Well, The FD is gone but everything has it's season. This is my observation:

After owning an Mr2 Turbo, a MKI NA, and absorbing so SO much at local AutoX events and track days, I came to a conclusion that weight took precedense over power and overall speed. I appreciate a lateral g almost more than simply being sucked back in my seat. But hey, why not both?

Seemed to me like the FD was the only beautiful, powerful car under 3000lbs that was in my budget.

I managed to enjoy my FD at the local AutoX, and take the many trips through very awesome 55mph backroads of tight turns, tilts, ascending/descending planes, etc.

As a community, I have met (and will definitely keep in touch with) a few very awesome enthusiasts, that not only shared the same love of performance as the local Track fella's, but also a love for Mazda's input with the FD.

But I suppose my season needed to end because, while I had recently just paid off my FD's loan and fully owned it, and could afford to fix, maintain it...I just can't logically have a Depreciating $14k "toy" at this point in my life. I'm 22 and looking forward to a career in music, and want to be ready and able to drop $3-4k on making a record, or whatever is required, and it's much easier to do that with money in the bank or in some investment than a sports car such as the FD. Even if nothing happens in music, I anticipate moving out very soon but not to waste money in renting an apt., but actually buying some real estate.

If anyone saw my F/S thread, there was plenty of interest, but I am very impressed by how the car was sold. Mike (A member of the forums, 2 time FD owner, member since the "Big List") was serving in the military over in Kuwait, and called on 3 or so occasions to talk about the car. After hearing so much "Serious" interest from 8-10 people, he was the first to put it into action; putting a $1k deposit (through Paypal) on the car. With that, he also overnighted a Bank check to me for the rest of the amount for the car, SIGHT UNSEEN. In return, upon coming home from a 3-week hiatus, I took a morning out and took more pictures of minor scuffs or details on the car and even 4 small videos of the car/boost guage in action. Again, I am impressed, and just a bit encouraged that such a transaction based on FAITH is still possible, despite Scam artists and certain unfairness people have shown lately...

Today, a month after an initial attempt to have the car shipped (they never pulled through, meh), I met him in Newark, NJ with the car, and he's heading south at the moment to it's new home in Pensacola Florida.

I definitely plan on returning, someday. For now, as I said, I need money in smarter places. Speed isn't everything. I've had just as much fun in the passenger seat of a well prepped (SCCA prepped...) "weaker" sports car such as an NA mr2, Miata, or *gasp* even an econobox FWD honda!

But nothing will encompass a little bit of everything as the FD did. Perhaps it's achilles heal of reliability can be resolved with an LS1 motor my next time around, as much as people hate it, I like the idea of torque! I've driven/ridden in a few torque monsters myself, and its very fun for the daily grind. Not sure how much I'll love it over turbo power. Who knows...all I know is, I had fun with the car, and look forward to my former's car future and my next FD purchase later in life.

 

As a little side note: I do plan on still having a "Toy", since my desire for sports car fun is still prominent and I still need my "fill"...I think it may be in the form of an Mr2 again, perhaps a MKI Mr2 NA or MKII NA, either way it'll be cheap fun :P

 

Good luck Traitor!!!

J'k Good for you man, hope it work's out for in the music biz. I myself work in the Radio business and understand how much had work it takes. Goode Luck, D

 

bye bye

 

So begins your first day of rest; enjoy it.

 

LOL, my FD was almost never such a chore, only because it was stock? :P

 

Mine really isn't too bad either, but in comparison to a normal car... it's a chore.

 

Is it though? I mean, I guess it depends. The FD is something I love to simply look at, even. And if maintenance means spending time with it, rock on! Putting on mods, doing oil changes, wee hoo. LOL, to some degree of course...

Fixing stupid broken things is whole different ballgame than mods/maintenance...

 

Other than the torrental downpour on the east coast, trip has been good. The weather and traffic has significantly slowed us down. However, we are in South Hill, Virginia and will finish up the trip tomorrow.

Car has performed great so far. Runs perfectly cool like it should on the SPA water gauge, pulls good, seems to idle fine, etc. etc.

Off to sleep now

 

yay! new car for you

 

Hey mike, thanks for posting in the thread, glad it's been smooth thus far, should remain that way!



Look at that price! :P




Farwell photo's

 

First, of all, where is it that gas is $2.64??? for premium? you are in a great place.


(in the pic above )

Anyway, I am on my second FD and I am 32 now. My first was when I was 23 and I had to sell it for financial reasons at that time (college, student loans, credit card debt and oh yeah-the car itself)

Speed got in my blood and I never forgot it. So about a year ago I started looking for another FD. I finally got it this past summer. Of course , as you said early on, seasons do change and the most recent seasons I have seen are a stable job and a great place to live.

Anyway, the whole point is this: When you get the itch for a rotary twin turbo, once your career and life in order and when you are ready, I am sure there will be another FD waiting somewhere for you.

Good luck.

 

That pic is over a month old, thats why...I can't believe that seems "Cheap" now, at the time I took it it was nothing to brag about. BLAH. Hate it.

Your other advise is well-taken, I still want my enjoyement for now; the MR2 will do

 

congrats!

really

we are all happy

/sarcasm

 

Thanks!

/sarcasm

 

MONSTER TRUCK FD !!!!! DMANGGG 4 INCH LIFT KIDDDDD



/not sarcasm

 

congrats man

i applaud you for putting your money in better places..some people would go into debt for these cars..

def get into some real estate, the big $$ is there if you know what you're doing..im trying to get into that myself..

 

nice!

i want to sell my car but dont want to regret all the money i invested so i want to enjoy it thoroughly first.

and dont buy a honda. get a subaru at least.

 

IMO now is not the time to get into real estate that ship has past. Now is the time to sell because interest rates are going to steadily increase.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

well real estate in general...i didnt mean to do it now and like i said, when you know what you're doing, the big $$ comes in

 

Being involved in real estate in the past 5+ years I do understand where this is coming from. What go's up, must come down. Orange County, NY has been booming for so long,..it's finally steadying. It's not a bubble that "Pops", but definitely subsides.

If/when I buy, it'll probably be in Ulster county (next county North), which is slowly on the rise as Orange County becomes more expensive and harder to afford.

The music is coming first, I have it great at home, but even if I bought Real estate today, it has a greater chance of holding its value and going up and has a better return than a sports car with a 80k-100k engine life

 

I know of an older couple who sold a large portion of their investments and put the money into a classic corvette because the car was appreciating at a greater rate than their prior investment. The scary part is that they drive this car occassionally but they do obviously baby the car beyond belief. Now that's what I call portfolio diversification.