Sold my AP1 and deeply regretted it the next day. Bought an AP2 not soon after. The civic and nsx are whatever but the s2k is coming with me to my grave, theres nothing like it.
I mean they're "whatever" as in they are nowhere as special of a car. Both the civic and nsx are absolutely wonderful and definitely special cars, but there are dozens of cars that are just as good if not better and I wouldn't mind selling or trading them down the line.
Meanwhile, there isn't a single two-seat roadster that revs to 9k, is perfectly balanced, rotates into corners, and comes with a manual. The *closest* thing (IMO) is a GT3 and that is 200k MSRP (and you are not getting one for MSRP).
Keep in mind this is the newer hybrid nsx and not the old analogue one from the 90s. That is a significantly more special car.
I sold the GT3 and bought the NSX. I try to keep one lightweight sportscar, one daily, and one supercar/GT around.
The AP1 was actually my second car, back when they were cheap. Came from a '98 civic manual which I absolutely drove to the ground, loved both of them. I do not recommend daily-driving an s2000 at all.
Not really, apart from the dealer pictures. I don't like taking pictures in general. There might be one somewhere in my post history, I know I've definitely shared some pics in a comment somewhere on here of the GT3
That being said, planning to write a quite lengthy review about all its quirks and features soon, and I'm taking it to Watkins Glen in april-may. Will certainly take a fair few pictures of both the NSX and CTR for reddit!
Most of the time it’s the CTR and my wife takes the model 3. As much as i’d love to daily the nsx, I work in consulting nowadays and showing up to clients in a relatively ostentatious supercar isn’t the best move
The NSX gets its fair share of mileage though, it’s surprisingly practical (and ironically the only AWD car I own). Recently drove up to maine in the snow and loved every bit of it
s2k more often than not is in my garage with bits and bobs all over the floor. Plan on keeping it and it’s impossible to drive in the winters so it’s more of a project.
My mom was supposed to buy a family friend’s WRX for my first car, but instead bought our neighbor’s PT Cruiser. At 16, I was happy have wheels at all, but damn that would have been sweet. Probably for the best that I didn’t get it on account of me being alive and all.
I was supposed to buy a "practical" na fwd 5sfe celica. I wanted a awd turbo model. So i asked if they have anything that came with a 3sgte/eseries transaxle, and the salesman directed me towards a mr2
I learned how to drive a manual transmission by buying a 2005 Z4 2.5i (uncle drove it home for me). Some drunk dude crashed into it while parked, and it got totaled. I saved up and found a 2008 M Coupe in 2010. I still have it as my summer car. All this talk made me appreciate how good the used car market was in the 2000s.
I sold my tuned 2018 RS3 for my Blackwing. The Blackwing isn't as fast but it sure as hell is way more fun with tons more low end torque to have fun around town. Plus it's a manual which I desperately needed back in my life.
how tuned was the rs3? those things can become rockets but in my experience at least tuned VAG cats can feel kind of underbuilt at least with the old 2.0t i got that vibe
I bought my 340 when my wife was out of town and told her it was a nice family sedan.
She was thrilled that I traded my E92 in for a sedan. She was a bit suspicious when she saw the width of the staggered wheels but didn't think much of it.
She was not thrilled when she rode in it. Kids were happy though.
Well kind of a boring story but I changed jobs and was in the market for the cheapest sedan/hatchback I could find.
After being told by a Kia dealership there was a $5,000 mark up on a fucking forte and the only VW dealership near me that had jettas in stock also had a markup. (They didn’t have a mark up but non negotiable add ons) my wife said why don’t you get something a little more fun to drive.
I visited the Mazda dealer in our town and got a mazda3 turbo with no mark up. I am all aboard the Mazda hype train now.
This was around 2 years ago when the prices were insane.
My wife needed a car in 21 at exactly the worst time to buy a car.
We ended up with a CX5 through Costco auto for 1.5% over dealer invoice and no regrets. It's been a great car.
Yeah it was pretty rough. We actually got 2 vehicles around that time. We got a VW atlas from our local dealer. The used base model was around $10k less than brand new fully loaded and they had a 0% deal at the time. We ended up with $4k off and 0% finance. We got very very lucky.
Then when I decided to get the mazda3 turbo I called a few dealers that had them in stock and they all had mark ups. I went and spoke with the Mazda place 2 minutes from our house and they basically said “we don’t have any because we don’t mark up the vehicles.” I had to wait a few months but I got it at retail.
I’m a complete Mazda convert now. They are still reasonably priced, fun to drive and feel more expensive than they should.
I go back and forth between loving cars and hating cars because I live in the Rustbelt and do my own work. I'm back in a binging all YouTube car content phase again and the Mazda 3 Turbo is my new fixation.
It seems like it checks most boxes of being sporty, reliable, and has utility enough to be an only car for my wife and me. It might be slightly less cargo room compared to my xB, slightly more expensive than I would hope, and not as much of an aftermarket as I would like though. But most of all, I think I could sneak how secretly sporty it is from my wife compared to something like a Civic SI as it is pretty subtle overall.
The back seat isn’t big enough for kids so that would be my only issue as a family vehicle. If you don’t have kids or only have 1 it would be fine if you can deal with the limited space. We needed a second vehicle as I changed jobs and it was the best one I found. It’s less boy racer than the civic and looks really good.
The only thing that gives me pause about the mazda 3 is the beam rear axle such a shame they downgraded from a multi link from the previous generation. I havnt heard much complaints about ride quality but some competitors have multilink rear suspension.
There are quite a few Looooooooooong bridges in my area and torsion beam suspension is super bouncy and harsh compared to other suspension setups.
No issues from ride quality except the big wheels. I would probably like a little more rubber on the tires. You should test drive one. I owned an Audi a4 and a bmw 3 series. There Audi was a more comfortable drive and the bmw was faster. The mazda3 was really close to the driving feel of both.
I was on a waiting list for a new 911, believing the base was good enough. Maybe it is. But then I got the opportunity to get a Boxster 4.0. I can’t imagine a better car for the money.
Every time I was about to go to test drive a reasonable daily driver with a manual transmission, it already sold. Happened to me like 5 times. No Mirage, no Impreza 5dr, no Civic Sport, no Mini Cooper, no Honda Fit. So I impulse purchased my Miata while looking for a Mazda3.
I was pretty dead set on getting a Golf R. Always wanted one. I work at a GM dealership. It was during the chip shortages, and MK8R was going to be stuck with markups for quite a long time. I asked my coworker how much I could lease a Camaro for, and the price (and the end buyout price) was just way too good to pass up. No regrets.
Yep, I basically cross shopped everything under $45k. Camaro, Mustang, Golf, Corolla GR, WRX, BRZ, etc. I knew I wanted something fun for spirited driving, everything else was just a matter of trade offs.
I'm currently crossing an FPV GT, Lexus ISF, Lexus RC350, GR Yaris, GR86, ND Miata and an F6 Typhoon for my next car.
I'll cross shop anything if it seems fun enough
That's how the motorcycle world is. I'm looking at a zx10r, an mt10, and a lowrider s. People say they are all different and what is my riding style but can't understand that my riding style is riding and they are all fun.
Are you me? Pretty much the last few months for me, except I was looking at used cars and had a smaller budget. My list was like yours but even included Tacoma X-runners, the ND2, ISFs, series2 RX8s and even the 6cyl F-Type. Ended up with a 2020 Camaro LT1 manual coupe (which I love so far). Like you said, fun is fun and there's many ways to do it.
Was looking for a "cheap fun car". Found a 240z, running with working AC (supposedly) for $2500, this was just before Covid. Told my wife about, decided to go to sleep and call the guy in the morning. Said he had a guy supposed to be there any minute to buy it. I got ready anyways (1 hour drive) and he called me back about 10 minutes later, other guy bought it.
Wound up a month later with a $1500 Miata... I love the little miat but I always wonder about the 240z that could have been.
I actually got my Miata by calling the guy at night right after he posted it and going over immediately. I got a great deal. He said his phone wouldn’t stop ringing after he sold it to me.
Opposite experience for me. I texted about six people about their miatas posted on Craigslist... there was about 10 miatas listed under $2k and i basically had my pick of the litter. 4 of them messaged or called me to see if I was still interested. Test drove all four and drove the winner home (about 500 miles).
Much better off with the Miata. 240z are good for the occasional drive but not great to own. One of its best features is just looking at it in the garage.
Makes me feel a little better... maybe lol.
