Another BS car/identity crisis post

[kazuma]

Dude... is that a transformer? No doubt a hot ride, but 136k more than the 64k Rossion Q1 with 7k on it.

Or $196,500 more than my wife's cruiser with 220K miles.

It's dead sexy and it's a transformer. Apocalypse farm truck into a humble domicile in 2 minutes flat. Perhaps it could help you save for that super car since you can live out of it.

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[C.P.]

For the ultimate UTR monster

A 730 BHP station wagon with 579 ft-lb torque with a top speed of >214 mph (the 214 mph run was turned in with the 702 HP tune) and a 0-60 time of 3.6 sec??? Yes please.

I understand there is a place in the Netherlands that is tuning it to 950 hp, but can't find definitive confirmation of that.

If the numbers aren't impressive enough, have a look at this...

[YOUTUBE]e2SYGez_xpk[/YOUTUBE]



What a gorgeous sound!!!

Sort of blows through the budget though, especially when you consider the... umm... hoops (yeah that's it) hoops you would have to jump through to get one into the US and register it.

- pod

I've seen one of these, and they are RI-DIC-U-LOSLY FAST!!!!!

 

[C.P.]

Woah, I've never even HEARD of that car. Alternatively, I guess one could buy a Corvette ZR1 (110K new) used. 0 to 60=3.4 seconds of American made MUSCLE.

I personally love the look of the Spyker.

But now I think you're in the $200k range? No idea. Could be 1,000,000$. Same dif, right? I think it's the #1 car on the road I would buy with that sort of cash. It screams 007.
Amazing lines. Gorgeous.

D712

Spyker doesn't sell in the US.

I've seen a few, but they're on special loan.
If you're in LA, go to Galpin motors. They always have one or two in the showroom.

The reason you can't buy one normally?
To be cleared in the US, you have to undergo certain safety tests. One of which is crash testing of something like 5 cars minimum, per model.
Spyker said F-that, since their cars are hand made and they only do about 20-30 per year.

beautiful cars though.

 

[periopdoc]

There is just so much white trash in that pic...

From the tent, to the Kingsford Blue, to the home-made cinder block grill/ oven thingy, to the kiddy pool, sheds... and are there boards hammered into that tree for steps?

Love it

- pod

 

[MTGas2B]

View attachment 17581

So, the land cruiser is pretty bad a**. I followed the blog of a guy who drove one around the world.


http://feeds.feedburner.com/HomeOfTheTransWorldExpedition

(I don't have access the full blog link)

The thing held up amazingly well.

 

[doctor712]

Spyker doesn't sell in the US.

I've seen a few, but they're on special loan.
If you're in LA, go to Galpin motors. They always have one or two in the showroom.

The reason you can't buy one normally?
To be cleared in the US, you have to undergo certain safety tests. One of which is crash testing of something like 5 cars minimum, per model.
Spyker said F-that, since their cars are hand made and they only do about 20-30 per year.

beautiful cars though.

No wonder I've never seen one of these in person. And I troll Beverly Hills for this reason alone...

Galpin motors, next time I'm in LA! Surely, they'll let me test drive one...

D712

 

[RussianJoo]

What about the Lotus ? looks pretty fast 0-60mph in 4sec, and haven't seen too many on the road and are reasonably priced.... http://www.edmunds.com/lotus/exige/2011/features-specs.html?sub=coupe&style=101379626

 

[IlDestriero]

What about the Lotus ? looks pretty fast 0-60mph in 4sec, and haven't seen too many on the road and are reasonably priced.... http://www.edmunds.com/lotus/exige/2011/features-specs.html?sub=coupe&style=101379626

My friend has one of these, and a Z06 (he's got speed issues). It's awesome, but it's really small. Way too small for my 6'2" frame.

 

[RussianJoo]

My friend has one of these, and a Z06 (he's got speed issues). It's awesome, but it's really small. Way too small for my 6'2" frame.

small huh? well i guess i could spend an extra $10K and get a Porsche 911.




