Fun car suggestions

Apollo · Post by **Apollo** » Thu May 12, 2016 10:37 pm

Kraken wrote:...I originally caught Wife's eye because I had a feline companion, wore a leather hat, and drove a Mustang...

Your wife is awesome!

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri May 13, 2016 12:03 am

Apollo wrote:
Kraken wrote:...I originally caught Wife's eye because I had a feline companion, wore a leather hat, and drove a Mustang...
Your wife is awesome!

Yes. Yes she is.

When I bought the Miata did she try to talk me into a sensible car? No, she said "Get the red one."

When I floated the idea of retiring it, she said "You're going to get another fun car, right?"

And because she's the breadwinner, she'll wind up paying for it.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Fri May 13, 2016 12:14 pm

Madmarcus wrote: I hear you. My son will get my car tomorrow (driving off to Houston for a summer job from college so he needed a car). I have a car lined up for the summer but somehow I'm not sure I want to make a 1996 Toyota Tacoma into my every day car while I hold out for a Tesla or a self driving car.

I believe I am now required to never again visit this thread. It looks like the 2004 Honda Civic I gave to my son will be replaced by a 2006 Honda Civic from my mother in law. While its not a bad option for my needs its about as far from a fun car as you can get.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Fri May 13, 2016 1:00 pm

Driverless Tesla?

http://www.sfgate.com/cars/article/Owne ... 465212.php

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri May 13, 2016 1:54 pm

LordMortis wrote:Driverless Tesla?

http://www.sfgate.com/cars/article/Owne ... 465212.php

Well, a few weeks ago Musk warned us about the computers turning on us. He must have already known about the "kill all humans" code embedded in his vehicles.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Fri May 13, 2016 2:17 pm

Madmarcus wrote:
Madmarcus wrote: I hear you. My son will get my car tomorrow (driving off to Houston for a summer job from college so he needed a car). I have a car lined up for the summer but somehow I'm not sure I want to make a 1996 Toyota Tacoma into my every day car while I hold out for a Tesla or a self driving car.
I believe I am now required to never again visit this thread. It looks like the 2004 Honda Civic I gave to my son will be replaced by a 2006 Honda Civic from my mother in law. While its not a bad option for my needs its about as far from a fun car as you can get.

I owned a 2006 Civic and believe me there are cars that are far less fun. That 140 hp is totally serviceable.

Apollo · Post by **Apollo** » Fri May 13, 2016 10:47 pm

coopasonic wrote:
Madmarcus wrote:
Madmarcus wrote: I hear you. My son will get my car tomorrow (driving off to Houston for a summer job from college so he needed a car). I have a car lined up for the summer but somehow I'm not sure I want to make a 1996 Toyota Tacoma into my every day car while I hold out for a Tesla or a self driving car.
I believe I am now required to never again visit this thread. It looks like the 2004 Honda Civic I gave to my son will be replaced by a 2006 Honda Civic from my mother in law. While its not a bad option for my needs its about as far from a fun car as you can get.
I owned a 2006 Civic and believe me there are cars that are far less fun. That 140 hp is totally serviceable.

I completely agree. My daily driver is a 2009 Honda Civic Si Sedan and it's one of the most entertaining cars I've ever owned. Being Orange and having the factory "iVTEC" logos on the sides means that it attracts the young "Fast and Furious" crowd like bees to honey. At least once a week a ragged out old Honda, a primer-coated 240sx or something similar will either try to race me or they'll rev their fart-can equipped tuner furiously as they pass by.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat May 28, 2016 10:31 pm

When I got my inspection sticker my mechanic pointed out firmly that the undercarriage is rusting extensively. There are no safety issues yet, but the exhaust system and suspension are both nearing the end of their lives. This report sealed my resolve to replace the car and added a note of urgency; I would like to do it before snow flies because pushing it through another winter is, well, pushing it.

I haven't come any further in evaluating contenders. The Miata ND gets praise everywhere and I like its look better than the NC and nearly as well as my NB. The Fiat Spider has a performance edge that will probably feel more like my Mazdaspeed, but I really dislike the hood and grille. And even though I know they're the same car, I feel better about owning Japanese than Italian. The Fiat has a minor advantage in features in comparable option packages, and its trunk is slightly bigger -- when you're already used to a small trunk, even a little more space will be noticeable and welcome. The cars are priced within $1,000, with the advantage going to Fiat.

Between the two my heart wants a Miata and my head tells me to drive the Fiat first; although I don't call upon it very often, I've grown accustomed to the turbo's acceleration and will probably miss it. I won't know if the extra oomph outweighs the ugly-ass front end until I can see and drive it.

