Mustachian Dream Car Thread

[RWD]

Me: 2010 Volkswagen GTI

My wife is getting a 2015 GTI soon. We test drove a handful of cars (Mk VI GTI, Mk VII GTI, Mazda 3, Honda Fit) and decided the new GTI was the best practical and fun car. It's also rated for 47% better fuel economy than the vehicle we're replacing.

Sure, a stock TDI isn't all that sporty. But TDIs conveniently make huge gains with very few engine mods.

The GTI also conveniently responds very well to a few engine mods. Though like Mykl I've moved on past that stage. Too much expensive and frustrating troubleshooting with the Supra Turbo I used to own.

I HIGHLY recommend test driving a Ford Focus ST......INSANELY fun car, cheaper than the VW, the interior looks and feels amazing, its one of the few front wheel drive cars on the road that can let the back tires rip loose on turns, and its just an all around fun car to drive. Not to mention that a mild tune done by ford (warranty in tact) gets it up to almost 300hp/300lbs tq.

The Focus ST is only $25 cheaper than the GTI (MSRP $24,370 vs $24,395). It also weighs 250 lb more and gets worse fuel economy. The interior is nicer in the GTI. The Focus ST does not have a cool electronic differential (called XDS on the VW). The GTI is the only front-wheel drive vehicle I've driven where I couldn't tell that it was front-wheel drive and I drove it aggressively during our test drive. Torque steer is a serious issue with high-powered front-wheel drive vehicles.

The Focus ST is a great car for sure, but I think the GTI is better and certainly is a better fit for our needs.

The focus does have an ediff which is why Ford did not put a LSD up front. The focus also has the torque vectoring system. Both cars are fun but the Ford is faster and based on my experience will spend a lot less time in the shop than a VW.

I was not aware of that, thanks. Looking at Autoblog it sounds like it's probably not quite as good as VW's system. I agree the Focus ST should be faster in a straight line, but as this is my wife's daily commuter pure acceleration performance is not the top priority. The Legacy GT we have now has a similar power-to-weight ratio as the Focus ST, so we know what level of performance to expect.

As far as the reliability, I wouldn't be too sure of that. The Focus ST is not as reliable as a normal Focus (not that the normal Focus is particularly good either). TrueDelta actually has more reported issues with the 2013 Focus ST than with the 2013 VW GTI (no numbers yet for 2015 model years, of course).
http://www.truedelta.com/Volkswagen-Golf/reliability-279/vs-Focus-88

[iris lily]

Sigh. I like cars a lot. My dream cars tend to be old roadster convertibles such as the Triumph TR 4 and TR6, MG-TD, the big Healey. I also love the mid-1960's Mercedes Benz SL 250, in cream, please.

Old Jaguar S cars are very fine. At one time I would have liked an XKE but they are now too extreme for me, although if someone gave me one, I'd love it to death.

And then I have  a huge fondness for funny little bitty cars, so I love the new Smart cars. I love the old Izettas (about the size of a Smart car.)I love Nash Metropolitans, original Mini Coopers, and just about any other tiny car out there.

[RWD]

And then I have  a huge fondness for funny little bitty cars, so I love the new Smart cars. I love the old Izettas (about the size of a Smart car.)I love Nash Metropolitans, original Mini Coopers, and just about any other tiny car out there.

Some great little cars there. Another quirky one is the Messerschmitt KR175/KR200. There's one up for auction right now:
http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-messerschmitt-kr200/

[iris lily]

Some great little cars there. Another quirky one is the Messerschmitt KR175/KR200. There's one up for auction right now:
http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-messerschmitt-kr200/

awww, that Messerschmitt is killing me!

[One Noisy Cat]

    I drive (infrequently) a 1996 Volvo 960.  Lousy on gas mileage but runs well and didn't cost much

   Dream car is a Lotus 49 with Cosworth DFV.  7 left in the world so I am saving my pennies.  On a more practical side maybe a Prius or Tesla if my apartment complex ever puts in recharging stations.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_49

[lifeinhd]

The car my wife brought to our marriage was a 2005 Scion xB.  It wasn't comfortable for her to be in on long trips so we swapped her primary vehicle for the Camry.  I had intended to sell the GTI and use the xB as my personal commuter, but after a month of driving the Scion every day I realized that it would impact my personal happiness in a negative way.  Say what you will about materialism and excessive spending or whatever, but the 210,000 mile Scion turned an activity that I normally enjoy (driving) into a pain.

