What's The Perfect LA Car?

"pauljones" (pauljones) 10/07/2013 at 10:17 • Filed to: PerfectCar, Los Angeles

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Los Angeles is my home, and no matter where I am or what I'm doing, is always where a big portion of my heart will be. It can be a strikingly beautiful place, and also, at times, a strikingly ugly place. But that's what makes it so enchanting; it's anything and everything to anyone and everyone. No matter what you want, you can find it in or very, very Los Angeles.

Now, Los Angeles proper is actually not all that big per se, but when most people say "Los Angeles," they are frequently referring to the whole of the county and its suburbs; and that's a big, big area. With so many different places, so many different environments, and so many different personalities, tell me... what do you think is the best car for driving around in Los Angeles?

Simon Cowell, apparently, thought the answer was a Caterham Seven. I'm not sure I agree with that. As fun as it may be to drive, there's just something about it that doesn't quite fit.

What are your thoughts? What would you drive around LA, and why do you think it would be the perfect choice?

Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:18

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A teleporter. Because to hell with driving in LA.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:20

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It's noisy, it's extrovert, it's characterful, and it will make you Public Enemy No.1. What's not to love?

PelicanHazard > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:21

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Having never driven in LA or its surrounding areas, my blind guess is a Ford Fiesta.

Properly small and gas-frugal for tight city spaces, yet fun to drive when the roads open up and climb some topography.

dinobot666 > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:23

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You'll be stuck in gridlock 97% of the time, so get something with comfortable seats. I'd actually suggest a Prius, because you'll never really get a chance to move quickly, but I think the seats in the Prius are kind of lumpy.

pauljones > Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise 10/07/2013 at 10:24

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Driving in LA is a breeze. It's laid out with some degree of of logic, with the one exception of most of its major freeways all intersecting right in the heart of downtown, but even then, it's easy to figure out where you are and where you're going. Traffic can get heavy, but that's no different than any other major city, it's not nearly as bad as DC, Boston, or NYC.

And as much as people like to hate on LA drivers, at the very least, they are consistent. Give it a week or so, and you'll start to see and understand the patterns. You'll realize that people are going to do certain things in certain places at all times, and you learn to account for it pretty quickly. DC, Boston, and NYC, on the other hand, are a perpetual shitshow. Nobody knows what they are doing or when they are going to do it. Ever.

pauljones > dinobot666 10/07/2013 at 10:26

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I used to drive through the heart of Downtown LA and back everyday for 7 years in rush hour. with the exception of where the 101 and the 110 meet, the gridlock really wasn't anywhere near as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

dinobot666 > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:28

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I was commuting from Riverside to LA and experienced the percentage of gridlock that I posted originally.

pauljones > Goshen, formerly Darkcode 10/07/2013 at 10:29

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Actually, Los Angeles is probably the biggest center of automotive culture outside of maybe Detroit back in the day. People would love this thing.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:29

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Except for politicians.

pauljones > dinobot666 10/07/2013 at 10:30

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Different experiences, I guess. I went from Harbor City to Pasadena, and never encountered anything close to the level of gridlock you're describing unless there was a severe accident.

pauljones > Goshen, formerly Darkcode 10/07/2013 at 10:32

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We don't really have politicians. We only have assholes and idiots.

Burrito de EJ25 > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:32

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On top of that we have some fantastic roads to take advantage of. The 2 in the Angeles National Forest and Mullholland Drive come to mind.

pauljones > PelicanHazard 10/07/2013 at 10:33

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Not a bad choice at all. They tend to be quite popular, too, as they are stylish little things and there's certainly a trend of small cars coming into vogue.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:35

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Ah, should've known.

Burrito de EJ25 > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:39

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It's a difficult question to answer, because as you said, Los Angeles can vary culturally depending on where you're at. A '64 Impala on Daytons? That covers East L.A.. Also, I want a lowrider revival. Make it so.

A Tesla Model S for the Hollywood/downtown area? Actually, the Model S is perhaps the best overall L.A. car.

Burrito de EJ25 > dinobot666 10/07/2013 at 10:43

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Driving to Riverside (91 freeway?) is where you'll get the worst traffic. There isn't any work in those areas, and so they all commute down to the city on like I think the 2 available freeways.

pauljones > Burrito de EJ25 10/07/2013 at 10:44

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Yeah, we really do need to see a return of low riders. Granted, that might be easier if LA actually had decently maintained roads everywhere, but that's asking a bit much. I like the Model S a lot, but I'm just genuinely thinking that Tesla needs to make a convertible of it. The Tesla Roadster was a convertible, yes, but it was never a strikingly attractive or, at the time, even a stylish car. With the Model S, they've changed that. Now they just have to let it go topless.

Burrito de EJ25 > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 10:55

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It's difficult to maintain these roads. They're used so heavily and wear out quicker as a result.

People in L.A. love to complain about them, but hate it even more when that maintenance slows up traffic.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 11:00

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I would lean towards the Marauder. But then living in rural America my view of cities is a bit... skewed.

Casper > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 11:01

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The perfect LA car? Anything that can get someone the hell out of LA.

pauljones > Burrito de EJ25 10/07/2013 at 11:09

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As I've mention elsewhere, I'm from LA, born and raised. I also commuted the entire length of the 110 Freeway day in and day out for seven years. I know how hard it can be in some areas, but that's never stopped them from shutting down or slowing traffic for notably less important reasons, like building an overpass to nowhere on the 110 or the construction of bridges for a perpetually delayed light rail system.

pauljones > Casper 10/07/2013 at 11:09

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If there is a car that can get you yourself out of our city, then yes, we'd absolutely love it.

