How do YOU find a car that keeps you Happy?

"Long Live the Longdoor" (victoryred08) 08/28/2013 at 18:09 • Filed to: Happiness is, What Should I Buy

0

65

So Oppo, how do you find a car that keeps you happy in the long run? There is no doubt that there are bunch of fun cars out there, but how do you keep yourself happy? Do you have a car that has kept you happy for a while?

Let me explain, many of us use our cars for daily driving, some of us drive economy cars, some of us drive sports cars, luxury cars, comfy cars... you get the point. Many of use will normally keep said car for at least, lets say, 4 years. So how do you get yourself a car that continues to make you happy, 4+ years down the road?

Now, the obvious answer might just be, "Buy a sports car, DBWine". But I think happiness extends beyond just having a car that's enjoyable to drive. What! I'm crazy? Hear me out.

I think happiness means finding a balance that works for you, for the long run. Buying a sports car will keep me happy for a while, until paying for it (gas, insurance, payments etc.) starts to make me unhappy, until I eventually need to get rid of it. Likewise, buying an economy car (such as what I've done currently) makes me happy because it's good on gas, has plenty of rooms for things, but has become a little annoying (see snoredom) to drive and makes me want to get rid of the car. So, wants your balance? I've yet to find mine.

Joe_Limon > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 18:18

2

Vehicles are like women... all relationships start with an initial attraction, but that initial attraction wanes after time until... you trade in, or are attached enough to the vehicle to keep it.

Also like women, upkeep costs can make or break a relationship depending on your personal finances and the maintenance required for upkeep.

I suggest you look for a vehicle you find physically attractive, and can afford the short and long term costs of said vehicle. Then once in your possession, make as many memories as you can with said vehicle, as she will only be young once.

dogisbadob > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 18:18

1

Buy a car that doesn't give you problems. Toyota is awesome, and Lexus has all the Toyota quality but with some added luxury and prestige. I had an ES250 for four years, and I've had my current ES300 for 2.5 years.

Milky > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 18:18

0

Buy a sports car, DBWine!!

Then drive it regularly. I mean actually drive it.

I've never have owned a car that long, hell I've only been driving for 8 years. But I go on drives, down nice curvy roads at least once a week and it keeps me happy.

Mikeado > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 18:19

0

Well, go with your heart and test drive as many possibilities as possible.

Anon > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 18:19

0

Also just because a car drives amazingly doesn't mean you'll love it. My Mini is an amazing handling car! But! It has extremely heavy steering, rough suspension, an uncomfortable driving position, and is generally a horrible daily driver.

Now I bought that car back when I used to drive at triple digit speeds on the interstate so I loved the stiff suspension then. However after loosing one of my best friends in a crash it was a wake up call and I chilled out. Now I drive at normal speeds in a car meant to go faster. I've really gotten to where I dislike that car now. Now I just want a w123 mercedes.

What I'm trying to say is that we as people change and as we change so does our taste in cars. So it's kind of hard to say what will make you love a car for more than 4 years.

OtherBarry > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 18:23

1

My solution is to have more than one. If that is not an option i need air conditioning, a manual transmission, headroom enough that i fit with a helmet on, and over 25 mpg highway. I sweat, am tall and have a long commute. Any car that fits the criteria will be considered. Right not its a 1998 honda civic ex, but i was looking at celicas, other hondas, madzas, a starion, and a few others before i bought this one. My alternative car is a 1980 malibu for racing and a 1973 scout II because international. Looking to unload a 1984 300zx turbo because it doesn't meet the helmet criteria.

PlayerWAN > Anon 08/28/2013 at 18:23

0

And that is exactly also the Miata's horrible downfall. It's a very bad daily driver. I DD mine and guess what? It's currently for sale. You're right, the handling is amazing and the steering is ultra responsive and immediate, but when you're done having fun, it doesn't compose itself enough to be a comfortable cruiser.

Joe_Limon > dogisbadob 08/28/2013 at 18:29

0

I'm sorry... but if cars were women, your two suggestions would be the following women.

Toyota: Homely, poor, keeps a clean house, loyal, won't spend a cent without your permission.

