Car Shopping (Lack of motovation)

My Jag was declared a total loss yesterday so I am in the market for another car. At first I was excited about getting something new but as I started running through all the Craig's list adds and then over to eBay motors the boredom and frustration of the hunt was rapidly taking the fun out of car shopping. I am also just not excited about anything I see so far. I was thinking just get another X type. My wife really likes the look of the s type so I looked at those some. Personally I don't hate them but there is no excitement about them either. I was looking at P71's and found a really nice one that ticked all the box's. Low millage a 2011 color I liked price was fine. Overall a very nice car but for some reason I was just not excited to go and get it.

I really am at a crossroads. A large sedan would be ok but I could also really use a small pickup with a crew cab. I started looking at Dodge Magnums as those have roof racks and could be a good do it all car but when looking at the photos I realized that they really are starting to look very dated. It is funny as when they first came out I thought they were really cool looking but now they are just average. I guess time is just moving on and styles change.

The other way is to go with a mini van. I remember dodge pushing there 300 HP mini van a couple years ago. A mini van could be a decent solution. Nice interior to hall people and I can put a ladder on the roof if I need to. But in the end it is a mini van.

I guess I am just burned out with it. I have been looking at cars on and off for a couple weeks knowing my car was a total loss even though it took the insurance company 3 weeks to finally come to that realization. (kind of annoying) Last night I spent 4 hours poring through every source of used cars I could think of and still nothing.

Then there is the haggling and inspecting of a car and making sure you are not purchasing a car that the PO has put 6 quarts of STP oil treatment in or the one that looses a transmission 2 weeks after you purchase it.

I guess I am just a bit annoyed as I had just got the Jag sorted and it was ready to serve me for a couple years with out any issues as I had been through all the major systems and done all the deferred maintenance. I am not looking forward to doing that again on another car.

I guess I am just a bit burned out. The local used car lot may be an option. They have been around for 40 years and have a reputation for selling good cars at reasonable prices and standing by them should they have a problem (Christmas motors in Maynard Ma). 4 or 5 of my nabors have got cars there and never had an issue. (but they are not car people) I walked there lot and looked at about 100 cars and they are all just plain vanilla cars. Nissans, Hyundai, Toyota, ford and dodge were all there in force with there middle of the road boring 4 door sedans. All reminded me of what I call car jail. Everything is nice enough but non of them do anything that is exciting that puts any kind of fun in to driving. Appliances . .. Is this what the general public really wants in a car?

Guess I am just rambling on and I am very tired of the chase at the moment. I wish the insurance company could just some how deliver an identical replacement car to my door so I could just go about my business of life.

what's the budget? perhaps we can help throw ideas at you that you might not have thought of yourself.

Budget?

QFT.

I would certainly try this. The hive has yet to steer me wrong.

xflowgolf wrote: what's the budget? perhaps we can help throw ideas at you that you might not have thought of yourself.

We have all kinds of good ideas. Show us a map and we'll find you a destination.

Probably not in your wheelhouse, but we're selling my wife's 2012 Acura MDX.

Update Magnum body style with Charger front sheet metal. Done.

(Caution: I have no idea if it bolts on, or if welding is involved.)

Like many here, I enjoy shopping for a car but nothing sucks more than when you Have To.

Every other week there seems to be plenty to choose from but the week you Have To, there is nothing good available.

Would you have any interest in this specific '01 Volvo V70 T5 wagon?
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/ctd/5477525068.html
GRM seller in Jacksonville, FL. Fly and buy or could be shipped directly to you for about $600 more.
Maybe high miles at 160k but sure to be rust free which is what you can not find in MA.

the new xe comes with a diesel

Is there any real reason you have to limit yourself to just one car? Currently I have a small truck for commuting, a suburban for hauling kids, and a Miata for actually enjoying. None of them are new but they were cheap and if one breaks I drive another for a week until I can sort it out.

Go for the collection.

The proper number of cars, C, is:

C >= n+1 where n = number of licensed drivers in the house. Using this equation will help ease car shopping anxiety.

