"marshknute" (marshknute)
05/25/2015 at 11:42 • Filed to: None
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"marshknute" (marshknute)
05/25/2015 at 11:42 • Filed to: None | 3
| 6 |
Yesterday, I shared pictures of my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . So now a recap of what it was like looking for a $30,000 performance car.
I did my homework, and drove nearly every performance car for $30,000 or less. Here’s were my impressions:
MINI Cooper
Yes, the 3-cylinder base Cooper. The MINI Cooper is not an economy car. It is a premium car that happens to be small. A Cooper S with my choice of options would sail past my $30,000 limit. Nevertheless, the 3-cylinder turbo was quite an endearing engine. It sounded like a V6, which makes sense, since a V6 is just two inline-3’s glued together. As for power delivery, it was like my 95’ Miata, but with enough torque to maintain speed without downshifting. It also felt very premium, but not too exciting to drive. A great commuter car, but not a thrilling enthusiast’s car.
Subaru BRZ
I thought I would love the BRZ since my first car was a 95’ Miata, and I therefore subscribe to the “slow car fast” theory. But I found it to be a disappointing driving experience at best. The clutch biting point was SUPER high up. Rowing through the gears felt like climbing a flight of stairs. Besides the clutch, the shifter felt plasticy, and the engine made a dull droning buzz. Both the salesman and my roommate were along for the test drive, which probably made it feel slower than it really is. Perhaps the BRZ would have shined if I had driven it hard on a twisty backroad, but it failed to impress on suburban Pittsburgh roads.
Ford Mustang Ecoboost
Like the BRZ, the EcoStang was designed as a RWD coupe from the start. Unfortunately, it just didn’t feel anything like a real performance car. Turn the key, and you’re greeted with the same dreary 4-banger exhaust note found on any Camry. Siting inside, I couldn’t get over how freaking HUGE it felt, and how claustrophobic the interior felt. It’s almost like every interior surface had an extra layer of padding. And while the engine was certainly powerful, it wasn’t particularly memorable like the 1.6T and the 2.0T in the FiST and FoST respectively. Overall, it was a quick and hopelessly boring rental car. And did I mention that it felt HUGE?
Ford Focus ST
The FoST genuinely shocked me. I test drove it just after the EcoStang, and expected it to be just as unremarkable. Boy was I wrong. The 2.0L Ecoboost is a gem of an engine. It pushes you back in your seat when you accelerate, and has gobs of torque from stupidly low RPMs. It’s a joy to toss around thanks to the super quick steering. My only real complaint is that it felt too “grown up.” It could be a hooligan if you revved it out, but it was just as happy to be a comfortable and quiet daily driver.
Ford Fiesta ST
The FiST is not a comfortable or quiet daily driver. It is an unashamed hooligan. Compared to the FoST, it was buzzier, louder, and more on-edge. And I loved the higher pitched exhaust note from its smaller 1.6L Ecoboost engine. Its steering felt even quicker thanks to its shorter wheelbase, and it’s subcompact roots meant you heard and felt more of the road. It’s flawed for sure, but it is the more fun to drive of the two ST twins.
Fiat 500 Abarth
Honestly, I didn’t take the Abarth seriously and only drove it out of respect for its glorious exhaust note. And I left the test drive counting my pennies because I had to have one immediately. The FiST/FoST felt like sporty hatchbacks. The Abarth felt like an exotic trapped in a hatchback body. The mad stripes, scorpion badges, white wheels/mirrors, stylish interior, and intoxicating exhaust note made it by far the most fun test drive I’ve ever been on (WRX included). And unlike the ST twins, the Abarth’s pedals were perfectly placed for heel-toe. And the car’s silly narrow/tall shape gives the driver the most unobstructed outward view I’ve ever encountered in an automobile. In fact, I was seriously considering flying to Arizona to purchase the only Abarth in the country with red paint, white stripes/wheels, and a red leather interior. And then drive it 2500 miles home to CT. That’s how much I loved this car.