Lexus: Fairly attractive if not a bit boring, keeps a clean house, a little OCD, earns her share of the rent/bills, but expects you match regardless of your financial situation.

RidgeFish > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 18:29

1

Ignorance is bliss. I drove a 1992 Honda Prelude S for 8 years and loved that car. Then I realized I had a good job and plenty of money so I started test driving potential replacement cars. Though most cars I drove made me appreciate the nimbleness and slick shifting on the Prelude there was no denying 20 years of advances in car technology. So in short, if you want to be happy with your cars in 4+ years then don't drive anything better than your car and you won't be tempted.

On a more serious note, for a car to be kept that long it has to meet my needs as far as initial cost, performance, reliability, fuel economy, mod potential, cargo space, and that unquantifiable "fun factor". If a car doesn't make me excited to drive it I just won't buy it and if it doesn't meet my needs I won't keep it. I settled on a hot hatch as a car that met my criteria.

Milky > PlayerWAN 08/28/2013 at 18:32

0

Long Live the Longdoor > Anon 08/28/2013 at 18:54

0

That's a good point. When I bought my car almost three years ago, my knowledge and taste in cars was quite different, as I expect it will change in another 3 years. I wonder if there is any way to be happy with a car that will withstand changing tastes?

BarryDanger > OtherBarry 08/28/2013 at 18:59

0

No t-tops on the z31 I assume :)

Long Live the Longdoor > dogisbadob 08/28/2013 at 18:59

1

That certainly makes some sense, there's nothing, I imagine, that'll make you want to get rid of your car more than ongoing mechanical problems. I imagine that is how Mercedes ownership goes.

Long Live the Longdoor > Joe_Limon 08/28/2013 at 19:05

0

Can I get a breakdown of brands comparing them to potential mates? I see a new oppo series!

Tom McParland > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:12

0

My Legacy GT wagon would have kept me happy for a long time if the clutch didn't burn out twice in 25k miles. So I traded it for my Mazda 3, which is a nice car it is "fun" enough for my commute. But this would make me very happy for a long time, but I don't have the monies :(

Long Live the Longdoor > Joe_Limon 08/28/2013 at 19:14

0

Well said sir! That makes a lot of sense! Something affordable (for the long haul), attractive (to you at least).

Particularly important, the memories. Make some memories and be happy (drive it, go places!). Memories, that might arguably make me keep my car longer :)

Decay buys too many beaters > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:14

0

A car? I'll tell you when/if I ever find one , but I'm quite happy owning a 97 Jetta (beater DD) and a '13 FR-S (Weekend canyon-carver / tracktoy). The only real downside is a slightly higher insurance, but the premiums are not very high on the FR-S and almost non existent on the Jetta. I can see myself being quite happy for a long time with this combination.

Long Live the Longdoor > Milky 08/28/2013 at 19:19

0

Lol saw that one coming :P

That makes some sense too. If you're going to drive the sports car, take it down that curvy road, often. Hell, I already do that in my nonsports car (the backroad to work takes longer, but is so much better), perhaps I'm a shoe in for dd'ing a sports car?

Forgetful > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:20

2

I bought a sports car that's good on gas and not all that expensive to insure!

Haven't had it for long, but I've been very happy the whole time.

Long Live the Longdoor > Mikeado 08/28/2013 at 19:21

0

That's kind of my problem, I only test drove like 3 things, but had a limited budget. My next car purchase will be less limited and will involve much more test driving!

Long Live the Longdoor > OtherBarry 08/28/2013 at 19:24

0

I might be able to swing 2, I have the driveway space lol.

It's interesting how many parameters we have when trying to fit all of our wants/needs into one car. Don't meet those wants and you'll be unhappy :(

Long Live the Longdoor > Forgetful 08/28/2013 at 19:26

0

Though I'm not looking to replace my car for a few years, the Toyobaru twins will likely be high on my list.

Joe_Limon > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:27

0

The analogy extrapolates to the wealthy as well. They can afford high maintenance beautiful Ferrari's/women, so for them, a Ferrari style car/woman might be their perfect car/mate.

