So you want a supercar? Part 1 - The Basics

"Battery Tender Unnecessary" (carac) 09/24/2013 at 16:59 • Filed to: Supercars, SLS AMG

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This isn't about how to get a supercar, it's about what to expect once you've got it. The things you may never have considered. Part 1 is going to cover the basic things you will experience on a day to day basis. Later parts will cover the less frequent and more obscure parts of ownership. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! so I thought I might go more in-depth.

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Most of us grew up with posters of supercars on the wall. Our imaginations produce an idealized world where our garages are full of exotic cars we drive hard and fast. A perfect world. But the world isn't perfect, and most of us will never get the chance to own a supercar, let alone a garage full of them. However, it's not all doom and gloom. There is a chance through luck, circumstance, or hard work that anyone of us can achieve a fraction of that childhood dream and own a supercar. So what happens when you end up being one of the "lucky" ones. You find yourself with the means and opportunity to buy into the rarified air of supercar ownership. You also find that your dreams left out a lot of the details.

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1) Acquisition

Just getting the car can end up being an odyssey. Let's assume you're going to buy a new supercar. Spending upwards of $125k dollars means you're going to want it your way: a specific paint, specific interior, specific options, and the peace of mind of being the sole owner. Once you've chosen the model you want, you have to tangle with a sales associate, his manager, and the dealership as a whole. There are a few great ones out there if you look hard enough. But the vast majority act like they are doing you a favor by existing and would rather make a quick sale than earn a repeat customer. Some dealers, particularly Ferrari's, make it especially hard since they want to see a history of ownership of their older cars before they will even allow you to buy a new one. And if you are relatively young like me, (early 30s), many won't take you seriously at first. Expect them to ask for a sizable deposit to prove your intentions, which is understandable. A 30-40 something guy walks in, says he wants to order a supercar you only get a couple of a year. They don't want to get stuck with a hard to sell, custom ordered car they might have to end up trading to a high volume dealer for next to nothing. Then there's financing and insurance. With a high enough credit score, car purchase history, and a reasonable deposit most won't have trouble getting a loan these days (just don't get in over your head). Believe it or not, even with a spotless record, getting insurance is harder. Mainly because only a handful of companies will touch cars that are worth more than $125-150k. But, eventually the paperwork and personal finance inquiries will end and you'll have the car of your dreams in the driveway.

2) The first drive

I'm sure there are first-time supercar owners that will say "I was driving 10/10ths after a few minutes" or "pssssht, driving a supercar ain't no thing"...those people are crazy. I'm in a profession where 90% of my day is surgical procedures. Blood, pus, tissue and medically compromised patients. I've developed a calm, cool head in high stress situations and I still had a stomach full of butterflies driving off the lot. You have the mix of elation/reflief that you've finally reached your goal combined with a foreboding dread that someone is going to hit you. The closer you are to purchase day, the more it feels like everyone is out to get you. It's a feeling that subsides with time. You probably won't have that same feeling of butterflies again until you get around to your first track day...but that's for a future post.

3) Be prepared to form a mental FAQ

You WILL be asked these questions, be ready to answer them multiple times in a day:

How fast have you gone in it?

How long have you had it?

Can I take a picture of it?

Can you pop the hood?

What is it?

How much did it cost?

You know how many Mustang GTs that would buy?

What do you do for a living?

How much do you make?

Are you married?

Do you have kids?

Can I have a ride?

Did you look at a 458? (Unless what you've bought is a 458)

How many tickets have you gotten?

And sometimes more intrusive and personal questions from someone you met 10 seconds ago.

4) Find more time in your schedule for "random encounters"

Most of us take for granted how uneventful a typical day with a car is. You need gas? You stop, fill up, and drive away. Want something to eat? You drive down to your favorite food place, eat in or take out, and go on your way. Need something from the store? Drive down to Home Depot, Best Buy, or wherever it is, buy it, and go home. If you need to do any of these activities in a supercar, expect to need an additional 20-30 minutes to get it done.

The most time consuming of these is getting gas. You're out of the car, you're surrounded by bored people pumping gas and looking around, it's not considered awkward or weird to strike up a conversation with someone at the pump across from you, people are coming and going out of the station. Prime conditions for a random conversation about a car they've never seen before. Be prepared to answer at least two or three of the questions above. And if your car has unconventional doors, close them as fast as possible if you are in a hurry since it will reduce the likelihood of being "detained" and if you're feeling a little social feel free to leave them open and get ready for discussion.