As the owner of a 210,000 mile 2006 xB... this accurately describes my feelings on the subject. It's great at what it does-- haul shit while getting near 40 MPG-- and while I can enjoy driving in almost any car, the Scion is really testing me. I'll be swapping it for something more interesting, but not sure what yet. I do want to maintain the storage space and at least reasonable MPGs (and a manual!). I'm thinking an Audi A4 Avant or a Saab 9-5 wagon. Or go all out and get an early '90s Civic wagovan, like this: https://home.comcast.net/~turbohf/wagovan001.JPG

[Optimiser]

I drive a 1990 Miata, which is my mustacian dream car. I've been getting about 36mpg lately, and although it isn't really fast, it is a ton of fun. I bought it with 84,000 miles for $2,500, and it will probably always be worth at least that much.

Sometimes I'm really tempted to get a manual first generation Insight as a daily driver. I don't drive enough for the gas savings to be worth paying insurance on another car. Plus, my wife thinks owning two two-seat cars in impractical.

If money were no object I'd really love to have a Tesla P85D, an F40, and an NSX

[golfreak12]

I have a 2006 Civic with 140K miles.
My wife drives a 2008 Accord Coupe.
My fun car is a 2003 S2000 that I've had long before I got married.
We will have to get rid of one the next year and get some type of mini SUV for practical reason.
Of course being the Mustachian, I only insure 2 cars at time. I usually rotate the S2000 and the Civic for myself.
My dream car in the future has to be a C7 Corvette. Maybe in 5 yrs when I feel like I can splurge. I will get one.
Speaking on splurge, I was going to get my wife a luxury suv for my wife for our 5 yr anniversary but she shot that down. She said she rather spend the money on something more useful. Now thats a Mustachian wife.

[lbmustache]

Gosh dream cars. Probably a Tesla P85D. I wouldn't say no to a M3 either... preferably in an outrageous color.

[zephyr911]

Gosh dream cars. Probably a Tesla P85D.

I helped run the National Drive Electric Week event last weekend and a guy stopped by with one right as we were closing. Couldn't pass up a ride, and experiencing 0-60 in 3 sec in complete silence was pretty mind-boggling. I passed up a test drive because it was privately owned and only a few weeks old, and I didn't want to take even the tiniest chance. I would love to have a Model S someday, but I absolutely do not need a P85D. Even the standard 85kWh MS is more than enough for any reasonable human being. ;)

I've had a thing for Tesla since the beginning, and it's been one of the biggest debates for me while reducing material consumption. It's one of the few things left that I'd consider delaying retirement for, if the circumstances are right and the tradeoff isn't too big. I was going to do it last year, then this year, and I decided to invest more instead - meanwhile, used prices keep dropping and FIRE gets closer. I genuinely don't care about the luxury aspect of it - it's actually off-putting for me - and the performance is marginally important. But it'd be cool as hell to have enough EV range to never use gas again, and charge for free all across North America.

For now, I'm pretty damn happy with my Volt.

[daschtick]

I HIGHLY recommend test driving a Ford Focus ST......INSANELY fun car, cheaper than the VW, the interior looks and feels amazing, its one of the few front wheel drive cars on the road that can let the back tires rip loose on turns, and its just an all around fun car to drive. Not to mention that a mild tune done by ford (warranty in tact) gets it up to almost 300hp/300lbs tq.

Cars are my weakness also.  In 2013, I bought my Oxford White ST3 package Focus ST as a mustachian version of a BMW 135.  I also have the Ford Racing Performance Tune, which now delivers 340 lb/ft of torque to the wheels.  The car is extremely practical due to the 5 door hatch configuration, and I average 28 mpg overall.  It is my perfect daily driver, and I plan to have it a long time.

