Omar writes:
Hello all,
Love the site. One of the only sites that actually reviews cars instead of just reading like a feature press release.
I am in the market for a car. However, it is a bit different than most. I finally finished school and am in a position to buy a nice car up to about $200 000. I hate when auto sites use the line ”buyers in this category don’t care about costs”. I do! There is a difference between a guy who can buy one car like this and has to think about it vs. Someone with a supercar stable.
I am kind of all over the map right now. My main choice is a v8 vantage due to the not over the top looks and classic style. However, I am wondering if a pre-owned F430 or Gallardo would be a good choice. Or should I save up for another year and try for a 458? Each car has pros and cons and I’m still heavily leaning toward an Vantage. What would you do?
Steve Answers:
Omar, so you joined the secret club. You finished ‘school’ and now like many of your fellow graduates you can finally enjoy the fruits and labors of your hard work. I applaud your meritorious Yuppie-tude.
Why not buy them all? You know when I was a young lad I also collected cars. Matchbox. Hot Wheels. Those cardboard cutouts you could get off of cereal boxes. I had quite a collection.
For $200k I would simply by 200,000 cars. Problem solved. Either that or I would get a helicopter, an RV, and a 1st gen Insight just like this one. That and some more time in California to enjoy the surf.
But seriously, I would buy a vintage Ferrari Testarossa and have Jack Baruth teach me how to drive it.
Sajeev Answers:
Boo to buzzkill! This query is absolutely worthy of a fun yet frivolous answer. Maybe it’s because I reviewed the Aston, Ferrari and Lambo in question, but I find this question most intriguing. You know, for the rich asshole that needs a new ride.
The Vantage, while beautiful, is for the jerk with an ego strong enough to pick on V6 Mustangs. (And little else.) The F430 is perfect for wannabe racers who autocross with barely a tire screech, in matching Ferrari clothing. They are a unique breed of prick, certainly not for everyone. The Lambo is less of the same: adding Teutonic pleasure, Countach-a-like styling and all wheel drive to the party. I tend to think of the Gallardo as the Thinking Man’s choice when diving into the world of automotive douchebaggery.
At the end of the day, LSX-FTW: buying a C6 Corvette Z06 with Magnaride dampers and aftermarket seats/tires/camshaft is all you need to go faster than everyone. And turn a few heads, maybe like two or three. That’ll set you back about 110-large, leaving the rest for a smattering of high yield stocks. Not buying it? Didn’t think so.
I have no clue what kind of “rich asshole vibe” you prefer to emit as you roll down the highway, but if I was in your shoes, the used Gallardo is my pick of the litter. The power, enlightened exterior/interior design and all wheel drive make it livable, yet so exotic.
Need help with a car buying conundrum? Email your particulars to mehta@ttac.com, and let TTAC’s collective wisdom make the decision easier… or possibly much, much harder.
Get on the list for a 458 now and start saving!
This has to be one of the strangest things I’ve ever read…
I find it hard to believe that anyone with $200,000 actually needs to ask TTAC’s opinion about what they should buy. Everyone has a dreamcar. Everyone has a vehicle in mind that they’d buy if only they had the money. For me – it’s a Veyron Super sport. Thing is, for someone with $200,000, I can’t imagine that a) they’d be so quick to spend it and b) they have no idea what to spend it on.
“I finally finished school and am in a position to buy a nice car up to about $200 000”
Uh, I don’t understand. Do some people actually MAKE money by going to school?
Harvard? Yale? Maybe it’s a lease…
ZR-1 if you’re after raw performance.
911 Turbo PDK if you want a more exclusive feel.
Invest the rest to fund your maintenance costs.
He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.
Socrates
That’s the only comment I can think of. I’d buy a 1960s Cadillac, a new Mustang GT, and a new minivan for practical road trips. Heck I can’t even wrap my head around what to do with that kind of money.
Classic:
1. 1973 Pontiac Trans AM 455SD
2. Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3
3. Buick GNX
4. Jaguar XJ220
New-ish:
1. Ford GT
2. Audi R8 5.2
3. Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series
4. Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Nice list. +1
You’ll hate the Ford GT in parking lots. Replace the word “hate” with “become trapped inside of” and you’ll know why.
SL65’s are great in theory but you really need a backup ride, as they’ll always, always, always be in the shop. Always.
The Audi R8, however, is an excellent choice.
@M1
With the kind of budget he’s got, do you think he’ll ever park his car? Thats what valet’s are for.
Get the GT. Spend the rest on getting the best perm/mullet you can afford.
I’d pick up an Audi RS-8 and a Range Rover Sport (you know, for when it rains…). As for the driving lessons, how much does Baruth charge?
Omar: Please wire $30,000 to me immediately, gratis, so I can buy my old avatar, a 1964 Goldwood Yellow Impala SS convertible w/black top & interior, please! That’ll leave you $170,000, which will make it easier to narrow down and help you make your decision on what you want. Sheesh…
(EDIT) My proposal is not necessarily a selfish one. Obviously, you come from oil money, so, a 30K investment in allowing me to re-capturing a chapter in my long-gone youth, thereby adding a fourth car to my stable, ensures the continued consumption of your nation’s oil output, which will further enrich your family fortune, and earning in the long run, a healthy profit from your investment in my and my wife’s dream (before I met her, she also drove a yellow ’64 Chevy Impala convert., just not an SS). AND it may prevent you from spending 200K on something you may wrap around a telephone pole tomorrow. Something to think about!
Ultima Can Am 0-60, 3.3 sec.
You don’t have to build it yourself, but you could.
TTAC’s review here: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2002/05/ultima-can-am/
i’ll sell you my 91 mr2 for $98k. You can spend the remaining $102k on jewelry for your gold diggers.
fyi it has a 3rd gen clip (ie. with lsd so you can show off doing doughnuts. while doing aforementioned doughnuts, i highly recommend throwing cash out of the t-top. your douchebaggery level will exceed all time highs)
Haha. Nice! MR2’s FTW.
I’ve never understood the whole thought process that if your picking up a nice, fancy new car that runs along with those listed, you are obviously a rich asshole who doesn’t deserve it? *Shrug*. From the list I’d take the Lambo, I’ve been told that they actually are a true every day driveable super car. That, and I have a thing for Lambos. Maybe because I’m just a youngin, but I like loud and flashy and fast.
