Looking for some car advice from you older and wiser gents

[03cobrarocks]

So I sold my beloved 03 cobra last year. I was the first owner and had done many things to the car :/. I still miss it, it always put a smile on my face. I would love another one but it got me thinking, would it be the same? I don't think so but might be just as enjoyable. So I started thinking about options and this is what I have come up with:

C5 z06, mach 1, terminator, 11 - 14 mustang gt, ls3 c6.

My question to y'all is what do you think would be more fun in the long run? And how much money do you guys think is reasonable to spend on a car a year? 5% your pay check? 8%? As far as mods go, not factoring in payments.

I know no one half way educated gets into this hobby and thinks "this will be a great investment" so I am trying to see what some of you have to say.

For example if I shopped around I could find a pretty good condition c6z for 36 - 38. But I would basically be giving up all other hobbies just to afford the payments.

All the cars on my list are great imo, but would all require different things. Basically the cheapest (mach 1) would require a ton of work to get to where I would want it, and the motor makes like no power compared to newer cars. :/

I am thinking at this point a c5z is the best option. I mean you can find people desperate to sell one for 18 - 21k with less than 75k miles. All it needs to satisfy me for a good while would be heads,cam, 100 shot.

The main reason I am not sold on a terminator is for the price of a good one there seems to be superior options out there. Let's be real the 4.6 32v sounds great but doesnt make any power without ton of boost.

I know the prices of these cars all vary but I could easily afford them all. Just wouldnt be able to mod the more expensive ones near as fast.
Opinions please!

 

[Weather Man]

Being car rich and money poor sucks. Buy the most car that fits the budget comfortably.

 

[TK Doom]

For example if I shopped around I could find a pretty good condition c6z for 36 - 38. But I would basically be giving up all other hobbies just to afford the payments.

I know the prices of these cars all vary but I could easily afford them all. Just wouldnt be able to mod the more expensive ones near as fast.

I'm confused!

 

[Machdup1]

Dd=c6 ls3, add cam, exhaust, intake

Or

GT500

Toy=C6z

Or

Modded Cobra

Or

Modded GT500

 

[Never_Enough]

C6 without a doubt.

 

[03cobrarocks]

I'm confused!

Sorry typed all this on my phone. Will try and go back and fix some spelling lol.

 

[03cobrarocks]

Dd=c6 ls3, add cam, exhaust, intake

Or

GT500

Toy=C6z

Or

Modded Cobra

Or

Modded GT500

Yea it is defiantly going to be a toy! I

I dont think I can go back to daily driving a sports car. Rocking a 2008 fusion with 29k miles as daily

 

[03cobrarocks]

I'm confused!

Sorry meant with the exception of the c6z lol.

That car would be basically hey look I have an awesome car but cant afford to go to gun range, bars, etc

 

[zporta]

I would stay in the mustang world for one reason alone. That parts are cheaper

Other then that I love my 07 GT500. They can be found for cheap and make power for cheap

Been working on my buddies s550 and it's really growing on me. After installing air on his car yest it really set it off. Nice cars, but I like my twin screw

 

[KingBlack]

my honest advice...buy a car you will be happy with as it sits on the showroom floor. it'll have a warranty and be reliable. if you know your performance goals, find a car that will do it STOCK. in the long reun youll end up paying more to buy something only to mod it

 

[slingshot]

my honest advice...buy a car you will be happy with as it sits on the showroom floor. it'll have a warranty and be reliable. if you know your performance goals, find a car that will do it STOCK. in the long reun youll end up paying more to buy something only to mod it

Then you better get the C6Z06... my '08 was the only performance car I've ever owned that I had no urge to mod. Low-Mid 11's @ 125 mph, 28 mpg highway, docile and comfortable DD, scare the crap out of your passenger when you stomped it and spun it to 7000 rpm. The acceleration from 90--160 mph for a stock vehicle is impressive.

 

[03cobrarocks]

Then you better get the C6Z06... my '08 was the only performance car I've ever owned that I had no urge to mod. Low-Mid 11's @ 125 mph, 28 mpg highway, docile and comfortable DD, scare the crap out of your passenger when you stomped it and spun it to 7000 rpm. The acceleration from 90--160 mph for a stock vehicle is impressive.