DailyTurismo > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 11:27

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Are you rich? Audi RS6 Avant.First and foremost LA is about image, style not substance. The RS6 is a gorgeous car, but perhaps not as track-ready or Nürburgring fast as an M3 or as drag-strip fast as an E63 AMG, but it is much prettier (a requirement in Armani and armpit obsessed LA).

Second, it is a wagon, perfect for family. Lets face it and main reason most of us are still living in LA is because family. We aren't here because our jobs are the best ever or we love commuting on grid-locked freeways, its because we've got this complex web of interdependent brothers, sisters, moms, dads, cousins and friends who we just can't leave. What better way to haul a large group of them around a 5mph than in a stylish monster wagon. Beauty and the Beast in one package.

Are you poor? No problem, just least an A3, its 75% of the style & speed at 1/3 the cost and even baristas at Starbucks lease luxury cars in the city of Angels. Strange place...

Vee Ate Injun > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 11:36

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without putting too much thought into it, i'm just going to throw this one out:

it's fun. it's quick. it's probably somewhat economical on fuel when you want it to be. it's sorta practical with that rear hatch space. it's different enough without standing out but gets the attention of enthusiasts.

and, if you're a car enthusiast living in Los Angeles like me you can easily find the scenic way home for some windy road fun. you're never really far from good driving roads.

we'll just let those outsiders who believe in the "LA traffic" stigma stay the hell out - we have more than enough people here...

pauljones > DailyTurismo 10/07/2013 at 11:44

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I like the car you've chosen, but you're certainly not a native of Los Angeles. There is a great deal of substance to Los Angeles, and no more emphasis on image than you'll find in other cities like NYC or DC.

The problem is the way in which LA is very frequently portrayed; people like you see something on television or in a movie, and think that's what Los Angeles is. The truth is, it's very different. For instance, just about any Los Angeles native will avoid Hollywood. It's a shithole. And yet, everyone seems to think that Hollywood is this glamorous place where you can see beautiful in Armani suits and Jimmy Choo dresses. And that's all anyone things. It's something of a tourist mentality; you see what you see because you don't have the time or desire to dig any deeper, and then assume that's the reality.

But the reality is that Los Angeles is a beautiful city not because of any "beautiful people" obsessed with image and style, but because of the versatility and variety that the city offers. Sure, there's a fashionista set and a part of town known for image and style. But there's also parts of LA known for their incredible nature preserves, incredible beaches, stellar driving roads, historic significance, unique crafts and trades, and ever-changing art.

Just like there is a lot more to DC than a few monuments, and lot more to NYC than bright lights and Broadway, there's a lot more to LA than a small section of fashionistas. Before you knock it, make the effort to get to know it beyond the little that you seem to have seen. Los Angeles is not a perfect place, but is a beautiful place for all of its depth, variety, and even its quirks.

It's sad that you don't seem to be able to look past your preconceived schemas.

pauljones > Vee Ate Injun 10/07/2013 at 11:45

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Amen. And I sure as shit like the choice. It's a little out of the mainstream, but it's a perfect match.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 11:49

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Citroen SM. If you're going to be stuck in gridlock, you can at least be stuck in gridlock in the most stylish car of all time .

boxrocket > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 11:53

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Need comfort and don't care if it gets beat up a bit, and want to carve some of the local canyons? Lightly modified RWD Volvo (great seats for gridlock).

Tired of paying for gas? Plug-in Focus, Fusion, or C-Max.

Don't care about comfort or paying for gas? Miata..

ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 12:00

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Dunno dont live there. A caged small hatchback with a 1.6 and a manual. 5 speed because youll hate yourself with all the time in the world to sit in traffic and think about things. 1.6 for the gas mileage and itll probably have low gearing for jumping into open spots at low speeds.

/dcdriverwithanauto

Milky > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 12:10

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I'll let you know in 2 months. That question is actually my project for this semester at school.

pauljones > Milky 10/07/2013 at 12:12

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That actually looks like a lot of fun and a very interesting concept. Progress in terms of adapting the way we think about transportation is often very, very slow, but it does happen, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Keep us posted on this project.

Milky > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 12:16

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Thank your sir, and my plan was to tell Oppo all about it when I actually have some renderings around mid term.

Jayhawk Jake > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 12:27

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Miata. With an automatic

NaturallyAspirated > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 12:47

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I'm about an hour north of you, and after trying various cars, I'm pretty happy with my stick-shift '98 Subaru Outback. The size, economy, and practicality are quite good, and it's pretty fun to drive as well. My older Jeep XJ fell into a similar category, although it was significantly more thirsty.

Miata for once is not the answer. It's small enough that it doesn't stand out, and as you are no doubt aware, side mirrors are used about as often as turn signals around here, so I was constantly dodging SUVs until I ultimately got rear-ended at a light by a Suburban.

I'd love a plug-in electric, although I drive to Sun Valley three times per week which means I'd come uncomfortably close to running out of juice on the way back.

911e46z06 > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 13:03

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One with a front plate. I've been driving around CA sans front plate for the last 5 years with no problems. 3 hours in LA, two damn tickets.

Tom McParland > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 13:15

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If I had the monies and lived in LA I'd pick a Jag F-Type. It's got a drop-top if the weather is good and I can find a nice back-road. It is comfortable enough in traffic but fun enough for spirited runs. Finally it looks damn good, if you are going to cruise in LA you might as well cruise with style.

horspowr1001 > pauljones 10/07/2013 at 13:26

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I've been out this way for over a week now for work in Lancaster, but have driven a few times into the city to meet up with friends & family. Got my rental upgraded to a Camaro SS convertible and have been loving every bit of it.

Vee Ate Injun > pauljones 10/08/2013 at 02:11

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yes, hopefully Tesla will build this:

and this:

and even this: