The BaT thread for the cars we won't buy, but kinda wish we would

[robg]

Originally Posted by JST

I mean, get an SS. Put on some straight pipes. Done and done.



At the end of the day, this is a neat build and a great project but it's still someone else's work on a 15 year old car. It's going to be rough in places (not least the lack of ABS).



Every one of us should buy an SS while we still can.

So true.

[blee]

If you gotta have one car, it should be a four-door sedan or wagon with RWD, a big ol' V8, and a clutch pedal. SS it is. Or this, had it been a factory vehicle and not a project. I don't want project car woes while driving my kids to school or making my way from the grocery store in the rain.

But I think that, if you can (or at least want to) own two vehicles, the "fast sedan" idea loses some charm. If you want to be loud, drive fast, turn faster, and look good, no SS or Charger Hellcat will get you there better than a Camaro (or, I guess, Mustang). And if you want to carry people and Stuff in comfort, all the things that make a fun car really fun kind of get in the way during said rain-soaked grocery run.

Given the SS's surprising price point, this is a bit of a harder sell, but I think it would be more versatile and fun to own a used Camaro/E46 M3 and a used 5-series, Accord, Impala, Silverado, Escape...

[JST]

Originally Posted by blee

If you gotta have one car, it should be a four-door sedan or wagon with RWD, a big ol' V8, and a clutch pedal. SS it is. Or this, had it been a factory vehicle and not a project. I don't want project car woes while driving my kids to school or making my way from the grocery store in the rain.

But I think that, if you can (or at least want to) own two vehicles, the "fast sedan" idea loses some charm. If you want to be loud, drive fast, turn faster, and look good, no SS or Charger Hellcat will get you there better than a Camaro (or, I guess, Mustang). And if you want to carry people and Stuff in comfort, all the things that make a fun car really fun kind of get in the way during said rain-soaked grocery run.

Given the SS's surprising price point, this is a bit of a harder sell, but I think it would be more versatile and fun to own a used Camaro/E46 M3 and a used 5-series, Accord, Impala, Silverado, Escape...

I kind of disagree. The problem is that it is not always easy to arrange to have the "fun" car, and if you are splitting carpool duties, you may want to have two four door cars, anyway.

Said another way--I want whatever car I'm driving (especially if I'm driving it a fair amount) to have a certain baseline level of driver involvement. Otherwise, I'm stuck driving an Accord, Impala, Silverado, Escape, or whatever for some big chunk of my life, and I don't want that.

I'm kicking myself for not buying that black SS I drove back in March, but that's just another in a long line of cars I'm kicking myself for either not buying or for selling.

[blee]

I still cry (on the inside, mostly) when I think about my '88 M3. I cry louder when I see how much they continue to appreciate. Damn it all to hell.

What I meant was that it's better for an individual to have the two cars, not the family. In other words, most of us really do need two reliable four-seat (or more) vehicles that are boringly reliable, but not truly boring. So in a family of two drivers, you're talking three cars. The Silverado, the Escape, and the ___. If you won't or can't, then you're right -- the answer is the SS and the whatever-the-significant-other-wants.

Ok, off to go look at photos from the day I sold my M3.

[JST]

Originally Posted by blee

I still cry (on the inside, mostly) when I think about my '88 M3. I cry louder when I see how much they continue to appreciate. Damn it all to hell.

What I meant was that it's better for an individual to have the two cars, not the family. In other words, most of us really do need two reliable four-seat (or more) vehicles that are boringly reliable, but not truly boring. So in a family of two drivers, you're talking three cars. The Silverado, the Escape, and the ___. If you won't or can't, then you're right -- the answer is the SS and the whatever-the-significant-other-wants.

Ok, off to go look at photos from the day I sold my M3.

Yes, true. But even there...the number of times I actually drive the Boxster is really, really low. I'd probably drive it more if I had a garage and it wasn't such a production to get the cover off and make sure the other car wasn't blocking it in, but still--there are days when it's just too much of a pain in the ass.

I'd probably be better off consolidating the fleet down to two cars, but I can't bring myself to sell the Porsche.

[Josh (PA)]

Originally Posted by JST

Yes, true. But even there...the number of times I actually drive the Boxster is really, really low. I'd probably drive it more if I had a garage and it wasn't such a production to get the cover off and make sure the other car wasn't blocking it in, but still--there are days when it's just too much of a pain in the ass.

I'd probably be better off consolidating the fleet down to two cars, but I can't bring myself to sell the Porsche.

*Cough* 135 convertible *Cough*

[JST]

Nah. The 135 solves none of my problems. It's less fun and interesting than the Porsche, while still being a pain for pick up and drop off in the carpool line.

Plus, nothing against anyone who owns one, but they just don't do anything for me, in part because they are so homely.

[Plaz]

Originally Posted by JST

Plus, nothing against anyone who owns one, but they just don't do anything for me, in part because they are so homely.

[John V]

Originally Posted by JST

Nah. The 135 solves none of my problems. It's less fun and interesting than the Porsche, while still being a pain for pick up and drop off in the carpool line.

Plus, nothing against anyone who owns one, but they just don't do anything for me, in part because they are so homely.

The only thing I'd add is it's also a turbo BMW, which ensures a lifetime of annoying care and feeding and really annoying repairs as it gets older.

[robg]

Originally Posted by JST

I kind of disagree. The problem is that it is not always easy to arrange to have the "fun" car, and if you are splitting carpool duties, you may want to have two four door cars, anyway.



Said another way--I want whatever car I'm driving (especially if I'm driving it a fair amount) to have a certain baseline level of driver involvement. Otherwise, I'm stuck driving an Accord, Impala, Silverado, Escape, or whatever for some big chunk of my life, and I don't want that.



I'm kicking myself for not buying that black SS I drove back in March, but that's just another in a long line of cars I'm kicking myself for either not buying or for selling.

This. It's pretty rare for me to have the right car on the right day on the right road. But if you drive something practical with an element of fun you'll have more opportunities. I think a v8 sedan is a great solution to this problem because even when you're sitting in traffic it's fun to hear the engine.