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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

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  • bdc2020bdc2020 Member Posts: 58
    All this talk about track time and toyota / volvo quality?

    I guess no one is buying cars anymore on here. Maybe August was the busy month for that?

    -brian
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    Well, if you don't like that one, I have a pretty nice '91 NA 5 speed that's for sale....

    They are tremendous cars - fun and reliable (and get good gas mileage to boot). Actually, most of the early '90s cars were sold with turbos. Automatics are pretty rare.

    The really nice ones bring BIG bucks on ebay and elsewhere. If you can find a good one for less than 5K that doesn't have a ton of miles on it, it's hard to go wrong.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    "If you can find a good one for less than 5K that doesn't have a ton of miles on it, it's hard to go wrong."

    Writing this down... for my wife...

    Look, honey!! I can't go wrong!

    I think I'll drive by there on the way home today.. :D

    EDIT: Maybe, I can figure out a way to write it off as a business expense...

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  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Be careful of those cars. They handle kind of funny at the limit for some reason and many a driver unfamilar with them has wrecked one.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    I've driven a few of them.... I haven't looked at this particular car, but I'm pretty familiar with both the first and second generation MR-2s..

    I love the rear mid-engine layouts... I actually had a Toyota salesman ask me to let him out, once... and that was just going around a cloverleaf.. That was in.. 1985? Whenever the first one came out...

    Plus, I used to have a 911, so I'm familiar with funny handling at the limit.... Not that I ever get close to it, any more...

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  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,123
    Ohhh....ahhhh....MR2...first edition.

    Please buy it (5-speed only) and tell us how much fun it is.

    In all seriousness, I know a guy that has a turbo MR2 (not sure if the turbo is aftermarket, or not) that he autox every good weekend. Last I heard, he was pushing 200K+ miles on it with nothing major amiss.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    Actually... this one is second edition... '90-'95.. But, that is probably the one you are thinking of..

    We'll see... as my wife says.... lol.

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  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    In my track event days in California with a Contour (way more fun than you might imagine on BFG Comp /A R1s and 170hp/stick) and a NX2000 (Se-R hatchback), we used to call the MR2s frisbees, because of their tendency to go spinning off the track (that nickname was later taken by the Honda S2000).
    Non-turbo Mr2s aren't the fastest thing but they are plenty entertaining and slightly better balanced than the Turbos. The non-turbo is a 2.2 while the Turbo is a 2.0. Both run forever.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,790
    Plus, Toyota revised the suspension settings and put a larger rims on the 93-95's to 'tame' the handling a bit. The 93+ models tend to bring bigger money, though...

    I almost bought a cherry 92 NA once. And I could still have a weakness for a MR2 spyder if the price was right; such a sweet car to drive.

    25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0

  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    No, no, no - I didn't say you can't go wrong!
  • gussguss Member Posts: 1,167
    I always have an eye out for a cheap MR2 Spyder, but even the 100k plus mile one bring big money. i have seen ones with 120K miles go for over $10,000 on E-Bay. Too much for me for what would be a third car.

    A second generation NA would be OK with me too , but the tuner crown seems to have gotten hold of most of them already.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    Maybe not... but, that's what I'm telling my wife... ;)

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  • woodywwwoodyww Member Posts: 1,806
    I always thought of Miatas as gay guy cars and Jack Russells as a dog for chicks

    I don't know Jack Russells. There's a guy in my neighborhood who occasionally walks his Large Poodle, & I have to admit, I sometimes make semi-serious sarcastic remarks (to myself).

    My ex recently moved to rural NH, & said she's getting a Large Poodle. I was thinking, a Large Poodle in rural NH, what's wrong with this picture? But she's a woman, so.....

    I have a lawyer friend, who has a Perfect House, in the Most Expensive Suburb of Boston, he & his wife have 2 Perfect careers, & they have 2 Perfect (spoiled & Snotty) kids. Then--they got a Golden Retriever, just to cap it all off, I guess. Now--I love the dog--one of the coolest dogs I've ever been around. But I guess they couldn't get a Pound Mutt because, who's going to brag to their Yuppie Friends about getting a Pound Mutt?

    And personally, I never thought of Miatas as "gay guy cars", maybe because a lot of guys seem to race them.....

    I realize that all of these preconceptions about class, gender, dogs, etc. are kind of ridiculous on one level, but 99% of all humans have them to some extent, I think.....(including me of course).....
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    I wonder if poodles realize how they are perceived.

