Happiness is a good plan B....

[Stephen M]

Expect the unexpected, I always say. But then people start expecting it, and it's not unexpected any more, so it doesn't work.

What I mean is, as a car guy, you have your daily driver and perhaps a few project cars. More importantly, you have plan A.

Plan A is the next car you'll own. New or used, it's probably plotted a few years in advance. Either you're waiting for the concept to become reality, or for your bank account to overtake depreciation. You've picked your options, maybe even bought a shop manual. It's still a few years off, though, so for now you content yourself with your current ride and check Autotrader once a week or so, just to "see what's out there".

BAM. Dropped a sleeve. Sucked in a valve. T-boned by a red light runner. The daily driver is out of commission and you need a new ride on short notice. No time or money for plan A. What do you do, hotshot?

Plan B. Can't buy a car without at least a month's of research first, so all this time, floating in the back of your head, you've held plan B. That perfectly livable sedan with just a bit of character. Not something you'd want to own long term, but it will spell you for a year or two. Or maybe it's time to see if you really can get by with an NA miata as your only car. Plan B is the car you could buy tomorrow with a clear conscience, if need be. Plan B may even be the parts-getter, or a bus pass.

For me, plan A is a tossup between a C5 Z06 and a Boxster S. I've driven both (albeit a non-S sampling), and I've plenty more research to do, and plenty of time to decide. My daily driver has served 176k miles and burns a quart every 1k or so. I expect it's good for another 50k, easy. But expectations and 75 cents will get you a Coke. So this past month I've been looking for a plan B, an option to keep in my back pocket should worst come to worst.

I've got one now. E36 M3. Silver, blue, or black, 5-spd, naturally, with under 80k on the clock. I don't really need the back seat, but I should probably own an M3 at some point in my life, and no time like the present.

That is, no time like the present, should I need to go to plan B.

What's your Plan B? Or plan A, for that matter?

[Ultra]

Where can you buy a Coke for 75¢?

[Arthur Dent]

Sure plan B - of course I like to own lots of cars - most of them crap so you should probably do the opposite 

[Otto Puzzell]

A-, I guess. Since I've no payment, the money I would be paying toward a newer car has been going into a fund for the next purchase. However, I don't expect it will be anything beyond another mundane people mover. Plan 'C' involves a fun car to work on after the house is paid off, in another 8 years or so.

I want a yellow convertible, four door DeVille
With a continental spare, and wire chrome wheels
I want power steering, I want power brakes
I want a powerful motor with a jet off-take
I want air conditioned, I want automatic heat
An a full Murphy bed in my back seat
I want short wave radio, TV and a phone
I gotta talk with my baby when I'm ridin' alone

Now I'm gonna buy a car, I'll be headin' on down that road
I won't have to worry about my broken down ragged Ford...