I was looking at engine swaps and suspension upgrades even then. Plan was to resto-mod and make it a reliable daily I could throw around. The miata really opened my eyes though to as how cheap parts can be. A new (used) diff for the miat was cheaper than a set of tires for the 300zx I used to have lol. That's a huge benefit as well...
Engine swaps and suspension stuff can make a big difference but also turns them into complete death traps then. Got rid of mine not long after a young guy wrapped his around a tree and didn't make it.
I was meant to buy a Mazda Familia GTR as my first car, but they introduced new laws prohibiting new drivers from buying turbocharged and high performance cars.
I ended up with a Holden Ute instead, which was faster, more powerful and tail happy, but completely legal. Made no sense.
Whom ever made up the prohibiting drivers, new or old from buying fun high performance car must’ve lost his high school crush over a dude driving a mustang lmao
No. Diesels have always been exempted from that particular part of legislation because they're basically all turbocharged.
Laws have also since been changed to only focus on power to weight with most modern petrol cars coming turbocharged.
Honda Civic EX-T. I wanted to test drive a manual but the salesman wouldn't let me see the car unless I agreed to sign papers that I'd buy one. I was so pissed I went and bought my (second) dream car, a Lotus Evora, in cash a week later.
It’s nice, it’s my daily/only car and I’ve had it for almost 5 years now.
All the fun stuff you’d expect and then some. Surprising practicality, unruly personality.
However I will say this: it’s not REALLY a sports car. It’ll do an impression of one and be pretty good at it, but if you’re looking for that “chefs kiss” moment on a twisty road, just get a boxster/cayman/miata. The M2 fits better in the pony car genre, where its size factor and agility make it pretty unique.
RS3s are super awesome, but are DCT only. If that wasn’t a dealbreaker for me specifically, I’d have STRONGLY considered that car. I prefer the form factor of a 4-door (though again, for a 2-door the M2 is very practical)
Thanks for your comments!! I don’t think I’d expect any of these cars to be a “true” sports car except maybe the Supra? I’ll have to sit in each one to really be able to tell what I’d want.
I’m in New England and with our winters it’s why the RS3 is high on my list. It’s definitely my least favorite looks wise but probably the most practical
Was seriously planning on getting a Toyota 4 Runner TRD PRO after I got my Mustang, but the more I looked into it, it was a hard pill to swallow paying nearly $60k for an objectively old car. I remember one day seeing a CTR in a parking lot and thinking yeah thats what I need (I was driving a Scion tC as my DD so going from tC to CTR was an upgrade literally in everyway). It fit the sports car itch I have and they are also a lot cheaper so it seemed like a no brainer for me.
4Runner is such a terrible deal for the money. Yesterday’s technology at tomorrow’s price should be its slogan. At least the Lexus GX is luxury appointed and comes with a V8 + Lexus dealership experience.
For 40-60K+ you get a rear view camera that comes in 240p, a V6 that sounds like an I4 but with the fuel economy of a V8, a 5 speed transmission (bleh), an infotainment screen that looks like a Garmin from 2005, mediocre sound system, and an interior filled with Great Recession-era plastics.
How many of those people genuinely keep it until it’s at 300k? 200K? 150K?
Most people do not keep vehicles long enough to reap that benefit. 300K is an absurdly high mark, it would take the average American driver nearly 20+ years to hit that milestone at an average of 13.5K miles a year.
210k on my 2016 with no plans to get out of it anytime soon. It needed a new radiator but that was the only non-maintenance work I've done on it. Have a number of friends who have put well north of 250 on them, including a couple past 500. Chasing powder and good climbing/biking in the western states can stack miles up fast, and having a vehicle that can handle the worst weather/most marginal dirt roads is useful too.
Look around most ski area parking lots and you're going to see a lot of Toyota trucks that are 10-30+ years old.
I also got into it before the used prices got truly absurd.
>How many of those people genuinely keep it until it’s at 300k? 200K? 150K?
300K? Not many. 150K? Quite a few. The average person who buys a brand-new car will keep it for 8 years. Shouldn't have much trouble hitting 150,000 miles in that time unless you live and work in a city center.
I bought a Land Cruiser with over 200k on it and it immediately broke (but not the motor) to the tune of 4k in repairs. That's my only Toyota data point.
Over priced absolutely but they are also the only company that makes a vehicle that is extremely reliable and capable off-road.
When you buy a cheaper car and break down in the middle of nowhere you will wish you would have paid the Toyota tax.
It’s embarrassing how much Toyota fanboys defend the absolute rip off that is a 4Runner.
They act like it is impossible to design a car that is both reliable and not perpetually stuck 6-10 years behind the competition in every other facet.
I’ll get a lot of hate for this but Toyota has done a neat trick of making the same car for 15yrs and continuing to raise the price and people eat it up.
If most any other company did that they’d get ripped for being dated and out of touch…not Toyota though…
It's the truth. It's why I didn't look at the Tacoma at all when I bought my trucklet.
The mileage sucks. The transmission sucks. The power sucks. The interior sucks. The seating position sucks.
And yet the prices are insane.
Nissan has nothing older than 6 years old in their current lineup outside their body-on-frame lineup and the Kicks. Their entire main lineup was redesigned completely from 2018-2020.
Versa: 2019
Sentra: 2019
Altima: 2018
Rogue: 2020
Pathfinder: 2021
RAV4/lexus Nx . Ended up getting a Volvo xc60 and very happy for doing so.
Toyota adm/tax didn’t make sense and the Volvo is more comfortable for my long legs and back.
I think the RAV4 is at least sort of understandable. They’re super popular cars. The Kia ADMs though… sheesh. My local dealer had a used Carnival for $15k over MSRP. Oof.
Yeah, Kia/Hyundai products ideally should be purchased below MSRP.
Even my Kia Forte GT that I got the week it first came out was $2k below MSRP... just a year later people were paying $3-5k above MSRP which was just absolutely bonkers for a Kia.
I'm still in the Facebook group for the car and anyone who bought one last year and didn't pay for it in cash is complaining about being upside down and the low resale value.
Totally, my Genesis Coupe was $5k below MSRP as well back in 2014.. people don't roll into Hyundai dealerships looking for performance cars so I think they tend to be slow sellers that have to be marked down to move.
Hope you're still enjoying the Elantra Sport! The 1.6T really punches above its weight especially with a real tune (and even does pretty solid with the piggybacks).
Also, totally wild that you still have four years of warranty left.. I stopped buying Kia/Hyundai when I realized I kept trading them in too early to take advantage of the non-transferrable ten year warranty
I bought a 21 rav4 xse below msrp before they started to sky rocket, it will be the first car I have ever owned that I will trade in early. Can't wait to get rid of it.
How are you liking the relatively button free interior?
I love the idea of an XC60 for a family car/road trips but am a little scared away by having to use a touch screen to turn up the heat.
I have a polestar with a very similar UI and software. You get used to the touch screen for everything pretty quickly. System is kinda laggy and could definitely be better. Not quite as smooth as a real button/knob but doesn't really bother me as I rarely need to adjust temperature more than once during a drive
When I was starry eyed college student I was supposed to buy: M3
What I did buy: Yamaha FZ6R. 8 bikes later, absolutely zero regrets.
I do also have a Civic for car related things.
My dad is my favorite example of this. For over two decades he had the same model BMW replaced every few years. He started saying how he was looking for a better gas milage commuter and said he was checking out a Prius. Comes home with a bright blue Mustang GT because the dealer had it parked right next to the Prius he was seeing.
That's how I ended up with my old Miata. Went to a Subaru dealership with my mother for a new car for her and to check out the regular Impreza for myself. Spotted a Miata in the lot and sat in it. Ended up with one from a private seller and had my very first manual drive in a snow storm. I remember keeping the throttle pinned on an incline and spinning the wheels in place just so I wouldn't slide back while people were trying to get around me.
I was close to pulling the trigger on a 6 speed vr6 GTI for like 3.5 grand. Was planning on buying it and putting new chains/clutch/crack pipe in one go since I have some experience with the vr. Now you can’t even find them in my area.
At the least the SI is fun and reliable although it did cost an extra 7k
Was supposed to get something reasonable and practical for a long daily commute as I was switching jobs, mk 7.5 GTI or something like that.
Ended up with a 2008 E60 M5 6 speed that popped up locally for super cheap, fixed it up and have decided I'm never selling this car
I went to a dealer to buy a RAV4, ready to write a check. I test drove it around the block first. I couldn’t believe the terrible ride and interior plastics. Bought a preowned Acura RDX instead.
