Car Indulgences - Driving 3 Cars

[Ronstar]

“go buy the car, don’t die with just the brochure.”

Some of the best advice I’ve seen in a while. And applies to more than cars.

 

[Car-Guy]

Some of the best advice I’ve seen in a while. And applies to more than cars.

+1 "Tomorrow is promised to no one"

 

[NoiseBoy]

I am single and own two cars; a practical BMW X5 SUV and my fun to drive car is a 2006 BMW 330i 6-speed. I flirted with the idea of a used Ferrari or Porsche, but decided to stay in the BMW family for a few reasons. The first reason is that I was worried about the maintenance costs for the boutique brands. I'd heard stories of $1,000 oil changes on Ferraris. But the main reason I chose a sporty, but still practical BMW sedan for my fun car, is that I am past that age where I want to get in and out of a car that is "sitting on the ground." Finally, the roads where I live are in pretty bad shape and my car, which has 18" wheels and the Sport package, is about as sporty as I think our roads will support.

What are your roads like? Have you climbed in and out of a Carrera to see if you fit? Can you make a run to the grocery store in a Carrera? My 330i is sporty, but still practical enough to allow me to drive my "fun" car everyday (except Sundays when I take the SUV to make sure it gets driven at least once a week.) When I was searching for a fun car, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, and when this car popped up I flew out to California to buy it and drove it home. It was a 1-owner 2006 with just over 100k miles on the clock. The wheels have a fair bit of curb rash and the paint has some warts too, all of which means that I can use it as my daily driver without fear of it getting a scratch. I still take good care of it, but it's not a collectible if you understand my meaning. That's what I would recommend that you get; something fun that you can drive regularly. Finally, I live in Illinois which has good top-down motoring weather for all of about 2 - 3 months of the year, so convertibles have never been high on my want to own list.

 

[CaliKid]

I did the 911 cabrio thing. Was fun for a minute. Had the car less than two years. Luckily I bought used so was easy to sell for about the same as what I paid for it. It honestly wasn't that great. Good but not great. Just not worth the expense, constant worry about door dings, expensive repairs ($200 oil changes). I drove my daily driver (boring 4 door sedan) most days. As stated, glad I bought used as it was not a costly lesson. Another option would be taking over someone's lease on swapalease. Then it's sort of a set expense for a period of time.

 

[Nick12]

I grew up with posters on my bedroom wall , Farrah Fawcett, exotic cars, tropical islands, etc. I dreamed of them while staring at them for hours . I've experienced most of them while working hard, investing and living below my means. I just didn't get a chance to experience Farrah or any of the Charlie's Angels.

 

[Car-Guy]

I grew up with posters on my bedroom wall , Farrah Fawcett, exotic cars, tropical islands, etc. I dreamed of them while staring at them for hours . I've experienced most of them while working hard, investing and living below my means. I just didn't get a chance to experience Farrah or any of the Charlie's Angels.

Well you missed out big time didn't you..... Me too.


I always thought Jaclyn Smith was the best angel... Still is from my POV , but YMMV

 

[eytonxav]

If I could get in and out of it, I would probably opt for the upcoming C8 Z06 with the flat plane crank. Sounds like a Ferrari.

That said, I have always had non-daily driver performance cars, but after my current RS5, I will probably abstain from any of the gas powered options and wait to see what happens with the electrics.

 

[Car-Guy]

I didn't know the C8 Z06 was available yet... Getin out of the loop I guess.


EDIT... Never mind, I now see you said "upcoming". Do you know if they have decided if it will be AWD or not? I know it was being debated but I've lost track. An AWD Z06 would probably be a 10sec car even with street tires.

 

[finnski1]

Well you missed out big time didn't you..... Me too.


I always thought Jaclyn Smith was the best angel... Still is from my POV , but YMMV

Yes. Was a huge Jaclyn Smith fan!

 

[Nick12]

I'm in the market for a modest manual transmission car that will serve as a third vehicle. Used car prices are very discouraging and may push me towards a new or late model used vehicle.

Having trouble convincing myself to pull the trigger to buy it.

If you can find one try cars.com try a new manual transmission Chevy Sprint. It is like an econo-box match book car and gets the job done.

 

[Nick12]

Well you missed out big time didn't you..... Me too.


I always thought Jaclyn Smith was the best angel... Still is from my POV , but YMMV

At 75 years old, Jaclyn Smith looks incredible.

 

[Car-Guy]

At 75 years old, Jaclyn Smith looks incredible.