If given the money an my choice, I’d either get a new 997.2 Turbo, or a 996 and toss some cash aside for go fast bits and save the rest in a lower risk long term investment for when I decide I don’t want to have a job anymore. Then again, that is assuming that I didn’t take the 200k up front and pay off all my bills first. Best o’ luck with your quest, I wish I had a prblem like this one.
CTS-V Wagon, trailer, and a Spec E30 or Miata race car. That leaves $100,000 for track fees.
I never understood spending ridiculous cash on a street car that goes no faster than the douchenozzle in the minivan in front of you.
No matter what you buy, be sure to leave some money in the budget for some training at Bondurant or some other high performance driving school. You wouldn’t want to become one of those rich assholes whose supercar winds up on Wrecked Exotics.
None of those rich assholes ever thought their rides would wind up on Wrecked Exotics, either.
[I can’t recommend the Skip Barber school. It still hasn’t apologized to me for sending me out on the track in a car with a less-than-fully-(re)assembled front suspension.]
Get the Aston Martin, for the love of God. There’s nothing more beautiful on the road today. If you can afford it, why the hell not? Just a breathtakingly gorgeous automobile.
For $200,000 I’d get:
1. Maserati Grandtourismo
2. MB S550
3. BMW M3
4. MB SLK 55 AMG
All gently used of course.
Please provide more info on this “School” you speak of finishing. I want to go there.
Omar,
In exchange for the advice, perhaps once you buy your final choice, it’d be nice to let the crack TTAC reviewing team have access to your car.
How much more is the DB9 than the Vantage? That’d be my pick. I know a couple of people who use Astons as daily drivers so it’s not actually that impractical.
My stepfather’s solution was a Bentley Continental, despite being an avowed Mercedes man.
That aside, for $200k at the tender age of 22 (without knowing what school you just graduated from, I’m guessing it’s an undergraduate institution), the biggest risk you have is buying something fancy and then trashing it. So insurance/replacement costs should be high on your mind.
A lot comes down to signaling, which everyone implies in the “douchbaggery” comments. What do you want to say, and to who? If you’re driving the car to impress women, do you really want to attract that type of woman who will dump you the moment someone else with a nicer car comes along? And if you do, you might be better off leasing for a short time period. You know, so you can upgrade in a year or two at smaller expense than selling your rapidly depreciating exotic and buying a new one.
Remember, old money drives inexpensive cars- because they have no one to impress. Only new money needs to impress. Really old money is chauffeured, so how much the chauffeur enjoys the drive isn’t very important to them.
Alternatively, if you want to signal to clients how successful you are, say you’re a Wall Street trader, then something non-exotic, the “executive express” is much more appropriate.
And if you’re buying a car “just for fun,” then as mentioned, you are going to have a lot more fun on a track driving something track-specific than you’ll ever have on the streets. On the streets, your $200k exotic is going to be stuck behind my $20k minivan. I live in L.A., and there’s little funnier than some idiot in a Ferrari attempting to survive stop-and-go on the 405 with a heavy clutch and a perpetual idling and overheating engine.
Hope this helped.
old money drives inexpensive cars-
Yes, because all the old money is gone.
I agree — lease both the car and the woman.
“If you’re driving the car to impress women, do you really want to attract that type of woman who will dump you the moment someone else with a nicer car comes along? And if you do, you might be better off leasing for a short time period.”
Correction – old money drives whatever they damned well please, because they don’t care what anyone else thinks.
Congratulations on graduating…
Is the case:
A: You have landed a job that will pay you 600K a year (Since an educated person with at least a shred of common sense would know that for a 200K car you should be pulling in at least 600K income)
B: Graduation gift where you will be responsible for all maintenance cost?
C: Graduation gift where parents will help with you with maintenance cost?
D: Trust fund finally pays out
My advice depends on the answer.
E: Family owns a small (or large) middle eastern country.
Why does driving a super-car make one an asshole? I understand the hatred of the rich and bitterness we all have in our selfish ends but to declare somebody an asshole simply because they can afford performance in an over-stylized pattern is silly. Most super-car drivers are perfectly nice (if exceedingly wealthy) human beings. It’s that dickwad in the M3 who thinks because he sunk 60 large that he can blow you off the road in your Mustang that deserves the redress.
I would vote for a gently used 911 Turbo, save yourself some money or go Vantage simply because it won’t turn heads and you may actually be able to put something in it larger than yourself and a friend.
Yeah you guys are dicks.
An older person, who has worked, paid his dues, invested wisely… is secure in his financial situation and honed thier driving skill over the years on a variety of performance cars… then buys a Ferrari or Lambo… THAT guy is a perfectly nice car guy that we can be envious of. No one thinks Jay Leno is a douchebag, regardless of how many insanely expensive cars he owns.
A young guy, just out of college, who appears to be “blowing the wad” on an insanely expensive car isnt that guy. I am not saying he is automatically a a$$, I am just saying that there is a good chance of it given the situation.
Jay Leno is a douchebag.
Honestly, if you have to think about it, then most likely you cannot afford a $200k car. Simply because, thats stupid money to spend on a car if you DONT have the kind of wallet that lets you go buy it without caring about the cost. Just because you can “swing the payment” with your awesome just-out-college paycheck, doesnt mean you can afford it.
If you have to finance it, you cant afford it. If you dont have at least $1mil in cash, then you are stupid to spend $200k on a car. If you are planning to lease it… well, that MIGHT be OK, but only if you are shopping lease specials, in which case you choose the one with the stupid crazy deal, regardless. Any car in that price range will make you happy, especially on a lease where you dont worry about the long term reliability. But, even a lease on a car in that range is overkill, if you dont have crazy money, then you really shouldnt be buying it.
There are tons of perfectly awesome cars in the $50-70k price range that would be more than impressive enough to allow you to bang all the coed hotties that ignored you when you were a poor college student, and not even make you a total douchebag just for driving them. A Porsche Boxster Spyder comes immediately to my mind, in some obnoxious color like orange, with black rims. Or lease a 911 if you are that type who values image over performance (as I suspect you are).
But, lets just pretend for a minute you were one of the lucky few who graduated college and got offered a 7-figure signing bonus along with your $300k salary, and now you have wisely budgeted $200k for a car as your reward. You could buy one car, a Ferrari or Lambo, and be a douchebag that everyone secretly makes fun of (even though you could bang lots of trophy strippers). Or you could have a stable of totally awesome rides, and you would be a collector of high regard. Classic 911, classic Boss Mustang, slightly used M3 for daily driving, an Elise for track days… maybe even an older Ferrari for Cars and Coffee… you can have them all for your price. And you wouldnt be the douchbag we all suspect you of being now.
