What car are you drooling over today?

13778 Views 215 Replies 19 Participants Last post by wadespencer99, 1 mo ago

mmc757

Discussion Starter · Apr 2, 2020

Inspired by B3nn3tts post, and also a thread I saw on another forum, Here's a thread for whatever random hunk of metal is turning your head on any given day

Here's mine this week...A kit:

www.factoryfive.com

Type 65 Coupe - Factory Five Racing

All-New Gen 3 Coupe The Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe is Here. The Gen 3 Factory Five Daytona Coupe replica…

www.factoryfive.com

I wouldn't put all the racing stickers on it, I would stick with a straight black or red paint job and I'm undecided about the stripes. Maybe for black, almost definitely not for red.

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161 - 180 of 216 Posts

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #161 · Jan 10, 2022

RALYCAT said:
So it is larger than the old Ranger, has less bed space than the old Ranger while seating the same number of people, and costs more... ($25,486.56 for a loaded 4wd supercab after accounting for inflation for the 1991 we had) It has more towing capacity if you get the packages, but still too low for almost anything I've needed to tow in the last decade. Hybrid efficiency is nice but I actually keep my cars more than a year, so maintenance remains to be seen on that.

I've always preferred a truck for less money and more functionality at the expense of creature comforts. I would snatch up one of these in a heartbeat if I could find one here:
View attachment 81752

There's one for sale near me:

Automotive parking light Tire Land vehicle Vehicle Wheel

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jaged

· #162 · Jan 10, 2022

those things scare the bejezus out of me when i see one going into a corner. I did talk to me dad about getting one of those instead of a side by side to use around the yard

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #163 · Jan 10, 2022

I'll bet they're super sketchy without a load in the rear.

RALYCAT

· #164 · Jan 11, 2022

What you forget is that the engine etc is under the bed behind the driver, so the weight balance is usually pretty close to 50/50. Center of gravity is also low...

JScullin

· #165 · Jan 11, 2022

Mighty Car Mods did a series on modifying one and they're more capable than they let on.

wadespencer99

· #166 · Jan 11, 2022

Roadkill Garage took a short road trip in one of the old Ford Econolines of that style...and destroyed it in a fairly impressive fashion:

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #167 · Jan 21, 2022

I know I've talked about getting a new car about a million times over the years, but my latest water pump failure is really making me think its time.
Right this minute I'm looking at Transit-connects and Ram Promaster-city's.
All the reviews have them pretty much equal in most regards...the Ram seems to be slightly better rated, but the differences are minimal. If I pull the trigger on one of these it will most likely be whichever one I can find closest, as its definitely a sellers market out there right now.

Parking space is a big concern for me so I don't want a full size truck or van but I really want more hauling capability than my wife's Grand Cherokee has to offer.
Both of these small vans are pretty close to the same dimensions as a Cougar.
I would also like a "road trip friendly" vehicle that gets decent gas mileage with reasonable comfort.
In addition to my frequent road trips, my wife also makes frequent trips in the summer to grooming competitions and dog shows. We have a small trailer for camping but that's not always necessary so sometimes just a van would be nice.

Of course, the wind could blow in from another direction and I start shopping for something else entirely...that Miata or a Frontier are both still strong possibilities. A Frontier would be nice as a second tow vehicle and also an open bed for hauling but not great for road trips that don't require the trailer.

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B3NN3TT

· #168 · Jan 21, 2022

This is really not in the "drooling over" category anymore, but since we're talking about this sort of thing...

Similarly - I'm looking at options for something that can haul 2 dogs in crates, as well as luggage for 2 and any incidentals. I don't want some truck-based monstrosity, and I don't want some curvy crossover disgrace. An early Escape might be nearly a fit, but those are all so rusted out by now, in this part of the country, and I REALLY don't want to worry about a 15-year-old CD4E. So the front-runner for now is the Honda Element. It offers unconventional styling, amazing utility, 4-cylinder frugality, VTEC "power", a manual transmission, and available AWD. Too bad the newest ones are now 10 years old...

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #169 · Jan 21, 2022 (Edited)

B3NN3TT said:
This is really not in the "drooling over" category anymore, but since we're talking about this sort of thing...

Similarly - I'm looking at options for something that can haul 2 dogs in crates, as well as luggage for 2 and any incidentals. I don't want some truck-based monstrosity, and I don't want some curvy crossover disgrace. An early Escape might be nearly a fit, but those are all so rusted out by now, in this part of the country, and I REALLY don't want to worry about a 15-year-old CD4E. So the front-runner for now is the Honda Element. It offers unconventional styling, amazing utility, 4-cylinder frugality, VTEC "power", a manual transmission, and available AWD. Too bad the newest ones are now 10 years old...

I've owned Grand Cherokees nearly continuously since '98 and would confidently recommend them based on your criteria (except the gas mileage and manual trans). We currently haul three dogs in crates and two dogs out of crates, along with our luggage in our 2015. We recently bought a tow-hitch rack to elevate our luggage capacity and that works out really well for the dogs. My only real problem with the Jeep is that I can't haul 4x8 sheets and I don't want to load it up with gravel or garbage for dump runs. I had a custom roof rack for my previous jeeps that I would haul sheets on but this one has a monster sunroof that I'm nervous about so I stay off the roof on this one.
If a GC is a little more vehicle than you want than the smaller Jeeps are all great too. I test drove a Renegade a few months ago and really liked it a lot. I would stay away from the Patriot or Compass, but the Liberty, Renegade or Cherokee are all great vehicles closer to the Escape size.

