How do you decide what your "ride" is?

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You don't have to read or respond to what's below. How did you settle or find your vehicle? What made you choose one type over another? I love all sorts of cars, German, Japanese, Mopars, GM Fords....Am just maybe a bit lost.

Over the years, all the cars I've owned are almost pure consequences, and almost all had some great stories. Someone I knew had this sports car they couldn't sell. My parents didn't drive that old jeep, and my car blew up. My dad saw a truck he thought I should buy that he used to see every day driving in to work, I checked it out and bought it. As a younger, poorer me, I only bought one car from a dealership, and it was the worst decision I'd ever made and set me back years, even though it was a huge pile that broke constantly, I still loved it (and a kid down the road bought it and has v8 swapped it). Now, I'm a pretty accomplished mechanic and all the things that used to stop me and make me sell something (due to issues) won't.

Now I have an absolute appliance of a car I got from a dealership (which is super weird for me) and every summer it drives me insane. I look and look and look and dream and scheme for that perfect ride. The car I have now is because of logic, not consequence, passion, serendipity, hardship or any of the other things that make a great car story. I seem to have burned through and wasted all the opportunities to restore something remarkable that belonged to people who mattered to me. So now I have to settle with something purchased outside. I go to car shows, and appreciate them somewhat but am always just a little bit miffed because I can't participate.

Right now I "think" I want a Corvette. I helped a friend restore his 1963 Split window.

I do not fit in them because I'm very tall, except POSSIBLY a C5 Z06 and early/mid70's C3's before they routed the exhaust under the driver's seat in the later 70's. I drove a C4 with the drivers seat taken out and could drive sitting on the floor. I could hack about 2500-3000 max. So pickings are slim to none (which I am not surprised by.)

My first truck was an 80's squarebody Chevy, a friend is selling one sitting in a field. There's always a need for farm work vehicles. Big flat beds, towing capacity, mud tires, dump beds... So trucks always have an appeal as a dual use vehicle.

The 6.5 diesel truck is use for farm work is way off from a show vehicle, but with some effort might turn some heads.
 
I've basically owned Mustangs and F-150s. We get a discount from Ford, so that is typically the first place I go. When I was single, I wanted a sports car and wanted a Ford, so Mustang it was, then kept trading up. I had a few other vehicles inbetween but typically if I bought a vehicle at a dealership, it was a Ford, honestly, I don't know if I have ever bought a vehicle at a dealership that wasn't a Ford.

Up until a few months ago I was driving a V10 F-250. I am an Engineer and drive an hour each way to work. I rarely needed a truck that big, but I did need a truck as I own a farm and constantly have to haul stuff. My F250 also suffered from terrible rust. So I knew I wanted a truck, but a more efficient one, and I knew I wanted an aluminum due to living in the rust belt (yes I know aluminum will corrode, but not like steel). I also wanted something fancier than my F250 as I am getting older, finally have a professional career, a little more money, and I drive so much. I also wanted better fuel efficiency but without sacrificing performance. These requirements left one option for me....a F150 crew cab ( I have 10 kids so I have to be able to haul some of them as well) Lariat with the twin turbo Ecoboost and 4 wheel drive.

While the truck isn't ideal all the time, I joke that it is too nice to use as a truck, it is the best combination that worked for me.

With that said, now that I have the vehicle I need, I am now in the market for a vehicle I want, something sporty to drive when I have nowhere to go. No idea what that is at the moment, but I will know when I see it.
 
You got to go with what fits your personality, lifestyle and budget. This is subject to change at any time.

I drove AMC for many years. You could get them cheap and they were fairly reliable. I moved into Ford Taurus wagons when I started to commute. You could get one-year old lease cars for dirt cheap money. Great AC, 3L Yamaha engine, good on fuel and best cruise control ever. Everyone made fun of my wagons until they needed to move something. I even took them camping many times and slept in the back.

Ford moved to the uber ugly oval style and I switched to Camrys. They were pricy new but I had more money and with a manual transmission, they were rock solid reliable. Toyota decided to ditch the manual and I moved to Honda accords. Only sedans left with a manual transmission. I own 2 a 2017 with a 2.4L naturally aspirated and a 2018 with a 2L turbo. The newer car is a totally different animal than the 2017. It has a lot of tech and it goes like bat out of hell but it feels like you are driving a mud puddle.

