Chasing dream cars

72MachOne99GT

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
6,033
Location
Indiana
I should have added something in my first post.

If you want it, get it. I bought my ‘13 in May of ‘12.

I had been in a new job for a year, only put down about 20k and financed 40k-ish. House wasn’t paid off and the wife was working on her Masters at this point I believe. Our first born son was exactly 2 weeks old when I picked the car up.

Point is, don’t be scared. Sure it’s more money than I spent, but you're also much more financially stable at 34 than I was at 27 haha

Do it!
 

My94GT

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
8,685
Location
woodbine, MD
1. Buy a Gen III Viper for <$50k. They won't depreciate as bad as a $50k GT350, then in a year or two you can decide if you still want a Gen V.
2. Buy a Gen V now. Prices aren't going down, and have SUBSTANTIALLY increased in the last year.
3. Buy a MY21 GT500 from me.


The GT500 is another good option and I personally think it’s a car that will hold value in the long run.
 

Blk04L

. . .
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
11,315
Location
South Florida
If you want it, buy it. If it's not for you, sell it.
You won't lose 20% and hell you may even make some money in this retarded market.

You're not drowning in debt and you have good retirement $.

Like others have said life is a big unknown and you don't know how much sand is left in your timeglass.

Wife/fiancee is good with it, your income is great for location etc...
 

Rocket254

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
183
Location
North Alabama
That's a clean CS!

Thanks! That was my first real car purchase out of college in '11 and damnit it I can't part with it. I love the lines of the early s197s. I have a set of FRPP cams that I'm tossing in this spring just to enjoy the car a bit more. A lopey 3V still sounds great to me. Perhaps one day I can build that motor and go boosted. I recently followed the same style you did and picked up a wider wheels that have a much better offset that the stockers. Front tires are too tall though so I'm moving down a size.

f4Wjvs4.jpg
 

Rocket254

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
183
Location
North Alabama
"cheapskate that would make Fred Mertz proud.."

LOL.What a obscure name to choose....I remember that show.

I say buy it...Tomorrow isn't a guarantee for any one.

Heh. I'm glad someone caught that one. I watched a lot of Nick at Nite and TV Land as a kid. I Love Lucy was a family favorite.

Like I said, life is short. Shorter than you think and you have no idea when it will end. Or when you can't do the things you wished you could of. Point is, live and enjoy your life within moderation. Investing in a happy/fulfilled life is just as important as stacking away money for the future.

If you want it, buy it. If it's not for you, sell it.
You won't lose 20% and hell you may even make some money in this retarded market.

You're not drowning in debt and you have good retirement $.

Like others have said life is a big unknown and you don't know how much sand is left in your timeglass.

Wife/fiancee is good with it, your income is great for location etc...

Both great points. I've always lived live playing the long game as I if I were going to be 150. Dark reality is I might have a genetic minefield ahead of me. Who knows...

Fiancée is 100% on board and her influence is why I made this post in the first place. Without her, I'd for sure sit on money forever.

I should have added something in my first post.

If you want it, get it. I bought my ‘13 in May of ‘12.

I had been in a new job for a year, only put down about 20k and financed 40k-ish. House wasn’t paid off and the wife was working on her Masters at this point I believe. Our first born son was exactly 2 weeks old when I picked the car up.

Point is, don’t be scared. Sure it’s more money than I spent, but you're also much more financially stable at 34 than I was at 27 haha

Do it!

Its interesting to see how quickly things can snowball. At 27, I was still trying to find my footing in my career and dreaming of saving up for a house down payment. I've been very fortunate this year. I know things can change in a moment though in this economy.

You've got everything taken care of on the home front in my opinion. I think you're well setup to buy the Viper if wanted.

Thanks. I feel the same and I've worked hard to try and take care of the important things first. I just can't draw the line in the sand that marks "good enough, go play".
 

trxcobra

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
1,107
Location
MA
Owning a car like that at a ripe young age is definitely better than waiting until you're middle aged or older.
I highly doubt you will regret it, since it sounds like it won't be a major burden financially. Vipers are also insulated from depreciation.

Live your life!
 

rotor_powerd

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
7,412
Location
VA
Buy the car. It's not like you can't sell it to someone else for no or very little loss if you decide it isn't for you.
 

Double0fox

2 extra cylinders
Established Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
926
Location
Eastern Oregon
Your story sounds alot like me. While not a Gen 5, the Gen 2 B/W GTS was my dream. I grew up super poor(like trailer house poor). I am not one of the SVTP ballers, There are tons on here that do way better than I do, but I am happy with how I have done. The Viper was the car that "got my into cars". I bought mine after my dad died. My dad worked, and just saved. My dad died in a accident in 2013. Before he died he always talked about getting a 1967 Camaro RS/SS. this was his goal/dream to have. He never did anything else, he worked, and worked, and after he died my step mother got all the money from the house, and insurance, ex-communicated my brother, my sister, and I, moved and had a big ass house built in AZ. After that I kinda realized that I could go at any day. And I believe that changed me. Soon after that I started looking for mine. Luckily I have a awesome wife who supports me. Some of the comments on here about get one now before you have kids I don't agree with. I got mine when my daughter was 4. My wife was 100% behind it, and I was making way less than I do now.

