Summer car hunting

Folsom · « **Reply #40 on:** 16 Jul 2017, 06:15 pm »

Quote from: S Clark on 16 Jul 2017, 07:49 am

Maybe because many of us buy cars based on function, not some perception of ego as fueled by auto advertising. I don't give a rats ass about looks. Will it run trouble free for 200+K? Is the price competitive? Is it comfortable? Will it haul people/stuff as needed? Is it efficient/lower carbon footprint? After looking at these parameters, I usually end up with a Toyota or a Honda, small SUV for my wife, sedan for me. I also have a '93 Dodge 250D with a Cummins for hauling loads. It will do it's 5K per year for the rest of my life. Our last few cars have been Camry, RAV4, and CRV... boring cars that do a job and I can walk into a dealer and negotiate for cash. And you don't lose a huge depreciation when you drive it off the lot.

Scott you must not be a fan of classic cars...

I don't care as much about what others would think of what I'm driving as you might think I would. But I do know my beater car I have kept around because it's maintained, isn't a good one to drive if you want anyone to think you're more than trashy.

Thing is I need a little feng shui. I'm not a happy person if visually I dislike everything I surround myself with. And things that have effort into them count a lot for me. Sadly even nice looking cars today are throw aways, even though they get a lot more mileage out of them; old cars you can replace parts indefinitely and repair the body nearly indefinitely but replacements came sooner for drivetrain.

BTW I like the look of the Rav4 with the spare on the back, Sport model only. I drive one around all the time. But the non-sports are ugly, and the wheel on the back was key. The new ones I don't like.

S Clark · « **Reply #41 on:** 16 Jul 2017, 08:07 pm »

As we grow older, I find that different things have value, and cars just don't do it for me like they used to. Before children and a bigger house, we had a 55 Tbird... about as classic as you can get for an American car. Now I want transportation, not image. Having said that, around 2000 I was driving a British Sterling bought for nearly nothing, and was the most comfortable car I've ever owned. The English know a thing or two about creature comforts, even if they can't figure out air conditioning or how to make electrons behave in a circuit.
I've got nothing against BMW, Jags, or any luxury auto except price. For most of my working life, I kept my cost of a car at $.05-.10 per mile. That was always buying used, and looking hard for bargains. The kind of thing you do when saving for your retirement, kid's college, and trying to build a nest egg.
Now the kid is grown, been retired for quite a while, nest egg put back. Outside the Maserati type autos, I can splurge on just about whatever I want.
The last car I bought was my '13 Camry. They were selling new ones for $21K with a power seat option. At the time, I decided to look at a move up... and checked out the Avalon, expecting an upcharge of 6-7K extra for a couple more do dads and a couple of more inches of leg room. Oh no, for an additional 16 thousand, you got 3 inches, seat heaters, leather, and gps. I wrote them a check for the Camry, and drove it home. Frugality is a habit hard learned, and hard to unlearn.

S Clark · « **Reply #42 on:** 16 Jul 2017, 08:12 pm »

By the way, here was my project car while I was in college. Paid $400 for it with a broken helicoil and a beat up head and piston. Fiat Cabriolet. They're going for over $30K now.

twitch54 · « **Reply #43 on:** 16 Jul 2017, 08:54 pm »

Quote from: gbaby on 4 May 2017, 06:34 pm

I've owned 4 brand new BMWs and found them to be the worst cars I've own as far as reliability and depreciation.

amazing, it took you 4 times to realize that ?

DaveC113 · « **Reply #44 on:** 16 Jul 2017, 09:40 pm »

I like cars, used to own a welding/auto shop, but these days I never want to work on my car and it can't cost too much to own. I'm on my 4th Subaru Impreza since 2005 and they never cost more than $200/mo to own not including insurance. Even with my payments much higher than $200/mo the total cost of ownership after resale is super low. The last one got totaled by a lady running a red light and with taxes included I got back more than I paid for the car 3 years before because resale value was so high.

oem-wheels · « **Reply #45 on:** 17 Jul 2017, 12:16 am »

that Fiat is COOOOL !! with its good looks, an engine, couple of hoses, and less wiring than a single speaker cable and you're good to go

S Clark · « **Reply #46 on:** 17 Jul 2017, 02:17 am »

Yeah, I did some really stupid stuff in that car. 15-20 years ago, I actually found another one abandoned in a motel parking lot in Arizona, and tried to get the motel owner to claim title so I could buy it from him. A year went by, and it disappeared. Mine was the 1500 engine and called "Vetter Special". It took me 8 months to find a head for it, and had to get rings from the factory in Torino, Italy. That little guy would scream around corners.

rif · « **Reply #47 on:** 27 Jul 2017, 01:51 pm »

Ok, I know I'm going off topic, but I really think this will interest whoever is reading this thread. Mods can move it if necessary.