    I actually would love to have a Miata, but people keep making jokes about me painting it pink and getting a poodle to go with it. Don't they know that a Miata is a real sports car?
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    I too would love to have a Miata (not red) and wouldn't care at all what other people think. Too bad many people are hung up on that! Makes one wonder...

    Not into poodles myself, but great for someone else. And jack russells can be a lot more work than many other more laid back dogs; just the opposite of why I like Miatas as cars. I love spending time with my dogs, but JR's sometimes can be extra needy.
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,307
    Poodles and chiuauas are the ugliest dogs...
  • woodywwwoodyww Member Posts: 1,806
    Be careful of those cars. They handle kind of funny at the limit for some reason and many a driver unfamilar with them has wrecked one.

    Ohhhhh, yeah, now I remember a column years ago in one of the car mags & the guy said that the MR-2 should have available a "Passenger Side Priest" option, as the handling was so squirrel-ly. Plus, I'm thinking, mid-engine (correct?), so nothing up front in case of a crash, & no air bags......

    (Sorry to be a Wet Blanket)
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    That is what they said about Porsches, Covairs, anything like that. I personally have more fear of the S2000 and ITR than the MR2.
    I remember being at an auto-x where someone spun a MR2 and didn't hit a single cone. Look at it this way, its a Toyota.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Yeah it is a mid-rear transverse engine design. I belive some aftermarket companies have come out with some suspension tweaks to make the handling less squirely. I am pretty sure the later MR-2s had air bags. They stopped making them in 1995 I belive so at that point I am sure a driver's side airbag was required.
  • woodywwwoodyww Member Posts: 1,806
    I got an e-mail tonight from someone I did a (non automotive) transaction with on fee-bay, who mentioned that she had just sold her TWO 1988 bmw M5's. (She'd noticed that my e-mail address was bmw related). I don't know if that will mean much to the non-bmw addicts, but the e28 M5 is still a rather legendary bmw model.

    This blows my mind. I mean, guys (mainly) on this board have had discussions about whether or not VW Beatles, or Miatas are "Chick Cars", or also "cool" for guys to drive, & here's a woman who owned TWO (at once, I think), of the most hard core performance bmws ever made.

    Now, I try to be open-minded about people's car choices. And I've read zillions of posts on this board about people buying & selling cars like maniacs, including some expensive ones. But I can't think of anyone's car fetishes that I've read about here that can top a female (hope that doesn't sound sexist) owning TWO 1988 bmw M5's.

    Has anyone noticed that mainly Guys own Vintage, older Benzes, & BMW's, but when you see a woman driving one, they are invariably, well, Pulchritudinous? (Like Grace Kelly in "to catch a thief", altho that car was British). I could swear, it's some kind of law.....
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,307
    Pulchritudinous

    Another word I have to look up...

    So, the important questions there are:
    1) Is she single?
    2) Did you get her digits?
    3) (but much less important than the other two) What is she driving now?
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,790
    E28 M5's are sweet. Case closed.

    25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,742
    why the heck would she contact you about cars she already sold??

    does she not like you for some reason? ;)

    '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

  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    I think it was '93 that Toyota revised the suspension on the MR2 to take away some of the earlier tail-happiness.
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,123
    Awright....so I'm waiting to hear....did you get "Mister 2" or not?
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    Well.. Tuesday night was a monsoon, so I didn't stop by... and I had Reds tickets last night..

    So, tonight is the first chance I'll have to stop by and look at it... I did drive by it again this morning, but it is parked just two houses away from the school, and it is a madhouse there in the AM..

    So, I might have some info after tonight, but I seriously doubt I'll be making any sort of decision soon.. My wife already seems certain that I won't be getting it... ;)

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  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,307
    My wife already seems certain that I won't be getting it...

    Just keep telling her that you can't go wrong with it...
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    I read it on Edmunds' CarSpace.... it must be true

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  • gussguss Member Posts: 1,167
    Probably, more likely you will hem & haw for about a week and by then it will be gone. Trust me I know.

    The ones that got away always seem nicer than the one you bought.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    Hey now! Get out of my head!! lol...

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,297
    I stopped by to take a look.. Just a quick once-over, without the owner there... and to get the phone number..

    147K miles.. '91 or '92 non-turbo model (14" wheels), 5-speed. Stock alloys. The only modification seems to be an after-market audio head unit with CD player..

    T-Tops look to be in good, operable condition.. interior is cloth and very good for a high-mileage car. Paint (white) is starting to fade on the plastic pieces.. Car sits outside, and while it has no visible rust, the paint is starting to show some wear.

