Which car would YOU buy and why? | FerrariChat

Which car would YOU buy and why?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by Texas Forever, Jun 30, 2011.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

?

Which car would YOU buy?

  1. 1999 Boxster

  2. 1969 Alfa

  3. Neither, I'd do a Scarface

Multiple votes are allowed.
Results are only viewable after voting.
  1. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,384
    Texas!
    Let's say you have 20 grand burning a hole in your pocket.

    Behind Door #1 is a 1999 Porsche Boxster that is rip ready and roaring to go.

    Behind Door #2 is a 1969 Alfa Boattail Duetto that is an older restoration.

    Now, $20,000 for a 1999 Boxster is probably high, and $20,000 for a 1969 Duetto in good shape may be low. So let's say the Boxster has low miles and no RMS issues. The Duetto has no rust, but an older paint job.

    Which car would YOU buy and why?

    Dale
     
  2. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,692
    boattail Duetto, as I am helpless against her powers :)

    I parked my Elise next to one at the Trader Joe's in Monterey last week; what a cool (and tiny!) little car.

    (I'm assuming either car will be a "fun car" with something practical for daily use?)
     
  3. KENCO

    KENCO Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2006
    2,396
    FL
    Full Name:
    KJG
    Does door #3 have a C5 Corvette behind it? That would be my choice.

    Between the two...............the Alfa
     
  4. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,384
    Texas!
    Damn, are you this fast with all the girls? :)

    Dale
     
  5. HH11

    HH11 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 4, 2010
    3,317
    Thinking with my head I would go for the boxster but my automotive heart says the alfa. The boxster would most likely be the better maintenance car and much more fun to drive(although that is very subjective). Everyone needs an alfa at one point according to Top Gear, so maybe if I was really going to buy, the alfa would be it. Italian all the way!
     
  6. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    59,404
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    you think too much :)
     
  7. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,692
    yeah but they slap me even faster :(

    :eek:
     
  8. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

    Jun 30, 2007
    10,533
    On a Wave's Chicane
    Full Name:
    Is, Izzy for Australians
    Somebody had to do it.....

    Dustin's had a small block though....;)

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVJtygbSZRU[/ame]
     
  9. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    98,533
    Vegas baby
    No question: The Alfa. Not fast but a whole lot of fun and character. I had 2 73's and I still miss them.

    If you want a DD sportscar, then the Boxster is perfect. It's just that I see so many grandpa's and middle age woman driving them... it kinda creeps me out!
     
  10. yoda

    yoda F1 Rookie

    Sep 27, 2004
    2,598
    UT
    I would buy the Boxster. And at $20k you could get an 'S'. I'd hate to see what would happen if that Alfa was t-boned by an inattentive Suburban driver chatting on a cell phone. Even at 30mph if would be painful.
     
  11. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jan 26, 2005
    22,352
    Indian Wells, California
    Full Name:
    Jon
    The Alfa is the more inspired choice.

    Also the Boxster was significantly improved with the 987 redesign in 2005 (?), so a '99 is probably bottom of the barrel.
     
  12. BentleyKWT

    BentleyKWT Karting

    Jun 15, 2011
    134
    Kuwait
    Full Name:
    Bentley KWT
    neither....


    night at the strip club

    anyone?
     
  13. PCA Hack

    PCA Hack Formula Junior

    May 9, 2008
    610
    Rancho Santa Fe, CA
    I've always liked the Alfa until I sat in one. More accurately, until I tried to sit in one. My head peaks over the windshield & I need to limber up before attempting to contort my legs into position on either side of the wheel. If I had to drive it in SoCal freeway traffic my left ACL would need repair because of the crazy angle my leg is at to depress the clutch.

    Good fit for a 5'5" Dustin Hoffman - not so much for me. Boxster wins by default.
     
  14. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,384
    Texas!
    Funny, I never figured you for a peeper. :)

    Deadly is more like it. That is one sad reality about these old cars. They are death traps.

    Good catch. I learned a long time ago to sit in any car before falling in love with it. I'm the exact opposite of the short, long-armed, Italian gorilla - I'm 6'2", fat, short arms, and long waisted. A Maranello was the first modern Ferrari that fit. I could never make a F355 work.

