Help me pick my next car
#1
Help me pick my next car
So i'm going to put up my car for sale. Love my wrx to death, but i'm getting bored and need something different for now. I'm probably moving to so cal, got accepted to CSU Northridge and would make the trip back to norcal pretty often to so looking for something classy, cool, comfortable, relatively reliable and economical.
I was thinking thinks like:
e46 bmw 3 series coupe w/5spd then throw some springs and bbs lm reps.
maybe put a tow hitch on the back so I can pull around a track bike again.
old cheap miata to tool around in and throw some cheap xxr's or something old school looking with springs
infiniti g35
and open to other suggestions! what do you guys things about the choices i'm thinking of? and feel free to suggest your own ideas. Basically just bored and trying to kill time by figuring out what car I want to get.
And what do you guys know about Northridge? right near LA. Where's a good area to live to be able to still make it to school there? etc.
TIA guuuiiise.
I was thinking thinks like:
e46 bmw 3 series coupe w/5spd then throw some springs and bbs lm reps.
maybe put a tow hitch on the back so I can pull around a track bike again.
old cheap miata to tool around in and throw some cheap xxr's or something old school looking with springs
infiniti g35
and open to other suggestions! what do you guys things about the choices i'm thinking of? and feel free to suggest your own ideas. Basically just bored and trying to kill time by figuring out what car I want to get.
And what do you guys know about Northridge? right near LA. Where's a good area to live to be able to still make it to school there? etc.
TIA guuuiiise.
#5
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 1,345
Car Info: '01 GC8 & '96 OBS
I like your choices so far (bmw, g35) except the miata. Unless you don't care about room or power (if left stock) then they really don't have a lot to offer imo. At 70mph they are at like 4200 rpms and it's pretty obnoxious.
#6
Ya, the g35 with brembos is one of my faves. I like coupes though. A 3 series could be had for cheap...and the miata makes sense as a $2k solution for putting on 500 miles each way to Sonora and Chico. Or another cheap economic solution. Maybe two cars...depending on where I can move to. Would be cool to have a baller bmw or g35 or even keep my subie as the "nice" car. lol
So hard to decide though! It all comes down to my car hopefully selling though. I want to paint it a new color, but everyone says it would greatly decrease the resale value.
So hard to decide though! It all comes down to my car hopefully selling though. I want to paint it a new color, but everyone says it would greatly decrease the resale value.
#10
If you're going to live far away or drive everywhere. Think about getting an auto. My summer commute last year was 45min through OC to SGV. Shifting was brutal for stop and go. Especially in dress shoes.
Plus it's easier to convince your friends to drive if you've had to much sauce and/or are too tired. I've shot myself in the foot by taking my car to Vegas from Norcal, and ended driving to and from the whole 10 hours each way.
Plus it's easier to convince your friends to drive if you've had to much sauce and/or are too tired. I've shot myself in the foot by taking my car to Vegas from Norcal, and ended driving to and from the whole 10 hours each way.
#11
LOL i'm all in for that. Blending in is the key, right?
I would love to. Maintenance on an m3 is a lil too much for me. I decided to drop my expectations down to an e46 3 series. Although if I had two cars, a cheap beater dd and an m3, that would be cool.
I don't really want a 4 door, but i'd love to have an IS, but still too pricey for me, and for that price, it wouldn't be economical for making 1000 miles roundtrips to norcal...although would be comfy.
I don't really want a 4 door, but i'd love to have an IS, but still too pricey for me, and for that price, it wouldn't be economical for making 1000 miles roundtrips to norcal...although would be comfy.