Anyone Collecting cars out there? I've seen a bunch of classic cars sell for a pretty penny. The ones that sell for the most are usually first owner old guy cars that they bought it in their 30's and only drove it once in a while then bought some other car and locked that one up in a garage for a like 20 years.... Thinking of doing the same thing with a new car anything out there with limited numbers made for around $100K?

 

[kazuma]

Kazuma,
you have some sweet rides--I am looking into getting a low mileage (less than 100,000) FJZ80 series (LX450 or Land Cruiser)...cross-shopping the LR Defender 90 and 110. Wife wants me to just get an LR4 brand new. Looks like you have at least OME 2.5" on both trucks? I gotta say I do like the look of your wife's truck more than yours with the side cladding....also like the roof tent!

Thanks, I love them. The black one is actually a pink panty wagon (Lexus LX450) and that why it has the body cladding. Some guys remove it, but it's integrated into the flares and I like them to keep the mud off, so I haven't taken them off. Eventually they will be ripped off on their own while on the trail.

The white one has 3.5"Front/4"Rear Old man emu "J" springs and the black one has 2.5" OME mediums. You open up a whole can of expensive worms when you go up past 2.5". You can fit 35" tires on these trucks stock, so there really isn't much need to go up past 2.5".

Honestly, I love the looks of the defender and I like the removable top, but they are $$$ and I couldn't afford to keep one running. Noyak has a sweet one, there is a pic of it in another thread.

It's criminal how cheap the 80 series cruiser is these days. It really is an amazing vehicle, fully boxed frame, full time 4WD, ~10% came with factory front and rear locking diffs, solid front and rear axles (full floating rear). The front axle is somewhere between a Dana 44 and a Dana 60 and the rear is close to a Dana 60 strength wise, (think F250-F350). The transmission is literally the same one used in the 30,000 lb GVWR Toyota Coaster city bus in Japan. The inline 6, 4.5 liter motor is also bullet proof and was designed to withstand 400K miles in extreme conditions before needing a rebuild. There were a few issues with head gasket materials that most mid 90's vehicles had when they phased out asbestos in HG's. But the updated version is solid and problem free.

The 80 series is an impressive wheeler right out of the box. One of the best things I like about it that you can wheel on 4-4.5 out of 5 rated trails, places that even most heeps can't go, then drive home at 80mph with the a/c on, keeping your family comfortable the whole time. And this is with only throwing on some $400 springs and slightly larger tires. Yet it's Toyota's flagship vehicle so it has all of the creature comforts to keep your wife happy while cruising at the mall and soccer practice.


Here are some pics from Big Bear in So. California. I stayed with a cruiser head when I did an audition rotation last summer. He let me wheel his 97 anniversary edition and he and his wife and kid drove his FJ40. You can see what it looks like without the flares. We ran into a group of LR guys on the trail. They brought their own mechanic from the dealership and they kept him pretty busy on the trail.

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[kazuma]

There is just so much white trash in that pic...

From the tent, to the Kingsford Blue, to the home-made cinder block grill/ oven thingy, to the kiddy pool, sheds... and are there boards hammered into that tree for steps?

Love it

- pod

Thanks POD, would you expect anything less from a truck with Kootenai County Idaho plates (ID panhandle)?

It's hella white trash but it keeps the kids pretty happy. I was low on cash before internship started so I improvised and made a brick oven/grill with things I found around the yard of the house we're renting, I can make a pretty mean fire roasted pizza in that contraption. Those are actually rock climbing hand holds and bolted to the tree. The little guys love it. Here's a closer pic.

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[kazuma]

So, the land cruiser is pretty bad a**. I followed the blog of a guy who drove one around the world.


http://feeds.feedburner.com/HomeOfTheTransWorldExpedition

(I don't have access the full blog link)

The thing held up amazingly well.

Thanks! That was a neat journey, I followed his blog too. Several of the guys from the cruiser forum helped him out along his trek. He was a pretty gutsy/lucky guy to make that kind of journey safely with virtually no offroad or mechanic experience prior to the trip.

 

[JSBMD]

To the original poster:

I don't know if we're actually helping you make any decision or not on what car to get...

However, I still stand by my recommendation the VW Golf R. It has been out for a while now in Europe, and should be hitting showrooms here any day now. I think the last estimate I heard was September. Now that you've driven the A3, and determined it not to be what you want, I really think you'll like the R.

