• Sam26
    2.7k
    I've been looking at sports car for months now trying to figure out what I'm going to buy. I've looked at the Charger Hellcat, Camaro Zl1, Corvette Z06, and finally the car I'm leaning toward, the Mercedes AMG E63 S. The least refined is the Hellcat, but it's fast from 0-60, and it can be used as a daily driver believe it or not. The Camaro Zl1 is an amazing sports car, and the 10 speed automatic is an amazing transmission. Unfortunately it only seats two, it has blind spots, and it uses up the tires with normal use in about 8000 miles. The Z06 is an amazing car unless you take the early versions (2015 and 2016) to the track, in which case they overheat, but I won't be going to the track so it doesn't concern me. I like the look, but I don't like how low it sits (getting in and out - I'm getting old), and I like to be able to have more than one person besides myself in the car. The car is crazy fast though. That brings me to the Mercedes, a beautiful car, very quick, very refined, and you can seat five in luxury - I like it!

    Any thoughts?
  • tim wood
    9.3k
    Toyota Corolla. You already know why, or you never will.
  • Cavacava
    2.4k
    I think the Mercedes is the head of the class for luxury, space, ride, but it is more of a cruiser. It has twin turbos integrated into the motor, so you know it will cost like hell to get a turbo rebuilt on one of these....

    I like the looks of the Camaro especially the convertable, I think it has same motor as the Corvette but weights 500 or 600 lbs more.

    The Hellcat is competes with the Camaro, mean looking, but not so sure about handling, and oh yea it's a Dodge, it lost to the Ford Mustang Bullitt
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    I already have a Toyota Corolla.
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    The Mercedes is actually faster than the Camaro Zl1, which surprised me. I've driven all of these cars except the Mercedes. They are definitely fun if you like sports cars, if not, then buy something that suits your taste. It's an expensive hobby though.
  • tim wood
    9.3k
    Then you know. Under $20,000 for the car, minimal gas and maintenance. Leaving as much as $50,000 or more in your bank account. There are things that can be bought that are more fun than cars.

    When it comes to going fast, cornering fast, or racing, there are better cars for that than you've mentioned. (And, to be sure, do you always drive your Corolla at full throttle?) But there is one race I'm a winner at - or set of races, however you may conceive of them - the distance race and the money spent race. If someone wants to challenge, I'll tell them the finish line is at 240,000 miles. Let's see who gets there!

    But if you just plain want a great car, how about a more-or-less recent, gently used Bentley?

    (And lest I forget, on your choice of cars, excise taxes, if you pay them, and insurance.)
  • Pseudonym
    1.2k
    I already have a Toyota Corolla.Sam26

    Here's an idea, how about just sticking to the one car instead of fucking up the planet for the rest of us?
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    Whether there are things that are more fun than cars is very subjective, but I agree, I would much rather be with friends than have a sports car. However, I can have both, and I can afford it, so why not? There are always things more important than having fun, or enjoying a car.

    There's not much that's better in terms of bang for the buck.

    Ya, Bentley's are great cars, but not my taste. It's a hobby, albeit an expensive one.
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    Ahhh, am I messing up the planet for you. Poor baby.
  • Agustino
    11.2k
    Cars? I don't know anything about cars :s They say this is a shame for a man >:O
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    True, very true. X-)
  • Pseudonym
    1.2k
    Ahhh, am I messing up the planet for you. Poor baby.Sam26

    Well yes, I'm not sure how you think using patronising epiphets absolves you of moral responsibility.
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    It's not meant to absolve me of anything. I'm just responding to your asinine comment in a thread about sports cars. This isn't a thread about the ethics of owning cars, or cars that you deem bad for the environment.
  • Pseudonym
    1.2k


