This is the one in AL, with 78,250 miles? (Is the A/C weak, or for some reason you found it really hot in the summer)?
It looks nice! Heck, I'd start thinking about it myself except for a mere 1200-1500 mile travel issue.
The paragraphing, fonts, etc. you should be able to do easily on ebay--it's sort of "automatic" now I think, but I don't know how to describe it here. Or there's a place to click on "html" to do it manually.
That's the only thing I'd suggest--make the font bigger, maybe a different font style, maybe bold, paragraphs, "center" everything, maybe use "bullet" points to highlight the great features you describe.
Some, or all of that, just to make the ad easier to read, & absorb. The typeface is so small, & it's all run together, so just makes more work for the buyer to read. But the car, the pics, the info. are really good.
And you're also against using a torque wrench on your lug nuts?
C'mon now. I never said I was "against it." I'm all for it, for those who should use it.
What I think is being missed is that, while I don't use a torque wrench on my wheels, I've got alot of experience. My father used to make it a game on occassion to check manual adjustments with a torque wrench. He could get something within a couple of pounds himself. I'll get within 10. I wouldn't do that on a head, like I said. But on wheels? Yeah, I don't feel the exact torque is that crucial. Although I have used a torque wrench on high-end wheels. I don't want to take any chances with $3k of chrome.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
That is the one. The AC is in fine working condition, but on 100 degree days in Birmingham when it sits out in the sun for a while cooling isn't exactly instant. My wife's Pilot will turn all three rows of seats into a meat locker within a couple of minutes on the hottest day.
I appreciate the comments. I am going to try to mess with the text when I get home. I tried to get "instant help" online from eBay, but it listed the wait time as 38 minutes and I if hidat the computer any longer my wife may have figured out I was trying to sell "her" beloved car. She drives it pretty much every Saturday morning when the weather is perfect and there is no traffic.
So you have stats by rider training (the overwhelming number of fatalities involved riders that never took an MSF approved course, had no license, or had a suspended license), by bike type (Hayabusa and the liter sport bikes vs standards and cruisers), rider age, and if alcohol was involved. Once you filter all that out, it starts to look a lot more friendly. What is weird is the spike after 36-60 months where riders get complacent and stop paying as much attention to conditions. There is some self selection criteria involved too, a 1300cc 480lb rocket might get someone into more trouble than a 350lb 250cc bike or 400 lb 500cc bike. Even the 600cc replica race bikes have ridiculous power to weight ratios. I probably have well over 100,000 miles lifetime on 2 wheels (powered by me) plus whatever I have on a motorcycle. I have had 1 vehicle vs bicycle incident that resulted in very minor injuries (minus the bill the woman in the Mercedes got to replace my bike). You do have to be careful, "cages" don't see you, you have to be defensive and pay attention all the time. Awareness and training do a lot to offset the risk.
You do have to be careful, "cages" don't see you, you have to be defensive and pay attention all the time. Awareness and training do a lot to offset the risk.
Yup you have to ride like you are invisible and everyone else on the road is out to kill you.
We had an interesting discussion on one of my other forums about high vis vs. low vis riding apparel and/or bike.
One of the guys on there who has been riding for over 20 years used to be hardcore about high vis apparel. He had bright yellow or red jackets and helmets with reflective strips on them and reflective tape an just about everything. He had brightly colored bikes too for the most part. He swears up and down that all the bright colored clothing actually attracted people to run into him. After a few years of several near hits and one pretty bad accident he went the other way to completely low vis gear and swears he has less near hits and close calls.
I don't know if I agree with him but it works for him. In his opinion if people ignore fire trucks with all the flashing lights and sirens there is no way a motorcycle rider can ever be bright enough to get their attention.
Fintail.... yep, my air conditioner is SO cold it will freeze your face. If I'm going to a party, for instance, when I hug the hostess she will notice how cold my face is when it's in the 90's and humid outside.
One of my priorities is that a car MUST have cold air. I made the mistake of buying my '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the winter and the air was SO average. My '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee had wonderful air so I didn't think about the new style Jeep having problems.
