Never had any problems with my 944S. Just make sure the timing belt & balance shaft belt have been done.
Never had any problems with my 944S. Just make sure the timing belt & balance shaft belt have been done.
Thanks for the replies and suggestions, keep them coming!
Regarding the insurance cost issue that I've mentioned, this was based on the experience of several other people who moved from the UK to the US. Most if not all of them found themselves being classed as new drivers - it might be that I get a slightly better deal as I've been on my wife's car insurance for a while but The Lizard is getting grumpy because I (still) don't have a US license.
Anyway, regarding the car suggestions:
is unfortunately FWD and as mentioned, I don't really get a long with FWD.
C4 Corvette is a performance bargain right now. Some careful shopping will get you a clean 6-speed for well under 10K. If it has 255/40R17 tires up front, thats the "soft" suspension pkg car. Highway gas mileage will be in the high 20's with 20 around town if driven with some care. Plenty of room under the hatch for luggage. Add a few more thousand for a convertible. If you start making changes, go for Corsa exhaust. Quiet on the road and sounds great when you put your foot in it. Worth every penny I spent. Parts are very easy to get, insurance won't be too bad with the values being lower than one would expect. 1992 and newer cars are LT1 300hp. The opti-spark ignition can be troublesome, MSD makes an upgraded unit that solves the issue. Pre 92 cars are the old style L98 350, 250hp. The engines are much simpler to maintian and have better torque off the bottom. Both are good, some just perfer one over the other.
+1 on your Silver State Classic plans. I did it several years ago and had a lot of fun. It's a several day affair...
If i understand correctly, you are coming to Vegas?
I also think this is your first time in the US?
If yes, you will have no rust issues. Also, I would think you would want something not as common in th UK. You also want cheap to insure.
I recommend some American Iron. Not some tarted up, "better than new" restoration but some sort of real daily driver material. Sure, it may use a bit of gas but remember that your low purchase price and low insurance prices will offset higher fuel prices. Heck, high fuel prices are relative anyway since gas is soooo much cheaper here than in the UK.
Real samples (literally found in 10 minutes):
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/ctd/1496957663.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1496853024.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1496724458.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1496271751.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1497772373.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1496636887.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1496343922.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1497661841.html
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/ctd/1494058351.html
GTO's are really cheap to insure. Something about the low production and how young kids don't really buy them (unlike Mustangs).
If you're looking at a Mustang, you can get into the newest chassis car by going with an '05 or newer. That's a 5 year old car at this point, so a good amount of the deprecation has already hit. Also, the Mustangs are getting new engines as of next year which grossly trump the current set, so the '05-'10s will lose even more value here in about six months.
If you do go Mustang, don't get lured into the "V6 for better fuel economy" trap. The GTs get very similar economy around town and better on the highway. The only legitimate reason to buy a sixxer is for lower insurance costs.
BoxheadTim wrote: - Elise. ... Plus, it might well win the "car most likely to leave you stranded in the middle of Kansas with a six week wait for parts" category. Nothing against the middle of Kansas, but you get my drift
Why do you say that? Is the rover engine unreliable? All the ones over here have Toyota drivetrain, I wouldn't worry about reliability.
either a C5 corvette or an RX-8 would fit the bill. the 8 will be cheaper to buy but the C5 will be cheaper to insure (yes, really) and is easier on gas. insurance on the C5 was surprisingly reasonable...cheaper than things like an Evo or S2000, in my experience.
both are a hoot to drive, both are excellent autoXers with good Stock class placements (if you care), and both are reasonably practical DDs. and both would be a lot of fun in something like the Siver State classic.
edit: didn't see your last post before, but yeah...the gas mileage sucks (i average 17-18 in mostly city driving). but given that i spent $12,000 on a clean 240hp, 2900lb 6-spd RWD sports car w/ only 29k miles on it, it doesn't bother me. i could've easily spent twice as much for a 3-5mpg improvement. meh.
jrw1621 wrote: If i understand correctly, you are coming to Vegas?
Yes, -ish. My wife currently lives in Vegas, but we're looking into potentially moving for job reasons. The bottom has pretty much fallen out of the job market there for both of us. I guess that's a familiar story.
jrw1621 wrote: I also think this is your first time in the US?
Living there, yes. I've been travelling to the US for 2/3 times a year for quite a few years now, but never staid for more than 3 weeks.
jrw1621 wrote: I recommend some American Iron. Not some tarted up, "better than new" restoration but some sort of real daily driver material. Sure, it may use a bit of gas but remember that your low purchase price and low insurance prices will offset higher fuel prices. Heck, high fuel prices are relative anyway since gas is soooo much cheaper here than in the UK.
I hear you on the fuel prices. I'm planning to get a classic car at some point but at the moment I can only have a single car. You know, those samples were a perfect reason as to why I currently avoid LV craigslist 
.
mtn wrote:BoxheadTim wrote: - Elise.Why do you say that? Is the rover engine unreliable? All the ones over here have Toyota drivetrain, I wouldn't worry about reliability.
The Rover engine eats head gaskets for breakfast. It's a pretty good engine design-wise but the build quality leaves a little to be desired. Mine's on the third HG in 78k...
The trouble with Elises (and I believe this extends to the later ones as well) is that if you don't spend massive amounts of time looking after it, it'll turn into a rattlebox sooner rather than later. I know people who use them as DDs and yes, it can be done but I think I'm too old for that.
Gearheadotaku wrote: C4 Corvette is a performance bargain right now. Some careful shopping will get you a clean 6-speed for well under 10K.
That's what I noticed and from looking at C5s, the C4s seem to be a bit more practical - bigger trunk, unless I'm completely mistaken. Didn't they do a Z51 handling package on those as well?
