Mid-life crisis car plan

[SOUNDMAN5000]

Depends how you like to drive?

When I wanted space and was in traffic all the time, the minivan was excellent and a great platform for sound system mods.

I had a gen 1 Miata and it was a hoot and I loved taking it with me everywhere - and then somehow I got bored with it? Not sure how that happened.

Take a look at an older Lexus GS. Reliable, rear wheel drive, not as many on the road now, excellent vehicle, surprising power if you want it, and comfortable.

Sounds like you want a “car” and not a ragtop Jeep with a stick, also can be fun.

I’d love to get back into a sedan but height matters in traffic here. Sitting taller helps keep my BP lower.

As CRAZY as it sounds, from a guy who just sold his Hellcat... Out of ALL the cars I have owned ( my wife owned it actually ) but her then new 09 Honda Osyssey mini van was the MOST comfortable car/ truck I have ever owned for log trips, The only car that didn't hurt my back and make me tired.

IF I was a person who had to drive for work etc, that mini van would have been my top pick and I loved the Rock Star TV commercials suggesting the van was still cool.

If like me you are old enough vans were very cool in the 70's. Gold shag carpet and all... Bow chica wow wow!

Looking back to those days when the kids were small our van was as "cool" as we could get at the time. LOL, I did like the feel and handling and room...

 

[853okg]

Maybe get a cheap Miata to start? My Dad had a 1991 and while it is "slow", that is a feature to make it a very fun car to learn how to drive "briskly" on public roads. You could play with the balance in the corners with the throttle, blip a couple heel and toe downshifts, all at the corner of your block.

So much more fun to wring out a “slow” vehicle that handles well than to pilot an ultra powerful vehicle on public roads. Who doesn’t get this?

 

[AuthorEditor]

If you used to ride motorcycles and have the skills that's the way to go for bang for the buck. Tons of lightly used ones and fun new ones too. Ride them on twisty back roads where you won't see much traffic and you have a ton of fun at relatively modest speeds. Even just cruising a motorcycle is more fun. Or for around town get an electric one!

 

[Patman]

You Wanna be Cool and Quick? Big Block Camaro in Metallic Blue.

My 24 year old son is looking at getting an older Camaro and one of the ones he is considering is an 81 in metallic blue that has a manual transmission. It doesn’t have a big block but it has a heavily modified 350. I’d rather see him in a Trans Am but a Camaro is still cool

 

[Tdbo]

Get the one you want.
It is your mid life crisis, not anyone elses.
My signature shows my choice.
I started out wanting a Miata, until I discovered that me in a Miata was like trying to fit an elephant in a clown car.
So, after looking around, I decided to go with the car that I always wanted since I was 6 years old: A Mustang convertible.
It was reasonably inexpensive, iconic, tons of aftermarket resources, and cheap to insure.
Bought it new, had it shipped up from Asheville NC, still have it 18 years later.
Still brings a smile to my face anytime I drive it, or even look at it.

 

[MCompact]

How are you getting mid 12's in a C43 if you don't mind me asking?
Cool cars just curious.

12.6 according to Car and Driver, but some people on the MB boards report a few tenths less. Mine hasn't seen the strip yet but I plan to make a thread when I finally get some hard numbers.
I must be getting a little bit old as I've had it since December 2022 and up to now have resisted the urge to add a tune...

 

[Legs4Arms]

12.6 according to Car and Driver, but some people on the MB boards report a few tenths less. Mine hasn't seen the strip yet but I plan to make a thread when I finally get some hard numbers.
I must be getting a little bit old as I've had it since December 2022 and up to now have resisted the urge to add a tune...

Hybridized 402hp model?

 

[MCompact]

Hybridized 402hp model?

No, it’s the twin turbo V6 with 385hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. I prefer it to the four and the V6 gets high marks for long term reliability.

 

[Nukeman7]

Of course the king of the mid-life crisis car is the Corvette... Go big or go home.

You can go even bigger with this for half the price:

A REAL Corvette

NOTE: White New Balance sneakers and Jorts are not needed with this one.

 

[FZ1]

My 24 year old son is looking at getting an older Camaro and one of the ones he is considering is an 81 in metallic blue that has a manual transmission. It doesn’t have a big block but it has a heavily modified 350. I’d rather see him in a Trans Am but a Camaro is still cool

He's cool. Better visibility out of the windows on that model vs. the latest run of Camaros.

 

[JeffKeryk]

You can go even bigger with this for half the price:

A REAL Corvette

NOTE: White New Balance sneakers and Jorts are not needed with this one.

 

[edyvw]

10yrs old grew up in it, 7yrs old grew up in it, and now 15mos old growing up in it. Taking it to ski, track, office, or just to drive around. Was cheaper to maintain than Toyota Sienna:

 

[Legs4Arms]

No, it’s the twin turbo V6 with 385hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. I prefer it to the four and the V6 gets high marks for long term reliability.

That's impressive.
I honestly thought they were low 13 second cars.
Good to know