New Member in MN

**Uffda** · #1 11-12-2012, 11:01 PM

Hi, I'm Phil from Bloomington near the Mall of America. Hope there are some other old guys here. Other Viet vets? Jeep experience is limited to 2WD Postal and Army back in 1968-69. My most recent Mopar was a 1968 W100 Power Wagon short bed fire truck with cherry and siren. Great fun in parades. Not so fun to steer and pour money into.

I had pretty much decided on a used ML63 when I read a comparison test with the 1st gen SRT8. Faster, better looking, US made, and cheaper to maintain -- what's not to like? Unfortunately I live in a nanny state. Details to follow. Just skip if you don't want to listen to my tale of woe.

I'm retired and it hit me that my window to physically appreciate interesting vehicles was shrinking. So in the last couple of years I have bought and sold a bunch of cars. In the last 10 months I've sold a Honda Element-practical but boring; Acura TL-AWD - great handling, but too fancy and little low end torque; Miata - great but owned for 8 years and time to move on; Focus SVT- like a Miata w/back seat; and an ex-police Crown Vic which I gave to a guy whose twin daughters' medical condition left him tapped out. The point of this litany is that I found that MN requires a dealers license for over five sales in a 12 month period. So now I'm stuck till spring before I can sell my current Land Cruiser and Tundra to buy an SRT8. Doesn't matter that I can prove an overall loss of about $4000. I thought I could just pay the fee for a dealers license, but you also are required to have a $50,000 bond, liability insurance and buy/lease a commercially zoned place to do business! I guess I understand why they don't want people running a business from their house, but five vehicles per year even if you made a profit is hardly making a living. Sheesh, talk about government micro-managing. At least the anticipation will make getting behind the wheel of a black '09-10 all the sweeter.

**Marylandm3** · #2 11-13-2012, 08:28 AM

Welcome to the forum! Quite the road you've had to get here.. lol

Good luck!

**Uffda** · #3 11-13-2012, 08:49 AM

Thanks. Maybe it's a good thing nanny stopped me. I had the hots for an X5M that would surely have put me in the poorhouse. Now for less cash I can SC the SRT8 and go BMW hunting.

I think you need a clear hood ala Ferrari to show off that glorious King fine art.

**DCsnow1000** · #4 11-13-2012, 11:14 AM

Welcome to the forum and enjoy! Good Story behind it all

**randy_4life** · #5 11-13-2012, 11:24 AM

Welcome to the forum ive become addicted in a short amount of time be careful it can happen to you too these trucks are awesome

everything i ever wanted in a my old SUV Enojoy the forum

Specialblend07 · #6 11-13-2012, 07:03 PM

MN member here. Usually zipping around Uptown or Eden Prairie area.

rglax · #7 11-13-2012, 07:07 PM

Oooo. Big fan of SVT focus's. I was in my buddies when he blew his engine hitting 145+ plus.

The reward will be worth the wait. You already know what your getting into but the first time you go pedal to the floor will make up for it

**TXSRTMike** · #8 11-13-2012, 07:11 PM

Spring time will be here before you know it!! Hang in there and you'll enjoy the crap out of that HEMI! Welcome!

**Uffda** · #9 11-13-2012, 07:20 PM

That SVT was pretty impressive. May have looked like a standard Focus, but Gertag 6spd, same as in the Mini Cooper S and Cosworth developed engine. And it even got great mileage.

A sleeper like the SRT8 only with a different species of prey. These are great days for power fiends.

Torquemonster06 · #10 11-18-2012, 10:52 AM

Welcome to the Site. Lots of great info to be had on here.