#12
Registered User
iTrader: (12)
And as far as bmw, in my opinion, I wouldn't buy one that isn't an M...I might catch some flak for saying that so ill explain why
My dad had a z3 coupe (I learned to drive in this car), uncle had a e36 328 and now a e46 330, a friend with an e36 m3 and now my dad has a z4m coupe...and I like driving my wrx more than the non-M cars...my wrx is stg1 with suspension upgrades, not fast by anymeans..I guess I'm an awd turbo junkie now so non-M bmws don't do it for me anymore
And seeing them deal with maintainence $$$, I def wouldn't go bmw...I'd go infiniti or lexus for luxury
So I stand by my picks - g35 sedan (6spd manual only) or an lgt with a stickshift as well
My dad had a z3 coupe (I learned to drive in this car), uncle had a e36 328 and now a e46 330, a friend with an e36 m3 and now my dad has a z4m coupe...and I like driving my wrx more than the non-M cars...my wrx is stg1 with suspension upgrades, not fast by anymeans..I guess I'm an awd turbo junkie now so non-M bmws don't do it for me anymore
And seeing them deal with maintainence $$$, I def wouldn't go bmw...I'd go infiniti or lexus for luxury
So I stand by my picks - g35 sedan (6spd manual only) or an lgt with a stickshift as well
#13
And as far as bmw, in my opinion, I wouldn't buy one that isn't an M...I might catch some flak for saying that so ill explain why
My dad had a z3 coupe (I learned to drive in this car), uncle had a e36 328 and now a e46 330, a friend with an e36 m3 and now my dad has a z4m coupe...and I like driving my wrx more than the non-M cars...my wrx is stg1 with suspension upgrades, not fast by anymeans..I guess I'm an awd turbo junkie now so non-M bmws don't do it for me anymore
And seeing them deal with maintainence $$$, I def wouldn't go bmw...I'd go infiniti or lexus for luxury
So I stand by my picks - g35 sedan (6spd manual only) or an lgt with a stickshift as well
My dad had a z3 coupe (I learned to drive in this car), uncle had a e36 328 and now a e46 330, a friend with an e36 m3 and now my dad has a z4m coupe...and I like driving my wrx more than the non-M cars...my wrx is stg1 with suspension upgrades, not fast by anymeans..I guess I'm an awd turbo junkie now so non-M bmws don't do it for me anymore
And seeing them deal with maintainence $$$, I def wouldn't go bmw...I'd go infiniti or lexus for luxury
So I stand by my picks - g35 sedan (6spd manual only) or an lgt with a stickshift as well
I still have yet to test drive any cars. I've never even had a chance to actually drive a e46, m3, or g35 but the idea of a 6spd and brembo'd, clean and slick g35 sounds good.
#15
Registered User
iTrader: (15)
take it from me since i buy and sell cars.
ive had a g35, and a 350z and both to me were crappy cars. im not a big fan of either one. the g35 is alot more comfy than a z but its the same crappy motor. theyre not as reliable as people think. id much rather go with the new g37 or g35 sedan. as far as the bmw crowd, i owned a bmw z3m coupe for quite some time and it was very very fun to drive. it was comfy and quick and of corse turned heads everywhere since it was rare. i also had a e36 m3 before and it was basicly the same as my m-coupe besides the looks. theyre not as fast as my sti of corse, but are still quick. also, i drive my friends e46 m3's all the time and theyre probably your best bet in something fast, reliable, and comfortable. my buddy has a e46 zcp (competition package) in smg and itd be perfect for you since you can go auto and manual. only downside is that its still a little expensive to maintain. but the g35 and z i had were pretty pricey as well. just leaving that out here for you to consider. id go e46 m3 or e92 335i.
ive had a g35, and a 350z and both to me were crappy cars. im not a big fan of either one. the g35 is alot more comfy than a z but its the same crappy motor. theyre not as reliable as people think. id much rather go with the new g37 or g35 sedan. as far as the bmw crowd, i owned a bmw z3m coupe for quite some time and it was very very fun to drive. it was comfy and quick and of corse turned heads everywhere since it was rare. i also had a e36 m3 before and it was basicly the same as my m-coupe besides the looks. theyre not as fast as my sti of corse, but are still quick. also, i drive my friends e46 m3's all the time and theyre probably your best bet in something fast, reliable, and comfortable. my buddy has a e46 zcp (competition package) in smg and itd be perfect for you since you can go auto and manual. only downside is that its still a little expensive to maintain. but the g35 and z i had were pretty pricey as well. just leaving that out here for you to consider. id go e46 m3 or e92 335i.