A sad day, I need some help coping . . .

[erobinson]

how about a secondhand e30 x?

dunno what kind of maint. nightmares those contraptions are...i always thought they were neat and the price is right....and they are awd

[MovOvr1]

I have a 1995 M3 for sale in Cleveland and have 2 sets of wheels and tires. One has winter Blizzaks (80% left) and Pzeros (95% left). I have never had any problems getting stuck on the east side of cleveland in the last 5 years with this car. Call me 440-570-2169 and let me know if you are interested.


brian
79 930
95 M3
95 Maxima
75 2002

[MovOvr1]

Details on the M3

110K miles, records from Classic BMW, CD changer, heated seats, upgraded center console with armrest, stainless steel brakelines, 2 set wheels and tires (one winter one summer), new clutch in box (not installed, doesn't need it yet).

Let me know if you would like to see it and I can email you the records in an Excel spreadsheet. I am the second owner and bought the car as a CPO 5 years ago. I would like to get $11,500 for it.

Brian

440-570-2169

[SLO-BOB]

Hope my wife comments weren't among those that offended you. They weren't meant to do so. With the info provided it sounded like so many "the wife sez..." stories which shortly preceed the sale of the toy.

Definitely sell the 911 and get out from under high interest payments on a hobby. Old Audis=money spent in my experience, so selling that is wise as well.

DO NOT lease a car. The lower payments are offset by the higher insurance you pay to lease a car as well as the cost of gap insurance to cover the difference in replacement value vs. payout on a lease should the car be totalled or stolen. Not to mention the possibility of still having to pay when you turn in the car because of "damage".

New cars depreciate too much-buy a 2 year old car of your choice-Suburu sounds like a winner imo, but for grown ups I would get an Outback. Still a quick, decent handling car, but has more room and civility than the WRX wagon.

I gave up on the expensive car game awhile ago. They're all money pits with huge depreciation. For the family ride we have gone with mini-vans for a number of years. They handle foul weather very well (I live in Wisconsin-lots of rain/snow/ice), haul tons of stuff, are really comfortable, cost very little relatively speaking, get decent mileage, and are very safe in a crash. For under 10k you can find a really nice 2002-2003 mini-van that will last years with minimal to no repair costs. To help the bruised ego along take the extra money saved from the 15k budget and buy a mid year 911. After a few years, and when things get more stable, sell the 911 for what you paid or more and put that towards the C2.

Good luck.

[MPegler]

I drove my 1988 Audi turbo Quattro for 350,000 miles. The most expensive repair was a steering rack at 80,000 miles.

Great performance, killer in the snow. I loved that car. Sold it for $2500 a few years ago.

What's the point? Your Audi can and will go longer than you think...but I can't vouch for the maintennance, driving style etc. Also, my engine was the 5 cylinder turbo that for two model years (87, 88) was bulletproof.

Keep yours, OR find one of the 87, 88 turbo quattros -- they're probably so cheap it's funny. Nothing is worse than Audi re-sale (remember sudden acceleration?) A lot of car for the money.

Good luck!

[86 911]

Roamer,
I think that the Subaru would be an excellent choice. My dad has had his Baja for 20,000 miles and it runs perfectly. So far, no mechanical problems. Snow? No problem. We drove the Subaru out in the snow all the time when we lived in Maryland. My dad used to pull the neighbor kids behind the snow in a sled (I joined in the fun also) going about 10 mph. in 3 inch deep snow on our 1 acre yard that had a slight slope. So, the Subaru (any kind of subaru with AWD) I would reccomed. Great traction in the snow, excellent mechanical reputation, low mantienence cost. Even on a cold morning the Subaru starts right up. I would reccomend the Baja, but it does not have much front legroom and has tight headroom. I am 6 feet, and my head is about 2 inches from hitting the headliner. Unlike other cars, the Baja has hardly depreciated in value yet, and very few people have this model, which makes it very unique. It also has excellent visibility. If you look at the Baja, the Baja Turbo would be the best (only made in 2004. 2005?) deal in the Baja range. I heard that the Foresters, Outbacks, Legacys and Imprezas are also excellent for winter weather use. My friend is a skiier, and his mom drives an Outback, and he quoted that : "Subaru's are great snow cars." Subaru's are very safe also, and the NHTSA rated it a 4 and 5 star car.

I hope this helps,
Matt

[gzulli]

I completely understand the situation. I have 3 kids starring down college in 6-9 years but treated myself to a 911 Turbo look last summer. I kept my daily driver, 95 Volvo 850, and instead of the new payment bought the 911. Like someone said earlier, the 911 is a rolling savings account. Depreciation is a terrible expense. Try an old Volvo. We have a 1998 V70 AWD. There are 235 Hp and 198HP models and plenty safe and family friendly. The Bertil Roos driving School in PA used these acrs for track cars when they were new. Just make sure to check out the service history as any car poorly maintained will easily cost you $2000 in catch up repairs.

Keep the Mrs. at home as it is the most important job she can do and the best way for you to provide for your family. But when your spinning off excess cash, reward yourself again. Good luck.

[1fastredsc]

I'm not as wise as most of the men on this board, nor do i have a family. Having said that, i have made the mistake before of ditching the porsche to try and find the "do all" vehicle. Let me tell you there is no such thing. Understand that, because there are very few cars in the world that can take the severe beating of a porsche alone, much less do that and be cheap, awd, practical, blah blah blah. I found out the hard way. Settle for something practical but don't try to make it a replacement for the 911, that's a mistake. Instead, wait for the day that you are financially stable and have another 911 in sight. good luck

[geof33]

I'll tell you... slap some studded snow tires on that P-car and you would be amazed at what it could do!!!

