Another what car thread: Crystal Ball Edition

Let take a look into the future. I know GRM can be flooded with "what car" threads, but this is a bit different. I am familiar with the current GRM approved fun cars (Miata, E30, E36, C4 vette), but what about 10 years from now? I am trying my damnedest to pay off my student loans and take a big bite out of my new home loan before buying something fun, and it isn't easy. So in the mean time I need to occupy myself by thinking about what I will buy.

So what does the hive believe will be the GRM Trifecta of 2022? Me? I think NC miata, S197 mustang, and E46 m3.

Discuss

I bet a bunch of people will throw out cars like the BRZ.

I'm going to make odd guesses.

Nissan Leaf. The technology will have passed the car by, and the car may be on its second battery, but it'll have low miles and a pretty good amount of torque. It'll also be unloved, and cheap.

I would guess the Tesla Roadster will be in a similar, if slightly pricier boat. It'll be like a Laforza. Mostly forgotten, and as a result, selling for a fraction of its MSRP.

I see the Ford Transit connect, if it holds up, sitting alongside the Mazda 5.

The Caprice PPV could, if durable, take the P71's position. Well, that's not really an odd guess.

I never thought about the Tesla. But I don't think the production numbers will be be high enough to bottom out the price, or to make parts readily available.

The current 5.0 mustang (whatever the body code is) should be on the list. It's a big giant beast, but it's awesome and there are a billion of them. perhaps the Scion FRS and it's Subaru brother?

I suspect the ms3 will make that list once they're regularly sub 10k. I also believe the mx6 GT will.

Pontiac GTO, Mazda RX-8, and C5 Z06...

I think that after a certain point that keeping cars on the road 20+ years will no longer be realistic with how complicated they are and the consequences of failure in the systems that used to be under the drivers control. So, to a certain point I think it won't change all that much.

Javelin wrote: Pontiac GTO,...

All the recent, big American RWD cars with big V8s: GTO, G8, SRT8. Obama's CAFE targets will kill most of these cars but they will remain in high demand. Big, comfortable, lots of torque, modern reliability.

David

C5/C6, RX8, Toyobaru, S2k, NC, S2/S3 Elise/Exige

Leafs with upgraded batteries will probably be good as a DD or hypermiler car but they are NOT fast.

Teslas will be too rare to be cheap (and won't compete well with electric-swapped Elise/Exiges) but there is big upgrade potential for today's electric cars in general.

Mazdaspeed 3.
Cadillac CTS-v.
1st Corvette Z06.

Oh heck, just read the last year of GRM for cripes sake!

C6 Vette, Exige S, Cayman S, Z4M

I see manual transmission retro-fit kits being very expensive. Considering the rarity and small numbers of manuals being produced today, finding replacement parts for manual transmissions will rise.

Manual transmissions as we know them today will no longer be offered.

Cobalt SS Turbo, G8, Mustang

I dunno about the manuals. It could happen but most non-supercar sports cars are still available with a traditional manual. Robo-manuals aren't nice on the street. They're good for going very fast on a track.

2022? Probably something brand new as I retire. Can't even guess what that will be.

I can certainly speculate that it won't be a pure electric.

IMHO, dream away, imagine it being whatever you hope for. 10 years is so far into the future, it's impossible to say what a fun toy will be. Who knows, it may still be NA Miata! I'd start thinking about it seriously in oh...9.5 years.

It will either be an electric car or a dune buggy made from scraps with a .50cal on top, mark my words.

Actually that made things sound kind of opposite of how I wanted them to...

I will live in Gameboy's apocolyptico

Mike wrote: The Caprice PPV could, if durable, take the P71's position. Well, that's not really an odd guess.

I'm going to disagree with this one. Where I will take it is this direction. I have seen no Capri (plural?) being used as police cars. The Taho police model on the other hand has been taking over the SUV market. If it holds up, I believe you will see similar. The other police car selling is the Taurus. The locals have been grabbing them and loving them. Take a curb at 40 mph? Sounds durable to me. I would bet they will be making and seelling as many as the P71s annually.

First off, I want to explain my logic. I tried to pick cars (with the exception of the FR-S/BRZ) based on a few criteria:

• under-appreciated (usually leads to greater depreciation)
• higher initial buy-in (most likely bought by a more mature owner)
• proven, reliable components
• (in some cases) larger sales volumes

So, here's my list:

• 2005+ Mustang - huge production numbers, even larger aftermarket, cheap parts, often not driven in winter
• 1st Gen CTS-V - LS architecture, quick depreciation, GM parts are cheap compared to other brands
• AP1/AP2 S2000 - Many were owned by older drivers who likely babied the cars, not driven in winter
• C6 Grand Sport / Z06 - LS architecture, typical owner is older, not likely to be a DD
• FR-S/BRZ - I'm hoping these will be a huge hit when new so we can buy them used
• E36 M3 / E46 M3 - Higher complexity than the earlier versions, but still DIY-able, initial owners were less likely to hoon them because of the higher initial buy-in
• Miata (all generations)

Abarth, FRS, and the GTO/Mustang/ G8/ Challenger.

Klayfish wrote: IMHO, dream away, imagine it being whatever you hope for. 10 years is so far into the future, it's impossible to say what a fun toy will be. Who knows, it may still be NA Miata! I'd start thinking about it seriously in oh...9.5 years.

But what will I do for the next 9.5 years?

dj06482 wrote: First off, I want to explain my logic. I tried to pick cars (with the exception of the FR-S/BRZ) based on a few criteria: - under-appreciated (usually leads to greater depreciation) - higher initial buy-in (most likely bought by a more mature owner) - proven, reliable components - (in some cases) larger sales volumes So, here's my list: - 2005+ Mustang - huge production numbers, even larger aftermarket, cheap parts, often not driven in winter - 1st Gen CTS-V - LS architecture, quick depreciation, GM parts are cheap compared to other brands - AP1/AP2 S2000 - Many were owned by older drivers who likely babied the cars, not driven in winter - C6 Grand Sport / Z06 - LS architecture, typical owner is older, not likely to be a DD - FR-S/BRZ - I'm hoping these will be a huge hit when new so we can buy them used - E36 M3 / E46 M3 - Higher complexity than the earlier versions, but still DIY-able, initial owners were less likely to hoon them because of the higher initial buy-in - Miata (all generations)

I like your thought process. I have to disagree on the cts-v because they just didn't make many of them. I looove the idea of owning a Gran Sport! Anyone think of the Viper, or will their values level off soon?

You guys are all crazy.

Everyone knows the world is going to end 12/21/2012.

I'm saving every dime I can so in november I can blow it all on hookers and blow

My sad drunk answer would be that in 2022 any car made by American hands would be a nostalgic fave since domestic auto production may then be over.

Otherwise, GRM faves:

1) V8, rwd that is easily convertible to flex fuel or fermented catfish juice. If the parts base it there, we may have warmed up to high end German products as we will be the keepers of the flame to keeping them on the road DIY.

2) C4 and C5 Corvettes will continue to be liberated from the hands of male perfume abusers.

3) Porsche 996 and Boxsters with the kaputmacht engines will be THE hot tickets for powertrain swaps with some hipo greenness/cheapness.

4) Any car under 3500 lbs will be considered a dainty ballerina.