Just got a 2019 Subaru Forester. Had a 2012 till someone decided to T-bone me on the drivers side. The car held up very well to the impact. Walked away even though the damage was such insurance called it a total loss. Safety was a main consideration in getting the new one, plus the AWD system, improved mileage and reliability of the brand. Had an older Honda CRV (2006) and almost bought another, great small SUV. So what do you drive and why?
In the drive. Wife: Audi Q7 Daughter: Jeep Liberty Son: recently turned 16 and took my Jeep JK Rubicon with 2 1/2” Teraflex/Fox lift, Poison Spyder flat flare fenders, Poison Spyder front and rear bumpers with tire carrier running on 35’s. Both soft and hardtop with same doors. Me: on my sixth and final BMW which is a 550ix MSport. Nothing wrong with BMW’s but I’m excited to get a new Jeep JL Rubicon Unlimited. I’m not going to miss parking in the nose bleed sections anymore worrying about door dings or scuffing a rim, plus once you own a nice Jeep, (meaning a Wrangler) there’s no going back. The Jeep Gladiator just hit the dealerships so I’m either ordering that or a Wrangler in the Rubicon version next month. Did I mention I had to replace two tires this last winter due to potholes in the Bimmer? Ya, it’s been fun but time to move on.
A Nissan Juke for my wife because of the AWD in the snow. She passed so I kept the Juke and got rid of my pick-up for the better gas mileage. Also have a Harley I ride that needs no explanation.
Daily Driver: ---------------- Yamaha T-Max 500. It is a sports motorcycle chassis, in a skin of a scooter, the ultimate 'wolf in sheep skin'. Mine is tweaked to over 65HP, racing variator, and PowerCommander. This thing weighs ~450 lbs. Because the motor is mounted in the center, close to the ground, it has a center of gravity of a few inches inches off the ground, which translates to lightning fast side to side flips. You just need to think about the corner, and the bike tilts. It has huge beefy brakes, and it looks amazing, opinions vary. You should see the faces of some 600 so called "YamaZuki sports bikes" on a winding road, seeing a scooter in the mirror signalling to pass. It has storage space for a full helmet and some, and doesn't draw attention. I looks like a very large spaceship scooter. It is unbelievably nimble in the city, and comfortable even for long drives, and it is freeway legal. > 40MPG stock, mine does ~30 if I push it. If you like motorcycles, you owe yourself to test drive one someday. Even bone stock, you will see why it is the ultimate daily driver. You can no longer get new ones in the US, but you can find a low mileage 2009 for less than $4K or a 2015 one for less than $6K.
Weekend Driver: ----------------------- 2003 Mercedes Benz SLK 32 AMG.
There were only ~4K of these ever made, with just ~2K making it to the US. It was the first Mercedes, and one of the first cars in general, to offer a fully automatic retractable hard 'Vario-roof'. It has the smallest V6 AMG engine ever made, and the last one to use a supercharger. In spite of the engine size, when it came out, it was the fastest AMG model in the lineup. It had the honor of getting a Brabus version. Jeremy Clarkson owns one of those. The SLK 32 AMG offers 349 HP, and 332 lb·ft of torque.Mercedes quotes 0-60 at 4.8 seconds , some magazines quoted it as low as 4.6 seconds. With some not too expensive mods, owners report getting to the sub 4 seconds domain. It's an amazing two seater convertible, with Mercedes ride quality. It's a lot of fun to drive even as a daily car, but taking it for a ride with the top down on coastal highway 1, makes you really appreciate it. Mine is white, in mint condition, with only 51K original miles. Except for an aftermarket radio/CD player, and a smart-roof module, it is stock. You can still grab a decent one for ~$13K - $15K.
Vacation Driver: ---------------------- Thor four winds 23U RV on a ford E-450 super duty 6.8L V10 Triton. Bought on a whim about a week ago, no opinion met. Just got a really good deal on one.
I took my car in for an oil change and spring check up last week at 116,000 miles. They told me another customer had the exact some car 2003 VW Passat with 366,000 miles. So many years of ownership ahead of me I hope and the car is long paid off!
My first Porsche was a 944 Turbo, Guards Red/Black. I loved that car. It was so much better than any other car I had ever driven. I wrecked it when it was just over a year old. Skip Barber fixed that problem. There is an old saying,"Everyone wrecks there first Porsche" So I suppose I am typical. They are trying to take our manuals away from us! Ferrari and Lambo do not make one manual car between them and we have to fuss at Porsche to keep giving us manuals. Look what they just did. They released only PDK 992 911s. Fortunately, I have Smiley who should be able to make it to the end of my life. Consider it a challenge.
That Toyota will run 20 years . My neighbor drives his 2001 Camry to work every day , in Twin Cities traffic and weather that’s no mean feat .I’ve driven it , 160,000 miles and running fine .
