I have another "What Car?" thread!

Ok so.

In no order:

1) MR2 Spyder
2) NB1 Miata (more on this below)
3) RX8
4) Nothing.

MR-S is pretty self-explanatory.

NB1, because the most fun i've ever had in a miata was in an STR-prep NB1, and i already have most of the parts in my garage to get 95% of the way there with another Miata.

RX8, because SWMBO has wanted one for a long time and i like them a lot as well. Unfortunately, after driving an 09+, i don't know if we'd be able to settle for an early one.

The "Nothing" option would actually entail getting back into high gear on an old project that has stalled, but would NOT leave us with a mild-built car to just bomb around in anymore. The Cherokees would remain the year round daily drivers even in summer. I wouldn't have a "get in and drive" car to do trackdays, get my licenses, or just "hey i feel like autocrossing this weekend."

Cheapest option is Miata by far. But... we've had 4 different Miatas this year already, and i'm afraid that we'll just move it on out after a year or two. However, it's obviously the easy button with the parts i have stockpiled.

My worry with the RX8 is buying while they're still depreciating this badly. I'd like to have the ability to not take a HUGE bath on it if i NEED to sell for some reason.

Miata, because even if you unload it in a year or so you'll have fitted parts you already have opening up storage space for parts for your next project. Also it's getting cold, miatas are cheap now, buy it, fit the parts, sell before august and you'll profit.

I loved my MR2 for just that, bombing around. It was riot and other than a few issues (precats, bearings) they are really reliable and fun to drive. Look for one in the next 3 months and you should be able to get one with a clean history and a Hard top for not too much over a decent NB. Buy one with a hardtop already though. Those things are expensive.

I would pick MR-S with hard top. I can't really explain why other than I'm slightly drawn to them.

My co-worker has 2 mr-s now. She drives them pretty much every day so I guess they must be pretty reliable. Not sure how fast they are though.

Miata is the smart option. However, I think you should go MR2. Those things are supposedly pretty tricky to drive properly, so I think you can better yourself as a driver with that car, and give yourself a little more versatility as far as your skills go.

Plus, everybody and their dog has driven a miata at the autocross. Go be different! I don't know how easy any of them are (probably not very), but there have been some REALLY sweet track MR2s with Honda or Nissan engine swaps.

slowride wrote: My co-worker has 2 mr-s now. She drives them pretty much every day so I guess they must be pretty reliable. Not sure how fast they are though.

I'm not worried about fast. I can make things fast, but i'm trying to take a step backwards at this point, and stay away from boost. I have fast cars.

I want fast in terms of handling/braking/responsiveness, not necessarily huge power this time.

Bored with hammers. Want scalpel.

I vote RX8 because magic spinning triangles and making SWMBO happy. So rewarding to dive an RX8/rotary hard because you know it loves being revved to the moon.

I mean, I'm biased, but what about an E30?

gearheadE30 wrote: I mean, I'm biased, but what about an E30?

SWMBO wants an E30 quite badly as well.

But i'm unsure if i want yet another 80s car in the stable.

http://york.craigslist.org/cto/4711907504.html +

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/ptd/4744644742.html

scalpel (or shrapnel)

I say RX-8 if it is going to be a fun weekend car that you drive at the limit. That's where it shines. Make sure to avoid the sunroof if you are tall as the headroom is horrible with a sunroof. I owned an RX-8 for a few years and it's great as a fun car, not great as a daily driver.

I've driven an MR-S at our local autocross. Reminds me of driving a Miata. It's easy to drive, but IMO too similar to the Miata, I would just save my money and get a 1.8 Miata rather than the MR-S.

In reply to Swank Force One:

Where does the Deathscort fit into these plans? You still have it, right???

Harvey wrote: I say RX-8 if it is going to be a fun weekend car that you drive at the limit. That's where it shines. Make sure to avoid the sunroof if you are tall as the headroom is horrible with a sunroof. I owned an RX-8 for a few years and it's great as a fun car, not great as a daily driver. I've driven an MR-S at our local autocross. Reminds me of driving a Miata. It's easy to drive, but IMO too similar to the Miata, I would just save my money and get a 1.8 Miata rather than the MR-S.

When i say "MR-S," there's a high chance that it would have a 6spd/2zz motor swap.

petegossett wrote: In reply to Swank Force One: Where does the Deathscort fit into these plans? You still have it, right???

Deathscort is the "Nothing" option. The problem with that car is that it won't be well-suited for "bombing around" or taking any sort of trips in.

And i need to weigh just how important that is to me.

The last two Miatas we've kept for any length of time have been awesome for that in terms of a "here's a fun sports car we can drive if we feel like it."

The question is... do we want the only choices to be Cherokee or..... Deathscort?

MR-S. You want it, and I want it when you're done with it.

MR-S and end thread. As fast as the miata with Mid-engine goodness. Unless you want to step up to the Boxster plate.

bmw88rider wrote: MR-S and end thread. As fast as the miata with Mid-engine goodness. Unless you want to step up to the Boxster plate.

I suffer from "what if" syndrome. I'd have to settle for a base Boxster with my budget, and i'd always hate the car because it's not a Boxster S. And if i'm going to buy a Porsche, it'll be a 911 or a Cayman.

How big of a fleet do you want to be responsible for? We're down to 6 driving/insured/plated vehicles plus a trailer, and it's still a pain. I'm getting ready to order my 4th set of tires since 10/1, and I still want to get new snow tires for the Acc(id)ent just in case this winter sucks as bad as last year. Of course we don't have car payments, so there's that, but it still adds up.

Porsche 968

In reply to pres589:

RX3

petegossett wrote: How big of a fleet do you want to be responsible for? We're down to 6 driving/insured/plated vehicles plus a trailer, and it's still a pain. I'm getting ready to order my 4th set of tires since 10/1, and I still want to get new snow tires for the Acc(id)ent just in case this winter sucks as bad as last year. Of course we don't have car payments, so there's that, but it still adds up.

I'm not really worried about a big fleet. There's only two of us, and we put little enough miles on everything that it's not a huge deal to keep up with them.

We don't have car payments, and the current fleet (once this miata is picked up) is:

2000 Cherokee
1998 Cherokee
1993 Deathscort
1990 MX6
1993 Miata (Rolling shell, long term project)

I'm leaving the MX6 out of the whole "get in and bomb around thing," because frankly, SWMBO won't drive it, and it just plain and simple makes too much power for what i'm looking for. I wouldn't want to gain track experience driving it, it rides like E36 M3 because of the compromises i've had to make on suspension on a GRM Challenge budget, and it's just not the "get in and go" vehicle i'm looking for.

Deathscort is the same sort of thing, but for different reasons. It rides like E36 M3 because full on Street Modified suspension. It'll drive like E36 M3 on the street because huge cams, ITBs, and 7lb flywheel.

captdownshift wrote: In reply to pres589: RX3

Actually, this presents an interesting possibility as well that i was going to weigh later down the road.

We both love old Japanese cars. A nice sorted resto-mod E7 Corolla, MKii Supra, maybe a Z car, etc. could fit the bill.

Swank Force One wrote: It rides like E36 M3 because full on Street Modified suspension. It'll drive like E36 M3 on the street because huge cams, ITBs, and 7lb flywheel.

add solid motor mounts and that sounds like the perfect bomb around in fun to drive and cruise setup to me.

In reply to Swank Force One:

then the answer is nothing and have funds on hand for when the right 70s- early 80s vintage Japanese car comes along, or Miata in order to make more space by using parts that you already have. Then upon selling the Miata within the next year start the search.