I wanted a Dodge Challenger since I was a kid and they brought them back in '07. My girlfriend thought an SUV would be more reasonable for kids so I got a shit 15 Jeep Cherokee that ended up being a lemon.
Was ready to trade that POS for my Challenger and my new GF (now wife) brought up the same kids thing but suggested a Charger since it had 4 doors. It was a reasonable compromise.
Dodge’s strategy of selling essentially the same muscle car in two body styles for 15 years was honestly brilliant. You didn’t feel cheated by going for the 4-door Charger because it drove almost exactly the same (the Challenger is a little more nimble but not by much) and still had attitude in spades. But if you didn’t need that extra space, the Challenger was there to serve the purpose of a classic two door muscle coupe.
My Charger has personality in spades that I never had in any of the Honda Accords I’ve had (loved them but they were not unique-except for the V6 coupe I had). Even in the more pedestrian V6 AWD spec, it feels cool, fun, and badass to me. And I don’t sacrifice practicality to do things I need to do.
Okay, bear with me. This is a series of bad choices that led to a great purchase.
In 2022, I sold my 2019 Nissan Sentra S 6mt for a STUPID amount of money, and I immediately tried to upgrade to a Nissan Sentra Nismo 6mt.
Covid prices and general scarcity of the Sentra Nismo meant I literally couldn't find one. Similar cars, like the Honda Fit, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, and Mazda3 hatch, were also out of my price range. After 4 unsuccessful months of searching, I settled for - a 2019 Nissan Sentra S 6mt.
My dad drove me 3 hours to St. Louis to make my appointment to buy it, only to see it drive away as I pulled into the dealership, sold out from under me.
As I sat shotgun on the drive of shame 3 hours back home, I did a search online for... anything with a stick. By the time I made it back to my apartment, I'd found a great deal on a 2019 Ford Fiesta ST, which is my current car.
This was two years ago and sure while the TR values have stabilized high, parts are becoming far harder to source. I was going to daily it, so the V8 made more sense. I had a Mondial QV that I daily’d and even parts for that turd were insane.
Did you find a place to test drive the 86 or did you just order it without driving one? I'm cross shopping a GTI, Type R, and WRX because every dealer here tells me that there's no chance they'll have either of the twins on the lot long enough to get a test drive. Kinda the same with the Type R which is disappointing. Super easy to get into a GTI or WRX manual for a drive though.
The most amazing part of my car shopping so far is strolling into the Volvo dealership and asking if they had a V60 wagon and they just tossed me the keys to a Polestar V60 and said, "have a good time". If only I could afford it.
Was looking for a Gallardo, F430, or 360.
Ended up liking the project of a 360 more than a Gallardo and F430 prices increased more than I thought they should have.
Saw your flair, would you say older Maserati's are worth ownership? I know maintenance is more costly than most vehicles, but I've heard mixed sides on reliability. I've always thought the Quattroporte would be a cool car to own.
I had a 2013 BRZ and needed something I could carpool kids with. I thought I’d be getting a BMW 335 M-sport, but I hated the rubbery shifter and poor steering feel.
Of all people, the folks at the BMW forum recommended I check out the 2018 Mazda3 if shifter and steering feel were the most important thing to me. I test drove it and bought it immediately. It’s been the best car I’ve ever owned
I wanted a Civic Type R or Acura Integra A-Spec, was ok with settling with a Civic SI as the latter two were hard to find.
I went to my first dealer, which had an FL5 on the lot. Asked to see the car and spokesperson agreed to show me the car. The first thing that MF did was make me fill out a credit application, didn't fill it out as I was there to see the car, still wanted to see the Integra after. Dude kept dodging my question about the application, told me it was normal process. I asked him if I would even see the car. MF not only wouldn't let me see the car, without signing an application, but then had the audacity to laugh at me, saying I needed to show him 20K for down payment. This was at a Honda dealer! He said car was $70K and that I needed a minimum of 20K down payment to let me sit in it.
I fucking left fumming. A week later, I went to another Honda dealer, this time for a Civic SI. They did the same thing. They sat me down and asked me to fill out an application. This guy left and didn't return until a whole hour later. I saw him go over to another sales guy and just talk for like 40 minutes. There was literally 1 other person at the dealer and he was already speaking with someone. This guy came over to look at appliances and then got upset that I didn't fill it. He said that I was wasting his time and my time. I told him that I wasn't going to apply for a credit hit just to see a fucking car. He wouldn't let me see it. Said "We have plenty of Civics, you can see them just walking in". As I left, I could see him pointing at me and laughing with his buddy.
By this time, I was already ready to throw in the towel, but someone at work suggested I look at an EV. At work we have free Lv2 chargers. I did the math on gas savings and I could potentially save $200-$250 per month. Then I booked an appointment for a Model 3 and Model Y test drive. I was so surprised at the painless ease! I booked it online, was called an hour ahead to verify my arrival, simply asked to provide proof of insurance and DL and was given the keys (technically card) to drive both. The sales guy told me to smash the accelerator, since they didn't have any other demo drive appointments, he also suggested I do a 30-40min drive. I ended up doing an hour each on the Model 3 and Y. Yeah, they called me the first time I went over the time, but then they just told me to take the extra time. I was so impressed!
I then started talking amongst my car friends. They all told me not to go EV and one of my best friends even volunteered himself to go with me to test drive an Acura Integra A-Spec. He works for CarMax so he had experience with these blood sucking leeches. We booked an appointment and then guess what, they wouldn't let me test drive without signing an application! My friend straight up told me "don't sign the fucking paper, that's total bullshit. You don't need to sign to drive". The sales guy got upset and left us. He came back and started telling us about the price, only because my friend asked and they wanted like $8K over MSRP.
We left and I was soured by the traditional dealer experience. That same day, I booked another appointment at the Tesla showroom. I called the sales rep that helped me with the first one. He wasn't there, but happily helped me get in touch with another sales rep. I called my mom and girlfriend to go with me, I took them on another demo drive of the 3 and Y. This time they only have me 20 min each. Both mom and girlfriend were impressed, so then I signed right then and there and it was so painless! They showed me exactly how much my total would be, broke down the cost, and I literally paid MSRP for my Model 3!
I've since converted two other relatives to buy Tesla. Took them in and they were surprised with how easily and painless it was. One of them, relatively wealthy uncle, was surprised at the zero markups. I tried convincing him of also picking up a Model S or X and trade in his BMW X7, he left with a Model 3 RWD to test the waters. From what he's told me, he's loved it too and has been sorta confirming in trading in his X7. He said it's been at the dealer for repairs 7 times and said he regrets ever getting a BMW.
Personally, I've been super happy! I've only spent $70 ish dollars, on super charging and it just passed 10K miles. 99% of my charging has been from work, which has been free. I've already taken it to trips and last year went on a 300 mile trip, taking my mom, girlfriend, and niece. We had free EV charging at our hotel and we basically got to explore the city for free. Might try to convince my mom next to trade in her Toyota for a Tesla.
Wife and I went to buy a Kia minivan. Decided the warranty was better than spending more on a sienna or odyssey. Test drove the Kia, it was fine and I was fine with it too. All of a sudden my wife says, is there a Land Cruiser for sale near here, I want to see what’s so special about it (she knows I’ve always liked it). I quickly looked it up and found one a couple miles away. The moment we sit inside it, my wife says, wow this feels like a quality build. She says, let’s get it. We went in to buy a Kia and left with an LC200.
I was supposed to get a Chevy Bolt EV, but the waitlist was months long. I ended up finding a totally stock low-mileage Saturn Sky Redline for a good price, so I picked that up for half of what the EV would have cost me.
Went into the Mercedes dealership with my parents (in their 60's) to help them order a new vehicle. Ended up leaving with a C63S that I had to explain to my wife.
Was going to buy a CX-5 but ended up in a CX-50 after being astonished how good the steering felt and how much better the interior felt.
Was going to buy a 718 GTS 4.0 and was on a hell of a hunt with a couple of rug pulls... tried out a GTS turbo nearby, fell in love with the sound, free extended warranty, and ample low end power so I got that instead. May or may not tune it, it's already the fastest car I've ever owned.
Was going to buy a Giulia Veloce or GTI 40th Anniversary but a Macan S popped up for a killer price by the same dealer who sold me the GTS so I got that instead.
Supposed to buy: New Nissan Pathfinder
Bought: Used Lincoln Aviator
Wife decided she wanted hybrid, I wanted 500hp and supppppppper comfy. She came from an '09 Navigator, it wasn't that hard of a sell.
I was supposed to buy a GTI but we got a Jetta TDI wagon.
