I'm bored out of my mind at work, so I'm starting a new thread to see what you guys think about my situation...

I've been shopping around for a few months for a four-door all the while not even considering trading in my S. I've had three dealers in the last week take a quick look a my car (wheels and exhaust still on), ask me a few questions, and then offer me $24,000. They said just turn it back to stock and bring it back in. The first dealer saw my 360 Swiffer duster under the passenger seat and knew I babied the car.

I'm not trying to start a "negotiation" thread because they want it whether I buy a car or not. Plus, I got my new MY08 for mid $26k, so I'm more than OK with my loan payoff amount.

Did our trade-in values just go up a few thousand?

Does spring really make that big of a difference?

Last time I checked in Feb/Mar my car was $20k-22k. I just checked today and it's $24,250. Now, I'm tempted to trade it and sell my Volk SF Challenges, KN FPIK, and Fujitsubo exhaust. MD tax sucks at 6% so I would save about $1450 and sell the other goodies for around $1400-1500.


I'm the MY08 BB...

 

If you weren't thinking about gettin rid of it don't!!!!!!! You will miss it!! I promise you.

 

I know. I know. Even my girl says the same thing. This is my 2nd S2000, but that trade-in has me thinking.

My real issue is it's too much money to park it in secure storage... over $200/month... so the jackasses of Baltimore (99% of the population) will leave it alone. That's over $2600/year. I have never parked it on the street and love having it garaged. I watch the locals sit on random cars; kids run their bikes into every other car; an occasional NY-style parallel parking job. No f'ing way my S2000 gets near a populated area of Baltimore CIty.

I was going to find a free place at a friend's house but it's 15 miles in the other direction. Just a PITA.

I hate to say it but I want a big auto with 4-doors... a big boat. I'm looking at Genesis, Equus, used LS460, etc.

 

It should be worth more since it's spring/ summer and the demand for convertibles should be up. Unlike when you checked at the begging of winter.

 

^^^Agreed. A lot of purchasers can be swayed by a beautiful day and a convertible.

The only real solution to your parking problem is to move. Leave the hoodrats behind and you'll be a whole lot happier. You should at least take it out and drive for awhile this weekend during the beautiful weather. If that doesn't do it for you then maybe it's time to buy something you can beat up on.

BTW, you left me a voicemail a few weeks back. I sent you a text but am not sure I got the number 100% right. Shoot me a pm.

 

If you trade in the S2K for the likes of a Genesis or LS460, you won't be happy. I don't know how feasible it is for you, but maybe you want to pick up a "beater" for the inner-city parking and commuting duties.

 

Not that easy. I have to be here for my job and the only areas without hoodrats are easily 650k+ or a crazy-long commute. I have several relatives here and, while it would be an improvement, their 500k+ neighborhoods still have serious issues. I'm beginning to think people eat some magical cereal that makes them s.h.!.t. money or everyone has been tased and sued for millions. If MD wasn't such a sissy state, a shotgun would go a loooooong way to deter impudence, but let's not go down that path.

Chris (01S2KBROSNAN) always laughs when I talk about meeting up at the "Crypts" and "Bloods" carwash in Columbia before a Sunday drive... or the "C&B" as I call it off Breger. You've got clueless Soccer Moms and Bloods 10 feet apart.

My area is actually nice with good neighbors. It's just city parking. Anonymous A-holes everywhere. I recorded a neighbor's car getting hit on my security cameras (with license plate) and the insurance companies are just handling it as no fault. The police won't do anything either... a hit-and-run, on tape, solved... and they won't do anything because "they can't prove who was driving."

Yeah, my parents were in town and haven't called back yet.


I already have one. I drive it to the place 98% of the time. I take it and swap it out only on nice days. I'm just getting tired of shifting gears. I've had nothing but performance cars most of my life: an insane track Datsun 240z w/ built 300z engine, 400+ whp SR20DET 240sx, '04 STI, two S2000, '06 Civic Si, and on and on...

It's not really about the money rather an adult reality check. I'm paying over $2600 a year for secure parking. I can afford it but a BIG part of my brain is saying WTF are you doing?

 

Well then the prudent thing to do is to just sell the S and drive the beater exclusively. $2600 on parking is insane, and if you think you will spend $25k+ on a luxobarge (don't get me wrong, the LS460 and BMW550i are two of my favorite cars right now) and not care about parking it on dangerous streets, you are wrong. You will care just as much about seeing it potentially get banged up, and be right where you are now with the parking scenario. If I lived in a place where parking was an issue, I'd definitely just drive something plain and inexpensive that I didn't much care about until I could move somewhere with a garage or at least a safer spot to park.

 

It's weird. I know I'll be ok with a nicer boat parked out front, but I just can't do that to the S. There are tons of new Acuras, BMWs, and other 25k+ cars on my street; everyone is cool about being careful.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. I'll see some of you this Sunday for Tacocat's drive.

 

In the DC area April is the beginning of convertible season for the dealers so that is when the prices go back up from the winter drop.