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If you had the money, which car would you buy?

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Which car would you buy?

  • Nissan GT-R with Alpha 9 package

  • Corvette ZR-1

  • Dodge Viper GTS

  • BMW M6

  • Jaguar KXR-S

Results are only viewable after voting.
I chose the Vette....but all I really need is 55k for a GT500. I can spend the rest of the allowed amount on mods and eat up anything on that list 🙂
 
DaTT said:
I chose the Vette....but all I really need is 55k for a GT500. I can spend the rest of the allowed amount on mods and eat up anything on that list 🙂
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I'm not one of those 'LOL solid axle you can't do anything with that' type of people...you can mod the Mustang to handle very respectably.

But to handle well enough to beat some (any?) of those cars? Dunno about that unless you start doing some major re-engineering.

edit: on a track, that is. As in something with turns. Yeah, you can mod the Mustang to win a drag race (...step 1- slicks, step 2- profit)...but you can do the same with a Civic.
 
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I have a 2013 GT500, and I have no illusions that dumping money in to it would make it perform like a viper, or ZR1. You might approximate it, but then you have a frankencar that you are constantly tinkering with instead of just enjoying it. You'd have to strip out a lot of weight and somehow mount the engine lower. It would be a mess.

I was going to fault you for citing the base price, but considering that you would replace everything in the SVTPP anyway, it would be kind of pointless of an upgrade. You might want to get the recaros ($1.6k) and the electronics package ($2.3k) though, so you're looking around $58-59k or so
 
You might be able to hang with something like the M6 while keeping the solid axle and front strut setup (it still has the 'modified macphereson' design, right?). But I think the suspension would end up extremely stiff and unforgiving; and you'd still need to be making up for cornering speed in other areas...pretty much power. I don't think you're going to outbrake by any significant margin. Maybe if you strip it out to drop weight, like you mentioned...that Bimmer might as well be a damn Continental. The Lincoln boat, that is...but it's closing in on the Bentley, too. 😀
 
No interest in Jag or M6...I look at those cars and think "Lease it and forget all about it when the lease is done"
GT-r just doesn't do it for me. If I lived near a track I might feel different but I see that car as something disposable after 5 years.
ZR-1...screw the ZR-1. I'd take a Z06 any day...
Viper wins by default.
 
I'd probably pick the GTR but I don't know much about any of them. I've always thought Vipers were kinda ugly.
 
phucheneh said:
You might be able to hang with something like the M6 while keeping the solid axle and front strut setup (it still has the 'modified macphereson' design, right?). But I think the suspension would end up extremely stiff and unforgiving; and you'd still need to be making up for cornering speed in other areas...pretty much power. I don't think you're going to outbrake by any significant margin. Maybe if you strip it out to drop weight, like you mentioned...that Bimmer might as well be a damn Continental. The Lincoln boat, that is...but it's closing in on the Bentley, too. 😀
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If one was looking for a track-monster Mustang, they'd probably start with the GT350 or Boss 302 and up the power. Both are more adept at carving courses, while the GT500 is an unabashed dragster.

A good example is that while the Mustang V6 and GT are better both in a straight line and on a course than the Camaro V6/SS, the Camaro ZL1 actually runs away from the GT500 on a circuit despite being down on power. This isn't to bash the GT500, it's just not the car you'd choose for that duty.

GT500 monster mode :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa00aOA5mzs

GT350 track cutter mode :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzuCEkA1vKY

302 Taking out the SS easily (a bit unfair $ for $ though) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr3SwDviPQ0
 
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Arkaign said:
Camaro ZL1 actually runs away from the GT500 on a circuit
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It actually depends on which course they're on in theory 😉 The only slightly controlled test I've seen was the Randy Pobst Laguna Seca one, and the GT500 won out by half a second or so, but that was more of a hero lap because the ZL1 was more consistent and edged out the GT500 on average (brake fade killed the gt500 after a few laps). They're pretty evenly matched in that area, with a slight edge to the ZL1 because it stays consistent. Saying one "runs away from" the other is pretty inaccurate though.

Then again, the GT500 typically wins the magazine lap speed tests, but they all like to drive the zl1 more (as far as being easy to drive). The whole "ZL1 is better at a track" was sort of the rallying cry of the Chevy fans once the specs of the GT500 were released and were so much higher. The reality is they're a pretty even match.

Of course, when you're talking mods, the biggest reason the gt500 trails when it does is the brakes, and brakes are pretty easy to fix.


But this is off topic.
 
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Ferzerp said:
I have a 2013 GT500, and I have no illusions that dumping money in to it would make it perform like a viper, or ZR1. You might approximate it, but then you have a frankencar that you are constantly tinkering with instead of just enjoying it. You'd have to strip out a lot of weight and somehow mount the engine lower. It would be a mess.