Keeping the Jeep in the desert didn't work well at all. If the vehicle was in the garage, you could basically keep it tolerable when driving out in the 100 plus temps... but, if it was outside, you could NEVER cool it down. I was very disappointed in that.
The E430 could handle any exterior temp with no problem! I love that car but I need to make room for the new baby (not ordered yet).
Mark
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
We are lucky in the northwest...when it is hot, it is rarely humid. My car can keep up with our heatwaves, but I never have to turn it down because I am too cold. The system actually had a warranty repair last year, I think some kind of valve failed. I wonder if that has something to do with it
You'll have to keep us posted how it goes selling that E430. If you're still thinking of giving it away, I'd take it...keep that whopping 5K miles/year off the E55 :P
Somebody local emailed me and said if the car checked out with his mechanic, he would give me $10,500 cash with "no hassles" which is good, as I similar to most people don't like to be hassled. What I don't understand is since the guy lives ten miles from me, why wouldn't he come look at if before he made an offer.
My wife kind of blew her lid about the whole thing. She is used to me changing cars a lot, but currently the BMW is the only running car I own. Mere details, I say.
The wife says I can't buy anything ugly, cheap or stupid.
The wife says I can't buy anything ugly, cheap or stupid.
So, where does that leave you? Of the three criterion, only "cheap" is quantifiable. Ugly and stupid could be anything the wife wants it to be.
BMW X6? Ugly*
Lamborghini? Stupid*
Good luck!
* Note - all opinions are given for sarcastic and/or humorous value only , and do not necessarily reflect the actual opinions of the poster. Your mileage may vary.
Very often I think I have come up with a very clever car choice, and her response is either that it is ugly or stupid. That ends the discussion. To her, I think cheap refers not to price but how she feels about it. To her a Corvette ZR-1 is cheap looking, but a Honda Civic is not. I know she thinks all Mustangs are cheap, ugly and stupid, in case that helps.
He had bright yellow or red jackets and helmets with reflective strips on them and reflective tape an just about everything. He had brightly colored bikes too for the most part. He swears up and down that all the bright colored clothing actually attracted people to run into him. After a few years of several near hits and one pretty bad accident he went the other way to completely low vis gear and swears he has less near hits and close calls.
I suspect that has something to do with what driving instructors always tell people "your hands tend to go where your eyes are looking." So your buddy was drawing everybody's attention and they were inadvertently steering in his direction.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I wanted a corvette at one time, would still take one, but my wife doesn't think they look cheap. She just stereotypes them the same as those huge lifted trucks...something to do with the driver's shortcomings :confuse:
I would say one vehicle fits both Stupid & Ugly...Aztec!!!
** Credit to Michaell : Again, just my opinion, for what it's worth, my apologies to those Aztec owners who think they're the bomb
Are you sure you want to sell it? Low miles, no problems, & yes that minor detail of being: "the only running car I own".
I've done that before, sold a really nice 10 y.o. car on impulse, "throw an ad in, just see what happens", then gone crazy for many months finding a replacement (which could be worse than the one you already have).
Plus your wife already "blew her lid" about selling it......given all you've said, personally, I'd give it a lot more thought before selling, or at least get another car lined up first.......
We have a very high population of bike riders where I live. Every summer a couple manage to get themselves killed on these roads. Most often, it is tied to a popular biker bar near me.
Wouldn't that be part of the whole point of owning a motorcycle? To go to biker bars? How else would you pick up biker chicks? I'm changing my opinion based on that.
There's a really cool movie "The World's Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins, about this 70 year old Kiwi guy who takes his 1920's Indian to Bonneville in the 1960's, & breaks some records.....based on real-life New Zealander Burt Monro.
That movie's so inspiring--doesn't it make you want to chuck it all--the surburbs, the mortage, all that, & do something really radical? Preferably related to cars, or motorcycles. 'Course we shouldn't mention movies, actors, & motorcycle racing w/o mentioning the great Steve McQueen........
