A Car

[superpug1]

Seeing as politics is verboten, lets talk about the next best thing, cars!
I am going to field training next summer and as kind of an atta boy my whole family is pitching in to help me get a new car. So far I like the idea of getting a new Camaro SS (black, 6 spd, LS3, teh sexxy pretty much), but thats the stratosphere of my price cap. If thats not attainable I was thinking 4 door cobalt ss tc. If not that then maybe a nice use 911. Anyone had any personal experience with the last two? Any ideas other than the mentioned?

[avionix]

Being that I have some family members in this area, how old are you and do you have any speeds?  If you are young, the insurance may be more than you car payments.  Have seen 18 year olds with Mustangs that have had monthly premiums of about $600. 

Not trying to ruin your mood.  Just food for thought. 

[superpug1]

No haha, I understand. I've thought about it. I will be 20 by the time I get it. Never had any speeding tickets, wrecks, accidents, parking tickets, I was an A B student in HS and have kept been on the Dean's list every semester so far in college. Plus my insurance is with USAA so my premiums wont be very high.
I know what you meen, one of my friends had a Camaro SS in HS as his first car. He payed out the @55 until he broke it in half. He was luck to walk away from that.
I just love cars and my parents and I are looking at this as kind of a reward for doing well and motivation for continuing to do so. Plus after getting my bellybutton kicked next semester all semester for field training prep and then for 4 weeks 24/7 over the summer I think I deserve somethin more than the 700 the USAF will pay me.

[pxdig]

Super,

Forget the camaro,  it is a first year production run (bugs!) and it will be really, really, overprice since the wait has been so long.  Instead, go for a Mustang, it will be much cheaper and look 100 times better (IMO).  With just a couple of grand more you can have it looking like mine, check it out.....

[superpug1]

    I thought about mustangs but I dont want a Ford. Dont get me wrong, great car, but Id love something that can turn. So if I found one of those SVT cobras with the IRS I may go for it, but most people pulled em out for a live axle for drag racing.
    Only advantage I can see with getting a first run camaro is that it could be worth more after a few decades. And we've never had first year bugs with GM vehicles. My dad got the Dmax in 2001, one of the first in the state. Only prob was the injectors and that was a free fix at 150,000 miles, its got 160,000 on it now no probs. My 87 chevy was the first year for EFI in a chevy truck, not problems except for the tank selector switch, but that was repared in the 90s. Even my moms Ford 500 hasnt had any problems (except for a rubbing sound comming from the rear under the trunk when you hit a dip in the road).
Yall have had some good advice and ideas though, thanks.

[oakranger]

Seeing as politics is verboten, lets talk about the next best thing, cars!
I am going to field training next summer and as kind of an atta boy my whole family is pitching in to help me get a new car. So far I like the idea of getting a new Camaro SS (black, 6 spd, LS3, teh sexxy pretty much), but thats the stratosphere of my price cap. If thats not attainable I was thinking 4 door cobalt ss tc. If not that then maybe a nice use 911. Anyone had any personal experience with the last two? Any ideas other than the mentioned?

Let me give you a suggestions:  BUY AMERICAN MADE CAR.  Sure, you can get a Nissan or Toyota.  They have high resale value, good milage but, they are getting to the point of breaking down faster.  Cars like Ford last a hell lot longer and you will have a at least five Ford certified mechanic near by.  I am near Wichita, Ks.  We have one Toyota, Nissan and VW dealership and 10 Ford, GMC dealership.  

[superpug1]

Ya, American cars are getting MUCH better. They are extremely competitive now, compared to a few years ago. The Cobalt SS is a beast. I drove one over the summer and it beat the crap out the competition. The ride was great but it handled well, got 34mpg at 70 mph, would set your head against the head rest in 5th gear.

[Saxman]

dig, I envy you.

The reliability reports on the new Mustangs have been pretty good. The 3-year report on the 05's indicate no major problems.

