I'm claiming the crown - first DEDICATED MM winter beater

[swc69]

So - I know a lot of us drive our MM's in the snow. I've been doing it myself for 5 years now and 100k miles here in Michigan winters. I'm claiming the crown for the first MM that's a dedicated winter only car.

Picked up a 2008 STS-V last week, so my MM becomes my official winter car. When spring comes I'll drop the insurance down to storage and throw a car cover on it in the driveway.

The dealer was only going to give me $5k on a trade-in, and I had just spent $1200 on brakes, rotors, a bunch of seals and a rear axle. No sense in just giving it away - and it keeps me from spending another $2k on winter wheels and tires for the Caddie.

Now I'm off to the garage to figure out why my MM is overheating. No heat at all at idle, so it probably needs the cooling system bled. (Again).

(Attached pic is me stuck in my driveway with my new ride on the way home from the dealer. I hate winter).

[ludwigvan968]

congrats on the new car. Did it come with recaro seats, or is that CTS-V only?

[BODYMAN]

A Marauder sitting in the SUMMER time??

[03Farmmarauder]

Winter Beater, I never thought i would see the day. WOW!!! :shake:

[swc69]

congrats on the new car. Did it come with recaro seats, or is that CTS-V only?

Recaros are available on 2009 CTS-V only. I looked at'em, but I hate buying new cars due to initial depreciation. And they ain't cheap. A new STS-V is about $10k over the CTS-V, but my local dealer had 2 used 2008's at nearly HALF-OFF the 2008 sticker price. That's like a $35k depreciation in 6 months. Holy Cats! But it puts them to a point where a mere mortal can buy a pretty high-end car. (Plus it includes a 6 year / 100k mile GM Certified Bumper to Bumper warranty). Hard to pass up.

They have one 2008 left, with 1500 miles for $43.9k. And I know they'd come down a couple grand. With the certified warranty its like getting a brand new car for 50% off.

Also, I didn't want to trade in my MM anyway. I like it. Took some heavy convincing of the spouse to be able to keep it. But even she realized it would be stupid to take the dealers offer on it. If my idiot son can ever finish college I might give it to him as a graduation present.

[Peter]

Why didn't you get a Lincoln Town Car?

[swc69]

Why didn't you get a Lincoln Town Car?

'Cause I get 469HP, 439lb-ft of torque, 0-60 in 4.9 seconds and quarter mile in low 13's, with something that's almost as large as our MM's.

Don't get me wrong - I still like my MM a lot. I do a lot of out of town road-trips for work, and at 100k miles I still trust it implicitly to get me safely home after a 800 mile round trip. The $1,200 I put into it a few weeks ago was just about the first money I had to spend on it since I bought it five years ago. That says a lot about these cars.

[Ms. Denmark]

'Cause I get 469HP, 439lb-ft of torque, 0-60 in 4.9 seconds and quarter mile in low 13's, with something that's almost as large as our MM's.

Let us know how you like the Caddy in the months to come. It's a car that I have some interest in owning.

[rayjay]

Let us know how you like the Caddy in the months to come. It's a car that I have some interest in owning.

I hope it holds up better than my sister's Caddy...

[Black_Noise]

what a waste

[swc69]

what a waste

I live on a dirt road. Potholes, mud, the works. Its not like I'm taking a perfect MM and ruining it. As a DD for the last five years its already taken a lot of abuse. My only other option is to not drive any nice cars at all. I take it in stride that whatever I buy and drive will end up "not as nice" as a car that lives on pavement for all its life.

I have a 68 Charger that should be on the road this spring (including new paint) - I'm looking forward to doing donuts in the gravel at the dead-end turnaround at the end of my road. Its just a car.

OTOH - when I lived on pavement I was extremely paranoid about keeping my vehicles nice. Would never think of driving one down a dirt road. It was a life choice that I made to live in the sticks (with no neighbors ) and get huge depreciation on vehicles because of driving on dirt and mud (and snow). That's why I buy used, instead of new, to help offset the hurt.

Now - it Would be a waste if someone popped up and offered my $10k for it, and I said I'd rather drive it into the ground instead of selling it. Bu that ain't gonna happen. Ever seen the undercarriage of a car that lived its life on a dirt road? - not pretty. I wouldn't buy one.

I think I'm rambling......

[Fourth Horseman]

Congrats on the STS-V! Nice choice! :bows: Were I richer than I am I'd park one of those next to my two other toys.