    Black bra on the front end, which is fairly typical for this model.. no telling what that might hide.. I'm guessing that the fading paint would really show, if you took it off.

    One small scrape around the air intake behind the passenger door, maybe from a high curb. Otherwise, body is just about perfect..

    I'll have to call this weekend, at least to find out the price.. Any guesses?

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  • gussguss Member Posts: 1,167
    Asking $6,500 ,but will take $5,500.
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,123
    Yeah....rains were horrid on Tuesday.

    Hate to say it, but the REDS are finished this season.

    Only thing left to do is to buy the MR2 to make you feel better.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • mrrk47mrrk47 Member Posts: 104
    I got rid of my playstation 2 to spend more time with my wife and kids instead of 3 hours a night with madden 06 or ford racing2...then I discovered carspace....whoa! I could believe a whole hyperspace community of people who like me have a craving for shiny painted sheet metal and 16 or 17 inch stock alloy wheels. I start to sound corny here but I've always liked "new car". I've decided to put my thoughts on here and if any of you share these issues please respond.
    My affinity for buying goes beyond apr's , msrps, invoice ,and of course the most popular topic on here "the most thousands of invoice or msrp I can possibly get. I think ultimately it doesn't really matter about how mcuh you spent on your fav car, but if you like it. It seems like at times we're all competing with wach other to see who got the best deal ...who cares!
    I may of got suckered for msrp on my crv, but I know out there somewhere is a guy who paid 26460 for a 06'base S40, not me . It's a game that has be researched hard, as some of have posted.
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,307
    Got a look at the initial estimate today. $7500-ish in damage before they find other things as repairs progress. Not nearly as bad as I feared, but it could get worse once they actually start making repairs.

    Their shop seems to be extremely clean, which also bodes well.
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    We sold ours for $6750. It was a 94 Anniversary Edition with 129,000 miles. They did good for the mileage and these cars will run FOREVER and a day.

    Looks like I got my promotion .. I should hear the final word tomorrow or Monday. Best part is that it ended up being local so no need to move. Second best part is that I now get a demo. I've already got plans ...
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Congratulations...and who do you work for?

    The Sandman :)
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    The purchase was for the princely sum of $1.

    It's almost a little embarrassing what I did, though... :blush:

    It's also a little embarrassing that I've bought 3 cars in a little over a month, but in this group at least that little character weakness is well understood.

    -Jason
  • mark156mark156 Member Posts: 1,915
    Ok, ok,.... Jason, what did you buy? What are you selling? Spill the beans!!!!

    Mark :D
    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
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    A Matchbox Fiat?
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    A Matchbox Fiat?

    If only. The dirty details are over in the classics forum.

    The Miata is gone - I looked at some pics from the track day and there's no way they'd let me drive it in any more competitive scenarios, since my head was well above the level of the roll bar. It went to a very good home, and the new owner is tickled to get it. And before you ask, yes, I made a nice little profit, even before the throw-in. :shades:

    -Jason
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,418
    Or, "like taking a junkie to a crack house.."

    Been hitting the lots in the last week. Not for me, but I am doing leg work to find a new ride for my SIL. She wants a new Luxo crossover-SUV thingee to replace her 3 YO Infiniti FX (hey, it needs new tires, so time for it to go..)

    So far, I looked at and drove a Sube Tribeca, Nissan Pathfinder and Caddy SRX. DId a showroom only check out of the lexus (GX 350? The Camry based one).

    Anyway, darn these things can get pricey! Now I was looking at the more loaded models, but MSRP ranged from ~35K (Sube and Nissan) to 45K (Caddy). lexus was ~ 43K, and they did have another loaded Cad for 49k! V6 model too. Might as well get a 'Slade for that money.

    But, it was interesting since I have never driven any of these. The pathy was a bit too trucky for me, but quick. Didn't like the back seat.

    The Sube and Caddy impressed me more than I expected. The Tribeca drove very nicely, and didn't seem weak to me. Nice seats, plenty of room, all the basic goodies. not quite as luxo an interior feel, but still seemed like a good value. I liked the interior design, the exterior has to grow on you.

    The Caddy was large inside, and drove nice. Big feeling (OK< just big) though. But, the Ultraview roof was incredible. I didn't think they could make a single moonroof that big, the sucker was open above the back seat too! That along would sway me.

    They all had plenty of gadgets, with (natch) Caddy and Lesus leading the pack.