And you can still bang the same hot strippers. I know what I would do…
Tooling around central London or possibly Riyahd?
“Honestly, if you have to think about it, then most likely you cannot afford a $200k car.”
Are you serious??? Let me ask you a question. Do you think about the you buy (regardless of the price) because if you do I guess you really can’t afford it.
Yes I am serious, because its an asswad question. “Which $200k car should I buy?????” Anything in that price range is going to be fine. People who are in that price range are working with dreams and desires, whatever stirs his soul. Hell yes, I research the hell out of what I buy, because I dont have enough money to buy the absolute top of the line stuff and I dont have enough money to make a mistake. Thats the freedom you get being wealthy!
But mainly, my point is, if you can ONLY afford one car, then you cant afford a $200k car. Thats dream territory… super wealthy territory… Do you think Paris Hilton gave a lot of serious consideration which car she wanted when she got that LF-A? No way… it was the hot car of the moment and she can afford it so she grabbed it. This guy is either a trust fund baby, which means he doesnt need a job to buy a car… or hes a douche, which means he shouldnt be buying one of these cars.
You guys are so damn jealous. Give the guy a break.
Omar: you really didn’t tell us much about what you plan to use the car for. Out of the cars you listed, the lambo is the most emotionally compelling to me. I find most people who buy Italian Supercars don’t really do much with ’em though (a guy down the hall from me uses his F430 for a 3 mile commute and little else). I’m guessing you live in the middle east. If you have some remote areas where you can really let something like that run in relative safety, go for it. If not, maybe get something slightly more practical and comfortable, like a SL600.
Do you have to buy just one car? If not, maybe you could get a nice, built-up 4×4 for some wadi bashing. If I had $200k to spend on cars, it’d probably look something like this…
1) Lotus Elise or Ariel Atom. Track toy / fun car. $55k
2) GMC Yukon with small lift, for camping, biking, skiing (assuming I don’t have to worry about MPG with that kind of money). $45k
3) BMW 550i. Daily driver / road trip car. $60k. Get an M3, 1M, or chipped 335is if you want a smaller, sportier daily driver.
Man…that would pretty much cover the bases. I suppose with the remaining $40k you could get something low-profile for when that’s appropriate (e.g. Accord, Cherokee)…maybe a classic of some kind…and ???
Alternatively, you could combine that $40k with the $55k Elise and get something faster. Figure a used 911 Turbo or F430.
I agree. Give the guy a break. He came to the site to ask an honest question; no reason to bash him. I know a few people in his category; some are the nicest people, some are douchebags. His character will speak for itself; what he drives is not indicative of who he is (unless you want to get down to stereotyping EVERY driver out there).
I do, however, agree that this could be an early lesson in cash management – regardless of having a (seemingly) limitless fund. All funds are finite, whether you are funded by a trust or a government or have an oil well gushing away.
I think the best idea is to have two vehicles for different purposes – a fair weather car and a foul weather car, if you will (of course depending on what climate he is living in). A GT-R is a great toy car with enough cool electronic gizmos to keep you busy, easy to drive, tractable. The Aston is just gorgeous – rolling jewelry. Or find something with a drop top – maybe a 6 series (do they make an M6 convertible?). For foul weather, a Range Rover Sport is classy and subtle and has plenty of stature.
Most likely, with these kinds of funds, he won’t keep this vehicle more than 5 years so longevity isn’t an issue.
Hopefully Omar will write back in and opine and give us further details.
I was thinking along the same lines. I’m glad somebody pointed out that an Ariel Atom will be twice as fun (at least) as any of those “super cars” on the track. Just buy a nice $60k sedan for most of the driving you will do, and you will come in well under $200k with greater functionality. By the way, if you are residing on the west coast, the Ariel Atom is also street legal in California, Oregon, and Washington. The only hitch is that I don’t believe there is a US dealer any longer. A company in Ashland, Oregon, licensed the right to build and sell them in the US, but switched to tricycles a few years ago. Something like the Airel Atom should also get you noticed. It is probably less common than any of the afore mentioned super cars, as well. Quite frankly, when I was living in Sonoma, I saw Porsches Ferraris, and Lambos nearly every day. Porsches are like a–holes around there, everybody’s got one.
So our friend just finished school and like a lot kids today, he’s looking for a four wheeled reward for those long nights of studying. That’s fine. That said, no one fresh out of school has enough capital to buy that kind of car. If he came from a wealthy family, it is plausible that he (or his family) could be in the market for a six figure rocket. But the experiences of several friends of mine have led me to believe that you can’t fully appreciate a car unless you invest your own money in it. Sorry, I just don’t buy the story.
p.s. If I’m wrong, let me know when I should stop by WreckedExotics to see what you finally decided on.
no one fresh out of school has enough capital to buy that kind of car.
Ever hear of a trust fund?
Damn you for finding a school that paid so well!
I’ve always preferred luxury to sport. So I’d buy the 4 door Panamera and donate the rest of the 200k to some worthy charity instead of squandering it on self-aggrandizement.
Yeah, because the Panamera is so freaking subtle. But if you’re so worried about self aggrandizement why not get a Camry, with the V-6 of course, then donate the rest?
370Z, Any M3, or NSX. Supercars require sure skills and super roads. Now for unsolicited feedback….Get driving classes, books, and track time. Oh and most importantly work on any unhealthy behavior you have, its easy to get caught up in it, specially with success.
With pockets that deep, why advertise your kidnap potential or risk a carjacking? Go subtle and use the extra 160K for security and/or less conspicuous forms of douchebaggery. Rent a supercar once in a while if you must. Over and out.
An antique cape in the country, a Mazdaspeed3 and a Ram Adventurer equal about $200,000. I’d go that route.
Are you going to drive said car every day, or just for fun? I’m assuming if you are spending 200k on a car now you probably have a nice-ish car as a daily during school.
If I was spending 200k, cash I’d buy a Ford GT and enjoy having something that is going to only appreciate in value.
Or, spend a 100 grand or so on one or two classic cars, and use the rest to lease something. If you’re spending 200k on a car now, I’m assuming there is more money where that came from, and in the future when you want something else you’lll be able to get it.