Xterra's are actually really great too and the Nissan V6 is a world-class motor.

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B3NN3TT

· #170 · Jan 21, 2022

Took a Liberty for a test drive a few years back, and it was OK. Even tried out a PT Cruiser turbo, which is a shockingly useful vehicle despite its clownish image. I just have kind of an overall distaste for Chrysler products though, to be honest. My sister has a newer GC, and that's WAY too much car for me. And my parents just unloaded an AWD Pacifica that was a whole universe of maintenance nightmares. My other sister once had a 92 Cherokee 2-door 4.0 with the manual trans; that would be amazing, but talk about unobtanium, LOL. I wonder what ever happened to that car...

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #171 · Jan 21, 2022

B3NN3TT said:
...My other sister once had a 92 Cherokee 2-door 4.0 with the manual trans; that would be amazing, but talk about unobtanium, LOL. I wonder what ever happened to that car...

It recently sold at auction for seventy bazillion dollars

That really would be a special find though...

I would think a long-legged person would feel a little tight in a Liberty.

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #172 · Jan 21, 2022

I think this is the time to buy new rather than used, if a person can find what they're looking for.
New inventories are kind of sparse so that sucks, but inflation hasn't really taken hold of the new car prices yet whereas the used car market is completely insane. I'm sure the new car prices will start to climb with the mid-year refreshes and by next year everything will be $5k more than they are right now.

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #173 · Jan 25, 2022

My current debate:

Automotive parking light Wheel Car Tire Vehicle

I'm hoping to choose one or the other this week and get the ball rolling on purchasing one of them.
Obviously this is an apples and oranges situation and there's no good way to compare the two, so its a tough debate.
Smart odds are currently on the van but it could honestly go either way right now.

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B3NN3TT

· #174 · Jan 25, 2022

Man, I would go for a Transit over a ProMaster any day of the week, being how it's just a tall Duratec Focus. But I guess I'm a little Focus-biased, having owned 3 of them now, LOL...

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #175 · Jan 26, 2022

B3NN3TT said:
Man, I would go for a Transit over a ProMaster any day of the week, being how it's just a tall Duratec Focus. But I guess I'm a little Focus-biased, having owned 3 of them now, LOL...

They are rated really close in most every way. The Promaster has a little more power but not much.
The thing I do like better in the Promaster is the rear seat and window configuration for the wagon variant. It's more like a cargo van with rear seats whereas the Transit wagon is more of a true people hauler with three rows of seating and windows all around.
All models of both the Ford and the Ram are shipped from europe with rear seats installed, then they get reconfigured domestically prior to sale so presumably I could configure either one pretty much any way I want if I can find the seats somewhere, but the promaster is easier to find already configured the way I want it.

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #176 · Feb 2, 2022 (Edited)

I stumbled across a really well documented thread for someone doing the Rocketeer Jag 3.0 swap into a Miata. I had suspected that Rocketeer wasnt really in production but he just ordered his stuff last year so I guess they are.

Great read:

JScullin

· #177 · Feb 2, 2022 (Edited)

I remember seeing a video of either a 2.5 or 3.0 swap into a Miata or Caterham and it used ITB's instead of the stock manifold setup. Sounded amazing.

Rocketeer Jag 3.0 V6 conversion - Page 2 - Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata - PistonHeads UK

www.pistonheads.com

fb.watch

The Jaguar AJ30 sounds glorious on throttle bodies. #mazdamx5 #engineconversion #jaguar #v6 #miata #mx5 #carsofinstagram #engineswap #sportscar | By Rocketeer | Facebook

2.5K views, 60 likes, 8 loves, 23 comments, 13 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Rocketeer: The Jaguar AJ30 sounds glorious on throttle bodies. #mazdamx5 #engineconversion #jaguar #v6 #miata #mx5...

fb.watch

Wrong V6 but still sounds good. ~~Might've been this:~~

Reactions: 1

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #178 · Feb 3, 2022 (Edited)

mmc757 said:
My current debate:
View attachment 82300
I'm hoping to choose one or the other this week and get the ball rolling on purchasing one of them.
Obviously this is an apples and oranges situation and there's no good way to compare the two, so its a tough debate.
Smart odds are currently on the van but it could honestly go either way right now.

Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

Little brain won this round.

I already did the paperwork so they could close the deal before the end of January in exchange for a little bonus on the warranty package. They're putting snow tires on it for me today, and I'll be picking it up Saturday, weather permitting.
Its a new 2021 RF GT black/black 6 speed manual.

Tire Wheel Car Land vehicle Automotive parking light

This does create a parking problem for me, so I really need to retire the Zn as soon as possible. I'll take it out of service permanently in probably early April. I'm going to be spending the rest of the Winter in Ohio for work so I'll take the Miata there next week and keep my fingers crossed for an easy February. The Cougar will be okay at home while I'm gone.

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B3NN3TT

· #179 · Feb 3, 2022

I love everything about it

mmc757

Discussion Starter · #180 · Feb 3, 2022

In a better market, I might have chosen a different color combination but I'm very happy with it. The options are exactly what I was looking for.

161 - 180 of 216 Posts