Keep using vette as DD or weekends only?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
My girlfriend has a 2006 Carolla.
When my girlfriend and I go anywhere, she makes sure we take my car. I daily drive mine because, just like her, I don't want to drive a Carolla.
The happier you are driving the car you WANT to drive, the better a driver you are. I can tell you out of experience that going from my 02 Z to my 300zx (after the accident) was just a nightmare for me. I hated driving all-together until I bought my 03 Z.
Trust me.
When my girlfriend and I go anywhere, she makes sure we take my car. I daily drive mine because, just like her, I don't want to drive a Carolla.
The happier you are driving the car you WANT to drive, the better a driver you are. I can tell you out of experience that going from my 02 Z to my 300zx (after the accident) was just a nightmare for me. I hated driving all-together until I bought my 03 Z.
Trust me.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,854
Likes: 8
From: Pearland, TX
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '20
The other way to look at it is - if your vette is your weekend car it will make you look forward to those special days that much more.
My vette's are weekend / special day cars and I like it that way
My vette's are weekend / special day cars and I like it that way
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,103
Likes: 472
From: Newark Delaware
There are arguments for and against. My '99 convertible is not my DD (DD is an '03 Subaru Baja) but I do drive the Vette more than just on weekends. I drive it to school (I'm a teacher) on nice days in the spring and fall, although they just repainted the parking lines at work and made them narrower (the school districts way of getting us more parking) so I didn't drive it to work as often this fall as last year. I use it a lot in the summer when I am off. I've had the Vette for a year and a half and put 8,000 miles on it (it has 38,000).
The Mazda 3 is a fun and zippy - a good friend has one and I've been in it many times. We have an '04 Mazda 6 (6 cyl.) that is my wife's DD and it is a wonderful car - fun and fast. It is the third Mazda we have owned and all were among the best cars we've owned, up there with the three Acuras.
I love all cars so I'm all for owning many different cars - we're at only five right now (my Vette and Baja, wife's Mazda, and a '98 Acura 3.0 CL that college daughter drives, and my old '00 Subaru Outback that is the extra all-wheel drive for the winter). Wife got a bit shrill when we were up to seven last year, so some reduction had to occur. Oh, and I'm down to only three bicycles in the garage, down from six last year.
The Mazda 3 is a fun and zippy - a good friend has one and I've been in it many times. We have an '04 Mazda 6 (6 cyl.) that is my wife's DD and it is a wonderful car - fun and fast. It is the third Mazda we have owned and all were among the best cars we've owned, up there with the three Acuras.
I love all cars so I'm all for owning many different cars - we're at only five right now (my Vette and Baja, wife's Mazda, and a '98 Acura 3.0 CL that college daughter drives, and my old '00 Subaru Outback that is the extra all-wheel drive for the winter). Wife got a bit shrill when we were up to seven last year, so some reduction had to occur. Oh, and I'm down to only three bicycles in the garage, down from six last year.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 2
From: Outer banks North Carolina
I like to keep mine a weekend car as it kinda makes it special and I don't get bored with it! They do make a great daily driver though if thats what you want! My wife drove her "97" every day for several years with minimal repairs but got tired of it and bought a toyota. She was constantly worried someone would vandlelize it in a parking lot.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
DD's are made to do everything in and after a while the car looks like trash and you stop caring about it. I drive an MKZ as a DD. Great car but I look forward to Vette days and it always comes out of the garage clean and shiny. And when I'm tried of the DD I'll sell it and get something else. 
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 4
From: Broward County Florida
The idea of a daily driver is not a bad one, but why would you buy a Mazda?
I would rather try and find a vehicle that is wildly different or serves some other kind of purpose. Not sure where you live, but perhaps a truck for the snow or to haul dirt bikes? Maybe a Jeep Wrangler for fun?
Or if that's not your cup of tea, buy a used luxury car for comfortable commuting. I'm not talking about an expensive Mercedes, but do it if you can afford it. I would aim more for Infiniti or Lexus because they make great cars that can be had on the cheap if you find a good used one.
The other approach you have: save your money and put it aside for repairs. It'll actually be cheaper in the long run to repair your vette than buy a whole new car--whcih will require insurance, maintenance, and who knows what else. Do what I do, when something brakes, replace it with a performance part or something better.
The first thing that goes bad on these cars is the exhaust system. Terrible really. Tell your lady yours is at risk of falling off and you need a nice throaty--or I mean study aftermarket set.
I would rather try and find a vehicle that is wildly different or serves some other kind of purpose. Not sure where you live, but perhaps a truck for the snow or to haul dirt bikes? Maybe a Jeep Wrangler for fun?
Or if that's not your cup of tea, buy a used luxury car for comfortable commuting. I'm not talking about an expensive Mercedes, but do it if you can afford it. I would aim more for Infiniti or Lexus because they make great cars that can be had on the cheap if you find a good used one.
The other approach you have: save your money and put it aside for repairs. It'll actually be cheaper in the long run to repair your vette than buy a whole new car--whcih will require insurance, maintenance, and who knows what else. Do what I do, when something brakes, replace it with a performance part or something better.
The first thing that goes bad on these cars is the exhaust system. Terrible really. Tell your lady yours is at risk of falling off and you need a nice throaty--or I mean study aftermarket set.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Huntington Beach Ca
I was thinking about the Mazda 3 because of the good gas mileage (approx 40 mpg) and even though it's definitely not a Corvette, I've heard it's fun to drive. Thanks for everyone's input!
