I was on my way to an appt. with a client and noticed an ION Redline for sale. It was at one of those little Here Today Gone Tomorrow car lots that seem to spring up all the time in our town. Right there on the windshield; $10,900. *Mental note; stop there on the way back..."
Come to find out it's as old as they come, an '04. However there's tons of encouraging signs. For one, it only has 35k miles. For two, it's on the original Dunlops and they're not worn out yet. You put 35k on them with a supercharged front wheel drive car, there must not have been too many shenanigans. No sign of bodywork anywhere either. Time for a drive. Either they're supposed to pull boost at higher rpm, or what's way more likely, somebody put regular gas in it. Plenty of power off the line. Kinda levels off around 4000 rpm, after that, just more of the same. Wheel hop like a mofo. I remember that from when they where new cars. Turns out it doesn't get better as shocks and motor mounts loosen up.
There are things about it that make me want to like it. The forged wheels. The real recaro seats. The air/water intercooler. It's a coupe but I could theoretically put my two young boys in the back seats with those suicide doors. But for some reason I'm just not in love the way I thought I would be.
I left there trying to figure myself out. I ought to love that car.
I think I figured it out. It's my e36.
It forced me to go look at that Saturn.
My 318 has so little power, it may be the slowest car I've owned since my '85 Sentra in College. To add insult to injury it requires premium. If that's not enough, some tool put a 3.91 LSD in it. Great in theory, but 318i's have a 1:1 5th gear, so 75mph is 4000rpm. I've never done better than 22mpg.
To the right buyer, the car has enough curb appeal with the upgraded suspension and M3 bits and pieces, I could probably come close to $3 grand if I sold it.
By the time I bought that ION and registered it I'd have another 8 thousand spent.
Here's why I can't fall in love...
For around half that figure I could find a barely used Downing Atlanta, addressing my hp woes. AND, do a 6-speed swap, bringing my rpms back in line.
Then what would that Saturn have on me? I'd be rwd, Way better suspension. Similar power. Not look like I borrowed my sister's car. Depreciation comparatively over with. Cheaper insurance and tags. Yadda yadda.
So that happened....