A 3rd gen Toyota MR2, 03-05 years with LSD and removable hardtop.  Price range ~10k

I also have a red '00 MR2 Spyder as a toy.  Financially this car is actually very mustachian, because I bought it used for less than $9000 with 44k miles on it 5 years ago.  This mid-engined car weighs less than 2200 pounds, and returns 35 mpg overall.  Since it is not my daily, the condition remains stellar, and I seriously doubt there will be any further depreciation due to the rarity of this model.

[Cole]

My super reasonable non-crazy car dream would be: an early 2000's nissan frontier 4.0 manual 4x4 with a slide in camper so I can tour south america!

[iamlittlehedgehog]

Toyota Prius C - which would have been my next car if I had the money for it. Reliable Prius mechanics are still a rarity out here though. Or, my beloved Honda Fit. I loved my Fit, so much space but great gas milage, the ride wasn't very smooth though.

Right now I'm in a Ford Fiesta, once the wonky clutch issue was fixed it's a nice little ride that loves my highway commute, I just wish the back seats were fold flat. I average 35.6 mpg between highway and city driving.

[ketchup]

Honestly, my "dream cars" would be our current cars, brand new with 0 miles on the odometers and completely rustproofed (current cars are very much neither of those things).  But they don't make new Chevy Metros or Buick Roadmaster Wagons anymore, so that can't really happen.  Can't get the gas mileage of a Metro without going hybrid and automatic, can't get the sheer interior volume of the Roadmaster Wagon without going SUV or van.  And visibility sucks on newer cars.

But I'd accept a Tesla if it was handed to me.  Any other fancypants car I'd probably turn down.

[EllieStan]

I drive a 2008 Mazda 3 sedan (bought used in 2012) that's almost hitting 150K. So far, I have been lucky: the car has no rust and has never needed major repairs (yet). It's well taken care of. I'd like to keep it rolling as long as possible.

I don't have a ''dream'' car (except a 1930's Mercedes cabriolet) but I hope electric cars will become more affordable with time.

[Kris]

Honestly, I have my dream car now: a 2008 Audi A4 turbo convertible, which I paid cash for in 2011.  It's by far the most fun car I have ever owned, and definitely the coolest car I would ever "need" (read: want and feel like I would want to have unless I was WAAAAAYYYYY richer than I am).

My ideal car in retirement will be no car at all.  We plan to leave the country and be nomadic, and pretty much any place we plan to live will not require a car for transportation.

[FrogStash]

In my pre-mustacian days, I drove a lexus is300.  RWD and manual transmission=fun.  My embarrassingly non-mustacian car now is an audi a4 quattro.  AWD and manual transmission = still fun but much more stable.  The audi is nearly paid off and I don't plan to ever own another car, even after one of my kids inherits the audi (in about 12 years).

Total non-mustacian dream car.  Pagani Hyuera.  It's a totally unobtainable ridiculous face punch super car.  The manual transmission linkage is polished and shiny and open to the interior.  A real mix of art and engineering.  Yummy!

[etotheix]

I already have mine.  A '29 Ford Pickup that's equally at home around town and on trips (though you've got to stay off the Interstate).  Great for moving awkward things that won't fit in the back of my hatch, and nothing you can't fix with a half inch wrench & a flathead screw driver.  You can find plenty of original parts, and so many of them are still around you can get a repro of anything except the block.  The only issue is all your new friends make it hard to leave your parking space!

[M2 pilot]

Gosh dream cars. Probably a Tesla P85D. I wouldn't say no to a M3 either... preferably in an outrageous color.

I'm picking up a M3 in Munich next week.  Outrageous colors cost from $550 & up so mines white.  Not my dream car, but close enuff.  No very Mustachian either.

[Sjalabais]

Love your choice, etotheix! I'm a classic car nut myself. I currently drive a Honda Stream minivan:



My ultimate dream car though is a Volvo 1800ES:



Very reliable, sturdy car with stunning looks and good parts availability.

