Jovany

__Directions__: Instead of posting on this page, go ahead and type your first and final drafts by using the editing tools on this page. For example, to get started, type in the first draft of your first argumentative paper today. The FINAL draft will be due Friday, Oct. 4. Or, if you don't want the whole class to see it, you can email your paper to me: tconrad@weber.edu. Jovany Bahena ENGL 2010 Tim Conrad Muscle Vs. Tuner (Final) Not everyone agrees when it comes to tuner cars and American muscle. I am personally more of a Nissan and BMW type of guy but my fellow colleagues are more of Ford and Dodge types of guys so it does separate me from the pack. Discussing the differences between tuner and American muscle cars can open my eyes and help me see that maybe American muscle is a better car than a tuner car.

The term “car tuning” means to modify the performance or appearance of a vehicle. One can make a tuner car faster than a muscle car, and tuner cars are better looking. When most vehicles leave the dealership they are modified to keep the original speed performance and other expectations. By tuning it you are working on your car to make it your own preference. You can tune your car to save fuel and help the economy, produce more power, or even providing better handling. Car tuning is what auto racers like to do before racing their cars by making their cars lighter and faster to race with.

I prefer tuner cars because I like the look of them and the low suspension that they have. When trying to take off in a tuner car, the tires will stay on the ground, but in a muscle car the front tires may lift up because it has too much torque power. Since tuner cars are lightweight and because of the increasing availability of low-cost tuning equipment and the economy, compact cars exhibit high performance at a low cost in comparison to dedicated sports cars. As professional sporting and racing with such vehicles increased, so did the recreational use of these vehicles. Drivers with little or no automotive, mechanical, or racing experience would modify their vehicles to emulate the more impressive versions of racing vehicles, with mixed results. Tuners have more advantage in drifting areas than drag racing.

The term “Muscle car” is used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." A large V8 engine is fit into a 2-door, rear wheel drive, family-style mid-size or full-size car designed for four or more passengers. Sold at an affordable price, muscle cars are intended for mainly street use and occasional drag racing. They are distinct from two-seat sports cars and expensive 2+2 GTs intended for high-speed touring and road racing. Developed simultaneously in their own markets, muscle cars also emerged from manufacturers in Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.

The Dodge Challenger SRT8® 392, an American muscle car, has a 6.4 liter V8 engine, which is pushing 470 Horsepower with 470 lb-ft of torque. This car is also called the No-Holds-Barred muscle car. It has a new three-mode Active Damping Suspension, Standard launch control for precision off-the-line performance, and 20-inch SRT® design aluminum wheels. This Pony car has enough power for its kind completing the quarter mile below 5 seconds. What I think is that the GTR looks better than the Dodge Challenger, and even the older skyline can still beat a Challenger.

Between the years of 1969 and 1974 and again between the years of 1989 and 2002, Nissan made a high performance car named the Nissan Skyline GT-R, which brought Nissan much fame and success on road and track. Even though the new Nissan GTR does not carry the badge “skyline”, it has a 6-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive with twin turbo to help the car get more speed. The GT-R got its nickname “Godzilla” by the Australian motoring publication of Wheels in its July 1989 edition. It is thought of as a mythological beast possessing supernatural powers in the car world. The Nissan GT-R's history on the racetrack domination began with its 50 victories scored from 1968-1972, and after much success got the nickname of Godzilla.

Overall, it’s not about the cost of tuner cars or about them looking better that is most important. However, as I said, the Nissan GTR does look better and has a greater horsepower than the dodge challenger. I would also conclude that it is not the car that makes the top speed and performance, but it is how you modify it and drive it. In my point of view, tuner cars are better because of how low and long they are, and their overall style. American muscle cars are good cars but they are not for me.