I have done good work, Oppo

"GhostZ" (GhostZ)
07/17/2014 at 00:49 • Filed to: None

Here is a list of cars, in the order that he presented them, that a friend of mine wanted to purchase, with the earlier ones being the first he brought to me, and the later ones being what he just recently said "Are these good?".

1. Lexus LS

2. Mercedes E Class

3. Toyota Avalon

4. Infiniti G35 Sedan

5. Infiniti G35 Coupe.

6. Ford Fusion

7. Pontiac G8

8. Pontiac Soltice

9. Saturn Sky

10. Scion FR-S.

It was like watching someone ascend from ignorance and into enlightenment.

DISCUSSION (28)

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 00:58

7. Pontiac G8

8. Pontiac Soltice

9. Saturn Sky

10. Scion FR-S.

I enjoy this part of this list. Good taste your friend has as of late.

GhostZ > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
07/17/2014 at 01:01

It took a while, but he's so much more aware are these cars now.

He'll probably end up with a Ford Fusion for practicality's sake, but turning him from the Lexus and Avalon and giving him the desire for a cheap, fun sports car is more than what I could hope for.

Bandit > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 01:01

7-10 any of those should do.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 01:03

He could get a G8, it's pretty practical.

And V8 powered.

YSI-what can brown do for you > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 01:03

Lexus LS? Why not?

GhostZ > YSI-what can brown do for you
07/17/2014 at 01:07

His budget is ~$25000 and he doesn't want anything older than 5 years. Which means he would have ended up with a base-model used, beat up Lexus with high mileage, and significant debt leveraging.

YSI-what can brown do for you > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 01:10

I mean. . . an old LS400 will cost him like 2 grand and it never breaks!

GhostZ > YSI-what can brown do for you
07/17/2014 at 01:15

"But it's boxy and ugly and not sleek!"

YSI-what can brown do for you > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 01:19

Not to mention it breaks the 5 year rule. But he could straight pipe it and have sexy times with his ears!

GhostZ > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
07/17/2014 at 01:23

Doesn't like the badge, and is worried about there being no pontiac dealers, and he doesn't care about the HP, just the looks and interior. The MPG, Pontiac Badge, and lack of dealer support (forcing him to buy used) is what killed it for him.

Kailand09 > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 06:16

He wants ~$25k and a fun practical car? Why not GTI or a different hot hatch?

GhostZ > Kailand09
07/17/2014 at 06:46

No no, he doesn't want a fun car. He wants a car that looks impressive to others with a nice interior and looks way more expensive than it is, BUT, is also has to be practical, reliable, relatively new, "sleek" (seriously, that's like his #1 requirement).

The problem is that hatchbacks are cheap looking.

bob and john > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 15:36

I HATE that. "sleek" what a bulltshit concept.

my mom considers the old E38 7 "sleek", but think the lexus isnt.

also,

He wants a car that looks impressive to others with a nice interior and looks way more expensive than it is

Poser much?

GhostZ > bob and john
07/17/2014 at 15:46

Less of a poser, more of a budget imposed by his parents to prevent him from spending money needlessly.

bob and john > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 15:49

ah, ok. Why not a nissan Z? cheaper then the infinity coupe, same motor

GhostZ > bob and john
07/17/2014 at 15:54

Nissan isn't a luxury brand, no rear seats, doesn't like the looks as much. He doesn't care about the motor.

The Scion's MPG, price, and looks sold him despite the 'cheap' badge. That's what separates it from the Nissan.

bob and john > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 15:56

and yet he has a solara avalon on that list? *shakes head*

GhostZ > bob and john
07/17/2014 at 15:58

"Toyotas are reliable, and I sat in one once, the interior is really nice!"

bob and john > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 16:03

so are hookers, but you dont see me dating one....

GhostZ > bob and john
07/17/2014 at 16:05

I'm am so using that analogy later next time he mentions something like that.

bob and john > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 16:42

I occasionally have some witt :P

Kailand09 > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 16:57

maybe, I think a CPO 2012 or 2011 GTI would come pretty high on nice interiors for the money too.

I guess exterior looks are subjective, but I could see hatches looking cheap to some.

Eyaare > GhostZ
07/17/2014 at 22:57

Obviously I don't know your friend. Okay. Let's start with that.

But while an Avalon isn't as fun an FR-S, it's bigger, more reliable, probably all around better for someone who doesn't give a fuck. A used E class is probably better for a commuter as well, and at least RWD, I think.

FR-S is a big driver's car. It's small and, in many cases, impractical for the average driver. And it's not really fast for its class so for the mildly interested driver who just likes it when you mash the pedal and vroom down the highway, you're better served elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, FR-S is neat, I'd take one over a Mustang, but I don't think I'd recommend it over that to someone who isn't really serious about cars.

And again, I don't know your friend. But this list doesn't start with "Civic Coupe" or "Scion tC," or something that indicates he's someone interested in a, and I'm gonna get shit for saying this, 'toy' car like FR-S. It doesn't look like someone who wants a sporty car but needs direction as to what, it looks like someone who just wants a car. This person started with basic, practical sedans. It looks like you've driven them from that to impractical cars that may be fun to drive if you like driving, but aren't really what he wants out of his transportation.

GhostZ > Eyaare
07/18/2014 at 00:30

He doesn't care about practicality, beyond maybe wanting 4 seats. He wants something that looks like a car that someone buys because they have disposable income. To him, the Toyota Avalon is actually a real luxury car. Once I showed him the G35, all bets were off and he was looking for "sleek sports cars" because of how they looked. He then saw the Pontiac Solstice, and liked its design so much he jumped to the FR-S as a more practical (since Pontiac is dead, it would have to be used and the Solstice has no back seat) alternative.

In other words, he would cut off his own arm if he believed it would make some important person like him more. I think the FR-S, to him, looks like the type of car someone buys for fun, implying that they aren't trying to pander to "cheap" needs. Likewise, a new cheap car is way better than a used expensive car to him, because poor people buy used cars.

For example, he would drive an Avalon because it's a luxury car, but would not drive a camry, because it's a "cheap" car. He would drive a Ford Fusion because it looks like a much more expensive car than it is, but would not drive a Lexus IS because the grill looks ugly.

GhostZ > Kailand09
07/18/2014 at 00:32

"German cars are unreliable"

Anything with a hatchback implies that you care more about hauling stuff around than impressing people with a good-looking car, which means you probably are poor. That's the rationale behind the "hatchbacks are cheap" thinking.

Likewise, he doesn't mind going to a small 2-seater car if it looks expensive, despite how much less practical it would be.

GhostZ > Eyaare
07/18/2014 at 00:35

Another thing I might add, is that he was previously unaware that you could get real "sports" cars for under $50,000, as he assumed everything below that was a poor person hatchback, or a Mustang or Camaro, which are dirty hillbilly cars.

GhostZ > Eyaare
07/18/2014 at 01:14

And to clarify, in the realm of practicality, his family owns 4-5 cars (or more that I haven't seen) and all of them are luxury sedans or SUVs, so he's certainly not hurting for practical transportation.

Kailand09 > GhostZ
07/18/2014 at 06:16

Lol. Well I can't say I agree with many of his opinions. But he has a right to it.

If he really wants to look above his price bracket, maybe he should try for a used C-class? Only problem is the "unreliable" thing he has going there. He could probably grab a 2011 or 2012 C-class near his budget.

Even better, grab a lightly used Cadillac ATS. Those are pretty damn cheap right now.