Hey guys,

I have a car guy issue that I am trying to sort out and I need advice. It is the usual question of beater and sports car vs one nice car. Things you need to know:

1. I am cheap. I am so cheap that cheap people call me cheap. I want value for my money above all else.

2. I just bought the Missus-to-be a big ol' rock and have wedding and relocation costs in the not too distant future.

3. I am not a home owner, so space to park cars and fix them may not always be allowed.

The situation is this. I am moving up career-wise and about to see a large salary jump. A few years ago, I sold my last moderately fun car and shifted to city life. Since moving back to the 'burbs for work, my parents graciously gave me my father's car since he no longer really drives. It is reliable and a great appliance. The problem: it is a 2003 Camry v6 with the slush box. Other than dispatching potholes well, it pretty much sucks to drive. It only has 88k, is in great condition, and shows no signs of dying anytime soon. However, I can't take it anymore.

Solution:

1. Sell it and buy a new fun car. I am seeing similar cars sell for $5-6k on CL. Probably get a mazdaspeed 3, civic SI, fiesta ST, etc.

2. Keep the Camry as a paid off beater and buy used miata, mr2 spyder, or something hat can be a fun weekend car and backup DD.

3. Sell the car and buy a base mazda 3 and a project car for cheap.

Thoughts?

2.

2.

Another vote for 2, having a beater, especially a paid off one is a pretty useful thing. Your profile says you are in NY so I think having the Camry as a winter car and saving your fun car from the abuse is a pretty good idea.

+2

2 for sure.

Just wait until you get 6 paid off beaters........

No debt is an awesome thing

Number 2

definitely two

Keep 2... Also what will the mrs's driving?

2

I was all set to say "2", but...

What all do you use a car for? How do you want to be able to use a car? Are you hoping to do track days? How frequently do you auto-x? Do you just like the opportunity to play a bit going around corners and have the daily routine be less of a grind?

If you want to have the opportunity to occasionally cut totally free and go play, #2 all the way.

If you just want your daily drive to have fun and soul, #1. Space and simplicity.

Whatever you do, pay cash.

To answer a few questions:

Currently in NY, but I will be moving to Maryland in a few months. Still some snow down there, but mild compared to NY recently.

The mrs just purchased a 2013 Corolla S a few months back. I would have loved something more fun, but her dad insisted on a Yota or Honda for her, I got her a great deal though as it was less than $16k OTD on a 21k sticker with 0% interest for 36 mths (at which point we will have paid off the car). She lives in the city now, so it works for her.

As for me, I plan to do a few auto-x events as time permits and I would love a drop top for weekends away as we travel to visit friends fairly often and often head towards the beach/water.

The other thing is my commute will vary as I travel to different facilities throughout the day and I tend to work out of my car a little bit. I will not necessarily be a long commute, but possibly multiple places a day.

Keep the Camry +1 more.
First priority, the Camry gets you to work and can be used to keep you looking respectable (meeting or date-night.)
Second priority, find something cheap and fun. It does not have to run all the time. If something really debilitating happens to it, sell it off and get another.
I suggest a Miata bought for cash, say, $3k.

I still vote #2. I started out by autocrossing my DD. It is a great daily, comfortable and plenty responsive, but it is relatively uncompetitive. I bought a cheap but competitive toy car, and no longer have to care if I don't get a project done by bedtime, or if I have trouble with it, because the DD is always waiting to take me to work tomorrow.

Go with option #2.

I drive a '95 Buick LeSabre as a daily driver so I feel your pain. To echo Duke, it is actually fun to work on the toy knowing that you do not have to have it back together to get to work the next day. Much, much less stress!

Option #2 is the way to go.. With 88K on it, long as you keep up the scheduled maintenance that Camry will be as reliable as the sunrise. Keep the Camry and go get yourself a toy to play with, when you break it (and you will), you've got the Camry to get around in till your toy is fixed. Like trucke says, Much, Much less stress!

06HHR wrote: Option #2 is the way to go.. With 88K on it, long as you keep up the scheduled maintenance that Camry will be as reliable as the sunrise. Keep the Camry and go get yourself a toy to play with, when you break it (and you will), you've got the Camry to get around in till your toy is fixed. Like trucke says, Much, Much less stress!

I've maintained the car for most of its life and it has never missed an oil change since we bought it with 19k on the clock because I am paranoid about engine sludging with the 3.0 liter v6. So far, so good. Just fixed the a/c problem myself and put in new air filters. All the belts were changed at 75k.

I'll buck the trend and say this: neither.

You spend MOST of your time driving in your DD, not on "fun weekend drives," I assume. So WHY would you want to spend MOST of your time in the sucky car? I would kill myself if I had to DD a boring car.........

Sell the Camry and use that $5-6k to buy something for the same price that is still a reliable all-season car but is more fun to drive. Hell, you could buy a 2003 Maxima with 6MT, LSD, and a great engine for about that price or less, and it's actually pretty fun to drive (and nicer) than a Camry. Thank Nissan values for not being very strong vs. Toyota. Or any number of other cars that, while not epic, would be fun(ner) to drive daily. Impreza (non-wrx), e36 (non-m3), Protege, etc. All of which are available with a stick. That solves your boring appliance car problem and you're still even on money. Camrys hold their appliance value, so you can get more car for the same price from a different (non-Toyota/Honda) badge.

Then buy whatever track/project/weekend car fits into your budget.

If that doesn't work for you, I'd say #1. You can find a good commuter car that can also be a fun weekend car if you only want one car. Depending on how much room you need (back doors?). For several years I've had my 09 WRX which I much enjoy commuting in daily, it looks nice and has full accoutrements, but it can also go do an autocross or a track day or some canyon-carving. Plus it's all-season, rocks the snow, etc. MS3, Focus ST, e46 M3, etc would all fit that bill as well.

In reply to Duke:

I did this exact same route before(my DD was an Ion Redline), and was normally winning gstock locally and enjoying driving it.....granted the whole point of autox is to have fun.

If you go the route of one nice car, and it sits out a lot, you do not want a soft top convertible. At the end of the day, do what feels right for you. You might as well keep the Camry until it dies though.

2

You know the Camry, it still has a lot to give. Buy the fun second car, for you. A Miata or a MR2 fits for fun duty.

2

I'm gonna go with 2 as well. Unless you are a great mechanic with a garage full of tools, you will have a time when you will stress because the only car you have needs to be fixed for tonight because you need for the commute tomorrow morning. That can really suck the pleasure out of the car hobby.

Also, since you live in NY, it really sucks to spend a lot of your money and time on a fun car to only see it rust away because of the road salt.

2