5) Always assume someone is taking your picture or filming you at any given time.

If you frequent Jalopnik enough you will know there is a steady stream of people in supercars doing stupid things. Drag racing, having accidents, you name it. You may have thought to yourself, "That had to be set up, because why would someone be videoing at that given moment." I had that exact thought many times before ownership, but after owning one for a year, I understand why so much stuff ends up on camera...because everyone's taping and photographing you wherever you go. I've come across my car in "sighted" threads on random forums. It's one of the creepier parts of ownership.

Imagine this, but there's an iPhone pointed at you instead:

6) Always have a camera with you

You will be surrounded by ridiculous and odd occurrences. You will bear witness to some of the weirdest on-road behavior the world has known. Cars stopping in the middle of a busy road to stare at you, over-enthusiastic gas station attendants jumping over counters, pedestrians losing their shit in a crosswalk. You'll want to capture it all on camera.

7) You will know the meaning of defensive driving.

When you're driving something that costs more than the average home, surrounded by people that drive like an having accident is their sole goal in life, you discover the true meaning of situational awareness. Also keep in mind that your car can stop MUCH better than the majority of cars on the road so knowing what's behind you is just as important as what's ahead.

A side effect of #5 is that getting your picture taken is a novel thing that quickly turns annoying and dangerous in many situations. It's funny the first time someone stops in the middle of an intersection while making a left turn, but when they almost cause a pileup, it wears off. Then there's the people that will glue themselves to your blindspots and hold position while they rummage for their cameraphone to take a picture. You will get tailgated while their passenger takes pictures. They will pull in front of you then slow down to get closer while someone in the backseat takes a selfie with you in the background. There are people that will make a U-turn in the middle of a busy street and pull up beside you, only to roll down their window and say "nice car." Not worth almost causing an accident. There are some that don't have a passenger to take a picture so they will pull up beside in the left lane, pull out their phone, take their eyes off the road and begin to drift into my lane while trying to take a picture one (and sometimes) two handed. Then there's the people high on SUV mountain that don't bother looking for a 40-50 inch tall car in their blind spot.

And woe to your nerves if you get stuck in a thunderstorm driving a "house": (Head mounted GoPro)

Riding a motorcycle prepared me more than anything else for supercar ownership. Assume everyone's out to get you killed.

8) You will become "that guy" when it comes to parking

Spend enough on a car and even you will start looking at handicap spaces in a different light. Some owners act on this misplaced sense of entitlement and double park, park in a handicap spot, or just park wherever they feel like it. The rest of us just park near the back of the lot or next to a "tree island" in the lot. I am the latter. I don't mind an extra 30 seconds to get to the store if it keeps me from getting hit. Stay Classy out there.

9) Practicality - Buy a soft sided suitcase/duffel bag

It should be obvious that supercars aren't built to be practical, quite the opposite. Modern supercar designers have at least acknowledged that contortionists aren't the only demographic they should cater to. But their shapes and sizes often mean you at least have a compromised view of the road. Moving from a "normal" car to a supercar is like swapping a open face helmet for a full coverage race helmet. Everything is suddenly tighter and your vision is compromised. Continuing the clothing metaphors, imagine going from a backpack to just what you can carry in your pockets. Storage space is at a premium. And the space you do get is typically an odd shape. So plan to invest in a nice duffel bag if you plan on taking more than a day trip anywhere.

10) Be ready to live without it for months at a time

If you live in areas that get snow and use salt, you'll probably want to put it up. Not only for corrosion but for the sand-blast effect it can have on the leading edge of the car. You have to consider things like leaving hydrophilic ethanol in your tank for 3 months. It wreaks havok on fuel lines, fuel pumps, and creates concentrations of water and ethanol that separate over long periods of time. Then there's battery maintenance (despite my name, I use one during the winter). Not to mention the "agony" of waiting for the first good rain of spring to wash away the salt.

But man it's sweet once that long winter is over

I've spent a good deal of time thinking about this over the past 18 months and there's much more to come on the subject. I hope I've brought to light some things you might not have considered or emphasized some things you might have heard and were skeptical about.

