From "Mid-life crisis" to " Old man madness"

[jb]

16 years ago when I turned 60 I decided I needed a fun car, something I hadn't had since I was 21.
So I bought a new BMW Z4, I've had 16 years of fun with this car and because BMW really didn't change the style over all these years it always looked good.
https://i.imgur.com/1ZhnXlv.jpg
In a few months I turn 76, the Bimmer was fun, but with some old age arthritis it was starting to bother my ability to shift the damn thing, so I really cut back on driving it.
I told the wife I needed a new fun toy, so I started to look at the new style Corvettes but just could not get into all the black on black colors, looked to much like the Batmobile.
This past Thursday drove past the local Caddy dealer and noticed this one sitting out front, it was after hours so I came back Friday AM. Always liked the looks of this Jag and it too, has had little styling changes over the year.
Called the wife, took a test drive and bought it.
It's not a true sports car, but it sure does everything a sports car does, plus a really nice ride. More push buttons and electronics than I'll ever need, spent an hour just figuring out how the reset the clock and use cruise control.
So, for all practical matters this should be my last fun car, so even thought it'll go in the barn in the next 3 weeks it'll be a fun way to finish out the fall season.
https://i.imgur.com/R41KX5k.jpg

[johnboy]

Beauty! I sold my Stang convert a little while ago cause I just wasn't driving it much and regret it already. Kinda got my eye on another bike (HD Road King) so we'll see how that goes. What model is that? Need some specs!

[Thumper]

Been through it and put it all behind me to make it a been there, done that thing. When my mid-life crisis hit, I bought an ‘80 Jaguar XJS against my better judgement because I’d always known Limey cars were a royal pita. I wasn’t wrong, and it was. Then when the old man madness hit, I bought a ‘93 Corvette (40th Anniversary Edition), paid it off in 5-years, then traded it on a ‘98. With both Corvettes, I could take them out on a nice weekend, pull ‘em in the garage, running fine, then pull them out the next weekend and SOMETHING would be fubar! I got REAL tired of pita cars after all that and got it out of my system. Like boats, the two best days of my life were when I bought them, then again when I got rid of them. Nothing but ‘Yotas now in my “golden years”. All I have to do is change the oil and rotate the tires. With synthetic oil, I seldom have to do that even.

[quercus alba]

My midlife crisis was getting laid off after 26 years on the job and then getting screwed out of 10 years of severance pay. I can't afford another one

[Thumper]

I feel for you Q/A and wish you the best. We’re experiencing the same thing here on a smaller scale, but it still REALLY stings.

[airbud7]

I finally broke down and bought a new grill cooler combo!

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNIgU_x1s9k/WU_BWt8kn-I/AAAAAAAA4Ss/GUBHafJvEBgqephgnxQLwEhhNy5LMq6hwCLcBGAs/s400/bbq.jpg

When you are finished BBQing, and the ice has melted, just pull the handle down & the fire goes out.

Is this a great country, or what?

[jb]

Thump.
The Jag is a FL car, Naples, snow bird bought it and drove it back here, low mileage so I figured it was the wife/girlfriends ride.
Got all the CARFAX reports and it shows no problems, looked it up on the internet and had nothing but good reports. This Jag is from the India Company, weren't they the ones that bought it from Ford?
So far no complaints.

[BarryBobPosthole]

My cousin and I rode together to a funeral early this yearbefore the covid hit and we rode down in his Porche Cayenne. Man what a ride.

What motor does it have JB?

BKB

[Thumper]

Jerry, although I grew up as a total car nut, I lost interest many years ago. I think part of it was it got to the point I couldn’t tell a domestic from a foreign car, a Chevy from a Mazda. I just lost interest over the years.

Growing up, Brit cars were notorious for their dependability issues, mostly due to their CRAPPY Lucas electronics, not to mention they had no clue how to make a gasket that didn’t leak whatever fluid it was supposed to hold in. When I was younger, I LOVED the Jag XKE and swore I’d own one some day. In later years, when I could actually afford one, it was the XJS. Of course, those were the days before Ford, so they were still a pita. Ford straightened out a lot of the Jag problems in the mid to late 90’s I think.

But I’m talking ancient history. I just don’t follow the automotive industry anymore and technology has made great strides since I lost interest.

My opinions are totally out-dated and go back to memories of when I was interested in such things. Like the unfortunate era I decided I “HAD” to have a Harley, right after I got out of the military. As MY luck runs, those happened to be the AMF years. You could buy a new Harley on Monday, but if you wanted to ride it the following Saturday, you’d need to start working on it on Wednesday if you wanted to make it out of the garage. Of course, top the oil off first because much of it would be in the drip pan that “should” have been a dealer supplied accessory in those days.

All that is to say, many of my opinions on many things are outdated and have nothing whatsoever to do with today’s realities.

[Thumper]

Oh, P-hole! I think it was around 2002 (?) when I went up to the NASCAR track in Atlanta with a buddy of mine. He was an executive with Shell Oil Company and had some sort of VIP invitation from Porsche to drive the new Porsche Cayenne. If I remember correctly, it had not yet been officially introduced into the U. S.

It was a fun car to drive. I haven’t followed it and have no clue if it is a standard feature, or if it's even offered as an option, but I remember it had a neat feature that would lower the car at high speeds. I don’t know why, but I always thought that was cool.

[BarryBobPosthole]

My cousin who owns the Porsche is a ME and has worked in the automotive industry his whole career. Retired now. When he lived in Bartlesville several years ago, he had a red ‘77 Ferarri. What they say about. red cars must be true because he had more tickets in that car than anyone I know. i rode with him a few times and it was enough for a lifetime. Scared the bejjebers out of me. But it would corner!

BKB

[Thumper]

No shit? Do you know what model it was? I used to have the hots for a Ferrari 308 GTS and while I worked at the Caddy dealer in Hollywood, we took in a trade ... a (RED) 308 GTS! It was in 1978. I don't remember the year of the car, but it was practically new as the (wealthy) owner bought it on a whim and soon realized he'd made a stupid move, then traded it on something more practical (a Caddy Eldorado). I took the Ferrari home with me for the weekend, but could barely drive the dang thing! The gas, brake and clutch pedals were tiny little things about 2" wide and spaced like an inch apart (probably exaggerated). The only way I could drive it was to turn my foot sideways and use the edge of my foot to press the pedals. Even then, half the time, I'd push the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time ... OR I'd press the clutch and brake at the same time. It was a BITCH to drive! Of course, the fact I wear a size 15 shoe didn't help matters any. :crybaby

[Trav]

Congratulations JB, it’s a sweet ride.

[BarryBobPosthole]

A Berlinetta if I remember correctly. Mid-engine.

BKB

[Penguin]

Nice ride buddy. Enjoy. :)

I've been on the lookout for a good used Aston-Martin DBS for a while now, lol.

Will

[Chicken Dinner]

Nice looking ride. Enjoy!


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[Buckrub]

Nice ride. I sorta enjoyed driving the white one, but I never did find the selector switch for 4X4.

[Bwana]

Congratulations on the sweet new ride JB!

[Chicken Dinner]

Bubba, I’m missing your fall color pics this year. Nudge, nudge.


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[Thumper]

Fall colors??? Wazzat? ;)