Just drove my coworkers 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid SE. Very nice and quiet car with some luxury touches. Great gas mileage and more power than one would expect from a hybrid car. The only downside is that nothing budget about it. Same $$$ range as a premium SUV. I guess if one keeps it for 10 years the gas savings will equalize the price.
2006 Porsche 911 C4S manual. Speed Yellow, Aero Kit, Roof Racks for bikes and ski box. Named "Smiley" by my daughter as he looks like a smiley face. There is no substitute. Just be ready to work on your own car then keeping it in top shape is not that bad. Parts are easy to get. Everyone who sees the car thinks it is brand new. Goes like a bat out of hell and the ladies love it. I can't get out of a supermarket parking lot without getting hit on. Wish I had the thing when I was 19.
Accord is most bang for the buck auto in US market . The most reliable cars are , beyond a doubt Toyota , but Honda is close and more fun to drive . Mercedes are sucker cars .
You generally need to be either a member of a club like NASA, the club I'm with ($45 a year), or go with one of the driving schools like Chin Motor Sports. Expect a weekend to cost close to $400 for eight 20 minute sessions with an instructor (if you are a beginner). Instructors drive for free.
Tracks often have memberships as well. Kind of like a golf/country club. You can get lots of open track time that way but it is very expensive. You'd have to live close by and drive a lot for it to be worth it.
I cannot recommend getting into track days/ racing and hi-fi unless you are well healed........or figure out how to do both on the cheap....like me. ;-)
I just checked Virginia International Raceway website. Is it that a person cannot come with her/his own car without being a member of some club? Did I miss the option of coming alone?
I haven't read the last 200 replies in this thread but thought I'd share this:
I just got back from a weekend of instructing at Virginia International Raceway. My lap times and top speeds are pretty pedestrian in my unmodified 350z. But the guy I go with has a '67 Mustang. He hit 170mph on the back stretch!
Me: Buick Enclave. Because I move lotsa stuff. (And I love it) Wife: Audi TT. Because it’s SO DAMN MUCH FUN!!! And fuel efficient to boot!
Previous faves: 1956 DeSoto Firedome sedan (first car, favorite ever) 1966 Pontiac Tempest convertible (2nd favorite) 1983 Chrysler LeBaron convertible (Mark Cross edition. Sweet) 1986 Jeep Grand Wagoneer (gas guzzler, but what a great ride!) 1988 BMW 325e (awesome ride, $$$ maintenance) 1992 Chrysler LeBaron convertible (Super sporty. Lost in a flood) 1995 Dodge Caravan (drove the wheels off) 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee (drove the wheels off) 2002 Toyota Sienna (loved it. Traded it in for the Enclave)
Left out a bunch of turds and beaters. Damn, I’ve had a lot of cars!
cpcarter2....*G* That's a thought...whereas audio thrills are primarily cerebral, vehicles are the visceral end with a certain level of 'high speed chess' thrown in. Mixing both in excess, however...can be nearly as bad as cell-phone distraction....
Enjoy your Vivaldi, but Beware Self-imposed Vivisection.
2015 “50 years” edition Mustang GT Premium, 6 speed, in Competition Orange. I was born in 1965, and have loved Mustangs since I was 7 years old... one year before I fell in love with my dad’s stereo system! Lol. My wife drives our VW Jetta. This year I plan on getting a Tahoe or Suburban... we have ten grandkids to cart around. Only the littlest ones can fit in the back of the Mustang :)
@ tecknik- Smart life choices! Must admit I'm a little jealous...
This is definitely an interesting thread, perhaps even more interesting if it were titled What cars have you owned? The reason being, I'm currently driving a VW Jetta and completely happy with it, but previously have owned lots of German cars including two BMW M3s (for serious speeding), and a modified Land Rover Discovery (for serious off-roading).
2017 Honda SH 150 scooter, living 45 minutes north of Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam. I was born and raised in HB Calif. attended Marina HS in the late 70,s had all sorts of cars from a 65 Shelby GT350 , various 4x4,s, Infinity Q45, Volvo 850 T5 and have no desire to own another car.
Retired 2 years ago at age 55 and enjoy the easy life style of S.E Asia vs the constant one up man-ship in the western world. Left 22 years ago and have been back twice since. Completely debt free the last 22 years as well, built a beautiful house with my Vietnamese wife and we spend are time baking and traveling. How many can say there completely debt free in the western world..
I have lived my life by working to live, not living to work.
I love my BMWs. Summer I drive a BMW Z1. Uncommon in US. Lots of fun. I instruct and Track (used to race) a 95 M3 LTW fully gutted, WB, and not street legal. Hasn’t run for a couple years. Euro engine going back in. Project car lagging is 94 E36 325 MTechnic S54 DD is a 2015 228 modified tastefully, ordered properly for sport: Perfomance Brakes, no sunroof, Manuel seats etc...
