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[CALL_911]

I've had a 2016 340xi for several years. It is a phenomenal car, and I have minimal complaints. I'm moving to Houston this June and I want to replace it with a roadster as a DD. I have a 981 Boxster S with a manual in the crosshairs. Unfortunately they're a pain in the ass to find, but I do have time on my side. Is this as genius an idea as I think it is? I figure if I'm in a warm climate (potentially for only a year), may as well enjoy top down driving year round. Plus I just want one.

I still have the S2000 and don't plan on letting go of it. It's a car I intend on keeping forever and don't want to DD it or park it outside in the sunlight. I'll probably keep it in the northeast while I'm in Texas. If Texas is a permanent move, it'll come down at that point.

My wife has an RDX for bigger stuff and for carrying shit around. It will probably get replaced with something similar to it when we move. I don't need the space of a car like my 3-series.

[Laconian]

How many miles will your commute be?

[CALL_911]

10 round trip probably

[CaminoRacer]

Get a second S2000!

[Laconian]

Topdown driving Houston might be more of a shoulder season thing. My friend's experience after moving to Houston is that summer weather gets very hot and muggy and the air quality becomes unhealthy (industrial pollution). The commute would be so short that driving with the top up on the days where you want shade, A/C, and filtered air is not a big deal.

He said that he felt like an invisible gnat in his Bolt compared to all the XXL trucks on the roads. That might be a bigger quality of life factor to consider when you're looking at an even smaller sports car.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Get a second S2000!

+1

[CALL_911]

Boxsters are common enough I wouldn't worry about beating it up a bit. Miata is another option but I want to try something midengined

[CALL_911]

It is a proper commitment to find a manual 981 Boxster S though. Much tougher to find than I thought they'd be

[Eye of the Tiger]

Screw that, go rear engined. Get an actual 911. The answer was staring you in the face this whole time.

[CALL_911]

Screw that, go rear engined. Get an actual 911. The answer was staring you in the face this whole time.

It's too pricey. I'd want a 991 if I were to DD it and I can't swing that. Besides I want a roadster

[CaminoRacer]

[Laconian]

Boxsters are common enough I wouldn't worry about beating it up a bit. Miata is another option but I want to try something midengined

My Miata commute was great so long as I didn't touch any freeways. But on the freeway, being penned in by loud distracted trucks with headlight and bumper height mismatch... that kind of sucks. A distracted driver in a Dodge RAM KO'd my NA Miata with a casual sideswipe, hit and run.

So I guess the thing I'm wondering is if your commute consist of sideroads or highways?

[FoMoJo]

Boxster is the obvious choice if you want a mid-engine roadster.

[SJ_GTI]

Topdown driving Houston might be more of a shoulder season thing. My friend's experience after moving to Houston is that summer weather gets very hot and muggy and the air quality becomes unhealthy (industrial pollution). The commute would be so short that driving with the top up on the days where you want shade, A/C, and filtered air is not a big deal.

He said that he felt like an invisible gnat in his Bolt compared to all the XXL trucks on the roads. That might be a bigger quality of life factor to consider when you're looking at an even smaller sports car.

That is kind of my opinion on top down driving. I drive my Z3 the most in the spring and fall. July/August is the worst...hot and humid.

That being said I suspect most 981's will have AC, so you should always have the option to go top up if it is too hot out.

[AutobahnSHO]

Want.

[Laconian]

That is kind of my opinion on top down driving. I drive my Z3 the most in the spring and fall. July/August is the worst...hot and humid.

That being said I suspect most 981's will have AC, so you should always have the option to go top up if it is too hot out.

Maybe that's us being jaded? When I first got my NA Miata without AC I drove it every day, with the top down as much as possible.

[AutobahnSHO]

Yeah but how hot?

I had no A/C on my Legacy in GA when I bought it. All summer all windows open I was still sweating just driving anywhere...

[CaminoRacer]

Yeah but how hot?

I had no A/C on my Legacy in GA when I bought it. All summer all windows open I was still sweating just driving anywhere...

I got so sweaty when I drove my El Camino home from a warehouse job college. Got out at 2/3pm and it would be 95F and humid during the summer, no A/C, and the traffic was so backed up with everyone leaving + trucks so it was stop & go for the first 10 minutes, no breeze through the windows. And working a clutch with tall gearing so it wasn't happy crawling along.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I got so sweaty in my Pontiac that the seatbelt left a stain on my dress uniform and I got my asshole widened at open ranks.

[SJ_GTI]

Maybe that's us being jaded? When I first got my NA Miata without AC I drove it every day, with the top down as much as possible.

I work in an office, I don't want to arrive drenched in sweat. On weekends on don't mind the heat because I can wear shorts, a tank top, and sandals though.

[565]

I've had a 2016 340xi for several years. It is a phenomenal car, and I have minimal complaints. I'm moving to Houston this June and I want to replace it with a roadster as a DD. I have a 981 Boxster S with a manual in the crosshairs. Unfortunately they're a pain in the ass to find, but I do have time on my side. Is this as genius an idea as I think it is? I figure if I'm in a warm climate (potentially for only a year), may as well enjoy top down driving year round. Plus I just want one.

I still have the S2000 and don't plan on letting go of it. It's a car I intend on keeping forever and don't want to DD it or park it outside in the sunlight. I'll probably keep it in the northeast while I'm in Texas. If Texas is a permanent move, it'll come down at that point.