    This is a philosophy forum you know. If you just want to talk about cars without any philosophical implication then you might want to consider a sports car forum. I hear they're pretty light on ethics.
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    Do you not see the title to this section, it's the lounge.
  • tim wood
    9.3k
    Then more power to you! But here's a thought, and a challenge: you're apparently able to invest $40 - 80K in a car, perhaps not out of necessity. Take a little bit more, go find yourself a hard-working waitress, and buy (probably) her, a decent used car - or give her your Toyota, if it's not too new. Why? It has nothing to do with balance or justification or anything like. Rather it is something that will give you years of satisfaction greater and longer than any car you buy for yourself. Or if this particular idea doesn't work for you then something similar of your own devising - when I give, I prefer it to be in the form of durable goods.
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    What makes you think I haven't done things like this already. Besides who are you to give advice to me, especially since you don't know me. It's also probably likely that my system of ethics is much more advanced than yours, so I have a good idea about right and wrong actions. I might not always make the best choice based on those ethics, but I know something about right and wrong. Sometimes I make poor choices, as do we all, but more often than not, I make the right choice.
  • Pseudonym
    1.2k
    Do you not see the title to this section, it's the lounge.Sam26

    I wasn't talking about the appropriateness of the subsection, I was referring to your evident surprise that when posting anything on a philosophy forum you might actually encounter someone with some ethics.
  • Cavacava
    2.4k
    The Mercedes is actually faster than the Camaro Zl1

    I wonder what was compared. It is hard to find equally equipped models, I saw a couple of youtube videos that suggest they are pretty close, the Mercedes beating the Camaro in 1/4 mile, losing to it in the 1/2 mile. There is also probably a difference based on manual vs automatic shifting, with automatic beating manual in many cases. I like a manual shift, but it sucks in heavy traffic.

    Both cars get large price cuts as soon as you drive them off the lot. I like the design of the Camaro, especially the convertible. I've got a Lincoln Town Car L, and a Ford Ranger with a long throw shift, and a shade tree mechanic who knows both vehicles intimately.
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    The stated 0-60 times of the Mercedes AMG E63 S is 3.4 sec, the camaro zl1 is 3.5 sec. If you talking about the Camaro zl1 1le that's different, it's probably faster on the track, but it's not faster from 0-60. The Mercedes is just a much better car overall, but it costs about 30k more.

    Ya, the Camaro convertible is a nice looking car. Another nice car is the Cadillac cts-v. I did have a 2014 BMW m5, and that was a nice car too.
  • tim wood
    9.3k
    What makes you think I haven't done things like this already.Sam26
    Again, more power to you! And it wasn't advice, but just a thought. I've had money and not had money and I know very well that people without cannot afford the things that people with money don't even think about. It sounds like you think about it, so again, more power to you!
  • TimeLine
    2.7k
    You know, last year I was asked out on a date by a guy who drives an Amarok V6, he had tattoo down his right arm, big, brawny thing who seemed to compare his masculinity to this material archetype and so driving this Amarok meant he epitomised the 'manliness' as much as a Mercedes or a BMW epitomises prestige and wealth. I could not get myself to say yes.

    You seem like an intelligent, old man, why do you want a sports car? To feel young again? While I think that useful, material objects can represent the type of character and personality one has - a person who dresses like a clown is likely deranged despite calling it "fashion" - there needs to be some sense and utility in what you are purchasing, what is most cost-effective, economical, better for the environment.

    Above all, after the wreckage that was my car following the road accident, I think you should be thinking mostly about safety and this can be achieved without having to resort to sluggish speeds. Like the Chevrolet Volt that is enabled with an electric engine but if necessary also has petrol, it incidentally is very attractive and sportish, it has a great safety rating and holds good speeds.

    But, I would drive a Ford Focus or a Mazda 3 because it has the highest safety rating, economical, and I am not a rally driver to need anything fancy. Plus they are much cheaper, though still too expensive for me.
  • Akanthinos
    1k
    Any thoughts?Sam26

    edit : meh, nevermind.
  • Hanover
    12.9k
    But, I would drive a Ford Focus or a Mazda 3 because it has the highest safety rating, economical, and I am not a rally driver to need anything fancy.TimeLine

    He wasn't seeking advice on finding a car that could make him yawn the fastest.
  • Hanover
    12.9k
    Here's an idea, how about just sticking to the one car instead of fucking up the planet for the rest of us?Pseudonym

    Why would having two cars fuck up the planet faster? You can only drive one at a time.
  • TimeLine
    2.7k
    He wasn't seeking advice on finding a car that could make him yawn the fastest.Hanover

    If I had the money, I would love to have one of those cars. Just so you know, a man can still be a man despite driving a canary yellow Holden Barina. It is the utility of the car, whether you will save money in the long run, whether it can hold its value should you decide to sell later, insurance, safety etc.

