Any Car Enthusiasts?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
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Topic Author
Cmpliance
Posts: 602
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:41 pm

Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Cmpliance »

Any other people on the forum big car enthusiasts? I am 27 years old and since getting my drivers license when I was 16, I've had the following car portfolio

- 1996 Chevy Blazer (Dad handed me down this for my first car)
- 2004 Mazda RX8 (Exhaust mod)
- 1994 Mazda RX7 Twin Turbo (Bolt ons for the stock twin turbos)
- 2005 Pontiac GTO (Headers/Cam/Exhaust)
- 2000 Audi S4 (Stage 3 K04 Turbos)
- 1994 Mazda RX7 Single Turbo (Aspec 500r Single Turbo Kit with Streetported motor)
- 2005 Pontiac GTO (Headers/exhaust)
- 2000 Mazda Miata (Exhaust/Suspension)
- 1990 Mazda Miata Turboed (BEGI Turbo Kit)
- 2012 Mazda Mazdaspeed3 (Exhaust, intake, tune)

I know on a investing site, cars are not seen as an investment which I agree with. All of my cars I buy out right. If I can't buy them in cash, I can't afford the car. Since I work on the cars myself, I actually end up pulling close to what I bought them. For example, the recent car I sold I bought for $5500 (the 2000 Miata) and I drove it around for 1.5 years just gas and oil changes. I ended up selling it for $6300! On the other cars I've sold, I've really only taken a $3-$4k loss from my initial purchase price. Now with my 2012 Mazdaspeed, not so much. My first brand new car bought off a dealership and I've already lost about $8k in depreciation in 1 year of ownership. This will be the last time I buy a brand new car haha.

I'm currently looking at old school muscle car to add to the stable like a 1967-1969 Camaro or a 1970-1973 Chevelle.

How about everyone else? Big car fans? Which was your favorite and why? How are you able to maintain your hobby knowing that you want to save money but at the same time know that cars are not investments
Last edited by Cmpliance on Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:37 am, edited 2 times in total.
investingdad
Posts: 2139
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:41 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by investingdad »

I have a 2004 MazdaSpeed Miata that I bought new. Light mods, downpipe and manually adjusted boost control valve since the electronic one was set way too conservative. Those came from the folks at FM.
z06ray
Posts: 215
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 11:24 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by z06ray »

I am on the same page as you!!

I switch quite a bit, since turning 16 (24 now):

-2001 Camaro v6 (bought a year before I got my license at 15)
-2005 Hummer H2, 2004 Chrysler 300m, 2006 Pontiac GTO (torrid red)- drove quite a bit through high school parents cars at the time
-2001 Lexus IS 300 (great car very reliable)
-2006 Lexus IS 350 (lasted 10 months)
-2006 Pontiac GTO (GTO number 2, Cyclone Grey)
-2006 Pontiac GTO (GTO number 3, Spice Red): extremely low miles, heads, cam, gear, headers, intake, etc.
-1995 Lexus LS 400 (beater...comfortable).

Now my classic portfolio (since I got my license), a hobby I have with my father:

- Around 8 c3 Corvettes (1968-81) sold
-1963 Split Window Corvette sold
-1964 Corvette coupe body off restoration, dad's baby for 3 years sold
-1991 Corvette Zr-1 sold
-1990 Corvette Zr-1 6k miles sold
-1991 Corvette Zr-1 dad's current play car
-1957 Chevy Bel ai, 2 door post car - need complete restoration sold
-1957 Chevy step side truck- need complete restoration sold
-1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 sold
-1971 Chevelle built, overhauled 454 sold
-1970 Camaro SS body off sold
-1987 Buick Regal T-type we4 (essentially Grand National, a bit more rare)


Next project, looking for a 1932 3 window coupe to do with my dad. I am always jealous of him because he seems to always get cool company cars as well. I am also interested in dirtbikes, boats, and snowmobiles.

I too believe in buying with cash and dumping before the losses are too high. I really want to pull the trigger and lease a new ATS for daily driving but just can't bring myself to it.

