How do find enjoyment from your vehicles?

[bcuzracecarz]

I love the idea of having a car always there to go for a drive, but with 2 little ones man is it hard to find time for anything other than a 20 min loop to the store and back once or twice a week. The idea of wrenching is fun and I do enjoy it when I’ve got the tools handy, but the act of doing it is tough with space and time constraints. Recently have found myself hunting harder and harder for reasons to keep it……..with that being said I’m putting summer rubber on and replacing headlight lenses this weekend.

I totally understand the guys who are over wrenching completely, love the luxury cruiser, or want the ultimate fun no hassle car. Love the car community and people I have met and know so I would never stop going to meets or forums.

[320icar]

Cars are my escape because I’ll never be a fucking homeowner and it gives me a glimpse of having some semblance of control in my life

[Traum]

Having driven a good number of Porsches and other interesting cars at the track, nowadays I ALWAYS encourage people to go chase that Porsche dream if it is an itch. There is something special about those Porsches, esp the 911 and Boxster/Caymans, in the way they drive, as well as the way they present themselves to the driver.

A lot of newer cars are faster than older Porsches. Many are nicer and handle better than the old ones too. But for cars from the same period, the Porsches will hands down stand out as the top of the class.

And then there is the ownership cost. If you are sensible, you won't stand to lose too much money from a brief multi-year ownership. Don't get me wrong -- maintenance is not cheap. But if you are in the financial position to afford one, that maintenance cost isn't gonna kill you. (But you do want to be aware of the potential for engine bore scoring in certain models.)

If you are concerned, get a Porsche-approved CPO car. It is a little more expensive than the non Porsche-approved cars, but the reconditioning process and that 2 year unlimited mileage warranty are the best in the (used) car business.

And then there is the Porsche Drive (subscription) program too. Your temporary "ownership" period and total cost outlay are all completely defined. If you ask me, I'd say it's cheaper than a vacation of the same length.

A friend of mine has always "talked about" wanting to pick up a 911. From the time when a decently pre-owned 997 can be had for ~$60k, he has been talking about it. And there was always some sort of "reason" that prevents him from getting into one -- the specs for this car isn't right; that one is missing Sport Chrono; I need depreciation to work its magic a little more; the car I wanted was $69k before, so how can I justify paying $80k+ for it now? And before we knew it, a decent 991 starts at $120k, and the GTS model that he has always drooled over is easily a $150k+ affair.

No, I do not work for Porsche. I am just very smittened by them.

Originally Posted by noclue

I feel like this is the last era of combustion engines and manual transmission before EV's take over with the allure of low maintenance and running costs.

I've gotten to the position where I can buy a 911 but I balk now with the constant MSRP increases along with the fed luxury tax + bc luxury tax and can't justify it anymore. The used 911 market also went cray cray during the pandemic and still yet to subside, especially manual ones. My second choice is the FL5 Type-R but that's impossible to find unless you're best friends with a dealer principal.

WHEN RECESSION COMING TO SINK DEMANDS FOR CARS!!!

[JDMDreams]

I cans affords a first gen cayenne turbo does that count? Not sure how bad the ownership experience will be doe.

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Ultimately it fails to capture the maserati essence. It has enough styling and road presence but it doesn’t have that quirky Italian soul. The engine / exhaust sounds good but not as good as the GT. It’s significantly more comfortable than the maz but something is off… it’s missing that something and I don’t even know what the hell it is.

it had the F1 trans?

funny how time changes the general perception! being the peasant watching more recent reviews they like the quirkiness of it now whereas it got a lot of hate new

even the GT-R the complaint was it's like a computer driving for you but now it's apparently relatively mechanical compared to ultra fast shifting gearboxes of late

[teggy604]

What you need is the "Homer Simpson car." Or what I like to call all modern cars. They try to do everything and keep everyone happy.

[BIC_BAWS]

Hobz, you've tried it. You know what the answer is. You need a FK8.

[Badhobz]

I love love love love that fk8. Damn you dark !!! You ruined me.

