Car Chat

[MrH]

I remember my old dealer somehow financing a (then new) 1LE, for a customer who had shit credit, and no money down. The price was well over $1000 per month for that car.

Even with good credit (2.5% interest rate), a $43k car with no money down ends up being $750+ per month.  Doesn't seem that crazy

[2o6]

Even with good credit (2.5% interest rate), a $43k car with no money down ends up being $750+ per month.  Doesn't seem that crazy

I think it was close to $1500, IIRC. It was an ungodly sum of money.

[MrH]

I think it was close to $1500, IIRC. It was an ungodly sum of money.

Yikes.  And if they have terrible credit, that's probably half their salary right there

[TBR]

I get sick just thinking about people spending $500-700/month on a car. It's a huge amount of money, unless one is making that per day...

Plenty of people spend too much, but the notion that you're overspending if your car payment is more than 5% of your pay is a bit much (12 payments per year / 250 working days per year = 4.8%).

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Oddly, the Corvette provides better visibility and cargo space than the 4 seat coupe.  Seems backwards, the sports car is supposed to be less practical.

The problem with corvettes is they are so customizable from the factory.  To find a used one the way you like it for a good price is really tough.  Damn near 2/3s of them have chrome wheels.

Yeah my car swallows a lot of stuff! All my hunting gear,a cooler and a weeks worth of clothes was no problem! As far as chrome wheels most C7s I see have Black wheels! Especially Z51s.

I get sick just thinking about people spending $500-700/month on a car. It's a huge amount of money, unless one is making that per day...

If you want something nice your gonna be damn close to $500!

[Eye of the Tiger]

I suppose my car payment is right at 10% of my income. That doesn't count modz. What am I supposed to do with my money? If I saved it all, I would die young. If I spend it all, I will live to 100 and work until I'm 80 because that will be the new Social Security age.

[MrH]

10% of total income on a car payment doesn't seem to outrageous to me

[TBR]

Does anyone know when the next gen Jetta is supposed to come out? And the next gen S60?

[MrH]

Does anyone know when the next gen Jetta is supposed to come out? And the next gen S60?

No, but I can check when I get home. Next TBR purchase after House Hunters?

[TBR]

No, but I can check when I get home. Next TBR purchase after House Hunters?

Well, TBR bankrolled anyway.

House Hunters is just for our flat here, which is leased. If I have to go through that whole ordeal (you wouldn't believe the paperwork) when we get back to the States...

[12,000 RPM]

Oddly, the Corvette provides better visibility and cargo space than the 4 seat coupe.  Seems backwards, the sports car is supposed to be less practical.

The problem with corvettes is they are so customizable from the factory.  To find a used one the way you like it for a good price is really tough.  Damn near 2/3s of them have chrome wheels.

At the end of the day, I'd still have a hard time ever pulling the trigger on a monster car like that.  Are they really drastically more fun than a miata?  The consumables alone as so much more on those, it's hard to justify unless you're going to track it constantly.

You are starting to sound like me

A motorcycle + nice sim racing rig are all the speed I need. When financial fear is a factor there's no fun in it

[MrH]

You are starting to sound like me

A motorcycle + nice sim racing rig are all the speed I need. When financial fear is a factor there's no fun in it

Yeah, fun per dollar is what's important.

I could swing a Camaro SS 1LE. But man, I looked up the wheels and tire size. 20x10 and 20x11. A set of Michelin pilot super sports for it? $2,000. Fuck that is brutal.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Yeah, fun per dollar is what's important.

I could swing a Camaro SS 1LE. But man, I looked up the wheels and tire size. 20x10 and 20x11. A set of Michelin pilot super sports for it? $2,000. Fuck that is brutal.

How often do you think you'll have to buy tires?

[Rich]

Pilot supersports?  Probably every 10-15,000 miles, which for me would be about every 7-10 months.  Much less with trackdays

[12,000 RPM]

Yeah, fun per dollar is what's important.

I could swing a Camaro SS 1LE. But man, I looked up the wheels and tire size. 20x10 and 20x11. A set of Michelin pilot super sports for it? $2,000. Fuck that is brutal.

