Photography Credit: David S. Wallens
How many cars do you have? Two? Three or four? Somewhere north of five, 10 or even 20?
No matter the number, the answer always seems to be the same: To achieve true happiness, just one more car is needed.
I think it’s been a common quest for many of us since that first Hot Wheels car. If we had a second …
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Yes, but it wouldn't be a car.
It would be one of those hated SUVs. Probably the one I have now. It's a very good all-around vehicle. Plenty of power. Fun to drive on a twisty road. AWD for softroading. Capable of towing 7700 pounds. Regularly returns 25-28 mpg.
If the SCCA would let me autocross it, I'd sell the Mustang tomorrow.
Toyman! said:Yes, but it wouldn't be a car.
It would be one of those hated SUVs. Probably the one I have now. It's a very good all-around vehicle. Plenty of power. Fun to drive on a twisty road. AWD for softroading. Capable of towing 7700 pounds. Regularly returns 25-28 mpg.
If the SCCA would let me autocross it, I'd sell the Mustang tomorrow.
Yeah, my wife's Explorer ST would fit the bill if I had to have one "do it all" vehicle. Fast, practical, comfy, decent economy.
But to answer the question, no, probably not. Variety is the spice of life.
If I still lived in Texas, I would say probably yes. But living here in the upper mid-west, I need a winter vehicle. I really wouldn't want to submit my fun cars to the mess that is the Nebraska winter.
The bonus is my winter vehicle doubles as my hauler, road tripper, soft-roader, and back-up car when I'm working on something. Right now the Element is serving in that role and It's already seen a trip from FL to NE, NE to Cleveland a few times, Summer camping in the badland, and a couple MTB trips to Bentonville this year alone. I wouldn't have been able to do that with just the Miata or Mirage.
An EV cafe racer/ scrambler style motorcycle with a sidecar.
Honestly no. I don't like driving bigger cars but I need one frequently enough that I could live without one and not be annoyed.
Probably not. I did the whole one car thing for awhile, but with my vast array of passions/interests one car cannot do it all. Two might be do-able for me, but right now it looks like three minimum.
Yes, it'd be an uber wagon, like a Panerama sport turismo, Mercedes E63 AMG S or Audi RS6. However I'm happy (for now) with my combo of 200 series land cruiser for DD/winter/hauler duties and 996 Turbo for fun car. The 996 Turbo is a forever car for me, unless I somehow get a ton of money and get buy a 997 GT3RS
I can definitely live with one sports car and if i decided to stop doing track events/racing I could live without a truck. But driving my daily to the track, running it hard, and driving it back home is a bit stressful. knowing I have work tomorrow and no backup vehicle to get there or even any way to get a broken car back from the track short of calling for a tow, I just wouldn't want that.
No.
The fiance and I shared our '18 Mazda 3 for 18 months when we were both working from home. I got REALLY tempted to put wheels/suspension on it, but knew I'd eventually get something just for myself.
So that is still her DD and I have the '23 BRZ as our fun car. Just need to get comfortable driving a manual again and being comfortable driving something that low to the ground so she can take it to work if she wants.
In reply to docwyte :
Good calls on the E63 AMG S and RS6 Avant. Those could be solid one-car solutions.
Nope. I get tired of driving the same vehicle after a few days.
i have a car, a truck and an suv.
When it comes to cars, I like owning vehicles which are specialized to the task, rather than trying to cram all that functionality into one -- "jack of all trades, master of none" and all that.
So for w2w racing I have a caged M3 and to get it to the track I have an F-250. For "cars and coffee" I have the RX7, my Audi is my default daily driver, and the CX-9 is my wife's car. I would not be happy getting rid of any of those.
The one that doesn't fit neatly into any category is my Miata, it used to be my "everything car" (in fact, it was my only car for several years). Track car, wrenching car, science project car, mountain roads car, etc. It was OK at many of those things but never stellar, and I haven't really figured out what its new role should be now that I've got single purpose vehicles to do most of the things I used to do with it. Arguably I should sell it.