Image

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For you car guys/girls....if you don't have a lift yet, it's a great purchase and great use of your space
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Last edited by z06ray on Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:02 am, edited 4 times in total.
camiboxer
Posts: 245
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:52 am

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by camiboxer »

We are a car family.
1969 GTO
1970 Chevelle SS (seen in pic)
1970 Chevelle SS
1970 1/2 Z28 RS
87 Grand National
88 Formula 350
87 Chevy 4x4
95 Chevy S10
95 Dakota 4x4
2000 GMC Jimmy
2003 Jeep Liberty Limited
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Image
PrinceAli132
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:19 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by PrinceAli132 »

Fellow enthusiast checking in though I haven't owned as many cars.

Primarily a Honda guy and enjoy wrenching on cars and tracking them (road courses).

Current lineup:
2007 Honda S2000 - daily driver
1998 Integra Type R - restoring to a track car

Past cars:
1998 Integra LS
2002 Honda Si
2000 Integra Type R - bought just to pull the motor for my car

Daily:
Image

Project:
Image

Previous track car:
Image

Ali
Last edited by PrinceAli132 on Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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FrugalInvestor
Posts: 6214
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by FrugalInvestor »

Yes, I'm a car guy. When I was in my teens and twenties I owned a few cars and motorcycles but after taking on more family and job responsibility just didn't have the time and energy to spend on them (working on them is much of the enjoyment for me). I also was focused on saving for early retirement and didn't want to jeopardize that with an expensive hobby.

A few years after retirement I purchased my first 'fun car' in many, many years. I've since moved on to another (below) and am sure I will continue with the hobby for the rest of my life.


Image
Have a plan, stay the course and simplify. Then ignore the noise!
lightheir
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by lightheir »

Not a car fan myself, but honest question here -

How the heck to you young guys afford to buy so many cars at such a young age? Even if you're getting them heavily used for $2000 range, even two of those would break the bank of most 18-22 year old guys.

I probably would have been a car guy myself, but honestly, the equipment costs were so staggering that it was impossible.
Topic Author
Cmpliance
Posts: 602
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:41 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Cmpliance »

lightheir wrote:Not a car fan myself, but honest question here -

How the heck to you young guys afford to buy so many cars at such a young age? Even if you're getting them heavily used for $2000 range, even two of those would break the bank of most 18-22 year old guys.

I probably would have been a car guy myself, but honestly, the equipment costs were so staggering that it was impossible.
You need to learn to do the work yourself and know what you're doing. Mechanics will screw you over if you know nothing about cars and say "just fix it"
Also, know when and how to sell a car. Like I said, I've owned all these cars and after about a year of ownership, I'd sell them. I'd sometimes get a profit or only lose a couple thousand dollars into what I bought them for.
investingdad
Posts: 2139
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:41 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by investingdad »

I bought a pricey (for me) new car after I landed my first engineering job out of college in 1996. I was making 33K and I bought a Honda del Sol for 16.5K, financed at something like 6.5%. I had a cheap apartment and the monthly car payments of $400 or so a month were ROUGH. I kept it for close to 10 years and enjoyed it tremendously.

Today I make a lot more than I did then and there's no way I'd spend half of my gross for a car, let alone our combined gross for a car.

Smart move? Wasn't the best. Didn't hurt me in the long run and I have fond memories of driving said del Sol so I'd do it again in that position.
gator15
Posts: 591
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:33 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by gator15 »

I love cars and find myself either online or at various dealerships each weekend looking at cars. I take my kid and we roam the lots salivating. I've owned a 1993 Mazda RX-7 and a 2007 Audi RS4. I loved both cars and really miss having the RS4. I had to sell the RS4 to purchase my current house. I don't regret the decision. I'm now beginning to get the itch to get another speedwagon. I would love a used BMW M3 or Nissan GT-R, but they are too expensive. For now, I'll continue to roam the lots picturing myself in various vehicles. The priority is to reach a savings goal before I consider my next car purchase. I'm about three years away from that goal. Once the goal is reached, maybe I'll consider another car purchase.
lightheir
Posts: 2684
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:43 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by lightheir »

HardHitter wrote:
lightheir wrote:Not a car fan myself, but honest question here -

How the heck to you young guys afford to buy so many cars at such a young age? Even if you're getting them heavily used for $2000 range, even two of those would break the bank of most 18-22 year old guys.

