Another What Car Thread....sorry

[locutus]

Hi All,

As I approach my 40th birthday in September I hade decided that after years of having sensible cars (currently a Yaris T-Sport) I fancy something I bit more interesting.
Having owned a 3rd gen Camaro a few years ago and being a huge fan of American cars I am considering going back to the world of the V8.
However whatever car I buy will become my daily driver (and be parked on the street) so I am after some feedback on what the cars are like to run on a day to day basis.
Currently I do about 6000 miles a year (mainly along 40/50mph roads to work and for pleaure) and while this isn't a lot I am also wondering with the cost of petrol creeping up if this is going to be a deal breaker. So any real world examples of mpg would be good too.

The current list of cars I am considering are:-
Camaro 4th gen (either LT1 or LS1)
Trans Am 4th gen (either LT1 or LS1)
Corvette C4 (LT1)
and left field choice - Chrysler Crossfire (I know it's not a V8 but I like the shape).

My budget is about 7-8k, possible 10k at a stretch.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers,

Konrad

[37chevy]

Elise, ok not a yank but it does 45 to the gallon

But yeh crossfire, dodge avenger?

[Cledus Snow]

37chevy said:

dodge avenger?

We had one at work for 6 months(ish), Awful thing. Nobody wanted it and anybody that we gave it to brought it back fairly sharpish. I'd rather tuck my balls between my legs and slide down a sandpaper slide than own one.

[boobles]

Ok not a V8 but still very capable... Fantastic cars with huge potential & great fun to drive. I am loving mine to bits & considering some of my previous cars, the Crossfire had alot to live up to & it certainly does that....

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3572521.htm

Edited by boobles on Friday 2nd March 10:42

[BLUETHUNDER]

Cledus Snow said:

We had one at work for 6 months(ish), Awful thing. Nobody wanted it and anybody that we gave it to brought it back fairly sharpish. I'd rather tuck my balls between my legs and slide down a sandpaper slide than own one.

[locutus]

Agree the Dodge Avenger is horrible.
I would still like something that is pretty practical. Never considered an Elise tbh

[locutus]

boobles said:

Ok not a V8 but still very capable... Fantastic cars with huge potential & great fun to drive. I am loving mine to bits & considering some of my previous cars, the Crossfire had alot to live up to & it certainly does that....

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3572521.htm

Edited by boobles on Friday 2nd March 10:42

That looks nice though I do prefer the coupe.
What are the running costs like for an SRT.

[boobles]

I just have the standard S6 Coupe & I really enjoy it. Not the same amount of horses as the SRT but still very very capable.
Here are the stats for the SRT.......

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-fi...



& the stats for the Coupe.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-fi...

Edited by boobles on Friday 2nd March 11:38

[locutus]

Thanks for the info.
When I had the Camaro I used to be very active in the American car scene. Not sure if a Crossfire would fit in and I alsow wonder if I would just be wishing I got something with a V8.

[boobles]

locutus said:

Thanks for the info.
When I had the Camaro I used to be very active in the American car scene. Not sure if a Crossfire would fit in and I alsow wonder if I would just be wishing I got something with a V8.

If a V8 is in your heart, I would say go for it... No point buying something & regretting it.
Goodluck with it all & keep us informed.

[locutus]

Thanks
I just need some advice on what I have listed as daily drivers!

Anyone?

Edited by locutus on Friday 2nd March 19:24

[powerstroke]

locutus said:

Thanks for the info.
When I had the Camaro I used to be very active in the American car scene. Not sure if a Crossfire would fit in and I alsow wonder if I would just be wishing I got something with a V8.

I would forget those horrid RHD plastic yanks go mustang or camaro/firechicken v8
they wont be that much worse mpg and possibly cost less in deprciation... a win win

[57peppershaker]

Stay away from yank wannabees.
Mustang, Camaro, Vette - ya cant go wrong BUT make sure theres an 8 up front ! The 6 are not worth much in terms of resale or cool factor.

[sayerbloke]

Never apologise for a "what car" thread! .