OTOH, I bought it brand new, 25 years ago and it's got far more sentimental value to me than would ever be expressed monetarily if I sold it. My wife and I went on dates in that car. I'm not selling it. :)
If I didn't need to tow the enclosed trailer with race car, then yes, totally, an E63 wagon. We have an E400 wagon now and it is fantastic, going to the AMG like the CLS63 I used to have and it would do track stuff too and still haul all kinds of things and be able to tow my small boat.
Not a chance!
I argued (with myself) my way down to the present 6 plus my wife's car, from around 12 or 13, and can't see going down any more except that I would sell my old classic race car as I no longer use it. Have two modern sports car, one classic touring car, the race car, and two classic sports cars.
My unwavering two car formula: BMW estate + Miata track car. If the day comes that I must consolidate, it will probably be a manual M235i or OG M2.
I tried, but I can't. Especially if I am left driving the only GTI. Need to get the Integra fixed again, but getting my 00 EK manual swapped and mostly running, at least has me happy to drive an na Honda again.
I love simplicity and strongly believe in less is more.
However, after recently upping my active personal car list by 1, I can say I have doubled my happiness ... until I saw the bills. 
I am 100 certain I could live with just a Raptor and nothing else. I would not be happy but it does 100% of what I need and want in a car.
Right now I am at 14 cars/motorcycles so I am not a good example.
2-3 is the sweet spot. I've found that 4+ has me wrenching more than driving. Currently VERY happy with V60, IS-F and miata. If I could find a Polestar for a reasonable price I could combine the Volvo and Lexus, probably
Not with family.
Less than 3 necessitates a happiness reducing compromise. I have a need for both dynamic outlet and a creative outlet. I could possibly get to 2 for a while, by combing #2 and #3, if it stayed mostly stock and 'racing' was limited to autox. However, it would also then have to be something with 4 doors and an actually enjoyable auto transmission. If she didn't love her Forester so much, and I didn't have a stake in an endurance racecar, perhaps an Elantra N DCT... But while that might (or might not) provide enough of a dynamic outlet, I would also still need to eventually reintroduce a creative outlet.
One would be very difficult to be happy with, maybe impossible. Two would be a lot more doable because you could spread the compromises around - have a sporty 2-door 4-seat coupe and a 5+ seater that can haul large items and go offroad for example. I could easily be happy with 3.
Edit: Same thought as Driven5 really.
I am 77 and have been driving a Lotus Elise as a track car and daily driver for 17 years now. My wife has a CX5 Mazda, which is also a great car (3200 pounds!). If it was just me, I would keep the Lotus. I need a big car so seldom, I could either borrow or rent one. Otherwise, I am always in one of the most enjoyable cars I have ever owned and I have had some good ones.
It is never too late to have a happy childhood!
1 car per person in my family (just wife and I) would be possible but financially it's just quite justifiable.
When I got my most recent daily driver (a '22 330i) I had the option of getting rid of the corvette and going to an M3. The M3 would handle the track days that I like to do and also handle the daily drives that I have (which to be fair is only about 5k miles a year) I would have to get an automatic if I ever want my wife to be able to drive it (she refuses to learn to drive stick)
The problem comes down to the cost of it.
A new BMW 330i lease payment is around $520 a month and the corvette depreciation is effectively $0 but lets call it $1200 a year. Maintenance, Insurance, registration, etc. for the Corvette is another $2400 a year (I'm rounding to $200 a month, it's probably less than that). The maintenance on the BMW is zero.
A new M3 lease payment is ~$900 to $1000 a month meaning that the payment on the M3 is just a touch more expensive than the cost of ownership of the BMW and Corvette. Near enough that I could justify the delta and put a few thousand back into my investment account with the sale of the Corvette.
The problem comes in with Track insurance, right now per event coverage for the Corvette is $175 an event, compared to $700+ for the BMW. The more cost effective solution for track insurance on a vehicle at that value is to purchase a year long policy which would cost around $3000 a year compared to the 6~7 events I currently do with the Corvette which costs around $1000 a year.
