When I Was Younger I Wish That I Had...

I've always liked the looks of those cars. Do it!

We had a white '72 Corvette for many years. It was A TON-O-FUN to drive and cruise around in. It was more of my wife always wanted one when she was younger.

After many years of fun, (20) we gave it to my daughter and her hubby (as a gift) to finish the restoration, someday. He buys and sell cars. I just had the running gear renewed, and new motor.

Our midlife crisis was delayed 11 years ago by the arrival of three boys, now 12, 13 and 18. (The Vette went into storage)

Go for it, have a little fun. Every man needs a good mid-life crisis toy!

It is a snazzy looking car. Drives stiff, rides a little rough, as a sport car should. Fun to drive!

Tiny, though. Two people and three bags of groceries appears to be the capacity, as long as neither the people nor grocery bags are oversized.

I'm thinking along the same line as you have acted - get it, drive it for a few years, and gift it to the son-in-law - AFTER his kids are through high school!

I know this is an older post...

Drives stiff, rides a little rough, as a sport car should. Fun to drive!

You want that in a car, its tight... You also realize that a car like that, it has performance, you want a car that you drive, and not one that drives for you. As far as rides rough, you'll find out, that the faster you go, the smoother the ride...

It's a big decision, but ones it's made... it's fun as hell.

(3) bags of groceries,... Really? must have a ball hitch for a trailer for the third bag

Life is too dam short... to say,... 'shoulda'.

By the way... if you golf,... if it has a sun roof... that'll accommodate it.

oops... I guess I already posted here.

Well, as you say, this is an older thread.

Four years later and I have had a major career change, a house fire, a pretty scary heart attack episode (Doorman’s Chick), and no sports car.

Damn.

Sorry to hear that… Life can be a pretty unpredictable ride…

Yeah... sure woulda been fun to ride a few miles in a snappy car.

Several members advised ‘Do it’. I asked for advice then didn’t act on it. Damn.

Ah, we’ll, I may yet get a sporty car. I’ve gotten into the model train thing in the meantime. This is proving a time consuming and rewarding hobby. Coulda bought three of those cars for the dollars that I’m into the trains.

Yes,… I had friends one that is into model trains… I also take a night class (prototyping). He’s a model maker, he was making miscellaneous parts for people for their trains… he’s 80+ years old, he even made a small EDM (electrical discharge machine) which he brought in because I snapped a tap in some brass… it was somewhat crude, but it worked… and by crude, it was because it mounted unto a drill press quil… but it worked.

this guy also had researched the USS monitor from the civil war quite intensively, and he made a scaled model of it.

word got around and the U.S. Naval Academy asked him to speak at one of their classes.

Also have a neighbor thats into RC aircraft. He was flying a P51, one Sunday…I pulled over just to watch.

it nice to know these guys, they are a wealth of information…

Well of course it's up to you, but rather than buy something like this I would just go with a Mustang....no problem finding parts and the aftermarket market is robust...plus you can go from mild to wild performance wise....plenty of online support and videos for any project you choose, or maintenance issue....you can personalize it...

This is mine now, looking to maybe get a new one in 2018...

Nice, but pretty common. No offense, but nobody's going to give it a second glance, whereas a Crossfire is a head turner because of the small number you see in daily traffic.

^{(Doorman, go for unique)}

A 'Stang would be an EXCELLENT midlife crisis (MC) extravagance.

[edit] Yeah, I'll probably see fifteen 'Stangs on my way home from work today. Nice cars, very cool, but very common. As SE says, lots of customize stuff available.

Price is coming into play as well. He is asking $7500 bucks for the Crossfire, maybe I can get for a little less. 14 YO car, about 70K on the clock. This is a toy that I can justify the price on. YIKES! I GOOGLED 2004 Mustang, seeing numbers $29K, $33K... those must be show cars. Now I see some at $6K, $10K, $5200...

You can get a good used Mustang for around 10k...and a higher mileage for $3-4k...

$9K ... 74k miles....2010...what's not to love?

More in the price range for the intended use. Agree, with some careful shopping a guy can get a nice used car (I see them usually called pre-owned. Come on, they're used cars!) for reasonable price.

I did an informal watch when I went out for a lunch sandwich - saw six Mustangs of varied vintage and condition driving around (one had vanity plate STANG. That's cool!)

Corvettes = none. But it's winter here and that is sort of to be expected. Lotus Evora, Lambo Aventador or Hurrican... all were absent. Even though this is pickup country, I didn't see any LM002 either! Did see a number of the Hummer knockoff vehicles, they're popular around here. There is a physician in town who drives around a Testarossa, but don't see it in the cold weather.

