In reply to z31maniac :
I think you might be right. A manual Miata test drive fell through today, and I replaced it with a test drive of an auto Toyota 86. The suspension felt on point; nearly perfect. I could tell that the auto trans was holding it back. I had about an hour to kill, so I swung by the local Subaru dealership. I knew they had a Mini Cooper S hanging around, and I was prepared to challenge my beliefs. When I was chatting with the sales manager, he says that they just got a 2020 BRZ manual in on trade. I said, forget challenging my beliefs, let's try the BRZ. It felt so much better with the manual. Night and day, folks. Night and day. It was grin-inducing. I haven't had that much fun in a car in a long time. I left telling them it's just a question of whether I'd want the extra 35 or so HP. But, overall, my wife is happy that it has a back seat. I could still cart the kiddos to school.
So... I realized that the torque dip was this weird barrier that I kept running into, and let's face it, the newer one is a little more mature of a design. There's a lot of straight roads here, so a little more highway umph is very welcome. Plus, the one I test drove had the Michelin Primacy tires, and I'd be interested in putting on stickier tires. I figure, up the grip a little and up the HP a little, and we're about at the same spot on grip vs power. I'd be worried that the 2 liter in the older car might get a little too sterile with something like a street autocross tire. But, it seems like either pick is great.
I'm guessing this is a "must be a rwd nothing else" situation? If so I got nothing.
of you're open to fwd, there's a lot of great fun cars in that price range new.
In reply to scardeal :
The 2nd gen cars are underrated according to all the dynos. Typical 1st gens put down around 165whp, the 2nd gens are putting down 210-215whp. So nearly 50whp and MUCH more midrange. If you get the Limited, you get the 18" wheels and stickier Michelins. I'm short so the cars ergo's fit me pretty well.
The back seat in the new ones is just as tiny as the 1st gen, in case that's a concern for the kids.
Ok, I might be overthinking this, but I haven't pulled a trigger yet, and circumstances dictate that it'll be Saturday at the earliest.
For many years I've at least *thought* I've wanted a Corvette. C5-C7. No danger of "needing" a C8. A C5 Z06 is probably my most driven car in Forza, for example. I've gone to the Corvette museum 2-3 times and have a few Corvette specific t-shirts that I've paid for. I haven't paid for any non-Corvette car t-shirts, though I've gotten other stuff as swag. I'm thinking whatever I buy might wind up being the last gas-powered sports car I'll ever own. (That might be overblown, but it's where my mind is going.) Plus, there's a local Corvette club, and the only other local marque-specific clubs are Jeep and Mustang, and I've crossed those off the list. The local SCCA is an hour's drive away.
Do I owe it to myself to at least test drive a Corvette? Or is this a "don't meet your heroes, kid" moment?
Of course you should! I'd try to get a test drive in anything you're interested in.
Go drive a manual Corvette in your price range.
z31maniac said:
Of course you should! I'd try to get a test drive in anything you're interested in.
Best advice. People come to me for car buying advice often. I ask questions, listen and then have them drive 3-5 cars that fit their list. Then they choose the one that is right for them.
scardeal said:
Ok, I might be overthinking this, but I haven't pulled a trigger yet, and circumstances dictate that it'll be Saturday at the earliest.
For many years I've at least *thought* I've wanted a Corvette. C5-C7. No danger of "needing" a C8. A C5 Z06 is probably my most driven car in Forza, for example. I've gone to the Corvette museum 2-3 times and have a few Corvette specific t-shirts that I've paid for. I haven't paid for any non-Corvette car t-shirts, though I've gotten other stuff as swag. I'm thinking whatever I buy might wind up being the last gas-powered sports car I'll ever own. (That might be overblown, but it's where my mind is going.) Plus, there's a local Corvette club, and the only other local marque-specific clubs are Jeep and Mustang, and I've crossed those off the list. The local SCCA is an hour's drive away.
Do I owe it to myself to at least test drive a Corvette? Or is this a "don't meet your heroes, kid" moment?
Yeh, I was happy with both of my Corvettes. Happier still when I sold them.
They do exciting and fun things. If you don't abuse them they don't really cost that much to own. Insurance is not ugly if you are middle age with a clean record. And a homeowner. Insurance agents will really cut a thin slice to keep your homeowners policy.
Drive them sensibly ( most of the time) fuel mileage is actually decent. Tires last surprisingly well.