So could I be happy with a single vehicle? yes, especially considering the wife drives an SUV and pickup truck rentals are readily available by the hour at our local home goods store when I need to haul lumber, etc. for $20 give or take.
Absolutely. I currently have 12 of them, but I could definitely be happy with a single car. Because I was. For the better part of a decade, all I had was a Miata and I was happy. After I got married, we bought the wife another Miata. Because clearly 2 Miatas is a reasonable choice for 2 people? We eventually bought an F100, and truck + Miata is a great combination of utility and fun. It was mildly annoying only being able to seat 3 people maximum, and there were several times we picked up friends at the airport with two Miatas.
I could never live with just one car...ever...and the reason is one of sheer practicality. If a car is down for service and you need to go get parts or some tool breaks and you need to replace it in the middle of a job, you better have a backup vehicle. I lived with two wagons for a long time and was quite content with the utility and performance of that form factor. I still have the two wagons, sold my WRX and replaced it with a BRZ which I like much better than the WRX. I am in a good place automotively.
If I completely quit the car hobby, then sure... a van of some sort to haul my bicycles around would make me relatively happy.
I enjoy my classic cars, but I wouldn't want to subject any of them to harsh northeastern winters.
That said, I have a plan of some day doing something similar as briansquestionabledecisions on IG does with his Ferrari 308 and fitting a roof rack with a bike rack and a cargo box to my GT6 or 1800ES and driving around the country to various biking spots.
Not a chance.
I like to do too many different things from Jeep trails to racetracks, and there's no one vehicle that could cover all of it. I'm with Codrus in liking cars that are focused on their task, dedicated track car, tow pig, etc. 'Do it all' solutions are rarely much better than adequate at anything.
Plus, it's fun to take a different car to C&C every month.
Probably not. What I need from a daily driven street vehicle stands in pretty stark opposition to what I want from a track machine. Ideally I would have three vehicles. Something like my current daily driver: A small-ish, sporty hatch/sedan with a manual. A cheap full size van or minivan for occasional utility use, and a dedicated, street-legal track car.
I have always been happy with just one vehicle. I'm always enthusiastic about whatever I'm driving.
livinon2wheels said:I could never live with just one car...ever...and the reason is one of sheer practicality. If a car is down for service and you need to go get parts or some tool breaks and you need to replace it in the middle of a job, you better have a backup vehicle. I lived with two wagons for a long time and was quite content with the utility and performance of that form factor. I still have the two wagons, sold my WRX and replaced it with a BRZ which I like much better than the WRX. I am in a good place automotively.
I always say that cars, computers, and bathrooms are things you should always have at least 2 of so that WHEN 1 breaks down, you aren't immediately up E36 M3's creek
Jay Leno seems ok with his garage....and maintenance plan.
the rest of us compromise.
we're both retired. one car is possible. my E30S50 swapped 318i is still my favorite car 25 years later. quick enough, handles well, ok for trips to beach, mountains, family, and tows my 4x8 trailer for truck-chores.
of course, one pair of shoes (at a time) got me through many years of school, early marriage, one child.
but now i have dress shoes, sport shoes, work boots, hiking boots, sandals, water shoes....
..and 2-seaters, convertibles, hard tops, 2-door, 4-door, truck, plus some Isettas waiting...
wrenching is my retirement job, so costs are manageable.
I'm good to go now.
GameboyRMH said:livinon2wheels said:I could never live with just one car...ever...and the reason is one of sheer practicality. If a car is down for service and you need to go get parts or some tool breaks and you need to replace it in the middle of a job, you better have a backup vehicle. I lived with two wagons for a long time and was quite content with the utility and performance of that form factor. I still have the two wagons, sold my WRX and replaced it with a BRZ which I like much better than the WRX. I am in a good place automotively.
