Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

There's someone who tells you to run through that procedure and monitors you? Who checks the clunks and leaks and rust, then?
 
I think something's wrong with me. I'm seriously thinking about buying a Mitsubishi Eclipse. :|
 
Yeah I know... I like cars that look awesome but are so unreliable.
 
Spectre said:
http://img223.imageshack.**/img223/963/crankwalk.jpg
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This reminds me, when I was at my mechanic's they had a 3000GT VR-4 there. The owner goes "ok you are next we fixed the VR-4 now he gonna go for a ride and" I interject "it will break again". The guy is like "don't even say that!" I go "sorry but I know these cars entirely too well..."
 
Yeah, the head gaskets were made of pancakes...
 
Too bad it's so hard to find one in stock condition. I used to love this car as a kid.
 
That and they fall apart. Mitsubishi doesn't exactly have a stellar reputation with reliability. The 3000GT being a good reason for this due to their over ambition with its technology.
 
Speaking of manufacturers with a horrible reliability record. I plan on selling the MG soon as I hardly drive it anymore now that I have a working motorcycle. If anyone here is interested PM me.
 
Cool Car Fact: In the '98 year, Ford sold over 3 times more Mustangs than Camaro/Firebird/TransAm put together!
 
Handz said:
Cool Car Fact: In the '98 year, Ford sold over 3 times more Mustangs than Camaro/Firebird/TransAm put together!
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What if you add Corvettes? If someone wanted a sports car (or close to it) from GM, they had a bit of a choice, but if they wanted a sports car from Ford, they were stuck with a Mustang.
 
TomCat said:
What if you add Corvettes? If someone wanted a sports car (or close to it) from GM, they had a bit of a choice, but if they wanted a sports car from Ford, they were stuck with a Mustang.
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Very True. But at the time (1998) Ford did own Aston-Martin and Jaguar so If you wanna count the entire ford motor company you had those to choose from as well lol.

But then again the corvette is not in the same price range as the mustang....

....also the XK8 and DB7 were not in the same price range as the corvette so they are all tough to compare.

Interesting how all these cross company comparisons work lol

Even if you add corvettes, I think it would still be more mustangs than Camaro/Firebird/TransAm/Corvette put together.
 
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Handz said:
Very True. But at the time (1998) Ford did own Aston-Martin and Jaguar so If you wanna count the entire ford motor company you had those to choose from as well lol.

But then again the corvette is not in the same price range as the mustang....

....also the XK8 and DB7 were not in the same price range as the corvette so they are all tough to compare.

Interesting how all these cross company comparisons work lol

Even if you add corvettes, I think it would still be more mustangs than Camaro/Firebird/TransAm/Corvette put together.
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I think adding Jags and Astons would be a stretch. I was just thinking about how much money you could spend on a Mustang nowadays. I've seen reviews with the new GT500 fully loaded costing well over $70k, which is Z06 Corvette territory. Of course, back in 1998 even a fully loaded SVT Cobra would struggle to reach a base C5 Corvette's price tag. How times have changed.
 
TomCat said:
I think adding Jags and Astons would be a stretch. I was just thinking about how much money you could spend on a Mustang nowadays. I've seen reviews with the new GT500 fully loaded costing well over $70k, which is Z06 Corvette territory. Of course, back in 1998 even a fully loaded SVT Cobra would struggle to reach a base C5 Corvette's price tag. How times have changed.
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I actually wanted to know this question.... So i just went to fords website and did a price and build for the most expensive 2013 GT500. Even with almost every option (aside from the Glass roof) the price was $63,175... and thats with all the options like big stereo, recaro seats, upgrade this and that.

Boss 302 Laguna Seca is $49,995.

People always say larger numbers than normal because there are those dumb people that actually pay the dealer mark up :)

I wish Ford had a 2 seater sports car but we all know it wouldnt sell :-(
 
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I met the weirdest car salesman yesterday. I had a trackday organized by local Miata Club and close by to the track was a guy selling a 406 Coupe which I'm trying to find for my parents. It was a diesel, but I was still interested as the specs were good and those HDi diesels are pretty good for diesels.

The car was sold at the yard of the salesman, but everything was neatly organized and all of the few cars were clean etc. Pretty promising. I talked to the guy a bit and started to inspect the vehicle. Immediately when I checked the underside he said "Strange that you're so interested in the condition of the car, as your own car looks like that" and he pointed to my MX-5. That was a bit strange thing to hear from a salesman :D

Anyway, when I responded "yeah, it's mainly for track driving so few dents don't make a difference" he continued "oh, I see. I just bought a '98 911 Carrera :cool:" "okay... anyway, I guess you too inspect the car you're buying" "No, the deals between me and the dealers are based on trust between us". Minutes later he tried to make up the mistake and said he might to few basic checks.

On the test drive the car was exactly as he described on the phone. Totally mint except front stabilizer end links, which are cheap and common problem. So I can't blame him on dishonesty at all. The price was pretty good too and as 406 Coupes are rare in Finland I thought it might not be a bad idea to buy a diesel. But then the guy just said "yeah, it doesn't make a difference how much bullshit we are going to speak" and left back to his house :blink:

I went back to my car and as I was lowering the roof he came back and started to walk away from the yard. I had to tell him "You know, this is not the most efficient way to sell cars..." "Ha, I know from experience of 600 sold cars that you're not going to buy that car!" "Well, not anymore... but the problem isn't the car..."


I just can't understand how somebody can be so offended at when a potential buyer wants to check the condition of 10 years old and 250k km driven vehicle? Even more so when the car in question really is in excellent condition.
 
Handz said:
I actually wanted to know this question.... So i just went to fords website and did a price and build for the most expensive 2013 GT500. Even with almost every option (aside from the Glass roof) the price was $63,175... and thats with all the options like big stereo, recaro seats, upgrade this and that.

Boss 302 Laguna Seca is $49,995.

People always say larger numbers than normal because there are those dumb people that actually pay the dealer mark up :)

I wish Ford had a 2 seater sports car but we all know it wouldnt sell :-(
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Whoops, my bad memory added an extra $10k by mistake. :lol: Still though, it's deep into Corvette territory.

But for what it's worth, I think the 1998 Mustang was a much more appealing car than the Camaro or Firebird. Just looking at photos of your car shows how well the design has aged. It still looks great, even by today's standards.
 
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TomCat said:
Whoops, my bad memory added an extra $10k by mistake. :lol: Still though, it's deep into Corvette territory.

But for what it's worth, I think the 1998 Mustang was a much more appealing car than the Camaro or Firebird. Just looking at photos of your car shows how well the design has aged. It still looks great, even by today's standards.
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Yeah true that.... F-body's have always been "eh" to me.

But then again Corvette design was lightyears ahead of mustangs in 1998 lol
 
Lastsoul said:
I just can't understand how somebody can be so offended at when a potential buyer wants to check the condition of 10 years old and 250k km driven vehicle? Even more so when the car in question really is in excellent condition.
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I check out cars recreationally for people.

I've had sellers (some private, some dealers) get upset almost universally when I do anything beyond yanking out the dipstick and verifying oil level.

A dealer selling a shady-assed econobox on the internets got upset when I bothered to walk around to the side he'd carefully kept out of the Craigslist photographs and found out an entire corner was caved in, even.

These days I have the potential buyer more or less distract the seller while I do my business.
 
Crested a hill today to find a Clydesdale horse briskly trotting in the opposite direction.

It's slightly awkward driving to random people's houses and asking "you don't have a horse do you?". :lol: Glad it was on the opposite side of the road otherwise I'd have been fucked.
 
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