I was at the BMW Museum in Munich, Germany yesterday and saw one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen: a BMW 507. This one was owned by Elvis, which may explain the pink interior.

stlrman · « **Reply #48 on:** 27 Jul 2017, 05:11 pm »

BMW = Bring My Wallet

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #49 on:** 27 Jul 2017, 08:20 pm »

In my country the old BMW bikes has less expensive parts cost than the Japs bikes.

Archguy · « **Reply #50 on:** 28 Jul 2017, 01:25 am »

Yeah the 507 has always been one of my 'dream cars'.
It's preposterously rare. BMW barely had its head above water at the time.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #51 on:** 13 Dec 2017, 01:24 am »

Total direction change.

Will keep the workhorse Ford Fusion for daily and winter use.

Now thinking 2011 and newer 135i convertible. Seen some nice ones...

Spring will come. But first lots of snow!

dolsey01 · « **Reply #52 on:** 13 Dec 2017, 06:20 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 13 Dec 2017, 01:24 am

Total direction change.

Will keep the workhorse Ford Fusion for daily and winter use.

Now thinking 2011 and newer 135i convertible. Seen some nice ones...

Spring will come. But first lots of snow!

Not as nice but you can usually find some low mileage Z4's under 10K. I almost jumped on one but it was an automatic and I really only want a manual for my "fun" car.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #53 on:** 13 Dec 2017, 08:32 pm »

The 2 seaters are interesting.

I still miss my 1995 BMW 318Ti. Unless I think about what it was like merging!

This will be a 3rd car in the fleet, and my "standard" specs will still need to be respected - has to be automatic (I tried teaching my wife to drive stick in the 318), has to fit all 4 of us (I never said comfortably in the back), and has to fit in the garage. I am willing to overlook my 4th spec - a V8.

Then again, there are some nice 2012-2014 Mustang GT convertibles out there too. But the interiors really don't do much for me.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #54 on:** 6 Jan 2018, 08:09 pm »

After considering a lot of things, I did pull the trigger this weekend. My mechanic will review the car to confirm on Monday.

I read a ton about the 335/135 motors, and decided that for me the added performance was actually secondary to what the package delivers anyway. I figured the 3.0 naturally aspirated motor was the right choice for me.

A 2008 BMW 328i cabriolet. 60K miles, 1 owner car, clean carproof. Loaded up (other than iDrive (which from what I read about 10 year old versions I am happy not to deal with) with comfort access, sport package and luxury package. Mineral grey on black Dakota leather.

Who else would buy a convertible in January? Some nut I guess! I am confident it will deliver all the fun my T Bird did, with the added benefit of occasional open motoring.

Will keep the 2009 Ford Fusion around for daily use, and in time will replace with a more up to date family oriented car. The 2014 Acura RDX will see most of the family duty for now.

Bring on something other than -20C!

richidoo · « **Reply #55 on:** 6 Jan 2018, 11:58 pm »

Congrats on the new ride! Looks very sweet!
I have a 2008 328i sedan with 160k. It is a great car. On your inspection, find out if the valvetronic eccentric shaft sensor has been replaced. It is under the valve cover, gets saturated with oil and causes hard start, no start, run rough condition, but it doesn't throw a code! The new part is better sealed. Other than that I've had no problems with the car, still love driving it.

ArthurDent · « **Reply #56 on:** 7 Jan 2018, 12:09 am »

Nice snag Mark. An '08 with 60K is obviously a very gently used vehicle. Enjoy the wind in your hair, when the time comes. Or just bundle up & laugh in the face of those -20C temps as you roll thru the snow.

HsvHeelFan · « **Reply #57 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 02:30 am »

My aunt says BMW stands for "Big Money Wasted". I still want a 2000-ish M5. I just can't afford the upkeep on one.

If I could have any sedan on the planet it would be a 2001 M5 in dark blue with tan interior.

HsvHeelFan

mcgsxr · « **Reply #58 on:** 19 Jan 2018, 05:30 pm »

Well, it would have been fun. But it turns out it was too low for my mech's lifts.

I could have sought out a new mechanic I suppose, but given my successful 25+ years with this guy I decided that I would rather find a car that works for us both. Not everyone's choice I am sure, but it is mine.

It may be that the sports package made the car significantly lower, or that the previous owner had modified it. I don't know.

I will keep looking. And it has not sold anyway, so who knows what the future might bring!

I did see a 2005 CLK500 I think I should test drive...

mcgsxr · « **Reply #59 on:** 21 Feb 2018, 08:25 pm »

I test drove a couple of CLK500 cabriolets. They are nice cars. I like that they lean towards luxury over pure sporting intention.

I am going back to see a 2005 with 72K miles on it next week. It has had 3 owners, but over 13 years I can understand that.

I find these quite rare in Canada. There are many 320 or 350 versions, but the 500's or later 550's are rarer. When I look at US autotrader, there are many more and I suppose that makes sense given the 10x the population down there.