QOTD: A Garage Full of Speed
The average transaction price of a new car in America has long since blown past $30,000 and currently sits at $31,400 – after incentives, naturally – in the first quarter of 2017.
But who wants to buy just one car? Everyone here has a short list of what they’d buy given an unlimited budget. For today’s QOTD, let’s imagine – just like that Community Chest card in Monopoly – you’ve received a bank error in your favor. The amount? You guessed it: $31,400.
Trucks and large SUVs are the major reason for the steady march of average car prices. Thing is, though, there are plenty of great new cars on lots today with a Monroney less than that average transaction price. The Focus ST is a great example. The Toyota 86 is well under the limbo bar, too.
So here’s the challenge: using the average transaction price given above, choose a new car for yourself and then spend the rest on used wheels to eat up the rest of your budget. Forget about maintenance and insurance and all that drudgery; this is strictly a fantasy exercise.
Me? I would indeed take that Focus ST, in Triple Yellow naturally, for $23,245 after incentives. With the remaining $8,155, I’d select a mid-‘90s C4 Corvette, plenty of which are available for around five grand. Rounding out my fictional fleet would be a 4×4 GMT400 truck … doubtless to be in atrocious condition given my remaining pittance. Still, it’d get me through tortuous Canadian winters.
You also have our blessing to imagine there is an empty parking lot in which to store all your metal. You too can choose a $23,245 FoST and then spend your remaining $8,155 on a dozen $679 beaters for all I care. Our only stipulation is you make some sort of half-hearted attempt to explain your choice. Don’t limit yourself to four wheels, either. Bikes are fair game here.
That sound you hear in the distance? It’s the IT departments of all the major OEMs wondering why their Build & Price tools are seeing record traffic today. What will sit in your fantasy garage to the tune of $31,400?
[Image: alptraum/ Bigstock]
Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.
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With no consideration for my situation or future, lol, first choice is a 2017 Accord Coupe 6MT I-4, probably a Sport in blue, which would eat up all but a few grand, and I have plenty of options to spend that on. Probably an old pickup just for non-car duty, like towing or moving lots of stuff. However, since my situation is what it is, a more sensible choice would be something I could use for Uber/Lyft in order to provide myself an income. And, I did NOT want something new for that. However, I did locate a new Kia Soul base model 6MT, which should work, for about $13k. Its either that or something worse, like a Mirage. Mark Stevens, our former managing editor, told me subcompact cars don't qualify, but I found people on forums using a Mirage, Fiesta, Versa etc for ridesharing. Also, when I looked went in their respective websites, it just specified how new it must be, must be 4 door, and it cannot be an ex-cop/taxi car or a full sized van. Manual transmission is okay. Even a 4 door pickup would technically work, however I'm not going that route. So, lets say $15k max on a new Soul or other small car suitable for rideshare duty. That's about $19k leftover. 2nd gen Intetra, all stock. https://okaloosa.craigslist.org/cto/d/1991-acura-integra-gs/6231325612.html -$2k = $17k A beater work truck, 1995 T-100 https://dothan.craigslist.org/cto/d/toyota-t100/6268003450.html Offer him a grand, so that's $16k left over 1985 Ford Tempo 5spd/EFI sedan in surprisingly good shape for its age https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/d/1985-ford-tempo/6264331837.html Offer a grand for it, down to $15k now 1985 Olds Delta 88 coupe (b body) https://ocala.craigslist.org/cto/d/1985-oldsmobile-delta-88-2-dr/6257248649.html -$1,900 so that's $13,100 left 2006 Honda Element 4wd/manual https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/d/2006-honda-element-ex/6249555946.html -$3500, -500 for different wheels =$9,100 leftover 1St gen Olds Aurora, needs engine (likely) https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/d/1998-oldsmobile-aurora/6229165893.html -$475 purchase price, -$3,000 for a 5.3L/LS4 (FWD) engine upgrade =$6,125 left 2002 Kia Sportage 4wd 5spd soft top/2 door https://panamacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/2002-kia-sportage-1000-obo/6250998694.html -$800 to buy it, -$895 for a hardtop @ rallytops.com =$4,430 left Olds Tornado Trofeo https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d/1990-oldsmobile-toronado/6213755167.html -$750 asking price, -$800 for this wrecked Regal GS w/the Supercharged 3800 to be swapped into the Tornodo, or use parts to retrofit to the existing engine. =$2880 The last money would go to upgrade some cars (such as a 350 Olds for the Delta 88, modern Fiesta 16" alloys for the Tempo, etc) and put them in good mechanical condition. I know the Sportage and that very old Tempo and such would probably need some level of reconditioning due to their age/use. Most of these are subject to change, but I generally look for cars in their price range, so say for instance any car turns out to be rusted to hell, or have other major issues when I go look at it, there's always something else on my list. A good alternative to some would be a G body Olds Cutlass Supreme to put the Delta 88's 307 in. Speaking of the Delta, I'd much rather have an early 1980s Ninety-Eight coupe, but a Delta would do (I have several on my list, but that one is in the best condition). If I found a 5 speed 2 door Achieva, Alero or Tempo, they'd get swapped into the list. A 1986-1988 3.0L-powered Taurus sedan would as well. I also wanted a late 90s/00s F-150 with a broken V-6 (common) to do a Cummins BT4 swap into. These are just by picks from this region I live in now, so this list would be quite different if I took examples from the west coast instead. Probably more imports like Datsuns and such.
2002 Z3 2002 M3 Continue to rewrite misspent youth...leftover cash towards "two girls at the same time."