DCAWD.com

By next summer, I'd like to switch to something different.
I'd like to sell the 335 some time within a year from now.


Pictures from yesterday (June 13, 2010) :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30114567@N ... 145683217/



About 23k miles
AWD
Manual
Sport Package



Total mods list is/was :

Installed right now :
- KW V3 coilovers (set around 4.5 inches clearance)
- KMAC stage 2 camber plates
- Wavetrac LSD (entire pumpkin swap. Have original.)
- Ported clutch delay valve
- Tint

Not installed *right now* :
- AMS ic
- Forge diverter valves
- Riss Racing oil catch can
- Procede V4
- UR intake (cropped, with single cone.)

Not installed ever :
- 3" -> 2.5" AR Design tapered stainless DPs
- Stainless exhaust (Top Speed - HK knockoff)
- AR Design Oil cooler (needs thermostat, oil filer housing, and hoses to install).

I also have the Bavarian Technic scanner cable.




History :

Dealer services:
- AC fixed two times
- One free oil change (where they managed somehow screw up my fumoto drain valve... sheesh.)
- Shifter knob replaced due to crack in plexiglass piece.

Other : (Paid out of pocket, no insurance claims)
- New bump stops on coilovers, re-threaded lock ring. (Due to PA having ass for roads. Especially in the mountains)
- Replaced bumper and fender due to damage to the lip and where the two pieces screw together. All plastic pieces, so they broke when I dragged the nose through some snow last winter. OEM parts fix. Pictures : http://www.flickr.com/photos/30114567@N ... 270244590/




Open issues :

- Need to get tint on driver side window re-done, as the bottom rear corner has some peel to it.

- NOISE. The whine sound. Like the one in this thread (typical issue on e90post): http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263075
I took the car to Tischer to have them take a look at it. They said it was fine and gave me an all green check list. Said to come back if it still bothers me and it gets louder.
However, I'm practically positive that it's turbo whine, so I'm gonna swap the turbos out.
I have a spare set with ~1k miles on them, that I'll either :
1) Send out to be refurbished, and swap
2) Send out as a core return and get an upgraded set back (larger impeller, larger turbine, thicker shaft, improved wastegates, ported inlet)
I mention this before I take care of it, in case an interested buyer has a preference over how I take care of it.



Wear and tear :

- The usual. A nick and scrape here and there.
- A few scratches from people/things getting in and out of back seat area.
- Left rear wheel has some rash.



As of June 2010, I'm ballparking the price as no higher than mid $30k's

(In stock form. Yes, I meant to say 'no higher').

I'll be parting out, unless someone wants the mods.


Word.

-scheherazade

She's a beaut for sure. What's the next auto-fix going to be?

Not sure yet.
I'm most interested in kit cars, but they are a lot of time and effort to get together, and I'm not exactly full of free time.
Basically, small, light, quick ... fun.

Stuff like this :
http://www.murtayausa.com/performance.asp
http://www.downsengineering.com/customerprojects.html

A street legal DP1 would be nice... or a radical [with a smaller price tag...]
I would like a car with AWD, but the sub-2000-lb category is all but devoid of that option.

The only turn-key solution that I have considered so far is a GTR.
Not small or light, but it is quick...
I tried out Matt's car, and it's quite nice. I love how you can feel the front diff gripping when you turn the wheel.
Prices are falling enough to make it affordable in a few months.

(997 turbo is AWD and closer to the weight range that I'd like... but used prices are still beyond my reach)

Basically, the pendulum is swinging the other way, and I want a taste of the 'quite sporty' spectrum.

-scheherazade

Right on. Both choices are definitely in that general area of "really sporty"

I honestly don't think one would be disappointed with either. Were it my own money, I really don't know what I'd choose. The maintenance costs for the GTR are legendary already... I'm not sure how well they'd compare to a 997.

Gosh, what a horrid choice to have to make.

Well... realistically, it's more likely to be between a GTR and a Murtaya.
The rest cost too much, or are out of my [time] grade.

-scheherazade

Murtaya.com wrote:Thursday, June 10th, 2010

* Well, as good as the recent week's news was, this week's news is that bad (if not worse). I finally got ahold of Will and he said he won't be back in Durango for the foreseeable future, meaning he won't be able to get my car done in the near future.