Got to pay da cawsss man. Or just get a damn Exocet. The Brits have it right. We need more Caterham 7s or similar and less Camaros. Sports cars don't need heated seats or Bluetooth.

[MrH]

Yeah, I would love an Exocet or Caterham 7.  The problem is, look how slow FBC is moving on his, and he's got a nice heated garage, tons of tools, and actual skills to do these things.  It would take me a decade to complete one

[12,000 RPM]

I would just get it built. This bumps into another problem with the state of kit cars in the US though... financing. No way would I sink $20K cash into a damn kit car... but I would be OK financing one. So motorcycles it is.....

[MrH]

Now it's a $30k toy.  That's an expensive toy that you can only drive in certain weather.  That's nearly new Miata RF money.

The financing thing I'm not too worried about.  I made the decision awhile back that all fun cars had to be paid in cash.  This forces me to not do something stupid, like buy a new 911  The S2000 is paid for.  Also gives me flexibility if I want to do a kit car or something older, I don't need to worry about interest rates or loans or anything.

I have a loan on the 4Runner, but once that's paid off, no more loans for my cars.

[CaminoRacer]

You're doing it wrong. You're supposed to get a second mortgage on your house to pay for your $150K racecar.

[12,000 RPM]

You're doing it wrong. You're supposed to get a second mortgage on your house to pay for your $150K racecar.

Chevrolet Corvette Joe HELOC Commemorative C&C edition 

[MrH]

Yeah, people spending $1000/month on a second car is pretty crazy.  All for something I might drive 100 days a year?

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Pilot supersports?  Probably every 10-15,000 miles, which for me would be about every 7-10 months.  Much less with trackdays

Thats why I wouldn't go for a 1LE/Z07! The regular versions have more than enough performance for me!

[MX793]

Thats why I wouldn't go for a 1LE/Z07! The regular versions have more than enough performance for me!

If you're just going to drive it on the street, you don't have to put the most expensive, stickiest tires in the world on it.  Instead of a Max Performance Summer tire like a PSS, an Ultra High Performance category tire like the Yokohama s.Drive or Firestone Firehawk Indy will offer plenty of grip at well less than $200/tire.  Will also wear longer than a ~220 TW tire.  I ran Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sports (same UHP Summer category, ~340 TW rating) on my last Mustang both for daily driving and autocross and they were plenty for the street and actually not awful for autocross (I was competitive with a number of guys running 200 TW rubber).  3 seasons of autocross at at least 15000 miles and they still had ~4/32s left.

[CaminoRacer]

+1, PSS is unnecessary IMO. Besides, for autox/trackday you should be looking at the BFG Rival S or Bridgestone RE-71R. Otherwise just run a normal 300-350 TW summer tire.

[MrH]

I don't think you're getting any tire at $200 a piece in 305/30/R20 size.

[giant_mtb]

A quick Tire Rack search reveals that none exist in that size for $200 or less.  No results show until you hit the $300 mark.

[MX793]

I don't think you're getting any tire at $200 a piece in 305/30/R20 size.

I was looking at standard Camaro sizes vs 1LE.  Still, you can get UHP grade tires in that size for under $300 per.  And if you drop to a 295/30, which is still a lot of tire, there are several in the Max Performance tire category priced well under $300.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

If you're just going to drive it on the street, you don't have to put the most expensive, stickiest tires in the world on it. 

[MrH]

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?sourceContext=carGurusHomePage_false_0&formSourceTag=112&newSearchFromOverviewPage=true&inventorySearchWidgetType=AUTO&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=c23851&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity2=c25836&zip=45342&distance=500&searchChanged=true&transmission=M&colors=Blue&modelChanged=false&filtersModified=true#listing=139774896

That's such a good looking car.  Great option list.  Perfect color.  That's a $70k MSRP.  $18k loss for 3,000 miles.  I wish I had cash to burn

[12,000 RPM]

I find the C7 to be a bit too low + wide + gashy. The C6 is peak Corvette design IMO. I'd prob still go for a C7 due to the much nicer interior and better performance.