But as a cheap chinaman, I can’t in good conscience get rid of the Camry and replace it with a more fun daily. I mean I absolutely should due to my huge shit eating grin after driving the CTR, but I would have a Chinese heart attack selling my perfectly fine, one owner Camry for a lousy 10-15k when it can probably last me another 10-20 years and never cost a dime.

Also I occasionally need to drive down to Seattle and Tacoma for business trips and I’d go deaf on the i5 with the fk8 at 80 decibels.

[rb]

Originally Posted by sonick

Even my Rav4, I love the practicality of it but at the same time find enjoyment from the V6 power when I downshift on the highway to make a pass. I don't think I could get by with a 'modern' SUV with less than 200hp.

There's just something about how the v6 in the rav just pulls when you need it to or even when you just feel like it. As much as I want to upgrade to a 5th gen 4runner limited, I really don't have a reason to do so... esp since it'll cost me 30+k on top of whatever i sell my rav for

[yray]

LOL and my rage rover had a rough start this morning, probably the ICAV is stuck #29year old problems

Most enjoyable car I had was my 1980 MGB which I regret selling, 80hp but so raw and I stank of motor oil just by starting it up

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by yray

Most enjoyable car I had was my 1980 MGB which I regret selling, 80hp but so raw and I stank of motor oil just by starting it up

This. I miss the cars and bikes that made you smell like oil and unburnt fuel.

[Great68]

Lol. I remember back after a day of cruising in the Mustang the wife and I would feel super tired, a bit dizzy and kind of out of it. I just attributed it to the horribly uncomfortable 60's low rise seats and shitty ride, and all the noise.

Now that I think about it what it actually was that we were experiencing the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning...

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by Traum

Having driven a good number of Porsches and other interesting cars at the track, nowadays I ALWAYS encourage people to go chase that Porsche dream if it is an itch. There is something special about those Porsches, esp the 911 and Boxster/Caymans, in the way they drive, as well as the way they present themselves to the driver.

What's the top 5 options if budget is $50-130K?
- GT4/Spyder
- 991 911 Base
- 997 Turbo, high km
- Boxster/Cayman GTS
- 997 Carrera S
- 718 Boxster/Cayman S

I'm absolutely baffled that a base 911 is close to $155K after taxes, but they don't exist because you need to add $30K in options.

[Badhobz]

i dont know, i think after driving that FK8 that thing is at the top of my list for fun vehicles.

Even the 911 is getting too soft and boring. More GT than sports car now in the 992 guise than the 996 or the 997

Older porsches are great, older japanese sports cars are great if they didnt rust out. Newer mustangs are pretty fun if you just want a cheapie ride that has ample power

[whitev70r]

One way I've found to stretch out the enjoyment of your car is to stretch the mods ... one year do the suspension ... another year chip .. another year the stereo (if that's your thing) ... another year wheels/tires. Every year there is something to look fwd to.

[sonick]

Yes, the next realistic grail car for me has always been a manual Porsche Cayman to replace the E82.

Hoping can get something sorted for ~$30k. Besides the IMS, I haven't done much research into the different trim levels or models (S vs Non-S) and particular years to look out for.

[Traum]

If you're talking about prices before tax:

981 GT4 -- seems to hover around ~$120k. I've seen a sub-$90k car last year, and that car has something like 60 - 70k km on it. I don't have a problem with that mileage, but lots of people think high trim Porsches should be extremely low mileage. Very few Spyders come up for sale.

911 -- Base model 911 from the 997 generation and up don't seem to come up all that often. You're more likely to see S / 4S / GTS models instead. Porsche-approved CPO cars usually start at $120k and goes up to ~$150k+ for a GTS.

997 -- As a whole, it seems like Porsche dealerships have tend to shy away from carrying 997 nowadays, so they are not on my radar as much.

981 - Personally, I find that 981 GTS prices are pretty ridiculous nowadays. They don't come up all that often, but when they do, it is not uncommon to see them asking for $85k+. 981S are usually in the $70k+ range, and 981 base is in the $60k+ range.