    Dale
     
  15. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,384
    Texas!
    Here's the reason for this thread, you see, I have this recurring fantasy (you have yours and I have mine) of buying an old Alfa, Fiat, MG, Porsche, or Triumph and fiddle diddling around with it. You know, a rolling restoration kinda thing. So when I saw Euro Trashy's thread about buying a 2002, it got me to thinking.

    But then reality hits. For the price of an old POS banger, I can get a thoroughly modern Boxster. Big fat tires, twice the go juice, modern suspension, lap belts, airbags, and most importantly of all - air conditioning. (If God had not mean for cars to have air conditioning, he would not have made Texas his home.)

    The same thing happened to me when I brought my first Ferrari. I was hot to trot to buy a Daytona, which were a buck and quarter back then, when a buddy turned me on to the fact that Maranello prices were falling like keys out of a Lear Jet. Six months later, in 2003, I brought a 1998 Maranello for $115k and never looked back.

    Damn, reality sucks doesn't it? If I brought an old Alfa, I know what would happen. Sooner or later, the damn thing will break. I'll have the best intentions, but never the time. So it will get covered up and pushed to the back of the garage. Later, my wife will harass me enough, and I'll trailer it up to the stash garage in the country. Once there, Mr. and Mrs. Country Mouse will decide to move on up to better living quarters.

    Tell me I'm wrong!

    Dale
     
  16. JoeZaff

    JoeZaff F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Aug 5, 2007
    5,459
    Philly suburbs
    Full Name:
    Joe
    #16 JoeZaff, Jul 3, 2011
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2011
    Personally,

    I would get the Porsche, but my heart would definitely want the Alfa.

    I never owned a 1950's Alfa, so take what I say with a grain of salt but my personal experience having owned a FIAT and Lancias is that, as beautiful as they are, they are also PITAS!!!

    When I was younger, breaking down on the side of the road was a novelty. I had no place to be and all the time in the world to trouble shoot. I just don't have the patience for that stuff anymore. Old italian cars are just not reliable, not by modern standards, and not even by the standards of the day. Wonderful, beautiful, passionate, etc, indeed. But NOT RELIABLE. Of course, you will always find examples that are the exceptions to the rule, and owners who swear by them. You will find the same thing with Maserati biturbos, but I am not buying one of those either ;)

    I was VERY nervous about buying a Ferrari based on my prior experiences with Italian cars. I was pleasantly surprised to find my Mondial to be so reliable. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE ALFAS, but for me, the time for owning one has past. If you are a tinkerer, get the Alfa, otherwise pass-- IMHO.

    I also agree that these things are absolute death traps. A1950's Alfa is probably marginally safer than a motorcycle. In the 50's people did not design cars for safety. If you crash or are hit at anything above 25 MPH, you ARE going to get hurt or die.


    Now, as for the Boxster, I just bought a 2006 Boxster S to compliment the Ferrari. If you are anything like me, it will take a bit of time for the car to grow on you. At the outset, I was very impressed by the power and the incredible handling. However, compared to the Ferrari, it felt aloof and detached. In an italian car, you work in tandem with the car, there is a give and take that is really has no parallel. In a Porsche, you sit on the sidelines and marvel at what the car can do...content in the knowledge that you are the weakest link in the chain and, quite frankly, the car would prefer to drive itself if it could. However, after a few weeks, I really began to embrace its utterly unflappable character, its swiss watch precision, and its looks. I REALLY love the way the 987 looks. It is very easy to love a Porsche, it asks for no sacrifices and delivers the goods. Its the good girl your parents always wanted you to marry. An Alfa, like a Ferrari, is a whole other thing.

    As usual, just my .02
     
  17. Reece

    Reece Formula Junior

    Jul 4, 2010
    753
    MMMMMMinneapolis
    Full Name:
    Reece Mikkelson
    The Alfa. Because it is much rarer, it looks so much better, it is a classic, it sounds better, and it wasn't the slowest car for it's time.
     
  18. Innovativethinker

    Innovativethinker F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 8, 2009
    8,601
    So Cal
    Full Name:
    Mark Smith
    Porsche and the world Porcshe's with you, 1969 Alfa and you Alfa alone.

    Stand out in the crowd!
     