Twitter: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Email: ImolaSLS@gmail.com

MonkeePuzzle > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/24/2013 at 16:06

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you missed one:

3) Be prepared to form a mental FAQ

HOLY HELL! HOW COME THERE IS SO MUCH CAR IN FRONT OF YOUR ENGINE!

great read! I have a jealousy :)

PowderHound > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/24/2013 at 16:11

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Being an SLS that is fairly new, 3 years? I don't know. What sort of maintenance type of things have you had to deal with? Great read by the way.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > PowderHound 09/24/2013 at 16:16

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Just oil and tire changes so far. Service A and B cost about the same as they do with any Mercedes, so nothing crazy. I've put 14k miles on it in 18 months and the M156/M159 engine tends to be fairly bullet proof, so I'm not too worried (although I did opt for a 7 year/100k warranty just in case). I planned from the start to own it for a long time, so I opted for things like the fixed damper sport suspension. One less thing to go wrong and I like the predictability of fixed suspension.

PowderHound > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/24/2013 at 16:28

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That sounds like a smart way to go about it. Enjoy your ownership and of course post TONS of videos

TheBaron2112 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/24/2013 at 16:32

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Guilty of questions 6 and 8. Muh bad.

Excellent write up! I look forward to more in the future. And hopefully one day my engineering firm will pay me enough to where I can obtain something like this myself.

Victorious Secret > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/24/2013 at 18:06

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#7.

The big one.

I've had a few close encounters in pricey metal. I do not want to ever repeat them.

It is scary just driving a normal car, but something that costs more than a house? Yea, I like to be careful. I can't trust people before, like hell I will trust them now.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/24/2013 at 18:47

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I have a quick question about maintenance. You clearly own an awesome car(did I tell you I was jealous), but how much is maintenance per year?

See I want to own one of these babies , and all I hear from people is that the car will cost an arm and a leg to service. But you can do oil changes yourself and change out the air filters. I assume the clutch is going to be expensive but that doesn't happen very often(every 20 or 30k miles right?). So in any case. What do you think is the projected cost of maintance alone for an exotic?

Battery Tender Unnecessary > YSI-what can brown do for you 09/24/2013 at 19:27

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Right now it's about $200-400 per year depending on what service is due. The SLS has a DCT and the estimated operational lifetime is supposedly well over 150k miles under normal driving conditions. I'm sure you can speed that up with constant track use, but they see pretty robust. It actually the same transmission that's in the 458 and FF, but with drastically different software that prioritizes longevity over self-destructing performance.

EryktheDead > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 14:28

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Sort of amazes me what falls into needing a list of FAQ question these days. I used to drive an Infiniti G37IPL convertible and I would get the questions at gas stations, the grocery store, and oddly enough the drive up window. In the late 80s/early 90s I drove a 928S4, and that was pain I can't imagine what it's like these days with a true super car.

Marcin Radzikowski > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 15:36

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.

Thunder > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 15:57

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Head mounted GoPro? Are you a cyborg? :-)

Nice writeup.

Perhaps I'll experience it firsthand someday, but probably not. I'm more about sleeper than standout, in general.

BKRM3 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:03

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In for the post about the first track day! =)

Good reading, although I was a bit confused by the thunderstorm video - all seemed to proceed at a pretty tranquil pace. Nary a dangerous lane change in sight.

Btw I park miles away (and next to tree islands) with my E90 M. Your car doesn't always have to BE a supercar to be treated like one!

Damasconian > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:11

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SLS does not equal Supercar. I see these weekly in Texas.

Can we get some better info from Lambo or Ferrari owners? A $200K Mercedes qualifies as a supercar as much as a AMG G-Wagen or Bentley GT. Id even put an R8 ahead of the cool-doored Merc.

Niquemarshall > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:13

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That wasn't very nice.

Maxxuman > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:16

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Thanks for the interesting insight into a bunch of problems I'm never likely to have. And quite frankly, I'd rather be without many of them.

Bamford Aston > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:16

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I would add just one more #11 Understand that you are now dating a supermodel and that she is very tempermental and high maintenance. She sometimes requires you to shell out a large amount of money per year.. they are usually worse when you go Italian, better for english and Germans.. and always know that she might burn herself to the ground...

isnewton > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:17

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Step 0: Have enough funds :)

Damasconian > Niquemarshall 09/25/2013 at 16:19

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I didnt mean it to be mean. But if we start calling cruisers "Supercars" what then to we call REAL supercars? "Hypercar" fits maybe 2 or 3 models so that wont work. If we start putting Ferraris in the same category as a standard SLS, the car world as we know it ends. Im not a mean guy, but I see that car all the time and have never once thought "Oh wow! A supercar!".

