Questions About Fun Cars

Kinja'd!!! "disadvantage" (Disadvantage)
09/18/2020 at 17:53 • Filed to: None

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Hey, Friends! Pre-pandemic, I drove a 2017 V6 Mustang convertible around Oahu , which opened my eyes to the lovely world of open-air sports cars and has me considering saving up to grab one of my own. However, I have never owned a car with more than 200HP, RWD, or 4WD, and life is too short to drive around in sensible cars. Or is it?

However, I don’t even know where to start in my quest to find a fun car. Two things to consider:

I drive a loaded 2015 Mazda3s hatch with a stick. I love the car to no ends, but at the end of the day, it is an economy car (albeit with more fun factor than it has any right to have)

I prefer newer cars, even if it means I must cancel my Jalopnik Gold membership, effective immediately

The Dilemma

H ere is a non-exhaustive list of musings about fun cars that come to mind:

Do I stick with the V6 convertible, or would I benefit from getting the more powerful V8 version?

What about other sporty cars, like a WRX/Si, or a luxury sport like a BMW 2 or 4 series?

How does the drivetrain affect my enjoyment (ie: RWD vs FWD)?

Would I get to use that extra power enough for it to be worth it? Speed limits exist, after all. Or, would I need to consider taking it to a track to really get enjoyment out of it?

Would I be happy with the trade-off of power for handlings , such as with a Miata or Toyubaru?

What about off-roading - is that more of a niche situation that would require I find some offroad paths to really get enjoyment out of the car?

Or finally, my Mazda3 drives quite nicely, and given my previous concern that I may not even be able to use that reserve power anyway, is it plenty powerful enough that I wouldn’t get enough enjoyment out of any of those other offerings?


DISCUSSION (26)


Kinja'd!!! KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 19:36

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Cant go wrong with a Miata. If you want a fun mostly weekend car try to stick to RWD, manual, preferably NA.

What’s your budget? For under $30k a cayman/boxter, older 911 or C6 Corvette would have been my reco but you said new cars.


Kinja'd!!! AdamB > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 19:37

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Seems like you’re all over the place. Are you looking for something similar to the mustang you drove? Does it need to be convertible? A Miata is less practical and slower if that matters to you. What’s your budget? 


Kinja'd!!! CB > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 19:53

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If you don’t know what you want, test driving the crap out of everything that interests you will be much more useful than asking internet commenters who have an unhealthy relationship with the Miata.


Kinja'd!!! Tripper > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 19:56

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Im not a ton of help as I don’t like most new cars, but don’t let power hold too much weight. My most fun car is my least powerful. I’ve got an E46 M3 ragtop that I’ve had for almost 14 years. Highly recommended but seems like you’re after something newer 


Kinja'd!!! MarquetteLa > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 20:02

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Where do you live? Ready access to fun, curvy roads will make a Miata or GT86 much more enjoyable than if you lived in Kansas.


Kinja'd!!! disadvantage > AdamB
09/18/2020 at 20:04

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Thanks for checking in!

Budget is $30k (although less is better) , and being all over is sort of the issue - I don’t know where to start! I think it sort of starts and ends with how much fun I can have with a fast car. Because having that power on tap is alluring, but I keep wondering if I would ever be able to use all that power anyways. And so my path keeps leading back to Miata, but then I wonder if the opposite (wanting more power) would be a problem.


Kinja'd!!! disadvantage > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
09/18/2020 at 20:08

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Thanks for your response!

And my budget is up to $30k, and your Cayman/Boxster suggestion intrigues me, and goes back to - would the base model suit me fine, or would the extra power be worth it?

And m y search keeps leading me back to the Miata, which makes me wonder if I’ll yearn for more power . Then again, I haven’t had a car that can handle twisties like a Miata, so I may never even notice.


Kinja'd!!! disadvantage > Tripper
09/18/2020 at 20:11

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“ My most fun car is my least powerful” is exactly the sort of insight I am looking for. What about that car makes it so much fun for you?


Kinja'd!!! disadvantage > CB
09/18/2020 at 20:12

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Good point. I went straight into asking due to Covid, but I do think it boils down to seeing what feels right when I drive it.