As you are used to a simple front-drive Mazda, you seem to be looking for a sharper handling sports car, but with the utility of 4 doors and cargo capacity beyond the pure sports cars some here are suggesting. That's the reason I came up with the Golf R. As compared to the GTI, which is front-drive only, the R has all-wheel-drive tuned VERY crisply for much sharper turn-in than the GTI. Also, it has bigger brakes and quite a bit more power. The interior is loaded with great (Recaro) seats, and all the usual creature comforts. Like the GTI, it has either 2 or 4 doors plus hatch. Fold the rear seats, and I bet that bike will fit in the back. The R will only be offered in a 6 speed manual, as opposed to the old R32 which was only offered in a DSG (auto). That is up to you whether that is a good thing or not, but you earlier expressed interest only in a manual trans.

Also, while you live in congested SF, where the R will be fine (I have taken my R32 to SF), you do live reasonably close to many world class driving roads once you leave the city. That's where the R, or any sports car, will come into it's own.

Last thing, the R will sticker under $35k. Well under your budget. The car won't send out any "rich guy" vibe if that is important to your work situation. In fact, only those who know what it is will realize it's anything more than a plain old Golf.

As you can tell, I miss my R32.

 

[periopdoc]

I agree with the R if they bring the 4-door version. VW has a history of dangling things before our eyes then yanking them away at the last minute.

Wish I had bought the R32 when I bought my GTI. I could sure use the AWD here in Montana.

- pod

 

[MTGas2B]

So, since were also going through big fun off road vehicles I thought I'd show my favorite one over here. The MATV. Kind of like short box crew cab truck, with weapons, and a pretty sweet throaty exhaust.

 

[desflurane]

I made the mistake you are about to. One year out of training bought high end bimmer. Nice car but not inexpensive to maintain. Just can't help but look at other bimmer owners as complete tools. Sorry mho.

My advice is meet with a financial planner. Make sure you will hit all your goals first. Cars can be fun toys but in this financial environment i would divert any extra cash into income generating assets. We could all be making half in a few years. If you still have any debt I'd keep the Mazda till you are free and clear.

That being said, I traded in for a blue Subie WRX and LOVE it. Drove the sti but its more power than you'll need at a hefty premium. Yes it's way less refined and it's taken my wife some time to not hate it, but whatever. The GTI is more refined but VW has a poor reliability history.

It's a nice feeling getting in a luxury sports car...it's a far better feeling to be financially free.

 

[scotchnwater]

I'm saving so much for a whole host of reasons:

I'm fairly conservative
I don't want to work forever
I didn't start earning until 35, so my number or earning years is fewer
My monthly loan on the longest repayment plan is 1200, my rent is 2000, and I'm an academic, so do the math.

Do I need a car > 30K? absolutely not, and I totally see the point. It's something I always looked at as a sign of success. As I've gotten older, some of those things I've always thought were important turn out not to be so. But I do like to go really fast and bend hard into the turns. Really hard.

And in SF, no matter what I do, I'll never be able to own a home, so once you accept that, you have a little money to piss away on a car.

Pro, a friend of mine just did the European delivery on an A4 and he really enjoyed it.

I like the TTS, but, having had a 2-door car before, I really like the 4-door.

An alternate idea was that I'd maybe keep the Mazda but get a 2nd car, like a 70s or 80s Porsche 911, or some kind of fun, beat-up convertible to fart around in. Like an old MG or something.

CC -

I believe one of your colleagues at the VA has an old fire engine he may be willing to sell you cheap....

 

[cchoukal]

CC -

I believe one of your colleagues at the VA has an old fire engine he may be willing to sell you cheap....

Thanks, SnW. I've heard of such a firetruck. Weird.

Thanks for all the insight and suggestions. I'll check out the VW R if it ever shows up. The WRX is too "boy racer" for me, I think. There's a great deal of power in knowing what you actually want, and this exercise (this post and my time spent at dealerships) has taught me that I really don't yet know what I want.

 

[periopdoc]

An anesthesiologist at one of the hospitals I interviewed at drove one of those R8's. Had to resist the urge to ask for a ride.