And if the guy really is in his early 30's why is his dad in all the pictures?

Ok, that was mean.

fourvalleys > Victorious Secret 09/25/2013 at 16:21

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I drove a car that attracted a lot of attention for different reasons than those in this article and by god people trying to take a picture of you in traffic is the most terrifying thing. Drivers near here are notoriously bad to begin with.

schwartz > BKRM3 09/25/2013 at 16:21

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I do this as well, started with my classic car and do it with my Focus ST as well. I always say to myself I can use the extra exercise.

MILK > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:22

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I'd be interested in hearing more about #1. Was your heart set on the SLS, did you do any cross shopping? Based on #2, were you only able to drive it after purchase?

Meatcoma > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:22

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Great Read.

thevegetable > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:23

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So why'd you end up deciding on the SLS? Everday liveability? In what senses? As someone, like many Jalops, who regularly fantasizes about "practical" supercar ownership, I have often thought that the SLS would be the most worry-free option of the bespoke, 150k+ crowd.

I personally can't think Ferrari ownership, by contrast, would be very fun. Extreme maintenance bills, less than stellar reliability, and you'll basically decimate the value by actually driving it.

Jayhawk Jake > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:24

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I hope you're kidding.

Firstly, that's a bit rude, especially since he's not bragging about having a supercar, he's just describing the ownership experience of an extremely nice car. Take what you can get, man.

Secondly, uh, how does anything that you listed qualify any more than a super-merc? Maybe where you live SLS's are common, but I can literally count on hand the number I've seen where I live. Oh wait, no I can't: the number is zero. Just because it's common by you doesn't mean it's common everywhere. Also, in what fantasy land do you live in where an R8 is more of a supercar than an SLS AMG? An SLS costs more than an R8.

yeah, that guy > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:27

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I have say, I think the SLS is probably the best real world supercar available. Like you said, Mercedes reliability, which is good for a super car. Reasonable ground clearance, at least compared to some. The interior is built by people who build really nice interiors. But it is pretty crazy with the doors. Plus the long hood... so awesome.

aismo > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:28

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Hey dude, thanks for the article. Seriously. It couldn't have been delivered better.
And if people ask you about your finances, just tell them you cut up and fix bodies for a living and that its really, really stressful.

Watch4BlueShells > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:29

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Great article & photos. Look forward to reading the rest of the series.

No0bskywalker > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:30

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It's not entirely like it, but this is definitely very similar to owning/riding a motorcycle. Especially the defensive driving part, no one gives an eff about you out there. Anyways, this is cool. I'm looking forward to more of these. Good job dude!

Turbod-NA-Miata > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:30

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I always kind of envisioned people brake checking you and such more than anyone else because they assume you have awesome insurance and deep pockets. Insurance scam and frivolous lawsuit sort of stuff.

That and every idiot in a "tuned" Honda wanting to race you. Hell, I get that driving my WRX, or my Miata.

kyngfish > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:30

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I'd also like to see a segment on owning an "affordable" super car - in the sense that, I own an AMG, which isn't in super car territory, and having lucked out and bought it used, and well-maintained (dude was majorly anal), I got a fairly good deal. BUT. I try to do my own wrenching. I could afford taking it to the mechanic, but I usually save several hundred bucks doing it myself and it's fun.

What other cars can be done the same way? Could I do it with an old Ferrari? Or am I pretty much stuck in the M3-M5-AMG-Porsche range? What fun exotics are wrenchable?

ChiefmoBaggins > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:31

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Number one thing I noticed when driving a family member's supercar for a week, I am way uncomfortable with all the gawking on the road. I don't like being stared at that much, let alone openly molested at gas stations like you mentioned. I'll just stick to a stealthy machine for day to day driving, and dream of the supercar for weekend experiences only. I couldn't handle being in a convertible in traffic.

blackonblack > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:31

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Nice choice on the SLS. That's probably the only supercar I would consider buying (sans the Ferrari F50, but that's only because it was my childhood hero)

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:35

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"If you need to do any of these activities in a supercar, expect to need an additional 20-30 minutes to get it done."

So in practice, my PT Cruiser is "faster"... since nobody ever asks me about it since they're everywhere.