I always say that cars, computers, and bathrooms are things you should always have at least 2 of so that WHEN 1 breaks down, you aren't immediately up E36 M3's creek
with the exceptions of bathrooms, for everything else I believe in warranties for a reason. I rely on my computer as it's the primary way in which i earn a living (most information workers probably feel the same way) and I wouldn't rely on one that doesn't have a next business day repair contract included. I have extra computers lying around the house that I can use but just like cars maintaining and keeping multiple computers up to date is an unneeded expense/effort.
If I hadn't collected several cars I'm so very emotionally attached to, I could see living well with just one car. It'd probably be a 2 door hatch with a decent back seat, AWD, but able to be made RWD if/when needed/wanted, very very high quality suspension capable of on-road and off-road capabilities with ride height adjustability, and either a large displacement turbo 4 or moderately high-winding NA v8. But as is, I have several cars that I'll likely never let go.
BimmerMaven said:Jay Leno seems ok with his garage....and maintenance plan.
the rest of us compromise.
we're both retired. one car is possible. my E30S50 swapped 318i is still my favorite car 25 years later. quick enough, handles well, ok for trips to beach, mountains, family, and tows my 4x8 trailer for truck-chores.
of course, one pair of shoes (at a time) got me through many years of school, early marriage, one child.
but now i have dress shoes, sport shoes, work boots, hiking boots, sandals, water shoes....
..and 2-seaters, convertibles, hard tops, 2-door, 4-door, truck, plus some Isettas waiting...
wrenching is my retirement job, so costs are manageable.
I'm good to go now.
when it comes to shoes, i wonder if the person who can wear flip flops all day every day (pour one out for Jimmy Buffet) is living their best life.
I have 3 cars, but I could easily live with only 1 of them. That vehicle would be an 2009 Outback XT. I haven't found any other vehicle that checks all the boxes like this one. My car has 195k on the body and 20k on a fresh engine build. It's been a fantastic vehicle through any type of weather or roads.
I have pretty obvious reasons, but:
-Manual Transmission
-AWD
-Plenty of ground clearance
-Turbo
-Acceptable fuel economy
-Ease of maintenance
-Interior/hatch space
-Parts availability
-Good looks
-Performance potential
-Interior comfort
I am firmly in the Subaru camp as far as best all-around vehicle goes.
Buuuuut, If i could only have 1 dream car (thats still usable daily) it would be a Cadillac CTS-V Wagon. It's both beauty and beast!
I've always had multiple vehicles - a summer car, a winter car, a muscle car, a pickup, since they all have had a specific use. As I get older, I'm thinking harder about reducing it to one or maybe two vehicles, but the problem is figuring out which ones. I change my mind on that pretty much on a daily basis.
The answer to that question, is no, absolutely not. Don't do it!
You can buy a new car that will be available for years, whereas the vehicles in your stable would be much tougher to replace. This hobby (addiction?) is not a wise financial decision, but I do have to point out: the 3 cars you currently own have not only fully depreciated, they're likely appreciating in value... whereas a brand new $70,000 BMW will plummet like a rock as soon as it gets out of the warrant period.
As far as track cars go, well, you already own The Answer...
Not counting my wife's cars, I'm currently in a 4 car situation, where each car has it's own purpose:
-AP2 S2000 for my fun, top-down, mountain road car and date nights with the wife car. There's a good chance it's my forever car, as I've owned it longer than anything else in my stable. I've driven everything under the sun, and nothing puts a smile on my face like my AP2 when driven in anger on a twisty road.
-E82 BMW 128i has become my semi-daily (I technically have a work car that I commute in). It's just good everywhere. Comfortable, easy to drive, fun, good visibility, could take a road trip anywhere without complaint, etc. I still have plans to tinker with it, but nothing too extreme.
-DC2 Integra GS-R is rapidly becoming a track car to run NASA TT6 and autoX locally. Because I have other options, I don't mind that it's becoming more compromised.