Here in Norway, the Tesla S is a superpopular car, so I've had the occasion to drive it. Don't misunderstand me, the acceleration is mind-blowing. Particularly the fact that there's really hardly any sound but rolling tires and wind! But...it's a really heavy car. If you like to drive in spirit, the S has such a massive back end, and will easily make you feel that you pilot two tonnes through your scenery. Not my thing, really.

[iris lily]

Wait, we get only one dream car?

Mine are a bunch of British mArques from 1954 through 1985.

Big Healey, Mg TD, TR 6, TR 3, Jag XKE, sedate Jag sedan for my everyday driver, BRG in color, please with oatmeal interior.

[etotheix]

My ultimate dream car though is a Volvo 1800ES:



Very reliable, sturdy car with stunning looks and good parts availability.

This is a dangerous thread.  I've never seen one of those before but now I want one, and I typed it into Hemmings and the only one at a reasonable price in the entire country is just a few hours away...

[Debts_of_Despair]

Used to be obsessed with cars but I barely give a damn anymore.  Give me a loaded AWD Sienna or maybe even a Land Cruiser and I'm happy.

[NorCal]

I doubt this car will ever end up in my driveway.  But it might become a priority if I make it well past FI, and keep bringing in money because I want to.

I would build a Factory Five replica of the Shelby Cobra.  It's an amazing car, building it would be badass, and it could be done for a price much less ridiculous than most other "dream" cars.

http://www.factoryfive.com/

[2lazy2retire]

Uber
Zip car
Pope Mobile
Any VW ( for the low emissions )

[Sjalabais]

@etotheix, in line with this forum's spirit, the 1800ES has recently turned into an investment vehicle. A couple of years ago, a nice wagon would cost about 12k$. Now, 20k$ seems a rather common price for these. Very solid, good cars, just watch out for rust and you're good.

http://daveknowscars.com/2015/01/05/collector-car-buzz-volvo-p1800-the-next-big-thing/

[iris lily]

I see that I already responded to this thread last December. With pretty much the same answers. At least I am consistent.

And to the previous poster, I like older Scion XB cars a lot. They are very funny looking, they make me laugh.

[RWD]

I doubt this car will ever end up in my driveway.  But it might become a priority if I make it well past FI, and keep bringing in money because I want to.

I would build a Factory Five replica of the Shelby Cobra.  It's an amazing car, building it would be badass, and it could be done for a price much less ridiculous than most other "dream" cars.

http://www.factoryfive.com/

I had a boss once who bought a Factory Five Cobra. He didn't build it himself though. Lots of performance for the price, though I believe you need to jump through some regulatory hoops for kit cars.

The Superformance replicas are much much nicer than the Factory Five cars. But they cost about twice as much... I'd probably pick a GT40 or Daytona Coupe replica over the Shelby Cobra.

[begood]

I have two dream cars: Acura MDX and Volvo XC90.

I like the driving height of both, the size, the power of the Acura and the strong-like-bull feel of the Volvo. Backseat room is great in the Acura; so-so in the Volvo.

Both take premium gas, which is why we haven't bought used ones already! I get right up to the point of going, "Fuck it, let's do it" and then I think about the decade or more of higher gas prices I'll pay, and I just. can't. do. it.

We had a Volvo S70 for fourteen years, and though it did have higher maintenance costs than the Hondas we had in the same timeframe, it was also the most comfortable car we've ever owned for long trips. The front seat of a Volvo is like taking your living room with you on vacation.

[2lazy2retire]

Both take premium gas, which is why we haven't bought used ones already!

What does this mean exactly, whats the worse than can happen using regular gas?, just asking because I always wonder when pumping why anyone would opt for the more expensive option.
Having said that I once had my gas car topped up with diesel - that's something you only let happen once

[2Birds1Stone]

Engines that require premium can knock with lower octane gas. Some cars have the option of premium where they get higher MPG/HP.

[SpicyMcHaggus]

Both take premium gas, which is why we haven't bought used ones already!

