Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

I noticed that the boot doesn't quite seem to shut completely, I'm going to take the trim off and see if there's anything obvious and I've read some tips on some unbelievably specific forums.

What fiat? Thought most had plastic tanks now.

Depends on the ropey and maintaining the AMSH..

Know of a db9 for sale, that has done over 100,000 miles in 9 yrs, unfortunately it does look it. Interior is not great and outside has quite a few stone chips..but sub 25k Even with a newer interior and chips being sorted is it worth any more?

I'd rather have the Golf.
Or...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1967-Ford-Mustang-Coupe-289-V8-Auto-/261733975444?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cf08f8594
And a sensible car.

http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1071658

Sweet.....

very sweet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7afNZsAvqI

Why are 996's available for ~£13k from dealers?

My old mate, Vince, had one of these... In black, obvs... One of the most thrilling drives I've ever been on... Best was in another mate's Camaro... Third was in his other car, a Pontiac Firebird... This guy also had a HD Sportster that he parked in his front room...

The 80s were mostly shit but they were some of the good bits I (just about) remember...

get one for 9k and outlaw it!

Nobody wants 996s.

People are put off by the rumours of seals, bearings, and scored bore liners, but also there's a fuck tonne of them. First 911 produced in such large quantities, and without any element of rarity, there's nothing to push the price up.

That's my wholly uneducated position.

How much further are they going to fall?

Seems bonkers that a 300 bhp Porsche is cheaper than a Caterham.

Maybe 10k? For a shagged one?

That's my wholly uneducated position.

But it's bob on.

Truth is most of the ones that are going to go pop already have and are either now in pieces or have had a Hartech engine rebuild.

They won't get any cheaper for an OK one. You can get a ratty one for under £10k if you try hard, but it will always be a ratty one and you'll wish you'd saved the extra £3k.

I've always liked Arena Red: http://www.finlaygorham.com/showroomDetail.cfm?srID=1264 though no one else does. If I had £13k I'd buy that, find some 17" wheels for it and keep it forever.

They are supposed to be much better than 964s but the market is driven by nostalgia.
Plus it looks so much like a Boxster. I'd rather actually have a Boxster. Quite a lot actually: I'm saving up right now for a 3.2S. It's better looking, the roof folds, it's sweeter handling, and the engine is in the right place.

That's lovely. Want.

http://silodrome.com/de-tomaso-mangusta-car/

it's sweeter handling,

I'll wager 50 pence you read that somewhere and haven't driven both...

Boxsters feel too edgy to me and not as angry. You can't punt them out of corners leaving trails of tyre smoke unless you are Ari Vatanen, whereas the 996 goads you to flick it about and waste your tyres. All except the Boxster Spyder, that's lovely, save more and get one of those.

And the middle isn't the right place for an engine. The front is.

Ok, I need to pay a loan off first but I think at some point next year I may have to try Porcshe ownership.

I'm looking at 993's.

That de tomaso is fantastic. Mad Max aesthetic.

And that red porka:

Really? So dull. It looks like a Eunos 800 from the 90's or something. Do not care how well it drives. I'd rather rag around in a knackered 944.

I'm sniffing around 'Grale's as well. There are some superb deals to be had if I'm prepared to push the budget.

The only way your vehicular investments could be more Essex than an E30 M3 and an Integrale, is if you invested in an Escort Cossie.

Funny you say that - I was looking at RS500's too.

I haven't driven either. It doesn't stop the Boxster S inducing a state of major want, and the 996 never getting past the 'meh' stage.
I have read it somewhere though. In fact I have read it pretty much everywhere.

I don't want a car to be edgy or angry and leave trails of tyre smoke. I've got motorcycles to scare me shitless, I'm getting old and have partied too hard, and my wife has a bad back. And tyres are bloody expensive. I just want it to be effortlessly fast, comfortable, stylish, to handle well, and never break down. That last requirement is fairly recent. I reckon the IMS failure is rare enough to make a Boxster a more sensible proposition than a Mercedes SLK.