Why didn’t I buy it, then? Well, see the next section to find out:
Subaru WRX
My uncle convinced me to get the WRX over the Abarth. For the past decade, he has participated in track events with NASA and the Porsche Club, and I was intending on tracking my new car alongside him and my cousin (who also drives a 15’ WRX). In these events, you give the pass signal to faster drivers. It can therefore be dangerous if you drive a slow car, since you spend all your time staring in the rear view mirror waving people by.
The WRX hits the performance sweet spot: it’s hugely confidence-inspiring for track day newbies, yet is fast enough to hold its own against the Caymans and 911’s in the upper run groups.
Once I agreed to a credit check and settled on a price, my local dealership finally let me test drive the car. Right off the bat, it felt like a true performance car. The heavy clutch, heavy steering, short-throw shifter, red instrument dials, and whoosh of the turbocharger remind you that you’re driving something special. Unlike the FoST’s torquey engine, the WRX’s turbo doesn’t kick in until about 2800 RPM, at which point it surges forward and makes you want to rev it out more. It’s also the easiest car I’ve ever driven to double clutch and heel-toe.
And unlike the Abarth, it’s plenty big enough to carry 4 extra tires, a toolkit, jacks, and any other track-day essentials. It’s the perfect $30,000 performance car...unless you want a hatch!
TheRealBicycleBuck
> marshknute
05/25/2015 at 19:34 |
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“And unlike the Abarth, it’s plenty big enough to carry 4 extra tires, a toolkit, jacks, and any other track-day essentials. It’s the perfect $30,000 performance car...unless you want a hatch!”
And this is why I was part of the rush to buy up the 2014 hatches when they announced that there wouldn’t be a hatch for 2015. Although I’m not carrying around track essentials, I have to transport two teenagers daily. During my search, I went through the same list of suspects and discovered that none of them had a back seat big enough to transport a human being.
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marshknute
> TheRealBicycleBuck
05/25/2015 at 20:10 |
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The Mustang is the worse offender of all. Compared to the WRX, the Mustang is 7 inches longer, 4 inches wider, and 200 lbs heavier (400 lbs with the V8). And yet, it has cramped back seats and a tiny trunk. And I refuse to believe they made it that big to accomodate the V8, since Monster Miata seems to have no problem shoehorning Ford V8’s into NA Miata’s.
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> marshknute
05/25/2015 at 20:18 |
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I drove a couple of my coworkers to a meeting last week. One of them said there was more room in the back of my WRX than in his Cherokee.
It really was the deciding factor. Fast, fun, spacious. Everything else was just cramped.
random001
> marshknute
05/26/2015 at 10:31 |
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I was sooooooo close to the same decision. Test drove pretty much all these, plus a few more, and wanted the WRX so bad. But it was not to be.
FlimFlamMan
> marshknute
05/26/2015 at 22:14 |
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That was a nice quick read. I like how you broke down your reasoning for each comparative sports car in your price range. The WRX is such a fun car to drive, particularly on a daily basis. I am admittedly biased, as I have an 07 WRX. But I’m not a hater. Those are all nice cars.
I think a GTI would be a solid consideration as well.
Since you are going to track (NASA) your WRX, do you have any modification plans in mind, such as brake pads, sway bars, and suspension?
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marshknute
> FlimFlamMan
05/26/2015 at 23:14 |
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I’ll probably keep it stock for the time being unless it absolutely needs better brakes/tires. The beginner/intermediate run groups in NASA are more determined by skill than the actual speed of your car. It’s not uncommon to see Miatas and V8 Mustang posting similar lap times. Once I move up, however, I may need to start modding to keep pace with the more powerful cars (especially since veteran racers tend to upgrade to faster cars).
The only reason I didn’t consider the GTI is because I already had a 2007 Audi A4 2.0T (traded it in for the WRX). The GTI would have been too similar. The A4 was a fantastic daily driver, but not too thrilling to drive fast.