But, being in debt for the car is a whole other issue. The real question is a cost analysis. How much do you have in the P-car total? Including interest... PM etc.? You might still be losing in the long haul.

Also, a definate chill pill must be taken. I don't think anyone here would SERIOUSLY tell you to loose the wife and keep the car (maybe a couple) take it tongue-in-cheek...

[86 911]

Good advice, gzulli, 1fastredsc, and geof33. I agree that there is really no replacement for the 911. It is a great car, and if you do sell the 911, then save up to buy another one when you are financially able to .

Matt

[nostatic]

Originally posted by geof33
I don't think anyone here would SERIOUSLY tell you to loose the wife and keep the car (maybe a couple) take it tongue-in-cheek...

ha! You obviously weren't around here during my first 911 fiasco oh so many years ago...

[Roamer]

Thanks guys!

I know there is no REPLACEMENT for the 911, that is why my future wish list includes a 993 C2S. The car is meant to be a stop gap until the situation presents itself where I can get the 993. Selling the 911 is not just to get into a better financial situation, it is to liquidate equity to act as a "cushion" while my wife is in between jobs. Otherwise I would agree with many of your arguments regarding owning an essentially non-depreciating car.

I think we are pretty well settled on the Subaru for my wife, unless we can get a steal on an 99 A6 Avant. My Audi has oil leaks which I cannot seem to chase down, just when I think I have them solved, new ones pop up. It is an inherent weekness in Audis. Quite frankly, the newer car for me would only arise when and if my wife finds a part-time job.

The V70 AWD is interesting for my wife, but I thought that reliability on those were shaky at best? What would I have to look out for?

As for the e30 325ix (E46's are 325xi, go figure?), I looked at those when I purchased my Audi and they a few years older, so that sends us down the wrong road. The problem with the newer bimmers is that they are just so damn expensive, you could not get a 325xi for 15k.

Brian, an M3 would be a perfect stop gap if I did not live in the "snowier" part of Buffalo, NY. I have a friend who also lives on the east side of Cleveland and he says there is no comparison to what I get. I frequently plow my driveway and street with my bumper on my Audi! My father had a Lincoln LS with snows and traction control and he could get into the Town where I lived but could not make it up into the hills where my home is, so I would have to drive down and get him with my Audi or SUV.

Lastly, to those who think I overreacted, the problem is in the format of message boards. If someone does not use a "smile" of some sort to impart some emotion upon their words or finish with a "just kidding", how else am I to take their statements? I also find it interesting that those toward who I directed my statements are no longer participating. There is no need for the more understanding members of this board to apologize for the jerks, there are some in every crowd. I am over it and am enjoying the conversation that has ensued.

Thank you.

P.S. I woke up this morning thinking what about a 914 3.2 project? Spend it when you get it . . .

[Halm]

A 3 series BMW would be too small, as would an Audi A4. The Volvo might be a good choice. We have had our '97 T-5 for almost 8 years and 150k. Reliability was rock solid up to about 120k and then it was several things you would expect: ABS computer chip, A/C, and the seals on the turbo are starting to go. IMHO, a pretty solid car.

[BigD9146gt]

Originally posted by Roamer
...
P.S. I woke up this morning thinking what about a 914 3.2 project? Spend it when you get it . . .

Good choice. On a side note, as for the 325ix, i wouldn't go there. I'm building an 88 Audi 4000 quattro SCCA rally car for a friend , and i also suggested the BMW as a candidate. My friend is a very well educated mechanic, and the drivetrain on the 325ix are rather odd, making them more pricy for fixing. An older audi would be the hot ticket for cost/reliability.

But i'm not a practical person, so a 993 C4S gets my vote.

[gzulli]

As what to look for in a V70, try to find a car that has the service history available. I would look for one with the least miles possible. Keep in mind a good test of a maintained V,S or 850 Volvo is if the engine belt was changed religiously every 60,000 miles. I have two (850 and V70 AWD) and the AWD is more expensive maintenance. Simply more moving parts to go wrong. And the AWD will give up 2-3 Mpg in economy. Don't be afraid of consider a FWD Volvo. They are great in snow (the Swedes know how to deal with the white stuff.)

If your are interested in these vehicles visit www.brickboard.com for a pelican type user board. The folks tend to be a great resource. Good luck.

[adscab]

Roamer,

Many of us have been down this road before. Definitely not preaching but what I have learned is that cash is definitely king. Since you said the equity from the sale of the 911 would be a "nest egg", I would hold onto the nest egg and continue to drive the Audi. If the Audi needs repairs, dip into the nest egg but try to keep a positive balance until things get better.

Good luck.

[Roamer]

Adscab, that is what I am leaning toward right now . . .

[tshih]

I bought a 1997 Honda CRV for $8K with 64K miles 1-owner private sale. it got totaled in a rear end chain collision, 3 months later by other party's fault. the insurance payout was $11,800 and I bought an identical (except getting a manual gearbox instead of utomatic) 1999 CR-V for $12K!! That was my daily driver and family car. My 1985 Carrera with 132K miles is up for sale and I hope to get $14K for it. Forget the more expensive and fun"ner" WRX, Audis, etc. I expect to run the CR-V into the ground after logging 200+K miles for my initial costs of $8k and $500 future costs of timing belt maintenance at 100k miles.

[greglepore]

Interesting stuff here. I'd sell Audi and 911, and buy a CRV or a used Passat w/4x, and a 944-decent 944's can be had for under 4k. Its not the 911, but will get serious mpg as a commuter and still be a fun trackday car. Just don't hope to ax one seriously.

The maintainence $'s are higher in ratio to value than the 911, but its still very doable.