Why I Bought a Sports Car

 

I bought one of my dream cars on Monday. A 2001 Audi TT Quattro. 'Lemme explain the beauty of this car:

• 225 hp
• Turbo
• All-time four-wheel drive (Quattro)
• 6-speed manual
• 0-60 mph in 7.4 seconds
• And, most importantly… it’s fun. It puts a grin on my face every time I start it up. And the way it handles corners? Heaven.

Hello, beautiful!

My old car was "circling the drain." It was a 1997 Audi A4 with 193,000 miles on it. It was 13-years old, had a ton of miles, and served me amazingly well over the years. But, little things were starting to go wrong. Eventually, it was costing more to keep things running than the poor little thing was worth.

The A4 broke again last week. Over Christmas I decided that it was time to start looking for a new car. I found one yesterday and I love it!

I have to admit, though, that the fun and excitement of my new car is being diminished by all the naysayers.

"I’d donate to charity before I’d buy an expensive car."

"Sports cars are terrible in the snow."

"You can’t fit any luggage or people in the car. Maybe a bag of groceries will squeeze into the trunk."

"It’s noisy."

"Where does the child seat go?"

"You’re going through a quarter-life crisis."

To all of you Fun-Police out there, here’s my response:

I spent days thoroughly researching my budget, my options, and the available cars out there. My stipulations were this:

• The car must be $10k or under.
• It must have under 100,000 miles on it.
• It must be under 10-years old.
• It must be a manual.
• And most importantly… again… it must make me grin.

When it comes down to it, cars are just a bucket of bolts. If a car didn’t meet the above criteria, then I would quickly and easily walk away. I had to love the purchase.

My father (who’s a certified mechanic and general genius) and I spent the weekend printing, researching, reading reviews, and comparing vehicles. We had Monday mapped out to explore a number of options. I could tell you about our day in detail, but basically it comes down to this:

You must test-drive a car before you even think about buying it!

So, after driving cars all day, I fell in love with the last car on my list, the Audi TT. Here’s why (all you naysayers, listen up!):

Audi quality is incredible. After test-driving a number of cars, my super-old 1997 Audi still felt like it was better made than some cars built within the last 5-years.

Also, the Audi's power; the driving experience—it's unsurpassed. I drove a VW GTI and while I was impressed with its ability to get up and go, I could honestly feel the gaps within the turbo. The GTI would spool up at about 3,200 RPM, let off, and then pick up again around 5,000 RPM. The TT, in contrast, is pure power from start to finish. Wow.

Finally—and the biggest argument of all—the money. Let me clarify that my used Audi TT, which is in impeccable condition, was less expensive than a brand new Ford, Hyundai, or Kia (typically considered cheaper brands). A 2011 Ford Focus, which is considered an "affordable" car, starts at $17,000. The No. 1 most affordable car in the US is a Ford Fiesta—it starts at $13,855. I paid $10,000 "out the door" for my TT (meaning it included all taxes and dealer fees).

Also, people who spend more money on their cars typically spend more time taking care of them. My TT has full service records. The previous owner took it to the dealer’s certified shop even for oil changes. The maintenance of this car is impeccable. How many people spend that much time and money taking care of their Fiesta? Probably none. And they wonder why their car craps out at 110,000 miles.

So, to those who say "Why a sports car?" or "I’d donate to charity before I’d buy an expensive car," my response is this: I got a nicer car, in better condition, for less money. So, fuck you!

As to the rest of the statements:

"Sports cars are terrible in the snow."

The TT is all-time all-wheel drive (Quattro). It's heavy and low to the ground. Snow tires are key for any car because they're the only material touching the ground. Put a giant box on four little tires (an SUV) and you have trouble handling that thing in any condition!

"You can’t fit any luggage or people in the car. Maybe a bag of groceries will squeeze into the trunk."

How many times do I actually have another person in my car, much less multiple people? Maybe a dozen times a year. Maybe. My grocery shopping is equally minimal. My old trunk held a subwoofer and amp. That's it. I rarely used it. Besides, I don't like people. Why would I want them in my car?

"It’s noisy."

Yes, but damn, does it sound good! The purr of the dual exhaust is beautiful. Besides, I’ve almost gotten hit by Priuses on many occasions because you can’t hear the damn things in a parking lot! All of the sudden, they're on top of you. You know how motorcyclists have bumper stickers that say "Loud Pipes Save Lives?" Well, it’s true.

"Where does the child seat go?"

Child seat? What child seat? Why would I want that?

"You’re going through a quarter-life crisis."

Maybe so, but it comes down to this: It’s a great, sexy, fun car; I can afford it; it works for my needs; and when else can I enjoy a car like this? When I’m 55? No thanks!

So, to all you haters, naysayers, and Fun Police: Fuck You! My car was a thoroughly researched and affordable decision. And, most importantly, I’ll be grinning as I smoke you from the line.