Yup you have to ride like you are invisible and everyone else on the road is out to kill you.
Exactly. I'm also a proponent of All The Gear All The Time(ATGATM)- although I think that the choice needs to be left up to the individual rider. I just love it when some Hardley-Ableson rider in a bandana and leather vest tells me that my Speed Triple is dangerous because it is "too fast". Let the process of natural selection take its course...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
My buyer backed out. He was a super nice guy, but apparently his wife "blew her lid" because she didn't want to drive a 5-speed.
I still have it on eBay, and it has 3 people watching it.
As for my wife's parameters, she dislikes all American cars, she thinks BMW, Honda, and Porsche make far superior cars to the rest of the world, she thinks men should drive cars with manual transmissions unless they have a truck or large car, and finally she likes Miatas but says that I look like a Shriner driving a clown car when I drive a Miata. The replacement vehicle needs to have four seats, the back needs to be only big enough to hold 80 lbs worth of little girls.
Had one of these with the auto tranny. Was a great car for my commuting purposes at the time and with 3 kids under 5 then, they fit perfectly. That little engine could squoot pretty well as I remember. Was my 1st Toyota..
My sister had an FX - it was peppy because it was so light. Got great gas mileage too, but it was carbureted. It would have saved a lot more gas if it had EFI.
Now for a little while I had the fun version of that car - the FX16 GTS - which was a 16-valve four and DID have EFI - it was fairly fast for its day and I really liked it. In the late 90s I traded it to a friend for his almost pristine '75 280Z, another car I liked a lot but for different reasons. I miss that FX16 sometimes...if they could slice another 500 pounds out of a Mini Cooper, it would be a very similar drive I imagine.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
ah. well forget what i said, then. I saw 1.6 and thought "Tercel." ... [although i just looked it up and see that the Tercel was a 1.5] Now I see that the 4AGE had way more power.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
There's a theme here, isn't there? Wives all over AL "blowing their lids" because of their hubbies car buying/selling obsessions......LOL. As for my wife's parameters, she dislikes all American cars, she thinks BMW, Honda, and Porsche make far superior cars to the rest of the world, she thinks men should drive cars with manual transmissions
Sounds like a smart lady! BTW, what are you looking to replace the current bmw with?
LOL! That 22RE DID however give a fair amount of scoot to what remains to this day the most popular Celica model ever, the RWD '82-'85s. One configuration of which was technically a hatchback, although it was nothing like the boxy-style hatchback the FX16 was.
I'm always keeping my eyes open for really well-kept examples of Celicas and Supras of that vintage. Alas, it's a car you almost never see any more...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I'd rather have a 3S-GTE Celica All-Trac, but that's me.
I am more of a diamond star fan myself for that type of vehicle. The Celica All Trac was heavy and slow for its time, and very expensive. The Mitsu/Eagle/Plymouth triplets are the foundation of the EVO we have today. I would add the Galant VR4 in there too for cool rides. And every bolt on in the world exists for those cars.
I've always been partial to QUIET and simple cruisers. My father had a '74 Yamaha that I kinda dug way back when. Seemed HUGE to me at the time, though. I wonder what it would look like in person nowadays. But definitely no hogs or crotch rockets. Also want to spend very little. Any suggestions?
If you are still thinking about a bike, I'd second all of BR's recommendations. I would add that there are great deals to be had on used Hinckley Triumphs(the bikes built from 1991-on). I paid $3000 for my 1996 Speed Triple:
It has the rare Triumph "Racing/Off Road" 3-into-1 exhaust as well as six-pot Alcon front calipers as used on the Super III. Over the past three years I've spent just under $1500 on service and repairs. That includes a new front wheel(the original was slightly bent), a set of Pirelli Diablo tires, fork seals, new OEM brake pads front and rear, fresh DOT4 brake fluid, fresh coolant, and a new gel battery and matching tender. With the purchase price of the bike included the grand total comes to $4700. Progressive hits me up for $132/year for liability coverage and the great Commonwealth of KY sticks me for $45/year for tax and registration. I wish the Speedy's riding position was a little kinder to my 51 year old bones but you can't have everything. I also fitted some Grip Puppies, AKA closed-cell foam grip covers, and they have helped quite a bit. Anyway, as a last resort I can always install some bar risers. The story goes that when John Bloor resurrected Triumph in the early nineties he knew that the bikes would have to be bomb-proof from the start. As a result he insisted that every part on the first generation bikes be over-engineered. The Triumph tech who recently serviced my bike told me that I shouldn't need any major engine work for at least 100,000 miles. Which means I have only 85,000 more to go. And you have to admire a company that releases videos like this one.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I'd rather have a well-kept '85 Supra than a '93 Celica All-Trac. Better power-to-weight ratio, RWD. Better looking too. ;-)
I do see '82-'85 Celicas and a couple of Supras of that vintage too, pretty regularly here in town. Nobody's selling though....I've thought of putting a note under the wiper of this one '85 Supra I see all the time, which is very well taken care of. But that just seems like an invitation for them to ask a really high price... :-P
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
None whatsoever. I don't buy used cars unless they are factory stock, and all the GTSs I come across have all this aftermarket junk. You should SEE some of the outlandish rims some of them have!
That one Prelude stick was totally worn out, and so far it's the only manual shift Prelude I have seen advertised that was less than ten years old. It wasn't exactly a popular model in its later years...
There has, however, been an '01 automatic advertised very close by me for ages and ages now. The price keeps dropping and dropping, $100 this week, $200 last week, still the guy can't sell it. I actually saw it in person as it was right on my way one day, and it's in very nice shape. I guess nobody, certainly me included, wants an automatic Prelude.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I can't stand it when sellers provide almost no information. I usually dismiss them right away as when I contact people who write ads like this one, I usually have trouble squeezing anything else out of them - usually because their car is a disaster.
I like this one, but I don't know if the price is fair. I sure would like it a lot better at around $7,500.
I have a blanket policy of ignoring all ads where the car's mileage is not listed. I figure they are just wasting my time - with a private ad it could MAYBE be an omission, but with a dealer you KNOW the omission is intentional because the car is TOTALLY miled up.
Now the red one looks almost exactly like the kind of thing I have been looking for, but that car wouldn't be $9300 in my neck of the woods. It would be advertised closer to $12K. If I could buy such a car for $9K, I would do it this week!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I always liked the early 80s Supras. They have that beefy look about them and the wedfge shape is not too 80s wedgy. Very nicely balanced 80s car. I wouldn't mind having one as a spare car.
Actually I always tell my wife about "spare cars" I'd like to have. If I'd own everything I ever wanted as a spare car I'd have a 300 car lot in my back yard. :P
Hmmm... still not entirely sure what you are looking for. I mean, a Prelude and SC300 are pretty far apart in dynamics. So, for the heck of it, I'll suggest a Volvo S60 T5.
Or if you want to save on gas, the 2.5T is a nice choice, too. Although I don't think those were available with sticks. The T5 was. Just very very hard to find.
In which case, an S40 T5 6-speed could be had for close to what you are looking to spend.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The SC300 is kind of my outlier - a little softer than I typically prefer. Back in the day, looking at my old Car & Drivers I have one old road test where they compare a 1995 SC300, a Supra, an M3 and a 300ZX 2+2. I think it was aimed at people like me who want a nice GT car that will hold kids in the back. Anyone care to guess the finishing order in that test?
My wife likes Volvos...but only for women (don't blame me; I'm just the messenger). I like the S60s, but really I much prefer a RWD in a luxury car.
well, according to my trusty Galves subscription, an '01 BMW 330i sedan with 67k miles is worth $10,500-$11k on a trade. So $12k is possible. A coupe is about $500 more.
For an M3, you'll have to go back to pre-'99 to get into your range. I have NO idea how a '98 M3 compares to an '01 330. We'll have to look that up.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Really close. You only reversed the last two. They were all really tightly bunched. They were all more or less similarly priced when new. Now I'll estimate as follows for a nice example with 120K on the clock:
M3 - $8,500 (but the purchase price is just a start) Supra - $14,000 (5% better than the 300ZX for nearly twice the cost) 300ZX - $7,500 SC300 - $6,500 (really reliable, but 5-sp hard to find)
RIght off the bat I can eliminate the Supra. After that, I get confused. The M3 is maintenance intensive, the 300ZX has a tiny rear seat, and the SC300 is the least fun to drive.
Maybe I will keep my BMW, maybe spruce up the old 944 a little.
Comments
This is the one in AL, with 78,250 miles? (Is the A/C weak, or for some reason you found it really hot in the summer)?
It looks nice! Heck, I'd start thinking about it myself except for a mere 1200-1500 mile travel issue.
The paragraphing, fonts, etc. you should be able to do easily on ebay--it's sort of "automatic" now I think, but I don't know how to describe it here. Or there's a place to click on "html" to do it manually.
That's the only thing I'd suggest--make the font bigger, maybe a different font style, maybe bold, paragraphs, "center" everything, maybe use "bullet" points to highlight the great features you describe.
Some, or all of that, just to make the ad easier to read, & absorb. The typeface is so small, & it's all run together, so just makes more work for the buyer to read. But the car, the pics, the info. are really good.
C'mon now. I never said I was "against it."
I'm all for it, for those who should use it.
What I think is being missed is that, while I don't use a torque wrench on my wheels, I've got alot of experience. My father used to make it a game on occassion to check manual adjustments with a torque wrench. He could get something within a couple of pounds himself. I'll get within 10. I wouldn't do that on a head, like I said. But on wheels? Yeah, I don't feel the exact torque is that crucial. Although I have used a torque wrench on high-end wheels. I don't want to take any chances with $3k of chrome.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I appreciate the comments. I am going to try to mess with the text when I get home. I tried to get "instant help" online from eBay, but it listed the wait time as 38 minutes and I if hidat the computer any longer my wife may have figured out I was trying to sell "her" beloved car. She drives it pretty much every Saturday morning when the weather is perfect and there is no traffic.
There is some self selection criteria involved too, a 1300cc 480lb rocket might get someone into more trouble than a 350lb 250cc bike or 400 lb 500cc bike. Even the 600cc replica race bikes have ridiculous power to weight ratios.
I probably have well over 100,000 miles lifetime on 2 wheels (powered by me) plus whatever I have on a motorcycle. I have had 1 vehicle vs bicycle incident that resulted in very minor injuries (minus the bill the woman in the Mercedes got to replace my bike).
You do have to be careful, "cages" don't see you, you have to be defensive and pay attention all the time. Awareness and training do a lot to offset the risk.
Yup you have to ride like you are invisible and everyone else on the road is out to kill you.
We had an interesting discussion on one of my other forums about high vis vs. low vis riding apparel and/or bike.
One of the guys on there who has been riding for over 20 years used to be hardcore about high vis apparel. He had bright yellow or red jackets and helmets with reflective strips on them and reflective tape an just about everything. He had brightly colored bikes too for the most part. He swears up and down that all the bright colored clothing actually attracted people to run into him. After a few years of several near hits and one pretty bad accident he went the other way to completely low vis gear and swears he has less near hits and close calls.
I don't know if I agree with him but it works for him. In his opinion if people ignore fire trucks with all the flashing lights and sirens there is no way a motorcycle rider can ever be bright enough to get their attention.
One of my priorities is that a car MUST have cold air. I made the mistake of buying my '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the winter and the air was SO average. My '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee had wonderful air so I didn't think about the new style Jeep having problems.
Keeping the Jeep in the desert didn't work well at all. If the vehicle was in the garage, you could basically keep it tolerable when driving out in the 100 plus temps... but, if it was outside, you could NEVER cool it down. I was very disappointed in that.
The E430 could handle any exterior temp with no problem! I love that car but I need to make room for the new baby (not ordered yet).
