Single Car Thought's. (Not Exactly GRM Budget(

its been said...

mmmm Nurburgring

505hp to boot...

The Z06's suspension isn't so great for road use.

a base corvette is a BLAST on its own. IMHO, you don't even need the extra money for the Zed. a z51 suspension base will be equally as fun.

dyintorace wrote: In this economy, I'd save $50k and buy an e39 M5. A co-worker bought a 2003 M5 last week in mint condition, one owner, all records with 65k miles for $22.5k. It is in near perfect condition. It's the do all car, as Walter noted.

Amen. Spectacular cars.

One of the new Cayman s, they may hit the top of your price point though

I would totally get a C6 Corvette! Maybe even a convertible (if you don't do track days) since you are in San Diego. I loved having a 'vert as a second car when I lived there.

If you need rear seats, then maybe a BMW M5 or a 330i ZHP would be a good bet. Or a Pontiac G8 with the LS motor and a manual trans. If you feel like pissing away money on maintenance and gas, the Maserati Quattroporte used is pretty cheap these days on ebay.

I'd also suggest a Boxster S but if you thought the GT3 was tight then the other P cars probably will be too.

That Aston Martin's engine bay is car porn if I have ever seen it!

You are all going to laugh but I am picking up a SRT-10 Ram sometime later this month. 17,250$ for a 05 that is stock other then lowering springs and a grapper shifter, going to call ROE up and have a blower put on it for about 7K. Out the door 26K, with ~625hp and a bit more torque. Plus 40-45K to put into the market when I think it has fully tanked.

I drove one and its just all kinds of wrong, fun but wrong. I it can haul my two kayaks my 10 2' surfboard and all the wood that I would ever need for the shop, and when we do end up with a kid I can always sell it.

I'm a Lightning guy, but the SRT is a fun...fun truck. Stay far away from Hennessey in TX for mods.

Good luck.

No laughing here, I believe I pointed these out as an excellent deal in a similar thread to this a few months or so ago. No cheaper way to get into that big Viper engine!

EDIT - Yep, here it is - http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/future-classics-the-yenkos-of-our-time/4845/page3/

JFX001 wrote: I'm a Lightning guy, but the SRT is a fun...fun truck. Stay far away from Hennessey in TX for mods. Good luck.

I would not send shoestrings to Hennessey for new eyelets let alone a car. how he is still is business is a mystery to me.

I would say "why?!" except I have to admit that's a steal of a deal and sounds like a super fun truck. Plus you have plenty left over for maintenance. ;-)

wearymicrobe wrote:

JFX001 wrote: I'm a Lightning guy, but the SRT is a fun...fun truck. Stay far away from Hennessey in TX for mods. Good luck.

I would not send shoestrings to Hennessey for new eyelets let alone a car. how he is still is business is a mystery to me.

my vote goes to a Factory Five Racing GTM Supercar (takes C5 vette running gear, except for a Porsche-G50-or-comparable transaxle) with more or less an engine plucked out of a ZR-1 Corvette. any way you look at it, if you're willing to sacrifice a bit of plush interior for uniqueness, the kit car market has some seriously quick and damn good looking cars just waiting to be built up, and for $75K, unless you're building a Cheetah replica with top-shelf stuff, you'll likely stay within budget unless you go completely mad

I approve of the truck... i just wish i had thought to mention a Noble M12.... Possibly the sexiest car ever made, and frighteningly fast from what i've seen.

93celicaGT2 wrote: I approve of the truck... i just wish i had thought to mention a Noble M12.... Possibly the sexiest car ever made, and frighteningly fast from what i've seen.

I don't fit comfortably in them, or I would think about one for a track only car. There was one at a track day that I was at and its insanely quick but not safe in any way for the streets in California at the suspension hight they are delivered with. .

wearymicrobe wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: I approve of the truck... i just wish i had thought to mention a Noble M12.... Possibly the sexiest car ever made, and frighteningly fast from what i've seen.