What does this mean exactly, whats the worse than can happen using regular gas?, just asking because I always wonder when pumping why anyone would opt for the more expensive option.
Having said that I once had my gas car topped up with diesel - that's something you only let happen once

Premium gas has a higher anti knock index. This means it is less likely to self ignite in the engine before the spark goes off. This is important when you have a car with high performance designed engine that takes advantage of the higher compression ratio. Don't cheap out if you have a car that requires premium. You may wind up with a blown motor.

[ketchup]

My ultimate dream car though is a Volvo 1800ES:



Very reliable, sturdy car with stunning looks and good parts availability.

This is a dangerous thread.  I've never seen one of those before but now I want one, and I typed it into Hemmings and the only one at a reasonable price in the entire country is just a few hours away...

Damn, I forgot about the 1800ES.  Probably my favorite classic car.  Not terribly impractical either by classic car standards (parts availability, decent MPG, bulletproof engine).  If I ever (post-FI) end up getting a "summer car", that'd probably be the one...

[acroy]

For car enthusiasts, "Mustachian Car" and "Dream Car" are more or less antonyms.

We'll justify, prevaricate, come up with all kinds of inventive rationalizations. But we have a Porsche, Corvette, WRX, NSX, BMW, Mustang, T-bird,  something in the garage with boxes of spare parts and gallons of specialty fluids, likely emitting more pollution sitting still than a modern/unmodified car does while running.... often while our truly Mustachian car sits in the weather.

Mustachian car: Minimize cost per mile, so probably something compact, Japanses, and 10yrs old.
Dream car: Maximize smiles/mile, so probably many cylinders (or many watts), fat tires, and burly American history or refined Euro sensibilities.

We recently bought a 2yr old Fiat 500 Abarth as the half-a$$ed Mustachian attempt. It had depreciated like a stone (over 50% in 2yrs), is surprisingly reliable, and gets 35mpg on 87octane with a light foot. It also makes us giggle like kids. Honda Fits do not give us giggle fits.

[seanc0x0]

I'd like a Super-7 style kit car for a fun-time/track car.  I love the way they look and the kit-nature of the car means I get to turn lots of wrenches.

Just two problems: 
1. no tracks anywhere nearby except ovals or drag strips, where I'm a road course guy.
2. it's almost impossible to get a kit car street-legal in this province.

Those, as well as the cost/utility equation mean it's not happening any time soon.  A man can dream though!

[cheddarpie]

My dream car would be the Tesla Model X, but even if I were a zillionaire I would never actually spend that much on a car ... I'll be in the market in a few years and will likely be looking at a Ford Focus, Honda Fit, Honda CR-V, or Subaru Crosstrek depending on what my life needs are down the road (kids/location/off-road lifestyle). I will definitely always have a hatchback and something that I can beat up without guilt -- lots of mountain forest roads and hauling random dirty stuff (sometimes just dirt).

I currently have a 2005 Subaru Impreza Sport (the mini-outback) and love it. I make good use of the AWD, it's zippy and gets about 30mpg, and has cargo space to hold everything I need -- two bikes, two people, and a dog; construction supplies; you name it.

[NorCal]

I doubt this car will ever end up in my driveway.  But it might become a priority if I make it well past FI, and keep bringing in money because I want to.

I would build a Factory Five replica of the Shelby Cobra.  It's an amazing car, building it would be badass, and it could be done for a price much less ridiculous than most other "dream" cars.

http://www.factoryfive.com/

I had a boss once who bought a Factory Five Cobra. He didn't build it himself though. Lots of performance for the price, though I believe you need to jump through some regulatory hoops for kit cars.

The Superformance replicas are much much nicer than the Factory Five cars. But they cost about twice as much... I'd probably pick a GT40 or Daytona Coupe replica over the Shelby Cobra.

This is certainly an area where value for money AND value for work plays a big part.  I'd personally go for Factory Five over Superperformance just because of price.  The prices I've seen thrown around start at 2x the price and go up from there. 

I'd also love the GT40, but I'm wary of it due to the small size of the cockpit and a LOT of additional work on fit, finish and panel alignment.  That's just not an area I have the patience or skill for.

But that is one of the great things about these cars.  Everyone gets to build the car to match their own standards and specifications.

