need some car advice

[ydx7]

A dealership's first priority is making a profit and are probably not above telling somebody what they want to hear. I have more trust in people here, especially since there are car-people among the ranks.

What I attempted to post last time was that I hadn't been looking really since it is cold out. I will be in a few weeks though.

I also wanted to go over the Scion FR-S again. The pros are that is has better mileage, the performance is better, probably cheap used, and is most likely reliable since it's built by Toyota. This blurb did give me pause though: http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/other/to ... 0p#image=5

Also any opinions on the Nissan 370Z?

Thanks again, and see you later!

[Foxtrot X-Ray]

My current daily Driver is a 2000 Mustang base model.
V-6, 5-Speed, silver with black stripes

Well, it WOULD be if it weren't down for repairs

(Don't ignore cracked exhaust Manifolds, guys.. Can cause problems)

Maybe I should have bought the black on black 98 GT instead...

[Foxtrot X-Ray]

Sorry, got interrupted.

I'm pretty happy with the Mustang... Plenty fast enough for a DD.
Not without problems, but I can recommend.

I had also toyed with the idea of a BMW.
A couple of pretty good looking 2-doors in their lineup.
Can't get much better quality per buck, but you'll be shelling those bucks out just to get your hands on a decent one.

[Turbofurball]

A dealership's first priority is making a profit ...

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear - you just use a dealership in order to get a test drive - there is no substitute for actually trying out a model of car you might be interested in

[themanw/oaname]

Maybe I should have bought the black on black 98 GT instead...

pretty much what i have as my daily. i'm saving up for a hard top add on, ram air hood, some repairs and new paint. totally fantastic car. i'm not an engine modder; my car is great as is.

[Foxtrot X-Ray]

Maybe I should have bought the black on black 98 GT instead...

pretty much what i have as my daily. i'm saving up for a hard top add on, ram air hood, some repairs and new paint. totally fantastic car. i'm not an engine modder; my car is great as is.

And sorry to Hijack the thread, but just It found out I'm getting a week's worth of vacation pay on my next paycheck and that should cover the cost my new manifolds and catalytic converter set

Kind of exciting.
Be nice to get out of the embarrassing (but surprisingly comfortable) Loaner car and back into my own.

[DetritusMaximus]

Been gone awhile, lots of things to do.

Took my own advice and went searching for a replacement car as the transmission didn't like the Focus (bought new in Nov '00) anymore and decided to part ways. Can't figure it out, only had 315,000 miles on it. That's about 500,000 kilometers to the rest of the world. So, I finished patching up my 86 Safari van and drove it for a month or so. Ended up buying a 2008 Mustang GT. It was less than $9k and right at 120k miles. Clean one owner, no mods. 300hp 4.6L with 5 speed. Very fast and handles well. Tires are wide, but seem to be good quality. Traction Control and limited slip rear means it does quite well in the rain. The tires do well in the wet, but not the snow (not a big deal as I have the van).

A little info on Mustangs...
5.0 (pushrod 302/305) up to '95 had 205-225hp. Cheap and easy to maintain and no emissions inspection for 95 and earlier (except California). Cobras were about 240hp.
96 to 98 had 4.6L 2 valve single overhead cam modular motor. 215-225hp. Not as cheap to maintain. Cobras had 305hp and 4 cams with 4 valves per cylinder (definitely not cheap to maintain).
99-2004 had the 4.6L 2v single overhead cam modular motor with Performance Improvement heads and about 260hp. Cobras 99-2002 had about 320hp 4valves 4 cams. 2003-2004 Cobras had 390 hp due to supercharger...very not cheap.
2005-2009 had 4.6L 3 valve motor with single overhead cam and 300hp. Cheaper than a Cobra, not as cheap as the 2v for maintenance.
2010...3v motor, 315hp.
2011...5.0L (modular, not the same as the old pushrod dinosaur) with 4 cams and 4 valves...412hp and up.

[DetritusMaximus]

Narrower tyres are better in snow, in the wet it really depends on the car - having good quality rubber with plenty of tread left is more important than the width of wheels.

You're kinda all over the place with your questions - why not go to a dealership and ask to test drive cars you're interested in?

The choice of tire is critical for the wet weather. I have a relatively new tire on my van...just one. Looking at it you'd think it would be a good tire in the wet, aggressive tread with nice wide channels for water, plenty of depth. Nothing could be further from the truth. It slides and slips MUCH easier than the 10 year old Kumho truck tires I have on the other three wheels. It actually is scary to drive on and it is Mud and Snow rated.

The tire width is mostly important at highway speeds or big deep puddles where the tire can be too wide for the water to get out from under it. That is hydroplaning. The tire is literally no longer in contact with the ground and riding on the water. Some brands are better than others, but if the speed is high enough they will all do it.

[Turbofurball]

Tyres also deteriorate over time - if you swapped in more recent part-worn Kumhos then you'd get better wet-weather performance

[DetritusMaximus]

Tyres also deteriorate over time - if you swapped in more recent part-worn Kumhos then you'd get better wet-weather performance

That is the rub...I wish I could get a matching ten year old Kumho to replace that single new tire. I was amazed by their grip in the wet when they were new and they still inspire confidence even at their advanced age. Although, it must be said, I drive the van like a van, not a sportscar.

Ever since the tire dumping scandal (the Chinese manufacturers were selling tires at lower than reasonable cost and the Chinese government was subsidizing them) happened here the Kumhos (even though Korean....), have shown a marked change in quality. Not quite the tire they used to be, hence my hesitance to get new ones. Well, that and I'm not entirely convinced the van will last longer than the current decrepit Kumhos.