Mid-life crisis car shopping

So a good friend of mine's wife left him a few months ago. He's an awesome guy, she's a total nit, that's a given. A few weeks ago, I asked him what he was doing for the weekend. "Sitting around the house moping." Over her? Can't have that. "Buddy, this is the perfect time to buy your midlife crisis car!" The guy drives a gold Camry now.

He's been talking about a 2005+ Boxster S since I met him, so I asked him why he hadn't pulled trigger. It comes down to he's too damn practical...he doesn't want to give up the decent gas mileage on the Camry.

So, I'm thinking sporty but practical... we test drove a few 2010/11 Miatae(1), some Nissan 350 & 370Zs. Boxster is on the list, of course, but I'm trying to give him a few more options that might satisfy both his practical side and his desire for something stupidly fun. New or used is an option, but needs to be under $50k. Any other suggestions?

(1) I made him borrow a friend's Mini when we went car shopping the first day. I said, "I won't be seen in your Camry. If we roll up to the Mazda dealership in your Camry, all the other cars will laugh at us!" I'm determined to get him out of that damn Camry!

Sounds like you've a handle on it, kiddo! Have fun with the shopping , but try not to scare him too bad so that he stays 'safe'.

Diesel BMW?

dollraves wrote: He's been talking about a 2005+ Boxster S since I met him, so I asked him why he hadn't pulled trigger. It comes down to he's too damn practical...he doesn't want to give up the decent gas mileage on the Camry.

I have a '90 911 with fat, sticky tires and some performance tweaks that gets 27mpg on the highway. It also has enough space for overnight bags and two or three small passengers if he has children (or Asian hookers... he is newly single afterall).

It's not a Boxster - but it is more practical and probably about the same relative dollars as a nice, clean S model. Food for thought.

I'd vote Boxster, since you're not going to be able to get him into a 'Vette. Point out that consumer reports regards the Boxster very highly, and it gets their "recommended" status. That usually carries some weight with "practical" people.

Wow- 50k, I'm not used to thinking with that kind of budget. I'd say find him a clean well cared for m5.

Depends on how much of a car person he is, he can easily buy an E34 or E39 M5 for that sort of money and have a sizable chunk of money left. Or an M3 with potentially more left over.

Keep the Camry. Get the Boxster too, if that's what he likes.

A 2005 6-cylinder automatic gold Camry gets 18 city/26 highway. The 4-cylinder (also gold) gets 21/31. A 2005 Boxster is rated at 17/25.

Based on annual use of 15,000 miles and a fuel price of $2.58 (regular) and $2.82 (hi-test), the Porsche would cost an extra $567 over the 4-cylinder or $273 over the 6. That's about 30%/15% more. Not enough to talk me out of the fun car.

A friend of mine asked me what kind of car I'd buy for a midlife crisis. It stumped me...

Keith wrote: A friend of mine asked me what kind of car I'd buy for a midlife crisis. It stumped me...

How about a gold Camry?

To the original question - what about a Z4?

Thanks, guys. He hasn't shown any interest in BMWs, so I haven't pushed that too much. But since we're out test driving, I might as well swing him by a BMW dealership.

And Keith, I'm totally sending him your math. ;)

I was trying to talk him into buying a Mini AND a Miata with the $50k... I mean, seriously. Two fun cars for the price of one? Sign me up. ;)

I doubt that he'll snag anything before Christmas; I'll keep you guys updated, though. :D

If he wants to date 20 yo hipsters he should be shopping vintage Italian bicycles with no brakes.

dollraves wrote: Thanks, guys. He hasn't shown any interest in BMWs, so I haven't pushed that too much.

No!

The fact that he's not interested in bimmers is reassuring, since normal people all know that they're chick cars (don't even get me started on what normal people think about men in Miatae).

Take him to a Chevy dealer and get him to drive a Corvette. Nothing else says mature, reasonably well off, and looking like a 'vette!

dollraves wrote: And Keith, I'm totally sending him your math. ;)

You can go to www.fueleconomy.gov and it will work the math for you when you compare two or more cars.

I like the MINI+Miata idea. And- if he does it right, he can call Keith and get the ol' flyin' Miata massage and get some corvette in there while he's at it!

I once had a co-worker who traded a white Camry in for a beige Camry. I'm sometimes TOO outspoken so I told her folks who drive Camrys have no imagination.

what's more practical and sporty than a boxter? it has two trunks!

seriously, for sporty and practical, what about evo or STi, or even MS3? might be too boy-racer for his tastes, though.

also, if he's anything like the females that i've tried to help buy "sporty" cars that they said they wanted to replace their boring practical car, they both ended up in something neither sporty, or particularly practical... one went from maxima to is250, the other from totalled civic to altima coupe (blech!). now, if someone is driving a "practical" car, and says they want a convertible or 2-seat coupe, i don't belive them till they actually bring it home. the g/f looked at miatae, 350/370s, civic coupes, genesis coupe, and ended up in a volvo c30. pretty good overall compromise imo, its an automatic, but the manual shift is pretty quick to respond to inputs when you want it to, and fully locks the TC so you get to feel it roll into the boost.

Used Wrangler Sahara with a bike rack and a dog...get him outdoors and back in the game.

Porsche...There is No Substitute.

How 'bout that MINI you were in?

It should get about 37 mpg, the Camry only gets 31. He can get a completely decked out S model (with 50% more horsepower) for around $25K. Stupid fun, and practicality too!

With that kind of change to blow, he could take a good hard look at the John Cooper Works MINI for around $30K (Convertible $35K). That is, of course, if he can handle it without peeing himself!

jrw1621 wrote:

dollraves wrote: And Keith, I'm totally sending him your math. ;)

You can go to www.fueleconomy.gov and it will work the math for you when you compare two or more cars.

Yeah, I forgot to give credit - they did all the hard work.

If he's REALLY about practicality, that $25K MINI S is probably plenty enough fun, and he can go ahead and invest the remaining $25K.

Besides, chicks think they are cute.

Any idea what kind of cars he liked as a young man? Perhaps a classic is in order. If I had $50K to drop, I'd probably buy two perfect BMW 3.0CSs.

kpm wrote: Porsche...There is No Substitute.

Porsche...There are plenty of substitutes...

If it were me, there would be a grey market M5 Wagon as well as a grey market 1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v Evoluzione II