+1

She even drove the better car in the TV series back in the day... A Mustang II if I remember.. POS car but not for the timeframe.

 

[indiajust]

Hmm. Such vehicles are easy to flip, and you obviously don't care about depreciation. Consider pricing out the lease option, so that you will always be in a spiff new ride.

 

[ajs56]

I have been in part time retirement mode since the end of 2019 with plans to start withdrawals in 2022. My biggest vice is probably cars... I like (and enjoy) a nice car and currently drive a 2019 AMG GT 53 and my wife drives a 2019 X5. While I don't drag around clients anymore, I "compromised" with the practical side of my brain by owning one 4 door sedan and one SUV which was good for some hardware store pickups and hauling extra peep(s) and luggage on vacations. On my car bucket list has always been a convertible 911 Cabriolet, but if I did buy this car, I feel the need to have some other vehicle with some "practicality", like a pickup, as I would not drive the 911 every day and want something else that made some sense.

So here's my rub and my questions... indulgence aside, am I setting myself up for a big disappointment (i.e. "2 best days... bought a boat/sold a boat")? For those of you who have the extra "fun" car, how often are you driving it compared to the other car? Any regrets, glad you you have the 2 car combo, do it differently next time? What cars do you own?

I get it's all personal, but curious of the experience of those who might fit in this category.

DW and I have 3 vehicles - 2018 Ford Edge, 2013 F150 4x4, and a 2006 Mustang GT convertible "fun" car.

We bought the GT just recently to replace our previous 2006 Mustang convertible which we totaled August 2020 when a guy in a pickup ran a stop sign and we t-boned him. (Scary, but no injuries thankfully.) We weren't sure if we'd replace the convertible as we'd had it since 2007 and thought maybe we were "over it". But we weren't, and found a very sharp GT with only 33k miles.

We've had a third "fun" car, usually convertibles, for most of our adult lives. We only drive the convertibles in the summer months, and maybe put 3-4k miles on annually, ice cream runs, out for dinner, road trips, etc. Best road trip was Chicago to California on route 66.

As long as the insurance and maintenance is affordable for you, AND you have a place to store/garage it, I say get it and have fun!!!

Happy trails!

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I am single and own two cars; a practical BMW X5 SUV and my fun to drive car is a 2006 BMW 330i 6-speed. I flirted with the idea of a used Ferrari or Porsche, but decided to stay in the BMW family for a few reasons. The first reason is that I was worried about the maintenance costs for the boutique brands. I'd heard stories of $1,000 oil changes on Ferraris. But the main reason I chose a sporty, but still practical BMW sedan for my fun car, is that I am past that age where I want to get in and out of a car that is "sitting on the ground." Finally, the roads where I live are in pretty bad shape and my car, which has 18" wheels and the Sport package, is about as sporty as I think our roads will support.

What are your roads like? Have you climbed in and out of a Carrera to see if you fit? Can you make a run to the grocery store in a Carrera? My 330i is sporty, but still practical enough to allow me to drive my "fun" car everyday (except Sundays when I take the SUV to make sure it gets driven at least once a week.) When I was searching for a fun car, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, and when this car popped up I flew out to California to buy it and drove it home. It was a 1-owner 2006 with just over 100k miles on the clock. The wheels have a fair bit of curb rash and the paint has some warts too, all of which means that I can use it as my daily driver without fear of it getting a scratch. I still take good care of it, but it's not a collectible if you understand my meaning. That's what I would recommend that you get; something fun that you can drive regularly. Finally, I live in Illinois which has good top-down motoring weather for all of about 2 - 3 months of the year, so convertibles have never been high on my want to own list.

I don't know that I have ever seen "practical" and "BWM" used in the same sentence (at least that was as a negative connotation).

 

[Whoosh]

I bought a 1985 911 in 1992 and I still have it. It was a ton of money for me then, but I wanted it. The stock fund I sold to buy it would probably be worth $200k today - but you only live once! The silver lining - the 911 has risen in value in the past decade to where it is worth several times what I paid for it. It is literally one of my best appreciating assets - I wish I had filled a warehouse with air cooled 911's 20 years ago. That said, I did not buy it as an investment, but it has returned both financially and is a joy to drive. If money is no object, go buy the 2021 - it's beautiful.

