Choosing Which Car to Drive

"Nerd-Vol" (Nerd-Vol)
08/05/2014 at 14:45 • Filed to: miata, mazdaspeed

So the purchase of a second car has opened up a world of new first world problems for me to contemplate. The biggest among them is which car to drive?

Here are some of the bullet points that factor into the decision:

- The two cars are a 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 with 99,670 miles, and a 1995 Miata with 129,300 miles.

- Both live outside.

- I have a dog.

- The Speed 3 gets an average of 25-26mpg on premium, the Miata should get 27-29 mpg on regular.

- Tires for the Speed 3 are at least $110 a piece. The tires I like for the Miata are $46. This is a big factor, I am hard on tires.

- My work commute is about 42 minutes total.

- The Speed 3 does not like sitting for more that two days. I let it sit out 3 days in the rain when I first bought the Miata, and it threw a CEL regarding the throttle body. A few weeks later it threw a TPMS light. Both issues resolved.

- I am 6'5"

So far my decision process is:

- If I need to take the dog somewhere and carry luggage - Speed 3

- If it is raining - Speed 3

- If I need some comfort - Speed 3

- If I need to be somewhere quickly - Speed 3

- If it is really hot - Speed 3

- If it is nice outside - Miata

- If I need to save gas - Miata

- If I want the drive to be more interesting - Miata

- If I am commuting - Miata

So far I seem to be driving the Miata about 60% of the time. I am happy with that.

What sort of criterion do you folks with multiple cars use? I imagine the decision gets easier if you have a garage or if one of the vehicles is much less suitable for commuting work.

DISCUSSION (19)

The Real Dacia Sandero > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 14:49

I'm 6'5" and DD my '91. The best part is all the incredulous comments about how I can even drive it.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 14:52

I have a short commute and always have to decide between the FR-S or my sportbike. Both fun.

First world problems.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 14:53

Not multiple cars, but bike and car.

Bad weather - car

Passengers - car

Groceries - either (I'm young, small grocery list)

Want to have legal fun - bike

Good weather - bike

Small errands - bike

Save gas - either (car's a manual Cavalier, gets 30+ mpg)

Bike's down for maintenance - No choice

MachineReplica > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 15:08

Miatas aren't even that great on gas, Mine isn't. It's also my DD.

Nerd-Vol > The Real Dacia Sandero
08/05/2014 at 15:08

What tall guy mods have you done to yours?

Nerd-Vol > MachineReplica
08/05/2014 at 15:09

It's better than my speed 3 and uses cheaper fuel.

MIATAAAA > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 15:14

I have yet to figure it out.

Right now I mostly split my time between an NC Miata and a Z3 3.0i at total random.

And, in the rare case I have to carry something large, a first-gen Matrix XRS.

deekster_caddy > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 15:48

I have a '13 Volt, '73 Buick LeSabre and '54 MG TF. My daily commute decision process goes pretty much like this:

Is the weather perfect? No? Volt.

Yes? Is there going to be traffic? Yes? Volt

No? Will I be out after dark? Yes? Volt

No? Am I going to (friend's house 50 miles away)? Yes? Volt

No? Do I have auto body class scheduled tonight? Yes? '73 Buick (weather and traffic do not affect this decision although I may shoot home after work to grab the Buick for class if it's snowing or something)

No? MG!

So, about 98% of the time I drive the Volt, because traffic blows chunks and people drive like asshats all over the place. The 5 days I take the MG to work are by far the best though!

Weekends I'm much more likely to take the MG somewhere close to home, and if I have to tow anything the Buick comes out to play.

deekster_caddy > The Real Dacia Sandero
08/05/2014 at 15:50

I'm 6'4". people always comment on my height when they see the MG. "How can you drive it?" Me: "I just do. Yes, a lot of the time I look over the top of the windshield instead of through it."

Kinja'd!!!

Crocket Bernet > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
08/05/2014 at 16:13

Unless its raining take the bike.

Decay buys too many beaters > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 16:38

Welcome to the club! My criteria is as follows for my vehicles

Rainy - 1997 Jetta

Have to haul stuff - 1997 Jetta

Going into the city - 1997 Jetta

Driving with others - 1997 Jetta

Offroad Hoonage - 1997 Jetta

Sunny...

-want to carve corners - FR-S

-want to go fast - CBR1000RR

-want to go slow and be a hooligan - 1985 Aero 50

Track days - FR-S

Drag Strip - CBR1000RR

Autocross - FR-S (I wish they would let me try the bike)

Need to save gas - Aero 50

Cars & Coffee/meets - FR-S/CBR/Aero (whatever I feel like)

Decay buys too many beaters > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
08/05/2014 at 16:38

I have the exact same problem, having 2+ enthusiast vehicles is tough!

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Decay buys too many beaters
08/05/2014 at 17:18

If I can get my LeMons car road legal, it will be a choice between 3!

The Real Dacia Sandero > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 17:58

1. Retro Modern Porsche RS style door pulls

2. Jass Performance low profile dead pedal

3. Shimmed the parking brake so that the handle sits more to the right.

4. Allowed the previous owners to be fat and wear down the foam so that I don't have to do a foamectomy.

The Real Dacia Sandero > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 17:59

Here's the link for the dead pedal. Unfortunately the door pulls are NLA. Look on the forums for a guide for the handbrake.

http://shop.jassperformance.com/index.php?rout…

The Real Dacia Sandero > deekster_caddy
08/05/2014 at 18:02

Dat MG...

I eventually want to trade on the Miata for a series of old British roadsters. MGB > TR6 > Elan> then maybe a Jaaaaaaag if I have sufficient funds.

Nerd-Vol > The Real Dacia Sandero
08/05/2014 at 18:19

Thanks. So far I have done a foamectomy, and gone for a wider gas pedal. I want to do the pull handle thing soon. After that I may go for a smaller steering wheel.

The Real Dacia Sandero > Nerd-Vol
08/05/2014 at 22:00

Revlimiter has some sweet door pulls that I wish I had gone with. They look great.

Nerd-Vol > The Real Dacia Sandero
08/05/2014 at 22:58

Those are really nice. But at $50 I will have to pass. That's a tank of gas and $12 in my pocket.