Still, I prefer to be a little more incognito in the hospital parking lot.

- pod

 

[RussianJoo]

Anyone out there leasing cars? Seems like a good way of driving lots of different cars, I know it's a waste of money in the long run but you don't have to deal with the hassle of reselling or driving a car that you're sick of.

 

[McGillGrad]

Anyone out there leasing cars? Seems like a good way of driving lots of different cars, I know it's a waste of money in the long run but you don't have to deal with the hassle of reselling or driving a car that you're sick of.

The best deal is to take over a leave for a year or so and get a taste without putting in too much money.

 

[pgg]

Anyone out there leasing cars? Seems like a good way of driving lots of different cars, I know it's a waste of money in the long run but you don't have to deal with the hassle of reselling or driving a car that you're sick of.

I wouldn't lease a car, and I'll probably never buy one new again, but to each their own.

I guess it depends what you want to blow your cash on. Not everything has to be a totally rational investment in delayed gratification. Restaurants and vacations are bad investments too, but that doesn't mean a meal in Italy is a waste of money.

 

[cchoukal]

Anyone out there leasing cars? Seems like a good way of driving lots of different cars, I know it's a waste of money in the long run but you don't have to deal with the hassle of reselling or driving a car that you're sick of.

People that know math will tell you leasing is a waste of money, but I'm inclined to consider it. I think it depends on whether you drive your cars until they drop, or replace them every 3-5 years. Right now, there are some pretty favorable lease terms. You could drive a car for a moderately lower payment under lease terms compared to owning. Often, leased cars (and some financed cars) come with maintenance covered, although this is probably just hidden in the cost somewhere.

 

[JSBMD]

I keep a leased car through my corp. It's pre-tax money, and fulfills my desire for a new car. The R32 was my last lease, I currently have a Jag XF. Certain cars come with free service/maintenance, separate issue from lease/buy. Either way, when it comes to a corp lease, all car-related expenses are pre-tax anyway, so this isn't the biggest deal. If you are self-employed, form a corp and take advantage of this (and other) tax angle. If you are employed on a W-2, leases are a money loss thing, but as others have said, a way to have a more expensive car for the same payment. Sometimes, losing money makes sense when it enriches our lives.

In addition to my new lease car, I too keep a few cars which I purchase used as good deals. These typically are the type of cars I intend to keep for extended periods of time, or will "abuse" according to leasing standards (either high miles or wear/tear). Usually these are the "special" cars, similar to some shown here....

 

[sevoflurane]

If believe there are some rules you need to follow if you are leasing/buying a car for your corp. As in, you need to live outside of a certain radius of where you work and need to have several locations you work at. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember thinking I would do this and it ended up not being an option for me.

Great way to test a variety of diff. cars.

CC. Not sure if this is something you would consider. FR-S/FT-86.

Coming soon. Sticker price is rumored to be 20-25K. Good bang for the buck. Toyota's answer to the 370Z.

A lot of new vehicles dropping into the market soon.

 

[sevoflurane]

Or $196,500 more than my wife's cruiser with 220K miles.

It's dead sexy and it's a transformer. Apocalypse farm truck into a humble domicile in 2 minutes flat. Perhaps it could help you save for that super car since you can live out of it.

Ha.... I recently got rid of one of my 4x4's (2nd gen). Albeit, not a land cruiser... The 4runner is very capable, manuverable and hella fun. Got the lift on the 4th gen runner, but have a ways to go to get it up to par.

Love my trucks. I miss my 2nd gen. Sure they get beat up, but I don't care. Good for snowboards, german shepherds, moutain bikes and good 'ol fashioned off roading and mudding.

V8 4th gen sounds amazing.

 

[sevoflurane]

So, since were also going through big fun off road vehicles I thought I'd show my favorite one over here. The MATV. Kind of like short box crew cab truck, with weapons, and a pretty sweet throaty exhaust.

That is bad a$s. Trumps my 4runner. Can you even get these? Although I'd feel just a little weird driving one of those in town.