I still don't see any other real competitors, as much as I wish there were some. My mechanic echoed the observation that the Mini (which would otherwise be right up there) lacks reliability and is crazy expensive to repair. Wife likes the Wrangler, but I'm still too hung up on a roadster to enjoy it, and the gas mileage is a strike against it even as little as I drive.

Buying a slightly used car might open up more options (like a Mustang). As I face my 60s a larger car makes some sense. I'm leery of "pre-owned" but not ruling it out yet.

I had though about getting in line for a tesla 3, but I can't wait 2-3 years for a car that only exists in concept right now. And of course it's neither a convertible nor a roadster.

So...nothing new here except a bit more thought. Tentatively plan to do the hands-on research when we find out about Wife's promotion (?) and raise at the end of next month. Thinking of new cars makes me sad every time I get behind the wheel of my old NB. I still love that little car.

geezer · Post by **geezer** » Sat May 28, 2016 11:17 pm

Kraken wrote:When I got my inspection sticker my mechanic pointed out firmly that the undercarriage is rusting extensively. There are no safety issues yet, but the exhaust system and suspension are both nearing the end of their lives. This report sealed my resolve to replace the car and added a note of urgency; I would like to do it before snow flies because pushing it through another winter is, well, pushing it.

I haven't come any further in evaluating contenders. The Miata ND gets praise everywhere and I like its look better than the NC and nearly as well as my NB. The Fiat Spider has a performance edge that will probably feel more like my Mazdaspeed, but I really dislike the hood and grille. And even though I know they're the same car, I feel better about owning Japanese than Italian. The Fiat has a minor advantage in features in comparable option packages, and its trunk is slightly bigger -- when you're already used to a small trunk, even a little more space will be noticeable and welcome. The cars are priced within $1,000, with the advantage going to Fiat.

Between the two my heart wants a Miata and my head tells me to drive the Fiat first; although I don't call upon it very often, I've grown accustomed to the turbo's acceleration and will probably miss it. I won't know if the extra oomph outweighs the ugly-ass front end until I can see and drive it.

I still don't see any other real competitors, as much as I wish there were some. My mechanic echoed the observation that the Mini (which would otherwise be right up there) lacks reliability and is crazy expensive to repair. Wife likes the Wrangler, but I'm still too hung up on a roadster to enjoy it, and the gas mileage is a strike against it even as little as I drive.

Buying a slightly used car might open up more options (like a Mustang). As I face my 60s a larger car makes some sense. I'm leery of "pre-owned" but not ruling it out yet.

I had though about getting in line for a tesla 3, but I can't wait 2-3 years for a car that only exists in concept right now. And of course it's neither a convertible nor a roadster.

So...nothing new here except a bit more thought. Tentatively plan to do the hands-on research when we find out about Wife's promotion (?) and raise at the end of next month. Thinking of new cars makes me sad every time I get behind the wheel of my old NB. I still love that little car.

You know, replacing exhaust and suspension isn't prohibitively expensive if you love it that much

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun May 29, 2016 1:44 am

geezer wrote: You know, replacing exhaust and suspension isn't prohibitively expensive if you love it that much

There's also the body rot. And my love tails off in proportion to mounting expenses.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Sun May 29, 2016 4:17 am

I was gonna say the Fiat resale value probably drops significantly more than the Mazda, but since it's kind of a chick car I doubt most chicks think of Fiat as total crap in the same way an old fart would think of Fiat.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sun May 29, 2016 7:29 am

My wife's nurse just got a Mazda 250Z. I think she said it was a 2006. Looks pretty slick.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Sun May 29, 2016 8:52 am

dbt1949 wrote:My wife's nurse just got a Mazda 250Z. I think she said it was a 2006. Looks pretty slick.

Nissan 350z perhaps?

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sun May 29, 2016 10:18 am

No, the little tag on the trunk says 250Z.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 9:06 pm

The Mazda Fastback Targa looks swell http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-galle ... cdb&dom=fb

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 10:20 pm

Sweet. 2017s will be out by the time I'm ready to shop so I'll look forward to seeing one, although I suspect the hard top will nudge the price way up out of my range.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 11:21 pm

...In which Jalopnik tries to sell me a Fiat.

It could happen. Although budget pressures are making it less likely that it will happen this year.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 11:26 pm

Fiat 124 ..Probably high.

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 10:14 pm

So, I'm unexpectedly in the market for another car. Both my Prius and GTI failed catastrophically this year. I got my wife a new and expensive Pathfinder, and it made sense as a family car and something than could pull a trailer. My plan was to wait a few years and then get a new car for me, but increasingly frequent and expensive repairs on a 12 year old car aren't really making that feasible.

