Question for the many people on the board who have or have had a mix of fast and slow cars in their fleets, especially daily drivers as opposed to weekend cars:
Given that most cars these days -- even economy cars -- are "fast enough" (indeed in many cases new economy cars are just as fast or faster than many sports cars were in the 70s and 80s), I think it's safe to say that many cars, especially sporty ones, have more power than anyone really needs for daily driving. This topic has been discussed at length here in the past and I'm not trying to rehash that here.
Despite these facts I've been on a kick for a while now wanting to replace my car with a faster one. I've asked tons of questions on this topic already but here's another, just looking for anecdotes and experience here. My wife thinks that if I trade in my [perfectly good] economy car for a fast car, I'd get used to it quickly, get bored with the power, and then regret spending the money to buy the car and the increased ongoing costs (fuel, tires, insurance would be more expensive). Specifically what I'm after is quicker acceleration. I'm not a speeder and could care less about top speed, but I love a good shove back in the seat.
I admit that this is a possibility. Now, I do drive spiritedly and notice the power and suspension/handling limitations of my current car sometimes, especially on twisty roads. I'm sure I would get more entertainment out of the sorts of cars I'm considering. The extra expense isn't a problem for me, but I would hate to "get used to it" and then just start feeling like the extra money isn't getting me anything other than a plain old car.
So, BITOGers who have gone from a slower, more appliance-like car to a faster one, how long did it take for the excitement to wear off? Did you ever come to regret the decision?
Given that most cars these days -- even economy cars -- are "fast enough" (indeed in many cases new economy cars are just as fast or faster than many sports cars were in the 70s and 80s), I think it's safe to say that many cars, especially sporty ones, have more power than anyone really needs for daily driving. This topic has been discussed at length here in the past and I'm not trying to rehash that here.
Despite these facts I've been on a kick for a while now wanting to replace my car with a faster one. I've asked tons of questions on this topic already but here's another, just looking for anecdotes and experience here. My wife thinks that if I trade in my [perfectly good] economy car for a fast car, I'd get used to it quickly, get bored with the power, and then regret spending the money to buy the car and the increased ongoing costs (fuel, tires, insurance would be more expensive). Specifically what I'm after is quicker acceleration. I'm not a speeder and could care less about top speed, but I love a good shove back in the seat.
I admit that this is a possibility. Now, I do drive spiritedly and notice the power and suspension/handling limitations of my current car sometimes, especially on twisty roads. I'm sure I would get more entertainment out of the sorts of cars I'm considering. The extra expense isn't a problem for me, but I would hate to "get used to it" and then just start feeling like the extra money isn't getting me anything other than a plain old car.
So, BITOGers who have gone from a slower, more appliance-like car to a faster one, how long did it take for the excitement to wear off? Did you ever come to regret the decision?
