Rob's (possibly) moving back to Orlando - aka buying a new car

[mkt]

Bumping this up... San Francisco was a bust, and my Orlando/Miami job offers were a joke salary-wise.

But I got a good offer in Tampa, so I took it.

So this thread is back!

I'm now looking (shamefully) at a Lexus CT 200h

 

[flynnibus]

But I got a good offer in Tampa, so I took it.

Sweet! Go IS250 at least... can't have any car that the review starts off with "Test drivers find that the 2015 Lexus CT 200h has inadequate acceleration ..."

 

[mkt]

The IS250 is nice (and really fun), but I want a Hybrid as a daily driver since my commute through Tampa will be stop and go the whole way, and no CPO diesel will give me the reliability of the CT. Also, with what a well loaded CPO Prius goes for, I'd rather spend an extra grand or two and get the Lexus twin.

And then get an SR20 240SX as a weekend car. Or a Miata.

 

[RScottyL]

There is a reason you would get paid higher....as the cost of living in California is higher.

Gas, etc. costs more there, as well as houses!

Definitely do some research before you take the job!

Well, something interesting happened. I've been interviewing for a job stateside - in california. For a much higher salary than what I'd earn in Florida.

An S4 would be nice.

But seriously... weekend car. A 240SX with an SR20 swap would be fun. As would one with an RB25 swap.

 

[flynnibus]

Imo Unless you are driving long hauls daily... Mpg really is the lowest on the priority chart. Gas is still the cheapest part of owning a car

 

[R W B]

Yea I couldn't daily something that slow. Unless your commute is 50+ miles I don't see the sense in getting something fuel efficient, just my opinion. I have a 20 mile round trip to my job and I daily a Hemi Ram. I would of personaly gone with a new 4 series but I'm partial to bmw lol.

As far as a sr20 240 as a toy, their cool but not a lot of fun unless their built and make real power Imo. To each their own and as long as you have fun, that's all that counts!

Its ok, we also give everything away no matter what documents you hold or not! woohoo!

I'm driving a 5.0 pony now... dash and dart it does not... but man that power is addicting. Don't think I'd ever be satisfied with a little BRZ or something anymore. Without the thrill of being scared of breaking traction in 3rd gear at highway speeds... I'd miss that

A friend of mine has a 2011 5.0 built with a D1 Procharger putting out 887whp, needs more fuel to make 1000+, car is insanely fun but not the most powerful of my friends. On the flip side, another friend had a BRZ and recently supercharged it and realized it's still slow at 246whp. He ordered a turbo kit for it which would make in the range of 340whp but he has since decided to sell the car hopefully in favor of getting something fast. I personally enjoy driving a 2012 M3 on the weekends, takes getting high in the rpms for the car to feel like it's moving but it's pretty deceiving in the lower rpms lol.

 

[mkt]

Car has been purchased!

CPO 2014 Mini Cooper S with 2k miles. It was a former BMW Corporate Fleet car (hence the front plate mount - it was registered in NJ and driven in California previously). Full CPO warranty, has a few packages, and is comfortable as a commuter, and fun when I want it to be fun.

 

[drew81]

See you next time I come down.

 

[R W B]

Not bad! Those are pretty fun cars. A friend of mine has one of these for his daily and he loves it. His weekend toy is a 1100whp twin turbo Camaro so if he thinks the car is fun that says something lol.

 

[StageFrenzy]

Car has been purchased!

CPO 2014 Mini Cooper S with 2k miles. It was a former BMW Corporate Fleet car (hence the front plate mount - it was registered in NJ and driven in California previously). Full CPO warranty, has a few packages, and is comfortable as a commuter, and fun when I want it to be fun.

Car has been purchased!

CPO 2014 Mini Cooper S with 2k miles. It was a former BMW Corporate Fleet car (hence the front plate mount - it was registered in NJ and driven in California previously). Full CPO warranty, has a few packages, and is comfortable as a commuter, and fun when I want it to be fun.

As a fellow Mini owner excellent choice! Lots of fun if you hit the I4 interchange not during rush hour, watch out for the potholes and rough road around Westshore and the airport. You will feel it!

 

[mkt]

So, to cover up the holes from the previous owner's front plate... I ordered a UK plate. It just arrived today

 

[StageFrenzy]

Yea! How is it treating you so far?

 

[flynnibus]

Lga.... Lady golfer car

 

[wdwstateofmind]

As a fellow Mini owner excellent choice! Lots of fun if you hit the I4 interchange not during rush hour, watch out for the potholes and rough road around Westshore and the airport. You will feel it!

I feel bad for you guys who sit low throughout the entire 275 construction zone. Between Westshore and the Howard Frankland is the land of a million potholes.

 

[mkt]

Yea! How is it treating you so far?

So far so good! It's a shockingly good car for road trips, and a useful apparatus when I went to Miami a few weeks back. Street parking was not an issue.

 

[mkt]

I feel bad for you guys who sit low throughout the entire 275 construction zone. Between Westshore and the Howard Frankland is the land of a million potholes.

Compared to where I came from, it's a wonderful road :X

 

[mkt]

I just received confirmation from Braman Mini of Miami that my John Cooper Works tuning kit has arrived

I'm scheduled for all day saturday to upgrade the car. Friday after work, I'll drive straight to Miami, drop my car off first thing saturday morning, and hopefully saturday night I get to derp around with the new exhaust in Miami Beach.

 

[StageFrenzy]

So far so good! It's a shockingly good car for road trips, and a useful apparatus when I went to Miami a few weeks back. Street parking was not an issue.

I find the seats to be pretty comfortable and usually don't mind driving long in the car.

 

[mkt]

This is mine.

 

[StageFrenzy]

@mkt saw your post over on Jalopnik in the Mini buyers guide haha.