I was going to fault you for citing the base price, but considering that you would replace everything in the SVTPP anyway, it would be kind of pointless of an upgrade. You might want to get the recaros ($1.6k) and the electronics package ($2.3k) though, so you're looking around $58-59k or so
Click to expand...

Haven't had to tinker with my Terminator at all. Its just as reliable and driveable as any stock car. Oil changes and tires pretty much it.
 
phucheneh said:
I'm not one of those 'LOL solid axle you can't do anything with that' type of people...you can mod the Mustang to handle very respectably.

But to handle well enough to beat some (any?) of those cars? Dunno about that unless you start doing some major re-engineering.

edit: on a track, that is. As in something with turns. Yeah, you can mod the Mustang to win a drag race (...step 1- slicks, step 2- profit)...but you can do the same with a Civic.
Click to expand...

Maybe you have heard of Griggs suspension engineering? Agent 47? They can make a Fox out grip and out handle a roller coaster.
 
In order:

No. The guy from the video game? I've never raced a roller coaster. ;P

I've seen the highly modified rear suspension setups, and I'm sure they'll keep it flat. But a lack of rear camber, especially under compression, kind of seems like it would make it hard to compete with a very high-end car with both IRS and a superior front suspension design.

Ferzerp- can you really get too off-topic in a 'pick one of these five cars to drive in imaginationland' thread? If you're talking about something with an engine, I'd call it on-topic.
 
It ends up working just find as long as the curve isn't bumpy. When the curve is bumpy, IRS is superior.

Stock, the GT500 pretty much out performs the bottom two options on this list, but is made to look silly by the top 3. This is kind of a weird list of cars when you think about it. 3 performance cars, 2 luxury cars that perform well too.

(I will attest to the accuracy of general journalist view that my car is kind of scary though. I've already swapped tires because I was tired of the F1s breaking loose at interstate speeds if I decided to use the last 1/3 of the throttle. My last car I left TC in the off setting, but stability control on. With this one, so far, I don't shut anything off.)
 
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Ferzerp said:
It ends up working just find as long as the curve isn't bumpy. When the curve is bumpy, IRS is superior.

Stock, the GT500 pretty much out performs the bottom two options on this list, but is made to look silly by the top 3. This is kind of a weird list of cars when you think about it. 3 performance cars, 2 luxury cars that perform well too.

(I will attest to the accuracy of general journalist view that my car is kind of scary though. I've already swapped tires because I was tired of the F1s breaking loose at interstate speeds if I decided to use the last 1/3 of the throttle. My last car I left TC in the off setting, but stability control on. With this one, so far, I don't shut anything off.)
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I don't know how you do it. That kind of power is like a good drink. One sip, two sips, screw it, give me the bottle.

That being said, I think an old school Viper would be my ride. They can bury me in it.
 
GT-R.

Corvettes are a dime a dozen, the Viper is a toy, the M6 is kinda "why bother", and the looks of that Jaguar say "Nissan Z" to me.
 
phucheneh said:
You might be able to hang with something like the M6 while keeping the solid axle and front strut setup (it still has the 'modified macphereson' design, right?). But I think the suspension would end up extremely stiff and unforgiving; and you'd still need to be making up for cornering speed in other areas...pretty much power. I don't think you're going to outbrake by any significant margin. Maybe if you strip it out to drop weight, like you mentioned...that Bimmer might as well be a damn Continental. The Lincoln boat, that is...but it's closing in on the Bentley, too. 😀
Click to expand...

I think some of you are forgetting that I would have 100k to play with, and already a beast of a powerplant.

Fezrep...I am coming to where you live to drive your new toy...I'll let you drive my 1st gen s197 GT. You know you wanna.
 
Ferzerp said:
I was going to fault you for citing the base price, but considering that you would replace everything in the SVTPP anyway, it would be kind of pointless of an upgrade. You might want to get the recaros ($1.6k) and the electronics package ($2.3k) though, so you're looking around $58-59k or so
Click to expand...

Even at $58-59k, you get one hell of a car. I drove a 2010 GT500, and that was a hell of a car.
 
Well, if you aren't modding, you need the SVTPP at minimum. You want the upgraded suspension and torsen diff.

If you're going to be replacing that stuff, then there is no reason to buy it. Right now though, unless you're ordering a 2014, you have to take what you can find. I got lucky and found the exact options I wanted (SVTPP and electronics package, but no track pack, extra speakers, or glass roof). The pickings are a little slim right now. Slightly more slim if you refuse an ADM (which I will *not* pay).

edit: It looks like close (that is, within 300 miles) to me, Atlanta seems to be the worst for this. Here's an example. A fully loaded one (MSRP 69.5k). On the website, they blatantly lie about the MRSP and say it is $79.7k, but offer a "discount" of $5.2k for a total of $5k ADM.

I'm not really sure how they can advertise a fabricated MSRP though (especially when you can just get the window sticker with the VIN and see that it's a fabrication).
 
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