If I was looking at buying a ‘new’ supercar/luxo-sports car in the vein of V8 Vantage/DB9/Granturismo/Porsche et. al I’d be leasing it, they make enough V8 Vantage’s that they’re not likely to hold their value or appreciate in value any time soon, I’m sure the local Aston Martin dealership will let you negotiate your residual, and in 24-36 months if you still want it you keep it, or you move on to the next best new thing thats out. Also, I would definitely suggest looking at Z06/ZR1 vettes, fast enough and spend some extra money if that interior is really an issue spend some more money and make it nice. If you want to lease I’m sure GM will give you a nice deal, and I’m sure you’ll qualify for some ultra low financing, pay 2 or 3 percent interest while your money makes 6 to 8 percent somewhere else.
Edit/Addendum:
I don’t understand why everyone is giving Omar such a hard time, or immediately assuming he comes from oil money et. al. There is no shame in having a trust fund, more of my friends have them that don’t, and none of them have reverted to douchebaggery because of said inheritance. The man wants to spend his money on something he seems somewhat passionate about, nothing wrong with that, its his money, and he’s earned it.
Omar, can I please have your problem? Please send cash.
Seriously, I’ve always had more respect for the Aston Martin buyer. It’s the whole 007 thing, I guess. Ferrari drivers always leave me with the feeling that they’re compensating for something.
Alternate solution: I saw a Qvale Mangusta the other day. Talk about exclusivity! And, you’ll have plenty of cash left over for other toys.
Omar,
Your father, Hosni called and left a message. Um, about that trust fund and the new car. Not quite sure how to say this. There’s been, uh, some unforseen and recently developed…shall we say…difficulties.
How about a nice Volkswagen Beetle? I hear the 977 GT3 version is pretty awesome. But it’s nowhere near your price range.
OK Guys, is this an early April Fools????? This just can’t be a serious inquiry …. unless the IP address is from Dubai.
There are a lot of rich people in this country…plus, we have a lot of high end car dealers to prove it. More to the point, it’s pretty cool to see that some of them actually read this website.
FWIW, if the question sounds believable and fairly well written, we normally publish it. This one was fun to answer, I might add.
lease both the car and the woman.
buddy please tell me where to lease woman? They dont do it at GMAC nor Ford Credit.
Craigslist has recently shut it down, tell u secretly it had been moved to Therapeutic.
Or u talking about the airline industries’ wet lease that supply u with cabin crew, all ground maint etc for 2 yrs & up.
dry lease is like a car lease they only supply u with the plane only.
Wet lease allows u to fly into country where u’re Persona non grata. Egypt did set up some wet lease to fly into Israel many yrs ago, not sure if it still exists.
Are we swearing now in the headlines? Because I’m ok with that.
Going back 30 some yrs ago, a young middle east dude came to Toronto to work in a car lot as lot boy, then 1 day he suddenly inherited a princely sum of rubies. He bought the dealership.
I think was called Town & Country. Anyways if u had done any wong to this dude u have to find another job fast or pray for Allah to bless u!
Omar I guess money is not too big of an object, just buy whatever it pleases u. I just dont wanna to be the agent underwriting your car thats all.
Just like the first day I had my w 126 420sel, how would i know the gas pedal is so sensitive, the speedo & tach needle just shoot up like lightning bolt. Thank God it did haul down to a fast stop.
or else I’ll be in a orangy suit now. And having a new big boyfriend calls Bubba. Also pays Stefano 20 bucks a week form security measures.
The following list is my idea of great ways to spend $150,000 on usable supercar looks and power… and yes, I think the GTR is a supercar in looks and performance….
I would suggest the following:
1. Audi R8 V10 (with Stasis supercharger kit, full warranty, 700 AWD HP!!!)
2. Nissan GTR (with prodrive upgraded rear-end gears and some professional tuning, 700 AWD HP!!!)
3. Ford GT (with the GTX1 roof conversion and some profession tuning, 700 MID ENGINE HP!!!)
4. Rossi 66 (http://www.purerossi.com/frameset.html __ base it one Z06 or ZR1_ 700 RWD HP!!!)
Personally, I really like the Rossi for its uniqueness.
If it was my money, I would be torn between the Stasis R8 and the GTR….
The Ford GT, I would be too worried about ruinig a good investment and killing myself…
I think AWD is the way to go. I think there would be nothing like the feeling of knowing that you can have fun in all real conditions…..
The CAN AM would need to be purchased as well…. 7.0 LS7, Katech cam, hellllooo nirvana
Wait. The forum that hates Obama, government and taxes, is also against a businessman giving son a reward for higher education? Remember folks, to 95% of the world, you giving your son a 2003 Hyundai is exactly the same thing. You also won the lottery in terms of country of birth and income, so what do you have to complain about?
I’ve spent enough time in Dubai to know that Ferrari and Lambos are just too impractical and always breaking down. The reason they drive 5mph on The Walk? Because that is their practical top speed. That and sometimes you won’t want the attention, seriously. Now, if you have a driver at home that can come pick you up and don’t mind being without a car for weeks on end, fine. Go with either one.
I say go for smaller, more nimble, less common, more fun, more suited to the desert, and something you won’t worry about parking at the mall. That’s why I vote… Porsche. While the Cayenne’s are a dime a dozen, and Panamera will soon be too, the 911’s are still rare in the Middle East. The reason they are rare is that it goes against the local sensibility, which is “either bigger is better, or more bling is better”. It has neither, but will be a sleeper hit that everyone will look twice at. Get a black one if you like going out at night or a white one if you go out during the day. That’s when they look best. Go with a plain ‘ole Turbo, around $130?
Your dad will thank you for making a smart choice. In fact he might be able to get you a discount from the dealer that sold him the Cayenne.
Cheers
Omar, once you have purchased your $200K ride, I would like to introduce you to my 20 year old nymphomaniac supermodel niece. You’ve earned the right to an introduction, my good sir.
Best response yet!
Whao! You earn my respect.
Whatever you get, get a motion simulator from Force Dynamics to go with it.
… *whistles innocently*
At any rate, yeah, lay off the guy, people. In my line of work I know plenty of people with pockets this deep, and aside from one or two (who were in other, far more inequitable countries and were in a totally different class wealth-wise), they’ve been interesting, cool guys. If one of you were to sell a business, or have a rich uncle die, would you suddenly become an asshole? No – that’s not how it works.
To answer the question: Maserati Quattroporte. No contest. Drop-dead utterly freaking gorgeous, and as others have pointed out, there’s no place for raw speed on the street. And it’s classy – while you may not BE a douchebag, there ARE cars that will make you LOOK like one. Coughgallardocough.