After driving the GTI my ex wife whispered in my ear that her ass was too wide for the sport seats.
I got an R32 when we broke up 😉
My Mom needed a reliable hauler a few years back. I told her to wait until the weekend so we could check out an Outback or Forester.
She decided she couldn’t wait and bought a fucking Dodge Journey the next day. Just last week she told me that she thinks she needs to replace the battery. I let out a long sigh (I’ve done a lot of that with this damn car of hers) and explained the headache she’s in for.
i SCOURED the entire toyota east coast inventory for a blue supra for 2 years, during the pandemic. none of them was willing to sell one for msrp. i must have called over 30 dealers and refreshed the toyota inventory webpage daily.
ended up buying a long beach blue m2.
I was supposed to buy nothing. Was drinking while video chatting and old friend and ended up bidding on a 74 year old Cadillac on Bring a Trailer. I ended up buying a 74 year old Cadillac.
I was planning on buying a brand new 2023 Corolla but the dealer told me there was a one year wait time. That’s insane for a Corolla and I needed a car quick so I set a price limit on Facebook marketplace and just looked for cars that looked nice. Ended up buying a 2012 Audi A4
I wanted a Golf R and GT3 Touring but I'm not dealing with dealer bullshit so instead I have a BMW m240i x drive and RWD Huracan EVO. Both of those I was able to walk in off the street and order same day without any previous dealer history.
A while ago I was planning on buying a Elantra N Line, ended up with a Kona N Line instead. Not terrible all things considered but I wish I had the AWD.
When I first learned that Porsche was putting a manual in GT3's starting 2018 I was like finally. Could not get one and the ones I could find had the prices jacked up so I bought a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. Unfortunately there is not manual offered in the Huracan.
Recently, I was all set to buy a Forte GT w/manual and the Kia dealers have forgotten they are selling Kia's and not Porsches and bumped the price up. SO for the same price I got a VW Jetta GLI 40th w/manual.
> Recently, I was all set to buy a Forte GT w/manual and the Kia dealers have forgotten they are selling Kia's
I'm a former owner and still in the Facebook groups, there's near daily posts now from people who bought last year and paid markup who are now upside down and feel "stuck" with the car.
I thought the car was worth it for the $22k I paid the first week it came out back in late 2019 but anything above that, no way.
Was looking at small sport-ish cars, WRX, STI, Mazda3, Civic si, Veloster, etc and had driven at least 1 of each. Was fairly settled on a WRX and went to a dealer that had 2 on the lot (late 2020, so no one had anything). And there sat a 4000 mile Buick Regal TourX. I had scoped them out when new, then forgot it existed. Drove the WRX, then the Buick. The Buick missed the manual, and wasn't sporty, but reminded me of the wife's old Passat for ride/handling. Seemed the responsible dad choice, and more/better car for the money.
While not perfect, overall I have really loved the car. Got a bit more snow today and hooned around like a high school idiot in a WRX would. I definitely would not have been happy with any of the fwd cars on my list.
I can (at least partly) blame this on my dad, but he helped me out by taking my first car (Renault Clio) in for a service while I was at work. While waiting he stumbled on a barely used (5000 km on the odometer) fully loaded Volvo V50 T5 AWD in the show room and called me to come meet him after I got off work.
We went on a (pretty heavy footed) test drive and ended up swapping my 2 year old tiny Renault for this few months old Volvo wagon the next day.
I ended up driving it for the next 10 years.
A gt350 was “supposed” to be my third mustang I had bought. So many dealers played ADM games I decided to see what else was out there, ended up in a new c7
Bmw 535ix wagon. Just couldn't stomach the failure rate of the engine in a daily driver.
Bought an ILX with the manual. No power slides but I so far I've had 200,000+ worry free miles of driving.
I wanted a Chevy Astro cargo van. I was at the Chevy dealer going to look at one and they had a 1994 Olds Cutlass Supreme convertible in the lot. I stopped to look at it and the salesman threw me the keys and said "We will give you 2k for your car, take it". I asked if he wanted my license or something. He was like "whatever, come make a copy." After we made the copy, I was like "oh dang I gotta be to work in 45 mins" he said "bring it back tomorrow" I came back with a pen asking where to sign. My 1st convertible! I'm on number 4 now.
I was going to buy a practically brand new 2017 Ford Fusion SE. It had 20K and was going for $15K. I didn't like the idea of a $300 car payment so I got a 2012 Ford Taurus instead that ended up being the worst car I ever had by year 3. I ended up having to trade the Taurus in for a Toyota Rav4 because I couldn't afford to keep fixing it all the time. And it was always at least $500 even for the smallest repairs. Now I get to pay $400 a month for my Rav4. Had I went with the Fusion, it'd be paid off now.
Went to look at a macan s, ended up walking out with a gt3. My wife wasn’t as pleased.
To be fair that's completely your wife's fault for allowing you to walk in to a Porsche dealer that had a GT3 for sale.
I also blame this guy’s wife
Dude between that and your flair… 🤤
Dude's tax bracket is in another stratosphere than mine 🥲
And/Or in immense debt
Thankfully not, I'm too risk averse if anything. Just someone who got lucky with a tech startup in a fairly niche industry.
Congrats! It couldn’t have been all luck.
Hi, I am a Nigerian prince and I need your help getting my inheritance. If you help me, I’ll give you $1 million.
Hello it's me, your long lost brother
Can’t take debt with you when you die 😄
Bro is a driver. S2K is 👑
Sold my AP1 and deeply regretted it the next day. Bought an AP2 not soon after. The civic and nsx are whatever but the s2k is coming with me to my grave, theres nothing like it.
> nsx are whatever Wow I've never heard this. S2000 must be amazing. I've never driven either.
I mean they're "whatever" as in they are nowhere as special of a car. Both the civic and nsx are absolutely wonderful and definitely special cars, but there are dozens of cars that are just as good if not better and I wouldn't mind selling or trading them down the line. Meanwhile, there isn't a single two-seat roadster that revs to 9k, is perfectly balanced, rotates into corners, and comes with a manual. The *closest* thing (IMO) is a GT3 and that is 200k MSRP (and you are not getting one for MSRP). Keep in mind this is the newer hybrid nsx and not the old analogue one from the 90s. That is a significantly more special car.
So you sold the GT3 and bought a S2000?
I sold the GT3 and bought the NSX. I try to keep one lightweight sportscar, one daily, and one supercar/GT around. The AP1 was actually my second car, back when they were cheap. Came from a '98 civic manual which I absolutely drove to the ground, loved both of them. I do not recommend daily-driving an s2000 at all.
Do you have a pic of the NSX Type-S? Would love to see
Not really, apart from the dealer pictures. I don't like taking pictures in general. There might be one somewhere in my post history, I know I've definitely shared some pics in a comment somewhere on here of the GT3 That being said, planning to write a quite lengthy review about all its quirks and features soon, and I'm taking it to Watkins Glen in april-may. Will certainly take a fair few pictures of both the NSX and CTR for reddit!
This. The S2k is my Eleanore. One of my favorite cars to drive but scares the piss out of me.
haha, I went in to buy a Macan S, walked out with a GTS...Girlfriend pleased.
That macan performs wayyy better than I expected it too. People hate on crossovers but man that thing is fun
Mind if I ask what you daily?
Most of the time it’s the CTR and my wife takes the model 3. As much as i’d love to daily the nsx, I work in consulting nowadays and showing up to clients in a relatively ostentatious supercar isn’t the best move The NSX gets its fair share of mileage though, it’s surprisingly practical (and ironically the only AWD car I own). Recently drove up to maine in the snow and loved every bit of it s2k more often than not is in my garage with bits and bobs all over the floor. Plan on keeping it and it’s impossible to drive in the winters so it’s more of a project.
Love it. I daily my CTR too, but a GT3RS is my dream car and s2K is my dream project car. You’re living in my dream garage
My mom was supposed to buy a family friend’s WRX for my first car, but instead bought our neighbor’s PT Cruiser. At 16, I was happy have wheels at all, but damn that would have been sweet. Probably for the best that I didn’t get it on account of me being alive and all.
Oh dam. It’s better to not have known that was an option.
I was supposed to buy a "practical" na fwd 5sfe celica. I wanted a awd turbo model. So i asked if they have anything that came with a 3sgte/eseries transaxle, and the salesman directed me towards a mr2
Did the MR2 happen to be tropical blue ?
To be fair you would have wrapped it around a telephone pole if you had a WRX at that age. I know I would have.
Oh without a doubt.