[Bigdogjim]

Happy you got a American made car:)

As for buying used that a good move:up:

Enjoy you new caddy for many, many years!

[n00bkiller944]

Sweet car! Any pics?

[Black_Noise]

Its just a car.




to some people

[swc69]

to some people

Dude - you quoted me out of context. I'd do nasty donuts on gravel in my old project Charger (Its just a car), but there's no way I'd do that in my MM.

Anyway - food for thought: There was an ongoing thread about why people were dumping Marauders. I'm getting the feeling there were two types of owners:

A) People that bought the car cause it would be awesome to drive until it wore out and then move on to something else.

B) People that bought the car to cherish it as a nearly one-off rare example of what a modern-day muscle car can be.

When I bought my car - I was in group "B". But, hey, I need to drive for a living. I love the car, so I drove it (a lot) and I ended up migrating to group "A".

So - as much as I love my MM - where do the group "B" guys go from here when your car wears out? Big, RWD, High HP. Not a lot of choices. Charger/300 SRT8? Fast, but cramped inside, and you see the plain jane ones everywhere. They don't stand out as the "What the heck is that?" thing that our MM's always had.

What's left? the new Pontiac G8 thing? Fast - put its a Pontiac, no pride in that. No exclusivity or obscurity, which has always made the MM cool. And it's small compared to a MM.

I'm sorry I wore out my MM. But I enjoyed all the 94,507 miles I put on it. (And I continue to enjoy it, as I put more miles on). I wish that I had the cash to buy a MM and have it sit like a virgin in my driveway for perfect summer afternoons. I buy my cars to drive them. (I have a huge bent about muscle car trailer queens too, if that's not obvious).

Pics Too! My MM and my new ride.

[Merc4Hire]

Dude - you quoted me out of context. I'd do nasty donuts on gravel in my old project Charger (Its just a car), but there's no way I'd do that in my MM.

Anyway - food for thought: There was an ongoing thread about why people were dumping Marauders. I'm getting the feeling there were two types of owners:

A) People that bought the car cause it would be awesome to drive until it wore out and then move on to something else.

B) People that bought the car to cherish it as a nearly one-off rare example of what a modern-day muscle car can be.

When I bought my car - I was in group "B". But, hey, I need to drive for a living. I love the car, so I drove it (a lot) and I ended up migrating to group "A".

So - as much as I love my MM - where do the group "B" guys go from here when your car wears out? Big, RWD, High HP. Not a lot of choices. Charger/300 SRT8? Fast, but cramped inside, and you see the plain jane ones everywhere. They don't stand out as the "What the heck is that?" thing that our MM's always had.

What's left? the new Pontiac G8 thing? Fast - put its a Pontiac, no pride in that. No exclusivity or obscurity, which has always made the MM cool. And it's small compared to a MM.

I'm sorry I wore out my MM. But I enjoyed all the 94,507 miles I put on it. (And I continue to enjoy it, as I put more miles on). I wish that I had the cash to buy a MM and have it sit like a virgin in my driveway for perfect summer afternoons. I buy my cars to drive them. (I have a huge bent about muscle car trailer queens too, if that's not obvious).

Pics Too! My MM and my new ride.

I agree 10000%, wtf good is a car that sits?! They're made to be driven! Nothing pisses me off more than people who treat cars like museum pieces, like they're meant to sit in a climate controlled garage their whole lives, never to be enjoyed.

All these fast, limited edition cars with like 2k miles make me sick to my stomach. I'm sure that's why the companies built all the sports cars and muscle cars, right? They over-engineered them and gave them all gobs of HP so you could park them in your pansy little garage and stare at it while you touch yourself. Ghey.:flamer:

When you see cars like the 2000 Cobra R, a factory purpose built race car, sitting in a garage with 5 miles on them...THAT, is a waste. The owner's should be beaten until they bleed from the ears. You want an investment, try real estate...car's are made to be driven. END OF STORY.

Plus, let's face it, you only live once. I like being able to look at my cars and remember all the experiences and fun times I had DRIVING them. All the other guys, they can look back and remember all the times they looked at their cars, or maybe sat in them...making revving noises.:banana::lol:

[Raudermaster]

to some people

Dude why are you being such an ass? Do you have to drive it? Is it YOUR MM that he's hurting? Anyway, congrats on the new ride, I love the "V" series Caddy's.