    Across the board, mileage was sucky. 15-19 (nissan), 15-22 (cad) and 18/19 24/25 ish for the others.

    Oh, and to get into the 3rd rows, you have to be as limber as my 10 YO gymnast daughter with the 20" waist. At least the Sube was fairly comfy once I got back there (had enough head and foot room). Forget even trying the Caddy, and the pathy was tight too.

    I'm still fond of the driving experinece of the Volvo XC 90, and the MDX still does OK, but SIL doesn't seem to be interested in those. I bet she would like the new MDX when it arrives, but that will be costly out the chute.

    The Lexus was a Lexus.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,418
    probably not, I just get all excited looking at cars. But if you need one of these, the Sube is probably a good deal. The one I drove 9a last '06) had a sticker of 35.5kish, and their first offer was about 30.2K, so there was room to work.

    $2,500 rebates on the '06 Cad and Sube help. I assume the lexus could be had for about 41K, and I don't think the Nissan is cheap selling yet.

    If I was in the market for something in this class, I could be happy with the Sube I think. Not sure I could own a Caddy..

    Oh, that was my other point! In my visit, I saw all the traditional Caddy Cues. A hearse, a DTS with weird Chromes and a carriage roof (and other odd add-ons), a hot young blond in a red XLR (had to be a wife/girlfriend of an athlete, right?), and an older lady in her white pre-DTS big one with the blue half-padded roof.

    That, and lot's of old people!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,307
    The Tribeca looks great on paper (never driven one), but I can't get over the front end. That grille just ruins the car for me.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,418
    Yeah, it has to grow on you, but I don't worry about it too much (unless it is Aztec ugly, which can't be overlooked). I don't see it from the outside that often, so the interior and how it drives are much more important! And it does have a nice, stylish insides, good seats, and it drives nice.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • growwisegrowwise Member Posts: 296
    I have been hitting the lots too. Not for buying anything though. One particular car that stood out of all was the Infiniti M35. I saw one obsidian black with a dark brown leather and dark brown wood/brushed aluminium. Interior has to be seen in person. Dark brown was awesome. Wood is not the usual petrochemical bark. It had all the gadgets including lane departure warning, intelligent cruise, phone etc.. This car has now got me interested in Infiniti as a brand especially with new G35 coming out.
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,307
    That almost makes me want to drive one... I don't really mind the frog eye headlights, but the grille's size and shape need to be drastically changed. I'm not a fan of the tweaks they made to the Impreza to make it look more like the Tribeca, either.
  • woodywwwoodyww Member Posts: 1,806
    I'm thinking: Caddy only if they have some terrific lease rates or fantastic deals (depreciation on Detroit Iron, esp. SUV's). Buying a Subie is usually not a bad idea, esp. if you get a rebate/discount. Lexus--if she likes it, hey, it's a Lexus, hard to go too far wrong (for those who can afford it!).

    If I had a gun to my head, & the vehicle was for me, I'd pick the new MDX.....
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,418
    I called, and the sales guy said November to be on the lot. My SIL is looking to do something by the end of this month, plus the deals on the new model won't be attractive for a while.

    Of these choices, if it were my money, and I was planning to buy and hold, I would get the Sube. Must be the latent Puritan coming out, but I think 30K is plenty to spend on what is basically just the family wagon. The B9 drives nice, lots of room, and pretty much all the luxo/convenience goodies you reasonably need.

    But, on something like this, I would be tempted to get a lease, so that brings the Volvo and Caddy back into play. But, it isn't my money, and the buyers desire to keep the price down will probably be out wieghed by her desire for the luxo brand badge, and few extra goodies. I'm thinking Lexus if she decides that the 3rd row isn't required. She won't like the pathy when she drives one, and the Sube will be ruled out becasue, well, it's a Sube.

    The CX-7 needs a look too (I'll hit Mazda tomorrow), but it will probably be rejected, becasue well, it's a Mazda (and that's without me even telling her it is really a Ford underneath!).

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    The CX-7 needs a look too (I'll hit Mazda tomorrow), but it will probably be rejected, becasue well, it's a Mazda (and that's without me even telling her it is really a Ford underneath!)

    Actually it is really the other way around for Mazdas now.

    A lot of Fords are being built on either Mazda derived platforms, Fusion/Milan/Zephyr, or on platforms derived by joint development between Mazda and Volvo.

    I think the CX-7 is on the C1 platforms as it is Fords global compact to midsized platform.
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