  19. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,384
    Texas!
    #19 Texas Forever, Jul 3, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Groan, so you're the one who voted for Scarface! :)
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  20. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jan 26, 2005
    22,352
    Indian Wells, California
    Full Name:
    Jon
    #20 Bullfighter, Jul 3, 2011
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2011
    Consider a Porsche 356. As long as the body is OK, the mechanicals are very well designed, durable and not terribly expensive. People still actually drive these on 1000-mile tours.

    If you want a modern car, get a modern car. But in my experience there aren't any modern cars that provide what you get by going vintage. (I tried it -- but every time I saw an E-Type, XK140, 356, vintage 911, etc., my automotive jealousy kicked in.) Yes, a Porsche 996 or Ferrari 360 is a more capable car for the same or less money, but they're all basically the same at some level: anyone can drive them relatively well, because they keep you out of trouble, go really fast and they aren't the kind of cars you would tinker with.

    Reasons not to go vintage and rebuttals:

    1. Reliability: I've owned an old Fiat and MGB, and despite what enthusiasts say they aren't very good cars. Charming, yes, but the quality of the engineering and parts is rubbish. On the plus side, the Porsche 356s are very good cars with good parts availability. Guys drive these cars across the country to PCA events. Also, cell phones have been invented, so getting stuck isn't quite the disaster it was in 1962.

    2. Comfort: You're not going get real a/c in any of these cars. On the plus side, if this is a hobby car you just take your modern ride when it's 102 degrees outside. Or you could consider a 911 or 2002 or E-Type, which had a/c available. Sunroof and open 356s command a premium, but it might be worth it. There is an a/c unit that some 356'ers have fitted to their cars, but it's kind of a kluge, IMHO.

    3. Safety: I've watched enough crash videos that I don't have much faith in anything built prior to the last decade. The engineering in modern cars is amazing, and there's no way a '60s Alfa or Porsche is going to protect you that way. On the plus side: (1) You can add three-point belts in a 356 coupe -- very difficult in the open cars; (2) You can drive it like you would a motorcycle, being 100 percent focused on driving, maintaining your 'escape routes', etc. -- you won't be tailgating, weaving, cutting people off, etc. (3) The amount of attention a brightly colored 356 gets on the road is amazing -- people do tend to see you, much more than the beige Camry in the next lane, and that visibility helps with safety. Also, (4) you will tend to drive these cars slower. I don't know the top end of the Alfa, but in a Porsche 356 anything over 80 mph sounds like the 75 horsemen of the apocalypse are on your tail. (Seriously, you'll be drowning out the guy in the Ferrari 355.) Realistically, you will be moving more slowly and have more time to react to everything.

    4. Performance: Drum brakes and 70 bhp aren't going to win many drag races or help your lap times. On the plus side, these old cars are very light, and with all the Priuses running around they are no longer the slowest things on the road. Also, again plugging the Porsche 356, it's not hard to upgrade power and stopping capability if you're willing to forego orginality. The drum brakes were Cadillac-sized -- way over-spec'ed -- and discs came along on the 1964-65 cars, IIRC.

    I've been up against the "modern or vintage" decision wall a few times now, and the only satisfying decision is to have both at once: the vintage car when all you want is an engine and gearbox, and the modern one when you need Bluetooth, a/c and safety for fast freeway travel.
     
  21. S Brake

    S Brake F1 World Champ

    Aug 3, 2006
    17,182
    Utah
    Full Name:
    Dave
  22. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,692
    troll.
     
  23. S Brake

    S Brake F1 World Champ

    Aug 3, 2006
    17,182
    Utah
    Full Name:
    Dave
    Troll-er.
     
  24. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,384
    Texas!
    #24 Texas Forever, Jul 3, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Great writeup, and thanks for taking the time. I think you probably nailed it.

    As for the car, I'd probably go for a 912 over a 356, just because the 356s have gotten so expensive. I had a chance to buy a 1964 SC couple about 10 years ago for $15K. It looks like that same car would be at least twice that today.

    The one mistake I will not make is buying a car in #1 condition. Been there, didn't like that. I like to drive 'em and maybe change 'em up a bit. Lawn quality cars are not my thing.

    Dale
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  25. carguyjohn350

    carguyjohn350 F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 7, 2007
    3,825
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    John P
    I was thinnking the same thing. But since it wasnt an option I voted Boxster since I am not in a place in life to tinker with the Alfa (and I assume it would require a bit of tinkering).
     

Share This Page