Am I missing any options?

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
10/25/2015 at 12:00 • Filed to: Lulzer, sport compacts

I have a customer who wants to get a fun car for his 19 year old. The kid’s dream car is an Evo, which is not in the cards for obvious reasons. So the dude is set on one of these Lancer GTs. I happen to think there are so many better alternatives, but I might be missing a few.

Ok so the main benefit of the car above is that you can get a new one (MSRP about 22k) for cheap, most dealers are selling them around 18k. Dude wants a manual trans (yay!), but while this gets you some Evo looks and kinda sorta, Evo moves there are some great pre-owned options to consider for 18-19k.

Here is my list so far:

Fiesta ST

Focus ST

Honda Civic Si

Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Hyundai Gen Coupe

FRS/BRZ

Also considered the Abarth, but those are pretty tiny.

Anyway am I missing anything in the sport compact, manual trans arena for this price point?

DISCUSSION (55)

Nibby > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:04

Mazda 3

Bairclaw > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:07

WRX

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:08

Definitely Mazda 3.

TheHondaBro > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:08

Does Dodge make a sporty Dart?

Oh, and Miata.

Leon711 > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:09

FiST, Small,nimble, chuckable. Should be what you push to him.

Aero > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:12

GTI? I know you have one, so you probably didn’t forget about it. What about a Mk6?

Tom McParland > Aero
10/25/2015 at 12:14

Though about that...miles seem to be high for ones in this range.

Tom McParland > Nibby
10/25/2015 at 12:15

Hard to find 2.5 liter examples with low miles in this range for some reason.

jariten1781 > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:15

Elantra GT

Also kinda shocked you don’t have the GTI on there. May be a smidge more expensive but should be cross shopped.

Tom McParland > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/25/2015 at 12:15

Hard to find 2.5 liter examples with low miles in this range for some reason.

Tom McParland > TheHondaBro
10/25/2015 at 12:15

Dart GT not bad...but not terribly sporty. Doesn’t want a convertible.

Tom McParland > jariten1781
10/25/2015 at 12:17

Yeah GTIs in this range tend to have some miles on them...but I’ll add it to the list. Elantra GT another good one.

BeaterGT > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:17

Genesis coupe, looks way better than the other options aside from maybe the FRS/BRZ twins.

Tom McParland > BeaterGT
10/25/2015 at 12:17

Yeah they seem like good values, if dad is cool with RWD.

daender > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:21

Seconding the ST twins, probably the most performance-oriented of the bunch. I say get the FiST since it’s not as brutal and a bit more sensible, also smaller so DD’ing will be so easy. Have the kid drive/ride around in some of them, have him get a feel of the quality of the vehicle he’s going to have for a few years rather than choose purely by looks/performance.

Bairclaw > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:24

WRX

Opposite Locksmith > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:25

Fiesta st.

Lancers bear no engineering resemblance to it's big brothers. At least the base impreza is AWD

Tom McParland > Opposite Locksmith
10/25/2015 at 12:26

I think the FiST is the best bet.

McMike > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:26

I could never do a Lancer GT. “Couldn’t afford an EVO, huh?”

Also, the EVO is the only thing cool about Mistubishi’s lineup for me. Lancer GT is not a substitute.

Dusty Ventures > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:27

Wait, aren’t we supposed to be the ones asking you for car suggestions?

Opposite Locksmith > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:31

Anything but the lancer is the best bet, but yeah

davedave1111 > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:36

“I have a customer who wants to get a fun car for his 19 year old.”

Ah, what he needs is a psychiatrist, not a car.

I’d suggest that if he absolutely wants to go down that route, buy a cheap, safe, non-fun road car, a cheap, fun track car, and some track time.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:36

It’s always interesting to see how vehicle trends very from place to place. 3’s aren’t uncommon in my neck of the woods and don’t have crazy miles compared to other things.

Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:37

Miata?

Or better yet:

MINI

BJ > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:47

Depending on the options it comes with, 18k is a heck of a deal. Not an ugly car (love that “pull-me-over officer” red).

How would one of the new Kia coupes stack up against this lineup?

jjhats > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:53

Focus st is an easy sell. Tons of cpo for that price plus it actually has performance unlike most of your list

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:54

S4? Unless you don’t want to deal with the whole maintenance thing.

LongbowMkII > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:58

last gen WRX?

LongbowMkII > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 12:59

Mitsubishi Mirage with $5,000 turbo build, just like the original Evo.

JR1 > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 13:22

Could a Mini work? If is heart is set on a Evo little will change his mind probably. I am surprised there isn't a Subaru in that price range with a manual to look at.

Tom McParland > davedave1111
10/25/2015 at 14:13

I already tried to breach that subject (very carefully) I do it the wrong way and I lose a customer. They have a minivan that the kid can drive, but since both dad and mom have fun cars new 5.0 Mustang 6MT and 428 respectively, and both had “nice” cars when they were kids they want to do the same for their kid.

I already gave them the speech about novice drivers and performance cars. They weren’t swayed...so now I just make the suggestions and get them what they want.

Tom McParland > Dusty Ventures
10/25/2015 at 14:14

Yeah, but I figured it would be fun to drop into Oppo for this one.