Long Live the Longdoor > Decay buys too many beaters 08/28/2013 at 19:28

0

Doubling up seems to be a popular balance, might be worth looking in to :)

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:28

0

There are well balanced cars out there in every price range, you just have to manage your expectations a bit. You're not going to have everything (unless you pay for it) but there are some that can be what you need when you need it:

<20k: Honda Fit/ Chevy Sonic
20-30k: Civic Si / GTI
30-40k: Golf R / S60
40-50k: TL / S4
50+: Two cars or different occasions or needs.

The bottom line is that unless you can afford to have it all, you can't have it all. Just find something that fits your life that you can still find enjoyment in.

Bonhomme7h > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:30

0

What makes me happy?
#1 , Practicality, I hate when I have to say to myself "I can't drive there/carry this with my car".
#2 , Good driving dynamics are very important as well so I can't choose a car uniquely on #1

#3 , Good look. I usually park and sit next to the front windows at a restaurant so I can stare at my car. Strange habit, I admit ;)
#4 , Easy maintenance. I don't care if my car break once in a while but it is primordial that I enjoy working on it. A man can enjoy only so many light cuts in a evening.

The perfect car will always be a compromise. Don't worry about having a car that is good at everything, we can't all drive Golf Countrys.

PlayerWAN > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:31

0

I honestly can't say. I've personally never owned a car for more than a year at a time. I've been driving for about 11 years (I'm 23) and already gone through 12 vehicles, half of which weren't mine (borrowed mom or dad's current car at the time to go places.) which are:

Dad's '91 Dodge Dakota : the business' delivery truck, I was the deliveryman at my dad's business for a while. Sold it when we closed down said business.

Mom's '97 Ford Expedition : Mom's personal SUV, didn't drive that one more than a few months, but just about enough to hate it.

Dad's '92 Grand Marquis : Dad's personal car, passed it down to me as a school car when we moved to Kansas, I had it until a valve seat failed and lunched the engine (amazing car! especially the backseat.. if you know what I mean).

Dad's '97 Sentra : Dad's new personal car after moving to Kansas. I drove it for a few months when it was our only car. My brother borrowed it and he got T-boned by a drunk driver (no serious injuries thankfully).

Mom's '00 Geo Prizm : Mom's new personal car after moving, bought it because we needed a second car. Ended up selling it to said brother after he crashed the first one. I drove it for a couple months.

Mom's '01 Jetta 1.8T : Bought it to replace the sentra and the geo. It ended up being my daily driver until the timing belt broke and lunched the head. (we bought it not knowing when the last belt change had been, found out the hard way) Dad and I fixed it up and it's now my mom's current DD. I don't drive it anymore.

My '91 Mazda Protege : My very first car (that was fully mine and bought with my own money). Bought it when I moved to Mexico, drove it about 8 months until it flooded (survived) and I decided to cut my losses and sell it.

My '99 Grand Marquis : Bought it after I moved back from Mexico, drove it for a while, then sold it to my dad when I wanted something faster and less barge-y.

My red '91 Miata : Bought it because racecar. Also Jalopnik talked me into it, amazing car, until the summer when I felt the downside of not having A/C. Sold it to buy...

My '06 Focus : Base model with a stick and crank windows. Bought it with daily drive duty in mind. Perfect at that, but very boring otherwise, especially compared to the Miata. I needed to jump into a Miata again, so I sold it and got...

My ( other ) brg '91 Miata : bought it because I knew the feeling and I missed it. Then I started remembering why I had sold the first one (crappy DD, very loud, uncomfortable on long trips). Traded it for...

My '95 Nissan Pickup Truck : (pictured here ). Single cab, stick, 4x4. Perfect for the winter, in mint condition. After the winter I realized it was pretty slow, and it definitely had more resale value at the condition it was (absolutely flawless). Ended up selling it for a profit (about $1500 on top of what I paid for it). Then bought (you guessed it)...

My '99 Miata : My current DD, it's in every way better than the two '91s I've had, but no better a daily than either of them. I'm getting real tired of all the cabin and wind and drivetrain harshness and noise. Currently for sale...