That bit about whatever he buys, getting driving lessons from Baruth. I agree. Sorta.
The race track-driving Baruth. Not the Florida center-median crash-avoidance Baruth.
Seriously, Omar, if you don’t want your new super car to end up on WreckedExotics.com and you in the hospital or morgue, do not think your 20-something-year-old driving skills are up to the task of piloting what is essentially a street legal race car (Ferarri, Lambo, Porsche, etc) without training.
Sure, people kill and maim themselves in 90-hp econoboxes all day long and twice on Tuesdays. But it’s oh-so-much quicker and easier to do it at 150 mph in a 600-hp exotic.
Just get the skills. And learn your limitations.
Is seems most are assuming Omar is from the Middle East. Maybe, maybe not. With that said let me give you my choices.
I’ve never owned a Ferrari or Lamborghini (hell, I’ve never even driven one). While I thoroughly respect their performance, they will spend considerable time out of service.
If that’s the way you wanna roll so be it.
I’d say go for a Porsche 911–GT3 type or a turbo (if you want something a bit softer) or an Audi R8 (v-10).
Something from the Audi supercar family – the used Gallardo would be sweet but a new R8 would be even better. I don’t think even the hottest V10 models run up to 200k. Everyone will think you’re Tony Stark. A Ferrari doesn’t make any sense unless you are a race-driver with a really good mechanic.
I’d want something that would age well over the next several years, something you’d be proud to display as your “first” car when you’ve got that big garage of other nice cars.
I don’t judge your financial situation, although I was only looking at a $25k range when I graduated university.
Depending on where you live, is AWD desired? Or maybe you’d like to have the top come off?
Both?
I like the Aston, but it’s heritage is not as pedigree as some others. Neither is Audi, and although I’ve never been much of an Audi/VW fan, the R8 5.2 is rather wicked. Has a classic look to it, seems to be a very driveable car in all conditions.
Then, there are the Americans…which I’d love to have a NASCAR sound everyday, but at the price of commonality. So, with that said…I’d have a Superformance Daytona coupe.
Congrats on your enviable dilemma. Regardless of your choice, make sure you invest time in professional driving schools – as others here have suggested – to get the most out of your ride. Best of luck!
I would opt for an R8 if you want everyday usability or a Porsche GT3 if you think about spending some time on the track.
Get a rusty 1980 Volvo 240 from a junkyard and hire someone to build a custom aluminum spaceframe for it and shoehorn the aforementioned corvette running gear in there for the ultimate sleeper!
You Rock.
…and make sure to remember the “A LIVING WAGE IS A MORAL VALUE” bumper sticker.
I’m thinking of that scene from Coming to America in the Western Union office where they ask for “an even Million” from the King of Zumunda
Not sure what you learned in school that pays enough for a 200K car but you should realize what a waste of capital that is.
Why not buy 10 used cars for needy folks who need to get to work? You could hire them and they could make you even richer/
a Carrera GT if you want a badass car that expects respect. An R8 if you want to use this thing as a commuter.
Always had a thing for the CGT. Something about the fact that those who have driven one have told me the car actively tries to kill you. I was told once they don’t even really have a first gear, that you just lift off the clutch when getting rolling from a stop and the ECU figures everything out so you don’t launch into the back on a minivan.
Know someone who did track days in his 911 and had bought a few from the local dealer. Dealer let him take a CGT for a test drive. The tea saucer-sized clutch made it undrivable in traffic, especially stop and go.
There are 2 ways to approach this:
1. You come from money. You don’t need advice. Any mistakes you make are easily repaired in cash by the family willing to back a young adult in your purchasing bracket. Please just buy a new M6/SL Black/Gallardo/Aston and leave the rest of us alone. Your decision is irrelevant and TBH, offensive for having asked.
2. You are making enough money now that you can justify a $200k purchase to yourself. I could do the same thing. Sure, 2800-3500 a month for a car payment over 4 years seems reasonable if you are making twice that… and an idiot. The cars you suggested are not transportation unless you can consider them disposable. They are special purpose vehicles.
There’s been a guy on CL around these parts who has had his nice shiny 2008 911 GT2 up for someone to take over payments cause he’s underwater bad. He figured he was making 80k a year right out of school, what was half of that on a car payments? I didn’t even know they would give you a 5 year loan on something like that… Long story short, if you are the kind of person who commits a significant portion of their newfound income to a depreciating asset like a supercar, you are the kind of person who will likely find that income disappearing as quickly as you had it land in your lap.
If you must show off to your “friends” and get laid by cheap gold digging used-up ass, find a 2-3 year old version of any of those that someone like you made the same mistake of buying new. These vehicles depreciate initially like a flaming Aztec pushed off the cliffs of dover. And match the money you are paying on the car in a long term appreciating investment. Cool now is buying the Aston because you can. Cool in 15 years is buying the Aston… because you don’t care about the money.
“…and get laid by cheap gold digging used-up ass…”
Where do I sign up?? (-:
Was it not a week ago that two commenters were banned for calling someone else an “idiot” on this site? And wasn’t that particular incident publicized with an entry calling for civility? (I believe it was called “Gentlemen, please” or something of that nature.)
Yes, it’s all fun for us proletariat-types to ridicule the rich for having the bankroll to buy that which they (or we) desire. It’s an easy way to make ourselves feel superior to those whom we assume feel superior to us. It’s also fun to have a site to visit, such as this one, where political correctness does not reign supreme. But I believe Mr. Lang and Mr. Mehta have crossed a line in this instance.
Omar writes to you with what may very well be a legitimate question. He even compliments TTAC and its journalistic integrity before posing said question. He is rewarded for his politeness and regard for this site’s knowledge-base with ridicule and baseless assumptions. I’m all for fun, but the response from this lot was downright cynical mocking.
Sanjeev Comments:
“…it’s pretty cool to see that some of them actually read this website.”
Y’all sure have a funny way of reacting to something you find “cool.” How is the purchase of a $200,000 vehicle less worthy of respectful advice than that of a $9,000 Crown Vic?
I agree completely. There are people who can afford to enjoy these cars the way I can afford my 1994 Miata as a toy. Insulting them is totally uncalled for – I can find lot’s of info comparing a Miata to S2000 or MR2 or whatever, but if you’re in the market for one of these cars you don’t have all that many places to look for advice. He comes to TTAC – gets called an A**hole in the title and gets abuse in the comments.
