3 choices...

[sts 50]

Did some shopping to replace the wagon over the last couple of days. Currently weighing 3 options:

1. 2000 BMW 323i wagon - 89,000 miles, Dave Chenoweth's car, includes some neat options but it's an automatic. Cheapest of the 3, but no safety net.

2. 2007 Jetta - 55,000 miles, 5 speed, nicely equipped, VW Certified Pre-Owned = 2 year, 24k mile warranty. The "grown up" choice.

3. 2005 SRT4 - 9400 miles (not a typo), no warranty but, hey it's a 5 year old new car. I giggled like a school girl when I test drove it this afternoon. The fun, yet less than mature choice.

What say you?

[2ndShot]

...I giggled like a school girl when I test drove it...

And you're still undecided? ;)

[TimMaddox]

The only downside to the Dodge is you will have to keep your kids from borrowing it all the time to take to the autocross.

Look forward to seeing an SRT4 with temporary tags at Riverside tomorrow.

[evilnissan]

Time to bring back the neon. Back in the day everyone raced a neon.

[sts 50]

SRT4 FTW! They (C&O) need to address a light grinding sound in the front end (wheel bearing?), but otherwise it's mine Monday. Ryan and I drove it again and it's just too fun to pass up.

[BacDoc]

You live your life one quarter mile at a time?

[mirogsr]

Go with Jetta. From what I know about SRT's, they like to brake all the time. (tranny problems, axles etc.) VW would be a better choice for overall daily and weekend autocrosser.
But, that's just me..... Good luck with picking the right car Scott. And sorry for your BMW....S

[sts 50]

Bought the SRT4 this afternoon. Special thanks to Mike Francis for doing a check ride before delivery. All cleaned up it looks almost like a brand new car. Sure, it's "cheap" feeling (in stark contrast to the late BMW), but it's fun! Should be at the October event to give it a proper breaking in.

[Jason V]

Sweet!!!

[ShortysTRM]

Well I guess it's too late to tell you that I saw a beautiful Cadillac wagon yesterday that would've been a great fit for you lol. Don't know if it was a CTS or an STS, but it was pretty evil looking for a wagon.

As for the SRT, they're probably not the most reliable in the world, but it can't cost too much to fix them, especially compared to a VW or Bimmer. They are an absolute blast to drive and pull VERY hard. And as for the "cheap" comment, all dashboards are plastic. I have never driven/seen a car whose dash/console didn't look cheap when you really look at them. Plastic wood, plastic metal, and plastic plastic.

**edit: SRT's also sound amazing from the factory. Forgot about that. What color is it?

[SentraWV]

Welcome to D/Stock, bro'! :clap:

NP: "Gocxilla," Cabezas de Cera

[SentraWV]

Nevermind -it's been demoted to G/S, apparently. Pays to read the rules, kids. :hammer:

NP: "Gocxilla," Cabezas de Cera (still!)

[gtfour77]

Congrats Scott, those cars are fast! You'll have a great time autocrossing in it I am sure! DO they come with any sort of LSD?

[ShortysTRM]

Not sure what year it started, but the later models did come with a LSD, IIRC.

Jon, you call it demoted, but it's a demotion in a good way...

[sts 50]

Actually Troy, lots of higher end cars have leather dashs. Plus, not all plastic is created equal. Yes, the new Caddy CTS wagon is uber-cool, but uber expensive. And yes, the
'04 and '05 SRT4s came from the factory with Quaife LSDs.

[TimMaddox]

Get a Maddog short throw shifter. These cars are famous for people jamming it into gear and bending the shift forks, which makes it harder to go into gear so the driver shifts even harder, and the downward spiral continues. The Maddog STS is made from a stock shifter, includes a rod brake to keep from overshifting. These are thee shifter for Neons. It you want to stay close to the stock shift feeling just get the 50% reduction model.

http://www.maddogsts.com/index.php

[BacDoc]

Not sure what's worse. Seeing a grown man driving his family around in an srt4 or the fact that I passed you in a minivan.


Damn that car is clean.

[sts 50]

Yep, we were out in it yesterday - we almost always take my car for family stuff because of the "free" (company) gas, though we do have her Freestyle when we need the room. It IS clean - remember, only 9400 miles. Two minor exterior scratches and one burn mark on the back seat are all that seperates it from looking 100% new. Actually goes down the road more quietly than the dearly departed BMW, which had it's share of sqeaks and rattles at 138k miles, or at least it will once the horribly noisy stock tires are replaced. Wife HATES the wing, though!

[BacDoc]

Looked good. Reason I was in the Odyssey is it rides and drives better than my BMW!

You think your wife hates it now just wait till you put on that ricer muffler.

[sts 50]

Hah! SRT4s don't any mufflers! The turbo and cat do the job. As a result, it burps and farts like a V8 with a big cam and Flowmasters. It's fun now - ask me again in 6 months.

[gtfour77]

TTIWWP :clap:

[sts 50]

Whazzat?

[RobbieNelson]

TTIWWP :clap:


Whazzat?

This Thread Is Worthless Without Pics!!!

[sts 50]

Camera stolen on vacation - should have a new one by this weekend.