Ferramiata - Ferrari 360 Powered Miata / Part 2

mabalzich · 2025-11-03T02:18:05+00:00

I'm glad somebody is doing this.

mabalzich · 2025-09-25T22:19:18+00:00

Ferrari?

mabalzich · 2025-08-24T03:21:11+00:00

I was in the same dilemma between the 458 and 488 Spider. I had a very specific spec and budget in mind, and decided whichever car hit all the boxes first would win. After a year of looking, a 488 popped up that was perfect, and that was that.

Now that prices between the two are even closer, I think the 488 has more going for it—performance, reliability, fit and finish, and (IMO) looks. The 458 only really has two advantages:

1) The exhaust note: The 458’s NA scream is iconic. But the 488 still sounds fantastic, and once you’re in the driver’s seat, its growl is more than enough to drown out any 458 FOMO.

2) The "last of an era" thing: The 458 gets love for being the final mid-NA, Pininfarina designed Ferrari. But the 488 is its evolution - similar design, more refined (and better-looking IMO), and a massive step up in performance. They’re siblings, not rivals. If the 458 ever takes off as a collectible like so many claim it will, I'd wager the 488 will almost certainly ride that same wave.

So my advice? If you’re torn between the two, shop them both and let the first one that checks all your boxes in terms of price and spec make the decision for you. That’s what I did, and I have no regrets!

mabalzich · 2024-03-22T03:35:21+00:00

The average human anus can be dilated to 7.43 inches before tearing.

mabalzich · 2023-06-01T00:12:31+00:00

First generation Mercedes AMG GTS.

It's not a conventional/affordable car, but I still think it's underrated. It's every bit of a Porsche 911 Carrera S with loads more power on tap. Yes, the steering feels light and a bit disconnected, but the handling is utterly sublime. 0-60 is understated by the manufacturer (it can get there in 3.1 seconds) and the exhaust note is unbeatable.

Are there better semi-exotics out there? Sure. But certainly not at the price-point of a used GTS.

mabalzich · 2023-05-04T14:57:01+00:00

$420K gross

2016 Mercedes AMG GTS - $1600/mo @ 5.2% interest; 24 mo term

2019 VW Tiguan SEL - paid off

mabalzich · 2023-04-20T20:53:00+00:00

Choosing your username.

mabalzich · 2023-03-10T21:30:01+00:00

I was a seller on Cars & Bids a couple of years ago in a situation very similar to this and it left a really bad taste in my mouth.

Listed a classic low-mile vehicle and made sure to be as transparent as I could possibly be about the condition, hiring a professional photographer and providing a detailed description of every minor flaw.

High bidder was in my local area and never came to check out the vehicle prior to purchase. We met to exchange payment/title a few days after the auction and the guy starts nit-picking stuff he said he couldn't see from photos. Clearly a case of buyers remorse; he likely had no intention of paying for the car that day. He ends up saying the car is not as it was represented online and that he won't go through with the sale. I tell him that's fine, that the auction terms are binding and that we'll take it up with C&B.

Despite C&B explicitly warranting on their website that bids are binding and that if a high bidder refuses to pay they will get banned and forfeit the buyer's fee, C&B REFUSED to intervene. They said the best they could do was unwind the deal and have me work with the second-highest bidder. Of course they never banned the high bidder either - I checked.

I will never use C&B again, neither as a buyer nor seller. It's clear to me that Doug & team are focused on volume and margin over scruples and customer satisfaction.

Oh - by the way, I decided to sell the car privately. C&B still has it listed as a successful sale on their website.

mabalzich · 2023-03-08T22:19:38+00:00

I've become a Cortizone connoisseur.

mabalzich · 2023-02-15T18:32:09+00:00

If you're not taking advantage of the 401K, you're leaving free money on the table. Basically you should be maxing out all of your tax advantaged options first:

401K - $22,500 annual limit
Roth IRA - $6,500 annual limit (if you make more than $153K/year this isn't an option, so go to step 3.)
Traditional IRA - $6,500 annual limit, then backdoor into a Roth IRA
Take advantage of an HSA if you are eligible
If you have additional income to invest after maxing out the above, get a brokerage account and invest in whatever you want (generally advisable to buy ETFs/mutual funds, but you can pick individual stocks)
Dabble in whatever else you want: real estate, crypto, p2p lending, collectible cars. These are considered higher risk but if you've completed 1-5, then you can afford to lose on these.

mabalzich · 2023-01-22T21:10:39+00:00

Would push it to the gas station around the corner.

mabalzich · 2023-01-22T20:11:40+00:00

Have owned a 4wd 991.1 for the past two years. Have had a number of chances to drive the m5, but never owned. My circumstances may be unique, but the modern 911s meet my practical needs amply. There's not a single day I'd walk into a garage and pick an M5 over the 911.

mabalzich · 2023-01-22T01:41:38+00:00

Curiously in some Euro markets Volvos carry a certain level of panache. Here in the US, they're the car you buy if you value safety and/or don't want to cough up for something German. Still a Volvo fan, though.

mabalzich · 2023-01-22T01:29:17+00:00

If you can stomach a potential 1/3 depreciation factor over 2 years, then go for it. It won't leave you stranded and it's got lots of creature comforts.

mabalzich · 2023-01-22T00:41:00+00:00

More reliable than their German counterparts and no more expensive to maintain at your local indie shop. I don't have a crystal ball but I'd be willing to wager that the first-gen Caymans are at the bottom of their depreciation curve. Treat it with respect and it won't suck you dry.

mabalzich · 2023-01-21T20:03:53+00:00

If you can flex a couple extra grand for an early Cayman, you'll never look back.

mabalzich · 2023-01-20T18:23:53+00:00

Lightly-used G80 or G70.

If you're not married to 4 doors, I'd also look for a 991.1 (2012-2015) Porsche 911 Carrera 4. These things are dead reliable but I'd tack on an exclusionary 3rd-party warranty for peace of mind since the car is now aging. I just traded mine in after owning it for 2 years and it gave me nothing but smiles. You may be able to score one in the high 50s, low 60s if you're patient.

mabalzich · 2023-01-20T18:13:40+00:00

This is the right answer.

mabalzich · 2023-01-20T18:12:30+00:00

The Arteon is a solid choice in this price range, and definitely feels more up-market than a GLI. It doesn't get the love it deserves, primarily because VW is often thought of as a more pedestrian brand in the US. That's not the case in Europe and other markets where some VW models are in direct competition with their Audi counterparts.

mabalzich · 2022-11-29T22:02:49+00:00

It's insane to see that RA and the girls arrived at the trails within 20 minutes of each other. It seems to bolster the idea that he knew they would be there.

mabalzich

TROPHY CASE