-Nissan Xterra. I bought this thing dirt cheap as a winter beater. It can tow 5000 lbs in a pinch. I don't care if it gets beat up in the winter and I can get most Home Depot runs done in this thing.
If you're not tracking a car, and don't live in a place where it snows, I can see some consolidation... but otherwise, I wouldn't want to do it.
With recent DMaxx issues being addressed, that and the "V" are pretty much todo.....
i could live with one vehicle...either a Miata ND-RF , or the nicest R53 MINI on the planet.
I'm sure I could be happy with one car, but I haven't found it yet. So I'm going to revel in my failure and enjoy the variety in the meantime. I'm still trying to find a bad version of certain wines too. I'm failing at that and enjoying the journey as well. Life is a journey.
One driver? No problem. Have even discussed going to a single family car. But I have never since the age of 15 not had a project car.
The magic recipe that I have arrived at is one DD for work, one classic-toy car for fun and a project in the shop. As of late, the fun car is less of a requirement and I question the DD.
The fixed cost of owning a DD and a classic that don't see a lot of miles makes me question my financial sanity. The endle$$ cash-eating black hole in the shop is perfectly rational!
Pete
Well I should be happy with one but it's not happening.
Wife -Jeep Wrangler ,not going anywhere.
Me -2013 F150 all around driver road tripper ,dog hauler
-1968 Mustang Set up for Autocross, road trips,car shows,cars and coffee. I built it from a shell. Needs to be driven more.
- 1964 Comet Caliente pure project,don't need it ,had to have it, no engine or trans,or interior or paint......over the top open track maybe vintage racer.
Sharred-2001 3.0 auto got to have a drop top two seater. Big miles just going to drive it.
so no can't have one car.
I have run this through my mind 1000 times.
The closest I can get is a classic 911 track car vintage race car towed by a Cayenne.
The Datsun has too much sentimental value and I like the F500 to much.
With ONE small, teensy caveat... yeah, I could do just one car.
The car? My Supra. The caveat? It never breaks.
Sooooo... yeah... that's not happening. =P
In reply to roninsoldier83 :
Weirdly similar stables. I've got an Ap1 S2000, E82 135i, and a beater Nissan Frontier... I could post almost the same paragraph and it would be accurate.
I could certainly get by with one car, but I don't think I'd be happy with only one. Fun and utility can sometimes go hand in hand, but one of those facets is always compromised. Atleast slightly. Something that can haul mountain bikes and do a home depot run is never going to compare to a purpose-built sports car when the road gets twisty.
That said, I've been downsizing from having too many cars because that's got it's problems too. There's a weird feeling of anxiety and guilt from driving 2-3 cars while upkeeping, storing, and trying to maintain 3-4 other vehicles that you barely ever drive.
preach said:No.
This!!!
If I can zipper motor/trans combos in and out, sure.
It would be a lowered reg cab short box pickup in 2wd. Straight 6, sb v8, bb v8, diesel, turbo or supercharger, stick or auto. Doesn't matter to me.
PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
David, it seems like the crux of your horror was at the cost of brand spankin new.
may I present to you...
I'd pick the MDX hybrid to cover all my bases:
Right now the Dart has too much sentimental value for me to sell and is not well sorted enough to be my only car. If I could sort out all the problems, and add air conditioning - maybe, but it's still a stretch.
wspohn said:PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
...and you're still married?
As long as we don't include the racecar, then yes. I need the ability to move large(up to 9 feet long) objects for work, and sometimes people. Also I like driving offroad and in snow. I could build the ultimate Jeep XJ and that would make me pretty damn happy for all conditions. Then my W116 for the track.
PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
Thankfully my girl has too many cars and too many shoes! I'm safe with my collections of skis/snowboards/surfboards.
Happy? No. Doable? Yes. I did it last year when I moved. Fleet went from 4 to 1 for almost a year. Now at 2. Trying to stay there, but constantly tempted. If I had the room and a garage, 4 seems like the right number for me. Two is probably the right number with my current house and lack of a garage.
wspohn said:PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
I think that only works with model cars.
