Your next automotive purchase

[Payman]

What color is your interior and top?

Mine is black exterior with tan interior and top. I would love to paint it a nice deep burgundy or maybe a bright or medium sliver. Either would look great with the tan's and be much much less work than black.

Black/tan interior, black top. I'm thinking going with black seats, so only lower dash and door panels will be tan, but I might just change everything to black.

[Payman]

Unless you can repaint everything (door jambs, engine bay, underside of car, etc), I'd leave it BRG. Hell, I'd leave it BRG just because that's one of the more desirable colors on the Miata, IMO.

Car will be stripped completely and media blasted. Co-worker has all the goodies to make this happen (sandblasting and paint booths). 

[Payman]

If you want silver, why not just get a silver Miata instead of repainting?

Fun winter project. Surely I shouldn't have to explain this to you of all people.

[Cookie Monster]

Fun winter project. Surely I shouldn't have to explain this to you of all people.

Yeah, but to me silver is so boring. I can see something like a candy apple red (though I wouldn't pick that color, necessarily) or something wild, but a silver is easily available...

[12,000 RPM]

I hear that so often too. Maybe I should just have two bikes 
It's just test-riding the STR was a celestial experience, an amazing bike that I just have to have one day.

I loooove the torque of the V-Twin. On my old tires, i'd get wheelspin in 1st and 2nd from about 4k rpm.

I have a soft spot for those too, but I don't ever want a naked bike again. It would have to be something like a TU250X or something. Beautiful beautiful bikes though, great rides as well.

I like twins for the street. Powerbands on twins make more sense for regular riding. I dont get any wheelspin on my bike but a clutch dump from 3-4K will launch as good as any AWD car. Plus it's nice to not have to shift to make a pass on the highway. The I2 is like a paintshaker though. Makes my hands numb

[SVT666]

Black/tan interior, black top. I'm thinking going with black seats, so only lower dash and door panels will be tan, but I might just change everything to black.

Black leather in a convertible in Southern Ontario probably isn't a great idea.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Black leather in a convertible in Southern Ontario probably isn't a great idea.

I wasn't going to say anything, but it sounded like a nutty idea to me.

[Vinsanity]

Black leather in a convertible in Southern Ontario probably isn't a great idea.

I had black leather and black paint on the s2k. As long as you put the top up and windows down when you have to park under the sun, it shouldn't be too bad. And be sure to use a windshield reflector. Laying out a white towel on your seat bottom should help as well.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I had black leather and black paint on the s2k. As long as you put the top up and windows down when you have to park under the sun, it shouldn't be too bad. And be sure to use a windshield reflector. Laying out a white towel on your seat bottom should help as well.

Sounds like unnecessary work. Either way the problem that I think of with a black interior in a convertible has nothing to do with parking. What about when you have the top down and you're out driving around for a few hours?

[Vinsanity]

Sounds like unnecessary work. Either way the problem that I think of with a black interior in a convertible has nothing to do with parking. What about when you have the top down and you're out driving around for a few hours?

Your seat won't absorb that much heat from the sunlight while you're sitting in it. At least from what I felt.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Your seat won't absorb that much heat from the sunlight while you're sitting in it. At least from what I felt.

I was thinking about everything else you touch, and black would radiate more heat back and around your body.

These issued coupled with that fact that, IMO, all black interiors just don't look good. I used to like them but multi-tone and lighter colors just look more righ and seem to have more character/depth.

[12,000 RPM]

I had a car with black leather... it was pretty brutal. Exterior was black too which didn't help. It got hot enough to burn skin sometimes

[Vinsanity]

I was thinking about everything else you touch, and black would radiate more heat back and around your body.

These issued coupled with that fact that, IMO, all black interiors just don't look good. I used to like them but multi-tone and lighter colors just look more righ and seem to have more character/depth.

Well I never drove for more than an hour with the top down, so it never got that bad for me.

I agree 100% on the all-black interiors vs. multi-tone.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I'm thinking about another C6 Vette within the next year. Hopefully I can find a GS Vert in my price range but if not a base Vette will do. That will hold me over until I can afford a C7 Vette! I also want an Outback as a winter beater at some point....

[Cookie Monster]

I'm thinking about another C6 Vette within the next year. Hopefully I can find a GS Vert in my price range but if not a base Vette will do. That will hold me over until I can afford a C7 Vette! I also want an Outback as a winter beater at some point....

Better not get the wimpy autotragic this time.

[hotrodalex]

Forgot to put that I might upgrade to disk brakes in the rear if/when I get new wheels.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

So 280, did you check out that ZHP or is it too far/too risky.

[Secret Chimp]

I really want to do a T-5 swap on the wagon after having had time with one in Per's Mustang. Manual options for B-body Mopars are the (really fucking old and expensive) A-833 original 4 speed, too-big NPX5XX truck transmissions, weird combinations from Supras, blah blah, or this. Mopar-to-Ford bellhousing adapter, T-5, clutch shit, blam, it works.

[Rich]

Just watched a presentation of the C7 at the NCM, and I'll be damned if I don't find a way to buy a new C7 'vert whenever I get back to the states.

The other half of me wants to keep the Miata in almost like new condition and pick up a used 2006 Mustang GT to go with it, though.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Better not get the wimpy autotragic this time.