I used to put both of my daughters in the one seat and they loved being picked up at school by their dad in a Corvette!
Here's another BRZ/86 recommendation as it does seem to fit the bill.
Two caveats, one minor, one major:
- I have found the interior quality on my 1st gen BRZ is disappointing. Touch points, seats & NVH are all fine but the car clunks, rattles and buzzes in a lot of annoying ways. Maybe mine was just built on the Friday before a long weekend.
- All those internet stories about motors failing? Take them very seriously. Put no trust in any "it's just light track/autox use" or "that's only if running boost/aero" or "I'm careful" rationalizations. Even if it's a 0.005% chance - a high-flow oil pickup and baffled pan will save you a ton of needless expense/heartache. Speaking from experience.
edit: I realized this sounds like an anti-recommendation. Let me be clear - the BRZ/86 sets out to be fun to drive and it achieves that BRILLIANTLY. Despite some flaws. From what I understand the 2nd gen cars are even better.
I finally had the capacity to test drive a C7 Corvette. I was not in love. I'm trying to figure out if it was the test drive or the car.
On the test drive, I kept running into traffic in the circle and onramps. I wasn't able to push the car's handling. Unlike the Mustang, it was able to put its power down. If the Mustang was "I'm an angry pit bull" and a Miata is "I'm a fun-loving puppy", then this was "I'm a terminator doberman."
Was it just too serious business?
In reply to scardeal :
I started with relative high power cars. But didn't really learn how to race until I was driving a low power car in a pack of other low powered cars.
At a relatively slow speed any "mistake" showed up right away and if I repeated that same mistake it was like I got a dope slap in the back of my head. Instant learning.
Then when I started driving high powered cars very few of those drivers had ever really ever learned those lessons and I felt like a God.
The one thing you can't learn in low powered cars is that delicate feeling right near the edge in high speed big radius turns. That point where you want to let up? Not push it so hard. You know drive like a librarian, not a racer.
Two places to learn that. Circle track. Big ones. Where the velocity is nearing the big 2 Or at slower speed? Ice racing. Out on a big frozen lake someplace where if you make a mistake you have acres and acres to slide. There make sure the lake has a nice solid 4-6 inches of ice. With no snow on top. Don't use studs or snow tires. Here your butt is going to educate you. How to drive right on the absolute edge of traction.
Once you learn that you're ready for the big boys cars.
What I'm saying is use this like a learning tool. Get the big boy car ( Mustang) and borrow a car where everybody has the same power and little traction to teach yourself really how to race.
If you get the comfortable car you won't learn anything. You'll just reinforce your lack of confidence.
But as I said. You have to really learn how to race in a pack of slow cars.
In reply to frenchyd :
Yes, I completely agree, best way for the OP to figure out what car he should buy is to test drive an underpowered car and then just find a frozen lake in Louisiana to test drive the Vette on. Makes total sense. You sure he shouldn't just spring for a Tesla Plaid? I hear there's a federal rebate for EVs...
In reply to 90BuickCentury :
You really do need to improve your reading.
I was talking about racing in the post above.
Which is how you really learn to use a car. Powerful cars like a Mustang or Corvette are often used as something for a poseur. If that's all that's asked of the car? Then as long as it's pretty •••••?
I got the impression the OP wasn't looking for that. As far as driving On ice? I'd go further north than minneapolis.
frenchyd said:
In reply to 90BuickCentury :
You really do need to improve your reading.
I was talking about racing in the post above.
Which is how you really learn to use a car. Powerful cars like a Mustang or Corvette are often used as something for a poseur. If that's all that's asked of the car? Then as long as it's pretty •••••?
I got the impression the OP wasn't looking for that. As far as driving On ice? I'd go further north than minneapolis.
Eye cane reed jest fin, tank ewe vary mulch.
This is exactly why I never bother responding to your comments. He's not asking for racing advice, he was having an issue with running into slower traffic while on a test drive on public roadways, which did not allow him to test the handling at the higher speeds that he wanted to run at. Traffic was the problem stated, not the OP's driving ability.
Also, not sure if your Sarcasmeter is broken or if you're just trying to mess with me, so I won't derail this thread any further by replying to you.
I would suggest that scardeal take the Vette out a second time to see how it handles with a little less traffic, if possible. If you're still not sold on it, then I'd keep looking at the other options.
