VictoriaF wrote:
When I lived in the Soviet Union, I had a car that cost about 5 times my gross annual salary.
Ged wrote:A Lada to a 918 is some jump .
VictoriaF wrote:It was a Lada!
Ged wrote:It's about the only Soviet era car I've heard of!
VictoriaF wrote:That's a downer. I was ready to defer to your parapsychological insights on the future market performance.
The Volga's were sort of cool too. I had a few week contract in the USSR during the Reagan era and we had a nice but basic Volvo 240 wagon to carry our stuff and run around in. The Russians used to drool over it!
Volga's and Chaika's were assigned to the Party apparatchiks and were chauffeur driven. The Russians used to drool over everything that was tagged in the Latin alphabet.
Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake |
Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. |
Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
Tesla Model S, hands down. Was our dream car for years, and as of Sept 2013, is our car. Crazy fun to drive (acceleration!), safest car on the road, and no OPEC or oil drilling required (hydro and solar powered). We went from a 2005 VW Jetta TDI to the Tesla. So this purchase was well over your 3x cost requirement compared to our most expensive auto purchase.
It would be a much more practical car than what I have now (2007 Lotus Elise). I've test driven one and my 13 year old fits (sideways) in the back seat.
I'd go with a Tesla Model S, or maybe a Model X, except that I don't have a garage to put the charger in, so we'll just assume that it will charge by magic. Might as well throw in like a small Roadtrek RV to cover all the bases.
An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered. -- GK Chesterton
A Porsche 918 is the logical choice for any gearhead, but it is tainted by the electric motors, so my dream car would be it's predecessor, the Carrera GT. And at half the price. In the real world, a 911 GT3 would look nice in the garage.
I have no time for the new cars and rarely acknowledge anything after about 1990.
I'll take a 1967ish Lotus Elan, build a multi car garage and get probably another 4-5 vintage cars at $20K each for what you are paying for some of your choices.
I would probably go with a new Nissan GTR or a Audi S8. However, for a real "dream" I would go with a brand new, zero-mile 2001 BMW 740i if such a creature could be found. Must have sport package, black exterior, brown leather. I'd use the rest of the money for a maintenance fund for it.
I thought that was such a sexy sedan when it was new, they ruined it in the 2002 redesign.
Another vote for the Tesla Model S. And I am in fortunate position of already owning my dream car, now with over 13,000 miles and still exceeding expectations. Only problem is that it is also my wife's dream car so of course she ends up driving it more than me. But have a new dream car, the Tesla Model X, with falcon wing doors and AWD, which look forward to getting first Quarter of 2015.
Should have said "tainted by electric propulsion motors." There is nothing, nothing, like the sound of a high performance internal combustion engine. The sound of my Porsche under full throttle above 4000 rpm is nirvanna. If you can't appreciate it, you have no business commenting on the thread.
02sbxstr wrote:Should have said "tainted by electric propulsion motors." There is nothing, nothing, like the sound of a high performance internal combustion engine. The sound of my Porsche under full throttle above 4000 rpm is nirvanna. If you can't appreciate it, you have no business commenting on the thread.
Yes, same nice sound as a snowmobile at full throttle. And nice thing about snowmobile is that if wind is in right direction not only can you enjoy the ear splitting sound you can also enjoy inhaling the gas fumes. Other nice options are a Harley Davidson, or spending quality time with chain saws (recommend Husqvarna 18") or just getting front row seats to an Ultra electronic music festival. Each to his own.
Last edited by jdb on Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
02sbxstr wrote:Should have said "tainted by electric propulsion motors." There is nothing, nothing, like the sound of a high performance internal combustion engine. The sound of my Porsche under full throttle above 4000 rpm is nirvanna. If you can't appreciate it, you have no business commenting on the thread.
So pop in a CD for the sound and use an electric motor for acceleration. Best of both worlds. Just like that artificial leather smell in high end cars.
Chan_va wrote:So far, Porsche is clearly leading the manufacturer's cup on this thread, with Nissan, Tesla and Audi bunched up in 2nd.
The VW group is doing quite well.
We can have a race at the next BH meeting.
Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake |
Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. |
Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
When I was 16: alfa romeo spider
When i was 25: porsche 911
Now: a solid convertible on a nice summer day - boxster (mid end) or bentley or 911 turbo (high end)
Of note: most convertibles, regardless of engine almost, are more fun in the summer than all sedans in my completely subjective opinion.
I never understood convertibles, until i bought one, and now i wish I had one from age 16-30. It would have been awesome. In my 40s, it is great, but geez it would have been great when i had more time, summers off, and spent my time with friends and dating.
I would rather have a cheap convertible for summer fun, then have a luxury european sports sedan.
