Well, it's time to try monogamy...

[epbrown]

The automotive version, that is. Yesterday I sold the Z4 2.5i to the nice people at Carmax, so for the first time in years I'm a single man with only one car - my 2007 M Coupe.

Of course, the problem with monogamy is always temptation. Do I get something practical for the commute to preserve my M Coupe for the many years together I've got planned? (I'm thinking 318ti - over 30mpg in town). Do I run to Alabama and get my old 1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow back? (A dealer there's been trying to sell it for over a year). Something for winters and parts hauling? (I have no idea how I'm going to get my Aero side skirts to the painter in the Z4MC - old X5, Explorer Sport Trac?). A combination of practicality while offering a return to top down driving? (E30/36 cab with 4-cylinder?) I've also had my eye on this.

Or use the money for the Z4MC. I'm definitely getting 3.91 final gears, but a "want" mod has always been to get the seats re-done in Cinnamon, like in the E46 M3, if I can find the hides...

[Dammmittt]

Congrats on the commitment...I'm in the same boat as you...I've survived for almost a year with the MC as my only car.

[bosstones]

You'll want a winter beater/parts hauler. With the winter pot holes we got after this past winter and how low the car is stock (easily a snow plow), your car will thank you.

[epbrown]

You know, Chicago winters have had almost no snow for nearly a decade until we got hit this year, and I keep thinking that if I buy something to get through next winter, we'll go back to our usual bitter cold winters with just a dusting of snow now and then.

[Reach]

epbrown, sounds like what I went through in Jan when I sold my sedan. Now I've only got the z4, can I hack it with just this car? I thought, I'd need to keep the sedan for winters, but heck, snow tires made that decision obsolete. So I sold it. Now I've got the bug for something big as well. How the heck am I going to go skiing anymore, right?

I think this fall I'm going to need a late 90s Suburban. Gas mileage be damned, between small and sexy and big and monstrous, I should have all my bases covered.

[Rick Hunter]

I wish we had Carmax here in the West Coast. I've dealt with them once when I was in D.C. helping out a buddy of mine pick out a car. Good service.

I say... get yourself a nice luxury tourer. That way you can balance out the wild side of the M.

[Artz 330]

I bought the new 2008 Kawi 250r for my commuting. I put 1000 Miles on it in 5 days and I only spent $48.00 in gas (Super 3.70 per gal.)

[F87LUV]

Art those new ninjas are hot!!

[trackstar1]

Originally Posted by Rick Hunter

I wish we had Carmax here in the West Coast. I've dealt with them once when I was in D.C. helping out a buddy of mine pick out a car. Good service.

I say... get yourself a nice luxury tourer. That way you can balance out the wild side of the M.

Im in the West Coast and I have 3 Carmax within 40 miles of where I live.

[ianbiz]

I have a Z4 roady for sale

I'm trying to get the new Ninja in black, but my parents have no love for two wheels and motors

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by ianbiz

I have a Z4 roady for sale

Have you tried Carmax? I sold them my 325i (ZPP, ZSP, 5sp, 32k miles) right after I bought the M Coupe, and I was surprised at how much I got for it considering what I saw people selling them for. I saw it advertised on their site for a ridiculous price, especially considering thier no-haggle policy, and damned if it wasn't gone within a week. Seemed win-win for both of us.

Same again yesterday. I had a price in mind for it if I sold it privately based on Edmunds, KBB, and browsing the ads and Carmax came in above my price again. Odds are it will turn up on their site asking crazy money, and who knows? They might get it...

Also, if I'd sold it privately I'd have left my few mods on it to increase its appeal. This way, I've still got my 18" 107s with GSD3s, the MFSW, and the OBC stalk.

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by epbrown

You know, Chicago winters have had almost no snow for nearly a decade until we got hit this year, and I keep thinking that if I buy something to get through next winter, we'll go back to our usual bitter cold winters with just a dusting of snow now and then.