718 - In terms of bang for the buck, I'd say 718 is a better value than 981. A base 718 is essentially a newer 981S, and the 2.5L turbo cars (S / GTS) are mad fast -- faster than a 981 GT4 under certain circumstances. Occasionally a stripper 718S can be seen in the $75k+ range, but some can crack the $100k mark if it is heavy on options. There aren't very many GTS 4.0 cars in the used market (yet); when they come up, they are not cheap -- the pricing goes right into 911 territory.

The thing with Porsches is -- don't settle for a Boxster/Cayman if your heart is in a 911. I'd say the Cayman drives / handles better than the 911, but if you're itching for a 911, you can only scratch that itch with a 911.

Originally Posted by Gerbs

What's the top 5 options if budget is $50-130K?
- GT4/Spyder
- 991 911 Base
- 997 Turbo, high km
- Boxster/Cayman GTS
- 997 Carrera S
- 718 Boxster/Cayman S

I'm absolutely baffled that a base 911 is close to $155K after taxes, but they don't exist because you need to add $30K in options.

[CorneringArtist]

I bought my GTI because it was a steal of a deal in 2020, and because it checks the boxes for both being practical in a one car home and able to have a bit of fun. I’ll never afford a home so I’ll take what I can get.

If BMW sacks up and brings back the M340i in Touring flavour, I’ll swap up as a “made it” car. But for now, a GTI is enough.

[Gumby]

I'm in my mid-40s and admittedly haven't owned that many cars. I generally keep cars for a long time as opposed to those that lease a new one every 4 years.

With that said, two cars stand out for me:

1997 Integra GSR - the car I drove in university. It was a lot of fun with so many memories attached to it, and it felt fast without being fast. I would love to get something similar now as a daily: small and manual. Eventually it got traded in for a E46 330ci (which my mom took over, and I ended up with a Nissan Pathfinder).

2020 M340i (current) - gift from parents after they downsized. First new car in 15 years, first BMW I can claim as "my own", tons of power, and one of the best looking cars in BMW's current lineup. I only insure it for half of the year, so I always look forward to driving it during summer/fall. Therefore, low mileage, and I'll be keeping this for a long time.

[Dragon-88]

Right now I'm a big fan of older vehicles, where you're not spending as much time worrying about someone scratching your car or a bunch of rocks peppering your front bumper on the hwy. Just keep the maintenance up and drive.

03 SIR, Super fun and reliable, cheap on gas and can squeeze into lots of parking spots. With the hatch it makes it easy to transport large items as well. Its a fun go kart.

95 Tacoma, this thing is a beauty to own.. Although no AC, its so reliable I never have to worry about a thing. It just goes, on top of the fact it's good enough to pull my boat or throw the ATV in the bed and just have some adventuring fun. Currently at 400K KMs and still going strong.

I also want to include my motorcycle

2018 - KTM Duke 390. Costs me $600 to insure for the year and provides all the thrills I need, plus now that my office has moved to Olympic village, I can commute through all the back roads without any traffic, cuts my commute by 20-30mins each way. Although its no hwy bike, i'm not much of a hwy rider as I prefer to get somewhere on the back roads. If I were to go bigger I'd probably get a MT09. But i love my cheap sub 400cc insurance bracket.

[EvoFire]

The itch for a 911 is real. It's just not happening right now though as a 992 GTS with my desired options with tax is $270k out the door. That's way too rich for my blood. I'll probably still go put a deposit on one. Who knows what happens in 3 years when it would actually be my turn in line.

I still enjoy my F80 quite a lot. I just put new summer tires on, it's on coils and I put an exhaust on last year. It's great I can put the whole family in it and I can't even drive a 911 for the next 2 years until my daughter can be put into a forward facing seat.

As it stands, if the next M3 doesn't look retarded, that might well be my only option. Extra so if they do the wagon in North America. I don't have a problem with it being electrified since it's most likely going to be a hybrid or PHEV. The only question is if the manual is sticking around.

I just renewed the insurance on the M3. I put 4600km on it last year. It'll be a long time before the car is "used up". WFH means very little mileage.