[hot-rauder]

Dude why are you being such an ass? Do you have to drive it? Is it YOUR MM that he's hurting? Anyway, congrats on the new ride, I love the "V" series Caddy's.

Agreed.

My MM was pretty much a winter beater that I shined up for summers. If its not your car, dont worry.

LOVE THE CADDY!! didnt expect that interior in it, looks sharp!

[m1dn1temarauder]

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/images/smilies/ohthedrama.gif Nice Caddy, and +1 on the interior.....This is exactly what we as "drivers" hate...I have my MM here(note the license plate).... so what? I guess cuz I shouldn't have brought it here to enjoy all this lovely highway Kuwaitis love to speed on cuz its dusty? Yeah Right!! I love driving it here cuz I can max it out on the way to work everyday and I can enjoy it without being pulled over http://forum.e46fanatics.com/images/smilies/up_to_something.gif....Same goes for my MINI. I got pulled over by a cop a few weeks back(thought I was getting a ticket) just to ask me what my MM was and where I got it. Had me pop the hood and all!! They love American muscle over here(Impala being more common than most)!! There are only 5 Marauders in the country to my knowledge and I get approached asking me to sell it all the time. I always say no cuz I'm not done playing with it yet http://forum.e46fanatics.com/images/smilies/tongue3.gif.....Its my DD w/ 22" wheels.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/6219/img0191yl5.jpg

[gmtech]

Dude - you quoted me out of context. I'd do nasty donuts on gravel in my old project Charger (Its just a car), but there's no way I'd do that in my MM.

Anyway - food for thought: There was an ongoing thread about why people were dumping Marauders. I'm getting the feeling there were two types of owners:

A) People that bought the car cause it would be awesome to drive until it wore out and then move on to something else.

B) People that bought the car to cherish it as a nearly one-off rare example of what a modern-day muscle car can be.

When I bought my car - I was in group "B". But, hey, I need to drive for a living. I love the car, so I drove it (a lot) and I ended up migrating to group "A".

So - as much as I love my MM - where do the group "B" guys go from here when your car wears out? Big, RWD, High HP. Not a lot of choices. Charger/300 SRT8? Fast, but cramped inside, and you see the plain jane ones everywhere. They don't stand out as the "What the heck is that?" thing that our MM's always had.

What's left? the new Pontiac G8 thing? Fast - put its a Pontiac, no pride in that. No exclusivity or obscurity, which has always made the MM cool. And it's small compared to a MM.

I'm sorry I wore out my MM. But I enjoyed all the 94,507 miles I put on it. (And I continue to enjoy it, as I put more miles on). I wish that I had the cash to buy a MM and have it sit like a virgin in my driveway for perfect summer afternoons. I buy my cars to drive them. (I have a huge bent about muscle car trailer queens too, if that's not obvious).

Pics Too! My MM and my new ride.


Agree as well, my MM is my DD, winter beater, rainy day beater, road trip beater & on ocassion its my car show beater, I love the MM and coulnt think of a better DD;)

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

The more scratches my MM gets the more I drive it. It's still in very nice condition compared to a lot of MM's. Still no parking lot dents or scrapes on it. But when the car was too close to show room condition I was terrified to ever drive it. Still garaged at night and it's still not a DD and I won't drive it in the snow or anything like that, and I still park a mile away from everyone, but it's not a trophy anymore like when I first got it and I just parked it and looked at it.

[davidholland]

I originally purchased mine as a DD. Then I began to realize how rare it really is. 04 DTR Light Flint,Moonroof. My sister in law was looking to dump her 03 Explorer she gave me a deal and the MM is now living the good life in the garage! I drive it just not as much and not in the bad weather!
In the years to come I hope to pass it on to my one of my sons. The best part is I only have 3 payments left!

[mossiehorn]

I'm with most, mine's an DD cause I love driving it. I bought last fall from someone who stored it, it had only 36K on the clock. I turned 40 last week and plan to wear her out (someday) It isn't the best thing in snow but that just fine cause of the smile on my face.

[gmtech]

The more scratches my MM gets the more I drive it. It's still in very nice condition compared to a lot of MM's. Still no parking lot dents or scrapes on it. But when the car was too close to show room condition I was terrified to ever drive it. Still garaged at night and it's still not a DD and I won't drive it in the snow or anything like that, and I still park a mile away from everyone, but it's not a trophy anymore like when I first got it and I just parked it and looked at it.
Couldn't have put it any better:D