So everyone I would think knows I have been looking at getting a new car for a little while now. I just miss having rear wheel drive, I live in NC so front wheel drive isn't really needed or anything since we have next to no snow. I also want to get into driving a manual. I've driven one a couple times and I loved it, I will still need to do some practicing but I'm looking forward to a new challenge.

So I just wanted to give an update as to where I'm at. I posted a little while back about a Camaro Z28 that I had found. However when I went to look at it and drive it, felt like someone drove it hard and put it away wet. I also found out through my bank, I may have to go a little newer on the year of car so that I can get a longer time to pay the car off which will help bring my payments down. Rather then try to pay off $8,000 or $9,000 in 24 or 36 months I am trying to get something around the $12,000 mark and get 60 months which will hopefully keep me where I'm at now or bring my payments down a little more which is always nice.

So since I'm in that price range my must haves are 2006 or newer with a v8 and preferably manual which to get all of those you pretty much need to go with a Mustang, at least in that price I'm looking for. I found a 2006 Mustang gt 5-speed with only 70k miles for $11,990. The car is currently at the dealers shop where it is going through normal stuff like having new brakes put on if it needs it, oil change, etc. Basically stuff to make sure it is safe and passes inspection. Once they get it in which hopefully will be today, then I'm going to go take a look at it. And hopefully I will have a new car here before to long. I will keep updating everyone in case anyone is curious.

 

If you are doing that year range, look into the GTO. Not everyone's favorite look, but that is a comfy and quick car!

Be careful getting into a 5-year loan on a used car too, it's very easy to turn upside down on that, especially if you get into an accident

 

I actually looked at getting a GTO back when I first started looking at new cars. And I love the new body style. I know it's not retro or anything but it has a mean look to it. The downsides that I found out though shortly after looking made me want to go in a different direction. First thing is that my insurance is going to go up nearly $70 a month. I pay $120 for my Monte now, so going up to nearly $200 a month just for insurance is a bit on the high side for me right now. Next is the space, the trunk is almost non existent. This will be my DD and I will also need to carry all of my cleaning supplies for my detailing business that I'm going to be starting. Then comes the issue that Pontiac doesn't exist anymore so parts are tough to come by from what other GTO owners have told me. It's not so much engine parts or trans parts or anything like that because let's face it, it's basically just got corvette internals. But the Body panels is what they say are hard to get. So if you get in a crash the chances of the car just getting totaled is higher then the average car. And for a good one they are just a hair out of my price range.

So that really kind of steered me away from wanting one. The are really nice cars and they are absolute rockets and for being a sporty "muscle" car they are amazingly comfortable, some of the best seats I have ever sat in. But those downsides outweigh the good in my opinion. That's kind of why I was leaning to a Mustang. They still have usable trunks and the seats fold down which gives more space. They still have that nice V8 rumble that I love and I honestly think sounds better then most LS engines. Any other ideas on cars? I'm open to any ideas that you guys may have car wise. I'm not stuck on wanting a Mustang, I just think for the money it's hard to find something of that value.

 

I just truthfully hate working on Ford V8s. I think it's crazy the way that you have to get to some things lol.

Hard to say any other cars that fulfill the date and manual/RWD requirement. The G8 GXP does, but that also falls on the body panel issues like you were saying for the GTO.

 

Lol yea I had a 96' thunderbird LX that had a 4.6L for my first car and it wasn't the easiest to work on. But I didn't think it was to bad.

Yea the G8 is really nice. But the GXP is still like $20,000 or more for one I think.

 

I hate working on ford anything. If you cant look at gm then look no further than mopar. Get your hands on a hemi challenger or charger. I know they arnt manuals but your going to hate ford. You can get a 2008 for around 13k and they blow the mustang out of the water in sound IMO. I love the sound of a hemi. I think they may be manual im later years

 

I love Mopars, I agree that in the sound department there is really nothing that compares. Although I will say that I do love the sounds of a Mustang as well. I also looked at some Chargers. I test drove a 2006 SRT and it was really nice but you can absolutely feel the weight on them. And I was never really a fan of the more modern chargers. The challenger on the hand is one of my favorite all time cars if I could find an RT or an SRT around me for $12,000 I would get it.

 

They didnt make the rt or srt till 2009. They are closer to 16k. But they are by far my favorite of the new muscle cars.

 

All these guys hating on Ford V8's must have never changed spark plugs on an LS1.


Seriously though, every car I know of has SOMETHING that's a major leaguer PITA to work on.... I wouldn't let that sway you too much. If you can work on a front wheel drive Monte Carlo, you can handle most anything else. hehehe

 

Haha yea the Monte can be a pain that is for sure. I actually really like Mustangs, we went and test drove a 2004 Mustang gt 5 speed a little while back and even though it has 265hp vs 303hp however the they have 302 lb feet of torque so they are pretty close to the LS4 in that respect. However my butt dyno said the Mustang felt faster. It's been forever since I have been in a RWD so it may just be the feeling of RWD vs FWD. But I felt like I was being planted in the seat more. Also being a manual the power is more instant so that could have been part of it as well. But yea, all in all a pretty good car.