I don't fit comfortably in them, or I would think about one for a track only car. There was one at a track day that I was at and its insanely quick but not safe in any way for the streets in California at the suspension hight they are delivered with. .

Well that settles that, then!

I think it's one of the few cars that even if i couldn't drive it, i would consider buying it if i had the money. Just to look at it. And wine and dine it. Maybe smoke a cigar and drink a glass of scotch with it by the fireplace while listening to Lawrence Welk.

Dude, don't leave the beach cottage! I moved out of my '50s neighborhood and have regretted it since. Mine was forced because of my Coast Guard move, but man, do I miss that. The rules, the traffic, the "suburbia, planned community, neighborhood association havin'" people. Pain in the ass. After I move out of here I'm going to do my damndest not to have to live in one of these places again. No Soul.

That being said, how about a new CTS-V, or even an old one for $40k less?

Brust wrote: Dude, don't leave the beach cottage! I moved out of my '50s neighborhood and have regretted it since. Mine was forced because of my Coast Guard move, but man, do I miss that. The rules, the traffic, the "suburbia, planned community, neighborhood association havin'" people. Pain in the ass. After I move out of here I'm going to do my damndest not to have to live in one of these places again. No Soul. That being said, how about a new CTS-V, or even an old one for $40k less?

I know but the private school that would be the equivalent is about 22K a year give or take. I like my old house, its cheap, it's buit like a tank and in the long run eing close to the water it will rise in value more. Stupid things we do fro kids.

wearymicrobe wrote: when we do end up with a kid I can always sell it.

So you're selling a house you like to get into a good school district in preparation for when you have a child, yet you are buying a vehicle that you plan on selling when said child is born? Seems counterintuitive. Since all of this is in preparation for a child, why not go ahead and buy a car that you won't have to dump when the child comes? I'm liking the E39 M5 idea. Or even better yet, if you really want a pickup for the reasons you mentioned, just by a regular V8 crew cab pickup for less money than the SRT-10, and spend the extra cash on a dedicated race car and trailer + offsite storage.

(as was already stated) BMW M5/540i

C5/6 corvette (z06 if necessary)

CTS-V

WRX STi? (or legacy GT)

Maserati quattroporte?

Winston wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: when we do end up with a kid I can always sell it.

So you're selling a house you like to get into a good school district in preparation for when you have a child, yet you are buying a vehicle that you plan on selling when said child is born? Seems counterintuitive. Since all of this is in preparation for a child, why not go ahead and buy a car that you won't have to dump when the child comes? I'm liking the E39 M5 idea. Or even better yet, if you really want a pickup for the reasons you mentioned, just by a regular V8 crew cab pickup for less money than the SRT-10, and spend the extra cash on a dedicated race car and trailer + offsite storage.

I agree. personally, I'd go for the hottest 2 door 2+2, 2 door 4 seat, or outright 4 door that you can afford. I'd look real heavy at the '09 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR, or at least a GSR. they look quite good imho. not a M-series bimmer, but not a total dog either

if you can do it.. why not just build a fake wall in the back of the garage? Pull in with a car, close the door that faces towards the road, then open the back door and pull the car out into the back yard ( provided it's fenced in so the neighbors can't see). You'd still have room to park a car and not be out in the street.

93celicaGT2 wrote: I think it's one of the few cars that even if i couldn't drive it, i would consider buying it if i had the money. Just to look at it. And wine and dine it. Maybe smoke a cigar and drink a glass of scotch with it by the fireplace while listening to Lawrence Welk.

he doesn't even drive it...just rubs it with a diaper.

dyintorace wrote: Funny...I was going to suggest an Aston Martin Vantage V8. I think they are stunning and they've won a few comparos against 911's. I was just daydreaming them on ebay last night. Low mileage 2 year old versions are under 75k.

i wish i hadn't read that.

SRT-10 rams are cool, but I cant believe how terrible the gas milaage is. Dont they get something like 8 mpg in town? If thats ok then its not a bad choice.