Kinja'd!!! Tripper > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 20:21

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Hah well I had been lusting after a bmw 2002 since Before I could drive. Two years ago one crawled out of my dreams and came up for sale on bring a trailer. It was in Holland. I bought it and imported it. Like any old car it gives you All the feedback. I’ve been behind the wheel of a couple neat Ferrari’s and alike ... my 02 feels more special. Partially because it’s a dream car of mine but also because you won’t see many other 1502s in the US and if ya do they def don’t look like it .

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Kinja'd!!! AdamB > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 20:22

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Does the car need to be practical? Is it your only car? Miata is good but I wouldn’t want one as an only car. Also did you like the power of the V6 mustang? 


Kinja'd!!! ranwhenparked > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 20:23

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Well, I owned a Mustang and then a Challenger back to back as my only cars and have a Camaro now. As far as the extra power, for street use, you honestly probably won’t miss the bigger engine (if money isn’t a factor, go V8 always, but 300+hp is still 300+hp and will still feel plenty fast on public roads). The only FWD vehicles I’ve really driven for any significant amount of time have been some Dodge Caravan and Ford Escape company cars I’ve been assigned over the years, so, not the one to talk to on that, obviously anything RWD is going to handle better and be more fun to drive than those two, but you want a comparison to an entertaining FWD car. As far as off roading, depends on how far off road you want to go. If you’re just talking about fording small streams and driving up dirt logging tracks and the like, a Mustang/Challenger/Camaro is fine for that, but if you mean like mudding and rock crawling, then obviously no. As far as power vs handling, on the street at legal speeds, a lower power car with great handling is always going to be more fun to drive than a higher power car with mediocre or terrible handling. A Miata or Toyobaru is going to be more fun than any of the closest domestic equivalents, but it depends on what features are essential to you. Obviously, a Miata does not have back seats, and the Toyobarus are a bit on the smaller side for passenger and luggage space. The Challenger is a big, comfy land yacht with 5 seats, loads of leg room, and a giant trunk, but, while it would have been considered Porsche-like by 70s and 80s standards, is clearly the most ponderous of the pack. The Camaro will out handle the other two, but has a rougher, harsher ride, and is also slightly more cramped inside than the Mustang, which isn’t helped by the small glass area. For the domestics, the Mustang is probably the middle ground. Better handling and more nimble than the Challenger, but more comfortable than the Camaro, you just have to be ready for shitty paint quality.


Kinja'd!!! Just Jeepin' > ranwhenparked
09/18/2020 at 20:49

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Did you breathe at all while typing that wall o’ text?


Kinja'd!!! disadvantage > Tripper
09/18/2020 at 20:49

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Holy shit, that is beautiful!! 


Kinja'd!!! vondon302 > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 20:52

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What CB said is probably the best advice you'll get. Go drive a bunch of crap. I have a 2013 Boss 302 and my wife has a 2016 Fosr w/tune exhaust and wider rims. I fing love my Boss but smiles per dollar spent, the Fost wins. Open air seems important to you too so that’s a whole another checklist.

Good luck.


Kinja'd!!! Just Jeepin' > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 20:53

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So obviously I’m excruciatingly biased, but you should consider the advantages of driving slow cars slow.

Or, slow Jeeps slow.

I love convertibles so much that I bought the most naked vehicle I could find. Top off, doors off, windshield down; who cares how fast I’m going? (In fact, speed is often a detriment, especially with that windshield down.)

And then when you see an interesting back road that your Miata/Mustang wouldn’t dare to tackle: hey, you’re in a Jeep baby.

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Shame less plug: https://oppositelock.kinja.com/tag/jeep-experience


Kinja'd!!! disadvantage > AdamB
09/18/2020 at 20:55

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I didn’t really get to drive the Mustang fast a whole lot, which led me to wondering whether or not I would even miss that power if I went with a Miata. And practicality is unimportant (I’ll have my Mazda3 for that), so it is definitely a contender. 


Kinja'd!!! disadvantage > ranwhenparked
09/18/2020 at 20:57

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Thank you so much! Your insight having owned each of the big three’s sports cars is amazing. I think “ a lower power car with great handling is always going to be more fun to drive than a higher power car with mediocre or terrible handling” was where I was leaning, but the allure of having a more powerful car made me want to think otherwise, but it is good to hear others have had that experience. 


