Another 'Help Me Pick My Car' Thread
 

Yes, yes, this is another one of 'those' threads. It's time again for a lowly, confused user to bow down to the masses and accept their advice because he's too indecisive to make his own choice. The biggest reason I need help here is I have to decide between emotional attachment for my current car, and doing what's financially sound.

A couple of facts:
-My current FR-S is a lease that includes everything from oil changes to maintenance to new tires, as well as insurance. I pay one price for everything. It's great (and I have to thank my dad for letting me do his corporate program to get it) and extremely affordable.
-The lease ends in November, I can give it back or buy it (I can also buy it at any time I want)
-The rough part is the current buy price, $17k. I might get a discount, but I'm not sure and it's never been included in the quotes.
-I just ordered wheels on Cyber Monday and I'm just waiting for them to be made and delivered. Though because of winter, they won't go on the car until Spring.

So, I have a couple of options:
-I can suck it up and buy this car just because it's mine and I love it and I like my stuff (Potentially the most expensive option)
-I can hunt and hunt for a used one for potentially cheaper, but then I have to deal with one someone else has beat on. Cheaper, and wheels can be used.
-Turn my car in, lease a new one and do it all over again. Get brand new car, all parts transfer over, still not my car, same issue down the line.
-Turn my car in, lease/buy something else, sell wheels for a considerable loss.

If I do the last option I have to figure out what I want. Right now, all I can think about is a new miata.

Inb4 the multitude of "Buy a xxx"!


Based solely upon the fact you never have struck me as a "the grass is always greener " guy here is what I would do if faced with that choice.
In order of preference:


Buy it out - You know the car and exactly how it has been treated since new. May cost you a couple of thousand more then another but the peace of mind alone would be worth it.


Turn it in and get another new one - You will know what the changes are in the 17s by then and can decide if it is worth it to you. You obviously are aware of the drawbacks of this choice already.


Get something different - This can be fun and exciting but you could also get stuck with something that looked great on the surface but in the long run disappoints you after you actually own it. The guys here that went to WRX/STis seem pretty happy though.


Get a used one - There is always a risk in going used with this type of car but I think you know that already. Sure you may save a few dollars but if you are going to save substantially then there will be a reason why it is so much cheaper.


Good luck with your decision (at least you have loads of time to make it)

Residual amounts are always set by Toyota and that's what they will go by.

I would have to agree with tcoat's order.

+1 for Tcoat's order but you really should trade up to a better color.

Ya you really sho.... HEY wait a minute here.

Well, you don't have to buy it now. There are places on the internet you can download it for free.

(sorry).

I'm in the same boat. As much as I like the BRZ, when the lease is up, I suspect I'll want to try something else (wishing for an E46 M3 at this point, because they aren't rare, aren't ridiculously expensive anymore, and can handle family duties, or something like the FRS/BRZ dialed up another notch, like the Cayman or a MR-S).

Wifey is contemplating getting a BRZ herself, so that might eat up my overmileage penalty (I'm never leasing another fun-to-drive car again - it's just setting yourself up for failure to adhere to mileage limits), while allowing me to keep the stuff that I have and transfer it over.

I have a feeling I will eventually end up in another Twin - just not sure if I'll take the opportunity to try something else on for a change.

E8H FTW :party0030:

:slap:

:D :D :D

There's a lot of stuff in your post that I like and I appreciate the honesty. It was one of the best responses I've ever received. I think this line says it all though, I have roughly 10 months to decide, unless I bought it out right away. But I'm starting to think, why give them extra money? I'll milk the lease for what I can and either buy it slightly cheaper, or turn it in having got the most out of the car in the end.

Majority sides with Tcoat so far, though.

Oh, bullshit. Mine were awesome.

You're on my list for trying to tell me there's a better color than hot lava. If you don't know which list I'm talking about, well that's probably for the best.

Your A-list? Because A is for Awesome!

Sounds like you should either buy it out or get something totally different.

You won't find any deals better than $17k imo (you've already spent what you've spent, live and learn) so if you wanna stay with an 86 I'd buy the one you know and trust. Used will be a pain and new will just cost more money (which is kind of why your asking right $17k seems steep right now).

Could find something different (and potentially cheaper) and that's on you, I know there's dozens of cars I'd be happy going out and buying but right now I'm happy with my 86.

One other thing about keeping it vs buying a different 86...taxes.

In Taxes are different in all states, so I don't know how it could apply to your situation.

But hypothetically...

Lets say you turn it in at 17k buy...(you may have already paid a tax on it and dealership fees when you first got it)

Now you find another used one...in most states you would now be paying taxes and fees for the new to you used one.

Also other mentioned, stay with the one you know.

Also, if you do decide to keep...ignore the dealership and just go through Toyota Finance (though you seem to have inside leverage so it may not apply to you).