[RWD]

My ultimate dream car though is a Volvo 1800ES:



Very reliable, sturdy car with stunning looks and good parts availability.

This is a dangerous thread.  I've never seen one of those before but now I want one, and I typed it into Hemmings and the only one at a reasonable price in the entire country is just a few hours away...

Damn, I forgot about the 1800ES.  Probably my favorite classic car.  Not terribly impractical either by classic car standards (parts availability, decent MPG, bulletproof engine).  If I ever (post-FI) end up getting a "summer car", that'd probably be the one...

There's one up for auction right now on Bring a Trailer:
http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1973-volvo-1800es-4/

[MustardTiger]

I love my s2000.  It doesn't have any luxury items but is just a really fun car to drive.  I actually prefer that it is barebones as there is less to go wrong.  Definetly not for everyone as its not particularly easy to drive though.  It's reasonably mustachian as I don't expect it to depreciate much at all as I bought it for 11k.

[jms493]

[TVRodriguez]

Too lazy to read all replies.

I'm not a car person at all.  But I wouldn't say no to an all expenses paid Jaguar. They're pretty.

[pbkmaine]

Prius C in an extremely bright custom color like hot pink, so I can find it in a parking lot.

[Faraday]

Surly Big Dummy, a road bike, and a mountain bike.    More importantly though would be to live in a city with excellent bicycle infrastructure.    Even here in the Denver area I find that I'm not comfortable riding everywhere.     I really wish the US would get with the Dutch model for bicycles.

Dream Car? A Nissan eNV200 with a 250 mile battery. An electric minivan that could commute, haul stuff, go camping? Sign me up!

My more realistic fantasy is either a Surly Long Haul Disc Trucker or a Yuba Mundo cargo bike, electrified. Fenders, racks, panniers and dynamo-driven lighting are a must.

[golfreak12]

I love my s2000.  It doesn't have any luxury items but is just a really fun car to drive.  I actually prefer that it is barebones as there is less to go wrong.  Definetly not for everyone as its not particularly easy to drive though.  It's reasonably mustachian as I don't expect it to depreciate much at all as I bought it for 11k.

Same car I have. Its our 3rd car and we only insure 2 at a time.
Every so often I swapped the other out for the S2000 and drive it for a while until it goes back in the garage.

[thedayisbrave]

I grew up in a Porsche family, so most of my life I've been a Porsche girl.  My dad had a Boxster.  I love the styling of the Carrera.

But the moment I first laid my eyes on an arctic white Tesla Model S at a Lowe's supermarket, I fell madly in love.  I immediately went home, looked up what it was, and bought stock at $32/share.  It's been a pretty fun ride :)

I still gasp when I see one on the road.  Don't know if I'll ever let myself get a Model S though... maybe a Model 3 when they come out.  I drive a 2010 Nissan Sentra with 55k miles on it so I've still got a while to go. 

[Sjalabais]

The S is a great car. It's fairly practical, the range is good enough for everyday driving, and the acceleration is just bonkers. Very strange to be pushed in the seats like that without engine noise. Due to heavy incentives (or, rather, no taxation) the Tesla S is very popular here in Norway - it was the most sold car for months on end in the entire country. With taxation included, it's priced like an entry level Volvo XC70.

If there's one thing I don't like with it, it's its heaviness. You can truly feel its heavy butt in every corner.

And since this is MMM...a friend of mine bought one at about 100000$ price. He insists he saves a lot of money compared to a used gas car. Yet, he included the purchase in his house loan, at about 3%. So that's about 3000$/year to start with, just a tad more than I use on gas. I assume the loss of value is at least 5k$/year, which is about what my car is worth. His insurance is more expensive. What he saves is on free toll roads, ferries and parking, and less taxes. And, one day, he's going to have to replace the battery - if he keeps the car for as long as the house loan presumably is running. Long story short: Even with heavy incentives, the economics of driving an S are not too favourable.