    Meanie.
  • Sam26
    2.7k
    What can I say, I just like sports cars, always have. Some people like large homes, I could care less about having a large home. By the way, my body is full of tattoos. I have one of Wittgenstein on my chest. :-}

    I'm not into fancy clothes, not into having expensive watches, I just like sports cars. Can't I have one vice, please? I'm not rich, nor am I married, I just have a little extra money to spend. Why not have a little fun. Beside I'm 67, who knows how much time I have left.

    I don't even drive that fast, at most I'll drive 150 in a 30 mph school zone, but that's it; and I do it on Sundays while texting.

    Ya, if you've ever been in an accident that will cure you of sports cars. I've seen some bad accidents, but was never involved in one. My best friend, who loved sports cars, always said he would die before he was 21, but that if he died he wanted to die in his car. Well, he wasn't in it, but under it, it fell on him. He was 20 when he died. I was in Marines at the time, just left Vietnam, when I got the news. It's a crazy world, I go to Vietnam and survive, he dies under his car in his driveway.
  • ssu
    8.6k
    Once I with two of my friends decided to buy one of our mutual friend a Porsche if he would graduate before the end of the Milennia. The friend in question had studied in a Tech University yet already had a job and hence his drive to finish his studies had evaporated. There were still few years to go (to 2000) and him graduating could have been possible, but unfortunately our friend didn't take it as a nice friendly gesture. Actually he got very angry about it. He still hasn't graduated, but we still are friends..

    Yet from that we noticed how cheap Porsches are if you divide their price by three. The cheapest possible worn out Porsche would be chump change and a more expensive one wouldn't be that expensive.

    One smart way to own a sports car is if you have the plan of owning it just for a while and sell it when it's still reasonably new. And doing it when your still young. Then you'll have that cool picture from your youth like "Yeah, I had one for a while".
  • Pseudonym
    1.2k
    Why would having two cars fuck up the planet faster? You can only drive one at a time.Hanover

    Because two cars take more resources to make than one. I don't know how well you know maths, but two is more than one.

    Also, having cars for pleasure rather than purpose would certainly tend towards an increase in unnecessary driving and a tendency towards an unnecessarily low fuel economy. But in these two last respects, if I have stumbled across the world's first ecologically minded sports car enthusiast who is actually thinking of converting his entire fleet to run off waste chip fat and only use them to drive old ladies to the shops on Sunday, then he has my sincere apologies for the misrepresentation.
  • Hanover
    12.9k
    If I had the money, I would love to have one of those cars. Just so you know, a man can still be a man despite driving a canary yellow Holden Barina. It is the utility of the car, whether you will save money in the long run, whether it can hold its value should you decide to sell later, insurance, safety etc.TimeLine
    All that you say is true, and I personally look to those practical issues when buying cars, but it's all a matter of priority and taste, and it just seems our beleagured poster is being asked to defend himself for simply having the extra money to spend as he wishes.

    Just because I buy used shoes, for example, doesn't mean you should. And you could wear used combat boots, and you'd still be just as lovely, but maybe you need [insert designer brand here] for some feminine reason that seems as silly to men as it feels to you when you see a man in a sports car. It's just boyz being boyz and girlz being girlz.
    Meanie.TimeLine

    augeu2jxbra9qktk.jpg
  • Pseudonym
    1.2k
    it just seems our beleagured poster is being asked to defend himself for simply having the extra money to spend as he wishes.Hanover

    Oh the poor man, fancy having to deal with the dual burdens of having enough spare money to spend on a sports car and being asked to justify one's actions morally. Gosh life can be hard sometimes.
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