I probably would have been a car guy myself, but honestly, the equipment costs were so staggering that it was impossible.
You need to learn to do the work yourself and know what you're doing. Mechanics will screw you over if you know nothing about cars and say "just fix it"
Also, know when and how to sell a car. Like I said, I've owned all these cars and after about a year of ownership, I'd sell them. I'd sometimes get a profit or only lose a couple thousand dollars into what I bought them for.

Still too rich for me back in my early 20s!
z06ray
Posts: 215
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 11:24 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by z06ray »

lightheir wrote:
HardHitter wrote:
lightheir wrote:Not a car fan myself, but honest question here -

How the heck to you young guys afford to buy so many cars at such a young age? Even if you're getting them heavily used for $2000 range, even two of those would break the bank of most 18-22 year old guys.

I probably would have been a car guy myself, but honestly, the equipment costs were so staggering that it was impossible.
You need to learn to do the work yourself and know what you're doing. Mechanics will screw you over if you know nothing about cars and say "just fix it"
Also, know when and how to sell a car. Like I said, I've owned all these cars and after about a year of ownership, I'd sell them. I'd sometimes get a profit or only lose a couple thousand dollars into what I bought them for.

Still too rich for me back in my early 20s!

Work. and working your way up slowly. You don't start with a 20-30k car.
wearymicrobe
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Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:27 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by wearymicrobe »

78 cars in the last 15 years. From Dodge vipers and a few Ferrari's down to Miata's. I always bought them well and sold them for more then I paid so basically a cash generating hobby. Actually paid part of the down payment on my home from flipping cars.

I have nothing but a old hotrod right now but if I see a good V8 R8 convertible in the next month or so that I know I will break even on, it will be in the garage.
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tylerdurden
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 5:26 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by tylerdurden »

Another car enthusiast here, although it may be more accurate to say former car enthusiast. I've been through many cars and motorcycles over the years; 14 cars and 3 bikes in 14 years. Most of the fun ones were turbocharged Japanese cars that I modded relatively heavily with performance parts (was never a fan of the body kits, wings, etc.). At one point I had 5 cars, which was quite ridiculous.

Now I am down to one car and drive a boring Benz. But I still dream about the next fun car; perhaps an Evo X or WRX. Or go a completely different route with a C6 Z06.
"The things you own end up owning you." -TD
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tylerdurden
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Location: Austin, TX

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by tylerdurden »

PrinceAli132 wrote:Current lineup:
2007 Honda S2000 - daily driver
I'm jealous of your daily driver. I've always said that if I move to Florida, I would totally DD an S2000. 8-)
"The things you own end up owning you." -TD
Furynation
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 10:03 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Furynation »

Checking in. Over the years I've owned:

1998 Chevrolet S10
2006 Dodge Charger R/T
2008 Chevrolet Silverado LS
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
2012 F-150 Platinum

The Camaro and the F-150 are in the stable right now. Vehicles are my weakness, but I do enjoy the heck out of them!
Furynation
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 10:03 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Furynation »

camiboxer wrote:We are a car family.
1969 GTO
1970 Chevelle SS (seen in pic)
1970 Chevelle SS
1970 1/2 Z28 RS
87 Grand National
88 Formula 350
87 Chevy 4x4
95 Chevy S10
95 Dakota 4x4
2000 GMC Jimmy
2003 Jeep Liberty Limited
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Your Chevelle is gorgeous!
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joe8d
Posts: 4545
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:27 pm
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by joe8d »

Furynation wrote:
camiboxer wrote:We are a car family.
1969 GTO
1970 Chevelle SS (seen in pic)
1970 Chevelle SS1970 1/2 Z28 RS
87 Grand National
88 Formula 350
87 Chevy 4x4
95 Chevy S10
95 Dakota 4x4
2000 GMC Jimmy
2003 Jeep Liberty Limited
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Your Chevelle is gorgeous!
That's the car I learned to drive on :happy
All the Best, | Joe
poker27
Posts: 1149
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:48 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by poker27 »

I love cars as well. The body lines, exhaust sound, redlining gears, and downshifting right before a turn. It's really a way of life. However my priorities have changed a bit, and haven't purchased a new car in almost 7 years, and don't intend to get another one in the near future. I no longer do track days at the road course, or spend $ on mods and the issues that come with them.