 

[kazuma]

Nice 4R's Sevo. I've always loved the 4R's too. My wife was campaigning for a 4th gen like yours or a 5th gen (yeah right), but they were too far out of our budget. I would love to swap your V8 into the white cruiser. That is an awesome motor. The nice thing about these trucks is that you can take them out and use/abuse them and not feel bad about it. Kids also appreciate them since they don't get a beat down for accidentally scratching them with their bike handlebars.

 

[MTGas2B]

That is bad a$s. Trumps my 4runner. Can you even get these? Although I'd feel just a little weird driving one of those in town.

I'm sure Oshkosh will work on a civilian version at some point. Just like the Hummer's after the first Gulf War.

 

[MTGas2B]

What did you decide?

Run the Mazda into the ground? Or pick up some sweet new ride?

 

[Carbon inc]

That 250K a year goes quickly. Take home pay is probably 13K per month.

Can someone explain how 250k a year works out to only 13k take home per month? Thats seems like robbery to me!

 

[IDBasco]

Can someone explain how 250k a year works out to only 13k take home per month? Thats seems like robbery to me!

Uh, taxes? And yeah, pretty much robbery.

 

[Carbon inc]

Uh, taxes? And yeah, pretty much robbery.

Yeah I guess after calculating state and federal taxes the figure makes sense...that is sad.

 

[MTGas2B]

Alright, blast from the past thread. What did you get cchoukal? Did you get the Audi, did something else catch your eye? Still rolling in the Mazda?

 

[BLADEMDA]

That is bad a$s. Trumps my 4runner. Can you even get these? Although I'd feel just a little weird driving one of those in town.

I want one. Can I get the gun on the top for my pal Coastie to man?

 

[BLADEMDA]

 

[BLADEMDA]

A++ quality SUV. Built like a tank. Gas mileage sucks.

 

[MTGas2B]

My ride. Been great.

 

[cchoukal]

Kept the Mazda. Just couldn't commit that kind of money to something I didn't really love. That said, my dentist just called me today (he races and collects old Porsches, among other things; I wonder if I'm being overcharged) with a lead on a pristine '83 Targa SC, one-owner, in gold that might be up for sale. Thinking about adding it as a second F-off car. I'll try to post some photos.

 

[aneftp]

For the OP....go ahead get the car you want. You deserve it. You are single and have no one to take care of. You have no mortgage payment.

Enjoy your life.....until you get married....with kids. That changes everything.

No more last minute flights to Rio Brazil. No more last minute fishing trips to the Florida Keys.

ha ha. God I miss those days.

I had a brought a 2008 BMW 335i Convertible. Got it for a very good price in 2008 brand new for $54K fully loaded.

But got married later that year. Moved to Florida with the extreme Florida heat. Than wife was pregnant the following year.

So traded in 335i convertible for Audi Q7 V8 fully loaded for the wife to drive.

I still miss the 335i convertible from time to time. But it wasn't practical. The heat in Florida makes it the convertible no fun to drive 6 months out of the year.

 

[karizma098]

You got a steal on the 335. I paid that much in 08 for a non convertible...and why was it no fun 6 months of the year? It's a hardtop vert...with the top up its no different than a coupe, right? I traded mine in for a carrera S convertible, which is a ragtop, but when the top is up I hardly notice its a
Convertible...( and this is in Chicago )

 

[karizma098]

Kept the Mazda. Just couldn't commit that kind of money to something I didn't really love. That said, my dentist just called me today (he races and collects old Porsches, among other things; I wonder if I'm being overcharged) with a lead on a pristine '83 Targa SC, one-owner, in gold that might be up for sale. Thinking about adding it as a second F-off car. I'll try to post some photos.

I love the 83' targa. Get the Porsche..there is no substitute .

 

[cchoukal]

I love the 83' targa. Get the Porsche..there is no substitute .

It's beautiful in the photos, and my dentist is very knowledgeable about the make. It's his colleague's car, so he may be biased... Lots of issues, though; I know nothing about how to inspect these things. And the extra garage space I thought was available is no longer (this would be a 2nd car, whereas if I bought something new and nice, that would be a replacement for the Mazda). I can't imagine storing either car on the street, with all the parking restrictions in my area. Still, it looks outstanding!