Mustangs are popular for a reason...drive one and you'll see why....I love mine...and I've had 2 vette's...Mustang = lower insurance, 4 seats...fast, and a good sized trunk...plus the premium models have leather interior and a kickin 500 watt stereo...plus the V8 sounds awesome....A cool car has three things...looks good, sounds good, and is fast....

"A cool car has three things...looks good, sounds good, and is fast...."

The Crossfire's got ya covered all the way around. Spokes suck, but I can replace.

Oooooh... look at what else I found:

I guess there at least three fewer Crossfires on the road than previously stated.

Sobering pics. Let's all be careful out there.

I've driven a few, ridden in more. All you say is true, they are great cars. I've not said the Mustang isn't anything. It's a proven winner.

Insurance... insurance. Better check into that. Thanks, forgot about that.

Mustang = 4 seats + trunk
Crossfire < 4 seats + trunk

This is intended be a toy MC compensating car, pure enjoyment. I really don't forsee a lot of utility driving. Shoe shopping once in a while, weekend trip out of town, afternoon drives... the shoe shopping is more of a Doorman's Chick thing.

I just aquired an older model Ridgid TPI 1302.

Factory orange and black.

Low miles. Mint

Fun to drive and loud as hell.

A planer, I like It!

The Lamborghini LM002 aka car of my dreams!

Here you go! Only $324,991!

A Lambo pickup! Wow, that would turn some heads!

A third of a million US bucks... a little out of my price range right now, as well as for the forseeable future.

When I Was Younger I Wish That I Had... The knowledge, wisdom, and experience I have now.

When I was younger I wish I was a little older and had a hang glider so I could leap off the hillside over lake Michigan from Mount Baldy. They don't allow anything like that these days lest the sand be flicked in the wrong direction.

I wanted to then take my imaginary hangglider to Colorado where I was thrilled to see many people gliding around the mountains.

I also wanted lunch with Olivia Newtown John.

Tell me bout it stud

gulp - I've got a hang glider built for two.. We'll fly across the lake and eat some pizza at Gino's East. Bring a pocket knife and El Marko.

Seller's Price:$7,500Location:El Cajon, CA · Mileage:98,500 milesTransmission:5-Speed AutomaticExterior Color:silver blueInterior Color:BlackGas Mileage:15 MPG City
22 MPG HighwayEngine:V6Drivetrain:Rear-Wheel DriveVIN:1C3AN79N15X050759Major Options:Leather Seats, Premium Wheels

Image 1 of 8

Price? $40K-$50K?

E EasyAutoSales.com8 days ago

2017 Ford Mustang Sherrod Custom GT Premium, Oxford White...

70471, Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, LA

3, 000. Retail Customer Cash. Exp. 01/31/2018

$44,960

Those are WAY HOT Cars!

Most decidely Midlife Crisis worthy!

So which one are you gonna get? Don't need to have a crisis to buy one ya know.

Yep, that's a cool car! The auto transmission is a Mercedes build, reportedly nearly bulletproof. Wonder if some of that bulletproof paint was used?

The one I'm looking at is a 6 speed manual - the car isn't really well designed for bigger guys, sort of a crowded cockpit. I'm 6'1" and usually wear boots, working the clutch is sort of iffy for me. An auto would be a lot better.

One thing that doesn't really show in your pic but shows in my last one (#16) - the rear wheels are larger than the front... I wonder what they do about a spare?

2005 Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 2 Dr Supercharged Hatchback - $7,500

Cargurus.com

Spare tire? SPARE TIRE??? You don't need no stinking spare tire!

Everyone deserves to have at least one sports car in their lifetime. They are a ton of fun, especially if you have a specific marque and join a club of like minded car nuts.

I have had 4 corvettes - a white 86 coupe, a 58 convertible which I did up from a wreck - literally had to source everything, motor, gearbox, bonnet, boot lid, seats, wheels, convertible top, you name it - it went on to win just about every available concourse trophy here in Aus

A ruby red 93 40th anniversary and a 69 Stingray convertible completed the quad, with my last sports car being a 2005 BMW Z4 roadster.

Neighbor of ours bought a ‘63 Corvette that he bought right out of high school and owned till he passed, his son has it now...

he was telling me, it’s rare, because everyone who had the ‘63 Corvette (split-window), removed it to look like the ‘64 Corvette, that I can’t understand

‘63 Corvette

’64 Corvette

Nice car, I would go for it. The years click by faster the longer you live, so ignore the time distortion and mid-whatever nonsense, just enjoy. Impulse good! (if you have the money it's your time).

"... The car was only produced for five years, and had an entire production (all variants) of about 76,000 cars worldwide. ..."

The platform actually was used more extensively and refinements with customer feedback had been made for several years on the platform before the Crossfire was introduced.