This past year I got myself a motorcycle. Such a great bang for the buck in terms of excitement. It's faster then any car I could afford, and insanely enjoyable to drive.
solonseneca
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 9:01 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by solonseneca »

I own a 2006 Avalon and she's a beaut! When I drive my mom to the chiropodist, let me tell you we get a lot of turned heads. 100% chick magnet.
MathWizard
Posts: 6560
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:35 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by MathWizard »

Mine was a '67 Camaro Rally Sport
I had $1500 into it including purchase
price. I put a 327 with a 4 bbl
Holly carb in it. It had good low
end torque, but the top end was
limited by the 2 speed AT.
My brother had a GTO with 4 on the
Floor and a six pack which would
blow my doors off.

Pretty paint job , red with white racing
stripes. Was dating DW them and she liked
the car.

I sold it just before we got married
for what I had in it. Somebody dropped by one
day and asked me what I wanted for it,
and I sold it right then.
nepats
Posts: 396
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 11:56 am

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by nepats »

I like Cars and I can not lie :sharebeer However, the times are changing now with multiple additions to the family in the near future, so I will be in the car "hell" ie SUV/Minivan for the next 5 years :annoyed

Present:
2009 BMW 335 xi sedan
2006 Porsche Cayman S
2006 Yamaha FZ6

Past:
2002 BMW 540i
2003 BMW 330ci
2000 BMW 323i
2000 Honda Civic
investingdad
Posts: 2139
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by investingdad »

nepats wrote:I like Cars and I can not lie :sharebeer However, the times are changing now with multiple additions to the family in the near future, so I will be in the car "hell" ie SUV/Minivan for the next 5 years :annoyed
Why? We have two kids, 8 and 6, and though my wife has a CX-7 because she really liked it, I have a Maxima and see zero reason to have a minivan or an SUV. We could certainly get buy with two sedans and did just that when the kids were babies.

Having kids = buy minivan or SUV is a MYTH that people have bought into. I bought my Miata 1 month before we found out we were having our first child and never saw a reason to sell it. Still have it.
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yatesd
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Location: MD

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by yatesd »

I just love cars too much (and motorcycles)! My current toy is a Cadillac CTS 3.6DI with the performance package, AWD, and limited slip differential (unfortunately not a V. I recently sold my BMW R1100R because I just wasn't using it enough.

My other ride is a 2005 Honda Odyssey. Also, fun to drive. Doesn't attract police, handles well, and very flexible. Unfortunately my family prefers the minivan over the CTS.

When I saw the thread the other day about women being better investors than men. I almost made a comment that one downfall that many men have is the need for expensive toys. Cars, motorcycles, boats, and other outdoor stuff tend to be expensive. Then there is technology....laptops, tablets, video consoles, smart phones. It's a very dangerous world for savers.

I love cars, all cars, and it is one of the reasons I struggle with not saving more.
nepats
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by nepats »

investingdad wrote:
Why? We have two kids, 8 and 6, and though my wife has a CX-7 because she really liked it, I have a Maxima and see zero reason to have a minivan or an SUV. We could certainly get buy with two sedans and did just that when the kids were babies.

Having kids = buy minivan or SUV is a MYTH that people have bought into. I bought my Miata 1 month before we found out we were having our first child and never saw a reason to sell it. Still have it.
Because we are having twins and have a 3 year old. I don't see how fitting three car seats in the back row of the 335 even if possible is practical for everyday
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yatesd
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by yatesd »

nepats wrote:
investingdad wrote:
Why? We have two kids, 8 and 6, and though my wife has a CX-7 because she really liked it, I have a Maxima and see zero reason to have a minivan or an SUV. We could certainly get buy with two sedans and did just that when the kids were babies.

Having kids = buy minivan or SUV is a MYTH that people have bought into. I bought my Miata 1 month before we found out we were having our first child and never saw a reason to sell it. Still have it.
Because we are having twins and have a 3 year old. I don't see how fitting three car seats in the back row of the 335 even if possible is practical for everyday
I think it is a myth to be scared of minivans. I don't think it looks any more cool trying to fit a family in a car that is too small than it does choosing the most practical vehicle for the mission. My minivan is pretty fast & handles well, and holds more stuff than just about any SUV.