Fun car is an mx5 Miata. I use it to go to the beach, out to eat or out for a cruise. With the top down, it will put a smile on anybody’s face and it is a very spirited little ride but they are not for everyone. They are very impractical (you cannot even put a large pizza in this thing), not exceptionally fast and they made millions of them. Next car will probably be a Honda Civic type R. It has a little too “boy racer” look to it but I would easily drive a Pacer or a Gremlin so it should not be a problem. Europe has a sport version that looks excellent but they don’t bring it into the states.

Give something a try. If you don’t like it or it does not fit, vehicles are easy to sell.

Here is a civic r vs a gorgeous Lexus lc 500. I can afford the Honda and it should make a great fun daily driver. The lexus is way out of my reach.








Here is a little mx5 strutting her stuff at Nurburg.



 
FreudianFloyd. What you suggest is something I've been looking at pretty hard at. Its the "hands off, money on" approach. Generally takes no time to keep the new pickup up, its all new, under warranty, and you know how its maintained. Right now I'm kind of looking at resurrecting junk for reduced insurance cost and eliminating a payment, but focusing on non-automotive things could be good, I don't know. Time is money. Also I had to borrow a truck to make a recent trip because mine is too unreliable. Capabilty and confidence is also valuable.

I used to love the V10 engine and wanted one really badly to swap into my Ranger. I quit being a Ford guy after that Ranger though.

CentaurG2, Its been awhile since I test drove anything. Its maybe time to do so at least for fun. The last sports car I knew for sure I fit in comfortably to want to drive it for more than 15 minutes was a Challenger. These are not well regarded by the "enthusiast community." On paper the Type R has more legroom than the Challenger. There is one for sale at the local Honda Dealer. Might check it out. I'd also need to check the insurance rates.

I love sports cars like the MX5, but the Miata is definitely in the "take the seat out to fit" category. Which is why I'm swaying towards older junk I can hack up and not really care as much. For instance, I can't weld the brackets on my boring car because it has airbags in the seat that may go off if the brackets are modified.
 
The CTR clicks off a lot of boxes for me. Fun, sporty, 4 doors with a practical hatch. Be aware Honda is very proud of this car and they don’t give them away. A “good deal” on a CTR would be MSRP. You should also budget for a new set of wheels and tires. The 20” rims with rubber bands just are not practical and most folks replace them with 18” or 19” rims which give a lot more options on tires. You can also look at the Honda civic sport. You drop back to a 1.5L turbo and don’t get the fancy suspension but you can probably save about $17K. It is the same chassis. Might be an option.




















You could always just buy an old clunker and do a rat rod. They are all the rage here at the car shows and the worse they look the better people like them. I can turn a wrench but don’t have the time or talent to own older iron.
 
Almost headed into the big city for work and test drives but it got called off. I found a 1974 Corvette that I wanted to look at in addition to the CTR. The Corvette was parked inside in the ad but a friend knew the car and said it sat outside for 15 years and the interior was a waste, pictures were just good. Still too much money too with both front and rear bumper cones gone.
 
I just feel compelled maybe because of Nationalism to buy American, even if it's by name only. I had good luck with Ford's and Dodge. Bad luck with Chevy/ GM products.
Currently I have a Dodge 2500, that I ll keep forever probably and my wife a Challenger with the 6.4 Hemi she loves. So far Great luck with both.
 
Cars are made all over the place now. The mx-5 is made in Hiroshima Japan by Godzilla himself. Top quality fit finish and engineering. My neighbor has an NB that has over 250K on the ticker and it still runs like a watch. I had to order mine. Took me over 4 months to get it. CTR and all civics were made in Swindon England but Honda recently closed or shutter the plant not sure where they are being produced now. The 2020 are just starting to show up at the dealerships.
 
Called into a dealership about the Honda, did talk credit first. Payment was around $650 for the type R with my car as a trade in, if I had good credit. Pretty much the same answer I got 6-8 months ago when shopping 1/2 ton trucks when my 1996 was at the time hopelessly broken. My current payment for a 2016 Subaru is $350. Unfortunately due to work/side work/farm chores, I'm not able to get to the city to just drive it for the heck of it right now.

Basically my debt to income is driving my credit score to sub-prime. I make all my payments haven't missed any for decades. The car I have now is basically right on the ragged edge of what I can afford on paper. So I have to direct trade in or sell the car first before getting financing. I'll lose some on the car if I trade. My bank's advice was to either replace the car with something equal or lesser payment or keep it. Any stiffer of a car loan will hurt my credit even more and make that car loan more expensive interest wise Its very possible that even an equal or lesser loan, it will still hurt my credit due to the credit pull etc, need all the credit I can get for a refinance in a few years. Essentially it looks like I should button down and pay down.