Mark
You'll have to keep us posted how it goes selling that E430. If you're still thinking of giving it away, I'd take it...keep that whopping 5K miles/year off the E55 :P
I bet that new baby will have some good ac!
My wife kind of blew her lid about the whole thing. She is used to me changing cars a lot, but currently the BMW is the only running car I own. Mere details, I say.
The wife says I can't buy anything ugly, cheap or stupid.
So, where does that leave you? Of the three criterion, only "cheap" is quantifiable. Ugly and stupid could be anything the wife wants it to be.
BMW X6? Ugly*
Lamborghini? Stupid*
Good luck!
* Note - all opinions are given for sarcastic and/or humorous value only , and do not necessarily reflect the actual opinions of the poster. Your mileage may vary.
I suspect that has something to do with what driving instructors always tell people "your hands tend to go where your eyes are looking." So your buddy was drawing everybody's attention and they were inadvertently steering in his direction.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I would say one vehicle fits both Stupid & Ugly...Aztec!!!
** Credit to Michaell : Again, just my opinion, for what it's worth, my apologies to those Aztec owners who think they're the bomb
My wife feels the same way about the Mustang and Corvette.
Are you sure you want to sell it? Low miles, no problems, & yes that minor detail of being: "the only running car I own".
I've done that before, sold a really nice 10 y.o. car on impulse, "throw an ad in, just see what happens", then gone crazy for many months finding a replacement (which could be worse than the one you already have).
Plus your wife already "blew her lid" about selling it......given all you've said, personally, I'd give it a lot more thought before selling, or at least get another car lined up first.......
Wouldn't that be part of the whole point of owning a motorcycle? To go to biker bars? How else would you pick up biker chicks? I'm changing my opinion based on that.
There's a really cool movie "The World's Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins, about this 70 year old Kiwi guy who takes his 1920's Indian to Bonneville in the 1960's, & breaks some records.....based on real-life New Zealander Burt Monro.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Exactly. I'm also a proponent of All The Gear All The Time(ATGATM)- although I think that the choice needs to be left up to the individual rider. I just love it when some Hardley-Ableson rider in a bandana and leather vest tells me that my Speed Triple is dangerous because it is "too fast".
Let the process of natural selection take its course...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Give us some parameters and I am sure the experts here can come up with some recommendations.
As others have said, what you have may be the best option. But if you have the buying bug , I can certainly understand the need to scratch it.
I still have it on eBay, and it has 3 people watching it.
As for my wife's parameters, she dislikes all American cars, she thinks BMW, Honda, and Porsche make far superior cars to the rest of the world, she thinks men should drive cars with manual transmissions unless they have a truck or large car, and finally she likes Miatas but says that I look like a Shriner driving a clown car when I drive a Miata. The replacement vehicle needs to have four seats, the back needs to be only big enough to hold 80 lbs worth of little girls.
Prelude Type SH?
http://southjersey.craigslist.org/car/731906368.html
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Are you thinking commuting car instead of a bike? Dunno if my wife would buy that argument.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The Sandman
Now for a little while I had the fun version of that car - the FX16 GTS - which was a 16-valve four and DID have EFI - it was fairly fast for its day and I really liked it. In the late 90s I traded it to a friend for his almost pristine '75 280Z, another car I liked a lot but for different reasons. I miss that FX16 sometimes...if they could slice another 500 pounds out of a Mini Cooper, it would be a very similar drive I imagine.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I saw 1.6 and thought "Tercel." ... [although i just looked it up and see that the Tercel was a 1.5]
Now I see that the 4AGE had way more power.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
There's a theme here, isn't there? Wives all over AL "blowing their lids" because of their hubbies car buying/selling obsessions......LOL.
As for my wife's parameters, she dislikes all American cars, she thinks BMW, Honda, and Porsche make far superior cars to the rest of the world, she thinks men should drive cars with manual transmissions
Sounds like a smart lady! BTW, what are you looking to replace the current bmw with?
I'm always keeping my eyes open for really well-kept examples of Celicas and Supras of that vintage. Alas, it's a car you almost never see any more...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
You see a fair number of the next generation Celicas but by then it's a different car.