Oh...and once you owned a car with sliding doors you never want to go back. No door dings, no concern about tight spaces, no holding the door open...dog jumps right in. Cupholders, tri-climate air conditioning, and storage areas are just icing on the cake.
killjoy2012
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by killjoy2012 »

camiboxer wrote:We are a car family.
1969 GTO
1970 Chevelle SS (seen in pic)
1970 Chevelle SS
1970 1/2 Z28 RS
87 Grand National
88 Formula 350
87 Chevy 4x4
95 Chevy S10
95 Dakota 4x4
2000 GMC Jimmy
2003 Jeep Liberty Limited
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Car guy checking in here too. My first car that I bought when I turned 16 was a 1970 Chevelle Malibu, 350 sbc, dual quads, hood scoop, straight though side pipes w/ Supertrapp tips. God, I miss that car. I owned it for 20 years before selling it due to a planned relocation (that fell through!).

Camiboxer: I wish my Chevelle was as nice as yours. Silver & black is the best color combo IMO on a '70. Is that a true LS6, or a clone? Either way, it's very nice looking. Wanna sell (for cheap!)???? :)

I also have a 2008 Saturn Sky Redline. Been thinking about selling the Sky (which is a lot of fun too) to pickup another '70 - prices are just too high right now.
Topic Author
Cmpliance
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Cmpliance »

Wow, didn't know there were so many of you on here. Great list of cars too.

I was thinking about Z06/Viper combinations but in the end, living in California is not the greatest for if you want to modify your car. At least with old school muscle, you are smog exempt for anything older than 1975 which is the reason why I'm looking at the Camaros, Chevelles and Novas
killjoy2012
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by killjoy2012 »

A 2015 C7 Z06 would look good in your driveway. 620 hp, 650 tq :twisted:

http://jalopnik.com/2015-chevrolet-corv ... 1496255058
z06ray
Posts: 215
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by z06ray »

HardHitter wrote:Wow, didn't know there were so many of you on here. Great list of cars too.

I was thinking about Z06/Viper combinations but in the end, living in California is not the greatest for if you want to modify your car. At least with old school muscle, you are smog exempt for anything older than 1975 which is the reason why I'm looking at the Camaros, Chevelles and Novas
Image

Image

The zo6/viper combo is hard to beat. Too bad the z and the viper pictured were friends.
Topic Author
Cmpliance
Posts: 602
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Cmpliance »

tjschraf wrote:
HardHitter wrote:Wow, didn't know there were so many of you on here. Great list of cars too.

I was thinking about Z06/Viper combinations but in the end, living in California is not the greatest for if you want to modify your car. At least with old school muscle, you are smog exempt for anything older than 1975 which is the reason why I'm looking at the Camaros, Chevelles and Novas
Image

Image

The zo6/viper combo is hard to beat. Too bad the z and the viper pictured were friends.
I was going to say, you have a Camaro, Z and brand new Viper? haha. Have you driven them all? Thoughts on each?
z06ray
Posts: 215
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by z06ray »

HardHitter wrote:
tjschraf wrote:
HardHitter wrote:Wow, didn't know there were so many of you on here. Great list of cars too.

I was thinking about Z06/Viper combinations but in the end, living in California is not the greatest for if you want to modify your car. At least with old school muscle, you are smog exempt for anything older than 1975 which is the reason why I'm looking at the Camaros, Chevelles and Novas

The zo6/viper combo is hard to beat. Too bad the z and the viper pictured were friends.
I was going to say, you have a Camaro, Z and brand new Viper? haha. Have you driven them all? Thoughts on each?

I have not driven the viper but driven in the viper for a few hours, very nice car, very comfortable, looks amazing....too much attention. Even if I had the money, I doubt I could drop 120 + k on one.

I have driven the z06 and it is AWESOME. The one in the picture is a carbon edition and very exclusive. Worst part about these is the catastrophic engine failure that seems to be more and more common (drop valves). The motors are toast and if you look on corvetteforum right now you will see a bunch for sale for good prices that aren't selling.