The truck is sort of fun. It's loud (straight piped turbodiesel), tuned and modded, quick on it's feet for what it is. I've owned it for 8 years now so I'm a bit bored with it and constantly fixing on it. Never enough money to make it nice but enough to hold it together and upgrade it a little. Whenever it's down, my car takes a beating being used as a truck for muddy tools and lawncare equipment and animal feed...

Anyways... Back to mediocrity...
 
I try to have a different vehicle for different needs. I have my 99 F250 Crew Cab 4x4 with the diesel and 6 speed manual for hauling stuff, vacationing, and general driving. I bought it new and it's got 300k on it. I have the supercharged Shelby for fun. And I have a cheap skate 2018 Focus Electric to get in the HOV lane. It's looking more and more like I might not have to commute the 30 miles each way through the thick of it due to Covid-19, so I might sell that. I hardly drive it these days, working from home. Oh, yeah. I still have my 1964 Falcon convertible which is pretty beat at this point and will likely be a retirement project.

My next car will either be another electric (F150?) IF I need to go back to commuting, or maybe something like the new Mach 1 for a track car if I don't. I'm trying to save for a better/bigger house with a large shop to house a lot of cars at the moment, which keeps me from doing any car buying.

Clearly I'm a Ford guy. And if you're looking to buy American, the new Ranger was recently identified as the vehicle with the most US made content.
 
Called into a dealership about the Honda, did talk credit first. Payment was around $650 for the type R with my car as a trade in, if I had good credit. Pretty much the same answer I got 6-8 months ago when shopping 1/2 ton trucks when my 1996 was at the time hopelessly broken. My current payment for a 2016 Subaru is $350. Unfortunately due to work/side work/farm chores, I'm not able to get to the city to just drive it for the heck of it right now.

Basically my debt to income is driving my credit score to sub-prime. I make all my payments haven't missed any for decades. The car I have now is basically right on the ragged edge of what I can afford on paper. So I have to direct trade in or sell the car first before getting financing. I'll lose some on the car if I trade. My bank's advice was to either replace the car with something equal or lesser payment or keep it. Any stiffer of a car loan will hurt my credit even more and make that car loan more expensive interest wise Its very possible that even an equal or lesser loan, it will still hurt my credit due to the credit pull etc, need all the credit I can get for a refinance in a few years. Essentially it looks like I should button down and pay down.

The truck is sort of fun. It's loud (straight piped turbodiesel), tuned and modded, quick on it's feet for what it is. I've owned it for 8 years now so I'm a bit bored with it and constantly fixing on it. Never enough money to make it nice but enough to hold it together and upgrade it a little. Whenever it's down, my car takes a beating being used as a truck for muddy tools and lawncare equipment and animal feed...

Anyways... Back to mediocrity...

I have not made a car payment since about 2002. Just pay cash now and dealers HATE cash. Subaru’s are a very popular ride here and you do not see many for sale used. As long as you have a manual transmission, the only other thing that bothers them are the head gaskets. They are a bit raspy and fuel mileage is off but they are a good ride. I have driven a WRX hatch and it was a blast.

Don’t matter what you drive, only how you drive it. Boring Gen 9 accord with a manual is actually a great drive. You need to keep the rpms up to get the vtech to kick in but it shifts flawlessly and is so easy to heal-toe. Good little car.



 
I see what’s in the u pull it yard and try to find one of those cars for sale reasonably priced. My most expensive car in the last ten years was a $4000 04 Sierra 2500. I’ve been lucky averaging 30k miles a year with no major repairs driving usually under $2000 cars. I bought four 94-97 accords to build two and by the time I sold the leftovers off I had made money on them. I drove this one 108 miles a day for almost two years. $125 that I bought for the tires but ended up having parts to throw it back together.
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I try to have a different vehicle for different needs. I have my 99 F250 Crew Cab 4x4 with the diesel and 6 speed manual for hauling stuff, vacationing, and general driving. I bought it new and it's got 300k on it. I have the supercharged Shelby for fun. And I have a cheap skate 2018 Focus Electric to get in the HOV lane. It's looking more and more like I might not have to commute the 30 miles each way through the thick of it due to Covid-19, so I might sell that. I hardly drive it these days, working from home. Oh, yeah. I still have my 1964 Falcon convertible which is pretty beat at this point and will likely be a retirement project.