2 Wheels awesome! > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:36

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Most of these same things happen when you own a well kept classic muscle car... except they are easy to insure, cheap to buy, everyone takes you seriously when you tell them you're looking for one, 90% of them don't cost more than $25,000 and they do not lose their value over the years.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > MILK 09/25/2013 at 16:41

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The short version of my path to the SLS was an E46 M3 -> E90 M3 -> Randomly see a C63 on a dealer lot shortly after watching the Top Gear episode with C63 vs. M3 vs. RS4 and bought the C63 -> Wanted the most extreme thing the C63 motor came in at the time so I traded it for a CLK63 Black Series. During this time I received a complementary Basic course at the AMG Driving Academy at Road Atlanta. I had been toying around with the idea of a SLS, R8, etc for a while, but being able to drive one full throttle around Road Atlanta sealed the deal. I ordered one two months later. 10 months later I took delivery.

Just Cars for Joe Bryant > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:42

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Why is it that I keep substituting Part 1 with P1 when I read the title? Do I have a certain Macca on my mind and I am not aware of it.

Mike Willard > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:42

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Other than the financing aspect, all of these things are true about owning a BRZ. I had one of the first in the country, and I was constantly noticing people filming me everywhere I went. I still get lots of questions and comments about it. It's cool to get the supercar owner experience for Accord price :)

stoke > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:42

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This is why I like cheap fast cars. Everyone just assumes I'm a ricer douchebag and leaves me alone. That and I don't have the funds.

Great car and nice write-up, though.

Damasconian > Jayhawk Jake 09/25/2013 at 16:42

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I live in Texas. We have weird things like jobs and people and sun and diversity. Just because you've never seen a relatively common "supercar" (US sales 1000+ per year) doesn't mean they aren't common.

And if simply "cost" is what describes a supercar, is a Rolls Royce a super car? A G-Wagen? A Hummer H1? AMG S-Class?

carphanatik > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:43

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Welcome to the internet, where everyone is jaded and will make their opinions public. THE WORLD HAS TO KNOW MY OPINIONS ON WHAT A SUPERCAR IS!!

472CID > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:45

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Where I work we often get high end cars on a regular basis. I always get excited and want to car-nerd-out with the owner. I catch myself and remember: A) they don't want to hear it B) I don't want to seem like a gawky peon. So I always force myself to look uninterested, while my mind screams " hey I know everything about that car! "

Alex Cassidy > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:45

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Tune in next week for "Banging Supermodels: Not All It's Cracked Up To Be".

DavidHH > isnewton 09/25/2013 at 16:46

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And be willing to spend a fortune owning an unreliable car that cost your first born to service. Best to get AAA best policy for road service, as many don't even have a spare tire, or the place to keep it.

Damasconian > carphanatik 09/25/2013 at 16:47

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Thanks for your opinion on my opinion

stevethecurse > Victorious Secret 09/25/2013 at 16:47

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My car is worth about 5% of an SLS, and I drive the same exact way. Trust no one.

hollanddjw 1 > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:48

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And what, may I ask, do you drive? Are you upset because your car doesn't gain you any attention?

Blondude > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:49

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Your opinion on what defines a supercar:

Porsche919 > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:49

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I'm pretty sure the SLS is on an equal level with the 458. Just because it is common place doesn't mean it isn't a super car. "a very expensive, fast or powerful car with a centrally located engine", and stated in more general terms: "it must be very fast, with sporting handling to match", "it should be sleek and eye-catching" and its price should be "one in a rarefied atmosphere of its own". Your definition refers more to an exotic car, not a super car.

TriumphRacer > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:50

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I discovered that some of these rules apply to classic car ownership as well. If I'm driving my TR6, I get lots of attention and comments but it's mostly polite. People like the car but no one loses their shit. However when I'm driving the '61 Austin Healey Sprite, people go absolutely crazy. That car generates more positive feedback than anything I've ever owned. I think it's because it's so tiny and looks so friendly. Fun to drive, but I have to add a lot of time to whatever I'm doing to talk to people.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:50

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The definition of the term supercar is a frequent question on Jalopnik and most of the time it just ends up with people saying "I can't describe what makes a supercar a supercar, I just know one when I see one." So your definition is different that mine and more than likely different than most. The three biggest markets for AMGs are Cali, Southern Florida, and Texas where they saturate the place. But where I live and travel (the triangle between Knoxville TN, Washington DC, and Raleigh NC, they are extremely rare). The dealership I bought mine from sells one a year and it's usually an out of state buyer. You touch on one of the points for Part 2 where how supercars begin to lose a bit of their aura of special-ness the more time you spend with them.