Personally, if I had to spend the 120k + on a car that the viper costs, I would buy a 96-98 (I think those are the years of the forged internals) Viper GTS for 35k, then buy a midyear corvette (1963-67) for ~45k-55k, and buy a 1993-95 Corvette zr-1 with low miles and the dunn heads for ~28-38k.
wearymicrobe
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by wearymicrobe »

Darn I was going to ask you how you liked your Gen V viper. I just sold my gen III coupe that I used for DE events. I keep waffling between a TA SRT viper or spending the extra cash and maybe getting a v10 R8 in the next month or so.

Image

Image
dbphd
Posts: 129
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Location: Montecito, CA

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by dbphd »

As investments, cars that are likely to be sure bets tend to be expensive. I had a friends' '67 Ferrari 330 GTC for about a year, and I regret not buying the car when offered to me.

At 77, my cars are a 2005 MB E55 AMG wagon and a 2000 Porsche Boxster S. We live a block from the ocean in a small town adjacent to Santa Barbara with nearby rural roads, so the top of the Porsche never goes up. The more notable cars I've had over the years were a '47 Mercury convertible (first car), '58 VW (undergrad) '64 Lotus Elan (grad school), '70 Porsche 911T (after post doc), '69 280 SL, '71 300 SEL 6.3, '85 308 GTS QV, '90 Testarossa. We've had a series of MB E wagons over the years.

db
thomasbayarea
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by thomasbayarea »

Yes, I am a car guy :D
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midareff
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by midareff »

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OnFire
Posts: 382
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by OnFire »

[img]/Users/admin/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Masters/2011/10/30/20111030-204751/DSC_0473.JPG
[/img]

Car nut over here. I am an absolute adrenaline junkie and LOVED going to the track for Driver's Education days. Former member of both the Porsche Club of America (PCA) and the BMW Car Club of America. (BMWCCA). I got it from my Dad, who had these cars:

1966 Checy Nova SS with a 327
1981 Chevy Corvette
1981 Porsche 911 SC (dozens of track days with this one)
1979 911 Coupe

And I've had:

1970 Pontiac GTO Judge
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara (still have it)
2008 BMW 335i (6-7 track days before I sold it to buy a house)

I went to the track days recently here in Illinois and drove both the Ferrari F430 and the California Spyder. Not much fun. Too much traffic and too slow. Might hit the Speedway in Vegas and do a few laps in a few months. I also drove the Lotus Elise the last time I was in Vegas. Rented it for a few hours. That was a blast. A strafing run out to the Boulder Dam and back.

I'd love to get back to the track and am Jonesing heavy, but I have to save up the cash for it first, and with two small ones, I feel I'm still a ways way from that.

Looking at an E36 M3, a 986 Boxster S, or a Miata NB.

We'll see. Probably a few years away.

EDIT: Obviously, my attempt to add a picture didn't work/ Any advice using a current MacBook Pro running iPhoto?
Last edited by OnFire on Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Where are all the customers yachts? | | “The most powerful force in the Universe is compound interest.” -Albert Einstein
02sbxstr
Posts: 83
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Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by 02sbxstr »

My car story: grew up in western NY and went often to Watkins Glen. Wanted dearly a Porsche, but had other priorities as a young married couple. Fast forward a number of years - I'm nearing 55 and looking for a replacement for a Maxima coming off lease. I put together a short list of cars I was interested in: Mazda Miata, Rx8, Cadillac CTS, Mustang (had a '65 earlier in life). Went looking on a Sunday and She Who Must be Obeyed declared: Miata is too small, the RX8 is ugly, we're not Cadillac people, and you've had a Mustang. Back to square 1. A couple of days later, she says: "How much were you planning on spending," to which I replied maybe $45k. The next thing I know, we're looking at relatively new Porsche Boxsters. Found (in 2004) a 2002 Boxster S with 4k miles at the local dealer and jumped on it. Silver (as many are) but with navy leather and top). I've only seen 1 other with this configuration. So we bought it. It was supposed to be a daily driver - but that idea didn't last long. A garage queen was born. We kept the Maxima for a while. Eventually replaced it with Mini Cooper S, then a Jetta, and now an Audi A4. The Boxster S after 10 years has 30k miles and is tucked comfortably away for the winter in the garage. Looking forward to spring.
westie
Posts: 601
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:00 am

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by westie »

I have a 2007 S2000 I bought new that has 9300 miles on it. It's never been driven in the rain or on wet roads. A retirement gift to myself. I enjoy driving it when the weather is nice.
Atilla
Posts: 1612
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:44 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Atilla »

1980 Camaro I bought from a friend. 4 speed, 3.73 posi rear end.

I dropped in a 383 long block got from American Speed. Added all the accessories myself - pulleys, carb, power steering pump. etc. Learned how to tune a Holley 4 barrel carb, set timing, adjust valves, swap a clutch. All that good stuff.

