Cars you wished you bought back in the day, and ones you're glad you didn't

[565]

So back in late 2004 into early 2005, I was looking to get a car to replace my old MKIII Supra turbo and I was down to a few finalists.  One was the excellent Rx8, new at the time.  I was also actively looking for a MKIV Supra Turbo but I wasn't willing to spend 30K for a good Turbo 6 speed, and also the C5 z06, which I ultimately ended up with.  All 3 cars cost about 30K back in 2005.

Now nearly a decade later my local Toyota dealer has this mint looking 1998 Supra Turbo in stock, but it's an automatic (so I wasn't interested) and they are asking about 30K for it.  I couldn't help but look around at MKIV Supra prices, and if anything 6 speed cars that were listing for around 30K back in 2005 are listing for like high 30s and beyond today, with even more miles now.  So pretty much people that bought MKIVs basically made money off of these cars.

By comparison the Z06 that cost me around 30K back in 2005 would be worth about 20-25K today. Okay, but definitely not Supra depreciation values.

Then I looked at Rx8 values, and I see I can get a 2005 Rx8 for about 8K.

In hindsight I wish I kept looking for that MKIV Supra then (or an NSX as those seemed to have held value extreme well), and I'm super glad I didn't buy the Rx8 then.

I'm not a speculator or a car collector, but I geniunely like the MKIV Supra a lot,  it's a wonderful all around car that I think looks great, does everything well, and extremely reliable and well built.  It would have been nice to have one to play with for the past 10 years basically for free.

[Onslaught]

I should've got and RX-7 back in 1994 when they had huge discounts on them and I'd also had an employee discount to add to that as well. It cost me new then about what a perfect used one cost today.


Other then that I've not made any mistakes.

[MexicoCityM3]

SMGII E46 M3 back in '04. Got the 6SPD a year later instead.

[GoCougs]

Well, not really free - $30k in 2005 is ~$41k today .

Which I'd purchased the 2006 Accord sedan EX V6 6MT or 2006 Outback XT 5MT rather than the 2005 Accord sedan LX V6 I ended up with (still a great purchase though).

Glad I didn't purchase the '68 Olds Cutlass (442 clone), black with flames (no kidding), and big meats, right when I turned 16. Went with a test drive with my dad and he kyboshed it stating I'd lose my license in a week (and of course he was right). I ended up with a '79 Camaro with a gunned-out 305 (and still managed to do a lot of things that would have had him yank my license if I was ever caught).

[SVT666]

There are no cars that I wish I had bought that I didn't, but one car I'm glad I didn't buy when I really wanted to was the Dodge Magnum R/T.  Cool car, but way too big and the styling has not aged well.

[hotrodalex]

There was a Datsun 510 wagon with a 12b streetport swap for $5k a few years ago that I really thought about getting, but of course stuck with the El Camino. Kinda sad I didn't go for it, but at the same time my car has turned out pretty well.

[12,000 RPM]

I wish I hadn't bought Accords #2 and 3. I should never have sold my 1st Maxima, that thing was fucking sexy.

[CALL_911]

Two I wish I bought:
-That leftover 2010 RX8 R3. Would have been expensive and a pain in the ass, but would have been cool.
-A used white 2009 S2000 in VA.

Ultimately, GTI was the way to go, seeing as both these options would suck to live with as an only car (especially in Upstate NY), but every spring, I wish I went for a roadster.

[565]

My hope is that most of the Supra and NSX's value was because Toyota and Honda haven't made successors yet  (look at the 300zx, didn't hold value nearly as well despite being just as good a car), so that when the new NSX comes out, and hopefully when a new Supra comes out, these cars will again start to drop in price.

That's the hope anyway.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm still in my day. I've never been able to afford a car until now. And even now, it's debatable.

[Soup DeVille]

Had a chance to buy a type 34 Bugatti out of a barn about 20 years ago.

I hesitated, the next guy didnt. Neither i nor the seller really knew what it was when i first saw it. When I figured out what it was and returned, it was gone.

[SVT32V]

Had a chance to buy a type 34 Bugatti out of a barn about 20 years ago.

I hesitated, the next guy didnt. Neither i nor the seller really knew what it was when i first saw it. When I figured out what it was and returned, it was gone.

Ouch, that hurts, what would be the value of it now?

[Soup DeVille]

Ouch, that hurts, what would be the value of it now?

Assuming it was original and authentic (both real questions), somewhere between 200 and 300,000.