* That means my car is stuck with the "minor" electrical problem (still don't know what that means), all the other required fixes for it to be drivable, and no registration...I will probably have to find somebody else to finish it, even after giving Will more resources to get it done himself.

* I also don't know what this means for MurtayaUSA...If Will's not in the US to finish even the first customer's car, will there be other customers? And if so, will Will be able to build them?

* This is the most depressing update I've had in quite a while...And the first time in the last five years that I've seriously thought of just giving up on this car...The next update might be retiring this site.

Ouch, that blows

Say it ain't so...
I hope things get sorted out.

-scheherazade

Sold...

To carmax, actually.

They offered me 2k less than my private sale asking price, so I said 'f' it.

-scheherazade

So, life's funny sometimes...





Matt got me thinking about the GTR when he was selling his.

I thought it'd be better to wait, get one in a year with some higher miles (30k or so), for something in the $50's or there abouts.

I look around, and a guy in ashburn is selling a gtr for 55, with 32k miles.
So I go down to his place (he runs suds car wash in ashburn, and is building a new one in manassas).
The car looks great, runs great. Sweet.

For kicks, I drive by carmax, and they offer me 30. (I was hoping to sell for 32).
I think about it... in year, I'll get less for my 335.

So there it goes. I do the sale at carmax. I call the gtr guy. I arrange to buy his car.

Come day of sale, he's a no show. And he doesn't call me or answer my calls.





Sigh. I sold my car, and I'm sitting on cash that I was meaning to spend on a car.

I go on line, and in south carolina there's a guy selling a gunmetal GTR for 9k more, with only 1500 miles on the clock.
New car, essentially. 60k mile warranty, everything.

So I say 'f' it. I fly down there, put my cash down and finance the difference.
8+ hours later, I'm back in VA with a gunmetal GTR.







Strangely, as stories go, it wasn't that easy.
The car was at a lotus dealer... and the sales person picked me up at the airport with an evora (drives REAL nice. By nice I mean HELLA FUN).

At the lot, I checked out an exige track edition (260hp) and drove the supercharged elise (230 hp).

MY HEART WAS TORN.
I've never had as much fun driving EVER, as in those things.
They are DEMON GO KARTS for the street.

The engine roar, the street roar, the power-steering-uncorrupted-road-feedback, the 6 inches off the ground ass making the world fly by at any speed, the brutal engine response (hit the gas, and you're snapped into the seat INSTANTLY) - and the cornering (jaw on floor).

First demo with the sales guy driving, he took a few exits so fast I could feel the soft flesh of my body pulling on my frame. It was sweeeeeeet .

I thought the GTR was sticky... but man, not like this.
I thought the GTR was stiff... but man, NOT LIKE THIS.



Sigh. What was I to do.

It was : 'STUPID FUN' vs 'livable + trunk + AC + faster, albeit feels slower + not nearly as nimble + AWD + 13K smaller price tag'

Well. I wasn't ready for a 'dedicated summer car', and the extra cost was over my abilities.

But truth be told, if that exige track edition had been 13k less, not 13k more... I probably would be looking at a lotus out front right now.


EDIT :
Pictures - http://www.flickr.com/photos/30114567@N ... 447836878/



-scheherazade

haha, awesome story! gunmetal it is congrats, you now own a sugical track instrument.

scheherazade wrote: It was : 'STUPID FUN' vs 'livable + trunk + AC + faster, albeit feels slower + not nearly as nimble + AWD + 13K smaller price tag'

Well. I wasn't ready for a 'dedicated summer car', and the extra cost was over my abilities.

But truth be told, if that exige track edition had been 13k less, not 13k more... I probably would be looking at a lotus out front right now.
-scheherazade

I hear ya. Both sweet cars. You made the right/practical choice. I am still envious, regardless. Congrats!

^^^ VERY nice car you picked up, but I can totally understand the want of a Lotus.

Sweet.
I wish I had your Exige to drive instead of the one I got. Yours sounds funner.
GTR awesome

zaxrex wrote:Sweet.
I wish I had your Exige to drive instead of the one I got. Yours sounds funner.
GTR awesome

Which variant do you have?

You're probably just accustomed to them

-scheherazade

oh man, that's awesome.

totally feel you on the lotus. gtr looks good!