Since my budget is a lot more constrained than I'd like, I'm looking mostly at used cars in the $15-20k range. I'd like to find something that isn't soul-crushingly boring. In looking around, here's sort of my short list in preference order as I'm thinking now:

Scion FR-S
BMW 1 series
Hyundai Veloster or Genesis Coupe
Fiat 500 Abarth?
Camaro or Mustang?

I was able to drive the Scion and it handled really nicely, albeit without a ton of power. I'm planning to do some test drives and do more research as I have time, but I thought I'd tap into the hive mind and see what people's thoughts were. I'd like something I could take to the track casually, which is why the Scion (or Subaru BRZ as they are interchangable) is high on my list. It's also available for ~18k ifor a recent low mileage used. I've heard the BMW could also make a decent track day car. I'm not certain about any of the others, but I was figuring that at least they might be more fun to drive. I have the Mustang and Camaro low on the list as it looks like only the base models with tiny engines are in my price point without settling for something a lot older and higher mileage.

Blah. I'd welcome any feedback about any of these cars! If there's something else you think I should look at, I'm game for that too.

Thanks!

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 11:05 pm

I've always been fond of Mitsubishi engines in Dodge products. I'd probably look into a used EVO also. My friend had an awful time with the boxer engine in his WRX.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 11:41 pm

Aren't the tiny engines in the American cars still pretty potent?

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 12:11 am

McNutt wrote:Aren't the tiny engines in the American cars still pretty potent?

Reasonably? But there's just something wrong to me with the idea of a Mustang with a 4 cylinder engine. Plus, given the increased weight of the car the base models feel sluggish, at least for the rentals I've had.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 12:50 am

I guess a used Miata is not in contention?

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 9:04 am

gbasden wrote:Scion FR-S
BMW 1 series
Hyundai Veloster or Genesis Coupe
Fiat 500 Abarth?
Camaro or Mustang?

From that selection the FR-S would probably be my choice if I didn't need to ferry the kids to school. I don't know what the death of Scion will do to resale value but if you are buying used you probably don't care. I'd definitely take the Genesis over the Veloster and avoid the Fiat altogether. A 4 banger turbo pony car might be interesting, but I imagine you'd just lament the loss of the other 100+ hp the V8 would give you in those heavier cars.

You'll notice I avoided saying anything about the 1 series. I know nothing about BMW and never seriously considered one. The price premium on BMW drives me away.

I imagine geezer has driven a few of these on the track so I'd wait for him to chime in.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 9:15 am

death of Scion

AutoNews

Toyota is pulling the plug on Scion, the funky upstart brand it launched in 2002 to appeal to the finicky younger buyers it was struggling to connect with on its own.

The reason, according to Toyota: It’s no longer struggling to connect with those buyers.

The end will come quickly -- and just months after the launch of two vehicles that were seen as critical to reviving the brand. Scion will be discontinued in August, the automaker said today, and its model lineup will be folded into the Toyota brand starting with the 2017 model year.
...
But in the aftermath of the global recession and Toyota’s unintended-acceleration crisis, investment in the brand dried up and its product lineup thinned. Moreover, Toyota says, young people are different today and are less likely to try to stand apart from their parents. As a result, the parent brand now commands more respect among today’s younger customers than Scion does.
...
The current Scion iA, iM and FR-S cars will be badged as Toyotas for the 2017 model year when they arrive in dealerships this August. The tC coupe was already in line to be discontinued after the 2016 model year.

The Scion CH-R concept that debuted at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show will be sold as a Toyota when it hits the U.S. market in 2017. That model was already planned as a Toyota for the rest of the world, and the production version of the subcompact crossover will make its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 12:24 pm

(speaking of the unintended acceleration thing... the conclusion is still that it's more likely to be human error. Check out Malcolm Gladwell's take on it

http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/08-blame-game )

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:51 am

Motor Trend has a comparison up now of the latest Miata and the Fiat 124 Spider

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wFuuAfYdnw

geezer · Post by **geezer** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:14 am

coopasonic wrote:
gbasden wrote:Scion FR-S
BMW 1 series
Hyundai Veloster or Genesis Coupe
Fiat 500 Abarth?
Camaro or Mustang?
From that selection the FR-S would probably be my choice if I didn't need to ferry the kids to school. I don't know what the death of Scion will do to resale value but if you are buying used you probably don't care. I'd definitely take the Genesis over the Veloster and avoid the Fiat altogether. A 4 banger turbo pony car might be interesting, but I imagine you'd just lament the loss of the other 100+ hp the V8 would give you in those heavier cars.

