Trading into Obscurity

"Dogapult" (dogapult) 05/09/2016 at 14:01 • Filed to: buying, selling, trading, oppositelock, obscure cars

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So I’ve enjoyed my 2006 G35 coupe for a long time, but I’ve always been tempted to get into something more interesting to me. How bad of an idea is it?

(random internet representation. mine is pretty beat-up these days.)

if I could trade (plus cash on the other end) into something perhaps more obscure, but more interesting in my mind. This car would become my new daily driver, and be subject to long trips and regular miles.
some cars on my list include:
a Subaru SVX. (I have project car plans for the future for one of these)

an Alfa Romeo Spider or a 164. (although the spider does not necessarily have all the qualifications I’d want.)

a manual transmission Mazda 6 wagon (project car plans here as well)

an LT1 B-body wagon perhaps.

Buick Reatta

As you can see, there’s a ton of different cars I’m interested in all over the automotive spectrum.


EDIT: inexplicably I forgot about my love for the Toyota MR-S. but then again, I can’t find any for reasonable prices.

If you’ve got other suggestions, comments, criticisms, I’m all ears.
I’d like:
Automatic climate control. (one of the things I just really enjoy on the G35) or at least good a/c and heat.
at least let it FEEL reasonably quick.
Not the worst reliability (I WAS going to add RX-8s to this list, but...)
an okay stereo.
decent gas mileage. (I get 25 combined out of the G these days.)

PS: I realize the answer is always Miata. I suppose I could trade it in on a new ND..those are gorgeous...

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:05

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I love the SVX and the Reatta.

Party-vi > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:07

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Everything you listed is a slow barfmobile. Get a Reatta with the fancy-ass computer.

PartyPooper2012 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/09/2016 at 14:08

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sounds to me like you’re itching for wrenching...

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:09

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If you want all that, except for speed, then an old diesel Mercedes should be an interesting choice. You can get them with a manual (a bit rare, but they exist), and they get excellent fuel economy.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > PartyPooper2012 05/09/2016 at 14:09

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There’s a very cheap SVX on my local CL and it was very tempting.

Dogapult > PartyPooper2012 05/09/2016 at 14:11

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Were either of those cars particularly bad for it? The SVX likes to eat automatic transmissions every once in a while, and the Reatta’s touchscreen wasn’t too amazing, but as far as I know, the rest of the car was solid in both cases.

Dogapult > Party-vi 05/09/2016 at 14:12

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I almost bought one for $1200 2 years ago. By all means, make some suggestions if you don’t like what I’ve chosen!

Azrek > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:12

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Take the G35 to Florida and get it converted into a VAYDOR!

http://95octane.com/2014/10/14/vay…

Dogapult > Azrek 05/09/2016 at 14:14

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The Vaydor is crazy (and not 100% my taste) but that’d be a lot more money than I’d like to spend...

Dogapult > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/09/2016 at 14:16

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I’ve definitely thought about one. a local junkyard has a white on blue 240d with lowish miles that belonged to the yard owner’s mother. only problem is the ignition failed and someone took apart the bottom of the dash and couldn’t fix it.
doesn’t seem to be any rust anywhere on it.
(I’ll try to post a picture in a bit, hard to do it from my phone at work)

Azrek > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:16

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You got the body style for it and you can get the Vaydor in a tasteful design. Plus you basically get to keep the G35's features!

Dogapult > Azrek 05/09/2016 at 14:17

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I’m not so sure about that.

Party-vi > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:17

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Daily driving and long trips don’t sound like fun for something of the vintage you’re describing. You need to find a newish SAAB 9-3 SportCombi, or an NA 300ZX.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:18

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That sounds like an interesting project. If it’s cheap enough, it might be worth it to put the effort into fixing the ignition.

Azrek > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:19

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Just get it without the Joker’s fuzzy dice.

Stapleface > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:38

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Honestly, the only one out of those I’d go with would be the Mazda. Reattas are not good, regardless of what everyone might say/think. They just weren’t a good car.

The B-Body wagon is eh. They’re floaty as all hell and would probably feel awful from going to that from the G35. The SVX is slooooooow, and IIRC never offered with a manual transmission. And the Alfa, good luck finding parts.

If I were in your shoes, what about an Acura? Something like a TSX or RSX? Or perhaps something even older if you could find the right thing (like a Legend or Vigor).