In reply to j_tso :
Or maybe if they own several thousand pairs of shoes
If all I did with a car was get groceries and occasionally drive a short distance to work, I could see one car being feasible. Is this 'Grassroots Motorsports'?
Enjoying rallycross, Gambler 500s, transporting grandkids and big dogs, back roads in a nimble roadster, exploring vehicular modifications and deviant art projects... No. One is not going to do it. I could happily manage five if I kept a regular turn-over, but I buy them when the deals are available.
Is this some sort of poor person joke?
One car? No. Needs vary and there's nothing that can do it all.
No
My interest in cars goes up and down depending on other hobbies, time, wrench space, etc, but I still want the right tool for the job/my lifestyle. Something to get to the trailhead, something fun, and hopefully the lady is interested in one of the puzzle pieces at that time.
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:wspohn said:PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
...and you're still married?
Was thinking the same thing.
I suspect I could, and it'd likely say "911" on the back and I don't mean an older Panther.
That said, I seem to suffer too much from vehicular promiscuity to make this a reality, plus the climate here says I need a winter beater.
NOHOME said:DeadSkunk (Warren) said:wspohn said:PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
...and you're still married?
Was thinking the same thing.
Might work if you're married to Imelda Marcos' reincarnate. For how long, well...
In my case, I keep my mouth shut about what I consider certain frivolities when my wife travels, and she doesn't complain about the vehicle I dragged home last week.
wspohn said:PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
My wife is a borderline enabler... just about every time I talk about some new-to-me car I want to drag home, she gets just as excited as I do- sometimes more so... I usually have to be my own voice of reason to stave off bankruptcy.
I have 4 cars (not counting my work car- AP2 S2000, DC2 Integra GS-R, E82 128i & Xterra beater) and my wife has 2 cars: Challenger 392 Scat Pack & Suburban winter beater. My wife actually keeps looking at getting a 3rd car for herself- namely an RX-8, which I'm somewhat opposed to, as it would mean yet another vehicle for me to maintain.
I suppose everyone has their own set of problems... something about having 99 problems...
Actually, a bunch of years ago now, I restored an MGC convertible, telling my wife it was my friend's car (he was helping me on the project). When it was finished I pulled it out of the garage on her birthday and put a big bow on it and when she came out to see 'my friend's car" I handed her the keys!
wspohn said:Actually, a bunch of years ago now, I restored an MGC convertible, telling my wife it was my friend's car (he was helping me on the project). When it was finished I pulled it out of the garage on her birthday and put a big bow on it and when she came out to see 'my friend's car" I handed her the keys!
Solid work, brother! Well played!
Yes but to into the retro dashes of the older cars. So not happiest.
Minivan, E36 coupe, 914, 914 track only, & R6 motorcycle. Would like to keep a 914 and something practical. The street cars are slightly appreciating.
I certainly could if needed, especially if a bike or two doesn't count. I actually did it for a while with my Toyobaru. It is really fun to drive. It is my daily driver, and works well for road trips, trackdays, and autocross. Gets pretty good mileage to boot, and I think it looks great! If doing something with more than one other person, which isn't super-often, we take someone else's car, take two cars, or take an Uber. On the rare occasion I need to haul big bulky items that won't fit, (which is only 2-3x per year) I rent a truck or van and come out way ahead vs. owning one.
In reply to wspohn :
doesn't work for me,she reminds me that every shoe she has or has had doesn't add up to what I've spent on cars.
At least her shoes are running and hiking ones. She has ONE pair of black pumps and maybe 4 non sport shoes.
so non of them are "cute".
wspohn said:PS - for those that receive criticism from spouses regarding the number of cars they have, I have found that a useful rejoinder is to ask the how many pairs of shoes they own.....
I own more pairs of shoes then my wife though....