I just can't afford 20,000-30,000 for a car.

Maybe I can find a used 05 somewhere....

[john9001]

I know what you meen, one of my friends had a Camaro SS in HS as his first car. He payed out the @55 until he broke it in half. He was luck to walk away from that.

"until he broke it in half", thats why young males with powerful cars pay allot for insurance. I guess his parents bought him another one.

[superpug1]

haha noo, he didnt get another until senior year when he scraped enough together for a 1978 ford van. Ya its unfortunate for those of us that are somewhat responsible drivers.

[Grayeagle]

Go to the corvette forum.

www.corvetteforum.com

look in any of the tabs for C6, C5, C4, C3 for sale
(depending on how old a car you like)

C6 and C5 will run circles around any Mustang in comparable price range.
If you opt for a 10 year old Vette or so..insurance wont dog you out too bad either.
They just dont cost much.. and on the forum you can find pristine stock low mileage,
..or modded to the moon, or hi mile inexpensive Vette's ..
..whatever floats your boat

They will make you smile every time you get into it.
The downside is.. older ones may need repair now an then
(I got an idler pully startin to squeal,
had to replace the battery 2 years ago,
and headlight controller module had pins completely rusted away
.. LOL .. it's 122k miles an counting, gets 30mpg at 70mph, 24 around town,
330hp and 3300lbs approx, runs the quarter about a second faster than Mustang GT
(lost count of how many I put down at Speedworld.. I mean
.. dime a dozen applies, an they all want to 'show me' .. ROFL)





Z51 option will net you stiffer road racing suspension, G90 will give you the lower gears in back, ..and of course, Z06 is the big dog of the bunch at 405hp, 6 gear.. but the top doesnt come off, and I can build to exceed Z06 hp easily.

-Frank aka GE (bang for the buck applies)

[DiabloTX]

I know we've already had this discussion before.

Mustangs...what metrosexuals drive.

[mg1942]

Just get E36 chassis with LS/T56 conversion.



You get Amerikan raw power with German/Japanese philosophy of refinement and handling/balance.  The best the world coukd offer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC-5G7hpRYI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r82qX2VjqZc

[Steve]

Super,

Forget the camaro,  it is a first year production run (bugs!) and it will be really, really, overprice since the wait has been so long.  Instead, go for a Mustang, it will be much cheaper and look 100 times better (IMO).  With just a couple of grand more you can have it looking like mine, check it out.....

How much do the extra ground effects weigh? I often wonder about bolt ons that degrade performance. I never understood the attraction.

[Cobra516]

'03 Cobra - an extremely fun street car - the way the power comes on with the Eaton blower (or Kenne Bell if you decide to upgrade!) is really something.  Instant power at any RPM.  You can find nice ones for low mid $20's - very well built, extremely strong engine/drivetrain.  The engine is capable of holding 600+ RWHP (if you decided to do a Kenne Bell) reliably so long as it's tuned properly (the record is a hair over 1,000 RWHP on the stock longblock, but that won't last).  They don't do too bad of job turning, with the IRS and a decent set of tires.  I run the Nitto 315's in the rear and 275's up front, works well for straight line and mountain drives (although with the big sticky meat in the rear it will push before it oversteers). 

I had the factory blower ported by Steigemeier (Stage IV) and a 2.8 upper pulley, 4lb lower Metco setup and the supporting mods like intake/exhaust.  Makes 516 RWHP and 530 RWTQ.  However it is quite heavy, at 3,665 lbs - so a Vette only needs about 440-450 RWHP to run even, from my experience.  Some photos of mine, I just think they look awesome - and they're extremely rare to see on the road, despite the fact that they made ~14,000 of them!




3rd gear punch from 60.  I love the blower whine!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBSpx6RUs2s

However, a heads/cam C5 Z06 would also be a heck of a lot of fun, and be more of a total package, with the handling/braking to go along with the straight line punch.