Kinja'd!!! Just Jeepin' > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 20:58

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Ah, also:

https://chambana.craigslist.org/cto/d/gilman-1993-flyin-miata/7196903611.html

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Kinja'd!!! Tripper > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 21:07

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Thanks! I really mean it when I said I dreamt of this car, right down to the wheels. When it came up for sale I couldn’t believe it.

I have seen the yata recommendations and I agree. They are one of the few true drivers cars left in existence. Brz etc if you like a top. My best friend had one and did so much work to it that I eventually grew to dislike it haha (super harsh).

If you want power and don’t care much for the creature comforts...WRX STi. I’ve owned both a wrx and an sti. Something from VW/AUDI is a better “all a rounder” but they’re not nearly as fun. 


Kinja'd!!! feather-throttle-not-hair > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 21:48

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I consider myself a pretty decent driver and have mostly owned powerful RWD cars because I love drifting and I really enjoy going fast.

But I HIGHLY suggest you go test drive a Miata. You’ll know within 5 minutes if it “does it for you” or not.

And honestly no shame if it doesn’t, but it’s something you should figure out for sure before you do anything else!


Kinja'd!!! arl > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 21:49

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I own a 2019 Mustang Gt convertible with the v8 and 10speed auto. The experience of driving with the top down and hearing the v8 is fun. But honestly, that’s where the fun ends.

The handling is mediocre, the 10 speed is Jekyl and Hyde , it’s either too slow to shift or slamming gears in sport mode.

Some cars are better than the sum of their parts. I’ve come to find the Mustang is the opposite. It’s less than the sum of its parts. It’s not a super fun car to drive. I was seduced by the open air motoring aspect and wish I had driven more cars before buying it  

I’ll be trading it in here in another year. 


Kinja'd!!! t0ast > disadvantage
09/18/2020 at 23:38

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On the question of power, I feel somewhat strongly that there are rapidly diminishing returns past the 250-300HP mark in most average-sized vehicles, with 200-250 being plenty of fun on a day-to-day basis (or less as the weight goes down). To me, high horsepower vehicles, while entertaining for a moment, start to blow past the realm of reasonable on-road behavior so fast that the get-shoved-into-the-seat party trick grows old fast.

And that’s assuming you even have an environment where you can even make the most of it on a regular basis. If you have regular access to a track, then (literally) more power to you, but when you’re stuck dealing with traffic and maneuvering around on slower roads and making turns on a regular basis, other things like low weight, good driving feel, or luxury accoutrements start to outshine whatever’s under the hood.

There’s little better advice than to just get out and try as many viable options as physically possible, and if you can’t find what you want nearby, find something close enough to get an idea. Try to seek out what really clicks with you in the environments you have access too with the fewest annoyances, or just say fuck it and go for whatever you can practically and financially afford that puts the biggest, dumbest smile on your face. Life is indeed too short to be entirely sensible about it.

Finally, If you can swing it, I’m a fan of the normal/practical car + screw-everything-else fun car combo. One you don’t have to worry about too much that can handle your people+stuff hauling, winter, road trips, etc., and one you can really invest in emotionally and/or financially for the sake of enjoyment. I had an extremely good time owning both an Outback and modified NC Miata for 7+ years... and then proceeded to go off the deep end into an Exocet and STI after giving in to the fact that driver engagement is 1000% what tickles my fancy. It took some work to arrive at that decision, but it was absolutely worth it.


Kinja'd!!! Manny05x > disadvantage
09/19/2020 at 06:47

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Keep your Mazda 3 and enjoy the open air and power of a motorcycle (;


Kinja'd!!! LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > t0ast
09/19/2020 at 07:00

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Well written, t0ast. Pretty much is my take. Hopefully disadvantage has curvy roads nearby to enjoy a driver’s car, in which case a modern turbo four will provide plenty of power. Even still fun if OP actually gets into tracking it. I’m thinking 4 cylinder Mustang, Camaro, Cayman (base), or BRZ would be good to consider.

I loved the power of the M2 that I tested, but decided that off of the track I would never use it’s potential, which would be boring.


Kinja'd!!! ranwhenparked > Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 10:14

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No