Considering an R8 for my only car - am I crazy?

[mark25]

My R8 is my only car. Dont have kids yet so dont need the extra seats and dont have to drive to work so it works! Did have a 2nd car but it never got used. If you want the car then go for it!

[SebringSilver]

If you're single, even if you had a second car, you'll end up only driving the R8 anyway.

[mark25]

If you're single, even if you had a second car, you'll end up only driving the R8 anyway.

Couldnt have summed it up better!

[omgbananas]

If you're single, even if you had a second car, you'll end up only driving the R8 anyway.

Beautiful.

I'm going through the same questions the OP is, so glad to see the talk on here.
Some of my finances changed, so I may be doing it as soon as Jan - psyched.

The building I live in has over 20 ZipCars nearby, and the OP is in NYC so is likely in a similar situation - so even in the few cases where you may need a car but don't want to use your R8 - you have easy options there (they have 3-series BMWs and stuff, although nothing amazing for obvious reasons).

[duhawks]

My only car at the moment as well. I love it! Love it so much I decided to keep the car and put turbos on it. I will still continue to drive it all the time.

The only drag is having to find a good parking spot when you daily drive it. That is really the only negative.

[guod]

I store my car during winter but could probably use it year round. I bought a second car to share driving duty but really happens is 99% time in the r8 and 1% when transporting > 1 person or large items that don't fit. It's that comfy!

A good example would be that I put more mileage on the r8 in summer months than I did on the second car in a whole year, and I used the second car daily to/from local train station for work

[diablo1]

Thanks for all your replies! I hadn't thought too much about potholes... Being a careful driver who always wants to keep cars in pristine condition, I think I would be vigilant of potholes no matter what car I get. The S5 had 19" wheels and thin sports tires, so I am used to that routine... I guess I would have to think more about curbs, speed bumps, parking garage ramps, etc. in the R8, since it is lower than the S5.

Garage parking in my neighborhood costs around $300-$350 per month. I hated to see that money just drained from my checking account every month, while thinking about all the other ways I could have used it. OTOH I also hate not having a car... Life is full of tradeoffs! I wouldn't park on the street except for very briefly to load/unload luggage, etc. Too many people here use the "back up until you hit the car in back of you, forward until you hit the car in front of you, repeat as needed" method of parallel parking around here!

I have not driven the R8 but certainly would do so before I make any final decision. I'm sure it will be a blast to drive... I would just like to see for myself how hard it is to get in/out, how much space is available behind the driver's seat when I have it adjusted to my liking, etc. The suggestion to rent one from that car club is helpful too - thanks!

Basically what it comes down to is that the R8 is not a practical option. It is comfortable to drive and easier on the driver than other exotics. But there are certain to be situations where another car would be much more useful, be it road trips, transporting friends and family, big shopping trips, etc. I currently use Hertz on Demand, which is similar to ZipCar, and could continue to do so with the R8 when I need a more normal car. I just need to decide if spending all this money on the car, insurance, parking, gas, maintenance, etc., and then still needing to rent a car from time to time, would drive me crazy or not. The car would be for me to enjoy, not for me to use for practical ends. More of a toy than a tool...

For people who drive in NYC - do you find that the car gets a lot of attention? It has been out for many years now, and obviously the city is full of great cars - but I still find that it is one of the most eye-catching vehicles on the road around here. Ferraris and Lambos may be louder and more aggressively styled, but they are pretty rare around here. I see a good number of GTRs, 911 Turbos, Astons, Maseratis, Bentleys, Rolls, Maybachs... and tons of S and RS, M, and AMG cars... But still find myself staring at the R8 whenever I see one.

[BenR8]

I commute 40 miles single way to my University everyday in my R8 LOL... THe Car is 1 year and 2 months old and i already have 18000 miles on it

[aquarianuw]

You a college professor???

I commute 40 miles single way to my University everyday in my R8 LOL... THe Car is 1 year and 2 months old and i already have 18000 miles on it

[duhawks]

Same here. Mine is a late 11 model and I have around 17k miles on it. A hard 17k Never had one problem with the car.

I had a M6 that I lowered and it would scrape on everything around town. The R8 looks a lot lower than my old M6 but it never scrapes on anything.

Car gets plenty of attention for sure. Road trips in the car are very exciting, you never know what someone is going to do.