IMO, the smart way to buy a 911 is to find one a few years old that's been lightly used. That way you can have some fun with it, and if you get bored you can probably sell it for close to what you paid. And who knows - if you hold it for 25 plus years it may become a collectible.
The market for 911's at the moment is super hot - even getting a new one is a challenge I am informed by one of my friends lusting after one also.
BTW - my other rides are very boring - a RAV4 and a Mazda 5.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I bought a 1985 911 in 1992 and I still have it. It was a ton of money for me then, but I wanted it. The stock fund I sold to buy it would probably be worth $200k today - but you only live once! The silver lining - the 911 has risen in value in the past decade to where it is worth several times what I paid for it. It is literally one of my best appreciating assets - I wish I had filled a warehouse with air cooled 911's 20 years ago. That said, I did not buy it as an investment, but it has returned both financially and is a joy to drive.

I bought an '82 911SC (Targa) in 1992 or so. Sadly, I sold it near the nadir of the curve of price vs. time!

 

[Whoosh]

I bought an '82 911SC (Targa) in 1992 or so. Sadly, I sold it near the nadir of the curve of price vs. time!

A 1980 911 SC with 150K miles went for $60 k on Bring a Trailer last week! Simply amazing.

 

[aja8888]

A 1980 911 SC with 150K miles went for $60 k on Bring a Trailer last week! Simply amazing.

BAT prices tend to be higher than the "good old days" before the site got sold last year and now dealers and shill bidders are infiltrating. I keep reading more and more sad stories from recent buyers. I have been on the site since day one.

It's a great place but now that it is becoming commercialized, and BAT-written descriptions are vague (or inaccurate), it's Buyer Beware. Plus, now BAT management has tripled the amount of listings at any given time and don't respond to messages about holding sellers to responding to questions, potential shill bidders, etc.

It's starting look like eBay.

 

[unclemick]

Ford 150 EV debut today. Lusting but not buying an EV. Yet! Past sins:

Datsun 2000 roadster and 1954 Chevy Suburban for practical?

1967 Jag E coupe and 1961 4 door Pontiac.

1969 Camaro SS and 1980 Ford pickup.

1992 Geo Storm and 1986 Dodge Ram.

Old age - Little pickup (GMC Sonora) and Big pickup (Chevy Silverado).

Heh heh heh - really old but lusting - ho hum Honda Fit (city) and full size Silverado ( different one). Thinking I need to join the EV era before hanging up my spurs driving wise.

 

[Whoosh]

BAT prices tend to be higher than the "good old days" before the site got sold last year and now dealers and shill bidders are infiltrating. I keep reading more and more sad stories from recent buyers. I have been on the site since day one.

It's starting look like eBay.

Any suggestions on where you would go today for honest car auctions?

 

[51togo]

A 1980 911 SC with 150K miles went for $60 k on Bring a Trailer last week! Simply amazing.

Whoosh, it is crazy talking about a bubble! The G50 Carreras are reaching six figures. I read that the millenniums are into are cooled Porsches? Even the 996s are not longer cheap Porsches.

DawgMan, I just recalled another option for you and that would be simply sign up for the Porsche Drive. It’s a Porsche program where you may rent or shortest lease monthly or exchange to different model monthly. Insurances are covered as well.

https://www.porsche.com/usa/accessoriesandservices/porschedrive/subscription/

 

[eytonxav]

I didn't know the C8 Z06 was available yet... Getin out of the loop I guess.


EDIT... Never mind, I now see you said "upcoming". Do you know if they have decided if it will be AWD or not? I know it was being debated but I've lost track. An AWD Z06 would probably be a 10sec car even with street tires.

I doubt there will be AWD, at least not initially:

https://www.carindigo.com/news/2022-chevrolet-corvette-z06-c8-expected-to-debut-in-july-2021

 

[51togo]

Any suggestions on where you would go today for honest car auctions?

Whoosh, I’ve purchased two vehicles via ebay. Scary at first but both cases went well! A BMW e39 M5 from Houston with a lien, I flew down to Houston and inspected the car while do the transaction in a Bank with the seller. The other vehicle was a series 100 Land Cruiser from Mich sight unseen but with good maintenance history. Ebay does have some protection, I heard from the BMW seller where he brought a ghost vehicle and Ebay did refunded after several months. I think BaT is a better site for sellers than buyers. I signed up on interesting vehicles on Cargurus and they will alert you when available. There are good deal occasionally but goes fast.

 

[Whoosh]

51Togo - thanks for the insights. I may be looking to sell in the future, but I think I will hang for awhile and see where this 911 frenzy goes.