Guest rogerb Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 +1 + 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Why hasn't anyone said, "YOLO"? Only thing that gets me hotter than than a vintage Gibson is a sweet ride...or a hot chick. Seriously, though, how much will the insurance cost? Are you handy with repairs? Those would be my two fears; high insurance premiums and breaking down. Because only drug addicts say YOLO, and people who drive home drunk and kill other drivers/people say YOLO. Thats why no one says it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinner 13 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 My dad did just that a couple years ago, an '89, white, red leather, 5k Thing's a beast, for a stock 'Vette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Hey, I just figured out what YOLO means. <grin> OTOH, I also just got done writing up a little old lady who cruised her small sedan into the back end of the local sheriff's stopped pickup truck at full highway speed this morning. She's still alive, which is a bit surprising. The sheriff was just a couple of car lengths away and although unhurt, got dusted by debris. So... although I've been known to drive at something over legal speed limits (okay, occasionally twice the legal limit), I've gotten a bit more cautious with incipient old age. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Nothing new to report as yet. I did sell my '42 International truck, as I've had it for 12 years and basically haven't done anything to it. That's $500 in the Vette fund. Or not a Vette. Duly noted about the safety issues. I want something we can use and not be afraid of death every time we pull out of the driveway. My boss has a '95 Saab 900S convertible and loves it. He beats on it and it shows. Saab 900's are plentiful and cheap in Maine, especially this time of year. Lots of clean late 90s models in the $3K range. There are a few Volvo ragtops and a few BMWs as well. The price bumps up a little is all. My foreign car guru says BMWs are the best things made, hands down. My sister ordered one directly from Germany but my only experience with it was looking out the living room window and seeing it in my driveway. Older Volvo and BMW ragtops are out there, you can just add $1500-2000 to what you'd pay for a comparable Saab. #1 it needs to be a convertible. If I were to push the Corvette issue I would settle for a Targa or T-top but the driving force here is an open mutual husband-wife "we've got money to piss away on a sportscar" mid life "we could die tomorrow" car. One that we can wake up on Sunday morning and decide to have lunch at the Denny's 175 miles away. Like to do it this fall when people are panicking about putting their toy car into storage for the winter and the price stays low. I bought my Sportster for $2500 last fall under those same circumstances. Carpetbagger mentality maybe but it's served me well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Nothing new to report as yet. I did sell my '42 International truck, as I've had it for 12 years and basically haven't done anything to it. That's $500 in the Vette fund. Or not a Vette. Duly noted about the safety issues. I want something we can use and not be afraid of death every time we pull out of the driveway. My boss has a '95 Saab 900S convertible and loves it. He beats on it and it shows. Saab 900's are plentiful and cheap in Maine, especially this time of year. Lots of clean late 90s models in the $3K range. There are a few Volvo ragtops and a few BMWs as well. The price bumps up a little is all. My foreign car guru says BMWs are the best things made, hands down. My sister ordered one directly from Germany but my only experience with it was looking out the living room window and seeing it in my driveway. Older Volvo and BMW ragtops are out there, you can just add $1500-2000 to what you'd pay for a comparable Saab. #1 it needs to be a convertible. If I were to push the Corvette issue I would settle for a Targa or T-top but the driving force here is an open mutual husband-wife "we've got money to piss away on a sportscar" mid life "we could die tomorrow" car. One that we can wake up on Sunday morning and decide to have lunch at the Denny's 175 miles away. Like to do it this fall when people are panicking about putting their toy car into storage for the winter and the price stays low. I bought my Sportster for $2500 last fall under those same circumstances. Carpetbagger mentality maybe but it's served me well. Volvo...??? Not a Vette. Bmw...??? Not a Vette. Don't settle and don't let people scare you out of what you really want. Just be careful. Don't drive crazy or race in the streets. There is nothing like sitting behind the wheel of a Vette and looking out onto that long sporty nose and seeing where the wheel wells flair up into the hood. Sitting low to the grown and looking like the coolest guy on the planet driving it. Volvo??? please... Zero cool factor and no sex appeal, just sayin'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 I guess when I think Volvo I think bulletproof. Got to be a compromise somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 KS, I know people have seen all kinds of Vette crashes with horrible results but most likely they were the result crazy kids and young adults driving too fast or doing stuff that got them into trouble. I could be wrong but I don't see you as that kind of driver. get the Vette enjoy it to cruise around in on your Sunday drives in the country. Go to the Vette events and rallies. You will meet some great people and all with similar interests, just like here in the forum (only with real people) . I just don't think the Volvo club would be as fun as a Vette rally... That's part of the reason I bought my Harley. It's not just a vehicle it's a life style and community... My 2cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Re Volvo:In the 60s and 70s Volvo made an absolutely beautiful sports car called the P-1800-S and its successor the P-1800-E. The P-1800s were low-slung sports cars with great performance and of course tank-like construction and reliability.The P-1800-S was a 2 door coupe and if anyone remembers the 60s series starring Roger Moore as "THE SAINT",he used a P-1800-S during the whole series.The P-1800-E is identical to its predecessor right up to the B pillars-the posts behind the doors where it becomes an"estate wagon" or station wagon.It has to be the most beautiful station wagon ever made,even giving the '55,'56 &'57 Chevy Nomads a run for the money. I recently read an article about the P-1800 series in one of the motoring magazines that I subscribe to and was looking around diligently to find the mag. to get pix but I couldn't find it.Anyway I am sure there are pix of it somewhere on the web. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 Stopped and chatted with a guy who had 3 old Vettes in various states of disrepair. I sat in an 86 and a 91. Almost killed myself getting in and out. Very claustrophobic. I liken it to getting inside a casket with a steering column and then closing the lid. I went back to work and borrowed my boss's '95 Saab ragtop with 248,000 miles on it, dropped the top and rode around town some. Lots of room. I didn't feel trapped and it was like driving a normal car. Just sayin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I sat in an 86 and a 91. Almost killed myself getting in and out. Very claustrophobic. I liken it to getting inside a casket with a steering column and then closing the lid. Well, you probably wouldn't do well in one of these then either Bummer it didn't work out, but at least you know now what'll make you happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Stopped and chatted with a guy who had 3 old Vettes in various states of disrepair. I sat in an 86 and a 91. Almost killed myself getting in and out. Very claustrophobic. I liken it to getting inside a casket with a steering column and then closing the lid. I went back to work and borrowed my boss's '95 Saab ragtop with 248,000 miles on it, dropped the top and rode around town some. Lots of room. I didn't feel trapped and it was like driving a normal car. Just sayin'. Get a convertible vette or take the T-tops off or the tagra roof and you will have that same open feeling... Seems to me though that you really don't want a vette... Get what ever will make you happy. Just make sure it's what you really want... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dueling shadow Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Stopped and chatted with a guy who had 3 old Vettes in various states of disrepair. I sat in an 86 and a 91. Almost killed myself getting in and out. Very claustrophobic. I liken it to getting inside a casket with a steering column and then closing the lid. I went back to work and borrowed my boss's '95 Saab ragtop with 248,000 miles on it, dropped the top and rode around town some. Lots of room. I didn't feel trapped and it was like driving a normal car. Just sayin'. I have a '99 Saab ragtop, and it's a blast to drive. I will caution you though, if you pay a mechanic to fix anything, they are pretty expensive. They are fairly easy to work on, though, if you're handy. As for the beemer convertible, I have had those too, pretty much the same as Saab in repair costs and fun factor. I say you can't go wrong with either, especially since the original outlay won't break the bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I've been a car guy all my life. Worked in Chevy dealers in the late 70's/early 80's as a tech. Vettes are very strong, full frame cars. Make sure you drive a few (not just one, so you have a chance on knowing how a proper one should behave). They handle well and have plenty of power to put a grin on your face. At the 5 grand mark, you are kind of limited on options and the Vette is a good one. Good luck at finding a new toy, whatever it ends up being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 So I was in Sturgis a few weeks ago during the rally (had a blast!). I don't own a Harley but I told my wife that I was going to buy one in Sturgis and ride it back as part of my mid-life crisis. A biker asked me if I knew the average age of a Harley owner. I didn't. Turns out it's 52! My wife said I have a long time left so that dream is on hold for a while. Doh!! This makes me wonder what the average age of a Vette owner is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 That was Phase I of the mid life crisis. Bought it last fall. I've since taken the windshield off and put on a stock seat from an 02 or something... a little more cushy. $2500 cash. It has 7700 miles on it. I've ridden it less than 200 miles this summer but by God it's there when I want it. And I turned 52 a couple weeks ago... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 This makes me wonder what the average age of a Vette owner is? Wikipedia says 53. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette#Owner_demographics I've owned 3 Vette's since '93, so I guess I'm on the "high side" of the demographic at a rapidly approaching 66. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 So I must ask a dumb question... understand I can't just walk up to a Vette owner and ask to sit in his car but... are the late 70s/early 80s ones any easier to get in and out of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 If you want space, if you want "cool", if you want something that flys when you stomp on the gas, there is only ONE car that excells in all 3 of these: Cadillac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Life is really fu@kin short. Get whatever toys make you smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam411booking Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 You only live once. Do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 There's lots of fun cars out there if you want a Vette buy it. The ragtop part is fun if the weather is nice I have three cars with convertible tops right now. Four if you count the side by side ATV that we made street legal and keep at the cabin and your right they can be a blast. My favorite is probably My 2002 thunderbird with the retro body great looking fun car and people love it. Wish I would have had it when I was dating age because the girls love it especially young girls. I also own my mid life crisis car a Porsche Boxster S that's a fun car and the Porsche I always wanted it's a fun car but with the top off it beat's you up pretty bad with wind coming over the windshield and it's damn low to get in and out of but the triptronic paddle shifting makes the cool factor pretty high. The other convertible is a Jeep with a hard to but we run it in the sunners up/ north with just a door to door bikini top it's fun but not at speed again wind is brutal. That's why I like the T-bird it's got great aerodynamics that make it almost as pleasant to drive topless as with the hard top which is amazing really. The ArticCat prowler 700 cc is one of the funnest toys Ive ever owned my wife even likes it for short errands around the cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 About sitting in a Vette: There are Vette dealers here in Houston who have models of all ages. If there is one in your area, go get the feel. As for my expirience..I've only ever sat in a StingRay and it was comfortable once you got in it. If being low is an issue for you, sporty cars just tend to be low, so maybe not so good. I was dating a guy as a teen and his dad had the aforementioned Sting. I never much cared for Vettes (being a TRANS AM girl). I never thought the boy I was dating was all that hot either. When we sat in that car and I looked over...I was instantly more attracted. I'm not kidding, and I finally understood why people like Vettes. Please don't think I'm shallow, it isn't the fact that he was in an expensive car or anything, he just sort of had a dangerous edge about him sitting in that car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Not much chance of anything (with strings, tires, or full of large projectiles) giving ME a dangerous edge!!! Kinda like putting a spiked collar on a Golden Retriever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Not much chance of anything (with strings, tires, or full of large projectiles) giving ME a dangerous edge!!! Kinda like putting a spiked collar on a Golden Retriever. IDK.... Being married to that wife of your that seems to really enjoy powerful firearms and such kinda gives me the impression you aren't afraid of much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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