Teuton's next car(s)

[the Teuton]

With all of the MSCs, 1 Ms, and other new car shopping and planning going on around here, it got me thinking about the future of Teuton car shopping.

The PlastiCar isn't going to last forever, but it only has 125k miles on it. The unfortunate thing is, though, that without a catalytic converter, I cannot sell it in California. Also framing this predicament is that despite having a fulltime job, my top priority is going to be towards paying off my student loans. If I didn't have the debt load, I'd go out and buy a Fiesta today, but I do, so it gives me some room for some creativity. Here are my thoughts. Let me know what you think of them:

Scenario 1: Keep Saturn, get old Miata. It's pretty simple. It's pretty cheap. It'll suit my enthusiast needs and while some people have Camrys, it'll ensure I don't have one of the more mundane vehicles at work.

Scenario 2: Keep Saturn, get BMW 2002. I've wanted to have a 2002 for years now, but they've been a little on the expensive side. That said, I will have the income to support buying an $8,000 2002 fairly quickly. The big downside offsetting the coolness of the 2002 is that I will have two old, kinda flaky cars, one of which will be a little on the German and expensive side to repair.

Scenario 3: Get rid of Saturn, get Subaru WRX. Sure, the WRX would likely be a 2003 or 2004, but if it's a well-documented car, it'll be a deal. I'm not going to buy a piece of junk just to say I have a Subaru WRX, but I really do miss all-wheel drive and that boxer rumble. It's not really necessary in California, but nothing's necessary in California.

Scenario 4: Cheap, used, reliable. Most likely, that would entail a 2005ish Focus ZX3. Civics get stolen out here, and Corollas are boring as all heck. But if I go this route, fun, stick, and 30+ mpg are a must.

What say you?

[TBR]

4 is the obvious choice to make in this situation.

[heelntoe]

I'd choose 1!
You were built for a miata!

[Laconian]

I'd choose 1!
You were built for a miata!

Are you saying that he's short?

I vote #1 too. LA means convertible weather errday. It would be a waste to have a fixed roof.

[SVT666]

You can get 2004 SVT Focuses in Cali for less than $8000 pretty easily.  I got my 2003 SVTF in San Jose for $9000 just over three years ago.  Believe me, you won't regret it.

[Rupert]

5) Pay the minimum on your loans, sell the Saturn, buy a 2002 and a Miata.

[2o6]

1 or 4.


Number 2 is a bad idea, you don't work on cars.

[heelntoe]

Are you saying that he's short?

I vote #1 too. LA means convertible weather errday. It would be a waste to have a fixed roof.

No! just that it would fit him like a glove!
(I'm about the same height as him, actually! )

[Rupert]

Ah, so you're both short.

[the Teuton]

I'd choose 1!
You were built for a miata!

Miatas aren't just owned by hairdressers out here. I'd love to get a Z3, but they're still expensive.

[heelntoe]

Ah, so you're both short.

[SVT666]

I just got in my mother-in-law's NA Miata and I can't see out the windshield because the header is directly in my line of vision. 

[the Teuton]

I just got in my mother-in-law's NA Miata and I can't see out the windshield because the header is directly in my line of vision. 

You're also excessively tall.

[93JC]

No he's not.



I vote Mazda 3. If not that, Jeep Cherokee. If not that.... hmm... AMC Eagle.

If not that, kill yourself.

[ifcar]

Scenario 4 sounds good, but see if you can't get a Focus with more than three doors. They're no less fun, and more useful.

[cawimmer430]

Not sure if one can get spare parts for a BMW 2002 in the USA. I'm not even sure if BMW offers spare parts for their older models.

With Mercedes you can bet that they do. They offer original spare parts (even engines) for all their cars produced since the 1950s. That's the reason why owning a classic Benz is quite easy - because there's support from the manufacturer. Porsche also does a good job in that regard. Not sure about Audi, VW, Opel and BMW. The French car brands give you zero help on their classics.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Number 1 and change it to this:

[cawimmer430]

I won't post a picture, but...

1973 Chrysler New Yorker Wagon! THINK OF ALL THE PARTIES YOU COULD THROW IN THE TRUNK! 

[Mustangfan2003]

Not sure if one can get spare parts for a BMW 2002 in the USA. I'm not even sure if BMW offers spare parts for their older models.

With Mercedes you can bet that they do. They offer original spare parts (even engines) for all their cars produced since the 1950s. That's the reason why owning a classic Benz is quite easy - because there's support from the manufacturer. Porsche also does a good job in that regard. Not sure about Audi, VW, Opel and BMW. The French car brands give you zero help on their classics.

Not sure if BMW still sells classic parts, but I'm sure you can look through Hemmings and find a number of different companies.  Old VW parts are pretty easy to find too. 

[cawimmer430]

Old VW parts are pretty easy to find too. 

Let me guess. Spring break trip to Mexico? 

[Mustangfan2003]

The old Bugs and Transporters have a pretty big following in this country.  I'd like to find a Transporter myself. 

[cawimmer430]

The old Bugs and Transporters have a pretty big following in this country.  I'd like to find a Transporter myself. 

Don't you wish you were alive in the '60s and '70s? You could have been smoking pot with your friends in the back of a VW Bus and making love, not war.

[Rupert]

A lot of old cars are well-supported in the US. Most popular British cars have a few places to order parts, and any big metropolitan area will have a specialist to take care of them. Parts are even pretty cheap for those cars.

[Mustangfan2003]

Most parts I've looked into for my Benz aren't really that high, unless you're wanting to buy a motor or transmission. 

[Lebowski]

I'd say just keep driving the plasticar and save for a year or two. Lame answer for a car forum I know but puts you in a position to replace it w/ something both fun and practical, and won't take as long as you think.  I was tempted to get a new car right when I started working too but driving the truck for an additional 2.5 yrs allowed me to replace it with something cool (the c6), had I got a car right when I started working it prob would have been something comparatively lame and I'd have had to make payments on it, something I decided I never wanted to do.

Do you ever get to take home say LT test cars for your job?  

[Mustangfan2003]

How many miles are on plasticar now anyway?

[the Teuton]

Do you ever get to take home say LT test cars for your job? 

It'll likely happen when I'm no longer a n00b.

How many miles are on plasticar now anyway?

check sig.

[Rupert]

I dunno what you're making now, Teuts, but I would think that it's best to not get a loan for a car you don't need. It's amazing what you can do with $4000.

[dazzleman]

Why would you keep the Saturn if you get another car?

[hotrodalex]

Save your money for a couple of years and get something even cooler. Like an old Porsche or something.