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The car fleet


jfgw

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Thought i'd start another thread that's close to my heart.  What else does everyone drive on a daily basis?  I have a disease known as 'cost-myself-a-fortune-by-changing-cars-way-too-frequently-itis'.

 

I have been living in the US for less than 5 years but am on my 13th vehicle.  I am also in need of choosing a new daily driver as my z4's lease (which my girlfriend normally drives) expires in Oct 06, and i am fed up of driving our Acura MDX SUV every day for my software sales job. 

 

SHMBO has kindly agreed to drive the suv daily so that we still have a big practical car, but i cant really go to see customers in a 2 seat convertible - they automatically think they are paying too much!

 

So i am after a 4 seat car thats fun, not stupidly expensive to run, comfortable but not a 'boat'.  I have my Caterham for the real fun!

 

THoughts so far are around a BMW 3 series, a Pontiac GTO, an Audi S4 (twin turbo type)....anything i am missing?
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Daily driving duties are split between my 97 regal GS and 99 vette if the weather is nice.

 

 

 

I love boats, so those all seem small for 4 passenger cars http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/biggrin5.gif

 

 

 

All of those are pretty fast cars (well, regular 3 series is not that fast, maybe an M3?). How about a lowly accord v6, or (deep breath) hyundai?

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James,

  You cannot go too wrong with any of the 3-Series cars, Audi A4/S4 cars are very nice also but they have the front control arm issue (requiring full replacement every 30K miles as bushings are not servicable seperately).  Since the Caterham satisfies your need for a proper performance car, have you considered something considerably less sporty, good on gas but still fun to drive? Saving the money for track days and new rubber. For instance, I drive a mid-80's 3-Series (the slow 325e) but knowing that I have a proper car in the garage makes it much more bearable.

 

Thanks for clueing me into this site, I did not know it was out there. We met you and your wife again at Mid-Ohio on Saturday (with the yellow/alloy Caterham).     

      
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Thanks guys - good to see you on here Mike.  Have a look at the 7/7/07 event - I hope to go and think it will be a great event.

 

I like the 330i, but wish i had never seen the ones equipped with the performance pack....as my Dad would say "this could get expensive" - oh well, you can't take it with you!
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I drive a 99 Toyota 4 Runner - I carry a lot of stuff around and live

at the top of a hill that is only accessible by 4x4 in snow. It doesn't

go too fast which is good, because I tend to.

 

I would look at one of the 3 series diesels - also the G35x.

 

 

 

Enjoy.

 

 

 

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I signed up for the 07-07-07 event just a couple of hours ago, I am hoping to get a couple more local guys to bring their cars down for some exercise. We will see.

 

 

 

http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/thumbsup.gif

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The original "Skyline Seven" (if you count Bart and Nancy, who came sans Seven) had a good chuckle over this at lunch in Shenandoah.

 

 

 

I think i had hte sportiest true daily driver (Audi TT), altought B & N have a BMW 540 after years of flogging a Corsica, I think.

 

 

 

Chez Navarro: 2004 Audi TT 225 Coupe, 2003 Honda Pilot, Polaris Ranger UTV. Also currently taking up space in my driveway until they get back from an extended vacation are my parents' Subaru Impreza (decidedly not an STi or WRX) and Forester (also not any fun variant).

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I use my Seven as a daily driver, in the summer at least. Just so long as there is no salt on the ground the 325e mostly just gathers dust in the garage. It would be interesting to find out what the highest mileage is for a Sevenesque car. I know mine is surely not the highest but I will get the ball rolling, 26,5?? miles.  How about you?

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The Fleet:

 

    04 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7HO

 

    04 Jeep Grand Cherokee Freedom 4.7HO

 

    93 Mustang Coobra STOCK

 

Backup fleet:

 

    88 Tbird Turbo Coupe

 

    88 Mustang LX

 

Under construction:

 

    LC7 Mustang 2 based 302 auto (C4 or AOD) Wifes

 

    LC7 "Shagnasty" MN12/Cobra based 392 TIRES IRS

 

Nearly finished:

 

    Jeep BJ (Feep/truck/crawler/thingy) 460 doubler m12000 front/rear onboard air

 

    41 Willys PU blown SB AWD long term project

 

   

 

 

 

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I just changed tin-tops from a '97 318ti to an '06 A3 2.0.  The A3 is a ball to drive although I had two run-ins with VAG quality control in my first week of ownership.  The glovebox latch was flakey from day 1 (fixed with a new glovebox assembly) and the seatbelt warning light/chime operates backwards for the passenger seat (pax leaves their belt off, no warning; buckles up and warning comes on).  New seat sensor module to be installed next week hope that fixes it.

 

The new 3-series is really nice.  I was pretty close to getting a 330i Sport, but finally decided I wanted to stay under 30k.

 

Interesting you mention the Fit, Al.  I was actually thinking about going that route and didn't for no particular reason; didn't even go drive one, but they look like a pretty reasonable daily driver if you have something fun tucked away in the garage.

 

 

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Jeez, you guys....besides the Se7en I have a junk pile in my driveway. A '94 Galant with broken A/C and stuck power windows, a '93 Escort running on the second engine and as a highlight a '03 Hyundai Santa Fe that I need to tow the Se7en.

 

 

 

Did I mention my son is going to college?   http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/wink5.gif

 

 

 

Gertslomove2006-09-01 21:45:11

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Gert-I think with a few exceptions, the stable of the average Seven owner is pretty average. No insults intended either way here.

 

 

 

I mean, how many folks of those who have chimed in (perhaps self-selection is at work?) have listed things like "2006 BMW 760"? It's all about priorities....like our kids' educations and, of course, the Sevens.

 

 

 

For example, my biz partner rolls in a newish land rover and inifiniti. While our household runs a Pilot pusing 100k miles and a leased TT that will soon become something like a $16k Honda Fit.

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Al, that was not really a serious comment and why I gave it that emoticon. But indeed I can derive no satisfaction whatsoever from my daily commute and shopping trips in Los Angeles even if it was a Ferrari Enzo. And for the fun trips I got the Se7en.

 

 

 

But I am actually waiting for one of the junkers to finally break down as an excuse to get a new one. The friggin' cars just don't do me the favor http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/cuss.gif

 

 

 

Gert

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