I might just wait a few months and save up enough money to put a good down payment on a 09 c6z. I would be happy enough speed wise with an intake/full exhaust/tuned one. Then do a 100 or 150 shot and cam in a year or so. Then eventually do a turbo or procharger.

They just move out so much faster than mustangs with the same power.

 

[kingCOBRAsvt_99]

The older I got the less I began to care about go fast cars... then again I also got to experience 600-1000 rwhp cars by the age of 25/26 (31 now). I am signing paper work on a fully loaded 2010 Lexus LS460L tomorrow. Just my experience...

 

[kirks5oh]

What are you looking for? What are your goals?? Daily driver?? Weekend warrior?

I'd steer clear of terminators. Yes, they will always hold a special place in your heart, but it's a 12 year old car at this point. So many of them have been molested beyond the point of no return. High mileage ones will be nothing but a headache.

My advice:::


Pick up a new, or very lightly used 5.0 mustang. Or a lightly used c6. Keep either relatively close to stock, and enjoy many carefree miles.

 

[nxhappy]

Other then that I love my 07 GT500. They can be found for cheap and make power for cheap

END THREAD :dancenana:

 

[Torch10th]

One thing that I've noticed as I get older is that I enjoy cars more for what they are then for wanting to do stuff to them.

It's been mentioned here already, but instead of buying a car with the intention on modding the crud out of it, go with something that will satisfy you without those additions. Then IMHO you should take that money you save on not modding the car like crazy and actually go do stuff with the car.

Take it to meets, get involved in some sort of sanctioned racing (dra, auto-x, road course etc.). Take it on long road trips etc. When I stopped spending money on my car and started spending money to do stuff with my car, I had a LOT more fun.

To this day the car that I had the absolute most fun with was my 1999 Cobra. I paid just under 14,000 for a good condition car with 40,000 on the clock. It was so cheap that the money I was saving meant I took it out to every track event. I was able to burn through oodles of fuel, tires, brake pads and rotors and I didn't have to worry about it. I just purchased those items when they wore out.

I did a couple things to that car, some of which I'd do again, others I wouldn't. But at the end of the day, because that car was so damn cheap, it afforded me the ability to actually have fun with it.

In your example you are looking at c6z's in the mid to high 30's which would put you looking at cars that would be considered high mileage in that class. It's probably doable, but as you state if you don't have any money left over, you're not going to have any money to have fun with the car.

You won't have any lesson fun in an LS2 C6 or C5z which you can get in relatively good condition for under 20k. In fact you'll probably have more fun because you won't be car poor because of the purchase. If it was me though, I'd go for the cheapest possible option which would be the Mach 1.

 

[truefiveo]

my honest advice...buy a car you will be happy with as it sits on the showroom floor. it'll have a warranty and be reliable. if you know your performance goals, find a car that will do it STOCK. in the long reun youll end up paying more to buy something only to mod it

This by far!

 

[MPM IV]

For a toy I'd go with a C5Z. You can find some good deals on low mileage cars.

 

[Never_Enough]

my honest advice...buy a car you will be happy with as it sits on the showroom floor. it'll have a warranty and be reliable. if you know your performance goals, find a car that will do it STOCK. in the long reun youll end up paying more to buy something only to mod it

Clearly you are on the wrong forum. What gearhead doesn't want to mod? lol I've tried many times to just leave things alone. It never happens.

I say do what I am going to do. I've had a C6 already & miss it. My next car buy will be another C6 or a C7. However, this time I am buying one already well modded. I don't feel like doing the work or spending all the $ again.

 

[Never_Enough]

In your example you are looking at c6z's in the mid to high 30's which would put you looking at cars that would be considered high mileage in that class. It's probably doable, but as you state if you don't have any money left over, you're not going to have any money to have fun with the car.

You won't have any lesson fun in an LS2 C6 or C5z which you can get in relatively good condition for under 20k. In fact you'll probably have more fun because you won't be car poor because of the purchase. If it was me though, I'd go for the cheapest possible option which would be the Mach 1.

Not true. Just have to look. There is a 2006 Z06 with under 20k miles on it H/C/I etc for $37k obo on CF right now.

Mach 1 over a C6? I could never do that, but they are in different price brackets so unfair comparison.