Sunday, September 11, 2011

Automotive excess

While staying at a pretty little lodge outside Golden BC, one of the other patrons had parked outside in a Mercedes CL 63 AMG. It looked expensive, and so, on a whim, I looked up the price on the web.

$243,000.00.

I knew it was an expensive car, but that really took the cake. I mean, really, who needs a car that costs $243,000.00? And even if they did, why that one? I mean, yeah, it is a good looking machine, with tons of power and whatnot, but where in North America are you going to wring out a 600+ HP V-12 twin turbo full sized coupe? Silly. This is a car for the autobahn, or possibly some parts of Montana.

But still, how often does one need to do 186 miles an hour in rural Montana?

I mean, I would be hard pressed to spend that kind of money on cars if forced to. Nice to think about though...... What would I drive if I had idiotic amounts of money and nothing better to do with it, and someone had a gun to my head making me spend it?

Hmmm...

I'd need a serious luxury sedan. But I'm a cheapskate. Maybe a brand-new Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec for $53,000.00.

I'd need a serious performance car. Something with some pedigree. I check the classifieds. 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 for $89,000? That will do nicely if I want to go grand-am racing, but I think something milder for day to day use. Here we go, a 2005 911 Carrera 2 with 27,000 km for $62,000.00.

Something for the wife, you say? Porsche Cayenne. Wait... It is fundamentally wrong for a Porsche to also be a truck.... How about a Mazda CX-7 GT? $40,000.00.

Okay, I'm up to $155,000.00.

2008 Subaru WRX 5 door with 28,000 K for $25,000.00 for the winter.

Leaves $63,000.00

2003 Mazda Miata - $12,000.00.

Dangit, I still haven't spent as much as that fellow spent on one car!

2006 Lotus Elise with 16,500 km- $30,000.00

$21,000.00.......

2002 Porsche Boxster S.

There. With what that guy spent on one vehicle, I have picked out 7 cars that I would love to own. Low mileage or brand-new vehicles that would go for years, perform incredibly and be a hoot, as well as some luxury in some cases.

Hmmm, I would have to ask the guy with the gun to my head if he has some money I can spend on a 7 car garage....