Graycap23 said:

You know that used to be my SHIT back in the day.

I still don't understand how that car didn't do well in the US market. I loved that bitch. Of course, Princey Pie knew what was up tho. I got a chance to open one up on the highway at 3 am. That car couldn't be fucked wit.

I saw one almost identical to this last week and it made me teary eyed. It was mint!
[Edited 1/15/10 10:53am]

SCNDLS said:

This machine is a BEAST regardless of age. My absolute fav car, regardless of $.

Graycap23 said:

Agreed! I really think this is still my favorite car of all time, my 2nd is a convertible 3 series.
[Edited 1/15/10 11:06am]

Wait for the dream car.

My baby (BMW 325 ic) just died. After 230,000 miles, finally blew a headgasket. I can't afford to repair her, I'm SO tragified.

tackam said:

Top car. I've got a tuned 330Ci which spends quite a lot of its time sideways in 2nd or 3rd gear.

Commenting on this thread: the dream cars are excellent - but why get the convertible? I always think it's a real shame when they take a wonderful car and ruin both the looks and the handling by chopping the roof off just for the sake of making it into a poseur's boulevard cruiser. If you value the driving experience then get the tin top version!
[Edited 1/17/10 16:07pm]

IDontBelieveYouHeardMe said:

For me, the convertible is just sheer FUN. Not for "boulevard cruising" (), for winding mountain roads.

I have to say, I honestly don't understand tying up that kind of money in a car. My dad made his living in the car business, and he never got it, either.

Here's the thing: you're talking about investing major cash in something that is going to lose value the minute you write the check. Would you invest in a stock you knew was going to go down in value?

I haven't bought a car in over 20 years. I always lease - no down payment and I pay for my transportation month to month. I'm only paying for the part of the car I use - not the whole thing. And because I always drive new, I haven't paid for a repair in all that time, either.

I know there are people who say you should pay cash for a car so you don't have a car payment. But if you have a car, you always have a car payment. Either you're paying the bank or finance company, or you're paying for repairs on a clunker, or you're saving up to buy the next one.

SCNDLS said:

I say A.

don't hope a car with 145 thousand miles on it will last until the following morning much less 3 more years. such a car is no longer a car but a hooptie in disguise.
Plus if you get the really nice car that isn't what you originally wanted, you've still got a nicer, newer ride with which to get from point A (fine ass dude's house) to point B (work in the morning).

tackam said:

But if you're driving properly on winding mountain roads, then surely you'll be wanting the car to handle as well as it can? Convertibles are (a) heavier (b) less stiff, than their fully enclosed counterparts, so they don't handle as well.

Perhaps it's a cultural thing, but here in the UK, for the reasons given above, a true driving enthusiast will be far more interested in a car's power to weight ratio, its structural integrity and its handling than enjoying the sensation of the wind in their hair, and so they will always go for the tin top rather than the convertible version of a car. Here in the UK, convertible sports cars tend to be driven by either footballers, drug dealers or (the cheaper models), hairdressers and estate agents. In other words, they are bought by people more interested in image than performance.

Possibly us european types have a different definition of what amounts to driving for "fun" - which might go some way towards explaining why, despite the USA's wealth and population size and its historical love affair with the motor car,

(a) American cars handle like shopping trolleys

(b) The USA doesn't have a very good record of producing internationally renowned drivers.


[Edited 1/18/10 13:33pm]

Genesia said:

All good points.....but I like owning my cars.

Graycap23 said:

Me too.

Genesia said:

Yeah. It's one of the oddest social standards that I'll never get. When people walk into my apartment and see all the technological gadgets that I have, their first reaction is something along the lines, "this all must have cost a lot of money!". My answer is usually, "Well, I don't have a car."

What's even stranger is that banks will usually give you a loan if you state you will be getting a car with it. That seems entirely irrational, considering how fast they'll lose value and will be nearly worthless in the end. It's just one of those seldom questioned cultural practices that actually operate on a really shaky basis.
[Edited 1/21/10 4:15am]

If your old car is safe and still works, wait.

Having said that my ride is fine but i am testdriving a new one tomorrow. A car I can neither afford or need.



If I don't cancel the test drive I know I am gonna have a new car on Saturday.

Somebody stop me.....

novabrkr said:

The US has a car culture - no doubt about it. But one thing a lot of folks who criticize our car-based system (and subsequent oil usage) don't understand is how huge (physically) this country is. And because it isn't as densely populated as most of Europe, mass transit really doesn't work very well outside major cities.

In my case, I live in a city, but commute to a small town 40 miles away for my job. (My high mileage is another reason I lease, rather than buying.) There are no buses or trains I can take. And there's no way in hell I'm living in that town.

tackam said:

Oh no!!! How much to fix it?

Mine just ticked to 145k miles.

I went to the BMW & Maserati dealerships yesterday and it's wrap. That Maserati is the ONE! I found myself making too many concessions to justify the bimmer.

IDontBelieveYouHeardMe said:

If it's done right the handling/performance is minimally affected by being a cabriolet. I love open air driving cuz it's the closest thing to being on a motorcycle without the inherent dangers. So I will ALWAYS have a REAL cabriolet in my garage none of that hardtop bullshit for me.

tackam said:

There's NOTHING like dropping the top and going for a nice scenic drive or barrelling down the highway pushing 100 MPH (which will be my license plate number on the Maserati )

Genesia said:

I hear what you're saying but I keep my cars, I'm a car aficionado, and I don't mind paying to drive what I want to drive cuz it's that important to me. I've only owned two cars in my whole life. The first for 8 years, the current one almost 9 years and I will keep it prolly for 20. The new one will also be around at least 10 years. So I'm getting exactly what I want out of it. Everyone has their "thing" that they are willing to spend money on that others "don't get." Cars are one of mine.

PREDOMINANT said:

I'm a very goal oriented person so I like test driving my "dream car" regularly sometimes for years until I can afford it. It keeps me focused and motivated.