PartyPooper2012 > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:41

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Older cars require a bit more wrenching than a newer japanese car

I had a buick park ave 1992. Was a solid piece of machinery. But at this day and age, i would image even it would need some TLC. Mazdas constantly need something. I know nothing about alfa so I won’t comment.

Dogapult > PartyPooper2012 05/09/2016 at 14:52

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I’m fine with some TLC. doesn’t bug me. So long as it’s not something terribly major every week.

Dogapult > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/09/2016 at 14:52

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$1200. Couldn’t get the hood open for some reason, didn’t feel like the cable was broken. It’s a stick.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 14:55

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That’s on the cheaper side. What year is it?

Dogapult > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/09/2016 at 15:02

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Invinciblejets > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 15:02

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I vote for the trade in on the new ND.

PartyPooper2012 > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 15:03

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i had a 2003 suburban. Require daily wrenching... from light bulbs to tranny, diff and transfer case. One day I added up the money I spent on it... and sold it that same day.

Dogapult > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/09/2016 at 15:04

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I don’t know. He’s got the title for it, but I didn’t have $1200 on hand. This yard is generally great for old parts (Although I went to pick up parts for the ‘73 Celica and they had crushed the 3 they had a few weeks before) but you can’t haggle if the owner is there. Only if the son of the owner is.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 15:06

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If it’s appealing to you, go for it. Those make either 64 or 71 HP, but so much character.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 15:21

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buick reatta. do it

Dogapult > Party-vi 05/09/2016 at 15:33

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a Saab 93 SportCombi you think? I’ll look into it.

I was thinking of a Z32, but I’ve heard they’re irritating to work on.

I’m looking for something that will be fun in day to day travel. but I also do quite long drives on occasion, so something with a tall final gear wouldn’t go amiss.
(unlike my friend’s “JDM” swapped Legacy wagon, that’s at 4000rpms in 5th at 70 on the highway)

Dogapult > PartyPooper2012 05/09/2016 at 15:34

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That’s part of why I have never added up how much I’ve spent on the ‘73 Celica.

Dogapult > Invinciblejets 05/09/2016 at 15:35

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It’ll be irritating ending up with a payment instead of just owning the car outright. but it is really pretty....

Dogapult > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 05/09/2016 at 15:35

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It’s tempting to be sure.

shop-teacher > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 15:40

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Given that you kind of live in BFE, I’d stay away from things that will be hard to get parts for. I think my personal choice of the one’s your looking at should be obvious to you :)

Dogapult > Stapleface 05/09/2016 at 15:41

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I drove a friend’s 92 Roadmaster wagon for a week or so, it was really floaty compared to the G, (which currently has all-too stiff coilovers on it,although I like them.) but it did cruise on the highway nicely.

the TSX and RSX just don’t really appeal to me.

a Legend or a Vigor would be very cool, but I think driving them year round here in Wisconsin would dissolve them pretty quickly.

PartyPooper2012 > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 15:42

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yeah.. but when you do, you realize you could have had a chauffeur drive you around in international space station and all your attempts at keeping that rust bucket were pointless

Dogapult > shop-teacher 05/09/2016 at 15:53

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Yeah, I think Tohru’s choice would be obvious, too. I’m actually planning to move to the Metro Detroit area, (not the D proper, but Sterling Heights, Royal Oak, that sort of thing.) so I’ll be out of BFE a bit.

shop-teacher > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 15:56

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Gotcha. All the more reason to get a Roadmaster!

Dogapult > PartyPooper2012 05/09/2016 at 16:26

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Well, it brings me joy when it runs, and they aren’t making more of them, so I’ll go with what I have. Who said hobbies have to have a point?

Dogapult > shop-teacher 05/09/2016 at 17:17

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Eh, I mean, it’d be useful for towing the race car around, but they really are way cushier than I like my cars to be.

shop-teacher > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 17:25

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They tighten up quite a bit, if you put the right parts on them. I like mine cushy though.

Tohru > PartyPooper2012 05/09/2016 at 20:19

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Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > Dogapult 05/09/2016 at 20:56

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mazda, because WAGON ALL THE THINGS!!!

PartyPooper2012 > Dogapult 05/10/2016 at 06:26

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well... you got a point there... and there... Get some tools together is my point.