# What's the modern "Pimp Car"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146 "2015-12-11T03:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/21 "2015-12-14T14:34:57Z")
The most common ones around here are a Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln MKX, and Chrysler 300C, probably in that order. Whatever the vehicle, it usually has gold rims. The most common color (of the SUV) seems to be black, altho white is not uncommon. Any other color seems to be rather rare. (Aside: Having had a white car before, I would _never_ buy another one. You see every speck of dirt.) > [@SpyOne](#): > > Since folks have already mentioned the 300C (which is easily the most common car I’ve seen customized by urban black folks who want to advertise their wealth) (or people who want to look like they fit that category), I’ll go with the second-place winner in that category: second-hand police cars. Around here, the guy in the second-hand police car is far more likely to be picking up a ho than managing one. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/22 "2015-12-14T14:41:13Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > I have to admit those undercarriage LED lights drive me crazy. > > Why? I can’t figure out what the H they are good for. What do they do? Do they have any purpose other than decorative? No, they have no purpose other than decoration. The same is true of at least 99% of the aftermarket … er, market. Big wheels don’t make the car go faster (though at least in theory wider ones will offer more grip and larger diameter ones will effectively increase top speed\*). Aftermarket spoilers generally do not generate any meaningful downforce. Lowering the car might improve handling but at least in the US it’s almost exclusively done to look cool. But stripes do make the car go faster. \*Any gains in top speed will be offset by lost acceleration, since the big wheels effectively just increase all the gear ratios. ---
**Author:** ![botsgotme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/23 "2015-12-14T15:02:45Z")
Does anybody do engine waps on Roll Royce cars? A Chevrolet V-8 and GM transmission would do wonders for the reliability of these cars…is it ever done? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/24 "2015-12-14T15:05:15Z")
I can’t think of any reason why you’d want to swap a large, inefficient V8 for a slightly smaller and even less efficient V8. Reliability is not a good reason, even if old Chevy V8s were actually reliable; old Rolls-Royces are unreliable because of their electrics and hydraulic systems, not because of their engines. Oh, and their air suspensions. And they’re rust-prone. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/25 "2015-12-14T15:14:25Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > The most common [collective noun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_noun) for a group of prostitutes I’ve seen is a “[stable of hoes](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stable).” So maybe the more affluent pimps drive a truck with horse trailer attached? Man, the countryside is seedier than I thought. In the high technology world, the agreed-upon term is [string of cache misses](http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/90q4/cachem.html). ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/26 "2015-12-14T15:24:06Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > Does anybody do engine waps on Roll Royce cars? A Chevrolet V-8 and GM transmission would do wonders for the reliability of these cars…is it ever done? RR used GM transmissions for the longest time. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/27 "2015-12-14T17:05:56Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > RR used GM transmissions for the longest time. Makes sense, really. Last year, Rolls Royce sold 4063 cars _worldwide_. At those volumes, it really isn’t worth it to design your own transmission. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/28 "2015-12-14T17:37:50Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Makes sense, really. Last year, Rolls Royce sold 4063 cars _worldwide_. At those volumes, it really isn’t worth it to design your own transmission. it’s getting to the point where it doesn’t make too much sense for _anyone_ to develop their own transmissions. Even Honda is buying transaxles from ZF now. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/29 "2015-12-14T18:10:58Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > it’s getting to the point where it doesn’t make too much sense for _anyone_ to develop their own transmissions. Even Honda is buying transaxles from ZF now. Well, as was mentioned in [another thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=777371&highlight=honda+transmission) recently, transmissions are not one of Honda’s strong suits 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2015, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146/30 "2015-12-17T14:35:53Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > Does anybody do engine waps on Roll Royce cars? A Chevrolet V-8 and GM transmission would do wonders for the reliability of these cars…is it ever done? The Rolls-Royce V8 isn’t unreliable. In fact, the 1950s Caddilacs had RR terrified, so the V8 was designed to pretty much directly compete with GM’s and they used GM transmissions with them from th get go. Most of the ancillary components are GM products as well, like thr air conditioning system and power steering. And as much crap as they get for Lucas electrics, they really weren’t that bad and much better than their British contemporaries. Most of the issues with the Silver Shadow onwards cars come down to dealing with the Citroen-based hydraulics system, and that’s most due to the system requiring regular maintenance that the engineers made as difficult as possible. There are people that convert old Rolls-Royces and Bentleys to GM power trains, but amonghr cognescenti this is seen as misguided and false economy, especially on the pre-Shadow cars that don’t have the hydraulic leveling and braking. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-modern-pimp-car/740146.md?page=1)