$50,000 To Cover All Your Driving Needs

"Matthew Keyser" (teisco15) 10/18/2015 at 01:08 • Filed to: None

0

35

Picture this, you’re walking down the street one day and you are suddenly struck from behind by a school bus. Luckily, the bus driver doubles as an EMT and immediately begins aiding your wounds. As you lay motionless on the cold tarmac, you, being the car loving individual that you are, are overwhelmed with the sensation of inadequacy and regret. “Walking is no way to commute” you think to yourself. As you are placed on a stretcher and wheeled into the ambulance, you make a promise to yourself that you will stop walking, and get a car.

Fast forward a week or so and your condition is improving. Your casts from the resulting broken bones are due to be removed any day now, and you are understandably excited to go car shopping for the first time since college when you bought that used Chevy Nova which met its untimely demise after a series of questionable decisions involving a plush harp seal and a pint of Jagermeister.

Conveniently, you are awarded exactly $50,000 by the judge in your town due to your wrongful injuries, and instead of doing the responsible thing and paying off your medical expenses and student loans, you decide to put all $50,000 towards some new wheels.

So theres the scenario. What car/cars do you buy for $50,000 to cover all your driving needs. Take into consideration the weather in the area in which you live, your level of desire to go offroading or doing any track work. Assume that you have no access to any other cars.

My choice would be to go into my nearest BMW dealer and purchase a M235i and drive the wheels off of it. I even took the liberty of configuring the car to meet the limitations in the budget:

So do you buy one car and drive it in all conditions? Do you make your own little fleet of various used cars each with a particular purpose? Do you buy every Chevrolet Beretta in existence and proceed to drive each and every one until they die and replace them with one of your other Berettas? The answer is up to you. Leave your answers below, and remember: walking is dangerous, drive a car.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:11

1

Used Abarth (12-15k) for dun

Go buy a new Acura ILX (whatever is left)

TheHondaBro > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:12

1

Toyota Paseo because I’m gonna be broke in three years.

Sam > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:17

2

Jeez, only $50,000 settlement?

Sam > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 10/18/2015 at 01:18

2

I will join you in buying an Abarth. But I’d use the extra to mod it to insanity (but still DD-able).

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:19

2

I’d buy an old Alero and spend the rest of the $50k running and insuring it.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:22

1

Used S65 with maintenance money

Matthew Keyser > Sam 10/18/2015 at 01:26

0

I forgot to mention that you don’t have the beset lawyer in the world. That and I already did this game with $100k a few weeks ago haha

Sam > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:30

1

Ah. Also, the old saying is: “act your age, get a car”.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:33

2

Lightly used C63 AMG

Plus a little left over for that sweet Carmax Warranty

GhostZ > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:36

2

The rest for mods and maintenance. Alternate choice for the people hauler was a long bed supercrew F-150, but I think I’d go for luxury over utility given my circumstances. I might go find a winter beater Jeep as a third car if the budget allows it.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:37

1

Laramie Longhorn

Comfortable, heated leather seats for the winter, 4WD for the winter, good on fuel if you get the EcoDiesel.

GhostZ > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/18/2015 at 01:37

2

I dunno man, $50k could buy you 20 Aleros. Maybe you should just rotate them around as they break?

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:45

1

I’ve said it before, I’ll gladly say it again: Audi A3 Sportback e-tron prestige with sport package. In black, because Audi.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Sam 10/18/2015 at 01:48

1

From what i have read, the ECU mods are cheap (in terms of modding). I feel like 200hp and 200lb/ft in an Abarth would be more than enough. Okay I need to stop talking about this because I have a whole year before I can even attempt to get one :(

Sam > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 10/18/2015 at 01:50

1

I went to a dealership to sit in one, but the guy told me that I had to drive it. He was right. It’s awesome. He even told me I could launch it.

Arben72 > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 01:55

1

Sti for a beater and my 100 mile commute. C63 for everything else. All used of course.

