You have a dream car. You know what you do. What will you do to own it? Can you endure the humiliation of Buy a car in a color you don’t likeor with automatic instead of manual if that means you can get one within your budget? I have lived both sides of this decision. My Porsche 996 Turbo is a cheap racing rat with some pretty major flaws when I bought it, and My Dodge Neon ACR is probably the best example of cars in the world. Would it be better to choose a great example of a cheap car or a cheap example of a great car? It’s Friday, you didn’t do anything bad today, let’s talk.
Today, former Hoonigan Vinny posed the question (admittedly at a slightly higher tax rate than me) on YouTube and it got me thinking. He wanted to know if his old $50,000 Ferrari 360 with an F1 transmission would offer a better driving experience than a first-generation Acura NSX that had been incredibly upgraded with a stick shift. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but there’s definitely something to be said for having a Ferrari V8 roar behind you instead of a crappy Honda V6. Watch his video above to see his take on the subject.
My Neon ACR is an image with unique white Regamaster style wheels and a Lapis Blue style white finish. The car was recently completely repainted to bare metal and the engine was replaced with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter PT Cruiser that produces more than 200 horsepower at the wheels. I bought it for $7,500 and it needed absolutely nothing when I got it home. It hasn’t needed anything in the past year, other than an oil change. It’s pricey for a Neon, but I can splurge on it.
A few years ago, I bought a somewhat primitive 996 Turbo with only 80,000 miles on the odometer for the reasonable price of $35,000. I had to increase my budget to make this happen and it’s hardly perfect, but I wanted a 996 Turbo since they were new. This car still really makes my blood pumping like “a normal guy’s 959”, it really serves up power in a fun way. This particular car was a track machine for most of its life. It’s been converted to rear-wheel drive and the big turbochargers have boosted power to around 600 ponies. During the time I owned this car, I had to invest thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars to make it beautiful again. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, as it was a Seal Gray with some dents and a boring gray interior, but it got me to my dream car.
Both cars offer wildly different experiences at very different prices. Do you want to compromise to get your dream car or settle for something that still makes you happy but isn’t the love of your life? Would you buy a $50,000 Ferrari? I couldn’t choose so I chose both. Sound off in the comments section below and we’ll have a healthy and lively debate.
