Guys,
My wife and I are buying a new “sports” car this year.
Nothing for daily use, just weekends and touring, maybe.
The prollem is, that no American manufacturer makes one we like.
Sure, I would love a Vette. But that’s out of my price range.
She wants a Mini Cooper.
How would you feel about buying a foreign made car in these days, when Detroit is shutting down.
What would your neighbors think?
I have mixed emotions about this.
jb
Jon,
What about the new Camaro?
Myself, I won’t buy a car not made in the USA.
Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW and others make cars here.
I don’t know if they still make the two seater Beamer, but it was made in SC and was not expensive.
Look some more. Maybe you will find something made here you like.
Ralph
What car IS 100% made in America anymore? If I was buying a “weekend warrior” for Sunday drives, I might consider buying a restored classic or antique.
I’d like an early 1950s pickup or an old Caddy, Buick, Chrysler, etc. maybe from the 50’s or 60’s. I’ve seen some at Barrett-Jackson go for very reasonable prices considering they are as new, only less popular than the Camaros and Mustangs.
Let us know what you get.
David Hill said:
What car IS 100% made in America anymore? If I was buying a "weekend warrior" for Sunday drives, I might consider buying a restored classic or antique.I’d like an early 1950s pickup or an old Caddy, Buick, Chrysler, etc. maybe from the 50’s or 60’s. I’ve seen some at Barrett-Jackson go for very reasonable prices considering they are as new, only less popular than the Camaros and Mustangs.
Let us know what you get.
Ralph,
I’ve looked at a Z-4.
Equipped the way we like it, we’re approaching Vette prices.
We basically have a 30 to 35 G budget for this new car.
So we are kinda screwed out of top end stuff.
The new Camaro looks good.
So does the new Challenger.
The Mustang is out, cause everyone around here has one.
It’s tough, cause except for the Vette, and those three above, all the Detroit makers put out “family” cars and SUVs.
The new Mustangs are plentiful around here too. Looks like Ford has done well with it.
Ralph
Depends what you mean by “sports car”. The Pontiac Solstice GXP is in my view a true sports car. Fast, sexy, handles as good as a Vette. Drop the top and go. It also has the true sports car down-side…barely room for a pair of shorts and a shave kit. Price…fully loaded about 32K, but they are dealing BIG time on 'em. You can get a base for about 24K with the non-turbo motor. I originally bought an '06. Had some serious differential issues (now fixed in the later models) so I traded mine in on an '08. If you need a bit more room you can get the coupe coming out in a few weeks. My opinion only…if it’s got room for more than two, or more than two doors, it’s a “sporty” car, Not a “sports car”. Oh, better yet, Wilmington Delaware…Made in the USA!
(http://www.autobytel.com/images/2006/Pontiac/Solstice_Staff/400/06_Pontiac_Solstice_10.jpg)
I am surprised that the Solstice has a fixed diff . Doesn’t it go through tyres rather quickly ?
Mike M
HAS to be a rag top, whichever you choose. The Saturn roadster looks cool, but the Solstice may beat it out.
Mike Morgan said:
I am surprised that the Solstice has a fixed diff . Doesn't it go through tyres rather quickly ?Mike M
Mr Verbrugge ,
I spoke in jest : I thought it was a bit of a giggle . I am sure that if you look back through my posts (sneaky way to get people to read them) I have made some real loud howlers .
Do you have a shorter version of your name ? Mr V seems too familiar , MV may be acceptable to you ?
best wishes
Mike M
Sorry Mike…I used to be taking wrong way, me no right so good! 
(my idea of a joke) I understand you now!
It’s Mark…Though I like MV too!
Later,
MV
MV it shall be .
I rather like the look of the car that you highlighted , it’s quite a racy looking thing . The only problem I see with ragtops is that they ruin what bit of hair I have left .
Here in the UK , I drive either my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7----quite sporty ----or my Son’s Landrover . Not quite so sporty . But , if you get the big Defender Estate , they are really something . My Son drives them for a living with the RAF . Mind you , he also drives tank transporters . Not very fast and gross on the juice .
Perhaps John could look at a Landrover Estate , to cart his trains around in .
Mike M
If GM files for bankruptcy, Pontiac and Saturn are on the chopping block. Along with Hummer.
So that rules out those two.
I looked thru the Camaro web site. Nice looking retro.
Not a true sports car, at least it’s a coupe.
It’s made in Canada. Or should I say assembled.
The Mini dealer called me today and said any special order car is at least 4 months out.
John Bouck said:
If GM files for bankruptcy, Pontiac and Saturn are on the chopping block. Along with Hummer. So that rules out those two. I looked thru the Camaro web site. Nice looking retro. Not a true sports car, at least it's a coupe. It's made in Canada. Or should I say assembled.The Mini dealer called me today and said any special order car is at least 4 months out.
I bought a 2009 Ford Fusion SE and love it. Unfortunately it was built in Mexico !!! Viva Detroit via Tijuana.
And the road goes on forever--------the old fardt is on the move.
I have two andropause cars.
The first is a '65 Mustang Coupe that I paid $400.00 for in 1971. It got me through grad school, and I kept it, giving it a driving restoration in 1992. It needs a little work, now, though. I’ve certainly got my $400.00 worth out of it.
The second is a '58 MGA Roadster. It even has a hand crank for those mornings when the two six volt batteries in series just don’t want to do the job. It needs a lot of work, but I keep pecking away at it. I bought it from my room mate while I was living in the barracks. He said that he just couldn’t get it started, anymore. I took a look at it and noticed that the hot wire to the electric fuel pump was really corroded. I told him that I liked to fool around with cars like that, and that as a favor to him, since he was deploying soon, that I would take it off his hands, and named an insultingly low figure, sure that he would never go for it. To my surprise, he agreed to it. An hour later, after cleaning the wire and contacts to the fuel pump, I was driving my own MGA! How it came to need a lot of work involves an ex-wife, and is best left untold.
(http://carzpage.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/2009_kia_soul_5w.jpg)
If I had to run out and buy a car to replace mine tommorow, it might be this. While I really do like the Solstice, but from a pure sports car perspective - if I could afford one, it would either be a new model Audi TT or a Porsche Cayman. I’m reading nothing but praise for the new TT.
(http://carsspyphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/2009-audi-tt-rs.jpg)
I just paid off two vehicle loans (both on used family transporters (A 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport and a 1998 Chevy Express Conversion van) Since I missed the boat on all the car dealerships wanting to deal (heh) I’m finding not so many deals on vehicles. I’d love to upgrade the conv. van but prices on those have skyrocketed. I need to carry 5 at any given time and tow the utility traielr at a moments notice it seems pretty regularly. So for now I continue to put money away for a rainy day. Waiting to see if any of the 4 dealerships across the street from where I work will still be around when I can afford a new car. I’m not a Ford person BUT I’ve always had a soft spot for Mustangs but as has been said the market has been saturated with the 6 cylinder versions and the 8’s are too high priced as “collectables”, sound familiar? Camaroas have never really done it for me. The Dodge dealership has pissed me off ($4000 to rebuild a tranny? No Thanks.) and they seem to be more of a Jeep dealership lately. The local Ford dealership tried to double charge my wife for repairs I did. Their excuse was they had to check my work and then tried to charge her for parts I put on. Um no. I’d be seriously inclined to support an “import” but there are none available locally where I live. My sister has had great luck with Hondas driving her first one close to 300K with no major repairs. Another relative has switched to all Subarus.
I’m with Vic I like the looks of the TT! Even if it is out of the price range. So is the Vette and that would be my wifes first and only choice.
Chas
Chas