If there had been such a thing as a smartphone in 1995, and I had been able to look that stuff up on the fly (because let's face it, no 20 year old kid knows shit about pre-war Bugattis)...

[12,000 RPM]

My hope is that most of the Supra and NSX's value was because Toyota and Honda haven't made successors yet  (look at the 300zx, didn't hold value nearly as well despite being just as good a car), so that when the new NSX comes out, and hopefully when a new Supra comes out, these cars will again start to drop in price.

That's the hope anyway.

No way. Clinton era nostalgia will be huge. Everything from Civic hatchbacks to E36 M3s are doing the nostalgia bounce.

I kind of wish I waited out longer for an E36 M3/4/5 instead of my Z. Aside from reliability, would have been a better car.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I wish I hadn't purchased my 1989 Mustang GT Vert that caught fire on Friday 13th in October 1995........
I regret not purchasing a '94 Typhoon that a friend was selling dirt cheap and a A Second Gen MR2 Turbo that I dragged my feet on.....

[Rupert]

There was an Opel GT that I should have bought, but I didn't really have the money. Also there was an Alfa Spider that would have been cool, but I had just bought the MG.

[hotrodalex]

I wish I hadn't purchased my 1989 Mustang GT Vert that caught fire on Friday 13th in October 1995........

LOL!

[Rupert]

I wish I had never sold the first Trooper to buy that terrible Jeep. And that I had never sold that Volvo to buy that terrible Trooper.

[CALL_911]

My hope is that most of the Supra and NSX's value was because Toyota and Honda haven't made successors yet  (look at the 300zx, didn't hold value nearly as well despite being just as good a car), so that when the new NSX comes out, and hopefully when a new Supra comes out, these cars will again start to drop in price.

That's the hope anyway.

NSX has historical significance, and the Supra was sanctified by F&F. I don't see them ever coming down too much in value at this point

[Lebowski]

No regrets here.

C6 - definitely glad I got it over the other choices at the time.

4runner - only other vehicle I test drove was the LR4. I liked that a lot, but it wasn't worth the ~$20k premium to me at the time, and even with hindsight that's still probably the case.

M3 - too early to tell, but none of the alternatives were really too compelling, so not sure what there'd be to regret.  Take delivery next month.

[r0tor]

No regrets

[SJ_GTI]

I think I made a mistake getting the GTI. It was a nice enough car, but I knew when I bought it that it was a bit of an "experiment." After a few months I was already looking for another new car, but I was able to hold off a good # years before I took the plunge.

Other cars I was looking at, at the time, were a 330i and a Saab 9-3 Aero. I kind of wish I had bought the Saab, just so I would have known what it was like to own a Saab before they went out of business.

[12,000 RPM]

I still kind of want a Saab 9-5 Aero wagon

I am having trouble convincing wifey we need more cars though. 4 cars (my Z, turbo'd; a cheap stickshift commuter for me and a Volt for wifey, and a euro midsize wagon for road trips/ garage sales/ hauling friends & family etc) would be perfect.

[Byteme]

Two I wish I would have bought.

1.  A Mustang Fastback, An ex Hertz rental for about $2,500. It was a Hertz Mustang GT 350.

2.  About 1982, A Ferrari 250 GTE in very good condition for $6,000.

[12,000 RPM]

2.  About 1982, A Ferrari 250 GTE in very good condition for $6,000.

[GoCougs]

I should also say I almost regret not buying the S4 instead of the G37. I'd had almost 15 years of rock star Japanese reliability and I didn't want to back track. The VWAG horror stories kept me away but in hindsight it may have been worth it. (I'm eying the next S4 or Golf R for G37 replacement as a result.)

[68_427]

The 2000 Miata with hardtop, drilled/slotted rotors, 949 Xida coilovers and 6ULs, and racing beat intake+ header for $6000.

[r0tor]

No regrets

Now given an unlimited budget back in the day, I wish I could have picked up a FD RX7, subey 2.5RS, and maybe a B7 A4 ultrasport.

[Rupert]

I still kind of want a Saab 9-5 Aero wagon

I am having trouble convincing wifey we need more cars though. 4 cars (my Z, turbo'd; a cheap stickshift commuter for me and a Volt for wifey, and a euro midsize wagon for road trips/ garage sales/ hauling friends & family etc) would be perfect.

Oh, you definitely do not need four cars!

[Raza]

I still wish I'd picked up the GTO way back when.