Here are some things:

Never meet your hero's: Again I have a Gen 2 not a Gen 5, but I actually thought the same thing before as I never drove a Viper before buying one. I bought mine in 2014, and every time I drive it it makes me happy. EVERY SINGLE TIME. I always get people who say things like " Oh I drove my dad's friends Viper, and they handle like crap". I have had mine on AutoX, and open track. These people are full of it. Are there better handling cars? I am sure there are. It also depends on your definition on what good handling is. On track mine kinda likes to be steered with the rear in a way at times. Not a bad way, but you can use it to rotate the car mid corner sometimes. I won't get to into it cause it's a gen 2 vs a Gen 5. What I am trying to say is the "Never meet your hero's" has never applied to me in my ownership.

I also own a 2016 GT350. Now I will say it is a GREAT car, but the Viper just has something that the 350 will never have. One of those things I can't really quantify. It's just way more special.

The "You Made It" goal is exactly how I felt when I got mine. The first week + after I got it I just kept going out into the garage, and looking/sitting in it for hours (and I do mean hours) My wife laughed at me quite a bit. I now have a 2016 GT350, 2012 Mustang GT Track Car, a couple race gokarts, and have had a few sportbikes. If everything went to shit, and I had to for some reason, or another liquidate stuff. The Viper would stay. It would be the only one.

In the end it is your decision/money. I feel fortunate that I got to make my dream happen. A lot of people will never get that chance, and we are only alive once. Good luck man.

fxaCB2z.jpg
 
Last edited:

IA Shelby

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
3,567
Location
Iowa
Op - go for it. You never know.

I have been fortunate to purchase 3 of my dream cars. I have one left of my must have’s on the list and it is a big step up from my current ride. It is an exotic. I can somewhat rationalize the purchase price but I am struggling to rationalize having to have the car transported 5hrs one way just to get it serviced. Probably will need to wait till I retire and move to Florida where there are plenty of exotic car dealers located close by.
 

Steve@TF

Authorized Vendor
Authorized Vendor
Premium Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
19,702
Location
So Cal
as mentioned early on, dont be like that Boomer that always wanted one and never got one. or ended up paying 10x what he would have back in the day.

or end up on a ventilator due to Covid, dreaming in your coma about how you wish you bought one and will if you ever come out of it.

life is short. as longs as you arent putting you and yours at risk, go for it. as mentioned many times, you will likely break even at worse if you decide to sell it later. i bet they will even go up in value. it will also easily qualify for collector car insurance, which will save you a good amount insurance wise.
 

MFE

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2005
Messages
2,227
Location
Phoenix
I've been a sucker for mid-6o's Continentals forever. Decided I'm not getting any younger, so WTF, let's do this. Now I'm finding they're a massive PITA to own but I still want one and I'm still in the market, but not for a convertible. Also, my wife's always been a fan of mid-80's Mercedes SL's and we're pretty close to getting one. For the kind of cars we're talking about, we can enjoy them for a while, sell them, and not risk losing a bunch of money.
 

Corbic

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2015
Messages
10,930
Location
Desert Oasis
Well don't let thr value ruin it for you either. Beaters that your not worried about resale (for me) are way more fun to own...
 

FIVEHOE

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
1,530
Location
AZ
I’m almost in your exact shoes, even similar age. I was deadset on a viper a year ago until the prices went up 20k+ over the last year. Now I’m in a spot where financially I’m thinking what if I say **** a car payment and start thinking about a vacation home.

the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if spending that much on a car I’d hardly drive would be worth it. Then vacation home started sounding better and better. Now I feel old haha. As others have said, enjoy it while you can. Be glad to be in a position where you afford to make that kind of decision. We ain’t getting any younger, so I say live it up.
 

Corbic

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2015
Messages
10,930
Location
Desert Oasis
I’m almost in your exact shoes, even similar age. I was deadset on a viper a year ago until the prices went up 20k+ over the last year. Now I’m in a spot where financially I’m thinking what if I say **** a car payment and start thinking about a vacation home.

the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if spending that much on a car I’d hardly drive would be worth it. Then vacation home started sounding better and better. Now I feel old haha. As others have said, enjoy it while you can. Be glad to be in a position where you afford to make that kind of decision. We ain’t getting any younger, so I say live it up.
Law of diminishing returns.

Is a $105k used Viper V really $90k more enjoyable then a high mileage C5Z with cam, headers and exhaust?

Or is it just a milestone trophy of success and achievement?
 

DSG2003Mach1

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Messages
15,908
Location
Central Fl
Then vacation home started sounding better and better.

granted re-estate typically keeps going up a second house/property is a much bigger ongoing expense and amount of work to be done for upkeep. We're going to our place in NC later this month for a week just to knock out maintenance stuff so it's not so over whelming when we go up to hang in the summer.
 

blk02edge

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
8,894
Location
BC
Law of diminishing returns.

Is a $105k used Viper V really $90k more enjoyable then a high mileage C5Z with cam, headers and exhaust?

Or is it just a milestone trophy of success and achievement?
Id honestly take the C5Z because I can beat the piss out of it with no moral obligation to keep it mint.
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top