A few questions................

I am new to the kit/replica car world and I have not idea how to even go about picking the right car. I am from Long Island, NY and am really intrested in buying a speedster as my main car. Is this feasable in NY with the snow or is it a pipe dream. It seems that the cars are made for So. Cal. Im not looking for anything fast, I just want a good reliable car with some pizaz. Also I am a younger driver (22 years old) and a little concerned about insurance. I apreciate any info you all can give me.
Thanks
John Anastasakis

Is this an echo chamber?

John
See "Newbie" thread below this one

no it's the cone of silence...

I read the previouse thread. I was askingh a question about driving in NY. Is the car made for Souther Cal. or is it alright to drive in NY. Will they rust out in the snow and salt of the north east. What kind of questions should I be asking when talking to the dealer. Are the cars reliable enough to have as your main car, or should i have it as a summer weekend car.

These are not the kind of car you want as your sole transportation any more than you want a motorcycle as your only vehicle. I rode a motorcycle as my main transport for 2 years and it was tough in the winter and rainy days. Likewise with the speedster.

Although I have driven my speedster in the snow (and it is a blast to do), I would not want to have to go out at night in the winter at 0 degrees F.

I lived with a 62 beetle as my sole transportation for 8 years. Although the heat was marginal at best, it was weather tight.

As far as the rust goes, The pans will rust. They are replacable.

Buy an MR2 as your daily and wait for the right oportunity for a used Speedster.

John, try reading the '2000 Intermeccanica Bargain' thread in the forum classified section. Two nice cars for sale on this thread. Both Intermeccanicas (meaning roll up windows). For cold weather or a 'daily driver' Intermeccanica is the best way to go, but also the most expensive.
Ron

being that new york gets a significant amount of snow and more than enough cold weather, I would definitely not recommend a speedster for your sole transportation. I wouldn't even recommend it as your only driver in the summer (highways etc). I certainly wouldn't want to be sliding around in six inches of snow with one of these cars.

Intermeccanicas don't automatically have rollup windows if its a speedster model. The Conv D model comes with them.
ed

John,
these "speedsters" are toys which you enjoy on a weekend......
period.........

Gee, I had better stop driving mine through the week.

Thats right Robert, no weekday driving.....

I basically view mine as a toy for weekend playtime....
They seem to be best in the sun, any adverse condition takes away
some or all of the fun....I also find if you use them as a daily driver it takes away some of the pleasure of taking it out on the weekends....
These are my views and mine alone.....
You will need to decide for yourself how it fits within your world..

I drove a rental car for a couple of days a week ago while I was at recurrent schooling and when I got back I realized how much I had missed my speedster. I normally drive it every day in fact the rental car days were the first non speedster days in a long time and coming back to the speedster after just three days did seem to give it that first time feeling all over again. So yes it is nice to have that feeling, but I love driving it everyday also.

My Intermeccanica gave me my worst driving experience and my best driving experience. The best was a drive I took up into the mountains on a cold, clear day. Heavy jacket, gloves and toque and sun glasses. Wife's heated vest plugged in and the heater on full (big deal). The highway was near empty (a rarity around here.
The worst was a 70 mile drive one dark, really rainy night. Glaring headlights, leaky top, crappy wipers and fogging windows. What a horror show.
Ron

Buy the Speedster as your "main" car, if you must. But, then you should have a second car that you can drive when it would be a bad idea to use your "main" car. Maybe a Jeep Wrangler for a second car. Rain, snow, high crime area -- go for the second car. Whichever car is the main car and whichever car is the second car is just a matter of attitude. But, either way, a Speedster is a tough gig as an only car.

how does the car handel in the snow and rain. Is it all over the road or is it managable. I drive a rear wheel drive car now and i can pretty much handel it in the snow.

These cars handle about the same as a beetle in bad weather (I don't think they float) --good traction going forward, not much weight on the front so you can develop a push on slippery roads and when the rear breaks loose, things happen fast. Driven sensibly in bad weather they are fine if chilly. Ground clearance is a problem in the deeper snow.
ed

John, your not listening....Speedsters are NOT all weather cars.
Unless you live in sunny sothern california (which I do).....
They were made for sunny days.....
They don't do well in the rain or snow.............
Buy the speedster for summer and another piece of shit for the winter.
End of story..............