Out of all of the above, I'd say the '99 Miata is the best one as far as fun is concerned, but the '06 Focus is the best DD. I also really miss the truck, since it was really really nice (and really fun in the snow! ). Oh well, I'm currently looking into buying a Subaru (exactly like pictured up top). I feel that it's the best compromise (fun and good in the snow and dirt, not so harsh while cruising, not boring to drive), but I guess we'll see how that goes. I personally don't plan on owning a vehicle for that long, at least not until I find the one.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Long Live the Longdoor > Tom McParland 08/28/2013 at 19:32

0

I was looking at the 3 when I bought my Cruze, I should have bought the 3, I liked it and would have probably had less issues with it.

I've been around oppo long enough to know of your avantobsession, Automatch ;) You and me both bud, I loves me a good wagon.

Decay buys too many beaters > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:36

0

It also allows the freedom to drive both cars a little bit harder because you always have a back up available. For example, I never knew exactly where the rev limiter on my Jetta was until I got the Scion. :)

PlayerWAN > Milky 08/28/2013 at 19:36

0

Trust me, I've had my fair share of Miatas, let alone cars.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Long Live the Longdoor > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 08/28/2013 at 19:36

0

Good call.

I'd go:

Fit, Civic Si, S60 and S4 (or perhaps a previous gen TL SH/AWD)

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 19:43

0

Good choices. And there's no losers there.

Milky > PlayerWAN 08/28/2013 at 19:53

0

I mean this in the best way possible, but after a list like that ... I don't think its the Miata's fault. You certainly have diversity down but I think driving all of those family sedans has spoiled your brain into thinking you can have a Miata/sports car be as nice of a DD.

Milky > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 20:02

0

Good to hear! I'm not sure if my last 2 cars really count as full on "sports cars". But I love going on drives rather its for 10 minutes or an hour. Not to mention whenever I drive across the state I go for as long as possible on the slower lake shore dr. (Michigan).

As those "perfect drives" mean when I can't goto Ikea in my car or when I'm backing up and the rear visibility is killing anything I'm trying to do. It doesn't matter because I was all ready extremely happy just a day or so in the same vehicle.

#DoIt

PlayerWAN > Milky 08/28/2013 at 21:01

0

That's why (in my other post) I said ''the best compromise ''. Also, if you read my comparo-review , you'll notice that I've also driven a variety of newer cars, and lemme tell you, the '13 Miata is an excellent DD, as well as a very fun car. But IMO the best compromise between fun and DD comfort is an E36 M3, but it loses on the reliability scale, and also on the snow and dirt front. That's where the GC Impreza comes in.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

And I'm certainly not bashing on the Miata, just saying that it's the absolute best fun you can have, until it isn't. It's like a budget version of James May's Aston Martin racecar in that one road trip where they go to the stelvio pass. What I'm saying is: The Miata is an absolute darling, in the right roads. But sadly, Kansas isn't blessed with those roads.

Long Live the Longdoor > Bonhomme7h 08/28/2013 at 21:17

0

I do number 3 as well, with my Cruze (I can't even think what would happen if I got something slightly more lustworthy, I'd probably keep a picture of it in my wallet).

I guess it's just a matter of finding the right compromise for yourself at the end of the day and knowing in which area you can compromise the most in.

Long Live the Longdoor > Decay buys too many beaters 08/28/2013 at 21:22

0

Good point. I'd probably have to worry about the ungodly (or awesome) modifications I'd make to my weekend car like the FR-S. I wonder if I could convince my wife that a supercharger is a good purchase, I mean, if the car blows up we have a backup right? lol

Milky > PlayerWAN 08/28/2013 at 21:33

0

Ha well put, I have previously thought Michigan is pretty horrible for curvy roads. But in Kansas it must be terrible hard to find any.

Also I have a couple friends in NB Miatas that they love.

Last point .... IMO anything RWD is perfect for snow or dirt.

Long Live the Longdoor > Milky 08/28/2013 at 21:33

0

Ya, I see myself just saying to hell with it and buying a sports car. I mean I could buy something more practical like a hot hatch, but there is just something about a nice coupe/convertible on a bright sunny day that is just plain awesome (plus not having a B pillar over your shoulder is nice). I really don't need the space, I'd drive around 95.5% of the time not using it.

Milky > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 21:56

0

Your all ready making justifications .... well done. I hope I'm here to see the update on Oppo about the new coupe some day.