I would like to be between 5 and 10k. 5 is better but if somthing at the 10k came around it is not a problem. It is the vehical I use for work so it can not be a complete pos.

I like the Volvo wagon. It was the sedan version of that that killed my jag.

In reply to KyAllroad:

I have four at my house at the moment. Three are running driving cars. Non of them I would want to DD.

Lexus LS or GS?

dean1484 wrote: In reply to KyAllroad: I have four at my house at the moment. Three are running driving cars. Non of them I would want to DD.

What are they? Maybe there is a clear hole in the fleet that needs to be filled.

Bimmer 3 Series?

10k will darn near get you a nice first gen CTS-V

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/5481472667.html

I tried to pull out they key pieces of what it seems like you want:

" large sedan would be ok but I could also really use a small pickup with a crew cab"

and... won't put you in "car jail" meaning "...non of them do anything that is exciting that puts any kind of fun in to driving."

Lastly, you would "like to be between 5 and 10k".

I think you need to decide if you really want a truck, or if you want a fun to drive car. You ruled out the minivan, yes it's practical, but it's not what you want.

The other tactic could be to build a bit of a sport truck. $10K will get you into a clean 2WD NBS GM crew cab. It's not a small truck, but I'm not sure the fuel efficiency gains in the available crew cab smaller trucks are worth it, and a fullsize crew cab is a comfy place to be since you need a back seat. GM V8 parts are endless, and aftermarket has drop springs/spindles and swaybars, plus a variety of factory alloys that will bolt on without looking like you're trying too hard. It'd be useful, but still stand out a bit. ?

On that note, what are the Tacoma X-Runners going for these days? Six speed manual and quite quick as they came.

Looks like $10-12k. I bet some searching by the hive could land you in one for less than $10k.

fasted58 wrote: Bimmer 3 Series?

How about a 5 series wagon with the NA motor say an 06, or 07 530ix. Should be about the right price with not too many miles.

or

Merc E350 wagon.

What I wrote earlier...

JohnRW1621 wrote: Like many here, I enjoy shopping for a car but nothing sucks more than when you Have To. Every other week there seems to be plenty to choose from but the week you Have To, there is nothing good available.

...and sure enough, this was available last week (actually 3 days ago):

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/open-classifieds/mine-affiliated-bmw-530xi-wagon-on-ebay/110973/page1/

You had me at CTS-V, lost me with the RAV 4. Did I miss something?

Storz wrote: 10k will darn near get you a nice first gen CTS-V http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/5481472667.html

xflowgolf wrote: I tried to pull out they key pieces of what it seems like you want: " large sedan would be ok but I could also really use a small pickup with a crew cab" and... won't put you in "car jail" meaning "...non of them do anything that is exciting that puts any kind of fun in to driving." Lastly, you would "like to be between 5 and 10k". I think you need to decide if you really want a truck, or if you want a fun to drive car. You ruled out the minivan, yes it's practical, but it's not what you want. The other tactic could be to build a bit of a sport truck. $10K will get you into a clean 2WD NBS GM crew cab. It's not a small truck, but I'm not sure the fuel efficiency gains in the available crew cab smaller trucks are worth it, and a fullsize crew cab is a comfy place to be since you need a back seat. GM V8 parts are endless, and aftermarket has drop springs/spindles and swaybars, plus a variety of factory alloys that will bolt on without looking like you're trying too hard. It'd be useful, but still stand out a bit. ?

my buddy had a 2012 6.2 crew cab silverado. with headers, exhaust, intake and a tune it really woke it up. he also lowered it and for a full sized truck it handles like it was on rails. its something i could enjoy driving every day.

Not that this will help but, I don't think that you are not motivated to find a new car. I think you are pissed that that your Jag got totaled.

This reaction is perfectly normal in my opinion. Give it a few days and then start looking.

Fly and drive to get another Jag? That Volvo seems nice. S60R? Legacy GT? (I know you said you aren't partial to Subaru's, but if you are willing to maintain a Jag, you can care for a Subaru!).