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

[Roamer]

My wife and I sat down today and in an effort to have her spend more time with our young daughter, we decided a drastic reduction in spending is in order. Unfortunately, this means I have to part ways with my beautiful 86 Carrera Targa. However, as part of the automotive cost reduction I will also likely be moving my 95 Audi Quattro which has served me well as a daily driver. As replacement for these two german gems I will be looking for a compromise, a vehicle that car serve as a daily driver and a backroad carver/breakfast runner/track-day star.

I am hoping to get some expert advice from the pelican board members to help me on this search. The vehicle needs to have a couple of qualities. First, some room, I am 6'3" and 225lbs., so I need some clearance. Second, it must have all-wheel drive. I live in the snowbelt area south of bufalo,ny and often get 8-16" of snow in a shot. Third, it must be able to be thrashed around on backroads and leave a grin on my face, maybe not as big as the one I get from ripping a flat six, but it still needs to do it with verve so I can blow-off some steam. My price range is from 20-30k, and the car can be new or used if it meets the above criteria.

One car that has peaked my interest is the Volkswagen R32, and I may take one for a spin this week. The Mitsu EVO and Subaru STI are also on the list, but might be stretching my budget.

I am interested in anyone's thoughts or suggestions as I begin my quest.

As always, thanks in advance!
Roamer

[widebody911]

Sounds like a C4S is in order.

[TimT]

Twice this year I had students with Evo's... they are very capable cars

[PorscheGuy79]

Hi, its unfortunate that you have to part ways with the Porsche but hopefully you can replace the smile with something just as fun, or at least allmost as fun.

Heres how I can help, I consider my self to be a fairly good book resource for the vehicles you listed above. I am far more into the driving pleaser than most kids my age who would rather just have the looks and the straight line speed. I also gather all my research from many many magazines as well as TV shows, but I have never been able to have a drive myself. With that said here are my thoughts as well as some of my compiled research on the cars.

The Sti. The US spec Sti comes to the table with 300hp and 300ftbls, of the group this is the most powerful of the bunch. Its engine displacement of 2.5L is more than the Mitsu's giving it a bit more low down grunt and also letting it rely less on the turbo boost. From what I have heard, maybe others can back me up on this, the Subaru grib is, with lack of a better word, god-like. Very sticky tires as well as a well sorted suspension and AWD system keep this car glued to the road. With all great things there are weaknesses, first a big thing for me with the STi is that, at the limit, it understeers. The car also is said to feel a lot heavier than its competition even though the Evo and the STi share the same weight. Anyway on the the Evo.

Since the Evo's quailties are fairly similar to the STi's I will just cut this down a bit. The Evo is amazing fun, you can just chuck this into a corner and it will just give you a wild ride and at the end of it you, and the car, will be okay. It doesnt have as much power as the STi does but never shows this, in fact the Evo seems to be a bit lighter on its feet. Down sides for the 8, first the lag. The very large turbo combined with the 2.0L of displacement mean you wont have a ton of power until after 3500rpm but after that the thing sends your eyeballs through your headrests. Second, the Evo has a 5speed box, fewer gears mean longer gears means that you will have to rev it harder and father to stay out of the 3500rpm dead zone. In my opinion thats a good thing.

And last but not least the R32. This car is a very cool car, great naturally asperaited motor, killer sound and very much respected a little more than its rivials. It is much more of the sutel supercar, looking very much like the other golfs. But then again it doesnt have the aggression that the spoilers and scoops bring with them. The drive isnt, from what I hear, as invigorating as its conterparts either. But what it trades for those things are a simple lined chassis that you can drive around town without the cops beening the wiser but at the end of the day you can take the long way home and get the lead out.

With any of the machines you are making a good choice. There is no right answer just good ones. But if I had to choose, which it would probably require a spirited test drive, I would end up with the Evo. I am a huge Subaru guy, but the Mitsu is just too much fun to pass up.

[anthony]

I don't understand the logic of selling an '86 Carrera so you can turn around and buy a $20-30K daily driver. Assuming the Carrera is worth $15K, that puts you at a net loss of $15K if you spent the $30K. How is that a "drastic reduction in spending"? And any new $30K car will loose 1/2 it's value in 4 years.

Why not just continue to the drive the '95 Audi and keep the Porsche? If you get collector car insurance for the Porsche, it shouldn't cost more than $200/year to insure.

If the Audi really needs to be replaced buy a 3 or 4 year old car to replace it.

[PorscheGuy79]

Good luck with your chioce, I hope my info helped. BTW if you have any quesitons or want more info feel free to email me or send me a PM.