And I'm lucky, my hair didn't begin thinning until my late 20's when I just said "nope" and decided to start shaving it, you should see some of my cousins that are just starting college.

Porsche919 > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 16:51

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The SLS is on an equal level with the 458. Just because it is common place doesn't mean it isn't a super car. "a very expensive, fast or powerful car with a centrally located engine", and stated in more general terms: "it must be very fast, with sporting handling to match", "it should be sleek and eye-catching" and its price should be "one in a rarefied atmosphere of its own". You are referring to an exotic car.

BKRM3 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:51

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Ahh, a fellow E90 M3 owner! I knew you seemed like a cool dude. I could tell by the gray hoodie in that startup video. Gray hoodies are the truth.

Hopefully your progression bodes well for my own future ownership prospects, although it's more likely P cars for me.

Man, the growl of that SLS though... Might have listened to that video "few" times lol

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Alex Cassidy 09/25/2013 at 16:52

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Heh, I wish. But you do run into interesting people and circles of friends you wouldn't normally. I'll touch on that later.

Trentanium > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:53

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I don't get too much attention in my 924 (why should I, right?), but when I do it's always a middle-aged man saying how he used to drive one.

littlesisterswhip > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:53

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Please talk more about the pussy factor.

epicshooter > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:55

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Great read- thanks. I would love to read more about the decision making process prior to buying the car. Was it an effort to save for a year or two or do you keep the 6 figures liquid all the time and decide to spend it on that. Once you decided to spend it regardless did you shop around different super cars and if so what made your mind up on the merc vs all others in the same price range? I have always been curious regarding how I would shop for that level of car if I ever decided to pull the trigger or if I would just buy XXXX because it has always been my dream car.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > BKRM3 09/25/2013 at 16:57

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More exhaust for your listening pleasure.

Damasconian > Porsche919 09/25/2013 at 16:58

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Yes. The best response to my comment far and away.

BoulderZ > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:58

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Very interesting read. I don't know if I'll ever end up with a true super-car some day, as I am on cheap SOB, but I was really surprised how much I found myself nodding in agreement with your experience. I spent a long time, several years, restoring and modifying a '78 280Z to exactly how I wanted it. As much as I love the car, I had figured it was not all that special to anyone else. I was wrong. I've had just about every experience you listed, probably just not as frequently.

I'm not sure about the deal with the gas stops, though. Unless it's the gas station in Byers on the way to a track day at High Plains Raceway, I still get creeped out when random people just start conversations with me. Or maybe that's just me.

Matt Brown > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:58

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On this subject, maybe #11 should be "Be prepared for strangers assuming that you are trying to impress them, and telling you how they are not impressed." I get this with my Viper occasionally.

TheTorqueMadeMeDoIt > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 16:59

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Ha! Yeah, i know 7 and 8 very well. Mine's not a supercar by any means but i'm very protective of it. Always parking in the back of the lot, worried anytime i leave it parked on a street for too long... that anxiety is a real thing, and it's actually quite annoying. I know, first world problems, right?

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:01

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The funny thing about that is I get a lot of that attention in my Corvair. And I have yet to spend $4k total on it. Including gas, insurance, purchase, and (back) taxes.

Damasconian > hollanddjw 1 09/25/2013 at 17:01

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I drive a QX56. I travel a lot for work and love the Nissan Patrol sold overseas. Nissan finally brought it to us in the form of an Infinit. In Texas we have an arms race to see who can drive the biggest most intimidating vehicle on the road. I got that beast in June and am still falling behind. My wife drives a company Ford Escape so we could afford a slightly higher than average car payment. Im not rich, dont hate, and love my fellow car guys. BUT DAMMIT AN SLS IS NOT A SUPERCAR!! Is it badass? Of course. Is it Super? Yes. Do I want one? I browse this site daily. But we need better categories.

jvallido > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:03

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VA in the house!

maristgrad > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:03

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Great read, I like the last video - how neatly he folds up the AMG car cover and puts it away. Gives me a sense (outside all the obvious indicators) that he cares and appreciates the car.

Soloburrito > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:04

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Speaking of that, one thing you didn't mention was the long wait for delivery in many cases. As an impulse buyer, that would drive me insane.

wagonsforall > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:04

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Does the SLS really get that much attention? Some lady on my street uses a white convertible for the school run, people don't seem to care. I'd categorize it on par with a 911 in head turning.