Long Live the Longdoor > PlayerWAN 08/28/2013 at 22:05

0

Haha, that's awesome, I've never seen a snowman in the bed of a pickup before (and I'm Canadian!).

I have a bit of a crush on the Miata at the moment (we can thank Jalopnik for that). I've never driven one, but I've sat in one several times when I've made my yearly trip to the autoshow. Also, I don't know all the ins and outs of driving stick yet (lack of hands on experience), but I feel like if I were to buy the Miata, I'd want to buy it in stick (or fear my Jalop card be revoked).

My car history is a little different, I seem to hold onto cars for a while (when I buy them):

I learnt to drive in my mom's GMC Vandura (aptly named the shaggin wagon due to the accent lighting and rear bench that folded into a queen sized bed). It was awesome though, RWD, V8, Loud as hell. It also had captain's chairs for the front and middle seats which turned completely backwards, making it the perfect drive-in vehicle. I wish she still had it when I was car shopping, I would have bought it. We sold it to a racecar driver looking for the engine.

I then drove my dad's a Chevy Lumina APV, which seemingly had the biggest windsheild ever.

Then I drove my mom's 2000ish Lincoln Towncar for a while while working in college. It seems my mom has a thing for RWD V8's. The thing had air-ride suspension (which made changing tires hilarious), it was like driving a couch. I don't think I've ever driven anything so comfortable.

Then comes my first car a '96 Nissan Altima. I had a peppy 2.4L with 150hp (when new). The bucket seats on this thing we superb and the AC worked great. Despite the fact that it ate alternators, it was a great car. I got rid of it, after 4 years, when I moved out and couldn't afford a second car. I sold it to my father-in-law, who in turn sold it to one of his brothers who is still driving it today (500K + kms)

Then I have my current car, a '11 Chevrolet Cruze, coming up on 3 years of ownership. Seats are not the best, the powertrain is not my favourite of the bunch (the delay in throttle response on the turbo engine drives me bonkers, I'm still too used to a NA engine), though it has a more enjoyable amount of power after I had it tuned (approximately 165 hp & lb/ft of torq. at the wheels). The gas mileage certainly trumps everything on the list too.

PlayerWAN > Milky 08/28/2013 at 22:08

0

The Miata is so much fun in little dirt backroads, but there's not enough of them with curves here in KS. And we get quite a bit of snow, so for a few days (the days when most fun can be had) anything without at least mild AWD gets stuck (fwd or rwd). This is run of the mill snow for the winter season here:

Which again, the GC would be a great compromise all year round. Although perhaps the other solution would be to keep the Miata and just move out of this shithole of a state... Haha, I have considered it more than once.

Long Live the Longdoor > Milky 08/28/2013 at 22:09

0

Well I won't disappoint, I promise. I'll tell my wife I need to buy the coupe for Milky (I expect a puzzled look). It's a few years off though, my wife is next on the car buying roster and she wants a CUV, which I'm perfectly happy with as it affords me the convenience of buying a smaller car ;)

Long Live the Longdoor > Forgetful 08/28/2013 at 22:17

0

That reminds me, I had a question about the FR-S/BRZ. Any idea if you can get at the spark plugs yourself? I remember reading somewhere that you basically need to lift the engine in order to change them. Any idea?

Forgetful > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 22:19

0

I... uh... no idea. I'll look in to it though.

Long Live the Longdoor > RidgeFish 08/28/2013 at 22:21

0

I've made the mistake of driving other things already. Silly me. It probably doesn't help that I look (obsess) at cars every day... it's going to be a long wait.

What hot hatch did you end up buying?

PlayerWAN > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 22:21

0

I actually drove with the snowman in the back for a few days (I thought it'd melt sooner than that, but it didn't. Had to kick it out eventually). If you ever get a Miata, lemme tell you, they're some of the most awesome cars to wrench on. They're absolutely straightforward and simple. But you'll definitely want to stay away from the automatics. They're absolute dogs and they're much slower than the sticks. Plus the stick Miata is one of the easiest vehicles to learn on. Clutch is very forgiving and gears are really intuitive and have great feedback. If you're getting the Miata as a second car, you won't regret it.