 

[yappy]

If you guys want to ride high and like a boss check out the Toyota Tacoma.

I have one of these 1995's used and it's treated me really well. "1995" - that was a freaking good year.

 

[Gfunk6]

You might consider a 2011 BMW 335d. Diesels are not very popular in the US, so there are big-time dealer incentives to get them off the lot. You can probably get one fully loaded for significantly less than $50,000.

265 hp with an outstanding 410 ft-lbs of torque which is even higher than the M3! Also combined MPG is slightly > 30 with the diesel engine. One issue for you is that BMW North America only sells 8-speed automatic transmission in the US.

 

[Oggg]

Plastics friend of mind has the BMW diesel. +1

 

[88845]

Kept the Mazda. Just couldn't commit that kind of money to something I didn't really love. That said, my dentist just called me today (he races and collects old Porsches, among other things; I wonder if I'm being overcharged) with a lead on a pristine '83 Targa SC, one-owner, in gold that might be up for sale. Thinking about adding it as a second F-off car. I'll try to post some photos.

Classic air-cooled 911; pretty much the definitive 'car guy' sports car of the 70s through mid-90s. I will have mine one day - in 993 C2S variant.

OP, might I suggest the W211 E55 AMG as a badass sedan, highway bruiser that fits below your $50K budget? To hell with what others think at University / Veterans Affairs parking lot. You only live once.

 

[Mr Cookie Pants]

You might consider a 2011 BMW 335d. Diesels are not very popular in the US, so there are big-time dealer incentives to get them off the lot. You can probably get one fully loaded for significantly less than $50,000.

265 hp with an outstanding 410 ft-lbs of torque which is even higher than the M3! Also combined MPG is slightly > 30 with the diesel engine. One issue for you is that BMW North America only sells 8-speed automatic transmission in the US.

335d comes only with the 6 speed automatic and the diesel engine has not been renewed for the new 3 series. They're fantastic cars. The new 328i does everything better. Whereas the old 328i was a 3.0 inline 6, the 328i is a turbo 4, with 260 hp and a ton of torque. 0-60 in the mid 5's and with the 8 speed auto, 35 mpg highway. Not a bad gig.



What you need to decide (and maybe browse a car forum) is your priorities:

1. Daily (only) driver- does this car need to be able to handle inclement weather/groceries/trips to IKEA/other people in the car.

2. If you were to keep the Mazda3, that opens you up to a lot more fun. You have a practical FWD 4 door that you can drive in rain/snow/long trips, but if you get a 450 hp RWD 2 door for your next car and it's your only car, you will hate life on not perfectly sunny days. So your priorities would be nice.

3. Given that you're in San Fran, sounds like you want a car that pulls like a freight train, has a manual tranny and is 4 door and around 50k, and a 335i isn't fast enough, you really only have 1 choice:

Cadillac CTS-V. 552 supercharged horsepower.

If you need AWD, then go S4.

If you can do a 2 door, then you have more options.

 

[sevoflurane]

Another option is to keep on driving the mazda for the next 10 years and then get what my buddy just got!.... Save, save, save and then go big.

For me however, I just couldn't justify it...

 

[aneftp]

You got a steal on the 335. I paid that much in 08 for a non convertible...and why was it no fun 6 months of the year? It's a hardtop vert...with the top up its no different than a coupe, right? I traded mine in for a carrera S convertible, which is a ragtop, but when the top is up I hardly notice its a
Convertible...( and this is in Chicago )

Yeah. BMW had some special "trunk money" instant rebate. Like $3000 at that time so that's why I was able to get that price. Or else I was looking at around $57k for the car.
It's just so blazing hot in Florida in summer time. I got the convertible because I wanted to ride with the top down. Yes it's a hard top but I was wanted the top down most of the time. I hate wearing hats and baseball caps so that wasn't an option to protect my head.

Anyways ending up getting $38500 from carmax by selling it to them end of 2009. It was only 22 months old and only had 11000 miles on it. Carmax immediately resold it for $42k within a week.

The Audi is just more practical with a baby. Now wife is expecking second one soon so trading in BMW was the right choice.