sigh Mine, of course, is base model... which means it has never cost much to insure, has always gotten surprisingly good gas mileage (30mpg on the freeway) and has always weighed a hair over 3000lb while comfortably seating two adults and a week's worth of luggage. I initially bought it because it could fit two duffel bags and a Pelican 1650, which I used to take everywhere because taking pictures involved 75lbs worth of gear. I got it because I was disgusted with the offerings in 2002 and did an informal poll of my friends to see what they saw me in. Over half of them (and I asked like 20 people) said "Dodge Stealth." They were incredibly right. The thing is awesome. If I could buy a 2016 Dodge Stealth I'd buy the shit out of it. Unfortunately there hasn't been a Stealth since '96 (or a 3000GT since '98) and outside of Maserati and Jaguar, there aren't any 2-door sports coupes that aren't throwbacks to the '70s. Well, there are, but... Hyundai? Gimme a break. BMW/Porsche/Audi? No thanks; I lived in Los Angeles and I never want to be associated with German car culture. I went as far as test-driving a Cadillac CTS Coupe. Know what? It rode a lot like a Cadillac. I may have to revisit that decision when I can find a dealer that isn't so viscerally repugnant but I suspect that "non-viscerally repugnant used Cadillac dealer" is a rare species indeed. For now? It's fine. I've put 120,000 miles on the car in 13 years. Mostly I ride motorcycles. We've got an '09 fit that does most of our driving duty; it has the advantage of fitting a car seat and an adult, as opposed to or an adult. The back seat on the Stealth is hilariously nonfunctional to the point where when I move it back far enough for my legs, I could look my daughter in the face. Rear-facing car-seats in that thing jut halfway into the front passenger compartment. And I'll have some sort of booster for the next presidential administration. It also has numerous advantages: - Costs nothing to insure - Costs little to maintain (now that Bosch no longer makes its parts - it went through 5 water pumps and 4 alternators because fuck Bosch) - Looks pretty goddamn good on the financial aid application for my daughter's preschool There will come a time when I can be a big enough asshole to support the assembly, care and feeding of a Factory Five GTM. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. It will still mostly only impress teenaged boys.