Long Live the Longdoor > Forgetful 08/28/2013 at 22:23

0

Thanks, I don't think it'd deter me from buying the car (as it needs to be done so infrequently), but I was just curious as it is one of the maintenance things I do myself. I wonder how much someone would charge to do that.

Milky > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 22:24

0

I'm okay with everything you just said.

#GoodThingsAhead

Decay buys too many beaters > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 22:25

0

No major mods (besides intake/catback/brakes) on mine yet, but I'm getting a bonus at work this month so I'll definitely be making a few purchases (probably full exhaust/light wheels) :)

Giles007 > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 22:37

0

Hot Hatch.

The best of both worlds. Cheap, reliable, and lots of cargo space while being fun and fast with good handling. I chose the Focus ST. It's not a compromise, it's practical.

Long Live the Longdoor > PlayerWAN 08/28/2013 at 22:39

0

Cool good to know. I always like to hear owner stories before buying a car. There's only so many car articles you can read before you start to glaze over a little. I have a feeling that I might be looking at the Miata as my only car (as my wife is getting a CUV) and I don't really need to carry anything other than my lunch back and forth to work.

Also, by the time I'm looking to buy in a few years, I'll probably be looking at a used NC, so hopefully the ride quality/NVH isn't too bad (not that I'm super picky), heck, I normally drive around with all my windows down anyways.

I'm curious to see how the next gen Miata ends up (the ND miata?). If they stick with the naturally aspirated engine and apply all of their skyactiv bits to it, I may look more seriously into that (assuming they don't cock up the design). If they go with a small engine and a turbo setup, I'll probably be turned off by it. I'll test drive it, but I think I'm going back to my naturally aspirated roots.

PlayerWAN > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 22:50

0

The NC is a much welcome improvement. As I mentioned here , the newer Miatas are excellent daily drivers, especially with the power retractable hardtop. You can easily get a used NC for about $15-17k in good shape.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

As for the ND, the more prominent (and believable) rumors indicate a possibility of a skyactiv-G 2.0 tuned to around 200hp, with a weight reduction of around 200lbs from the current model. There's some crazy speculation going around there though, so take everything with as much salt as you can. Oh, and speaking of miata.net I have a little build thread of my current NB that you might find interesting. The best part about that website is the amount of pooled knowledge. Pretty much anything you could imagine doing to a Miata has already been tried at least once by somebody else.

Long Live the Longdoor > Giles007 08/28/2013 at 22:51

0

Good call. But do you know what I want? A naturally aspirated hot hatch! Like this, assuming the rumours of a high revving 2.0L are true:

Perhaps I'm just a little put off by the power delivery of my Cruze's turbo setup, but I like the linear power curve of a good NA engine. Also, the long term reliability on most turbo cars seems to be shorty (as I drive a turbo car).

Sidenote: I had a thought the other day, two of the arguably most reliable brands currently in North America, Toyota & Honda, don't have any turbo cars, perhaps a coincidence?

Giles007 > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 23:02

0

I would love to see a high revving, naturally aspirated MS3 from Mazda but I will believe it when I see it.
I can tell you there is very little turbo lag on the ST, it's a baby turbo, but it's still there. Loads of torque down low though.
I'm actually excited about the new MS3; I love the design. I kinda laughed at the render of the na Mazda with a hoodscoop though.

Long Live the Longdoor > PlayerWAN 08/28/2013 at 23:07

0

I remember reading your article back when you posted it, a good read :) Here in Canada, i'll likely end up paying a bit more for a NC Miata (they are stupid expensive up here, as they are $29k for a brand new one with no options, not even AC). But I've got plenty of time to save my pennies.

I hope for the Skyactiv-G setup, but we'll see. I saw rumours of a diesel setup as well (which seem to pop up for every car nowadays). Got to love the plethora of knowledge that are auto forums, which is another advantage to buying something that has been on the market for a while, someone on an auto forum has already managed to blow it up. The last time I visited my friendly neighbourhood Cruze forum, someone was swapping a 2.0L Turbo from a Cobalt SS (or was it a Verano Turbo) into a Cruze.

Nice build thread BTW (I just read through the whole thing lol)! If you haven't already, you could plasti-dip the red roof black (something else the Cruze forum introduced me to, just dip everything!).

