I need a new car

[FN Phat]

And dark blue. If kc is willing to bring his budget up to 15k he could land a really nice truck.

[old_gregg]

Not to turn this into a theoretical discussion, but i've come full circle on cars. From total snob, to progressively going downmarket to Prius (best car I've ever owned) to now nothing (I live in two walking cities where cars are not needed).

I think expensive/status cars just bring problems. Not to mention they cost more, do you really need them? My dad for example, after his second marriage ended, went out and bought what was admittedly a bad ass Mercedes coupe and then did another 50k of mods into it for what ended up as a 4.2-sec 0-60 screamer.

His own story is not everyone's but that car brought out every single mormon gold digger in a 700-mile radius (that is the truth) until ultimately, his third marriage occurred. I literally think that car managed to bring a once divorced woman who is quite attractive for her age out of a 30 year self imposed relationship retirement. Oh, yeah, my dad weighs well into 300lbs, probably pushing 370 now, and has all the facial charms of Fat Basterd at his elevated age (ok, that's total hyperbole, but let's just say dear old dad doesn't look so hot anymore while his brothers all resemble Michael Douglas...that part is true). Oh and my "step sisters" look generally like cheap pole dancing strippers that get 50 cent tips, not dollah bills

Any way, what's wrong with keeping it simple? My grandpa was very wealthy for his day and drove a Ford Maverick, which became my parents when he passed. My mentor, a luminary in the stock market and worth hundreds of mil, spent most of the last 30 years driving a $500 pickup that wouldn't go further than 50 miles without a problem and recently splurged on a $15,000 used car.

Here in Brazil, you drive a nice car, you're asking for problems. I think that's generally true everywhere. Fun, yes. Make you feel good? Yes. But more problems? yes.

the car-as-investment and car-as-status symbol approaches are silly, i think we agree there. but for a lot of people there is some intrinsic value to having a unique and fun car. the value to them outweighs the admittedly dumb decision from a financial standpoint.

case in point: my dad's best friend bought a nissan gtr last year off the lot. the minute the title was in his name, it had lost 20% of its value. the insurance is obscene. it is not a practical car in any way, and simply does not make sense. but the fun he has at the track with his son that would otherwise not be a possibility is worth it to him.

that said, though, $150k is not necessary to have a car that is different and fun to own. one of the reasons the tuner movement is so cool is that one can drop an ls1 into a 2600 lb. beater civic and for less than $20k run 12s 1/4. the diy ethos of the car community (in that regard) is really unique, and something the mlm joker driving a bentley or land rover generally doesn't understand.

[kccougar]

A little out of your price range but might be worth a look.

This one might be a bit under-powered for the size but is plenty enough if you do not plan on doing a lot of towing.

Check this one out.

I really like this one

Not a bad option

Last but not least (especially at the gas pump) and the most versatile option

The V10 is a bit of a gas hog (read 8-10 mpg) but is as bulletproof gas motor as you can get. It has enough ass to pull what ever you throw at it and as turnkey as you can.

An older 7.3L diesel is a great option if it can be found in your price range. I have 277K on my 1995 and it still pulls strong. I <3 the 7.3L

I'm warming up to the idea of a Ford truck. Thanks!

[kccougar]

And dark blue. If kc is willing to bring his budget up to 15k he could land a really nice truck.

Tempting - and would look great with a Y license plate - but I still have to replace my wife's van this year too. $15k will be too much.

[The_Tick]

Well...I wasn't in the market for a car, but with TK1 coming home from school and getting a job on the scales out in the fields we needed another one. 3 drivers and two cars just doesn't work.

So we found this little thing:



2000 Honda Civic LX

Asking price 5500, paid 4200. The kid is going to pay for it before she heads back to school. (She is working 12-14 hour days. This is her first job...ever. So she will be motivated to stay in school for sure now.)