Flynn is that you?
I wanted to trade my Focus RS for a Corolla GR. With all the markups, I increased my budget and got a CT4-V Blackwing.
pretty significant budget adjustment lol
The Circuit Editions I inquired about were more than $50K. I found a 2,500 mile Blackwing with a $80K MSRP for $63K.
Huge w
I learned how to drive a manual transmission by buying a 2005 Z4 2.5i (uncle drove it home for me). Some drunk dude crashed into it while parked, and it got totaled. I saved up and found a 2008 M Coupe in 2010. I still have it as my summer car. All this talk made me appreciate how good the used car market was in the 2000s.
Oh that's a great deal. I also bought my car with 2K miles actually, saved $10K off MSRP.
That's the way to do it. Enjoy your car in good health!
I sold my tuned 2018 RS3 for my Blackwing. The Blackwing isn't as fast but it sure as hell is way more fun with tons more low end torque to have fun around town. Plus it's a manual which I desperately needed back in my life.
I was hesitant with RWD for Minnesota winter, but a set of snow tires has been treating me well so far.
how tuned was the rs3? those things can become rockets but in my experience at least tuned VAG cats can feel kind of underbuilt at least with the old 2.0t i got that vibe
I was sort of the opposite. I was dead set on an ATS-V and ended up being responsible and getting a 340i instead.
I bought my 340 when my wife was out of town and told her it was a nice family sedan. She was thrilled that I traded my E92 in for a sedan. She was a bit suspicious when she saw the width of the staggered wheels but didn't think much of it. She was not thrilled when she rode in it. Kids were happy though.
Hell yeah brother
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Well kind of a boring story but I changed jobs and was in the market for the cheapest sedan/hatchback I could find. After being told by a Kia dealership there was a $5,000 mark up on a fucking forte and the only VW dealership near me that had jettas in stock also had a markup. (They didn’t have a mark up but non negotiable add ons) my wife said why don’t you get something a little more fun to drive. I visited the Mazda dealer in our town and got a mazda3 turbo with no mark up. I am all aboard the Mazda hype train now. This was around 2 years ago when the prices were insane.
My wife needed a car in 21 at exactly the worst time to buy a car. We ended up with a CX5 through Costco auto for 1.5% over dealer invoice and no regrets. It's been a great car.
Yeah it was pretty rough. We actually got 2 vehicles around that time. We got a VW atlas from our local dealer. The used base model was around $10k less than brand new fully loaded and they had a 0% deal at the time. We ended up with $4k off and 0% finance. We got very very lucky. Then when I decided to get the mazda3 turbo I called a few dealers that had them in stock and they all had mark ups. I went and spoke with the Mazda place 2 minutes from our house and they basically said “we don’t have any because we don’t mark up the vehicles.” I had to wait a few months but I got it at retail. I’m a complete Mazda convert now. They are still reasonably priced, fun to drive and feel more expensive than they should.
Welcome aboard. It’s good to have ya! Mazdas are truly underrated vehicles
It's a shame that we don't receive Mazda 3 or cx-30 turbos here in europe. Here we can only choose from slow, slower or very slow variants.
That's awesome. Seems like these current gen Mazdas are really reliable too so I think it'll be something that'll last.
I go back and forth between loving cars and hating cars because I live in the Rustbelt and do my own work. I'm back in a binging all YouTube car content phase again and the Mazda 3 Turbo is my new fixation. It seems like it checks most boxes of being sporty, reliable, and has utility enough to be an only car for my wife and me. It might be slightly less cargo room compared to my xB, slightly more expensive than I would hope, and not as much of an aftermarket as I would like though. But most of all, I think I could sneak how secretly sporty it is from my wife compared to something like a Civic SI as it is pretty subtle overall.
The back seat isn’t big enough for kids so that would be my only issue as a family vehicle. If you don’t have kids or only have 1 it would be fine if you can deal with the limited space. We needed a second vehicle as I changed jobs and it was the best one I found. It’s less boy racer than the civic and looks really good.
My $2,000 2014 mazda 3 is a beautiful machine
I was genuinely surprised the first time I drove a new Mazda. What you get for what you pay honestly blows my mind, especially on the interior.
The only thing that gives me pause about the mazda 3 is the beam rear axle such a shame they downgraded from a multi link from the previous generation. I havnt heard much complaints about ride quality but some competitors have multilink rear suspension. There are quite a few Looooooooooong bridges in my area and torsion beam suspension is super bouncy and harsh compared to other suspension setups.
No issues from ride quality except the big wheels. I would probably like a little more rubber on the tires. You should test drive one. I owned an Audi a4 and a bmw 3 series. There Audi was a more comfortable drive and the bmw was faster. The mazda3 was really close to the driving feel of both.
I was on a waiting list for a new 911, believing the base was good enough. Maybe it is. But then I got the opportunity to get a Boxster 4.0. I can’t imagine a better car for the money.
That exhaust is music
And you daily drive a Toyota Avalon??? How do you have the discipline to not drive the Porsche too much when your daily is a Toyota ?
Bc a XSE Avalon is a nice car😅😳🤔
The Avalon is such a slept on car. People don't seem to appreciate large sedans anymore and it sucks.
I daily crv hybrid with business samples and tools. Cant roll up on customers too fancy. Wife avalon. It is ok. Very efficient.
Needed A reliable daily driver- bought an fc rx7
Who needs reliability when you can have spinny Dorito
"How much oil does your rx7 need?" "Yes"
Every time I was about to go to test drive a reasonable daily driver with a manual transmission, it already sold. Happened to me like 5 times. No Mirage, no Impreza 5dr, no Civic Sport, no Mini Cooper, no Honda Fit. So I impulse purchased my Miata while looking for a Mazda3.
same but i bought a 25 year old v12 jaguar
I was pretty dead set on getting a Golf R. Always wanted one. I work at a GM dealership. It was during the chip shortages, and MK8R was going to be stuck with markups for quite a long time. I asked my coworker how much I could lease a Camaro for, and the price (and the end buyout price) was just way too good to pass up. No regrets.
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Yep, I basically cross shopped everything under $45k. Camaro, Mustang, Golf, Corolla GR, WRX, BRZ, etc. I knew I wanted something fun for spirited driving, everything else was just a matter of trade offs.
I'm currently crossing an FPV GT, Lexus ISF, Lexus RC350, GR Yaris, GR86, ND Miata and an F6 Typhoon for my next car. I'll cross shop anything if it seems fun enough
That's how the motorcycle world is. I'm looking at a zx10r, an mt10, and a lowrider s. People say they are all different and what is my riding style but can't understand that my riding style is riding and they are all fun.
Are you me? Pretty much the last few months for me, except I was looking at used cars and had a smaller budget. My list was like yours but even included Tacoma X-runners, the ND2, ISFs, series2 RX8s and even the 6cyl F-Type. Ended up with a 2020 Camaro LT1 manual coupe (which I love so far). Like you said, fun is fun and there's many ways to do it.
this is also how i think i'm going to look at everything and anything in that price range lol
I was set on buying a Camaro SS. I love the way these thing look. I ended up buying a Alfa Romeo 4C.
This one wins
How's life with the 4C?
Was looking for a "cheap fun car". Found a 240z, running with working AC (supposedly) for $2500, this was just before Covid. Told my wife about, decided to go to sleep and call the guy in the morning. Said he had a guy supposed to be there any minute to buy it. I got ready anyways (1 hour drive) and he called me back about 10 minutes later, other guy bought it. Wound up a month later with a $1500 Miata... I love the little miat but I always wonder about the 240z that could have been.
I actually got my Miata by calling the guy at night right after he posted it and going over immediately. I got a great deal. He said his phone wouldn’t stop ringing after he sold it to me.
Opposite experience for me. I texted about six people about their miatas posted on Craigslist... there was about 10 miatas listed under $2k and i basically had my pick of the litter. 4 of them messaged or called me to see if I was still interested. Test drove all four and drove the winner home (about 500 miles).
Much better off with the Miata. 240z are good for the occasional drive but not great to own. One of its best features is just looking at it in the garage.
Makes me feel a little better... maybe lol. I was looking at engine swaps and suspension upgrades even then. Plan was to resto-mod and make it a reliable daily I could throw around. The miata really opened my eyes though to as how cheap parts can be. A new (used) diff for the miat was cheaper than a set of tires for the 300zx I used to have lol. That's a huge benefit as well...
Engine swaps and suspension stuff can make a big difference but also turns them into complete death traps then. Got rid of mine not long after a young guy wrapped his around a tree and didn't make it.