I'll never own an auto Vette again!

[TBR]

I see three options for my next major car purchase:

1) Head gasket repair and t-belt replacement for the Outback. Not exciting, but will need to happen as soon as the oil starts looking milky. Can afford to do it now, but trying to string it along.

2) Something cheap and off the wall. Maybe a V70R? Wouldn't make a whole lot of sense, but I kinda just want something different but I don't feel like I drive enough for a car payment to make sense.

3) Infiniti G37s. Chat thread regulars will note I drove a G25 yesterday and was pretty impressed with everything but the get-up and go. Undecided if I would do an AT or MT. A MT is very manageable in Dallas traffic, but high probability I'd be moving elsewhere during the lifespan of the car. Somewhere like Seattle, Atlanta, or Denver, known for having bad traffic. And, if I am honest, I don't think I get much extra out of a MT, especially compared to modern ATs that shift fairly quickly (the only time I have regularly driven an AT was a '98 durango, which was insufferable, but transmissions have come a long way since then). Could afford one now and could very easily afford one next year when I get a big raise, but, as noted above, just don't know that a car payment makes sense in my circumstances. I drove way more than I expected last year, which added up to 8k miles.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I see three options for my next major car purchase:

1) Head gasket repair and t-belt replacement for the Outback. Not exciting, but will need to happen as soon as the oil starts looking milky. Can afford to do it now, but trying to string it along.

2) Something cheap and off the wall. Maybe a V70R? Wouldn't make a whole lot of sense, but I kinda just want something different but I don't feel like I drive enough for a car payment to make sense.

3) Infiniti G37s. Chat thread regulars will note I drove a G25 yesterday and was pretty impressed with everything but the get-up and go. Undecided if I would do an AT or MT. A MT is very manageable in Dallas traffic, but high probability I'd be moving elsewhere during the lifespan of the car. Somewhere like Seattle, Atlanta, or Denver, known for having bad traffic. And, if I am honest, I don't think I get much extra out of a MT, especially compared to modern ATs that shift fairly quickly (the only time I have regularly driven an AT was a '98 durango, which was insufferable, but transmissions have come a long way since then). Could afford one now and could very easily afford one next year when I get a big raise, but, as noted above, just don't know that a car payment makes sense in my circumstances. I drove way more than I expected last year, which added up to 8k miles.

IIRC, the infiniti automatic in the G37 is praised as one of the best torque converter auto's in a performance sedan. I've read several reviews where performance is almost on par with a dual clutch(shift speed, holding gears, etc).

[12,000 RPM]

TBR I would def drive both before committing to one transmission

Infiniti's 7AT is damn good, but there is something special about driving stickshift if the conditions entertain it.

[Cookie Monster]

Obviously I'm biased, but I loved the 6MT G far more than the 7AT. Something about having a luxury sedan with a ton of features and a shit ton of power but still keeping the manual just seems so right. It's like having your cake and eating it, too.

That said, the 7AT was still quite nice and if you do get a G37 auto, be sure to get the sports package to get the bigger wheels/tires, the sport suspension and LSD, and the paddle shifters. The 6MT sedans all come with the sports package (and the other packages) standard.

[TBR]

The sports package looks much better, so I'd probably want that for sure, but, real talk here, the LSD and sports suspension don't really matter to me, not with how I drive.

I'd definitely test drive a 6MT before a buying a 7AT; I am not set either way.

[MX793]

Obviously I'm biased, but I loved the 6MT G far more than the 7AT. Something about having a luxury sedan with a ton of features and a shit ton of power but still keeping the manual just seems so right. It's like having your cake and eating it, too.

That said, the 7AT was still quite nice and if you do get a G37 auto, be sure to get the sports package to get the bigger wheels/tires, the sport suspension and LSD, and the paddle shifters. The 6MT sedans all come with the sports package (and the other packages) standard.

You could only get an 6MT in the G35/7, coupe or sedan, if you bought the Sport trim (which was also the most expensive trim).

[S204STi]

VF39, larger intercooler. Maybe a mild axleback exhaust.

[GoCougs]

IIRC, the infiniti automatic in the G37 is praised as one of the best torque converter auto's in a performance sedan. I've read several reviews where performance is almost on par with a dual clutch(shift speed, holding gears, etc).

The G37 7AT is at best mediocre. Lots and lots of grumbling about it on the various G boards. Infiniti has had some reprogramming TSBs (I had it done, and it helped, but the innate flaws are still there). No one can quite figure it out. The FX and M generally don't have these problems - perhaps it's not the same 7AT? (I had an FX35 loaner earlier this week, and it was indeed better). It does okay, and really anyone perofrmance driving will be manually shifting, but he'll definitely want to drive one.

[Rupert]

As little as possible on the Explorer, about the same with the Alfa (all that concerns me is an oil-on-exhaust smell sometimes), and a fair amount on the 944. It's got a number of minor rattles and stuff, it needs a new hood liner, the heater is screwed up, there's a clunk when I turn left, the suspension needs to be updated/modified (worn out), I want to get a MAF to replace the AFM, and the dashboard is cracked. Nothing really critical, but quite a bit nonetheless.

Next car purchase...

[Byteme]

Forgot to put that I might upgrade to disk brakes in the rear if/when I get new wheels.

What problem are you addressing when you do that?