[911boost]

Get a regular WRX. You can pick a new one up for $24K, then get Cobb Stage 2 for $1600, and you will have about 270 HP, and AWD. I don't think the extra $9K for the STI is worth it, with so many aftermarket parts, plus the 2.5L motor in the STI has not been used for as long as the 2.0L in the regular WRX. Ofcourse if you beat the 5sp transmission in the WRX it will break.

I would be concerned with Mitsu's long term warrenty coverage.

I ofcoruse am biased, as I have an 04 WRX.

Bill

[RoninLB]

to bad you didn't want an Accord.. the brides 2dr is off 3yr lease soon. 15.6k mi and garaged.

[porschenut]

Add my voice to those above who say you're not really saving any money with your plan. How much do you think you'll get for the Carrera and the Audi combined? Won't be 30k, I assure you. If you want to generate some cash, then you have three options:

1. Sell the Audi and make the 911 the daily driver.
2. Sell the 911 and live with your Audi.
3. Sell both and buy a CHEAPER car. Like no more than $10-15k.

Face facts, man. There's no way to drastically reduce spending without feeling pain. It requires you to re-evaluate your priorities. Having a fun car to drive is a luxury you apparently have decided to forgo.

[Zeke]

Maybe he out to show this to his wife.

Also, the first sentence doesn't make any sense unless she is quitting her job. But, he doesn't say. I guess we just have to assume that's the point of all this.

So, if she is quitting her job, she doesn't need a car. Sell hers.

If she has to go out for groceries or to the doctor, she drives the Audi that day and he drives the Carrera. If the snow is 10" deep, I wouldn't go to work anyway. Then, nobody drives the P. (Or she takes him to work).

I don't know. Seems like there's a lot of ways around this.

[gsxrken]

Makes no sense at all. Both cars are paid for. You need to cut back... so you're going to buy another car??? If you need the $$, sell the porsche and grit your teeth in the 95 Audi.

[Yargk]

You almost never save money by selling used cars and buying a new car. I'm confused. In fact, it's difficult to save money at all in any plan that involves buying a car because there are always other costs involved like tax and an increased insurance in a new car or unforeseen repairs in an old car. The point is that the only way to save money is keep your old cars or sell one and don't buy another.

[KTL]

My question is why buy new???? Depreciation will gouge you if you decide to buy something else later on. And why buy a small midsize like the Subie, Mitsu. or VW? Plus the Evo is supposed to be harsh in the ride department. Probably tiresome day in, day out.

What's wrong with a good used Audi S4?

It's got everything you need. Performance, AWD, 4 doors, and it's an Audi so you're staying in the family!

[charlesbahn]

I don't know. I had a Jag XK-140 at the bottom of its depreciation cycle and I loved it dearly. But it wasn't reliable and at that time I had to pay someone to fix it when it would'nt start. When I went to graduate school, I had to make a tough choice. The Jag had to go. I got a cr***py Ford Galaxy 500. But it had a warrenty and was reliable. It always ran when I needed it and helped me get where I am today.... The proud owner of a much better P car. Go figure. Each case is different. In retrospect I made the right choice. Good luck with yours.

[addictionMS]

Five characters "E36 M3"

Jim

[SLO-BOB]

Is the "we" really you and your wife, or is "we" really "she"? I ask because like some of the above fellows, I feel your math isn't adding up.

I've met a lot of guys who have said "we", but I know it was "she". Their wives have made them give up their favorite cars. What the wives often don't understand is that a paid for Porsche of that vintage is basically a rolling savings account. If you don't pile too many miles on it and take good care of it, it shouldn't drop too much, if at all, in value. If it does drop, it won't be by much. It's near the end of it's depreciation cycle and is, or is soon to be, an appreciating classic.

Basing my opinion on info provided, I would stand pat with the Audi as the d.d., and the 911 as the weekend smile car. Unless of course marital harmoney is being jeapordized. Then you don't want my opinion at all.

[audi2.7t]

And the answer is......keep the Porsche, sell the old Audi and buy a used ('01 or '02) Audi A6 2.7T with certified pre-owned warranty.........approx $22k for luxury, performance, AWD ,timeless styling, room for kids and strollers, track capable, low insurance and someone allready paid the depreciation.......
Sam.

*edit* you could just keep all the toys and get rid of the wife!!.

[KTL]

Originally posted by addictionMS
Five characters "E36 M3"

Jim

He needs all wheel drive, otherwise I was going to suggest that as well. I'm currently in the process of searching for such a car. Not much luck so far. Lotsa rough examples around my area & it's hard to justify the price of a E36 M3 vs. the cool & more practical Mazda 3 hatchback.......... Who needs practical, right?

Back on topic......................

[nostatic]

sell the audi, keep the 911 as a daily driver. For the life of me I don't understand why most people think these are weekend/sunny day cars...

[autoxracer31]

because you hit curbs with 911's and you cant go over speed bumps. AND they aren't "comfy" cars