My next car will either be another electric (F150?) IF I need to go back to commuting, or maybe something like the new Mach 1 for a track car if I don't. I'm trying to save for a better/bigger house with a large shop to house a lot of cars at the moment, which keeps me from doing any car buying.

Clearly I'm a Ford guy. And if you're looking to buy American, the new Ranger was recently identified as the vehicle with the most US made content.

I used to work in an FCA dealership (Fiat Chrysler) and I got to go to the Jeep Gladiator ride and drive which was also a comparo to all the midsize trucks. The Gladiator was an awesome vehicle but super cramped. I ended up liking the Colorado a whole lot. So much room for a big guy and it was way snappier than the Ranger. That Ranger was a joke, in many ways, cool to see they kept up with the heritage. Had a 1998 and it was a steamer that put me off Ford forever and I was die hard Ford till then.

I won't tell you that you are wrong for liking them, but I don't want to own another without it being free, old or flippable.

Would love to have a 3/4 ton truck like your f-250. My 96 is a heavy half but comes up short hauling. I have upgraded the springs and tires but the frame is too light to push it much further.
 
I see what’s in the u pull it yard and try to find one of those cars for sale reasonably priced. My most expensive car in the last ten years was a $4000 04 Sierra 2500. I’ve been lucky averaging 30k miles a year with no major repairs driving usually under $2000 cars. I bought four 94-97 accords to build two and by the time I sold the leftovers off I had made money on them. I drove this one 108 miles a day for almost two years. $125 that I bought for the tires but ended up having parts to throw it back together. View attachment 838220View attachment 838221
Furb, awesome love a penny pinching line of thinking! I sort of did it this way for a long time. Got an older decent model Jap car and ran that. My last car was a 1999 Subaru Legacy. I managed to kill the head gaskets on the 2.2 (impossible, they said) and have tons of intermittent running issues due to Chinese parts from Advance (plug wires that failed in a way that to diagnose without replacing them) tried everything even swapping the ECU! Then the rust and electrical issues elsewhere started to kick my ass. Just bailed on the platform hard, sold everything. My luck is not great. Doesn't look like the red monster has taken your Accords yet.
 
I have not made a car payment since about 2002. Just pay cash now and dealers HATE cash. Subaru’s are a very popular ride here and you do not see many for sale used. As long as you have a manual transmission, the only other thing that bothers them are the head gaskets. They are a bit raspy and fuel mileage is off but they are a good ride. I have driven a WRX hatch and it was a blast.

Don’t matter what you drive, only how you drive it. Boring Gen 9 accord with a manual is actually a great drive. You need to keep the rpms up to get the vtech to kick in but it shifts flawlessly and is so easy to heal-toe. Good little car.




I can do cash with a $1500 car! Haha. Dealers are like banks, the more products they can sell you the more money they can make on you... So just buying a car straight up isn't their favorite no, but its better than no business at all. Cash is the same as financing in advance through your own institution.

I agree with you that the manual transmission is really important to an engaging driving experience. Harder to find nowadays. A cost driver especially on older sports cars, will add as much as a couple grand over the price of an auto.
 
You will get to where you want to be. Dealers make a lot of money at financing and push sales managers to get you into financing. I have actually walked out of dealership because mangers were not willing to give up “there bonus” to a cash client willing to buy a car. Its like a game, but if you stick to your guns, you can’t lose. Cash is king.

Manual transmissions are just about dead. I put about 36K a year on a car. My girl does the same, so we eat through them fast. I will run a manual until I can no longer get one. Learned to drive on a 3-speed column shifter and I aint about to give em up now.
 
I’m having Chinese issues right now with the accord. The oil pressure sending unit was leaking so I replaced it with a Napa one. It trips the light meaning oil pressure is below 4.3 psi but I suspect the sending unit is bad. The red monster is starting to get it but the plastic on the rockers hide it. Goes in for inspection on the first so I need to get a gauge on it to verify the oil pressure. The are almost indestructible cars. I lost all the coolant from a blown heater hose two summers ago and drove it about twenty minutes home with no lasting effects.
 
My newest vehicle is 13 years old my Dodge does everything I ask of it and comes back for more . My summer car is anyone of my classic vehicles but the 72 Chevy c20 is the most used. My dodge with two tons of pellets . Overloads were just engaging, haven't had a loan in 10 years. My winter beater is an 04 Suzuki XL7 it's actually a real nice car both running and looking so it's not fair calling it a beater. Car has 188k on it no problems ever .
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