I am more of a diamond star fan myself for that type of vehicle. The Celica All Trac was heavy and slow for its time, and very expensive. The Mitsu/Eagle/Plymouth triplets are the foundation of the EVO we have today. I would add the Galant VR4 in there too for cool rides. And every bolt on in the world exists for those cars.
If you are still thinking about a bike, I'd second all of BR's recommendations. I would add that there are great deals to be had on used Hinckley Triumphs(the bikes built from 1991-on). I paid $3000 for my 1996 Speed Triple:
It has the rare Triumph "Racing/Off Road" 3-into-1 exhaust as well as six-pot Alcon front calipers as used on the Super III. Over the past three years I've spent just under $1500 on service and repairs. That includes a new front wheel(the original was slightly bent), a set of Pirelli Diablo tires, fork seals, new OEM brake pads front and rear, fresh DOT4 brake fluid, fresh coolant, and a new gel battery and matching tender. With the purchase price of the bike included the grand total comes to $4700. Progressive hits me up for $132/year for liability coverage and the great Commonwealth of KY sticks me for $45/year for tax and registration. I wish the Speedy's riding position was a little kinder to my 51 year old bones but you can't have everything. I also fitted some Grip Puppies, AKA closed-cell foam grip covers, and they have helped quite a bit. Anyway, as a last resort I can always install some bar risers. The story goes that when John Bloor resurrected Triumph in the early nineties he knew that the bikes would have to be bomb-proof from the start. As a result he insisted that every part on the first generation bikes be over-engineered. The Triumph tech who recently serviced my bike told me that I shouldn't need any major engine work for at least 100,000 miles. Which means I have only 85,000 more to go.
And you have to admire a company that releases videos like this one.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I do see '82-'85 Celicas and a couple of Supras of that vintage too, pretty regularly here in town. Nobody's selling though....I've thought of putting a note under the wiper of this one '85 Supra I see all the time, which is very well taken care of. But that just seems like an invitation for them to ask a really high price... :-P
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
That one Prelude stick was totally worn out, and so far it's the only manual shift Prelude I have seen advertised that was less than ten years old. It wasn't exactly a popular model in its later years...
There has, however, been an '01 automatic advertised very close by me for ages and ages now. The price keeps dropping and dropping, $100 this week, $200 last week, still the guy can't sell it. I actually saw it in person as it was right on my way one day, and it's in very nice shape. I guess nobody, certainly me included, wants an automatic Prelude.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I like this one, but I don't know if the price is fair. I sure would like it a lot better at around $7,500.
Now the red one looks almost exactly like the kind of thing I have been looking for, but that car wouldn't be $9300 in my neck of the woods. It would be advertised closer to $12K. If I could buy such a car for $9K, I would do it this week!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Actually I always tell my wife about "spare cars" I'd like to have. If I'd own everything I ever wanted as a spare car I'd have a 300 car lot in my back yard. :P
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Or if you want to save on gas, the 2.5T is a nice choice, too. Although I don't think those were available with sticks. The T5 was. Just very very hard to find.
In which case, an S40 T5 6-speed could be had for close to what you are looking to spend.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
My wife likes Volvos...but only for women (don't blame me; I'm just the messenger). I like the S60s, but really I much prefer a RWD in a luxury car.
Lemme guess:
1. M3
2. Supra
3. 300ZX
4. SC300
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
For an M3, you'll have to go back to pre-'99 to get into your range. I have NO idea how a '98 M3 compares to an '01 330. We'll have to look that up.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
M3 - $8,500 (but the purchase price is just a start)
Supra - $14,000 (5% better than the 300ZX for nearly twice the cost)
300ZX - $7,500
SC300 - $6,500 (really reliable, but 5-sp hard to find)
RIght off the bat I can eliminate the Supra. After that, I get confused. The M3 is maintenance intensive, the 300ZX has a tiny rear seat, and the SC300 is the least fun to drive.
Maybe I will keep my BMW, maybe spruce up the old 944 a little.