Yeah, I don't want to leave the S/C world behind, but I need the room. I love the car, but there are a few things I want that this car doesn't have...like 5 manual speeds!
I really don't think the automatic fits the personality of this car, at least not for me anyway.
I think I will find a nice 2nd gen, 5-speed S/C somewhere and make that my keeper.
Also, even though I went to great lengths to make this car look as stock as possible, I don't really feel the two-tone anniversary paint scheme shows off this car to its best advantage.
When this car came out, it was clearly a modern-looking, BMW-esque 'minimalist', European-influenced design. A single color on this style car looks best to me...maybe even a completely mono-chrome look.
The two-tone paint scheme looks to me like exactly what it is: A Low-cost (no-cost?) way for a typical Detroit car maker to come up with a 'new model' without doing anything really new.
The paint job gives it a 70s-80s style appeal, but on a 90s era car. Just an odd visual fit to me, that's all. Definately makes it look 'behind the times', and like the trim guys and the body designers were not on the same page.
It would look killer all black with some kickin' 18" chrome rims and some fat rubber, but then it loses it's 35th special-ness, so I left it alone.
But don't get me wrong: I still love the car, and if it doesn't sell, I won't be dissapointed to still have it. If it does sell, I'll buy the 5-speed that I really want.