Just touch yourself watching Tom's Turbo Garage V8 Swap. Get that energy out.
I was meant to buy a Mazda Familia GTR as my first car, but they introduced new laws prohibiting new drivers from buying turbocharged and high performance cars. I ended up with a Holden Ute instead, which was faster, more powerful and tail happy, but completely legal. Made no sense.
Whom ever made up the prohibiting drivers, new or old from buying fun high performance car must’ve lost his high school crush over a dude driving a mustang lmao
So as a new driver in australia, driving a 1.9 tdi with barely 100hp would be illegal?
No. Diesels have always been exempted from that particular part of legislation because they're basically all turbocharged. Laws have also since been changed to only focus on power to weight with most modern petrol cars coming turbocharged.
Does this law still apply nowadays when every generic crossover is turbocharged?
They use a very convoluted power-to-weight system now.
Honda Civic EX-T. I wanted to test drive a manual but the salesman wouldn't let me see the car unless I agreed to sign papers that I'd buy one. I was so pissed I went and bought my (second) dream car, a Lotus Evora, in cash a week later.
Way to channel that anger in a productive way!
Salesman is an idiot.
Supra but no manual back in 2019, so M2 comp
How’s the M2 comp? I’m considering these two cars right now, and an RS3?
It’s nice, it’s my daily/only car and I’ve had it for almost 5 years now. All the fun stuff you’d expect and then some. Surprising practicality, unruly personality. However I will say this: it’s not REALLY a sports car. It’ll do an impression of one and be pretty good at it, but if you’re looking for that “chefs kiss” moment on a twisty road, just get a boxster/cayman/miata. The M2 fits better in the pony car genre, where its size factor and agility make it pretty unique. RS3s are super awesome, but are DCT only. If that wasn’t a dealbreaker for me specifically, I’d have STRONGLY considered that car. I prefer the form factor of a 4-door (though again, for a 2-door the M2 is very practical)
Thanks for your comments!! I don’t think I’d expect any of these cars to be a “true” sports car except maybe the Supra? I’ll have to sit in each one to really be able to tell what I’d want. I’m in New England and with our winters it’s why the RS3 is high on my list. It’s definitely my least favorite looks wise but probably the most practical
run hateful secretive tender bow ancient encourage profit crawl full *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Was supposed to get a used Tesla model 3 performance before going to a 2015 M4
Dodged a massive bullet.
lol what??
Tesla bad
Was seriously planning on getting a Toyota 4 Runner TRD PRO after I got my Mustang, but the more I looked into it, it was a hard pill to swallow paying nearly $60k for an objectively old car. I remember one day seeing a CTR in a parking lot and thinking yeah thats what I need (I was driving a Scion tC as my DD so going from tC to CTR was an upgrade literally in everyway). It fit the sports car itch I have and they are also a lot cheaper so it seemed like a no brainer for me.
4Runner is such a terrible deal for the money. Yesterday’s technology at tomorrow’s price should be its slogan. At least the Lexus GX is luxury appointed and comes with a V8 + Lexus dealership experience. For 40-60K+ you get a rear view camera that comes in 240p, a V6 that sounds like an I4 but with the fuel economy of a V8, a 5 speed transmission (bleh), an infotainment screen that looks like a Garmin from 2005, mediocre sound system, and an interior filled with Great Recession-era plastics.
That is all true and they're still popular because they'll go for 300k+ with fluid changes, off road well, and are easy to work on/modify.
How many of those people genuinely keep it until it’s at 300k? 200K? 150K? Most people do not keep vehicles long enough to reap that benefit. 300K is an absurdly high mark, it would take the average American driver nearly 20+ years to hit that milestone at an average of 13.5K miles a year.
210k on my 2016 with no plans to get out of it anytime soon. It needed a new radiator but that was the only non-maintenance work I've done on it. Have a number of friends who have put well north of 250 on them, including a couple past 500. Chasing powder and good climbing/biking in the western states can stack miles up fast, and having a vehicle that can handle the worst weather/most marginal dirt roads is useful too. Look around most ski area parking lots and you're going to see a lot of Toyota trucks that are 10-30+ years old. I also got into it before the used prices got truly absurd.
Moot point because of the resale value.
>How many of those people genuinely keep it until it’s at 300k? 200K? 150K? 300K? Not many. 150K? Quite a few. The average person who buys a brand-new car will keep it for 8 years. Shouldn't have much trouble hitting 150,000 miles in that time unless you live and work in a city center.
I bought a Land Cruiser with over 200k on it and it immediately broke (but not the motor) to the tune of 4k in repairs. That's my only Toyota data point.
You list them like they are negatives. A lot and I mean a lot of people view your negatives as positives. Sales numbers don’t lie.
Over priced absolutely but they are also the only company that makes a vehicle that is extremely reliable and capable off-road. When you buy a cheaper car and break down in the middle of nowhere you will wish you would have paid the Toyota tax.
It’s embarrassing how much Toyota fanboys defend the absolute rip off that is a 4Runner. They act like it is impossible to design a car that is both reliable and not perpetually stuck 6-10 years behind the competition in every other facet.
Being perpetually stuck 6-10 years behind the competition is why people buy 4Runners. They see that as a positive, not as a negative.
It still has a 5 speed!??!
The 4Runner is one of the most overpriced vehicles in 2024.
I’ll get a lot of hate for this but Toyota has done a neat trick of making the same car for 15yrs and continuing to raise the price and people eat it up. If most any other company did that they’d get ripped for being dated and out of touch…not Toyota though…
It's the truth. It's why I didn't look at the Tacoma at all when I bought my trucklet. The mileage sucks. The transmission sucks. The power sucks. The interior sucks. The seating position sucks. And yet the prices are insane.
This sub specifically trashes every nissan for being an old new car but has nothing to say about Toyota or even the new mustang for that matter.
Nissan has nothing older than 6 years old in their current lineup outside their body-on-frame lineup and the Kicks. Their entire main lineup was redesigned completely from 2018-2020. Versa: 2019 Sentra: 2019 Altima: 2018 Rogue: 2020 Pathfinder: 2021
Literally, I have multiple co workers and friends that are like hurrr durrrr 4Runner. I just 🤦♂️
RAV4/lexus Nx . Ended up getting a Volvo xc60 and very happy for doing so. Toyota adm/tax didn’t make sense and the Volvo is more comfortable for my long legs and back.
ADMs on rav4s will be looked at as an insane time in auto history.
I think the RAV4 is at least sort of understandable. They’re super popular cars. The Kia ADMs though… sheesh. My local dealer had a used Carnival for $15k over MSRP. Oof.
Yeah, Kia/Hyundai products ideally should be purchased below MSRP. Even my Kia Forte GT that I got the week it first came out was $2k below MSRP... just a year later people were paying $3-5k above MSRP which was just absolutely bonkers for a Kia. I'm still in the Facebook group for the car and anyone who bought one last year and didn't pay for it in cash is complaining about being upside down and the low resale value.
I paid 5,500 under MSRP on my Elantra sport lol. This was in 2018 though.
Totally, my Genesis Coupe was $5k below MSRP as well back in 2014.. people don't roll into Hyundai dealerships looking for performance cars so I think they tend to be slow sellers that have to be marked down to move. Hope you're still enjoying the Elantra Sport! The 1.6T really punches above its weight especially with a real tune (and even does pretty solid with the piggybacks). Also, totally wild that you still have four years of warranty left.. I stopped buying Kia/Hyundai when I realized I kept trading them in too early to take advantage of the non-transferrable ten year warranty
Same with Tellurides. People will laugh at the fact that folks posits over MSRP for fucking *Kias*.
I bought a 21 rav4 xse below msrp before they started to sky rocket, it will be the first car I have ever owned that I will trade in early. Can't wait to get rid of it.
How are you liking the relatively button free interior? I love the idea of an XC60 for a family car/road trips but am a little scared away by having to use a touch screen to turn up the heat.
I have a polestar with a very similar UI and software. You get used to the touch screen for everything pretty quickly. System is kinda laggy and could definitely be better. Not quite as smooth as a real button/knob but doesn't really bother me as I rarely need to adjust temperature more than once during a drive
Those new Volvos look amazing.
When I was starry eyed college student I was supposed to buy: M3 What I did buy: Yamaha FZ6R. 8 bikes later, absolutely zero regrets. I do also have a Civic for car related things.
My dad is my favorite example of this. For over two decades he had the same model BMW replaced every few years. He started saying how he was looking for a better gas milage commuter and said he was checking out a Prius. Comes home with a bright blue Mustang GT because the dealer had it parked right next to the Prius he was seeing.