Long Live the Longdoor > Giles007 08/28/2013 at 23:15

0

Ya I'm hopeful, but I'm not going to hold my breath. I'd imagine the extra displacement from a 1.4L to a 2.0L would certainly help the turbo lag as well lol. Did you get the recaros? Are they as good as everyone says they are?

I dig the render of the 3 with the hood scoop (but I'm a hopeless hood scope fan).

PlayerWAN > Long Live the Longdoor 08/28/2013 at 23:25

0

I actually sold the hardtop not too long ago (for $200 extra what I paid for it haha). I found out that it doesn't really make much of a difference at speed, with all the wind noise and structural rigidity. Couldn't really justify the price of the top over what I had already paid for the car.

And that's another reason why I want to get myself an older Impreza. Amazing reliability (back in the 2.2 days) and everything that's ever imagined has already been tried or done to it. I want to keep it N/A though (and definitely SOHC), for ease of maintenace purposes.

Giles007 > Long Live the Longdoor 08/29/2013 at 00:30

0

Yeah, all of the STs in Canada come with Recaros (and HIDs). Everyone says "wow" when they see them. Some people find them uncomfortable but I love them. The car has been having some issues lately so I've been "looking" for other options when I get frustrated with it. The new Mazdaspeed3 or the new WRX would be likely options if I decided to trade (but they might also have bugs that most new models suffer). I would also be all over a new Mazdaspeed6. If it came in an AWD wagon, I would seriously consider trading in the ST.

RidgeFish > Long Live the Longdoor 08/29/2013 at 01:00

0

I chose a Mazdaspeed 3. But like others have said, any car is a compromise and after a year and a half I missed sitting so low to the ground and couldn't shake the memory of the RWD cars I had driven so I ended up picking up a Solstice GXP as a second car to scratch that itch. If you have to choose between practical factors or emotional factors I would err on the side of getting a car that speaks to your emotions. If you need a more practical car for a few weekend trips during the year just go rent it. Life is too short to not own a car that you love to drive.

Long Live the Longdoor > RidgeFish 08/29/2013 at 07:22

0

Good call on all accounts. Life is most definitely too short not to have the car you want :)

OtherBarry > BarryDanger 08/29/2013 at 08:00

0

It does have t-tops, but i want to get into track days and it makes me a little uncomfortable with the top of my head in the wind. :) Works fine for auto x, but...

MPA > Long Live the Longdoor 09/01/2013 at 16:02

0

I tend to get bored with cars, I've had Fox body Mustangs, a 2nd and 3rd gen F-body, 3 Miatas, a WRX, a GTi, a Solstice and a Fiero among my normal cars. After a year or so, I always want to try something else.

The last Miata I owned was an '03, but it had the luck of sharing the driveway with a '09 WRX. I was always driving the WRX, so the Miata went away. I got rid of the WRX because I was sure I was going to break something. I replaced it with a new Honda Fit, which I really enjoy in the curves, but I'm really tired of living with only 117hp.

The 2 cars I would like to own right now are a BRZ Limited, or a 11+ Mustang GT. I know I would enjoy either one, but in 2 years I'll want to move on to something else. I finally sat in a BRZ a few weeks ago and it felt like home in the cockpit - the seats fit me perfectly and if it was white or blue I'd have had a hard time not buying it. The Mustang GT tugs at my heart as well since it's been a while since I've had a fast car, especially now that you can but a brand new '14 GT for around $27k.

I would love to find one car that I loved so much I could keep forever. I thought the WRX was it - it was phenomenal in bad weather, but I was scared I would blow up the engine.

dmtactical > Long Live the Longdoor 09/01/2013 at 17:23

0

Sell it.

I sold my 86 Nissan 4x4 several years ago. I regret it every day, and with sky high prices on Japanese trucks, I can't afford to buy another one :(

NoOneCool07 > Joe_Limon 09/26/2015 at 23:31

0

So true. But Lexus is so low price... lol. But if I may, I always consider BMW to be like your exact comments. But I would say, it would be closer related to a college girlfriend. 4 years and...it has been a good run... but survey says its going to get a little costly going forward...so... Hi, new car! lol