Brad Wardell's views about technology, politics, religion, world affairs, and all sorts of politically incorrect topics.
Which one
Published on September 1, 2006 By Draginol In Your Car
You ask someone what their dream car is and you'll get all kinds of mega cars that cost millions of dollars.

I never gave much thought about cars until relatively recently. I drove a 1984 Chevette well into my 20s. That was all I could afford.

But over the years, fate and prosperity have been kind to me and getting the untouchable dream car starts to become a reality. But a lifetime of ignorance on cars means I've had to play catch-up.  Having been burning the midnight oil for the past 15 or so years, I've finally reached the point where I can start to afford really cool stuff.

In just over 10 years, I've gone from the Chevette to a Jaguar S-Type R which is what I have now. The Jaguar S-Type R is a roughly $65,000 car. In a couple of years, I will be getting a new car. But the next step up involves looking at cars that you have to order literally a year or more in advance. Which means I have to start thinking about these things now.

Here are some of the cars I'm thinking of:

1) The BMW M5. It's a Sedan which means I can fit 5 people in it. Wife, and 3 kids. So it is practical. It's also about 500hp and does 0 to 60 in under 5 seconds. It's even faster than the Jag in theory.

2) The BMW M6. Not a Sedan and not really any faster but still an awesome car. But the BMW's have a really goofy transmision system.

3) Porsche 911 Turbo. Now this is starting to cost real money. $130k to get the version I'd want to get. Ironically, the Porsche has a really crappy GPS system. I know, it's a minor thing but at that price, there should be no compromises.

4) Ferrari F430. This is at the high end of what I would be willing or able to afford at this point. It's actually slower than the Porsche but it's a Ferrari. The problem with this and the other super cars is reliability. I am not a car collector. I plan to actually drive whatever I get pretty much every day (at least in good weather). Ferrari's and up tend to ironically be fairly unreliable by reputation.

What is a real bummer for me, as a Detroiter, is that there are no American cars on the short list. The Ford GT looks interesting but has reliability problems and just doesn't seem very interesting. Corvettes, here in Detroit, are a dime a dozen. The various high end Caddy's are somewhat interesting but I don't like the way they look. That pretty much leaves me with what I've mentioned here.

I figure now is the time to get some ridiculous car because the car after this one will be when I hit (gulp) 40 and I plan to have a more modest, reasonable car by then lest one thinks that I'm experiencing a mid life crisis. In reality, I just want to have a really cool car while I'm still young. So if you had $150k or so as your budget on a car, what would you get?
 
  

Comments (Page 1)
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on Sep 01, 2006
I'm like you, never been into cars much. I have a pickup truck. And that is allI really want. Something to get me from there to here, and haul stuff when I need to.
on Sep 01, 2006
Get the M5. It's practical, but it has the balls to get you anywhere you need to go . . . really, really quick. My friend's parents have one, and it's splendid. What a hunk of car.

If I had the money to spend on a car? 150k? Ooh, that new Jag XK roadster is gorgeous . . .
on Sep 01, 2006
Cars as status symbols are long past, I see so many 50-150K cars on the road these days I don't even turn to look. I would just get what has plenty of room and gets good gas mileage and leave the high consumption lifestyles to the dweebs.
on Sep 01, 2006

Cars as status symbols are long past, I see so many 50-150K cars on the road these days I don't even turn to look. I would just get what has plenty of room and gets good gas mileage and leave the high consumption lifestyles to the dweebs.

Who said anything about wanting a status symbol? I just want to get a car I really like.  The porche looks really cool and the M5 is pretty cool. Both are very fast. I'm already married so it's not about impressing chicks.

on Sep 01, 2006
Shop American. Get a Viper.   
on Sep 01, 2006
I'm a girl, so I don't really "get" some of the cars that men drool over.

Question: Why does fast matter? Do you have occasion to really go that fast?

A lot of the luxury features that make a car more convenient or comfortable, I can understand. Some of these things, like speed above and beyond what I can imagine anyone having use for, I just can't wrap my head around.
on Sep 01, 2006
Both are very fast. I'm already married so it's not about impressing chicks.


Brad, welcome to the Old man, Happily married club! Get what you want! I do. My wants are just not so exotic. But then, I am a boring guy!   
on Sep 01, 2006
How about a Saleen? It's what Jim Carrey had in "Bruce Almighty."

"A true supercar, the Saleen S7 is capable of over 200 miles per hour.
Zero-to-60 time is under three seconds. The S7 is designed to compete
with the fastest, quickest, best handling, most luxurious grand touring
cars in the world, while providing a distinctly American driving
experience for the fortunate few who will own one."

WWW Link
on Sep 01, 2006
If you really want to buy foreign, then consider this beauty. A true Supercar that served all the needs of the most demanding driver of all time, 007.

I give you, the Aston Martin:





A powerful yet refined all aluminium 6.0-litre V12 engine, it produces 335 kW (450 bhp) and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque. That results in a power to weight ratio of 194 kW/tonne (263 bhp/tonne).

Top speed: 300 Kph. (186 mph.)
0-100 kph (62 mph.) in 4.9 seconds.
on Sep 01, 2006

I'm a girl, so I don't really "get" some of the cars that men drool over.

Why do women get so excited about shoes?

on Sep 01, 2006
Unfortunately, the above Aston Martin DB9 retails just outside your price range at around $165,000 for the coupe and around $180,000 for the volante. Oh well, you'd just need to sell a couple more OD subscriptions to make it.   
on Sep 02, 2006
Why do women get so excited about shoes?


Touché.
on Sep 02, 2006
Ubob, they're only making 300 of the DBS.
on Sep 02, 2006
Ubob, they're only making 300 of the DBS.


Now that's a shame. Or maybe it's a good thing, depending on your point of view.

I know I've got the nerve to try and convince them to sell me one, now if only I had the cash.
on Sep 02, 2006
Have you already test-drove those cars? When I was a kid I had my heart set on getting a porsche when I was older. On my 20th birthday I finally scrounged up enough cash to buy one of the old 70s Carrerras so I went test-driving. And then I realised the horrible, horrible truth - no man over 6' has even the slightest chance of driving a porsche.

They're too frickin' small in the cabin. It's worse than a Hyundai.

If you're tall as well you'll also be able to scratch most of those cars off your list unless you get them customised, so maybe that's a help.

Otherwise I'd go the Porsche or go for the next model up in the Jag. Both look far, far better than any BMW or Ferrarri.
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