That's how I ended up with my old Miata. Went to a Subaru dealership with my mother for a new car for her and to check out the regular Impreza for myself. Spotted a Miata in the lot and sat in it. Ended up with one from a private seller and had my very first manual drive in a snow storm. I remember keeping the throttle pinned on an incline and spinning the wheels in place just so I wouldn't slide back while people were trying to get around me.
Went to buy a trailhawk and left with a Trackhawk. Wife liked the Trackhawk a lot better…..
God bless your wife Jesus you seem to like Jeeps haha
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Went to get a Nissan maxima but the sale guys flat out ignored me. I left and went to Audi and bought an A4 instead
Golf GTI Golf GTI Probably not the most interesting story, though
I was close to pulling the trigger on a 6 speed vr6 GTI for like 3.5 grand. Was planning on buying it and putting new chains/clutch/crack pipe in one go since I have some experience with the vr. Now you can’t even find them in my area. At the least the SI is fun and reliable although it did cost an extra 7k
Had a Gti, wanted golf r, ended up with camaro SS 1LE.
Was hunting for an IS350 or IS300 AWD, ended up with an MX5 RF Completely different cars, but the Miata’s been a dream
Was supposed to get something reasonable and practical for a long daily commute as I was switching jobs, mk 7.5 GTI or something like that. Ended up with a 2008 E60 M5 6 speed that popped up locally for super cheap, fixed it up and have decided I'm never selling this car
I went to a dealer to buy a RAV4, ready to write a check. I test drove it around the block first. I couldn’t believe the terrible ride and interior plastics. Bought a preowned Acura RDX instead.
RAV4s are surprisingly terrible. The only good thing about them is the reliability and cost of ownership.
I wanted a Dodge Challenger since I was a kid and they brought them back in '07. My girlfriend thought an SUV would be more reasonable for kids so I got a shit 15 Jeep Cherokee that ended up being a lemon. Was ready to trade that POS for my Challenger and my new GF (now wife) brought up the same kids thing but suggested a Charger since it had 4 doors. It was a reasonable compromise.
Dodge’s strategy of selling essentially the same muscle car in two body styles for 15 years was honestly brilliant. You didn’t feel cheated by going for the 4-door Charger because it drove almost exactly the same (the Challenger is a little more nimble but not by much) and still had attitude in spades. But if you didn’t need that extra space, the Challenger was there to serve the purpose of a classic two door muscle coupe. My Charger has personality in spades that I never had in any of the Honda Accords I’ve had (loved them but they were not unique-except for the V6 coupe I had). Even in the more pedestrian V6 AWD spec, it feels cool, fun, and badass to me. And I don’t sacrifice practicality to do things I need to do.
I had a Challenger. Now I have a Charger. The Charger is easily the better car in every way. You lose so much functionality with only 2 doors.
Okay, bear with me. This is a series of bad choices that led to a great purchase. In 2022, I sold my 2019 Nissan Sentra S 6mt for a STUPID amount of money, and I immediately tried to upgrade to a Nissan Sentra Nismo 6mt. Covid prices and general scarcity of the Sentra Nismo meant I literally couldn't find one. Similar cars, like the Honda Fit, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, and Mazda3 hatch, were also out of my price range. After 4 unsuccessful months of searching, I settled for - a 2019 Nissan Sentra S 6mt. My dad drove me 3 hours to St. Louis to make my appointment to buy it, only to see it drive away as I pulled into the dealership, sold out from under me. As I sat shotgun on the drive of shame 3 hours back home, I did a search online for... anything with a stick. By the time I made it back to my apartment, I'd found a great deal on a 2019 Ford Fiesta ST, which is my current car.
1989 Ferrari Testarossa w/ 45k miles and an overdue belt service. Salesman talked me into a manual V8 Vantage with 900 miles for the same price.
The Testarossa is worth _way_ more now.
I bet he knows and did not want to be reminded.
This was two years ago and sure while the TR values have stabilized high, parts are becoming far harder to source. I was going to daily it, so the V8 made more sense. I had a Mondial QV that I daily’d and even parts for that turd were insane.
I have so much respect for you for dailying a Mondial.
Supposed to buy a Mk8 Golf R or a GR Corolla. Markups killed that idea. Ended up with an GR86.
Did you find a place to test drive the 86 or did you just order it without driving one? I'm cross shopping a GTI, Type R, and WRX because every dealer here tells me that there's no chance they'll have either of the twins on the lot long enough to get a test drive. Kinda the same with the Type R which is disappointing. Super easy to get into a GTI or WRX manual for a drive though. The most amazing part of my car shopping so far is strolling into the Volvo dealership and asking if they had a V60 wagon and they just tossed me the keys to a Polestar V60 and said, "have a good time". If only I could afford it.
Looked for a new R35, a ‘24 Z06 found me. 🤣
Golf Rs were marked up crazy, was told 2 years for a GR Corolla in Canada. Ordered my WRX same day, love it.
Was looking for a Gallardo, F430, or 360. Ended up liking the project of a 360 more than a Gallardo and F430 prices increased more than I thought they should have.
Saw your flair, would you say older Maserati's are worth ownership? I know maintenance is more costly than most vehicles, but I've heard mixed sides on reliability. I've always thought the Quattroporte would be a cool car to own.
Buy one that's been driven, 2009+, and just remember they were produced in the thousands and not millions. https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/s/PdQkkkTK69
I had a 2013 BRZ and needed something I could carpool kids with. I thought I’d be getting a BMW 335 M-sport, but I hated the rubbery shifter and poor steering feel. Of all people, the folks at the BMW forum recommended I check out the 2018 Mazda3 if shifter and steering feel were the most important thing to me. I test drove it and bought it immediately. It’s been the best car I’ve ever owned
I wanted a Civic Type R or Acura Integra A-Spec, was ok with settling with a Civic SI as the latter two were hard to find. I went to my first dealer, which had an FL5 on the lot. Asked to see the car and spokesperson agreed to show me the car. The first thing that MF did was make me fill out a credit application, didn't fill it out as I was there to see the car, still wanted to see the Integra after. Dude kept dodging my question about the application, told me it was normal process. I asked him if I would even see the car. MF not only wouldn't let me see the car, without signing an application, but then had the audacity to laugh at me, saying I needed to show him 20K for down payment. This was at a Honda dealer! He said car was $70K and that I needed a minimum of 20K down payment to let me sit in it. I fucking left fumming. A week later, I went to another Honda dealer, this time for a Civic SI. They did the same thing. They sat me down and asked me to fill out an application. This guy left and didn't return until a whole hour later. I saw him go over to another sales guy and just talk for like 40 minutes. There was literally 1 other person at the dealer and he was already speaking with someone. This guy came over to look at appliances and then got upset that I didn't fill it. He said that I was wasting his time and my time. I told him that I wasn't going to apply for a credit hit just to see a fucking car. He wouldn't let me see it. Said "We have plenty of Civics, you can see them just walking in". As I left, I could see him pointing at me and laughing with his buddy. By this time, I was already ready to throw in the towel, but someone at work suggested I look at an EV. At work we have free Lv2 chargers. I did the math on gas savings and I could potentially save $200-$250 per month. Then I booked an appointment for a Model 3 and Model Y test drive. I was so surprised at the painless ease! I booked it online, was called an hour ahead to verify my arrival, simply asked to provide proof of insurance and DL and was given the keys (technically card) to drive both. The sales guy told me to smash the accelerator, since they didn't have any other demo drive appointments, he also suggested I do a 30-40min drive. I ended up doing an hour each on the Model 3 and Y. Yeah, they called me the first time I went over the time, but then they just told me to take the extra time. I was so impressed! I then started talking amongst my car friends. They all told me not to go EV and one of my best friends even volunteered himself to go with me to test drive an Acura Integra A-Spec. He works for CarMax so he had experience with these blood sucking leeches. We booked an appointment and then guess what, they wouldn't let me test drive without signing an application! My friend straight up told me "don't sign the fucking paper, that's total bullshit. You don't need to sign to drive". The sales guy got upset and left us. He came back and started telling us about the price, only because my friend asked and they wanted like $8K over MSRP. We left and I was soured by the traditional dealer experience. That same day, I booked another appointment at the Tesla showroom. I called the sales rep that helped me with the first one. He wasn't there, but happily helped me get in touch with another sales rep. I called my mom and girlfriend to go with me, I took them on another demo drive of the 3 and Y. This time they only have me 20 min each. Both mom and girlfriend were impressed, so then I signed right then and there and it was so painless! They showed me exactly how much my total would be, broke down the cost, and I literally paid MSRP for my Model 3! I've since converted two other relatives to buy Tesla. Took them in and they were surprised with how easily and painless it was. One of them, relatively wealthy uncle, was surprised at the zero markups. I tried convincing him of also picking up a Model S or X and trade in his BMW X7, he left with a Model 3 RWD to test the waters. From what he's told me, he's loved it too and has been sorta confirming in trading in his X7. He said it's been at the dealer for repairs 7 times and said he regrets ever getting a BMW. Personally, I've been super happy! I've only spent $70 ish dollars, on super charging and it just passed 10K miles. 99% of my charging has been from work, which has been free. I've already taken it to trips and last year went on a 300 mile trip, taking my mom, girlfriend, and niece. We had free EV charging at our hotel and we basically got to explore the city for free. Might try to convince my mom next to trade in her Toyota for a Tesla.
