Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Tom's Car Quest

[Tom Reynolds (kjtar]

Thanks Steve.  Yeah, I'm thinking right now of the E30 M3 and maybe
(another) Miata.  I think the operative word here (although there may be
more than one keyword in this mess) is "fun."  To me, a stick is fun, an
automatic, even if it's a "slapstick" kind like Tiptronic or even a paddle
shifter is not AS MUCH fun as a manual, clutch activated stick shift.  Now,
if someone were to present me with a rally car that had a sequential manual
gearbox, well, I'd have to drive it for 6 months or so just to, er, properly
evaluate it.  But, back in the real world I don't think that's gonna happen.
OTOH, prices seem to be getting fairly reasonable on the WRX non STI
version...
       I just have to save up enough to put a sizable downstroke on what I
really want.  Like I think I've said before, if I had my d'ruthers, I think
I'd go with the RS America (thanks Dennis, a long time ago, indirectly)
and/or a Lotus Elise or Exige (?) but there goes the budget.  Maybe I just
need a shifter kart and a place to blow off steam every 4th day or so.
Best,
Tom
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <BRIGANDBAR [at] aol.com>
To: "Tom Reynolds" <kjtar [at] cox.net>
Cc: "The FerrariList" <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Sent: Friday, November 24, 2006 10:49 AM
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Tom's Car Quest


> Hi Tom;
>
> There are a lot of neat suggestions, but if I remember correctly you
wanted
> something that would be reliable, as well as fun, and to have reasonable
> acquisition and maintenance costs. That eliminates most of them. Even
playing
> with Renntech will violate many budgets and at the risk of restating the
> obvious, anytime you modify or alter a vehicle reliability will be subject
to
> empirical testing and examination of the specific vehicle. Even the best
> non-factory mods. will have their own specific gremlins to deal with.
>
> As for visceral, well once again at the risk of restating the obvious,
> visceral and reliable are antonyms when it comes to automobiles and the
same
> circumstance applies to visceral and "reasonable" when applied to
acquisition  and
> maintenance costs. I guess I've never found the right combination and when
> budgetary constraints enter into the picture it is far better to err on
the side
>  of economic conservatism.
>
> I guess I'm just prejudiced in some areas as my preferences fall to larger
> cars, e.g. a 7-Series BMW or S-Class MB with the largest V-8/12 available
for
> performance and the "visceral" feeling but neither of those will fall into
> reasonable budgetary constraints though there are some bargains to be had
in 600
>  series S-Class cars if you can tolerate the projectable maintenance
costs.
> As  for reliability, well there is the "creature in the woodpile" (as you
well
> know  having guided me through a car search or two). If the
E-Class/3-Series
> BMW's are  too large, I'm afraid I couldn't be helpful on a smaller car.
Laws
> of physics,  mass of one car vs. another. etc. that would color my
judgement.
>
> Maybe an off-lease Lexus would do, but they are over budget. Now if you
> would wait it out, a retired Dodge hemi police car might be just the right
thing.
>
>
> Dr. Steve
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