ClearWaterMS said:BimmerMaven said:Jay Leno seems ok with his garage....and maintenance plan.
the rest of us compromise.
we're both retired. one car is possible. my E30S50 swapped 318i is still my favorite car 25 years later. quick enough, handles well, ok for trips to beach, mountains, family, and tows my 4x8 trailer for truck-chores.
of course, one pair of shoes (at a time) got me through many years of school, early marriage, one child.
but now i have dress shoes, sport shoes, work boots, hiking boots, sandals, water shoes....
..and 2-seaters, convertibles, hard tops, 2-door, 4-door, truck, plus some Isettas waiting...
wrenching is my retirement job, so costs are manageable.
I'm good to go now.
when it comes to shoes, i wonder if the person who can wear flip flops all day every day (pour one out for Jimmy Buffet) is living their best life.
David Freiberger wears flip flops every day but he owns like 30 cars...
I couldnt. I currently have a DD (14 VW CC R-Line) , A tinker car (97 Mustang GT) and have at least 2 waiting to have something done with them in storage. Do I have the money to do everthing I want.. no. Do I want to downsize.. no. Can I afford to store them.. also no. But one is a car Ive wanted since HS that when I found my wife encouraged me to buy since she heard me always talk about it, one is my first car that hasn't run since 96 but also has sentimental attachment to because I bought it from my mom. And since despite having them I still have others I want I know for a FACT I could never be happy with one..
roninsoldier83 said:wspohn said:Actually, a bunch of years ago now, I restored an MGC convertible, telling my wife it was my friend's car (he was helping me on the project). When it was finished I pulled it out of the garage on her birthday and put a big bow on it and when she came out to see 'my friend's car" I handed her the keys!
Solid work, brother! Well played!
It was a successful mod - built headers, a triple carb set up and added about 40-50 bhp - did an effortless 130 mph+ top speed.
If I'm fully honest with myself...No. However, if I ever can afford a Nardo Grey RS3, I'd be willing to sacrifice a lot to try! (including my undying love for manual transmissions)
I am currently happy with just one car. Its not the ideal car, but a hot hatch would meet all my needs just fine.
The point in my life when I had maximum motorsports participation was when I had one car.
No kid that grew up with a Hot Wheels collection is ever going to be satisfied with just one car...
One car?
You have got to be joking!
Forcing yourself to exist with just one car means that you have to compromise to the extreme. The "one car" mentality is the reason so many people are buying the SUV's that everyone seems to hate. An SUV does pretty much everything in a fairly mediocre manner. An SUV does absolutely nothing in exemplary fashion. An SUV is an automotive compromise.
If I own a truck, a sedan or two, a sports car, a motorcycle, AND an SUV, I've got it all covered!
I can't even do it with 2. I mean, we have to have two so we can actually get to and from our jobs anyway, so one car is never an option unless we decide to stop working.
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
There is something to be said for not wanting to do everything. A CTR would be a fun single car to own. It can do all things I would need. Or a Golf R. Maybe a Tesla Model3 Performance. All of them can commute, run errands, carry mountain bikes, and accomplish amazing things on track/course.
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
With the correct SUV I could do it, easy. I think a small SUV like an XJ, Explorer or S10 Blazer, even a full size Blazer or Bronco. They can be made to handle pretty darn good while still having 4 doors and towing ability. In the right hands any car. A few years ago we drove twisty mountain roads next to a lifted LJ on 37s. A good pilot was all it took to make that rock crawler a fun car.
Its funny, revisiting this thread, theres only one thing I think can be a do-it-all vehicle: Porsche Cayenne
It can have fast straightline speed, decent handling for what it is, tow 7700 lbs, and its spacious. I've even seen some people modify them for off road usage (which will probably ruin the handling, but hey...)
When I lived in Atlanta, I was totally fine with one car: a new Sentra SE-R.
That gave me a reliable, comfortable, economical, easy-to-park daily driver with room for four that I could regularly autocross.
The only things it didn’t offer were top-down motoring or the carga capacity of a wagon (no fold-down rear seat).
The modern version might be a Civic Si.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Or for a few grand less the Forte GT Manual. I wish we could get the hatch here.
