Similar cars, but maybe not
Discussion
Just over a year back, following a lot of problems, cost and time with a BMW Z4, I decided I would buy a Lexus RC300, my reasoning being that as well as being (in my view) a great looking car with four seats it would be reliable and cheap to run - £20 Road tax, 40 mpg, along with taking advantage of Lexus’s 10 year servicing/warranty scheme, perfect for me. I still love the car, it’s great to drive and I still love the way it looks ( I have never had so many random positive comments about a car) …..so why have I spent so much time looking at adverts, reviews and videos on another great looking , two door, four seat car, a second hand 15 ish year old Maserati Granturismo! - £600 Road tax, 15mpg and potential bills that run into thousands. In all honesty I am not looking for advice on whether to change car or not, just interested in whether others have found themselves in similar circumstances
I've had a vaguely similar situation. I had a bad run of maintenance with my RX-7, to the point I decided to replace it with something more reliable. It wasn't just the cost, but also the inability to fully enjoy the car while waiting for it to be fixed.
I decided the perfect car would be a 350Z, similar performance, still a nice FR manual, but far less likely to break. I found a low-mileage example for a good price, and snapped it up.
And... it just didn't excite me like the Mazda, it felt like a much bigger, less exciting car to drive. It did everything I expected of it, it just couldn't replace the older, less reliable car as something to excite me. This isn't really a fair comparison and I don't want to diss the Nissan - a third-gen RX-7 is just a very special thing, a small car packing big power. The Nissan was however reliable and sold a year later for more than I bought it for, so zero hard feelings, just not for me. (I kept the Mazda)
I think perhaps the problem we both had is buying a car for "sensible" reasons, rather than emotional ones. If you do that, then... are you really going to be satisfied, as a car enthusiast? I think it's only natural for one's attention to wander.
Conversely the cars I've bought with my heart have stuck around for years, a car that really excites me to drive remains compelling and I don't really feel the need to look for alternatives.
I decided the perfect car would be a 350Z, similar performance, still a nice FR manual, but far less likely to break. I found a low-mileage example for a good price, and snapped it up.
And... it just didn't excite me like the Mazda, it felt like a much bigger, less exciting car to drive. It did everything I expected of it, it just couldn't replace the older, less reliable car as something to excite me. This isn't really a fair comparison and I don't want to diss the Nissan - a third-gen RX-7 is just a very special thing, a small car packing big power. The Nissan was however reliable and sold a year later for more than I bought it for, so zero hard feelings, just not for me. (I kept the Mazda)
I think perhaps the problem we both had is buying a car for "sensible" reasons, rather than emotional ones. If you do that, then... are you really going to be satisfied, as a car enthusiast? I think it's only natural for one's attention to wander.
Conversely the cars I've bought with my heart have stuck around for years, a car that really excites me to drive remains compelling and I don't really feel the need to look for alternatives.
I've gone from high revving Hondas (Prelude, K24 Accord, CH1) and a Corolla T Sport to.....
A Volvo S60 2.0T! I wanted an auto due to London traffic, but also wanted a 5 cyclinder petrol engine, I mean it's still a saloon, but it's not "me" but it also is at the same time, it's slow and heavy and thirsty, and this gearbox is...Automatic, and requires learning to drive again in some ways.
One minute I'm looking at Corsa VXRs, then it could be an Alfa 166, then it could be a Honda Kei car.
I truly believe petrol heads comes in all forms, whether it's hypermiling, outright straight line speed, or maybe you don't care and just want a certain shaped car with beige interior and heated seats... Different strokes
A Volvo S60 2.0T! I wanted an auto due to London traffic, but also wanted a 5 cyclinder petrol engine, I mean it's still a saloon, but it's not "me" but it also is at the same time, it's slow and heavy and thirsty, and this gearbox is...Automatic, and requires learning to drive again in some ways.
One minute I'm looking at Corsa VXRs, then it could be an Alfa 166, then it could be a Honda Kei car.
I truly believe petrol heads comes in all forms, whether it's hypermiling, outright straight line speed, or maybe you don't care and just want a certain shaped car with beige interior and heated seats... Different strokes
Cliftonite said:
OP - is the Lexus an RC300h (hybrid)? If so, it is not a car for an enthusiastic driver!
Yes, it’s a Hybrid, with the CVT transmission, so no it’s not a drivers car, but it is in its own way a lovely comfortable and relaxing car to drive with no fear of it leaving you stranded, I do however have a lightly modified MX5 which serves up some fun!I am still however glued to You tube vids listening to the Granturismo exhaust note.
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