John,

I know you really want one of these cars to work for you. I've got one piece of advise for you...

Give it up.

There are multiple reasons they are a horrible choice for the northeast or midwest in the winter. Its easy to forget (in July) that in the winter its cold- like below zero cold, and that it snows- several feet sometimes, and that they put salt (lots of it) on the roads. Assuming you could stop all the air from infiltrating the cabin (you can't), and you could get enough heat (without a gas heater, you're short on luck), you'd still have a car with a fabbed up suspension/frame set-up which would be just waiting to rust away to nothing. Guys' chrome gets rusty from washing their cars- driving it in salt? Its really a BAD idea.

No matter what anybody says- unless you pony up for an IM, or subi-tub, this is a nice day, planets-are-all-lined-up kind of car. Even with the IM and subi-tub, I wouldn't want to drive it in the depths of winter. Why in the world would I risk my pride a joy being trashed for the sake of a couple of months (OK, more than a couple) of "stylin'"?

These cars are NOT modern. They are not a stylish Miata, or a retro-looking Z3. They are full-on retro, for all that means. As soon as we can all deal with it, the happier we'll all be.

I agree 100% Stan.

C'mon, Stan. These cars are great in the winter. All you have to do is put snow tires on the back wheels, and skiis on the front wheels; take out the passenger seat, and install a small wood stove (vent the chimney through the hardtop made of plywood and styrofoam insulation); use your lawn sprinkler hooked up to a tank of antifreeze to clear the inside of the windshield; and weld a big hook on the front bumper for locking onto the car in front of you. Oh, and a lightweight trailer on the back for your wood supply.

There. Now you're all set for dreamy winter driving.

Bob, darn it man, are you challenging me for the right coast most zany response award post? I love ya man, but this is war! I challenge you to an arm wrestling match at Carlisle 2005, loser buy the beer. Oh, forget the contest I'll buy you a beer. I laughed my ass off when I read your post. Good one!
John H.

Personally, I think the wood stove would be MUCH safer than a gas heater. Plus, you could boil water on the top plate for tea or coffee. Hell, around here used wood stove are cheap and I cut my own firewood for our house stove anyways. Robert, you are a visionary!
Ron

A wood stove is a great shop addition you can paint a smaller item and toss it on the top of the stove for a 1 minute dry job

It can also tell you if you have a gas leak....or if your paint is flammable.

I guess we've all seen too many Red Green episodes....

Does that mean our wives find us handy?

Looks like we lost John - but he did get the answer if he was still listening.

On the contrary, Herb. If you are a big Red Green fan, you would see the relevance of my remark, eh?

John H: I think Herb was referring to the other John, the one who started this whole thread. Although, we know you have been lost for a long time...

Bob, oh my yes. I am adrift in a see of car nuts, cyber and otherwise. When you live in East Tennessee and are trying to figure out what to do next, there is undoubtedly a car show, a car gathering or cruise within a day or two just about all the time, except in the depths of winter. Winter here means it might go below freezing overnight and there may be snow in the mountains. On rare occasions, it snows here in the valley, and that's when I do get lost, metaphorically speaking.
jph

Thank you everyone for you help. I apreciate all the information you have given me. I just didn't know if it was for me in NY, i geuss ill have to move to california.

John H, I did mean that I thought we had lost the John (John A.) who started the thread. You, I am usually able to follow just fine.

John A., It is really great having a Speedster in NY. I have a home just north of Woodstock (in Windham) where I can't wait to go for a drive. Just not between late October and late April. Those months I'll use the Jeep. That was my suggestion. Get a Speedster and a Jeep. The two cars combined would still be less than most luxury cars, and much more fun. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hi John, if you still haven't heard it yet. THEY SUCK IN RAIN AND SNOW. They are fun to drive because of that UNPREDICTABILITY. If you like spinning out or not getting traction, buy it as your daily driver, BUT YOU WILL WRECK IT and they are very UNSAFE.




sorry for yelling.