Yeah, I hear ya. We've gotten maybe 3 or 4 decent accumulations (a few inches) and one good accumulation (8+") each winter for the last few years though. When I had my ZHP, I'd snow plow in that sometimes with that car being stock and the M is even lower. I picked up an old ('93) Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo this past winter after picking up the M. It's easy to maintain, full time 4x4, but most importantly I haggled it down to dirt cheap (2.3k), insurance is cheap ($26/mo), it's a tank, and I can haul stuff worry free. I had to cut drywall into thirds to fit it in the ZHP and I can't imagine how small I'd have to cut it down to to fit it in the M (not that I want to). lol Plus, turnover on Jeeps is pretty good so I'm not worried about selling it...especially since I paid $500 below blue book. It's a slug with a slushbox but it's fun to apex curves in.

This past winter, the M would never had made it up the driveway in this:

[155MPH]

I would get the 912. That would be a good toy to play around with, and a lot less money than a 911 from the same year.

[BZZZE]

Originally Posted by bosstones

Yeah, I hear ya. We've gotten maybe 3 or 4 decent accumulations (a few inches) and one good accumulation (8+") each winter for the last few years though. When I had my ZHP, I'd snow plow in that sometimes with that car being stock and the M is even lower. I picked up an old ('93) Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo this past winter after picking up the M. It's easy to maintain, full time 4x4, but most importantly I haggled it down to dirt cheap (2.3k), insurance is cheap ($26/mo), it's a tank, and I can haul stuff worry free. I had to cut drywall into thirds to fit it in the ZHP and I can't imagine how small I'd have to cut it down to to fit it in the M (not that I want to). lol Plus, turnover on Jeeps is pretty good so I'm not worried about selling it...especially since I paid $500 below blue book. It's a slug with a slushbox but it's fun to apex curves in.

This past winter, the M would never had made it up the driveway in this:

Dude, that isn't suburbia...that is the North Pole! LOL

[Artz 330]

Originally Posted by ZGirl4U

Art those new ninjas are hot!!

Thanks, I have alot of fun with it. I think by the end of the summer I wanna pick up a Kawi ZX-6R in the same color.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by 155MPH

I would get the 912. That would be a good toy to play around with, and a lot less money than a 911 from the same year.

Maybe, maybe not. The SWB 911s aren't as sought after are the 69+ versions, but I like the '66 and '67 versions of the 911 the best, but the 912 is a better handler for those years because the engine was lighter and farther forward. The seller added a BIN price today that's far lower than I was expecting given the condition, though. At that price, I wouldn't be surprised if someone overseas didn't snap it up before the day's out.

[dekaliber]

Mazdaspeed3?

That's my biggest temptation right now. Practical, cheap, and loads of fun. Hmmm...maybe 2009 or 2010.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by dekaliber

Mazdaspeed3?

That's my biggest temptation right now. Practical, cheap, and loads of fun. Hmmm...maybe 2009 or 2010.

I've thought about those. One of my neighbors has one that looks sharp - it's a shade of metallic blue similar to BMW's Estoril, though I'd go with black.

[Hawkeye]

My next purchase is going to be another motorcycle. I think mine just took a crap on me. I am going to take a hit selling it so probably won't have a bike for another year I plan on keeping this Zed for at least 5 or 6 years, and then maybe getting a nicer winter car.

ps. Love the body on that Ninja!

[rc'Z]

Originally Posted by epbrown

I've thought about those. One of my neighbors has one that looks sharp - it's a shade of metallic blue similar to BMW's Estoril, though I'd go with black.

n Consumer Guide testing, a manual-transmission s sedan averaged 27.1 mpg in mainly highway driving. An s hatchback averaged 20.8 mpg in mostly city driving, including gas-eating performance runs. Similar models averaged 23.5 mpg in city/highway driving and 27.1 mpg with more highway use. A MazdaSpeed averaged 20.6 mpg. No opportunity to measure with the i model. MazdaSpeed requires premium-grade gas, and other 3s use regular.

[Graham M]

Originally Posted by Artz 330

I bought the new 2008 Kawi 250r for my commuting. I put 1000 Miles on it in 5 days and I only spent $48.00 in gas (Super 3.70 per gal.)

Too bad only the UK version will get fuel injection. It would cost too much to make that bike "marketable" here in north America, alas we get some shitty carbs.