Mustachian Dream Car Thread

[Praxis]

Once you FIRE what would be your ideal vehicle and why?

The Tesla Model 3 is already the FIRE dream car.  Release date is scheduled 2017, supposed to launch sub-$35k, range over 250 miles, all electric.

[Paul | pdgessler]

The Tesla Model 3 is already the FIRE dream car.  Release date is scheduled 2017, supposed to launch sub-$35k, range over 250 miles, all electric.

I'm very excited to see the Model 3; if it's offered as a hatchback, I'll seriously consider it to replace my 2008 Mazda3 hatchback.

[obstinate]

I have a Prius, which is already up there. It's got about 100k miles on it, which is the sweet spot as far as I'm concerned. To improve my situation in the spendy direction, a Prius PHEV? Or one of the other PHEVs. Electrics don't have the cost benefit for me yet.

In the other direction, some of these mini cars that are in development are really intriguing to me. There are some single- or two-seater vehicles that seem really promising as a commuter. Things like this. I'd probably never actually buy one but the idea is interesting.

I think I could save a little more on car, but my transport costs are already my tiniest and most optimized spend out of the big three (food, auto, housing). So I haven't been putting much effort into the question lately.

[RWD]

Sector 111 Drakan Spyder. 2000 lb, 430 hp!

[Sjalabais]

@mies, thanks for some seriously sobering photos...wow.

[zephyr911]

I have a Prius, which is already up there. It's got about 100k miles on it, which is the sweet spot as far as I'm concerned. To improve my situation in the spendy direction, a Prius PHEV? Or one of the other PHEVs. Electrics don't have the cost benefit for me yet.

Never been so happy with a car as with my Volt, and that's generally the case (only the Model S has a higher percentage of satisfied drivers). I drive the shit out of it and barely touch the gas tank, but it's there whenever I need it. Charge for $20/mo. Paid (borrowed, ouch) about 25k pre-MMM but they're half that now.

My dream car would be a Model S minus all the luxury shit so I can live like I do now and not feel bad about it being all dirty and smelling like dogs... lol

[Faraday]

I have a Prius, which is already up there. It's got about 100k miles on it, which is the sweet spot as far as I'm concerned. To improve my situation in the spendy direction, a Prius PHEV? Or one of the other PHEVs. Electrics don't have the cost benefit for me yet.

Never been so happy with a car as with my Volt, and that's generally the case (only the Model S has a higher percentage of satisfied drivers). I drive the shit out of it and barely touch the gas tank, but it's there whenever I need it. Charge for $20/mo. Paid (borrowed, ouch) about 25k pre-MMM but they're half that now.

My dream car would be a Model S minus all the luxury shit so I can live like I do now and not feel bad about it being all dirty and smelling like dogs... lol

Zephyr, your dream car would be an electric conversion. I'm thinking a 1972 Chevy El Camino SS....

[zephyr911]

Zephyr, your dream car would be an electric conversion. I'm thinking a 1972 Chevy El Camino SS....

I actually thought about keeping my S2000 and converting it, but it would have cost at least as much as the Volt and I was leery of the upkeep.

I want basically that, with an electric motor for every wheel.
Maybe when all those early Tesla Roadsters are a decade old and I'm rich as shit, I'll be able to snag one for a month's investment income... hehehe

[RWD]

I want basically that, with an electric motor for every wheel.
Maybe when all those early Tesla Roadsters are a decade old and I'm rich as shit, I'll be able to snag one for a month's investment income... hehehe

Unfortunately, the Wrightspeed X1 was never offered for sale. Essentially an electric Ariel Atom. 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds.

[thurston howell iv]

I cannot believe I've never seen this thread!

Sadly, in my pre-mmm days I was consumed with cars. I love all kinds. Wasted a ton of money!  (As kids we lusted after the Countach and the Testarossa)

Lately, post-mmm, I'm still a car nut but not to the same degree. I still have a small fleet but I'm not really "wanting" any specific car. I buy one here and there as a project but nothing jumps out as being a "dream" car anymore.   Looking at past posts I could dig an 80's Testarossa. (White of course- like on Miami Vice) :)

[Sjalabais]

So how did you get rid of the "want"? We own two highly rational cars now, so the practice is there. But the "want"...damn, I'm hanging out on car sites 3-4x as much as I did when I still had a 40 year old Volvo as a daily driver.

What does your fleet consist of?

[thurston howell iv]

I got rid of the "want" by coming here. Stupid MMM ruined it for me!  Yeah, I like cars; I still tinker and I buy and sell once in a while to make a few bucks but , the desire is all but gone. I used to go to car shows and cruise nights all the time. This year, I didn't even go one.

Lately, I feel like I've squandered too much of my time/money and that I'm now in a mad scramble to fix the mess I made for myself. I only feel like that after coming here and reading about all of the progress others are making.

I sort of hate coming here (LOL)  but it keeps me focused.

My fleet of cars is secret, so in the event some of the people I tell about MMM should come here, they won't know who I am. This is the only place I can come to vent anonymously about the stupid sh*t friends and family are doing that frustrates me.  (I wish they'd "see the light" but, most refuse and go on with their consumer ways and then cry about being broke.)

- Reminds me of the Matrix where Cypher becomes a traitor and is eating his steak dinner with Smith and says "I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss."

[Faraday]

I got rid of the "want" by coming here. Stupid MMM ruined it for me!  Yeah, I like cars; I still tinker and I buy and sell once in a while to make a few bucks but , the desire is all but gone. I used to go to car shows and cruise nights all the time. This year, I didn't even go one.