The Crossfire is built on the Mercedes SLK platform which had more than 100k produced/sold before the Crossfire was available. While there are some Chrysler's parts, don't be lulled into thinking service won't ever require something special and more expensive than you might expect for a Mustang.

If the meaning of a midlife crisis is working hard all your life that after time to be able to afford some enjoyment, so be it.

before doing it, one can lament about it, but after one makes the decision to ‘treat’ yourself, you’ll enjoy it.

The back windows tend to fall out of the Crossfire...that's not good...

https://www.carcomplaints.com/Chrysler/Crossfire/2005/windows_windshield/back_window_fell_out_came_unglued.shtml

http://www.chryslerproblems.com/vehicles/crossfire/

Ooooh, now that sounds bad.

If it's a toy, then do not over think it.

You buy toys to play with. In many cases the toy does not survive.

As long as you keep that mindset you will enjoy the toy no end.

And BTW, despite the badging, it's a Mercedes under the hood.

If it's a toy, then do not over think it.
Yes, yes...

You buy toys to play with. In many cases the toy does not survive.
This is quite true.

As long as you keep that mindset you will enjoy the toy no end.
Agreed, toys are to be played with, not intended to sit in a toybox or closet.

And BTW, despite the badging, it's a Mercedes under the hood.
I have heard this theme before, once stated as "A Mercedes SLK wearing a Chrysler jacket.

The particular car that is the subject of this thread is no longer available - somebody came along and paid asking price. The essence of the thread remains, even if the impetus is no longer on the toy shelf. In the OP I tell the forum that Doorman's Chick loves it (the car). I learned a LONG time ago, don't fall in love with something like this - It's just a car, just a house, just a set of pots 'n pans... Whatever 'it' is, it will almost certainly be an episode in your life, not the purpose of your life.

And now with the Crossfire gone, I will have time to look at some Mustangs!

In my case when it come to car,... it’s bought for enjoyment and for me,... I enjoy driving it... not for looking at it. Except it’s is stored over the harsh winters.

a ‘53 Chevrolet Belair 2 door coupe was my favorite car to drive... and was actually enjoyable to service myself.

I had a '66 Belvedere. Worn out when I got it, but was a pretty good car.

That was when I had no true appreciation for cars. It was simply a way to get to work. Hell, I was a kid, I didn't really appreciate anything as I do now.

My first, second and third car I ever owned,... I learn a lot about fixing cars... what I learn most at the time is that I hated it and that I never wanted to be a mechanic... now I like it as a past time.

The Belair, my first impression 27 years ago when I first looked at it, was it was thee ugliest car I ever seen, how would anyone buy such a ugly car.... I was thinking about that for 2 weeks... and decided... I actually liked it and bought it with 44,000 original miles.

What I regret, I never or rarely took any pictures of my cars...

Here’s a rare photo I took of my Gold 2007 Buick Lucerne I took back in 2016 ^{(it looks tannish in the photo)}

Oh and btw the other car in the foreground... we just celebrated her 30th birthday two years ago. I celebrated that night by taking both my girls out for dinner.

Between keeping the Targa and the preference for the '63 split window Corvette, you apparently have impeccable taste in automobiles!

_{In my evaluation of taste, much as in the photo, the 911 may be obscuring consideration of the Buick. I have never owned or paid much attention to that model of Buick, or a Bellair for that matter so despite impulsive inclination those models did not play a part in the evaluation.}

In my evaluation of taste, much as in the photo, the 911 may be obscuring consideration of the Buick. I have never owned or paid much attention to that model of Buick, or a Bellair for that matter so despite impulsive inclination those models did not play a part in the evaluation.

I’ve been told I have a dry sense of humor, Death Valley dry, almost a time delay when it hits. where 15 minutes to a few hours later, people realize it’s a joke and burst out laughing, and to me, that’s funny.

as far as the picture... I was taking a picture of the Buick and the 911 got in the way.

my car before was an Oldsmobile. ^{(Which I also don’t have a picture of)} .. and I tell people, it’s my dads and I’m driving it.

I do understand her feelings about it, I had the same reaction to a royal blue and white convertible version of the Crossfire.

I bought a 5.0 Mustang back during their heyday and drag raced it for 10 years. I had a blast and developed a lot of mechanical abilities. I am a classic engineer and insisted I had to do any work done to the car, including, by the last 5 years, engine tear down and rebuild. I finally went through a stroker kit installation. I actually managed a 4th place finish one year in a small local true "heads up" racing series. It still seems like a fine waste of money to this day. I have used those skills many times in my work, as I often get pushed from my desk job to the production floor, not to mention my current obsession - rebuilding older bicycles to newer standards. (quite a bit lower cost hobby)