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Old 10-09-2003, 11:16 PM   #11 (permalink)
Randy Chase
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: San Diego and where ever the roads lead
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Okay, But is this the right car for me?

Hard question. I highly recommend you take a test drive if at all possible. This car is not for everyone.

Assuming you are here because you know some of the positives, let us take a look at some of the negatives. All cars are compromises. This car goes towards performance and some minor sacrifices are made along the way.

1. It's low. Very low and small. You are lower than the SUVs in the next lane. You have to stay alert. There is something to be said for accident avoidance ability by being nimble, but if being smaller and lower makes you feel to vulnerable, this may not be the car for you.

2. Getting in and out. It's not that bad really, but if the top is on, it's not that good. It helps to be a little athletic or limber, but in any case, the ability to get in and out is a learned thing. You may be willing, but is your significant other?

3. Unusual body sizes. If you are very large or very tall, the fit may be an issue. See a few posts above. There are not a lot of adjustments in the seating.

4. Suspension. It's stiff. How stiff? It's a very firm ride. Mush firmer than most cars on the market now. You will feel the road. That is good and bad. You will feel every bump, every pothole, every road blemish. Does that bother you?

5. Noise. It's not that bad, but don't expect a luxury car with dead quiet noise levels. The engine is right behind your back. It's a light aluminum car. You will hear some noise. With the top down, you will get some wind noise.

6. Spartan interior. No heated leather seats. No automatic climate control. No cupholders. No satellite navigation and DVD. No bunches of padded and covered surfaces. A lot of exposed metal and minimal nods to your comfort. The seats are thin.

7. Rare and built in small numbers. Maybe a little more character in terms of reliability. It might be quirky. You won't have the feeling one gets when you are among 100,000 other owners. No giant dealer network. No scads of aftermarket parts suppliers. Your dealer may be far away.

8. Attention. It can be like driving in a fish bowl. You will get attention. A lot of it. You may draw crowds and get people asking questions of you, when you are just trying to go to the bank. You will get some people that are jealous of your car.

9. Parking. You will want to park in prime spots where it can not get dinged. You will walk more since you found that prime spot at the end of the row a block away.

10. Insurance. Unknown. May be a little higher.

11. Storage and hauling. The space is pretty limited. You can throw a couple of small soft bags in the trunk. But not much more than that.

12. Seating position and passengers. You will be close to your passenger. Like how close you are in coach class in an airplane. Elbows touching. Not a lot of room.

13. Fuel costs. They will go up because you will want to drive a lot more.


Now, having said all that. The best judge is yourself as to how you are impacted by those things. The positives on this car are huge and far outweight those points. But it's smart to be aware of them.
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