Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…

[Doctor Phibes]

@AndyD said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

True.
I guess like a fast 600cc bike compared to a fast 1200cc bike, I prefer a smaller lighter nimble car, which may be more fun.
Also I realise UK roads are different. Roundabouts, joining motorways at 70mph.

A chunky muscle car with a v8 rumble has its own appeal.

Americans are very good at going in straight lines. Corners, not so much.

[jon-nyc]

I used to have a Fiat X1/9 when I was in college. Two seater, targa top, beautiful car. Not all that fast. But damn if I couldn’t do a 90º turn on backroads at 60mph. My ass was 11” off the ground when I sat in that thing.

I say ‘on back roads’ only because, there, the downside of going into a slide was limited. I’d slide into a corn field rather than a wall or a utility pole.

[Mik]

I did that very thing at about that age with a Pontiac Fiero. Also out in the country.

[jon-nyc]

@Mik You can imagine this more than most. You don’t have to get too far out of West Lafayette until it’s nothing but corn and beans and flat roads where you can see a car coming a half mile away.

[Tom-K]

@jon-nyc said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

I used to have a Fiat X1/9 when I was in college. Two seater, targa top, beautiful car. Not all that fast. But damn if I couldn’t do a 90º turn on backroads at 60mph. My ass was 11” off the ground when I sat in that thing.

I say ‘on back roads’ only because, there, the downside of going into a slide was limited. I’d slide into a corn field rather than a wall or a utility pole.

I had a Fiat 124 in college and loved it. A couple of years ago I when I retired I wanted to get a sports car, was thinking of a C8 Vet. It was a computer with wheels. PLUS every one I saw on the road had a guy 20 years older than me driving. I ended up buying a 124 Fiat (2021). All Mazda inside but a Fiat styling. Guys know it's a POS, but women:

"Ah, Senior Tomas, you have de Italiana sports a-car, no?"
"Si Seniora, I indeed have de Italiania sports a-car."

"And Senior Tomas, you drive de Italiana sports a-car verry verry fast?"
"Si Seniora, I drive de Italiana sports a-car verry verry fast!"

"Then maybe Senior Tomas, you take me in your Italiana sports a-car and drive me verry verry fast?"

So technically, the car doesn't go very fast, but that never was the real point of the car.
Anyway, It works for me.

[jon-nyc]

Exactly. I was in college it was a chick magnet. I paid 4 grand for the thing and people would ask me if it was a Ferrari.

[jon-nyc]

Here I am with a little cheerleader who turned 18 maybe 5 minutes before this picture was taken.

[Mik]

@jon-nyc said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

@Mik You can imagine this more than most. You don’t have to get too far out of West Lafayette until it’s nothing but corn and beans and flat roads where you can see a car coming a half mile away.

I sure can. When working in Chicago off and on 1999-2006 I always got off 65, went through West Lafayette and US 52 to US 41 up the west side of the state. A few minutes longer but way, way less stress. You’d see another car every few minutes. 65 to 90-94 around the south side is always very crowded and packed with trucks.

[Mik]

@jon-nyc said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

Here I am with a little cheerleader who turned 18 maybe 5 minutes before this picture was taken.

Look like Magnum PI.

[Mik]

@Tom-K I really liked the styling of the 124. These days I’d probably just go for a Miata.

[AndyD]

@Mik said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

@jon-nyc said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

Here I am with a little cheerleader who turned 18 maybe 5 minutes before this picture was taken.

Look like Magnum PI.
With a Back to the Future vibe

[AndyD]

@LuFins-Dad said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

So next year I get to pick out my mid-life crisis car with 1 caveat… Coupes are fine, but it has to have a backseat. No 2-seaters…

So… on one end of the spectrum, I’ve always loved muscle cars. The Challenger in particular, especially one with a Cuda kit is my favorite…

But… Now that I’m getting a little more mature, the idea of quality sedan like an Audi A6 has it’s appeal…

What should I look at?

Mercedes A45 might satisfy the German refinement and power (421hp) itches.
4wd and auto 8sp gearbox that takes under 4 seconds to reach 60, top speed of 168. A proper midlife crisis car with all the modern tech so you'll be able to drive it to its limits.

Reports agree it's a superb performance car to drive.
In the UK only £60k new. Used as low as 30k

[jon-nyc]

@Mik said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

@jon-nyc said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

Here I am with a little cheerleader who turned 18 maybe 5 minutes before this picture was taken.

Look like Magnum PI.

In my defense, it was 1987. I think the pants were more Miami Vice.

[LuFins Dad]

@Mik said in Slightly later than mid-life crisis car…:

As much as I liked to original 70’s Challengers, I drove one of the new ones to Tennessee and back in 2015. I deliberately took the windy mountain road back through Hazard Ky and all that. It did not impress with either power or handling. EVs are pretty damn impressive for power so the new ones might be a better choice. Other than that I might look for a lower mileage BMW 7 series. Luxury, power and handling.

What was the engine size on the Charger? Most of the rental places had the Pentastar V-6. I’d go for the Hemi 5.7L V-8.

I might take a look at the BMW 7, though.

[mark]

I really like this 2022 C300 coupe. The new CE Coupe is even nicer and a little bit larger.

Otherwise a GT 63 is just freaking awesome.

[Tom-K]

Putting that "1" in front of the "79" makes the car a whole lot nicer.

[AndyD]

That GT63 is a midlife crisis car. A real finger-up to government car tax crap, and climate crisis whining