It is certainly unbecoming of a site that is supposedly populated with car enthusiasts.
And giving this guy financial advice is particularly obtuse. We know absolutely nothing about his financial situation, and in any case he came asking about cars, not financial advice. There’s absolutely no reason to believe this guy is taking on any more financial risk than some other recent graduate asking about hatchbacks.
My favorite comments are the ones from people saying that they’re affronted by his questions regarding such high-ticket items. Most all of us wish we were millionaires, boys and girls. Can we be adult enough to have a grown-up conversation with someone who actually may be one? What moral conviction would such a conversation violate? What’s the salary cap requirement for someone who wants to talk/ask about cars on The Truth About Cars?
I agree with Lemmiwinks: the Gerbil King. I was shocked how rude some people here were. This should be a fun fantasy-garage discussion, and half the people here judge the guys character just because his parents are loaded. He came here for a down-to-earth opinion.
Omar: apologies for all the ridiculous jealosy here. However, that is something you’ll encounter, being a young guy in a car like that. Not a bad idea to have a lower-profile car, too.
A while back I wrote a piece about Barry Zekelman’s lawsuit against Bugatti. To be honest, my primary motivation in writing the article was that Zekelman and his family are very philanthropic (I know of at least $16 million in cash donations they’ve made) but that people online were calling him a douchebag just because he was rich and had a dispute with a car company. I just didn’t think it was fair to rag on someone, particularly one who’s contributed to the community (his family also underwrites the Special Olympics in Canada), just because they were rich.
Barry made his money honestly, taking a small steel tubing company and growing it into the biggest steel tube maker in the world.
Actually, he’s very down to earth. The boaters on Lake St. Claire say he’s just another guy with a boat, though his boat happens to be capable of 200mph.
I was asking him about the car companies that only let select customers buy their limited editions (like Ferrari and the FXX), if it pisses him and his other rich car enthusiast friends. After all, these are people who are used to walking in to a store and buying whatever they please. Zekelman told me that he preferred how Citation allocated new jets. When Citation came out with their new model jet, they had a lottery to determine who got first dibs, and the company made it clear that if anyone tried to buy their way up the list, they’d never get a Citation from the factory again.
When I read his email, I started to laugh, thinking “gee, I’m corresponding with someone who jokes about buying private jets.” Then I realized that he wasn’t just joking.
It’s true that the rich are different. They have more money. Other than that, they still have to wipe their behinds just like everyone else. All of Steve Jobs money and fame didn’t keep him from getting cancer.
+1 for the comments about civility, Lemmiwinks.
Superbird.
A supercar is no good as the only car you have, so I’d have to suggest a fleet approach.
1 Fast Sports Car (100k of the budget) used Vantage sounds good
1 Luxury sedan (50k of the budget) used Mercedes S-Class or LS Lexus
1 off-road capable SUV (25k used Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
1 gray man car for when you need to be relatively inconspicuous (25k in a used Crown Vic with 15k of performance mods)
While I’m reluctant to make assumptions based on someone’s first name, that, ahem, camel has already poked its nose into the tent so…
Omar, if you do, in fact, live in one of the Gulf states, and you really want to stand out from the crowd, make a statement and buy a restored Sabra. Not quite supercar performance but it will get you noticed in more ways than one.
Nicely played sir! Sabra FTW!
I dont think anyone was trying to be mean to the guy, or even mocking. Most people made points along the same line as mine… given the facts from the letter, he doesnt need a $200k car at all. Trying to save a young person from themselves so to speak.
If he is a trust fund baby then buying the car has little to do with his job. If he had a wad of cash, then once again… why wait to buy the car. If he was not already a man of means, and got a job right out of college making $300-600k a year, thats freakin awesome. But he STILL doesnt need to buy a $200k car in his mid-20s. He should aim a little lower, learn to appreciate his money and secure his future and THEN become an older, wiser Ferrari/Lambo driver.
No personal disrespect to him… this is the same advice we would give a “normal” college grad who gets a job making $60k a yr and asks which BMW he should buy.
Nobody except professional racers “need” $200k cars. I’m sure most of us have more car than we actually “need”.
I don’t need my Miata either, but I certainly enjoy having it.
Two words. Electric Unimog.
Lexus LS
Yeah, I know. That’s why I can’t afford a $200k car. But maybe an LS in multiple years.
Get a classic, like a Jaguar E-Type…invest the rest.
Like many others here, without having driven or even sat in any of these cars, the R8 is my favorite offering in your range.
But the Vantage is the prettiest thing in current production, and it surely will not disappoint you–nothing in this price range *isn’t* awesome. If it’s the one you keep coming back to whenever you think about this, it’s probably the one you should get.
I would give Omar the benefit of the doubt and take him at his word.
He just finished school — perhaps Dental School. Whatever.
He also isn’t asking for advise vis a vis personal finance. Perhaps people should be asking him questions regarding personal finance.
Anyway, based on the question —
1. Like the Vantage V8
2. Max $200k
3. Cares about the price.
4. Doesn’t have a stable of super cars.
I would suggest that he simply go with his gut and buy the Vantage. Low milage used are 1/2 your max budget. Or buy a brand new, fully tricked out model.
I wouldn’t be interested in a vehicle like as a daily driver (or perhaps at all) without someone to handle the maintenance and upkeep (detailing, etc.). At a former job, there was a guy that kept all the executive cars gassed up, serviced, and washed.
In fact, even though none of them were super cars or close to it, luxury is having someone else pay for and take care of all aspects of a vehicle except driving.
Anyway, get the Vantage, enjoy it, and go from there.
Personally, I have found the fleet approach is the most attractive — with a daily driver, an SUV, and a sports car. All the decisions become simpler, without the need to compromise (except cost — for normal people).
If you go with a used Vantage, you will have a nice car and can change your mind without taking too much of a haircut.
OK, OK, I was in an exceptionally bad mood today. Reading over my own comments and others, yea, I guess maybe they came across as a little harsh. From the letter, it seemed to me that Omar wasnt a rich kid or a trust fund baby like some others thought. He seemed more like a guy who got a really great job and figured he could afford a really expensive car. Hey, who am I to rain on his parade. So here is my much nicer answer after thinking about it a little all day:
I love the Porsche 997 GT3 RS (my personal favorite car), but it might be too track oriented. An alternative is a used Gallardo Superleggera, but that still might be a bit too harsh for daily use. Next in line is the Audi R8, but I really hate those side blades. Maybe a v10 roadster? I am not crazy about Ferrari, mostly because the maintenance is just crazy, and most of the new ones just dont look right anymore. So I think I would cast my final vote for the Vantage. It is a stunning car, still good performance, but I think it would be a good car to drive everyday. And, you rarely see them.
