The Ultimate Car
filed in 89 Supra
Question: Every 2-4 years I sell my car and buy a new one. Why? Because I hate doing all the work on, and living with the unreliability of, a used car. I am, however, getting sick of it. So I plan my next car to be a car I want to fix and keep, a car I’ll really want for 20 years.
I humbly ask you, thy mighty netters, for your opinion on what this car should be. I don’t care who builds it, where it is built, or when it was built, but please tell me why this is a car for a life. I also realize that I will probably have to pay for it and no, I don’t have the money right now, so don’t try to sell me your car. I also plan on keeping some other form of transportation for just getting around – you know something fuel effecient and reliable – like my current Isuzu Impulse.
What I plan to do with it :
– Park it in front of the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. – Drive it slowly through old Montreal. – Barry the needle through the Canadian West. – Handle the deadly cornes of the Candian Rockies without flinching. – See the Eastern side of the U.S. – probably not New York (at least right now).
What I don’t plan to do with it :
– Drive it in the winter. – Allow anyone to smoke in it. – Park it in any old parking lot. – Make 36 EASY payments of $199. – Pitch it just because the Engine went. – Carry more than two people.
Some of the cars in the running :
Lotus Esprit Turbo – I’ve always wanted one – the ultimate sports car. Acura NSX – second only to the Esprit – my jaw drops every time I see one. BMW 3 or 5 Series – speed, handling and comfort all in one. Porche 968 – those vario-cams sound really cool.
It doesn’t have to be a sports car (though I prefer them), but it should be fairly unique (ie. less common than a Talon or Corvette). It also shouldn’t be more than about $50,000us (new or used), so cars such as AC Cobras or Porche 959s are probably out.
I await you advice.
You mention some of my favorite choices, but I think that the car you are looking for is the LEXUS SC series, either 300 (5sp. manual 3.0L) or 400 (4sp. auto 4.0L). As far as parking outside of the Gallery of Art (Ottawa, I think you said), people will think the car is part of the exhibit. The SC400 is the most beautiful car on the road today in my opinion. Aside from being a great tourer, it also hauls gludios max… And if you opt for the 285W Nakamichi sound system, then you will have the total package. I also believe it will age gracefully, as it seems not too many manufacturers can duplicate Toyota’s (or Lexus’) ability to make curvacious sheet metal with ease (look at the ‘91 and later Celica as well as the Lexus coop). Well, I think at least you should give it a test drive, even though it is in tough company with the NSX… I’m personally waiting for the new supra to come out in ‘93, which should kick some glude as well… I’ll put in my pitch for the “20 year” car: buy a Ferrari (348, older 328/308, or even a TR). Why? The “nifty” cars you mention (Lotus and NSX) have not exactly held their values over the years (NSX is hard to measure since it’s so new, but they do not command a premium any more). Other than the recent blip, Ferrari’s have always appreciated over the years. My 88 328 is still worth more than I paid for it (at retail). I expect it to appreciate over the next 20 years or so, and all the while, I get to drive a pretty reliable car (it has NEVER broken in its 34,000 miles) which gets people to look at it even in jaded Northern Cal (Silicon Valley, on the Peninsula); when I take it to other areas (Tahoe, Arizona to visit my folks and drive on high speed roads 
folks fall all over themselves. And it is FUN to drive – Ferrari gets its heritage from the race track and the religios zeal of Enzo; Acura gets it heritage from market research (…if we make a kinda cool car, it will draw customers in, then they’ll buy our StodgeMobiles ™).
The price is more than you specified, but you’ll get it back in the long run, and be totally cool in the meantime. The BMW’s and Porches you mention will fall like resale rocks; Lotus is NOT reliable; NSX is but B O R I N G – no personality. Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari!!! By the way, you can get an older 308 for around $50,000US; 1988/89 320 for about $75K; new 348 for about $110K; used TR for about $175K; new TR-512 for about $220,000. Wheeeeeeee!
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