The Car Discussion Thread

[IMADreamer]

I don't think you could glean any useful information about me by looking at any of the cars I have owned.

I mean no offense by this, but you are a woman, there is no figuring you out. Cars or anything, it's impossible. I once asked my gf when she was done with her corporate job and had to buy her own car what would she get. Since she chose to get a stupidly expensive German car on her companies dime I assumed it would be much of the same once she was footing the bill. Nope her response "I really just want a 1960s VW Beetle." Mind=blown

[haltz]

Eh, a lot of factors go into what car you drive. I drive a '98 Tacoma because I got an awesome deal. Same thing with my gf's '05 Altima. In each case we had a finite amount of money and about a week to make a decision. I like having a truck and the 3.5 Altima is surprisingly fun, but I'd rather have a 1978 Scout and an Audi wagon. Neither car says much about either one of us.

[jim]

I don't know if you are picking up what I am laying down. I'm not calling a Camry a crappy car. I'm calling it a boring car.

I'm sorry if that offends Camry drivers.

All Toyota's are boring cars. They are soul-less.

[jim]

I don't know if you are picking up what I am laying down. I'm not calling a Camry a crappy car. I'm calling it a boring car.

I'm sorry if that offends Camry drivers.

I'm not even sure what you're saying. What makes a car "boring", specifically?

I kinda agree with AW............. people who think of cars as status symbols are probably lacking some self esteem.

I'd be willing to bet that there are more people lacking self-esteem that say that certain car owners are lacking self-esteem. Seriously, get over it. Cars are a status symbol, they are pieces of art, and they are fashion statements. How many people drive around in a pickup truck that never haul a damn thing? It's a statement.

If you drive a Camry, you are saying to the world "I'm Mr. Practical. I am superiour to you and your childish ways. Cars are instruments of transportation to move from point A to point B in an efficient answer."

If you drive a rusted out piece of [expletive] with 200k on it, you are saying "I'm frugal. I take good care of my things and spend my money wisely. I also have more self esteem than you to be seen in this piece of [expletive]. I don't care what others think about me (even though you care deeply which is why you won't get a new car)".

If you drive a BMW "I appreciate craftmanship and the artform of car making.". If it's an automatic tranmission and you never tear around corners feeling the suspension work, you probably really don't and are just a douchebag.

etc...

As far as why I have a car that goes from 0-60 faster than most cars ... it's fun. That's it. I love tearing off from a stop light. I beat people to the next red light, and I'm sure they think I'm wasting gas and being unfrugal and lacking self esteem. Well, you know what? Don't give a [expletive] what you think. I truly don't. I keep it clean, I baby it, and I like it when people come up to me at a gas station and compliment the car. When my wife and I go out on dates, this is the car we take. It's our "date car". I almost sold it last fall, was going to get a Jeep, and my wife said "You can't sell the date car".

I like my car. Every single day I drive it - even just to work - I enjoy it. So all of those daily commutes that most people make to get from point A to point B, those are little Formula 5 races for me. Little turns in the road capture my imagination, and every red light where I'm at the front makes me happy. That's alot of time I spend in my car enjoying it.

Honestly though I don't really care what anyone else drives. I just know what I like to drive, and I don't like "boring" cars.

[jim]

I actually went to Applebee's last night. We got a $50 gift card from my credit card company, so we were frugal. We took "the date car". What a crazy amount of mixed signals I sent the world last night.

[JackofDiamonds]

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

LOL at the mini races every day to work.

A girl I used to live with just bought a brand new lexus suv because her friend bought a used lexus suv, so naturally she had to one up her. Of course, neither one of them can go out on the weekends now and do anything because they're both broke trying to afford their car notes. Neither one of them could care less about cars either. THey just want to go to their 10 year high school reunion with the most expensive car there.

Anyway, everyone has a budget. Apparently even people who drive Ferraris and worry about depreciation. How much each person decided to allocate to their transportation is different. I just don't get the point of allocating any more than is absolutely necessary unless you get enjoyment out of driving. If you don't, like me, save your money for stuff you do get enjoyment out of. I always enjoyed pulling a boat with a truck that cost about 1/5 of what the boat did. Kind of funny watching peoples reactions too.

If that means you have to 'settle' on a camry becuase your wife's is paid off and she want you to drive it when she gets her new car...whatever. There are so many different things that go into paying for a car, choosing a car, buying a car, needing a car, etc that it just seems silly to judge people based on it.

Also, to IMA's neighbor who bought a 32K camry new....what an idiot. Some people have more dollars than sense. Decisions like that might help change that though....

[jim]

Budget ... in 2011 I bought a used 2007 California Special GT Mustang. The CS basically a GT with a fancy trim package - two tone leather, some brushed metal trim inside, bigger wheels, bigger intake to boost the horsepower a little etc... So a really fancy GT. It had 3,099 miles on it - it was absolutely pristine when I bought it. Basically new. I paid $22,000 for it - what could I have gotten for $22K new? Not much.

Moral of the story - you don't have to spend a fortune to have fun. My car now has a tick over 30,000 miles - it's my daily driver unless it snows. The only thing I have had done was new tires - the rubber just got hard on the old tires despite the low mileage. Spent $1k on those. Otherwise - knock on wood - it's been essentially like owning a new car.

[IMADreamer]

Buying used is always the way to go. People usually almost crap themselves when I tell them I paid less then 30k for my Vette. Used Mustang GTs are often over looked for their value. I'd rock one in a heart beat, they are great fun.

Oh well at least one person on this forum seems to get what I'm on about. If you see a black 2008 Vette sitting at a stop light, with a cam that's a little too big, sitting a little too low, and an exhaust a little to loud, that takes off at the green light like it's a fast and furious movie don't think twice about it. It's just me and my small penis out for a drive.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I don't know if you are picking up what I am laying down. I'm not calling a Camry a crappy car. I'm calling it a boring car.

I'm sorry if that offends Camry drivers.

All Toyota's are boring cars. They are soul-less.

I drove one soul-less minivan 18 years. I'm at 8 on another soul-less car which has only cost me routine maintenance and show no sign of not going another 8 or 10. Both paid for driving them off the lot.

I'll take that lack of soul to the bank every freaking day, twice on Sunday, and 24/7/365.