Dusty Ventures > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 14:17

You mean the international Fiesta ST fan club?

yamahog > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 14:28

V6 Camaro or Mustang too big?

davedave1111 > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 14:53

I can see why you’d want to be tactful, which is why I suggested the track alternative. If you can present them with a few options - I don’t know much about the US scene, but maybe Formula Vee or similar? - for the same kind of total budget, that’s a more subtle way of making the point.

nostradimas > Tom McParland
10/25/2015 at 15:56

I honestly think I would go Civic Si on this one. Dead reliable, can probably be found at that price point all day, room for friends seeing as how it started as a Civic, probably good on gas if he doesn’t put a boulder on the accelerator going uphill, and makes Honda noises (19 year old= happy). Also probably handles well. I wouldn’t go forced induction for a 19 year old because it’s just too damn easy to go fast whereas you really have to work a low displacement NA.

Tom McParland > nostradimas
10/25/2015 at 16:20

Yup and there is a crap ton of them available in my area.

Stef Schrader > Tom McParland
10/26/2015 at 11:54

Pfft. I love the Lulzcer! If they haven’t changed much on it (which I think is the case), it’s still a fun, chuckable car. Great handling.

I think mine was about $18K?, cash, out the door. No car payment FTW. The warranty on these is also ridiculously good, if they’re still doing the 100K/10 years thing. (Mine’s clearly out of it, but yeah.)

People rag on Mitsubishi, but it’s been the most reliable car I’ve ever had. It’s been on track. It’s been autocrossed. It’s been driven across the country. It’s been driven like an idiot. 123K miles and zero real issues aside from an aircon blower that made some noise, got recalled and got fixed.

Maybe also look at the Mazda3? Also fun. Also handles well. Same general price point. It came down to a 3 and the Lulzcer when I got mine, and the Lulzcer came with the options I wanted (read: bigger brakes and engine, minimal newfangled whatsits inside) and a color I liked better, TBH.

Tom McParland > Stef Schrader
10/26/2015 at 11:58

Yeah we will see what he says...I would just hate for him to miss out on all the great performance values for the same money.

PMorrison > Tom McParland
10/27/2015 at 10:03

That would be because they are awesome (I have a 2015).

I would NOT recommend a used GTI. Mine cost me 13k in one year in repairs (hence why I now have a Mazda 3).

I might look at muscle cars in this price range: Challenger, Mustang, Camaro, but it sounds more like he’s into non-NA style cars.

What about the 370z, Miata (always the answer), speed3 or RX-8 (these can be had really cheap)?

Dusty Ventures > Stef Schrader
10/27/2015 at 10:21

“It’s been the most reliable car I’ve ever had”

Remind me what other cars you had? ;)

v8RWD4doorSTICK > Tom McParland
10/27/2015 at 10:30

Fiesta st and focus st are both amazing cars. I drove the veloster, drove like it was missing power/super agressive traction control.

Your missing mini cooper s, i would own one out of warranty again, but it was a great little car.

BBlades > Tom McParland
10/27/2015 at 11:46

Late model Mini Cooper S. You can easily get a low mileage example in this price range, and the last gen car was better looking imho than the current model. Low weight, fun, available with a great manual trans.

tophatt77 > Nibby
10/27/2015 at 16:48

Economical. Manual. Cheap. Fun. Safe. Not too slow. $18999

Way prettier and more fun than a Lancer. First car my wife has owned that I have found myself taking out for the hell of it.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/…

Kinja'd!!!

MikeyEvo > Tom McParland
10/27/2015 at 17:39

Base lancer is supposedly an economy car,there are alot of better options for gas mileage cost of ownership etc. 19 and Evo owner? better have parents that have some moolah or that car will quickly be scary to drive because you couldn’t keep up with the maintenence.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Tom McParland
10/30/2015 at 11:46

Does it have to be a sport compact? an 18-19k budget could get a solid used Mustang

Tom McParland > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
10/30/2015 at 11:50

Dad has a Mustang...does not want to give a V8 muscle car to a teen.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Tom McParland
10/30/2015 at 11:52

Who said V8?

V6 Manual Mustangs are cool too.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Tom McParland
10/30/2015 at 12:08

I’d cross all of those off for a 19 year old and recommend the Mirage.

bike > Tom McParland
10/30/2015 at 12:56

Hope he changed his mind. The last thing a new driver, especially a male, needs is a fast new car. Get him an old beater with a wimpy engine and let him learn to be a better driver until he can buy his own car.

Stef Schrader > Dusty Ventures
10/31/2015 at 16:15

I think you mean the Awesome Lulzcer Best Car Ever Fan Club.

Stef Schrader > Dusty Ventures
10/31/2015 at 16:17

Altima: ate head gaskets, overheated a lot, nuked aircon in August

Grand Am: GM’s usual weird electrical gremlins (window switches, gas gauge wasn’t accurate, etc.). Kinda felt like it was falling apart.

THE PARSH RUNS AWESOME, but I didn’t include that because racecar. User error and rusted 30-year-old mufflers also can’t be filed away as problems.

Dusty Ventures > Stef Schrader
10/31/2015 at 16:25

Nope. I mean Oppo (or “Duck Yeah” as it is now known) is filled with people who love a good FiSTing

Dusty Ventures > Stef Schrader
10/31/2015 at 16:27

“The Parsh pukes coolant like a baby during the ‘new foods’ phase”

FTFY

jrdx > Tom McParland
11/04/2015 at 14:31

I drive a Lancer and I really wish someone would steal it. Seriously.