People do think about their future these days but I don't and never have. I lost my girlfriend and kids years ago and recently lost my mom so I know how short life really is. I just want to have some fun while I can. I was close to starting my own business but my girlfriend who was soon to be my fiance die and I haven't recover ever since. She was my soulmate, she was everything to me. After abandoning the business we just started, I decided to go back to college and become a nurse. 2 years later my mom passed away and the way she die being in the ICU made it impossible for me to become a nurse with so much PTSD off so many deaths.
I love my CR-V, it my first car and you never forget your first. Though I probably should have spend a little more for the FJ Cruiser. Regardless if I'm going to be wasting gas, I rather be wasting gas having fun instead. I only plan on having one car.
Thanks for the replies, sorry about the brief history of my life. Just had to put it in there so people can understand my perspective and how I view my life.
The FJ Cruiser is a goofy and impractical vehicle for most people. You did fine with the CR-V. If you want a "fun" car, there is no reason why you can't get a used car that is relatively fast and not a maintenance nightmare. Check out a 2012+ Scion TC , it's fairly sporty, efficiency is good.
People do think about their future these days but I don't and never have. I lost my girlfriend and kids years ago and recently lost my mom so I know how short life really is. I just want to have some fun while I can. I was close to starting my own business but my girlfriend who was soon to be my fiance die and I haven't recover ever since. She was my soulmate, she was everything to me. After abandoning the business we just started, I decided to go back to college and become a nurse. 2 years later my mom passed away and the way she die being in the ICU made it impossible for me to become a nurse with so much PTSD off so many deaths.
I love my CR-V, it my first car and you never forget your first. Though I probably should have spend a little more for the FJ Cruiser. Regardless if I'm going to be wasting gas, I rather be wasting gas having fun instead. I only plan on having one car.
Thanks for the replies, sorry about the brief history of my life. Just had to put it in there so people can understand my perspective and how I view my life.
Guys,
This thread just did a 180 degree turn. I am no longer considering the Shelby GT350 because it just not practical and it just not money smart. I will never make full use of what that car is capable and even people I know who have fast cars don't take it to the racing tracks as often as they can.
I think the gas saving alone is worth it. I get about 16/20 in my Honda CRV because it is old while a new Miata can give me 27/34 which just feel so much better for my wallet.
I'm a big fan of the new Mustang & almost got one (opted for a 4WD Jeep instead due to winter driving requirements here, but would still like to get one in the future). Have you considered the Ecoboost model? You get a 310 HP out of the door (and turbo!), plus lots of room to expand with aftermarket kits from MAP, COBB, etc. I actually like the Ecoboost system more than the V8 for expansion because of all of the stuff you can do to it. One guy put $44k (including vehicle cost) into his Ecoboost & has it pulling 600 HP on the dyno:
http://www.mustang6g.com/?p=8821
The nice thing is that a base Ecoboost starts at literally half the cost of a GT350, which means half the car payment, which is easier on the budget & leaves more room for future modifications. So if you can live without the Shelby badge, this might be a good route for you to go. My buddy delivers pizzas on weekends & makes about $60 a night (including tips), so you'd only have to work a couple evenings a week to cover the bill if you are still willing to get a second job. Not too bad!
Guys,
This thread just did a 180 degree turn. I am no longer considering the Shelby GT350 because it just not practical and it just not money smart. I will never make full use of what that car is capable and even people I know who have fast cars don't take it to the racing tracks as often as they can.
60K (12K markup from MSRP) plus insurance premium + maintenance + speeding tickets + anti-threat security is really breaking the bank and the last thing I want to do is be in debts. Like someone said, If I take a 2nd job, I'll be more tire and have less time to enjoy life. Then there other factors that I didn't consider cause I was so impress by the power and torque and overall appeal of the GT350 that I forgot one important thing. What the point of driving a manual car if gear 1 can reach 55mph because that would be the same as driving an automatic and defeat the purpose of driving a manual and for that reason, there is no point in buying a GT350 no matter how fast and powerful it is.
So I went back to the drawing board and want to look for a new car that what intended purpose it use I will reach it limit. With a GT350, I may go to the track twice a month but I won't really be able to have that much fun on the road for obvious reason. And there only two obvious choice that I am considering with the first being my 2nd choice to buy and that is the 2016 Nissan Miata at 24K to 30K MSRP base on trim level and my 3rd choice being the Suburu BRZ/Scion FRS at around similar price points.
Both cars are far less than half the price of the GT350 with way better gas mileage, handling, and is a daily driver that one can make full use off. I'm still waiting for the hardtop Miata before I make a decision but I'm so excited. The prospect of finally owning my first new car that I can realistically buy without going into loan or debt is exhilarating and kind of defeat the purpose of the thread title now that I think about it.
I think the gas saving alone is worth it. I get about 16/20 in my Honda CRV because it is old while a new Miata can give me 27/34 which just feel so much better for my wallet.
If you like the aesthetics of the BRZ, then you'll really like the new Miata. A few guys in my town picked them up. Looks really nice, especially in black!
The Ecoboost was actually the last Mustang I look at mainly because it seem like the Ecoboost is only a Mustang by look but not by performance. I can actually still afford a 350GT without needing a second job after consulting with my dad and he didn't realize how much money I made with my rent and utilities already pay off. The only reason I'm thinking of getting a second job is cause I'm responsible and like to be safe money wise. I wouldn't be in debt even if I bought a 350GT and without a 2nd and still have tons of unuse money left over.
And like yourself, I find the 2016 Mustang to look absolutely stunning as I was still iffy about older model design. Something about the side that feel cheap especially the small back window but the 2016 Mustang with it re-design is amazing looking even if it not that much different, its a very nice update. Probably should call it an update and not a re-design.
Though one thing I find very odd is that no 2016 Mustang has a sunroof while my old CRV does. That doesn't seem like your getting values for your money though I do like the fact that they all come with backup camera no matter the trim level.
...
For my intended purpose, I feel Miata/BRZ is slighty more right for me than Mustang. I am also planning on moving to CO so it just make so much sense to buy a drifter.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
That's really mean. I mean he'll come out ahead in fuel savings alone if he keeps the new car 17 years assuming fuel prices remain at current rates.
Since he doesn't understand the basics of driving a manual transmission, he's clearly very young, he wants to buy the Miata or BRZ because he wants a "drifter," and he plans to drive it in the snow, I think we can safely predict that the car will not still be around in 17 years.
This kid needs an NA Miata with a salvage title, a Hard Dog roll bar, and to join his local Miata club so he can learn about cars, learn about driving, and learn some common sense before he puts one foot on a new-car sales lot. When he smashes it into a tree on week 3, it will be a much cheaper learning experience and he can junk it without even reporting it to his insurance.
Between this thread and your identity crisis thread, I think maybe some counseling would be money well spent.
That and an NA/NB Miata.
i realized that even with my IS350 I can't push it as much as I want to. I can't even imagine how people with IS-F, CTS-V, M3, Mustang GT350 etc feel with all that power and no where to go. luckily my IS350 handles on rails and is so much fun on twisty roads. 306HP is plenty for me.... for now