Damasconian > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:06

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Thank you for the adult response. You both proved your original point AND made me feel bad in the process. Bravo. Respect. Great car.

Mister_Moon > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:09

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I was driving down the road the other day with a white Aventador Cabrio in the next lane. As hard as I tried to be cool, it proved to be too much. Yeah, I gawked...

That made me realize I don't think I'd ever want a supercar. I don't think I could stand having to be so defensive all the time.

BKRM3 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:09

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Oh good lord, thank you for that. Kickdown at 3:39? Lol.

Looks like Atlanta motorsports park? That track seems wild. Looks really tight, tons of elevation change. Reminds me of a kart track on steroids. Nothing but clean air too. That's my kind of track session!

Battery Tender Unnecessary > stoke 09/25/2013 at 17:10

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And everyone expects me to be some rich asshole, and I take great pleasure in not living up to that stereotype when they start talking to me. It's funny when I have someone at Cars and Coffee start asking me about the car and the conversation turns to what they drive. In one case it was a guy that brought a AE86 Corolla he had bought while serving at a Navy base in Japan. He thought it was hilarious that among all the P and F-cars there, the one I would be excited about was a 27 year old Corolla.

Marty Graw > kyngfish 09/25/2013 at 17:13

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The C63 offers so much fun in a relatively unassuming package. I'm glad it isn't available with a manual gearbox. Mercedes has it right with a few of their AMG cars. AMG G Class are fun, but kind of silly though.

TwoZeroFour > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:14

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That's a great clarification, question, and answer. Being a Merc owner, I'm fairly surprised on how MB treats the SLS in the maintenance sector. Do you have an AMG specific mechanic at your dealership? The one I used to use(until my warranty expired and I did all maintenance myself) was AMG specific and it made owning an AMG one of the best experiences ever. That guy knew everything about the M156.

_Mécanicien > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:14

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0) Get rich.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Victorious Secret 09/25/2013 at 17:15

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It gets a lot easier the less "upside-down" you are on the note. At this point the car is worth a lot more than I owe on it so there's some comfort from that. I still drive it like everyone is trying to kill me though. More on the dumb/dangerous stuff I've seen in the next part.

Marty Graw > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:15

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The C63 is a great car in so many ways. More than anything, it offers some punch, relatively unassuming looks and a place in the back for two car seats.

Blondude > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 17:16

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Wait, you just said the SLS was super. And it also just so happens to be a car. So...

Robkg > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 17:18

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Actually a SLS does qualify as a Supercar and McLaren's and Pagani's are indeed called Hypercars. A Ferrari 458, Audi R8, Porsche Turbo S, GT2, GT3, are all Supercars.

A Porsche 918, McLaren MP4-12c, Pagani Huayra etc are all Hypercars.

hollanddjw 1 > Damasconian 09/25/2013 at 17:18

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I would place the SLS, or any very fast GT, i.e. a V8 Vantage, in the "supercar" class for this purpose. I guarantee that people would gawk at both of those cars. Hell, even an Elise would make the cut- it's not something you see every day (unless you own one) and would get people's attention at gas stations and the like.

Mule > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:21

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Beautiful car. Not trying to be a dick - do you have any videos of you pushing it closer to 10/10ths? Would love to see and hear that.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Mike Willard 09/25/2013 at 17:21

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Funny story. I took the SLS to the local Subaru dealership right when they started showing up. As per usual the entire dealership staff is soon out on the lot looking at my car. I ask if it would be a problem to test drive the one they had. The guy said "no problem, but why would you want a BRZ when you have that?" I told him that price and fun were independent and that I would be glad to drive a $1k car if it was a blast. He nodded in agreement and went to get the key.

TwoZeroFour > kyngfish 09/25/2013 at 17:22

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I'm thinking a GTR is relatively wrenchable. So would a 997 Turbo/4S.