Earlier this month a guy was buying out his lease and they stealership tried to charge him like a $900 "safety inspection" and $500 in documentation fees (again).

But yeah...if you want something new (different)...get something new (different).

If you want to have an 86...just keep the one you like if you are happy with it, which you seem to like your car.

Anyway, good luck and take your time and be sure you don't regret your decision.

Just wait till you get closer to November to start thinking about what you want to do. A million different things can happen between now and November that will cause you to change your opinion on things. Just enjoy the car until then.

Get the new tires, THEN buy it out.

Too lazy didnt read:


Buy a Mustang, Civic or keep your car.

Ahhhh here is a man that is on the ball!

I'm in a similar position to the OP - my lease is up in August. If the past is anything to go by, I'll spend the next 8 months dithering and changing my mind 17 times. At this point, depending on my mood at any given moment, I'm considering:

> Buying it out and throwing some nice street mods at it (Ohlins R&T, Phantom, better stereo, some sound deadening, etc, etc). It already has nice light rims and sticky tires, plus snows on the stock rims.
> Giving it back and getting a nice used Cayman S then fretting about how much I'm shortening its life by driving it in the winter
> Rushing out to put a downpayment on a Focus RS and hoping it shows up before the lease runs out
> Buying a winter beater (old WRX?) and getting an older Elise or maybe building a Locost (to add to my long list of unfinished projects)
> Getting a '16 Golf R and feeling guilty about supporting those cheaters VW (odd that I don't the same feeling about the Cayman!)

I originally leased the BRZ as a way of putting off thoughts of buying a Cayman for a few years. Since then, I've driven a few Caymans and, while I really liked them, the BRZ still has some appeal of its own.

Fortunately, we have a perfectly good second car, so the urgency to make a decision isn't acute. In fact, the Wifemobile is a pretty nice place to spend time, on long trips or short, but it has next to no steering feel. I'm stuck in that place between wanting something with great steering feel, wanting another AWD car for winter fun and not really having space for (or being able to justify) a third car.

Wait until you lease is almost up and then go drive a few other cars that interest you before you commit long-term. Then you have no ragrets...

http://www.tattoofun.com/Merchant2/g.../NoRagrets.jpg

Ragrets, I've had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption and bought a BRZ.

Lease a McLaren 570S. Only 2200 a month! I don't know how much it is down. Probably just $24000 or so.

I was going in the a is for ahole but yours works too. I do agree with tcoat though knowing the car's history is a great thing especially with these cars being marketed towards younger crowds finding a non beat, well maintained one could pose a problem (or it may not, depends on the luck of the draw I guess)

In the UK £40k deposit and £1k per month to get a 570s. Dollar exchange rate $1.50 ish... cars are so cheap outside of the UK.

Specifically, cars in the US are cheap. Not so much in most of the world.

I am honestly not impressed with McLaren. It's an incredible piece of engineering, but it's ugly. The 488 has better lines everywhere and is the most impressive. The R8 is a serious design statement. The i8 is hot sexiness in car form, at least in person. The Viper and Z06 are 'Merica. The Huracan is edgy. The 911 is... a 911. The McLaren is just fast, and all of those cars are limited by sanity on the street, so you can only use it at a track, and at the track, if you want to go fast, you get a Radical or another real race car. If you want to drive to the track and go fast in the same car, you get a Viper because they'll sell it to you fully sorted, it has massive downforce, and it's faster than everybody else's production cars.

Realistically, I won't be getting one. Realistically, I'm too bad a driver to handle any of them. Realistically buying one would mean divorce, which would mean I couldn't afford one. :) Realistically, it's fun to talk about them.

Works either way. @Tcoat and @soulreapersteve both know I'm kidding.

Knowing the car's history is always a good thing.

Ahhhh damn. You were kidding?
Don't open that box that's marked "DO NOT SHAKE" when it comes in the mail OK.

Don't tell ultra but he is about to be glitter bombed once he opens up my box that's also coincidentally marked "DO NOT SHAKE".

hot lava glitter -___-

yay

Shit. That colour name takes on a whole new connotation just by adding the word "glitter".

Yep, that was about the type of picture that popped into my head.

It was the second image returned when I queried for 'sparkle pony.'

Google made me do it. :D


...oh, and yours was first. Random Thoughts was just a bonus.

Well, I was going to try responding to people, but you guys are too random and I lost track haha. It seems the majority agrees that I should buy my lease. I will definitely hang on to it until the end, regardless of my final choice.

I actually really like the new McLarens, but yeah, it'll never happen.

Realistically, the 570s is at least 3x better looking thant he R8.

:P

If i saw Tcoat, ultra, steve, and the other regular class clowns on here in a cubical office style commerical business, I have a hard time not seeing spit balls fly over cubical walls or chairs that spontaniously collapse...

:popcorn: :lol:

Don't be jelly. You can join the fun.





....after you graduate.