To me, Top down at 45mph is so much fun, compared to a roof at 90mph. Doesn't matter if it is a tesla S, BMW M, or porsche. Give me a decent car with a top down on a 80 degree day and i could care less about speed.
I would take a combination of a boxster + a subaru outback or a accord/camry over an S class or a Tesla. Any day of the week.
I have owned all the high end sports and luxury brands except bentley.
Last edited by sambb on Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
02sbxstr wrote:Should have said "tainted by electric propulsion motors." There is nothing, nothing, like the sound of a high performance internal combustion engine. The sound of my Porsche under full throttle above 4000 rpm is nirvanna. If you can't appreciate it, you have no business commenting on the thread.
So pop in a CD for the sound and use an electric motor for acceleration. Best of both worlds. Just like that artificial leather smell in high end cars.
That's effectively what the latest BMW M5 does. They pipe in pre-recorded sounds through the speakers. At first I was aghast, but upon reflection, how is that different from ABS, or power steering, or an AC, where the primary input is somehow modified before I experience it?
A new hard-top Mazda MX-5 Miata (in red). Not that expensive, yet still perplexingly out of reach since I have a hard time buying "toys" that I don't really need.
sambb wrote:When I was 16: alfa romeo spider
When i was 25: porsche 911
Now: a solid convertible on a nice summer day - boxster (mid end) or bentley or 911 turbo (high end)
Of note: most convertibles, regardless of engine almost, are more fun in the summer than all sedans in my completely subjective opinion.
I never understood convertibles, until i bought one, and now i wish I had one from age 16-30. It would have been awesome. In my 40s, it is great, but geez it would have been great when i had more time, summers off, and spent my time with friends and dating.
I would rather have a cheap convertible for summer fun, then have a luxury european sports sedan.
To me, Top down at 45mph is so much fun, compared to a roof at 90mph. Doesn't matter if it is a tesla S, BMW M, or porsche. Give me a decent car with a top down on a 80 degree day and i could care less about speed.
I would take a combination of a boxster + a subaru outback or a accord/camry over an S class or a Tesla. Any day of the week.
I have owned all the high end sports and luxury brands except bentley.
I agree. My $3K Miata was one of the best cars I have owned. Also, the lower the limit's of handling/performance of a car are, the easier it is for mere mortals to approach said limits, and the more fun it is in the real world.
But this thread isn't about the real world. It's set in a world where we can all execute perfect heel toe downshifts while nailing an apex at 120 mph, on the way to the combination physics Nobel / lifetime Grammy awards banquet in our honor.
02sbxstr wrote:a 911 GT3 would look nice in the garage.
I'd like a 911 GT3 also. As far as a road goes, I'll picture myself in Germany, driving the Nurburgring.
Third vote for the GT3. Largely useless in the US though. Not so sure about the Nurburgring either - the carnage on the tourist days is quite remarkable, and with the GT3 that would be rather ugly.
I'll be at the North American Auto Show in Detroit tomorrow (01/22) and will look them all over, but right now my dream car is the new Corvette Stingray. 460 horsepower V-8 that gallops from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds, yet is rated at 17 miles per gallon in the city, 29 mpg highway. And, at around 50k, is a good boglehead-like value, well almost .
02sbxstr wrote:Should have said "tainted by electric propulsion motors." There is nothing, nothing, like the sound of a high performance internal combustion engine. The sound of my Porsche under full throttle above 4000 rpm is nirvanna. If you can't appreciate it, you have no business commenting on the thread.
Yes, same nice sound as a snowmobile at full throttle. And nice thing about snowmobile is that if wind is in right direction not only can you enjoy the ear splitting sound you can also enjoy inhaling the gas fumes. Other nice options are a Harley Davidson, or spending quality time with chain saws (recommend Husqvarna 18") or just getting front row seats to an Ultra electronic music festival. Each to his own.
Hmmmmm.....I have a couple snowmobiles, 2 Huskvarna chainsaws (one with a 16" bar, one with 18) and a few stratocasters (and a dozen other guitars). I need a Harley.....
sambb wrote:When I was 16: alfa romeo spider
When i was 25: porsche 911
Now: a solid convertible on a nice summer day - boxster (mid end) or bentley or 911 turbo (high end)
Of note: most convertibles, regardless of engine almost, are more fun in the summer than all sedans in my completely subjective opinion.
I never understood convertibles, until i bought one, and now i wish I had one from age 16-30. It would have been awesome. In my 40s, it is great, but geez it would have been great when i had more time, summers off, and spent my time with friends and dating.
I would rather have a cheap convertible for summer fun, then have a luxury european sports sedan.