ProDarwin said:In reply to 1988RedT2 :
There is something to be said for not wanting to do everything. A CTR would be a fun single car to own. It can do all things I would need. Or a Golf R. Maybe a Tesla Model3 Performance. All of them can commute, run errands, carry mountain bikes, and accomplish amazing things on track/course.
CTR? Yellowbird? A wonderful machine, but hardly the right tool for a trip to the home center to pick up lumber for a project. I've said it before, every homeowner needs a truck.
Edit: I do think the Cayenne Turbo might be as close as you could get to a single bullet, er... car solution)
1988RedT2 said:ProDarwin said:In reply to 1988RedT2 :
There is something to be said for not wanting to do everything. A CTR would be a fun single car to own. It can do all things I would need. Or a Golf R. Maybe a Tesla Model3 Performance. All of them can commute, run errands, carry mountain bikes, and accomplish amazing things on track/course.
CTR? Yellowbird? A wonderful machine, but hardly the right tool for a trip to the home center to pick up lumber for a project. I've said it before, every homeowner needs a truck.
Civic Type R
Eh, lumber can be delivered easily enough. In fact it makes me happier when it is :)
I've only owned a house for 10 years, but I have never owned a truck.
ProDarwin said:1988RedT2 said:ProDarwin said:In reply to 1988RedT2 :
There is something to be said for not wanting to do everything. A CTR would be a fun single car to own. It can do all things I would need. Or a Golf R. Maybe a Tesla Model3 Performance. All of them can commute, run errands, carry mountain bikes, and accomplish amazing things on track/course.
CTR? Yellowbird? A wonderful machine, but hardly the right tool for a trip to the home center to pick up lumber for a project. I've said it before, every homeowner needs a truck.
Civic Type R
Eh, lumber can be delivered easily enough. In fact it makes me happier when it is :)
I've only owned a house for 10 years, but I have never owned a truck.
This. A few months ago we redid about 100 linear feet of flower beds in the front year that were also 3' deep.
Having the stones for the borders and 40+ bags of mulch delivered was worth the nominal fee for having it delivered.
ProDarwin said:In reply to 1988RedT2 :
There is something to be said for not wanting to do everything. A CTR would be a fun single car to own. It can do all things I would need. Or a Golf R. Maybe a Tesla Model3 Performance. All of them can commute, run errands, carry mountain bikes, and accomplish amazing things on track/course.
My mind thinks of something entirely different when CTR comes up.
I don't think it would hold a bike, but it would be a fun commuter and could definitely accomplish amazing things on track.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:ProDarwin said:In reply to 1988RedT2 :
There is something to be said for not wanting to do everything. A CTR would be a fun single car to own. It can do all things I would need. Or a Golf R. Maybe a Tesla Model3 Performance. All of them can commute, run errands, carry mountain bikes, and accomplish amazing things on track/course.
My mind thinks of something entirely different when CTR comes up.
I don't think it would hold a bike, but it would be a fun commuter and could definitely accomplish amazing things on track.
I think you could figure out a way to put a decent hitch on it for a bike.
I've had some that came close. But then too, I will get bored with anything, eventually.
I have learned that too many takes away a lot of the enjoyment.
ProDarwin said:Pete. (l33t FS) said:ProDarwin said:In reply to 1988RedT2 :
There is something to be said for not wanting to do everything. A CTR would be a fun single car to own. It can do all things I would need. Or a Golf R. Maybe a Tesla Model3 Performance. All of them can commute, run errands, carry mountain bikes, and accomplish amazing things on track/course.
My mind thinks of something entirely different when CTR comes up.
I don't think it would hold a bike, but it would be a fun commuter and could definitely accomplish amazing things on track.
I think you could figure out a way to put a decent hitch on it for a bike.
Seasucker bike racks. Not that I have been shopping C4s and thinking about how to include my bike hobby.....
In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :
I am suddenly interested. How do those stay on the car at speed?
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