Bear with me on this long post.
So the lease that I took over 13 months ago is ending in less than a month. It is 3er in my sig. As fun as it is to drive and handles really really well (not many cars I can compare it to, haven't driven much other than my dad's '09 ram 1500 hemi, mom's '08 legacy 3.0r, my ex-toyota matrix '06, a friend's '08 sti and my lovely black brick). As you can see it is probably the best stock handling car in my minimally experienced driving record.
The car is a 6sp and I just love mashing the pedal and rowing through gears. The payments I can deal with, not an issue here. My only issue with the car is the aftermarket. There just isn't much support besides a tune. And the support that is out there, is through the roof with mods. Just to give an example, the aluminum ta short block with forged rotating assembly is what a turbo upgrade would cost (custom downpipe, tune, intake, fueling, and exhaust manifold along with the needed hd diverter valve). I sort of jumped the gun on it and if my parents didn't push me for the least oldest model without buying new, I'd have gone with the older model. The older style has much better aftermarket support in the turbo category. The difference between models is the twin scroll in mine (sooo stupid). Anyways, let me get back on topic. Nice features and awesome looking and not a bad sound either from the motor or exhaust. But I've had this underlying itch for something grunty and powerful and frankly don't care for awd. My itch led me to start looking at a few different vehicles.
Albeit is isn't a GM vehicle, it definitely get respect for what it is. Ever since I first heard about them, it was just jaw-dropping great. It does have its faults, but when you look at a vehicle like this, certain things you just turn your head away because you walk into it knowing what comes with it. I've been looking at the SRT-10 Rams. I found a really really nice one really close to me (believe less than 2 hours away). Got less than 10k miles and I believe he wants less than $30k. Looks mint from the pictures, just no navy or sound system or quad cab. Just reg radio, but the best part is it's a manual tranny.
Based on what is left to purchase the bmw, I could spend the same amount and get the truck. Yes. The mpg will blow. It's only rwd, so it'll be horrendous in the winter. No navigation, or even sound system, but that can always be upgraded as liked.
To me the benefits outweigh the negatives evenly if not better. You have a viper, but can tow. You got an awesome looking truck (the body and what they did to a reg 2005 to make it the srt is just like the new srt8 cherokees). Did I mention its a viper motor and 6sp?
Most of you guys on here are older than me and some double my age and some even my father's age. You all have forgotten more than I have learned. Talking to my dad for advice on this matter isn't easy. He's the type of guy that no longer wants to do work on a car unless its a necessity. He doesn't want to do the exhaust on his truck because frankly his stock isn't broken.... That's his mentality in a nut shell. In the end its my money, but I'd like to get some sort of sensible advice from all parties. Mainly you guys though, because we kind of all think alike here.
So hit me with your opinions and/or advice
So the lease that I took over 13 months ago is ending in less than a month. It is 3er in my sig. As fun as it is to drive and handles really really well (not many cars I can compare it to, haven't driven much other than my dad's '09 ram 1500 hemi, mom's '08 legacy 3.0r, my ex-toyota matrix '06, a friend's '08 sti and my lovely black brick). As you can see it is probably the best stock handling car in my minimally experienced driving record.
The car is a 6sp and I just love mashing the pedal and rowing through gears. The payments I can deal with, not an issue here. My only issue with the car is the aftermarket. There just isn't much support besides a tune. And the support that is out there, is through the roof with mods. Just to give an example, the aluminum ta short block with forged rotating assembly is what a turbo upgrade would cost (custom downpipe, tune, intake, fueling, and exhaust manifold along with the needed hd diverter valve). I sort of jumped the gun on it and if my parents didn't push me for the least oldest model without buying new, I'd have gone with the older model. The older style has much better aftermarket support in the turbo category. The difference between models is the twin scroll in mine (sooo stupid). Anyways, let me get back on topic. Nice features and awesome looking and not a bad sound either from the motor or exhaust. But I've had this underlying itch for something grunty and powerful and frankly don't care for awd. My itch led me to start looking at a few different vehicles.
Albeit is isn't a GM vehicle, it definitely get respect for what it is. Ever since I first heard about them, it was just jaw-dropping great. It does have its faults, but when you look at a vehicle like this, certain things you just turn your head away because you walk into it knowing what comes with it. I've been looking at the SRT-10 Rams. I found a really really nice one really close to me (believe less than 2 hours away). Got less than 10k miles and I believe he wants less than $30k. Looks mint from the pictures, just no navy or sound system or quad cab. Just reg radio, but the best part is it's a manual tranny.
Based on what is left to purchase the bmw, I could spend the same amount and get the truck. Yes. The mpg will blow. It's only rwd, so it'll be horrendous in the winter. No navigation, or even sound system, but that can always be upgraded as liked.
To me the benefits outweigh the negatives evenly if not better. You have a viper, but can tow. You got an awesome looking truck (the body and what they did to a reg 2005 to make it the srt is just like the new srt8 cherokees). Did I mention its a viper motor and 6sp?
Most of you guys on here are older than me and some double my age and some even my father's age. You all have forgotten more than I have learned. Talking to my dad for advice on this matter isn't easy. He's the type of guy that no longer wants to do work on a car unless its a necessity. He doesn't want to do the exhaust on his truck because frankly his stock isn't broken.... That's his mentality in a nut shell. In the end its my money, but I'd like to get some sort of sensible advice from all parties. Mainly you guys though, because we kind of all think alike here.
So hit me with your opinions and/or advice
