whether it's power, payload, frame strength, towing control, braking systems, fuel mileage, you name it.
But, is there no market for an older truck? On the contrary, as they age they become worth exponentially more than what they cost new. Yet, are they faster than new trucks? More capable at their original job? No. They're not, and yet, people want them, and even loaded with aftermarket parts, they don't pass the new trucks in any category.
Did the hot rod disappear because the every-man high horsepower muscle car era came around? Nope.
When traction and tires caught up and let lower hp emissions malaise cars run times the muscle cars put down, did muscle cars go away? Or traditional hot rods? Nope
Now, when computer controls and fuel tech, coupled with even better traction and tire technology, are surpassing the earlier emissions era cars, why would we think they're going to go away?
What you're seeing is a societal shift in general and nothing to do with the inequality BS the media pushes.
People are more interested in social media, streaming TV, and fast and easy than anything that requires work.
Look at any sporting pursuits - hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, etc... any hands on stuff like gardening, woodworking, welding, masonry, etc... heck, even Sunday dinners, family outings, picnics, holiday parts get togethers outside Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter... it's not the in thing.
So, don't be surprised when you see a change in the car hobby. However, I for one think you will see a resurgence in both the aftermarket and the car hobby within about 10-15 years.
Soon, ICEs will be getting phased out by major automakers. Not only are EVs more expensive to buy, but, they make TERRIBLE used cars. Battery replacement costs are more than residual value about 5-7 years out on many, and, no matter what you think economies of scale can cut it to, you just push that limit by a couple years down the road.
Mechanics don't keep tools to work on older stuff, places don't train on older tech... but what's going to be the affordable vehicle at that point? The ICE cars that need repairs and fixing up. That should drive a turn around.