AFR CNC machined aluminum heads, Performer RPM intake, Holley HP 750 carb, big lumpy roller cam, big tube headers, mandrel-bent 2.5" dual exhaust. The engine on the dyno put out an honest 500 foot pounds of torque at 4,400 RPM and 500 horsepower at 6,100 RPM. All on premium pump gas at 9.5:1 compression. The torque curve was flat and ran over 400 foot pounds pretty much anywhere.

At idle the car sounded like the drum intro on Van Halen's Hot for Teacher. :mrgreen:
travellight
Posts: 2892
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:52 pm
Location: San Diego

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by travellight »

I consider myself a minor car enthusiast. My first car that I bought out of school was the BMW 325ic. My next car was a white Jaguar xj8. After that, I bought a silver Cadillac sts, V8. I almost bought a Maserati Quattroporte during the last shopping process. I was in line for a Tesla S with a reservation for a year.

I had been coveting an Audi R8 or Nissan GTR but my current heartthrob upon first sight at the san diego auto show this month is the Aston Martin Vanquish.
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imperialman56
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2014 7:45 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by imperialman56 »

Car Enthusiast? Why yes I am!

I won't bore anyone with a long list of cars that I have owned.
The two that I have now that are special to me are
1960 Imperial Custom and a 1967 Imperial Crown Coupe.
Driving and maintaining both will keep me quite busy in my future retirement.
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yatesd
Posts: 1040
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 7:19 am
Location: MD

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by yatesd »

imperialman56 wrote:Car Enthusiast? Why yes I am!

I won't bore anyone with a long list of cars that I have owned.
The two that I have now that are special to me are
1960 Imperial Custom and a 1967 Imperial Crown Coupe.
Driving and maintaining both will keep me quite busy in my future retirement.
I'd like to see pictures!
4nursebee
Posts: 2664
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by 4nursebee »

I've never been a car guy, always practical and cheap. Having said that, I test drove a Tesla Model S last week, my next car will be a Tesla, and am considering deposit for the X.

When I get one I will talk trash to you fossil burners
Pale Blue Dot
haban01
Posts: 677
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:55 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by haban01 »

I guess I get the Ribbon for being an Old Car Enthusiast for the oldest car generation. 1928-1931 Model A Fords. Had my first one in high school and fixed up a few and learned over the years. 40 Horsepower/3 speed standards. New they were $400-$600 when Ford paid top wages of $5.00/day. Finally the common man could own an automobile.

Below is a Pic of one!

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Ak ... =yfp-t-901
Eric | | "Stay the Course" | "Press on Regardless"
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FrugalInvestor
Posts: 6214
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:20 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by FrugalInvestor »

4nursebee wrote:I've never been a car guy, always practical and cheap. Having said that, I test drove a Tesla Model S last week, my next car will be a Tesla, and am considering deposit for the X.

When I get one I will talk trash to you fossil burners
You may end up with a Chevy.....

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/30/gm-b ... rediction/
Have a plan, stay the course and simplify. Then ignore the noise!
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Cmpliance
Posts: 602
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:41 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by Cmpliance »

I've always wanted a lift in my garage but right now I live in a town home and I don't believe I would have enough space :( Lucky man
wearymicrobe
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:27 pm

Re: Any Car Enthusiasts?

Post by wearymicrobe »

4nursebee wrote:I've never been a car guy, always practical and cheap. Having said that, I test drove a Tesla Model S last week, my next car will be a Tesla, and am considering deposit for the X.

When I get one I will talk trash to you fossil burners
You can have both, I have a fire shooting hot rod, and a Prius. But I did put a deposit down on a i3. I finally got to see one and am super stoked, it would fit into my life perfectly as a commuter.
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