Valigator's looking for a new car

[Valigator]

Ok I have decided that Val needs a nice sporty girlie car, preferably a convertible....so I made the rounds and went to pontiac the other day to look at that new little one I saw on the road ...its adorable until you sit in it, plus there is a good four steps to putting the top up and down. The inside has no bells and whisles and doesnt come with any....also its a composite resin that even feels cheap...$31,800

Ok Val has had her eye on the new little cadillac XLR convertible..cruise into the dealership and talk to the guy, this thing has it all, GPS, satelite radio, heads up display...oh yea...and one button to take top up and down....$77,000 without tax and the other stuff...(dont think thats gonna fly)

dropped by the Chevy place this pm...my buddies there said I should take a look at the new camaro coming out..said it was beautiful, but they didnt know when it would be available, they are getting conflicting dates, plus there will probably be a premium on them when they get here...they arent even sure what the price will be...somewhere around $35,000

Porshe Carrera, oh yea..my guy likes those and they are pricey, but he says he may be able to work a deal on one...but Carerra does not come in an automatic...the last thing I want to do is shift gears, now the Boxster comes in auto ...Boxster I think is around $40,000, but it is small and crawling in and out could get tiring after a while...anybody have any advise for me or does anyone know of any cars coming out that I should take a look at...

[Valigator]

Looks like a corvette is in front place....not a new one but maybe 2003 or 04...the new body came out this year or last not sure...so the earlier ones are affordable...anyone know ????

He is leaning towards that because of his chevy buddies, wants to keep the warranties and service with them....

[Nulle]

I have a Pont. Convert. and it rides like a lumber wagon.
I got a 06 Dodge Caravan for an ACO unit and it is pretty nice but the "guys" snuck in and put a soccer Ball on the back window with a sign "Soccer Mom" lol

[Valigator]

Just picturing that I am laughing....

[Dghantt]

well , the most bang for the buck would be a vette drive one first :D a close second would be a honda s2000 a third pick would be a mini cooper :) all fun to drive

[fabsroman]

Doesn't the mustang come in a convertible? Plus, talking about bang for the buck, the Cobra will be out this year and it will have something over 400 horsepower. Don't know if it will be available in convertible though. The Camaro looks like it is going to be nice once they put it on the street, but you guys should know I am a Ford guy. Wish I could afford the new Cobra.

The new vette, the Z06 is the best bang for the buck and it will actually give the Eurpean exotics (e.g., Ferrari and Lamborghini) a run for their money. Of course, I like the Ford GT40 with the T tops.

[Valigator]

Yes my guy keeps asking me if I like the mustangs every time we pass one, which is about 50 times a day...they are everywhere. We were at Chevy and he made me sit in the new suburban with the sales guy....and both were doing some hard selling...but I am sick of driving a truck, don't get me wrong my suburban has been a dream car and one of the better vehicles I ever owned, but I am over the huge car now and want something sporty before I get too old and end up in big sedan...know what I mean? this is Val's mid life crisis, but then common sense comes into play and as much as I want that little caddie..there is no justifying it...same goes with the new corvettes, the one on the show room floor was 68 grand..and what will it be worth when I drive it off the lot? So I figured an 03,04,05 depending on the price and all other things being equal...I gotta tell ya...I'll keep the car I am driving before I (he) spends a dime on something I'll get tired of crawling in and out of in 3 months...but I have spent alot of time on different websites lately and some of the new styles coming out are phenomenal...I don't need a muscle car, with my road rage and lead foot..could be trouble...I want something comfortable, automatic, sexy and looks good at the valet!!!!!;) PS want a GPS real bad too...

[DaMadman]

If you are going to hold out for the Camaro, try holding out until you see this one on the market.

Now I am with Fabs, I am a Ford fan but Man is this Dodge Schweet. Too Bad it is still only in concept stages

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=108756


http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/features/general/dodge.challenger.concept/dodge.challenger.f34.500.jpg

[fabsroman]

Don't get me wrong, I love the retro looking Mustang, Camaro, and Cuda. Wish I had enough money to afford one of them, or a ton of money so that I could buy all three.

