True enough. And now that there is the "compact sport sedan" segment to the market, you can own a family car with over 300 HP.

 

Man, unless you make some serious cash if you wait until you get married you'll never have one. Most girls will want something family orinted. Not all but most. Plus if you have kids they just don't go well with vettes. And the most important thing is if you have any doughts about how much it will cost to own one then you can't afford one. I'm not saying your don't have the money or anything, it's just one of those things. If you have to ask how much then you can't afford it.

 

All good points... but remember that there are plenty of married guys who have kids, and a toy on the side. For some guys, it's jet skis. Others might have a nice fishing boat. Still others might have a tent trailer or Jeep.

It might not be a concours winner, but I am bound and determined to own a sports car at some point in my life. I guess I just need to think about it. Luckily, I am not in a hurry, so I can take a few weeks (or months) to come to a decision, if I deem it necessary to have it now. If anything, these cars cost more here in Michigan in the spring time, and I have been paying down the Protege at a faster rate than it's depreciation.

And, Billzebub brings up a good point. When kids do come into the picture, I am sure that a nice WRX will ease my automotive longing.

 

It works for me. Hauls the kid as easily as it hauls ***.

 

as long as its the sti

 

Well, I did stop in at a local dealer after work and take a look at a few C4 Vettes they had on the lot. The sales guys were long gone, so I could take my time and kick some tires. First off, the C4 Corvette has one hell of a nasty interior. I mean, it would look low rent in a bargain basement, rubber-mat pickup truck. We're talking panel gaps the size of Texas, and that Rubbermaid look that has plagued the general for too long. On the other hand, there's the LT1 under the hood...

For 14-18K, the C4 Vette I would be getting would be a used car. They all had shiny paint, a few minor rock chips, and low miles. Two of the five or so cars had manuals. The rest were automatics. Two of the cars had cracked weatherstripping (evidence of being outside). The manual cars were the most expensive, obviously. If I didn't insist on driving a manual, that 1996 Collector Edition silver C4 sure was nice, and priced right at under 15K. But, I just couldn't shake the notion that these are old, crudely built sports cars that are going to take a lot of tender loving care to keep them going. Such as Mobil 1 synthetic oil at every change (as GM recommends). Premium fuel (again, GM recommended). REALLY expensive tires when they wear down (and the rear ones would wear, uh, fast). Say goodbye to having a nice stereo, say goodbye to tight panel fits and three seatbelts if I get one of these. Then again, there's that LT1...

I don't know. Maybe I am better off keeping the P5, which is just a gem of a little car, and working the hp up to acceptable levels.

 

Look at the Caddy CTS-V if that's the only part of the car you like.

 

Just think how bloody quick your Pro would be with 10k into it, and enough $$ left over for a nice beater.

 

or..... Buy a mid ninties Miata with suspension goodies and a supercharger if you need a sports car. WRX's are also fast and abundant , no need to get the STi as you can mod a WRX as you go. Or as said mod the heck out of the P5 and buy a beater Protege for winter , all the parts that come off the P5 after you mod it can go on your beater. For all the maintence a Vette needs you could buy a shifter Kart and take it to open practice....a shifter Kart is way more fun than any Vette.


.02 more Tom

 

All rational reasons to shelve the Vette idea...
The problem is, as you well know, automotive decisions are made with the heart just as much as they are made with the mind, even by the most knowledgeable enthusiasts among us.