[Monocle Money Mouth]

A dream everyday driver would be a full sized front wheel drive car with minimal options. Something like the base model Ford Taurus. Even that has more features than I want or need, I like the fact you can get it with a V6 standard and it isn't outrageously priced. It would be great in the snow and for road trips. The EPA estimate is 29MPG freeway, but I'm pretty sure I could wring 35MPG out of it on a road trip. I have a 2013 Fit right now. It gets great fuel economy and I can fit a lot of stuff in it when necessary but it's also noisy, has no pick up, and the handling isn't as predictable as a big car in snow. I'm going to grin and bear it for the next 8-10 years, but when it comes time to replace it, I'm definitely getting something bigger and more powerful.

I have a soft spot for big American cruisers. I had a 2004 LeSabre until 2008 when a drunk driver in a Jeep Patriot rear ended me on the interstate. I was going 55 and the police think he was going about 90. The rear end of my car was demolished. The back seat was pushed into the front seat. I was able to walk away from the crash but I had a pretty bad concussion. If the same accident had occurred in my Fit, I'd probably be paralyzed or dead. Everything I know about what happened I know from the police report and what other people told me. Apparently, after the accident happened, I started calling people to let them know what happened. I kept re-calling people because I couldn't remember calling them. I called my wife and boss 3 times and they said it was like having a recording played back. I guess I also declined to go to the hospital. Fortunately when I called my wife for the third time, she asked me to give the phone to one of the police officers on the scene. She talked with him and he made sure I got to the hospital to get checked out.

I still don't remember the first 7 hours of that day. I just remember waking up in the hospital with an IV in my arm and waiting until my wife came to pick me up. Other than the concussion, I was essentially unharmed.  If you're wondering why my dream car is so lame, that is why :)

[Sjalabais]

Glad you're still around! But, to be honest, the rear seats caving in with a 90/55mph collision is just a sign of awful quality and crash design in a 2004 vehicle. As a teenager, I worked weekends at a Volvo dealer. Cars like that had always fully preserved cabins. The only car I can remember that was toast like that was a 1997 V40 that got rearended while parked - the other car had managed to decelerate from 100 to 90kph, which should be roughly 60mph.

[DrCadmium]

The dream garage would contain a Lamborghini Countach but I could see myself driving it only once or twice per year and I would need to store it indoors to do it justice.

In reality I'm in the market for a fun, light car that is ok with being driven every two weeks without too much maintenance.

So my dream cars would be:

An Alfa Romeo GT Junior (that isnt a money pit)
A Lotus Elise (that doesnt have reliability issues)
A Catheram (that can be driven on the motorway for more than 30 minutes)
And none of these fair very well outside in the glorious british weather.

Definitely first world problems.

[Monocle Money Mouth]

Glad you're still around! But, to be honest, the rear seats caving in with a 90/55mph collision is just a sign of awful quality and crash design in a 2004 vehicle. As a teenager, I worked weekends at a Volvo dealer. Cars like that had always fully preserved cabins. The only car I can remember that was toast like that was a 1997 V40 that got rearended while parked - the other car had managed to decelerate from 100 to 90kph, which should be roughly 60mph.

Thanks! Me too :)

I don't think it was a quality issue so much as I had a 3100lb out of control SUV ram into me. The police estimate he was going 90MPH. He may have been going much faster. He didn't hit me square either. Most of the impact was on the drivers side and it looked like he drove over the tail end of the car. He may have tried to swerve out of the way at the last second and failed. I attached a couple of photos to this post if to help clarify. If he had hit me square in the back end, the damage probably wouldn't have been so dramatic.

To get back on topic, I think if I was going to choose a sportier car, I'd pick up one of the new VW GTI's. I came pretty close to getting one a couple of years ago, but I just didn't feel like it was a good value for the money which is why I ended up with the Fit. By the next time I'm ready to buy a new car, my financial situation should be much rosier with all the cut backs I've made in other parts of my life. I should be able to splurge and get a little nicer car in 2023. I'll either get my old man Taurus or the GTI :) I'll be in my mid 40's by then so I'll either be in mid-life crisis mode or starting to get curmudgeonly and only want to drive a car like they made in the "Good ol' days." I'll just have to wait an see.