Get this Ford RS200 Group B rally car that is due to be auctioned on March 12th instead:
http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AM11&CarID=r191&fc=0#
I also find the comments suggesting that a young person does not “need” a $200k car small minded. Besides performance, such a car’s main function is to let others know that you can afford it. Depending on Omar’s peer group, he may well “need” to do this. It may be that if he shows up to tea in a used 5 series because he spent the rest on an Ariel Atom and a jeep, people will only see the middle-class sedan, and assume that his father is economically weakened, or is punishing him. Economists call status purchases like this “cheap signaling” because they are relatively economical compared to the other ways we seek to increase our status and influence. Let’s assume Omar NEEDS a $200 car. His dad is paying for it, so he can only get the one car, and he doesn’t want to blow his family’s money on an expensive lemon he won’t love. Of the choices, the Gallardo is the easy choice. It will blend in with all the other supercars, but has enough Audi/VW engineering to be considered half reliable. But I would suggest looking at a Porche GT2 or 3. It is understated, yet capable. Luxurious, yet utilitarian, and will stand out from the Fararris and Lambos your friends are all driving. It is a relative bargain, compared to the italian offerings, but accomplishes the required status positioning, and is super fun to drive, and comparatively easy to live with. The Audi R8 is also a nice bargain of a supercar, and is also liveable, and usable as a daily driver. Ignore the petty insults of the Jealous masses. Enjoy your new ride.
(Also, get driving lessons, then advanced driving lessons. So you don’t, you know, die.)
I made that comment, and you make a very good point that of course I didnt take into consideration.
I do find it funny that in any other discussion of reliability, people on here think VW/Audi cars basically will fall apart monthly, but compared to supercars they are “reliable”. :)
I don’t know what kind of readership this site is cultivating. You know Omar can be a Mexican name too. I’ll advise you to custom order an armored M5 which might come in handy whenever you are visiting your kinfolks south of the border.
I also seem to remember an African-American Omar from Baltimore… and when he stole the shipment from Prop Joe, that must have been more than two hundred grand.
Odd that almost everyone is chasing off down the high performance route. The OP seems more interested in aesthetics than performance, so 911, Corvette and all the me-too supercars don’t even get a look in, I think. That also kills the SUVs, none of which look much better than the original Range Rover, and most look worse.
Frankly /I’d/ be looking at some old classic and a separate daily driver, but that’s the easy way out.
So, attractive, reliable, expensive and a bit special, but not necessarily fast. Sounds like Jag/Aston/Maserati/Bentley territory to me, all of which are stupidly fast anyway.
To: TTAC
Attn: Ed
Re: Petition for “The Bling Bling” column !
It appears that your site is attracting all walks of life. It will be beneficial to start an monthly editorial column for few privileged car enthusiast with money to spare. Obviously, it is wrong for used car salesman AKA Steve the cheapskate Lang to advise ultra wealthy reader such as Omar. It is neither Omar’s fault nor a crime to belong to lucky sperm club.
doubleplus 1 for you
I enjoy both Sanjeev and Steve’s writing. I truly, truly do. This just seemed unnecessarily mean-spirited from an editorial point of view. I do “get” the concept of busting a guys balls… this went beyond that.
I do not wish to censor the authors’ thoughts on the matter by appealing to TTAC’s wish to keep it out of the gutter — evidenced by the ban-hammer unleashed by Bertel last week. I simply question the rationale behind being antagonistic toward a wealthy car enthusiast when he comes to you (the proverbial web journalist) for advice.
Wallstreet, sorry to burst your bubble. But I own a car dealership and a rental car business. Up until last year I also received half the profits from a dealer auto auction near downtown Atlanta. Although I do retail cars a bit, it’s less than 3% of my weekly activity.
I still don’t understand how you can view my post as being mean spirited. I will admit that growing up in New Jersey didn’t exactly make me the most sensitive guy in the world.
Just an FYI, I did happen to live in a town that was the North American headquarters for Ferrari. If he’s serious about wanting an exotic car, I think it’s better to get one that will challenge his skills without being ‘too’ too fast. A Testarossa with a professional instructor like Jack Baruth would be an interesting combination. If I had money to burn, but a learning curve to tackle, I would start with a ‘classic’ version of what I covet and work my way up.
I would also make damned sure that I made money on the car. Not a matter of being cheap there. Just a principle. Of course with a Ferarri, this goal would last right up to the point I turned the key.
Congrats on your success Omar.
Allow me to give you some free advice that has served me well.
1. You can only be at this price point if you can pay cash otherwise save your money and drive a 3 series.
2. If you are an enthusiasts, you already know what car you want. If not, may I recommend a nice n.a. 911 or Z06 and invest the rest in a nice index fund.
3. Buy a used ford and retire at age 45. Cash without the flash.
This is actually very simple. Omar, buy a 1957-58 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. You’ll get plenty of attention, but it will be the right kind. Nice people will strike up conversations with you. The same ones who would assume you were a Dee-bag and ignore you if you pulled up in a Ferrari.
The upkeep won’t cost you any more than one of those Italian absurdities.
If the Eldo Brougham is too much Harley Earl for you, go for a 1961-63 Lincoln Continental convertible sedan.
Either way you will have money left over for an everyday “work truck,” like say a ’55 Nomad.
I think that I would encourage you to spend more time thinking about this.
With that kind of cheddar available to be spent on your motoring you could really come up with some neat stuff.
First: Lease a Luxo barge: the interest on the dough should cover the nut and preserve capital.
2nd: Find a classic that can be had for a bargain. A late 90’s Lambo is still a pretty sweet ride.
You could have the garage that most of us on this site dream of. A car for every occasion. Ya never know when you will get the itch to take the 70′ Nova SS out for a spin.
You could cover the whole douche bag spectrum: Muscle car freak, super car asswipe, lifted truck trash, & luxo barge douche.
Why pigeon whole yourself to one catagory of A-hole, when you could cover them all. In fact I would throw in a sweeet 88 T-Top I-Roc w/ some Oakly razor blades to ensure you have covered all creeds of douche to be certain.