I'm in the same boat as you. Extracting that oil off the AMG motor and saving yourself a few hundred bucks every year is so satisfying.

stoke > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:23

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Nice to hear that there are supercar owners out there who are interested in weird, obscure, cult-ish stuff. I like to think that if I hit the lotto tomorrow and started showing up at C&C events in some manner of exotic metal, I would still be obscenely excited to meet somebody who has an imported Fiat Spidereuropa Volumex at home.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > EryktheDead 09/25/2013 at 17:24

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Yeah, it's crazy. It's why I tell people to make sure they LOVE talking about their car before they buy something that strikes up a conversation, because you'll be talking about it a lot.

tsmit > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:24

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I would mostly like to know the whole how to afford one thingy lol. I doubt i'll ever be able to afford one or if i could, justify buying one considering a nice house is cheaper lol.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > stoke 09/25/2013 at 17:26

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I was at a classic car show the other day and was seriously tempted by a grey import Renault Alpine A310 a guy was selling. I'm definitely a sucker for the obscure as much as the obvious choices.

ACURAvtecHONDA > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:26

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Rather have the MDX beside it.

Torgen > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:28

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"Blood, pus, tissue and medically compromised patients. I've developed a calm, cool head in high stress situations and I still had a stomach full of butterflies driving off the lot. "

I had butterflies in my stomach driving my Versa off the lot. To be fair, it was the first time I had ever driven solo.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Mule 09/25/2013 at 17:28

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I've got a few hot laps on one of my GoPro SD cards I'll try to find. I took about 12 hours of video that weekend and just haven't had time to sift through it yet.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Torgen 09/25/2013 at 17:32

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I still remember the first time I drove solo to high school. It was in a 7 year old 1990 750iL my dad had handed down. It was a 30 minute drive to school and halfway there it started to rain and the driver's side windshield wiper stopped working. I had to lean over and use the passenger's side to pull over, got a wrench from the toolkit in the trunk and tighten the bolt on the wiper. Wet butterflies were the order of the day.

Brazzzzzle > Matt Brown 09/25/2013 at 17:35

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I plan on getting a Viper as soon as I can. I can't wait for people to tell me how they aren't impressed so I can tell them I don't care. I'll be driving it every day and I'll be driving it for my own enjoyment, thank you very much. What year is your Viper?

Rocketred > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:36

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I'm surprised to hear that a surgeon rides a motorcyle to be honest. My impression is that EMTs and ER surgeons view riding a motorcylce as the equivalent of russian roulette.

Brazzzzzle > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:37

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Thanks for the write up. Makes me want to get that Viper even more now :-)

NoahthePorscheGuy > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:38

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I totally know the feeling of being "that guy" at parking lots. It many not be a supercar, but my dad owns a 71 911s Targa and whenever we would go to Costco or something he would make sure to park as far away as possible on a tree island. When i was younger I never understood why he sucked at parking so much, but since then i've been more anal about it then he has.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Rocketred 09/25/2013 at 17:40

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Oh, I stopped riding a couple of years back. I was in no rush to become an organ donor after what I've seen.

Matt Brown > Brazzzzzle 09/25/2013 at 17:41

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'02, last of the second gen. You can get the 1st and 2nd gens for the price of a new Accord if you shop around. And it will probably hold it's value better, at least until you spin it out into a tree. I think my favorite part about it is actually just talking to all the random people who walk up at gas stations and parking lots.

TheSmokingTire > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:42

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I was driving a gallardo Spyder back in 07 across the George Washington bridge. A guy in an ML350 started filming me with his phone and drove straight Into the guard rail, utterly destroying the drivers side of his car, every panel. He kept on going like nothing happened, even have me a thumbs up as I drove away laughing my ass of. Must have been at least $10k damage to his car.

tsmit > Niquemarshall 09/25/2013 at 17:43

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To be fair, i've never really considered a SLS a super car too, they are mass produced sold in swaths and appear just about everywhere, they are a very nice cars don't get me wrong, but i've personally never considered them supercars. Now the black version or the McLaren, yeah totally, but the SLS its just too plain. Its like the m5 or the m6, yeah super nice but supercar? i dunno it's just too comfy and practical and common, its not the wild crazy exotic that barely ever seen to quote wiki it's a: " luxury grand tourer ". Though it was mean >< but as a fellow texan, these things are everywhere being driven by middle aged mean who barely ever push em past 3k rpms

Brazzzzzle > Matt Brown 09/25/2013 at 17:46

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Yea, I've been looking pretty hard at some 2nd gen coupes. I saw a couple for around $30-35k in my area. One was a rebuilt title, but looked pretty good. I would probably prefer a clean one, but if it was done right, it wouldn't matter too much since I'll be driving it a lot and putting miles on it.

wisstig96 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 09/25/2013 at 17:52

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So is the Acura your winter driver? Also how often do you use the BMW parked outside?