My dream car is a 1966 Boss 428 Mustang, but I saw one of them sell for $475,000 at the Barrett Jackson auction. Won't be getting one of them anytime soon. I am keeping my fingers crossed to eventually be able to afford a house and a 1966 fastback mustang.

[Jack]

This isn't really related to Val's search for a car, but.....
Fabs, last week I saw a 427 Cobra on one of the roads around here- not the Mustang, the real, original Cobra.
I wonder what that's worth?

[Valigator]

My dad bought the first GT 500 Shelby Cobra that came into Florida...paid $5000 for it back then.....

[gumpokc]

Originally posted by Jack
This isn't really related to Val's search for a car, but.....
Fabs, last week I saw a 427 Cobra on one of the roads around here- not the Mustang, the real, original Cobra.
I wonder what that's worth?

Well into the 6 figure range if it's all original, with the exception of tires,belts etc etc.

Saw one at the DFW car show for sale several years ago, asking price was $575k.

[fabsroman]

Yes, I know what the original Cobra is. It is a 2 seat convertible that is super fast and it handles extremely well. It was also featured in the movie Bad Boys with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Don't know if the Porsche turbo in that movie would have actually caught the Cobra, but it is a movie.

What is really sad is that the Cobra 427 side oiler was going for around $60,000 about 10 years ago. Then again, this townhouse I am living in was built 7 years ago for $157,000 and now it is going for $425,000. I guess my earnings have increased to that same degree, but it continues to make things (i.e., Cobra, 66 Mustang Boss 428) out of reach. As salaries rise, so does the cost of everything.

I have been debating building a Cobra kit car, but I just don't think I have the time or facilities right now. Haven't even made room in my garage for my current Mustang, so I think my wife would kill me if I started building a car in the garage any time soon.

Life could be worse.

[DaMadman]

Fabs don't judge your dream car price by the that auction you spoke of. I have seen a lot of cars on there go for way, way, more than what they go for on the street. Lots of big money collectors at those auctions that run the prices up. You need to keep your eyes and ears open and find one that someone has tucked away in a barn somewhere and steel it for a nice price.... They are still out there.

I blew my chance to buy a Mustang with the 427 or 428 (don't remember which).

I was about 19 or 20 years old and a guy had one for sale. All numbers matched but the car had been partially restored.
It had some backyard body work that was rusting back through and a cheap paint job with quite a few flaws but the interior was nice and the car was drivable and in relatively good shape.

Don't remember the exact price he was asking but it was in the couple thousand $$ range and I didn't have quite enough money in the bank and couldn't talk him down any lower. So I passed on the car and a few months later in general conversation the car came up and my Great Aunt pulled me to the side away from the other relatives and told me that I was an idiot and if I ever found something like that again that I wanted but didn't have all the money that she would loan me the $$$.... all I had to do was ask......

Well knowing her, I know she was only trying to make me feel better but knowing that I let that car slip through my hands and could have bought it with just a phone call made me ill......
:D :confused:


Had a similar experience with a Coyote Kit Car (like the one on the TV show Hardcastle and McCormick), seen it for sale and kept putting off going to look at it and didn't call and not only did it sell before I got off my ass and checked it out but it sold a lot cheaper than I figured it would.

Fabs on a closing note... If you do ever build a Shelby AC Cobra kit car and build it with the 427 or 428 I want a ride in it.......

[fabsroman]

If I ever build a Cobra kit car, I'll drive it down to shoot clays with you guys and take everybody for a ride afterward.

[gumpokc]

Hehe Fabs, if you buidl the kit, and IF yopu put the sidepipes on it, just remember to never wear shorts, polyester, or any other type of synthetic material except for nomax for pants.

The first time you get out of the car, doesn't matter what your wearing your goign to burn the crap out of your leg on that pipe.
It's just a natural thing with the way it's designed.

I promoise ya, polyester slacks and sidepipes do _NOT_ mix :/

[fabsroman]

I hear you on that, but the side pipes look oh so nice.

[DaMadman]

Originally posted by fabsroman
If I ever build a Cobra kit car, I'll drive it down to shoot clays with you guys and take everybody for a ride afterward.

Alrighty, I am going to hold you to that.