This is the first car we have paid cash for. I have never been in a spot in life where I have been able to have that type of money on hand. (I am not good at that, some folks on here are.)

Good times...now I have to call the Insurance company. Yay.

[old_gregg]

wow, very sweet ride for $4200. are you letting her take it back to provo then?

[The_Tick]

wow, very sweet ride for $4200. are you letting her take it back to provo then?

Yep. It has 126k on it and is in need of some servicing. (The dude selling it thinks the oil was last changed...in 2009.) So we are getting all the fluids changed on Friday.

So she wont have to bum rides next school year. But I will worry about her driving back to Utah solo. Here is to hoping someone needs a ride to school.

[mtnbiker]

Yep. It has 126k on it and is in need of some servicing. (The dude selling it thinks the oil was last changed...in 2009.) So we are getting all the fluids changed on Friday.

So she wont have to bum rides next school year. But I will worry about her driving back to Utah solo. Here is to hoping someone needs a ride to school.

Nice! If servicing hasn't been done consistently, you also might want to get the timing belt checked, and possibly the water pump (expensive, but if you're doing one, it can be cheaper overall to just do the other). Those seem to be the most vulnerable items on that car. Keep them in good shape, and the car can last a really long time. I've got a 2001, as well as a '96 and a '98 that my kids drive.

[The_Tick]

Nice! If servicing hasn't been done consistently, you also might want to get the timing belt checked, and possibly the water pump (expensive, but if you're doing one, it can be cheaper overall to just do the other). Those seem to be the most vulnerable items on that car. Keep them in good shape, and the car can last a really long time. I've got a 2001, as well as a '96 and a '98 that my kids drive.

Already ahead of you. That is part of the plan. She can drive this thing for another 125k and still sell it and make most of her money back.

[Uncle Ted]

dropped by the Seattle Tesla dealership last Fri as part of our 17th wedding anniversary celebration! wife was drooling. pics attached.

cheers.

Reminds me of the Maserati GranCabrio/GranTurismo...

[YOUTUBE]IonHvdirY58[/YOUTUBE]

I like the sound the Maserati better. You should just buy your wife both.

[NorthwestUteFan]

dropped by the Seattle Tesla dealership last Fri as part of our 17th wedding anniversary celebration! wife was drooling. pics attached.

cheers.

Looks great Spaceghost. That car has great lines. 0-60 in 5.8 sec means it isn't a sluggish crappy hybrid, which are typically a concatenation of crappy engine-powered and crappy electric-powered cars, doing neither very well. Go fully one way or the other already.

I am a big fan of both Elon Musk and Henrik Fisker (and Franz von Holzhousen, who finished this job and earlier did the New Beetle for VW and the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice for GM). Hoping for the success of this car, the company plans to build a sub $25k Honda Civic/Toyota Corolla-style 4-place grocery getter sometime in the next 5 years or so.

Isn't that car planned to come in around $60k or so ($75k with big 300 mile range battery)? The same thing from a Big 3 company would run well over $100k. FWIW I recall seeing plugin recharging stations in a few places around town (Shilshole Marina, for instance, has 3).

[old_gregg]

it's incredible that the model s weighs 200kg less than the quattroporte, considering how much heavier batteries are.

[kccougar]

it's incredible that the model s weighs 200kg less than the quattroporte, considering how much heavier batteries are.

Yes, the Quattroporte is not a lightweight.

[kccougar]

I know I'm not as young as I like to think I am, but would it be totally lame to drive a Cadillac? Even if it is one of these?

[hostile]

I know I'm not as young as I like to think I am, but would it be totally lame to drive a Cadillac?

Towards the end of my residency my FIL bought a new car and sent me his old Cadillac to drive.



The color scheme was a bit different - light creme body with a red fabric roof. I felt like I needed to ask for permission to drive the car, but it didn't cost anything and lasted for another 7 years, until the head gasket cracked. For the last 4-5 my wife was begging me to get a new car.