Test drives that ruin your life and/or would you spend all of your money on a car?

[YF19pilot]

Test drove a BMW 525i E39. Car fit like a glove. Dealer was commenting she thought it may have been chipped (it was used). Didn't go too far, but it was a blast.

Got back in my Volvo 740, ran the same route. Thought to myself "this will do".

I think the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed my Volvo kept me from considering wasting money on anything that wasn't a project. But now that I have this Honda I keep cruising ebay and craigslist just to see if some reasonably priced gem will pop up.

 

[captain_70s]

Due to being consistently poor every car I have ever considered would effectively bankrupt me, including the ?300 Reliant Rialto I considered buying in 2008.

I struggle to get interested or passionate about cars costing over 10k or so because I know chances are I'll never be able to afford them anyway.

 

[Mr.Woolery]

I've done that multiple times (spent all my money on a car). I'm pretty broke, but my garage makes me look rich.

 

[Der Stig]

My exact dream car- a 993 911 on PSS9s, with a half cage and Sparco seats. My neighbor's car, actually.

Another one would be a W123 300CD I looked at a few summers ago that was also exactly what I wanted- Petrol blue on Palomino with W208 CLK wheels. Too bad it was $900, i.e. my entire budget, $1100 with the wheels and it needed paint, motor mounts, the dash was ruined, etc., etc.

Shame really.

Oh, I also almost pawned my laptop to buy a W108 280SE 4.5 that I've never driven or even seen before in person.

I've done that multiple times (spent all my money on a car). I'm pretty broke, but my garage makes me look rich.

That's my goal in life :lol:

 

[Nugget]

One way of looking at it, my dad's Bugeye Sprite when I was growing up ruined me for life. I was beyond redemption even before I went on an actual test drive myself. Now I expect every car I own to be fun, nimble, and a joy to drive. I learned to drive in that Austin Healey and now every car I've climbed into since is held to that standard (for better or for worse).

As for ruinous test drives -- The afternoon in 2002 I went to go kill time at the local Porsche dealer to "just see how the Boxster S compared to my Miata" has cost me a lot of money over the years. I tried to scratch the itch with an M Roadster, but that didn't take. It was five years before I finally succumbed to the Porsche siren song, but I think it was inevitable from that first drive.

The cars have been affordable, but what money is left over I spend on tires and brake pads now, so the net effect is the same.

 

[edkwon]

I've learned that NO car is worth that kind o self torture, so I never put myself in that position. I can see it happening if I test drove a Ferrari or Aston martin level car, but I probably obsess or lose sleep over it.

 

[CAPT_Howdy]

My uncle ruined me for life. The first car I remember him having was a 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396, in Madera Maroon with a black interior and a 4 speed. I remember when he would downshift to pass a car and the secondaries would open up. The front end would lift and the torque would shove me back in my seat. I didn't feel that sensation again until I was 18 and test drove a 1970 Pontiac GTO - another muscle car. What can I say? I'm hooked. And now that I have a little money, I am finally going to buy the muscle/pony car of my dreams. But I'm not spending all of my money.

 

[Militant-Grunt]

I drove the 2012 A8L with the W12 motor. While driving the world around you is really not important, such an amazing car in every way. Brimmed with tech and it hauls ass.

 

[laxmax613]

I've gotta drive the new one. I bet the gearbox is smooth as butter. The manual override in my dad's is kinda shitty but the new one's gotta be great.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

FD3S. I can scarcely imagine a car being better.

 

[mitchell.scott]

The E30 325iS. Something about that car made me feel like I was driving an expensive watch rather than a car, but not in a boring way. The example I drove had 183k miles, but the gearbox still had a great snick-snick feel and sound to it, the suspension was tight, and the steering had just as much feel as a new 3er. The sport seats were great too. It just felt so well-engineered. It ruined me for E30s, and I have to find one in good shape. At the time, I was working for Audi and didn't want the flak of buying a BMW

 

[Viper007Bond]

I've been saving for years and will likely empty out about 90% of it (gotta save some for emergencies) plus take a relatively small loan out (easily paid off) all just to buy one stupid car within the next year or two. I have a nice apartment, but no house or anything (screw planning for the future ).

I'm sick and there's only one cure.

 

[rickhamilton620]

The 2009 Chevy Aveo 2 LT: From the moment the door shut with a solid thud and I wrapped my hands around the simulated leather steering wheel....I knew it was going to be my car someday.

J/K

To be perfectly honest, i'd pretty much sell my right arm to have a loaded last gen Jetta TDI. Seemed like a perfect mini luxury car with the leather, wood trim, and tech toys.

For example, absolutely sexy looking auto climate control: instead of just painting on numbers on a dial, there were digital displays indicating temp for both driver and passenger...little thing? Sure, but the little things matter and set this gen Jetta apart from the competition.

 

[Spectre]

For example, absolutely sexy looking auto climate control: instead of just painting on numbers on a dial, there were digital displays indicating temp for both driver and passenger...little thing? Sure, but the little things matter and set this gen Jetta apart from the competition.

Yes, it made it awful, which is why it didn't sell for crap here.

 

[Hbriz]

For example, absolutely sexy looking auto climate control: instead of just painting on numbers on a dial, there were digital displays indicating temp for both driver and passenger...little thing? Sure, but the little things matter and set this gen Jetta apart from the competition.

Digital display for climate control is an oddity? I can't remember the last time I've seen climate control without a screen on anything other than base models.

 

[Spectre]

Digital display for climate control is an oddity? I can't remember the last time I've seen climate control without a screen on anything other than base models.

It is in the cars he lusts after.

 

[rickhamilton620]

Digital display for climate control is an oddity? I can't remember the last time I've seen climate control without a screen on anything other than base models.

Yup, auto climate control w/out a screen is "a thing" here and I hate it. Suzuki (both Daewoo derived cars and otherwise) and Chrysler were/are repeat offenders:

Ignore the fact that the Sebring posted above has a MyGig/UConnect system that likely shows individual numbers for climate control: You could get auto climate control on models with a traditional radio.

Worse are some that only show a median number in the center, a extreme cold number in the left and a extreme hot number on the right:

What exactly is the point?!?

It is in the cars he lusts after.

Indeed, I'm a simple man!

 

[caro]

I've learned that NO car is worth that kind o self torture, so I never put myself in that position.

+1

Well, maybe a 911 Turbo...

 

[Lastsoul]

Yes, it made it awful, which is why it didn't sell for crap here.

Hey, this VAG bashing is getting pretty boring. We do know your point. And don't say it has to be crap just because rickhamilton620 likes it.

 

[captain_70s]

Hey, this VAG bashing is getting pretty boring. We do know your point. And don't say it has to be crap just because rickhamilton620 likes it.

Bear in mind that the things Spectre likes are limited to certain specs of Crown Vic and certain firearms. You should just simply expect him to dislike everything until otherwise stated.