The convertible itch is real. I miss my Miata, but it'll never get driven, I don't drive the M3 much as is.
If we are talking old cars, I miss my FBO MS3. It can keep up in a straight line with most of last gen's super sedans, and it'll hang with them at the track too. The driving feel and connection is unreal, the GTI in comparison is a complete dud in terms of feel.

[Badhobz]

i really dont know what the deal is with the 911. ive never had any real desire to own them even after driving a 997, owning a 996 briefly, and tasted the 991, 992, in all kinds of flavors. GTS, Turbo, CS4, etc.

The new ones are way too soft (didnt try the GT3 RS. im sure thats buttoned down), borderline ratrolla soft. The steering is dead now compared to what the 997's have but thats the same with all modern cars..... EXCEPT THE FK8!!!! that thing actually has some texture surprisingly.

I disliked the 996 so much that i traded it in for a Cadillac CTS hahah



(i wanted a matrix inspired land barge).

Although it was a piece of shit 996 CS2 that was very very well used, but i still disliked everything about it. Didnt like the handling at the limit, felt dangerous at all times due to that rear ass engine, didn't like the way the turn in was so light, once again due to ass engine, and didnt like that at anytime it would step out under throttle when you go around the corner. It also rode like shit and everything was super expensive to fix.


calm your tits, it wasnt a real turbo, just fake turbo bits.

The new ones are better, but the new ones will have the same issues as my ratrolla. Ultimately a let down (unless maybe you get in the GT3-RS spec). But at that price, whats the point? The damn car is turning into a commodity item like a ferrari or lambo where if you put more than 10,000kms on it, its value becomes trash. All the investors are snatching them up and holding them for profit instead of driving them.

I think a GR corolla, or the new CTR will be just as much fun but a fraction of the cost.

[68style]

I was hardcore looking for a 997.2 for awhile, but paying 6 figures for a 10 year old car makes NO sense... plus I got the opportunity to drive one and felt very underwhelmed. Never meet your heroes moment.

I loved riding in one at the track, could feel the power and instantaneous agility... but driving wise it didn't do much for me.

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

calm your tits, it wasnt a real turbo, just fake turbo tits.

Missed opportunity, fixed it for you.

I drove a 997.1S that a friend owned. This was during the covid lull and he wanted 50k for it. Back then it was worth it I think, it was a little worn but the driving experience was good compared to my F80. Now that I have coils and I can shake my fillings out it's a little better lol.

(Wife hasn't complained about the ride, so win?)

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

i really dont know what the deal is with the 911. ive never had any real desire to own them even after driving a 997, owning a 996 briefly, and tasted the 991, 992, in all kinds of flavors. GTS, Turbo, CS4, etc.

The new ones are way too soft (didnt try the GT3 RS. im sure thats buttoned down), borderline ratrolla soft. The steering is dead now compared to what the 997's have but thats the same with all modern cars..... EXCEPT THE FK8!!!! that thing actually has some texture surprisingly.

I disliked the 996 so much that i traded it in for a Cadillac CTS hahah



(i wanted a matrix inspired land barge).

Although it was a piece of shit 996 CS2 that was very very well used, but i still disliked everything about it. Didnt like the handling at the limit, felt dangerous at all times due to that rear ass engine, didn't like the way the turn in was so light, once again due to ass engine, and didnt like that at anytime it would step out under throttle when you go around the corner. It also rode like shit and everything was super expensive to fix.


calm your tits, it wasnt a real turbo, just fake turbo bits.

The new ones are better, but the new ones will have the same issues as my ratrolla. Ultimately a let down (unless maybe you get in the GT3-RS spec). But at that price, whats the point? The damn car is turning into a commodity item like a ferrari or lambo where if you put more than 10,000kms on it, its value becomes trash. All the investors are snatching them up and holding them for profit instead of driving them.

I think a GR corolla, or the new CTR will be just as much fun but a fraction of the cost.

If you’re buying a GT3 RS you’re probably not worried about depreciation or considering it as an asset.

I drove a family friends GT3, who also had a GT3-RS and as I’ve said before the GT3 alone felt like it’s bordering on out of control, race car vibes