Cars I would get after my 135is lease runs out

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 03/20/2015 at 23:37 • Filed to: None

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My lease on my 135is goes through June 30, 2016. My plan as of now is to turn the thing in and just drive my Grand Cherokee for a while. But I'm not really an SUV guy. I'm a performance car guy with a Hemi Jeep as a not-really beater.

Here are things I'd look at buying, the following spring after I've socked up some extra cash.

(Side note: I really, really, really, really like having some kind of sun type opening over my head, whether it's a sunroof, or convertible, or whatever. I struggle greatly with cars that have fully intact roofs.)

2006-2008 BMW Z4 M Roadster

It's sorta ugly, but the original Z4, especially in M trim, is almost aging gracefully. It's a surprisingly fun package of a roadster with a revvy NA I6 and trick electromechanical LSD. The roof goes down, you can get a big ole supercharger (and super overpriced headers and exhaust) for it, and it's just slightly ridiculous overall. Hoo boy.

1993-1995 Mazda RX-7

I love the FD RX-7. Have for a long time. They handle amazingly, their engines like to blow up, they look gorgeous. I don't quite fit in the one with the sunroof though—I slightly hit my head on the ceiling. It's pretty much guaranteed to be a project car. Which I'm not necessarily 100% on board with doing, but lordy do I love me the FD.

2007-2009 Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series

The fender flares just do it for me. This car looks so much better than the C63 AMG Black Series that replaced it. The automatic transmission which is pretty outdated at this point kinda worries me. But the automatic transmission shifter is like the Derek Zoolander phone of shifters. It's so cute! There's no sunroof, and they took out the back seat. But whatever. I love those fender flares. Aww look at the cute shifter.

Edit: So....maybe this one is a liiiiiitle bit pricey for what I'm looking at. I didn't realize they hold their value so well.

1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S / 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo

These are the same car. For '89, Porsche took the '88 Turbo S and made it the regular Turbo, in more color options, and with a better stereo (which at this point probably is pretty busted since it's like 26 year sold). Also slightly ugly, and my head brushes the ceiling, but I like it anyway. Like the FD RX-7, it'd be a project.

There are a bunch of other cars I like, but these 4 are by far the top of my list. They sorta kinda have something to do with each other. I'm a nerd. Who cares? It's just yet another in a series of stupid, ill-advised car purchases I'll make in my lifetime. They're all completely dumb. There's no smart reason to buy any of these cars. But I guarantee, come spring 2017, one of them will be in my garage.

Cherry_man1 > Textured Soy Protein 03/20/2015 at 23:39

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I say FD or CLK.

Kevin Barrett > Textured Soy Protein 03/20/2015 at 23:54

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ND Miata is due this summer! You can be among the elite first buyers who gets to complain authoritatively that it should have shipped with 200 horsepower instead of 155.

Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed > Textured Soy Protein 03/20/2015 at 23:57

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Shit man. If you have access to an AMG black series within your price range, buy it. It is a future classic too (you heard it here first).

Textured Soy Protein > Kevin Barrett 03/21/2015 at 00:00

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I like Miatas! I had a '99 10th Anniversary Edition. But now I'm about that powahhh.

Textured Soy Protein > Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed 03/21/2015 at 00:01

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Hell, I don't even know what they cost. But I like it!

Flat Six > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 00:01

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Nice selection of cars, although I think Black Series probably costs 5-10 times the price of the others! I've spent some time in the lower spec Z4 and it is a blast. I love the functional simplicity of the older models. I think the Z4 styling was ahead of its time, and still looks great.

Arben72 > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 00:02

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Those cars are 996 turbo money... That being said the black is the obvious choice.

Textured Soy Protein > Arben72 03/21/2015 at 00:04

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Hell, I'd drive a 996 Turbo too.

Kevin Barrett > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 00:08

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I've got a heavy breathing 2001 with 2016 power—I can't wait to drive one of the new cars and get excited about Mazda again.

soundman98 > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 00:29

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ah, so that's how doug did it!!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 00:33

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Rx-7

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 01:23

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Z4 Z4 Z4 Z4

Z4

Only down side is you'd have to deal with the fact that the coupes look 10x better than your vert.

Tohru > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 01:29

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Why a Z4 and not a Z1?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 02:33

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Black Series. But their prices were still over $60k last time I checked.

Otherwise FD, or maybe SLK55.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 03:54

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Honestly, don't go RX-7 unless you really study up how to keep them maintained, what kind of oil to put in, what kind of gas, how to drive them, etc. RX-7's, after studying them for hours on end, are complex to own.

Desu-San-Desu > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 08:25

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Power can be made after. A perfect starting point? Now that's harder to achieve.

E92M3 > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 08:44

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What about a Cayman?

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 09:11

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I got to drive a 996 turbo with 6000 miles in 2002. I'm a big dude and it was surprisingly comfy inside. It was also blazingly fast to me but the fastest car I had driven to that point was an LS1 Trans Am.

Lots of headroom even with the sunroof. Good examples sell all day for under 30k. And when winter comes just have a spare set of wheels with some Blizzaks or Hakkapeliittas for winter hoonage.

Textured Soy Protein > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD 03/21/2015 at 09:23

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I'm pretty familiar with all the typical RX-7 issues. Not that I necessarily want to deal with them, but I do at least know what I'm getting myself into.

Textured Soy Protein > E92M3 03/21/2015 at 09:23

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Feels kinda claustrophobic to me. Same deal with the Z4 M Coupe vs. Roadster.

Textured Soy Protein > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 03/21/2015 at 09:25

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I've got winter covered already.

Textured Soy Protein > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 03/21/2015 at 09:27

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I appear to have made a miscalculation on the price of the Black Series (a.k.a. I didn't actually look to see how much they cost before putting it on this list).

Textured Soy Protein > Desu-San-Desu 03/21/2015 at 10:24

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True...and that's true of all cars. I want something that starts out with power.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 10:35

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Yeah, I was surprised when I saw that. Seems depreciation keeps forgetting about it.

FromCanadaWithLove > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 11:16

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How has your 135is been in the long term? If things were good, maybe look at the M2 or M235i (maybe convertible)?

Textured Soy Protein > FromCanadaWithLove 03/21/2015 at 11:17

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So far it's been fine. But for my next fun car I want something I can buy and mess with, rather than lease like I did with my 135is. A brand new M235i would be a lease for me.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 11:58

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RX-7 & CLK63 AMG Black FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 12:01

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A good low mile one $69,950 .

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Textured Soy Protein > CaptDale - is secretly British 03/21/2015 at 12:07

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Yeah, that's why I edited my post to say the Black is probably out of my price range. I had no idea they're holding that much value.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 12:25

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Yeah there was one with with under 10k miles and it was 100K +

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Textured Soy Protein 03/21/2015 at 18:16

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Well, you could take on the challenge. People have gotten original rotaries to like 250k miles before, so you could try to make it a fun car to drive every now and then.