To me, Top down at 45mph is so much fun, compared to a roof at 90mph. Doesn't matter if it is a tesla S, BMW M, or porsche. Give me a decent car with a top down on a 80 degree day and i could care less about speed.
I would take a combination of a boxster + a subaru outback or a accord/camry over an S class or a Tesla. Any day of the week.
I have owned all the high end sports and luxury brands except bentley.
I agree. My $3K Miata was one of the best cars I have owned. Also, the lower the limit's of handling/performance of a car are, the easier it is for mere mortals to approach said limits, and the more fun it is in the real world.
But this thread isn't about the real world. It's set in a world where we can all execute perfect heel toe downshifts while nailing an apex at 120 mph, on the way to the combination physics Nobel / lifetime Grammy awards banquet in our honor.
In that case, a base 911 cabriolet. No fancy stuff. In a stick. And I could care less if a tesla S is faster. Fun is not about speed.
Three of the most "fun" cars out there are miata, VW GTI, and any mini cooper S. All in a stick. An M3 is nice also.
When you put the top down, the fun is a whole different level. Cruising in Maui in a mustang convertible is one of the best trips one can have with a significant other.
I'll be at the North American Auto Show in Detroit tomorrow (01/22) and will look them all over, but right now my dream car is the new Corvette Stingray. 460 horsepower V-8 that gallops from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds, yet is rated at 17 miles per gallon in the city, 29 mpg highway. And, at around 50k, is a good boglehead-like value, well almost .
those specs got my heart rate going, dcb. I'd like one in matte black. How do the specs compare with the Nissan GTR? I don't need zero to 60 better than 3.8, like the fuel economy, and the price!
Another vote for a Land Rover, if only they were reliable. Otherwise I really have never lusted over cars. I think I know that a race car would be really dangerous for me to own.
Last edited by letsgobobby on Wed Jan 22, 2014 1:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
A 911 on the Autobahn/Nurburgring. I am still unsure of the flavor I would like, but I have a special place in my heart for a 1998 air cooled 911 Carrera 2S in silver with a black interior. The prices have been climbing for a decade, and are getting more expensive every day. I saw one for sale the other day with low miles for close to $70K. More than new! I LOVE the new 911 GT3. Would certainly make a good consolation prize, but it would break the 3X price rule.
I think I would settle for a 2010 Boxster Spyder (with a 3.8 heart transplant) on the Pacific Coast Highway. San Diego to San Fran and back. Gotta hit Laguna Seca for a few laps on the way.
The other is a 1964 Shelby Cobra 427 AC. Coast to Coast on Route 66. I could certainly get a repli-car with an aluminum small block for around $75K I don't think I could actually do 3000 miles in one, but it would be a blast. One day when I retire I WILL make a cross country trip in a convertible.
I did rent a Lotus Elise and do a Banzai run from Vegas to the Hoover Dam. Awesome memories right there. I'm going back in March. I might have to dip my toe into a new Stingray, if I can find one for rent.
I also rented a Ferrari 430 and did a few laps at a local track in Joliet IL. The noise that thing made at 7000 RPM was better than the sound of angels printing money.
Where are all the customers yachts? |
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“The most powerful force in the Universe is compound interest.” -Albert Einstein
livesoft wrote:One that never needs maintenance, never breaks, and keeps itself pristinely clean on the inside and the outside. Quiet on the inside and with a decent sound system.
Yup one of those. Throw in cushy seats, a sunroof, make it the perfect shade of red , impervious to speeding tickets, and I always ride shotgun rather than drive and I'm sold.
Chan_va wrote:
Different strokes for different folks.
Auto-eroticism?
Only if you can go 0 to 62 in seven seconds.
Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake |
Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. |
Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
letsgobobby wrote:Another vote for a Land Rover, if only they were reliable. Otherwise I really have never lusted over cars. I think I know that a race car would be really dangerous for me to own.
I often hear this about the Land Rover, but it does not match our experience. We have owned 5 Range Rovers, and two are currently being used. My wife's 2012 Supercharged can accelerate and stop faster than physics would seem to allow such a heavy vehicle (500+ HP might explain it); no problems with anything although it is relatively new. I drive a 2007 that is just reaching 100k miles, and I have had to replace a few things (hydraulic suspension pump at 70k miles and I had an alternator bearing go noisy recently) but the car has been reliable although we had a problem with the tires scalloping shortly after we got it.
My wife intends to get the new generation Range Rover sometime in the future. She tried to talk me into taking hers so that she could buy it now, but I'm waiting for the Tesla X. The Tesla is probably the first car I've actually really been looking forward to; I usually just happily accept my wife's hand-me-downs.
As for my "dream car," I always get some envy when I see a Bentley. Then again, I confuse the Chrysler 300 grille for a Bentley half the time.