You'll notice I avoided saying anything about the 1 series. I know nothing about BMW and never seriously considered one. The price premium on BMW drives me away.

I imagine geezer has driven a few of these on the track so I'd wait for him to chime in.

Just catching up on this thread

1 series is great on track - lots of fun and my pick from this list. No experience with Veloster or any recent Genesis, Fiat 500/Abarth - no experience but some people love 'em. Newest Mustangs are nice cars - no time in a camaro just yet. The only viable alternative to the 1 series here would be the Mustang in GT trim or perhaps a Genesis, but I'm not speaking from experience there...

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:07 am

geezer wrote:
coopasonic wrote:
gbasden wrote:Scion FR-S
BMW 1 series
Hyundai Veloster or Genesis Coupe
Fiat 500 Abarth?
Camaro or Mustang?
From that selection the FR-S would probably be my choice if I didn't need to ferry the kids to school. I don't know what the death of Scion will do to resale value but if you are buying used you probably don't care. I'd definitely take the Genesis over the Veloster and avoid the Fiat altogether. A 4 banger turbo pony car might be interesting, but I imagine you'd just lament the loss of the other 100+ hp the V8 would give you in those heavier cars.

You'll notice I avoided saying anything about the 1 series. I know nothing about BMW and never seriously considered one. The price premium on BMW drives me away.

I imagine geezer has driven a few of these on the track so I'd wait for him to chime in.
Just catching up on this thread

1 series is great on track - lots of fun and my pick from this list. No experience with Veloster or any recent Genesis, Fiat 500/Abarth - no experience but some people love 'em. Newest Mustangs are nice cars - no time in a camaro just yet. The only viable alternative to the 1 series here would be the Mustang in GT trim or perhaps a Genesis, but I'm not speaking from experience there...

Well, I ended up going with the Scion FR-S. I couldn't find a 1 series that even remotely fit my budget that was a semi-recent model. I was able to find a 2016 FR-S with only 6k miles on it for around $21,000. So far I've been incredibly pleased. It reminds me of a hard top Miata with the handling and performance. I think I'm going to use it stock for a bit including taking it to the track this winter, and then add a turbo or supercharger kit once I can afford it to get a bit more oomph.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:12 pm

Daehawk wrote:Motor Trend has a comparison up now of the latest Miata and the Fiat 124 Spider

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wFuuAfYdnw

That's the best comparison I've seen yet. I need to drive both of these cars. By the time I'm able to buy, though, the 2018s will probably be out.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:24 pm

em2nought wrote:I was gonna say the Fiat resale value probably drops significantly more than the Mazda, but since it's kind of a chick car I doubt most chicks think of Fiat as total crap in the same way an old fart would think of Fiat.

I definitely still remember the Fiats as crap. Ditto Audi.

infinitelurker · Post by **infinitelurker** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 2:39 pm

I recently moved to Florida from a northern state, and one of the first ideas on my mind was that I would finally be able to get a 'fun car' that I could drive year around rather than only a few months each year.

The new MX-5 was the first car I looked at. Once the Mrs. and I took one for a test drive, we decided to hold off. This would primarily be a weekend car for us, to take to the beach and on other adventures. I don't think we'd be able to fit beach chairs, umbrella, small suitcase and a cooler in that trunk. She suggested something larger like a Mustang, but after pricing out a GT convertible, I'm not sure I want to pay that for a Mustang (I've owned one of those in the past). So, I'm currently stuck in a holding pattern. Maybe the rumored Honda S2000 re-release will be the one? Does anybody have ideas/suggestions for other convertibles with a bit more space?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:31 pm

Wouldn't it be cheaper to rent one on the weekends that you want to beach it up?

infinitelurker · Post by **infinitelurker** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:48 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:Wouldn't it be cheaper to rent one on the weekends that you want to beach it up?

My wife had mentioned that too, more to see if we would actually like a convertible. However, after looking at options, if I only want convertibles, it seems pretty limited. We sometimes make last minute decisions to get away. So, the hassle-factor made me disregard that option - figuring out getting to the rental place, do we both have to drive out to the airport and back to pick up the car, during rush hour on a Friday, all before even getting on our way, etc. It would be quite a bit cheaper though, particularly if we don't get out that much. Also, aside from some specialty rental places (i.e. $$$), it seems that it's mainly the Mustang that is available, and in limited numbers.

I did play around with getting an older convertible, an older used Miata, maybe even an old MG or Triumph TR6. But, I'm a computer guy, and not a mechanic, and the reliability concerns moved me back towards buying new or 'newer'.