57peppershaker said:

BUT make sure theres an 8 up front ! The 6 are not worth much in terms of resale or cool factor.

Or noise .

More seriously, the "economy model" V6s really didn't seem far behind the V8s in terms of real-world MPG in the '90s and earlier. The two F-body cars listed could be had for under the £8k budget, so even if fuel does continue to rise you could think of the saving made on purchase as enabling you to continue your V8 motoring .

Hmm... As another possible option, I wonder if that budget would stretch to an early Monaro yet...

[locutus]

What are the 4th gen f-bodies and corvette c4 like as daily drivers? Not just fuel but also living with on a day to day basis for parking etc.

[yabadaba]

locutus said:

What are the 4th gen f-bodies and corvette c4 like as daily drivers? Not just fuel but also living with on a day to day basis for parking etc.

When I had my 4th gen LS1 Camaro I used it as a daily driver and it was totally fine, even with regards to fuel (no worse than my 3.0 CRD Jeep). Yes, they are bigger than most euro/Jap sports coupes but not so big that parking is at all an issue. I now drive a 18ft Dodge and a 19ft Cadillac and don't even have issues with them. If anything I'd say the width and turning circle are what really matters when doing urban driving and the Camaro was not overly wide and the turning circle was about average....so all was okay. I would imagine a C4 Vette would be similar but don't know for sure...a C5 is certainly very similar.

[LuS1fer]

I used my 4th gen LS1 camaro as a daily and put about 9k a year on it. No issues really save a slight leak from the steering rack which some of that PAS remedy put right. You do sit low in the car though and it is fairly long so if that is an issue, a new edge Mustang may be a better bet though they are less powerful (215 in the GT I think and 275 in the Bullitt which would be out of budget I think). You can get earlier 305hp Mustang Cobras.

I also used a 9 year old 1985 C4 as a daily for 3 years. It was also reasonable reliable though the digital instruments packed in and it developed a misfire as it hadn't had new O2 sensors probably from new. The headlamp motors have a habit of stripping the nylon gears and my heater matrix went. The targa top is also far more prone to leaking than the T-tops in the 4th gen.

I'd still favour a low mile Corvette though - mine was a great car despite it's foibles and a 1992 facelift one with the 250hp L98 has none of the LT1 annoyances.

[locutus]

Thanks for the responses.
The car would also have to live on the street which is always short of parking.
One thing I am considering is looking at a normal coupe (such as the Crossfire) for the moment and then get a muscle car in a couple of years when hopefully I will have a house with a driveway. That way I wouldn't need to care so much about how big and thirsty it is etc. Might be less of a compromise

Decisions, decisions......

[malc350]

LuS1fer said:

I'd still favour a low mile Corvette though - mine was a great car despite it's foibles and a 1992 facelift one with the 250hp L98 has none of the LT1 annoyances.

92 has an LT1 which incidentally is a vastly superior to the old boat anchor L98 which is torquey but a real low rev slogger taxi engine - a real frustrating dated old lump, especially in a manual.

LT1 - better, faster, more reliable, more of a thoroughbred revvier engine.

If buying a C4 I'd always buy the best I can afford (always do). I did a 1500 mile round trip in my 96 LT4 (manual, auto Corvettes should be banned) and it was a great experience - just soaked up the miles effortlessly. As for a daily driver though, well I used my 93 LT1 (auto, I hadn't seen the light in those days...) and I started out loving it, ended up hating the hassle of getting it down side roads, driving over speed humps and bad roads, its' bulk in day to day driving and poor fuel economy in traffic (great on a run though).

Mind you this was in East London and I cannot actually think of a less suitable London car. Depends where you live then...

Trans Ams and Camaros are a generation newer at the money you're talking about and probably a more useable bet.

[LuS1fer]

True, Malc, I meant the 91 - facelift plus L98. I'm not arguing the LT1 was a better engine performance wise but the Optispark would put me off. I also didn't find the engine in my '85 in the least underpowered, even with 235hp plus a Superchip. The auto wasn't ideal but god, it was fun, at least where I live.