My wife has an RDX for bigger stuff and for carrying shit around. It will probably get replaced with something similar to it when we move. I don't need the space of a car like my 3-series.

Sounds like you are going there for fellowship. 

What did you end up deciding for fellowship?

The advice I give to all my graduating residents isn't popular but it was good advice given to me.

That advice is that for fellowship and your first few years of attendingship to continue to live like a resident and don't expand onto your new and sudden increase in salary. The reason being that the first few years of practice is usually the most uncertain with about 60% of orthopedic surgeons leaving their first practice in the first two years. Looking at my graduating class that number held about true. I had multiple classmates that went out and bought nice cars or houses right off the bat that regretted those choices when their first job didn't work out. A couple of them wanted to stay in the same area due to family and got hit with non-compete clauses that forced them to sit out a year. Wait 3 to 4 years in and you are established then go crazy.

Sorry, I know you came for advice on what car to get and not a nag from an attending that isn't even in your program, but it was solid advice that was given to me when I was in your exact position as a chief resident and telling my attending about all the awesome cars I wanted to own when I got out. He clipped my wings a bit but I am glad that he did.

[AutobahnSHO]

The advice I give to all my graduating residents isn't popular but it was good advice given to me.

This is GREAT advice for anyone. Don't buy stuff on credit- buy stuff AFTER it's been earned.

Houses are harder to avoid debt, but people CAN get loans for LESS than they are "qualified for". We did a few years back and we'll be debt-free in a few more years. Beating our original goal of paying off the house in 10 years (30yr fixed mortgage).

[CALL_911]

Sounds like you are going there for fellowship. 

What did you end up deciding for fellowship?

The advice I give to all my graduating residents isn't popular but it was good advice given to me.

That advice is that for fellowship and your first few years of attendingship to continue to live like a resident and don't expand onto your new and sudden increase in salary. The reason being that the first few years of practice is usually the most uncertain with about 60% of orthopedic surgeons leaving their first practice in the first two years. Looking at my graduating class that number held about true. I had multiple classmates that went out and bought nice cars or houses right off the bat that regretted those choices when their first job didn't work out. A couple of them wanted to stay in the same area due to family and got hit with non-compete clauses that forced them to sit out a year. Wait 3 to 4 years in and you are established then go crazy.

Sorry, I know you came for advice on what car to get and not a nag from an attending that isn't even in your program, but it was solid advice that was given to me when I was in your exact position as a chief resident and telling my attending about all the awesome cars I wanted to own when I got out. He clipped my wings a bit but I am glad that he did.

As usual, you're not wrong. At all. I'll be doing an adult recon fellowship at Baylor in Houston next year.

You're 100% right in that I'm excited to be done, my wife starts as an attending this June, and we're looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. I rationalized the 981 because it would theoretically be $10-20k over what I'd be selling my 3-series (paid off) for, and because it would be fun to enjoy year-round warm weather for the first time in my life. Both my wife and I are extremely fortunate in that we don't have any debt, and I think the $20k max expenditure this car would represent is doable and not that irresponsible (but definitely a little irresponsible).

I'll try and sell my car in the next few months, and I'd be sitting on whatever the proceeds are for several months before I make any moves, so it would be some time to think on it (and hopefully let it appreciate in the market).

As for uncertainty- there is plenty of that in my situation. My wife has a job lined up at a private practice in Houston, but her fellowship (Mass eye+ear in Boston) has offered her a job which is awfully appealing (except for living in Boston and dealing with its exorbitant COL). Going back home to LI to start a family where my friends and parents are is also appealing. Boils down to staying long term in Houston vs. Boston vs. Long Island, which I'm giving my wife full say in- we go where she wants to be.

[CALL_911]

Also I knew knew knew you were going to come in with that. I was somewhat embarrassed to post this thread because I was anticipating that^

[Laconian]

LOL! Debbie Downer, MD

[CALL_911]

Best part is- 2 of my attendings are car guys, 1 recently divorced. He bought an M5 right away and I may sell the 3-series to him as a winter beater, because he's realizing those Michelin Alpin 5s are expensive (and he has already somehow destroyed 2 of them in 3 months of ownership). The other has a 997.2 C4S and is telling me this is a great idea.

565 is a voice of reason, as he always is.

[CaminoRacer]

Will you have space for 3 cars in TX? Just bringing the S2000 with you might be the easiest option.

[Laconian]

Will you have space for 3 cars in TX? Just bringing the S2000 with you might be the easiest option.

Covered car transport would be cheaper than paying tax on a transaction...

[CALL_911]

Will you have space for 3 cars in TX? Just bringing the S2000 with you might be the easiest option.

S2000 will stay in the northeast. It'll be my wife's car and this, so 2.

[Submariner2]

My Miata commute was great so long as I didn't touch any freeways. But on the freeway, being penned in by loud distracted trucks with headlight and bumper height mismatch... that kind of sucks. A distracted driver in a Dodge RAM KO'd my NA Miata with a casual sideswipe, hit and run.

So I guess the thing I'm wondering is if your commute consist of sideroads or highways?

I know society frowns on stereotyping but my god I cannot shake the feeling that RAM drivers are uniformly awful.