Gearheadotaku wrote: +1 on your Silver State Classic plans. I did it several years ago and had a lot of fun. It's a several day affair...
First time I read about it was in a UK magazine called 'Practical Performance Car'. I read the article and decided that one day, I will take part. Got to be done.
ReverendDexter wrote: If you're looking at a Mustang, you can get into the newest chassis car by going with an '05 or newer. That's a 5 year old car at this point, so a good amount of the deprecation has already hit. Also, the Mustangs are getting new engines as of next year which grossly trump the current set, so the '05-'10s will lose even more value here in about six months. If you do go Mustang, don't get lured into the "V6 for better fuel economy" trap. The GTs get very similar economy around town and *better* on the highway. The only legitimate reason to buy a sixxer is for lower insurance costs.
I've driven both the V6s and a Shelby - talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. It was quite interesting to see that the V6 seemed to have a little more low-down grunt but ran out of breath just about when the Shelby came on song.
If I would go down the non-classic Mustang route (I have a soft spot for the 60s Cougars) I'd definitely go V8. But the call of the 'vette is pretty strong. Especially when it's a very late, Polo Green C4 convertible.
Buzz Killington wrote: either a C5 corvette or an RX-8 would fit the bill. the 8 will be cheaper to buy but the C5 will be cheaper to insure (yes, really) and is easier on gas. insurance on the C5 was surprisingly reasonable...cheaper than things like an Evo or S2000, in my experience.
I'm surprised that a C5 would be cheaper to insure than an S2000 but I'm not complaining. Gas mileage might not be a deciding factor - depending on where we end up, I might as well commute by motorbike like I do now. However if we end up in NYC or Chicago, I doubt I'll be biking it to work in winter.
P71 wrote: GTO's are really cheap to insure. Something about the low production and how young kids don't really buy them (unlike Mustangs).
We got them over here as well, just badged as Vauxhall Monaros as opposed to Holden Monaros, so I've seen a few around. While they sound gorgeous, I don't really warm to the looks...
P71 wrote: Yup, an option in 05 only (dropped for 06). Interestingly, the GTO's were all shipped sans-spoiler and they were installed at the dealer, yet nobody ever managed to get one before they desecrated the decklid. There's lots of pictures floating around of lines of them at the dock with perfect trunks. NHRA decided to allow spoilerless in Stock, etc so I wonder how hard that would be for SCCA as well?
According to the letter (mid October, about classing) I got from SCCA about 'stock' dealer add-ons (early nismo wheels on the '04 350Z), if what you say is true about the rear spoiler, then all 'spoiler-ed' (spoiled?) GTO's would NOT be allowed in stock categories. Whadda ya know, another SCCA classing structure weakness, who wudda thunk?!?
Eric G
BoxheadTim wrote: That's what I noticed and from looking at C5s, the C4s seem to be a bit more practical - bigger trunk, unless I'm completely mistaken. Didn't they do a Z51 handling package on those as well?
Used to have an early C4 Z51 myself. Cornered about as flat stock as some Street Modified autocross cars, and it seems more people swap these to softer springs than stiffer.
Both the C4 and the E36 BMW seem like pretty good choices that fit the bill here that I've personally owned. $10,000 would get you a very nice example of either one... or one of each in reasonably decent shape.
BoxheadTim wrote: I'm surprised that a C5 would be cheaper to insure than an S2000 but I'm not complaining. Gas mileage might not be a deciding factor - depending on where we end up, I might as well commute by motorbike like I do now. However if we end up in NYC or Chicago, I doubt I'll be biking it to work in winter.
IIRC, the difference was mainly in comprehensive and collision coverage. the liability coverage was a wash, but it seems like S2000s either end up crashing more often or are more expensive to fix when they do.
Yeah, a GTO can be plain(it was compared to the Camry coupe at introduction) but it is in the nature of those great Buick's I rode in growing up; I think that they used to call them "Doctor's cars" ie Wildcats, Riviera, Centurion. I just cannot describe the feeling I get driving this car. Comfy and fast when you want to be. It is funny how many times I get asked if it has the V6 in the car.
Insurance was not an issue for me. It was less than the Contour SVT plus I get the old fart, no accident and no known ticket discount from SF.
Drive one and you will laugh at the idea that a Mustang is even in the ballpark. There are only a handful of cars that can outrun this car in stock form and most of them are rather expensive to buy and maintain.
In reply to fastmiata:
I think that's why I loved mine so much. It did everything IMO very well.
Awesome interstate muncher, great drag car, decent AutoX machine, and anonymous in traffic for daily hoonage . . .
Any reason not to consider a WRX? Seems like 2-seat rwd dominate the list, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that (it's what I dd too). However, to have a 1-car-for-everything, the AWD four doors are kinda hard to beat. The base WRX (read:non-STi) models are reasonably fast and pretty reliable. Huge aftermarket support of course, so you can pretty much do anything you want with it. My only complaint with the one I drove was that the stock suspension was too soft imho, but that's pretty common I guess.
Two reasons - I don't like 'em, and the wife already has a Jeep Cherokee so the 4 seater, AWD is taken care of.
I would go with a C5 vette! For a little more than 10K you can pick up a pretty nice example, at least in my area!
I haven't driven a C5 but I'll have a look at one when it's car buying time. That'll be after talking to the insurance...
BoxheadTim wrote: Two reasons - I don't like 'em, and the wife already has a Jeep Cherokee so the 4 seater, AWD is taken care of.
Fair enough. If that's the case, then I also vote C5. Although I like the eighties styling of the C4 better, the C5 is a better engineered package. A really good deal on a C4 would be hard to resist though.
There seem to be a lot of people on this board who like C5s, I think that one deserves a closer look then!
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