Lately, I feel like I've squandered too much of my time/money and that I'm now in a mad scramble to fix the mess I made for myself. I only feel like that after coming here and reading about all of the progress others are making.

North Carolina enacted a big, fat tax on car sales/purchases about 15 years ago that ruined my days of horsetrading vehicles. It wasn't much and for the type of vehicles I was horsetrading, It usually ended up being $200 or so. But it took so much of my super-thin margin that I quit messing with that as a side-gig.

I sort of hate coming here (LOL)  but it keeps me focused.

I'm so discontented and impatient, MMM is about all I have right now keeping me together. :-)

[spud1987]

I drive a 1996 Nissan Maxima. Great car and no major issues. I only drive 3k miles per year so I really don't need/want another car.

However, when I'm FIRE-d I would like to spend months driving throughout the western US visiting national parks. So my dream car for this will be a Mercedes Sprinter Van Diesel 4x4. A new van costs roughly 45k and can be converted into a nice camper with kitchen and bathroom for 50k. It also gets around 20-25mpg. Alternatively, I would love a Mercedes Marco Polo, but they don't sell them here in the US.

[Sjalabais]

I hope you know that the Sprinter is an awful commercial throwaway vehicle. They rust quickly and have a tendency for nagging warranty issues. MB commercial vehicles are nothing like MB cars.

[StartingEarly]

For the amount of driving most people do with a motorhome you're better off buying an old one that gets poor gas mileage.

[spud1987]

I hope you know that the Sprinter is an awful commercial throwaway vehicle. They rust quickly and have a tendency for nagging warranty issues. MB commercial vehicles are nothing like MB cars.

I've read about the poor quality, although I hear the newer models are better. Are there better options (Dodge or Ford)?

[zephyr911]

Ever since that fracking Model X unveil where they towed an Airstream onto the stage, I've been fantasizing about loading that trailer up with solar laminate panels for the ultimate self-contained perma-travel experience. Hot diggity-damn.

My latest visit to the space and rocket center reminded me of this, since they have an old Airstream where they quarantined early astronauts for fear of Moon microbes... lol

[Sjalabais]

@zephyr911, Jalopnik documented NASA's vehicles only a week ago. There were some really neat wheels during their history:
http://flightclub.jalopnik.com/these-are-the-earth-cars-of-a-space-agency-1735131260

I've read about the poor quality, although I hear the newer models are better. Are there better options (Dodge or Ford)?

I'm in Europe and I don't really know enough about US offerings. Ford Europe has improved itself to a really good reliability record over the last years, and the Transit is a good commercial vehicle. But for the least amount of trouble, I'd definitely look for a Toyota Hiace. Then again, they are priced way above everything else used, so it gets hard to tell when it makes sense to accept less reliability for economic gain.

[2Birds1Stone]

The itch to buy something RWD/manual has slightly subsided as the winter months approach.

I think I might pull the trigger on a 350z convertible or a Miata next spring. It's just so hard to replace a sensible, paid off, low miles, FWD, 4cyl econobox.

[Cork]

I'll concede I have peculiar dream car tastes.

What I drive now: 09 sport 5speed honda fit

What I day dream About:

• Toyota Tercel AWD SR5 - AWD Japanese Wagon, yes please
• BJ40 Landcruiser
• 1988 Supercharged 5speed Toyota MR2 - Supercharged japenese two-seater
• Lancia Stratos - The go-to example of, "Fine we'll make some road legal ones so we can use it as a rally car."
• 1988 porsche 928 s4 - Don't judge me, I know I'm a terrible Porsche enthusiast for liking this car.
• 1990 Hellrot Red 5speed Porsche 944 S2 w/sport seats and LSD - Mandatory affordable, reliable, realistic,  RWD 5-speed.
• Finally, the 2005 5spd atacoma interior Volvo v70R wagon - AWD 300+hp and striking interior. 

So ends the list of daily drivers I would drive if I were less fiscally and environmentally conscious.

[ETwagon]

I figured this would be a fun idea for a thread. This was sparked by the "Can a car enthusiast be mustachian" thread.

What do you drive?
Once you FIRE what would be your ideal vehicle and why?

I'll go first.

I drive a 2004 Nissan Sentra with only 57,000 miles on it. Purchased in 2010 for $7k cash with 13,000 on the odometer.

Being a car enthusiast my dream car would be something that is RWD, manual, and could roast the tires once in a while without being a complete gas guzzler. c5/c6 Vette's and the newer 2011+ Mustang 5.0 both get 26-28mpg Highway and are over 400hp. They can also be had for nearly half of sticker price at this point in time.

How about you? I know some on here are car guys/gals. Some could care less and would still drive the 100hp econobox.

My daily drivers currently are a '00 Dodge Dakota Club Cab and an '02 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2WD . Even being a hard core car guy my daily drivers will still always be just bread & butter vehicles. General wear and tear and the driving public will play Hell with it's condition. How I look at a a daily driver is to keep it as nice and as long as possible and eventually toss and replace with another Dixie Cup car.

I like your thinking (RWD & stick). I am more of a resto-rod kind of guy. I don't have the time to list all my "Dream" cars and how I would build them but I dig 60's A & B body Mopars, (I own both) especially B body station wagons. A disk brake and suspension upgrade conversion, later model roller cammed engine that lives on todays gasoline and oils. If it's a long distance cruiser, A/C included.  A bigger dream and wallet would get me a 34-40 Ford truck or a classic '32 Ford Highboy coupe built the same way. I'll celebrate the first year of FIRE by going on the Hot Rod Power Tour.
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