I have $ down for an M2 Permormance, but I’ve twice “not” pulled the trigger. Hate anything new depreciation wise. Used to run ABL ORIGINAL PARTS
2002 Nissan Maxima. Needed the space for my breeding program (I have three kids). I put in a One-Off the top of the line Alpine System, and fully dynamatted it out. In all this time I have spent almost nothing on it. The reliability is just off the scale. I guess I should 'upgrade' but it still drives like a new car. When that sad time comes and my machine must join all the other retired cars in the sky I will either get another Nissan or go German.
When I lived in the suburbs (Princeton, NJ) I had a variety of cars ranging from a BMW M3 to a Lexus (when I was doing a lot of Turnpike driving - far less fatigue).
I’ve moved into a NYC apartment now, and only use a car to get to a weekend place in Litchfield County, CT. I figured get something reliable that is less likely to get stuck, and I won’t mind if it gets dinged up in the garage. Subaru Outback 3.6R.
I've also found I care far less about performance and luxury over the years. Ironically, as I've increasingly been able to afford it. When I was younger I swore I would buy myself a Porsche when I made a certain income & rank threshold at my employer. It's been 18 years since I passed that threshold - no Porsche.
2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 - because it's quick (but not fast enough to get me arrested or killed), handles like a go cart, stops quickly, it's convertible, has reasonable fuel efficiency, is cheap to insure, never breaks down, is cheap to maintain, is easy and cheap to modify (which I have chosen not to do), it surprisingly has a 5-star front and rear crash rating, it's small enough that it's not likely to be door dinged in parking lots, it looks cool in titanium grey metallic paint with red and black interior, and it's easy to hand wash and wax quickly due again to its small size. I bought it new and I only have 82,000 miles on it. Most important reason - it's fun to drive.
I've considered getting a Porsche Cayman S, or a used 911 Turbo but the next generation RX-7 or a new Mazdaspeed MX-5 is what will probably force my hand to get something new. Bring it Mazda.
2018 Subaru Forester. Last year available with a manual transmission. (I'm not sure I've ever owned an automatic transmission car -- and I'm an old geezer who's been driving for a long, long time.) Forester sometimes feels like a luxury car compared to my previous daily driver (which I certainly still have) -- a Porsche 993, which was also my track car (with a homemade roof rack to carry my racing tires), but as impractical as you might imagine for grocery shopping, etc. Even my Ferrari 512TR is more practical than the 993, at least as far as cargo carrying. Previously had many Audis -- S4s and S6. And others, not generally as interesting, except for my 944.
Why? Guilt-free driving since I also have solar power installed at home. The car is seriously fast, fun to drive and quiet. In addition, the sound system is quite good to boot. Finally, my wife also likes it because she claims that the autopilot does a better job than I do at maintaining the car in the center of the lane, while cruising in the freeway.
@glupson- you’ll be so toasted by driving you won’t enjoy the show. Flying is a pain, but-- a 13 hour drive? I’d need a day of rest, at a minimum. And you’ve got to contend with hotel reservations- i have no idea how bad that is for this show. I know, having just experienced SX here in Austin that the rates go thru the roof.... And now that the festivities are over, back to normal, sorta.
While we are at the subject of driving, what do you girls/guys think about AXPONA? Is it worth driving hundreds of miles, 13-14 hours of straight driving I think, to visit it? Is any of you going?
Cars and motorcycles have been a lifetime obsession. Self taught mechanic, started by taking apart lawnmowers, by age of 16 working on my own cars and motorcycles. I've probably owned over a hundred cars over the years, some of the more interesting were 1969 Camaro Z28, 1969 Dodge Charger 440ci, 1973 Plymouth Roadrunner which I dropped a 440ci six pak into. Mopars great engines, strictly straight line cars, Z28 nice all around car. Many Pontiacs, always GTO's and Lemans Sports. A few Volvo's, unique personalities and great build quality. Always into British cars as well, many MGB's, TR6, always lusted after an XKE. Also, British car people the greatest, always good times at local meets. Lucas electronics are their achilles heel, modern replacement electronics make these cars very reliable. Also, many big bore sport bikes over the years, supercar performance at reasonable cash outlay.
Presently own 2000 Toyota 4runner, can't beat Japanese reliability, I've seen these with over 500,000 miles on them. 1970 MGB GT, 62,000 mile Hawaiian car, classic British sports cars make you feel like a driving hero even when you're barely keeping up with modern traffic! 2011 Mustang GT, modded to be more sports car than straight line car. Coyote engine is world class, just wish it had more of the chassis dynamics of recently sold 1989 BMW e30 325ix. KTM RC390, my little pocket rocket, amazing handling, sort of like classic British sports cars in that you feel like a hero while going at sane speeds, something the big bore sports bikes don't allow.
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