Apollo · Post by **Apollo** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:49 pm

infinitelurker wrote:I recently moved to Florida from a northern state, and one of the first ideas on my mind was that I would finally be able to get a 'fun car' that I could drive year around rather than only a few months each year.

The new MX-5 was the first car I looked at. Once the Mrs. and I took one for a test drive, we decided to hold off. This would primarily be a weekend car for us, to take to the beach and on other adventures. I don't think we'd be able to fit beach chairs, umbrella, small suitcase and a cooler in that trunk. She suggested something larger like a Mustang, but after pricing out a GT convertible, I'm not sure I want to pay that for a Mustang (I've owned one of those in the past). So, I'm currently stuck in a holding pattern. Maybe the rumored Honda S2000 re-release will be the one? Does anybody have ideas/suggestions for other convertibles with a bit more space?

Wait, you're looking for more space and are considering a Honda S2000? Hmmmm...

I haven't heard a word about a new S2000 other than internet rumors, but if one is on the way it'll be years before they hit the showroom. And it'll be too small for your stated needs, anyway.

The new Miata's have been getting rave reviews, but if that's too small, you should look at a 4cyl or 6cyl Mustang or Camaro. These cars have been vastly improved over the last 20 years, so if you haven't driven one lately, you should. The latest models have been well received, especially the new Camaro, which won Motor Trend's Car of the Year award.

infinitelurker · Post by **infinitelurker** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:53 pm

Apollo wrote:
Wait, you're looking for more space and are considering a Honda S2000? Hmmmm...

Yeah, I know... a pipe dream.

The Miata trunk might just barely be workable. So, if the mythical new S2000 had just a bit more space, I'd feel better. Plus, I always wanted one of them the first time around.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:23 pm

infinitelurker wrote:
Apollo wrote:
Wait, you're looking for more space and are considering a Honda S2000? Hmmmm...
Yeah, I know... a pipe dream. The Miata trunk might just barely be workable. So, if the mythical new S2000 had just a bit more space, I'd feel better. Plus, I always wanted one of them the first time around.

The Miata's trunk is a tight fit for sure, but I routinely fit a week's groceries (about 8 bags) in there, and we have taken many weekend trips in it. (It is also Curio City's official delivery van, a role that I do not recommend it for.) You just have to pack as if you were flying. When we drive out to western MA we take two soft-sided suitcases, two computer bags, and a very small soft-sided cooler (plus Wife's capacious purse in the passenger compartment), so one can certainly cram a 3-day weekend for two into that car. On our last trip we visited a brewery and a distillery, though, and in order to bring back as many "souvenirs" as I wanted I would have had to ship Wife home on a bus.

The Fiata's trunk is slightly bigger, and that's a real selling point for me since the Miata's trunk has been my standard for the past 12 years.

Apollo · Post by **Apollo** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:43 pm

Kraken wrote:..The Fiata's trunk is slightly bigger, and that's a real selling point for me since the Miata's trunk has been my standard for the past 12 years.

I've read several comparisons of the new Miata and the new Fiat Miata clone and the reviewers universally preferred the Miata over the Fiat, hands down. However, most of the Miata's advantages were in the realm of driving dynamics, so if you're just after looks and a slightly bigger trunk, you could still go with the Fiat 124. But, please, think carefully about what you're doing before you pass up an awesome Japanese sports car for a Fix-It-Again-Tony.

Here's a telling passage from the Fiat 124 road test in the September issue of Road & Track:

"All told, this is a great car made into a good one. If the Miata didn't exist and the 124 did, the staff of this magazine would be doing cartwheels. And that's the rub: The Miata does exist and the Fiat mostly serves to remind you how good that car is..."

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:52 pm

Apollo wrote:
Kraken wrote:..The Fiata's trunk is slightly bigger, and that's a real selling point for me since the Miata's trunk has been my standard for the past 12 years.
I've read several comparisons of the new Miata and the new Fiat Miata clone and the reviewers universally preferred the Miata over the Fiat, hands down. However, most of the Miata's advantages were in the realm of driving dynamics, so if you're just after looks and a slightly bigger trunk, you could still go with the Fiat 124. But, please, think carefully about what you're doing before you pass up an awesome Japanese sports car for a Fix-It-Again-Tony.

Check out Daehawk's video link above.

I like the Miata's look a lot better and I have a lot of experience driving a Miata, so that's a strong bias going in. The Fiat has some selling points as well -- bigger trunk being one of them -- but it's going to have to work hard to overthrow the Mazda in my affections. Ultimately it will come down to how they handle.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:35 am

infinitelurker wrote:I recently moved to Florida from a northern state, and one of the first ideas on my mind was that I would finally be able to get a 'fun car' that I could drive year around rather than only a few months each year.