911e46z06 > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 02:04

1

6k- Old ass 2500 Sierra/Silvo for towing

8k- ‘97ish Tahoe/Yuke decked out for expeditioning

20k- e46 m3 cuz I like to party

12k- e39 540 Touring for DD duties

2k- SC300/400 LeMons car

2k- Busted up 325 e30 convertible

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Sam 10/18/2015 at 02:06

1

*slowly wimpers* if only i didnt have to pay my car off still

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 02:14

1

I buy a $30k OS Giken DOHC motor for my Z and some period Datsun competition seats. Then get a paint expert to refresh my original paint. $50k isn’t much these days, 100k is more like it for discussing fleet options. I got my w123 for 7k originally and my crv DD for 11k. My z was 5k but at least 15k into it since.

Frank Grimes > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 02:34

1

Buy riviera make it super nice chrome and paint you wouldnt believe, convert to fuel injection, modern auto 6 speed transmission airbag suspension, nice disc brakes. done.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 02:56

1

Lotus Supercharger from an Elise to put on the Matrix 4k

Chevy SS with Holden Emblem package 46990

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 03:04

1

$50K in damages (not including medical bills) from a lawsuit due to being hit by a bus?

First, if it was lawsuit worthy (like if they drove onto the sidewalk), I’d immediately fire my attorney, because that is a terrible damage award (doesn’t include what would be standard pain and suffering, lost wages, diminished quality of life, etc etc etc) and hire a competent attorney.

Second thing would be to dump the awardmoney into savings.

Third thing would be to go buy a BMW 530d (It’s the 535d in the US lineup, but its most similar to the Euro 530d in power, 250 or so versus the Euro 535d 300+hp).

Sam > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 10/18/2015 at 03:45

1

If my parents had cosigned on it, I would have driven away with it that night.

Axial > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 04:00

1

I still go out and buy a 1990 ZR-1. You only live once, fuck being overly pragmatic!

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 06:00

1

Buy an imported R32 GTR and a Subaru 2.5RS and use remaining funds for modifications.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 09:37

1

Why, another Chevrolet Nova, of course! With no student loans to pay, I figure that wouldn’t be as unwise a decision as it might seem.

Thunderface > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 09:44

1

Old cvpi: <$5000

New Mustang GT: ~$40000

Beater pickup ~$5000

shop-teacher > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 10:01

1

I’d get a square body Chevy truck for my stuff hauling needs. A first gen CTS-V for my ass hauling needs. A rust free LT-1 Roadmaster wagon for my comfy cruising needs. A rally preped Nova for hooning on gravel and dirt. That should do it.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 10:08

1

With a stick, of course.

Frenchlicker > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 10:48

1

Either this or a FoST or maybe something else relatively sensible.

boxrocket > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 13:58

1

Focus RS ($43K as built) or a Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring ($35K). Use the rest for bills, gas, and insurance.

Alex Zapata > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 21:10

1

I would keep my 350Z (5600 miles on the clock so it’s pretty much brand new for 40% of the value of a new 370) and probably get like a 2 series Active Tourer for DD and dog/family/company related business, and I don’t know how much these things are worth in the US, but over here maybe I could get a used Multistrada for that bucket-list Carretera Panamericana road trip I have planned down the line.

(Substitute BMW and Ducati for Mercedes B-Class and S1000XR depending on mood on the day)

Sidenote: I will be looking at the 2 Series AT next week as a possible replacement for the Mazda6, though I may give up and get a Durango or something...

anon-sxmcyecofnu1eocpqsk9iq > Matthew Keyser 10/18/2015 at 23:47

1

2016 Audi TT. Just under $50,000

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Matthew Keyser 10/19/2015 at 09:29

1

$24k for a late model Challenger RT - low mile examples from dealers or private parties are around that price. It’d be a decent daily driver.

$10k for a first-gen Cooper S and its required upgrades to spend my weekends autocrossing

$16K for an 07-11 Tahoe/Yukon for when I have to take the family places, and do truck stuff, and go camping.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Matthew Keyser 10/19/2015 at 13:08

1

A Chevy Volt. I know, I’m boring. I just like the idea of being less dependent on gas. I’d go for a used Model S, but they are still above $50k.