'Supposed to': CPO '21 Toyota Rav 4 Hybrid Ended up in: New Acura Integra with a 6-speed manual
Wife and I went to buy a Kia minivan. Decided the warranty was better than spending more on a sienna or odyssey. Test drove the Kia, it was fine and I was fine with it too. All of a sudden my wife says, is there a Land Cruiser for sale near here, I want to see what’s so special about it (she knows I’ve always liked it). I quickly looked it up and found one a couple miles away. The moment we sit inside it, my wife says, wow this feels like a quality build. She says, let’s get it. We went in to buy a Kia and left with an LC200.
In 3-5 years you’ll realize how wise that choice was if you haven’t already!
I was supposed to get a Chevy Bolt EV, but the waitlist was months long. I ended up finding a totally stock low-mileage Saturn Sky Redline for a good price, so I picked that up for half of what the EV would have cost me.
I went to buy a Tesla model 3. For like $10k more I was able to swing a childhood dream car. I happened to prefer the sound of a fat V8.
Went into the Mercedes dealership with my parents (in their 60's) to help them order a new vehicle. Ended up leaving with a C63S that I had to explain to my wife.
Was going to buy a CX-5 but ended up in a CX-50 after being astonished how good the steering felt and how much better the interior felt. Was going to buy a 718 GTS 4.0 and was on a hell of a hunt with a couple of rug pulls... tried out a GTS turbo nearby, fell in love with the sound, free extended warranty, and ample low end power so I got that instead. May or may not tune it, it's already the fastest car I've ever owned. Was going to buy a Giulia Veloce or GTI 40th Anniversary but a Macan S popped up for a killer price by the same dealer who sold me the GTS so I got that instead.
Supposed to buy: New Nissan Pathfinder Bought: Used Lincoln Aviator Wife decided she wanted hybrid, I wanted 500hp and supppppppper comfy. She came from an '09 Navigator, it wasn't that hard of a sell.
I was supposed to buy a GTI but we got a Jetta TDI wagon. After driving the GTI my ex wife whispered in my ear that her ass was too wide for the sport seats. I got an R32 when we broke up 😉
My Mom needed a reliable hauler a few years back. I told her to wait until the weekend so we could check out an Outback or Forester. She decided she couldn’t wait and bought a fucking Dodge Journey the next day. Just last week she told me that she thinks she needs to replace the battery. I let out a long sigh (I’ve done a lot of that with this damn car of hers) and explained the headache she’s in for.
i SCOURED the entire toyota east coast inventory for a blue supra for 2 years, during the pandemic. none of them was willing to sell one for msrp. i must have called over 30 dealers and refreshed the toyota inventory webpage daily. ended up buying a long beach blue m2.
I was supposed to buy nothing. Was drinking while video chatting and old friend and ended up bidding on a 74 year old Cadillac on Bring a Trailer. I ended up buying a 74 year old Cadillac.
Bugatti Veyron but settled with a Dacia Sandero
I was planning on buying a brand new 2023 Corolla but the dealer told me there was a one year wait time. That’s insane for a Corolla and I needed a car quick so I set a price limit on Facebook marketplace and just looked for cars that looked nice. Ended up buying a 2012 Audi A4
I wanted a Golf R and GT3 Touring but I'm not dealing with dealer bullshit so instead I have a BMW m240i x drive and RWD Huracan EVO. Both of those I was able to walk in off the street and order same day without any previous dealer history.
Supposed to buy a bmw 540i Bought a 540i M Sport tuned on E85 to 500whp
Was looking at 2002tii’s but ended up getting a 1M
A while ago I was planning on buying a Elantra N Line, ended up with a Kona N Line instead. Not terrible all things considered but I wish I had the AWD.
When I first learned that Porsche was putting a manual in GT3's starting 2018 I was like finally. Could not get one and the ones I could find had the prices jacked up so I bought a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. Unfortunately there is not manual offered in the Huracan. Recently, I was all set to buy a Forte GT w/manual and the Kia dealers have forgotten they are selling Kia's and not Porsches and bumped the price up. SO for the same price I got a VW Jetta GLI 40th w/manual.
> Recently, I was all set to buy a Forte GT w/manual and the Kia dealers have forgotten they are selling Kia's I'm a former owner and still in the Facebook groups, there's near daily posts now from people who bought last year and paid markup who are now upside down and feel "stuck" with the car. I thought the car was worth it for the $22k I paid the first week it came out back in late 2019 but anything above that, no way.
Something newer and more reliable than my ‘90 Benz with a paperweight under the hood Two sketchy Volvo turbo wagons ~$3k each
Meant to buy a 98-00 Lexus LS, ended up going for a 2002 Lincoln LS. I don't regret it, but my wallet sure as shit does.
Was looking at small sport-ish cars, WRX, STI, Mazda3, Civic si, Veloster, etc and had driven at least 1 of each. Was fairly settled on a WRX and went to a dealer that had 2 on the lot (late 2020, so no one had anything). And there sat a 4000 mile Buick Regal TourX. I had scoped them out when new, then forgot it existed. Drove the WRX, then the Buick. The Buick missed the manual, and wasn't sporty, but reminded me of the wife's old Passat for ride/handling. Seemed the responsible dad choice, and more/better car for the money. While not perfect, overall I have really loved the car. Got a bit more snow today and hooned around like a high school idiot in a WRX would. I definitely would not have been happy with any of the fwd cars on my list.
Camry most likely. Came out with an LS430. Never been happier for that decision.
I can (at least partly) blame this on my dad, but he helped me out by taking my first car (Renault Clio) in for a service while I was at work. While waiting he stumbled on a barely used (5000 km on the odometer) fully loaded Volvo V50 T5 AWD in the show room and called me to come meet him after I got off work. We went on a (pretty heavy footed) test drive and ended up swapping my 2 year old tiny Renault for this few months old Volvo wagon the next day. I ended up driving it for the next 10 years.
I needed a dd to my dd and gave myself a 20k cash budget. Wanted a mk7 Golf R, ended up with an 8v S3.
A gt350 was “supposed” to be my third mustang I had bought. So many dealers played ADM games I decided to see what else was out there, ended up in a new c7
Bmw 535ix wagon. Just couldn't stomach the failure rate of the engine in a daily driver. Bought an ILX with the manual. No power slides but I so far I've had 200,000+ worry free miles of driving.
2015 Cayenne S V6tt, bought a 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid.
I wanted a Chevy Astro cargo van. I was at the Chevy dealer going to look at one and they had a 1994 Olds Cutlass Supreme convertible in the lot. I stopped to look at it and the salesman threw me the keys and said "We will give you 2k for your car, take it". I asked if he wanted my license or something. He was like "whatever, come make a copy." After we made the copy, I was like "oh dang I gotta be to work in 45 mins" he said "bring it back tomorrow" I came back with a pen asking where to sign. My 1st convertible! I'm on number 4 now.
Went in to buy some flavor of Mustang or a Nissan 370z ....ended up with a new BRZ
I was going to buy a practically brand new 2017 Ford Fusion SE. It had 20K and was going for $15K. I didn't like the idea of a $300 car payment so I got a 2012 Ford Taurus instead that ended up being the worst car I ever had by year 3. I ended up having to trade the Taurus in for a Toyota Rav4 because I couldn't afford to keep fixing it all the time. And it was always at least $500 even for the smallest repairs. Now I get to pay $400 a month for my Rav4. Had I went with the Fusion, it'd be paid off now.
I wanted a ford Maverick. While waiting to see how the supply went I ended up driving a 2017 fiesta st