NONE of these cars interest me. To douchie. Why not buy a few really choice cars in the $60-90k range? Perhaps a Range Rover and a Cadillac CTS-V Sportwagon?
I don’t believe many people could push a BMW or Miata to the limit, much less an expensive as car. Then again perhaps I’m being too analytical.
When I graduated from university I was obsessed with achieving the material trappings of success. Now that I’ve gone through a lot of “stuff”, I’ve come to the conclusion that experiences are a better investment in my happiness than things. I can barely remember the toys I owned 15 years ago, but I remember my adventures and the fun I had with my friends.
My suggestion is get a good-enough car like a CTS-V or M5 and spend the rest on something automotively memorable, like seeing 48 states in 14 days, doing a banzai road trip to the Arctic circle and back in a week, or driving several exotic cars on a test track like some schools advertise.
The name “Omar,” according to the Social Security Administration, was the 182nd most popular boy’s name for those born in the United States in 1989. The name was more popular than Max, Arthur, Billy, or Joe. So for those who think Omar is from an oil-rich state, it could be Alaska, Texas, or California. And what of those from another part of the world? Is that a problem? Next, he gets slammed time and again by those who say expensive cars are ridiculous for anyone. Question: If expensive cars aren’t for the rich, who are they for? The editors of Car and Driver? What kind of a world would it be if the pinnacle of car-dom was Camry? Do you click away in disgust when TTAC or another site dares feature something out of your price range? Do you write nasty emails to everyone who writes about expensive cars? What about houses? Watches? Suits? And what, in the name Ayn Rand, is so bad about those with money? Money comes to those who create businesses, and therefore jobs. I guess Omar could’ve inherited the money, but somewhere along the line in his family, someone most likely earned it. Yes, dirty money is out there too, but for every Bernie Madoff or Ken Lay, there are many more who’ve amassed their fortunes honestly. Clearly, some people here posted their response with tongue firmly in in cheek. For those who didn’t, open your minds and your eyes. Bigotry sucks. Jealousy is a nasty trait. Name-calling is infantile. Grow up.
Atlas really did shrug…here…! BTW, like your avatar!
You want to stick out amongst your buddies but not to everyone else? Spyker C8. Just want to look like a jerk to everyone? Audi R8 5.2 Somewhere in the middle? Used McLaren SLR
nothing says “get out of my way, peasants!” like a Bentley.
Porsche Turbo S should be on your list.
If you want fast for the $, get a ZR1 or Z06. Or better — get a sportbike (You can even get an “exotic” for $25-$40k)
IMHO corvettes are a dime a dozen here (Chicago) and most people can’t tell the difference just looking at them. They won’t get you noticed.
Want something noticeable? How about an Ariel atom? How about a can-am Spyder?
Some thoughts:
Bentleys do not say “get out of the way”. Bentleys say, “I am a total asshole, please fuck with me”.
Nothing says “get out of my way” better than a rusting taped up smoking broken muffler 25 year old oldsmobile whose cell phoned driver is practically lying down while going 100 miles an hour in the shoulder lane at rush hour. Or a semi hurteling down on u in the pasing lane on the turnpike when u thought it was OK to pass the car in front of you.
This one has got to go into in the TTAC Hall of Fame.
“I recently won 200 million dollars in the lottery, and I’m planning to move to Tierra Del Fuego. Should I buy 2 lambos or a Spyker?”
Woa – tough crowd! C’mon give the guy credit because (a) he has the money, and (b) he asked the question. My suggestion – buy the Aston Martin and then buy a nice Ford as your everyday car. If you use the AM as your main drive, you are probably going to go apoplectic the first time a guy in a Honda pulls up next to you in the Best Buy parking lot and opens his door into the side of the Aston M! Let them crease and ding the Ford. Also, put some cash aside for everyday maintenance – remember an oil change is going to set you back $200 – $400. And fixing that Honda induced door crease is easily $10,000. Oh – and by the way – I do envy you because I’d love an Aston Martin in my driveway!!
your expensive car could be detrimental to your job, most bosses hate underlings drive a better car than them, if u’re a commission sales , self employed, u’d be OK.
MBA, or anything work in a system u wont be working in this job very long.
Unless buy the car kept it separate from work people ( co-workers can rat on u someday ) , daily driver : a $10,000 jalopy will do fine.
Just pretend u trying to pay off the massive student loans.
sexy car and work are diametrically opposed.
Just for the record. If I had to be an asshole I’d rather be one with money than one without.
Go for the 458 Italia. Better yet go for a 365 GTB/4 Daytona. If you run out of money in 5 years you’ll most likely be able to sell it for close to or if you’re lucky above what you bought it for.
and, although it probably doesn’t drive particularly well (especially not compared to the new Ferrari), you’ll have about a 100 times more style points. You could have a Dino whithin your budget, but it’s tiny.
Unfortunately some of the other classic Ferrari are rediculously expensive these days which puts them out of even this price range. a 250 GT Lusso for instance (one of my favourites) does about 500K these days. A good 275GTB is 1MM.
What I really wouldn’t do is go for the F430. It’s not particularly pretty and the 458 seems to be so much better you’ll probably be kicking yourself in the head in two years if you go for an F430 now. If money is a consideration despite it’s availabilty, I’d rather go for a sweet 360 Modena (maybe a challenge stradale) and save some cash. I guess there are just too many right answers to this question…
I’ll give the writer the benefit of the doubt that he has already set aside money so job loss won’t lead to homelessness, some so that future kids can enjoy the same benefits growing up that he did, that he has some idea how much maintenance on a supercar costs, and that he already has a daily driver.
Cars in this category are driven more by what you like than what you need. Aston Martins are fucking gorgeous cars and if I were in his pleasant situation I would look no further. Maybe rent one for a week and see if you still like it?
Side note:
I think buying one of these cars is less snobby than not buying one because you think it’s too snobby and you’re above it.
This is also sort of the reasoning behind TG’s sentiment that pr!cks have now moved on from BMWs to Audis.
Hi all, I thank the people that commented very much. I sent in the question more for fun as I really do like this site a lot. I’ll let everyone know that I did buy a V12 Vantage. Some other questions answered:
School for me was 11 years of post secondary, I am not a Saudi, but made money with 2 years of very hard work and very smart investing, I can drive very well and seeing what happens to young drivers on a nightly basis (guess my job!) I only drive 9/10s on a track.