Fun daily driver that doesn't suck- opinions?

[MrAngry]

OK, I'm tired of dealing with the massive problems with my 2011 Cruze, and driving the most boring car this side of a Prius.

Here's the deal, Cruze is getting sold. She gone. Fin. Bye bye.

I need a new car before the snow flies. I'll drive the z28 until then.

Requirements:
I drive 140 miles round trip daily, 138 of it interstate. I live in central Wisconsin, so we get incredible amounts of snow.

I really need 30mpg, and under $5k to buy.

I need to be able to work on it. I'm an ASE master tech, with experience working on Euro stuff, so that may not limit much.

I have 3 kids. Wife has a Pacifica, so mine only nerds to be backup.

What I've considered:
Supercharged GM cars. I've had several GTPs. But no matter how much you wash them they fall apart from rust. Do the Bonneville's have the same issue?

Audi a4. Awd, fun, turbo, expensive as #$% to fix.

Volvo. My favorites, usually, but there were a few years where they were trouble, and those are the years in that price range right now. Older cars are cheaper, but high mileage and expensive parts wearing out.

Lincoln Mark VIII. I've had a few, always stored winters. The thought of red all winter isn't good. Still gets 28mpg, and comfy.

Toss me up some options. What am I missing?

[popo8]

I was gonna say something small and awd...

So with mph being a concern... 99% of suvs are out;

audi like u stated... nice a4

Or

Subaru anything...


Or

Find a used typhoon, syclone, awd talon or eclipse...

[MrAngry]

I couldn't in good conscience kill a Sy/Ty.

[popo8]

Dont think of it as killing it... think of it as a saving it from dying from NON use. Lol

[GuillaumeC]

I have an Acura TSX as a daily driver, it's an awesome car. 6 speed manual, revs to 7200 rpm, has very decent torque for a 4 cylinder, gets 35-37 mpg depending on how I beat on it.
The interior is really nice, super confortable, no rattles and high quality.

It drives real nice, fun around the curves, decent power from the K24, nice factory stereo and the base model comes very well equiped.
Bought it at 75k miles and I'm at 160k miles right now, it's been extremely reliable so far. Couldn't be happier.

If you want more interior space and power, check out used TL's.

[MrAngry]

I would look at Acuras, but I'd have to take a road trip to get one. Up here, they're impossible to find without "mods". Meaning, cut springs, cheap exhaust, awful wings, and " stance" camber.

The TSX is a sexy car, though. I'd love to find a clean one in the older body style.

[GuillaumeC]

I would look at Acuras, but I'd have to take a road trip to get one. Up here, they're impossible to find without "mods". Meaning, cut springs, cheap exhaust, awful wings, and " stance" camber.

The TSX is a sexy car, though. I'd love to find a clean one in the older body style.

Yeah I know what you mean... the ricers love to mess up a perfectly good car. :(

Mine stays 100% stock... :P

[dawdaw]

Geo tracker with a 4bt cummins :thumbsup:

[blkchevyz]

some of the ford fusions are all wheel drive as well... not sure on the fun factor or the cost.

i would go wrx.

[GuillaumeC]

WRX is fun to drive but it'll have the same fuel economy as the Firebird lol

And they have lots of engine problems...

[blkchevyz]

dont they just have oiling issue when aggressively driving?

think about a colbolt ss or something like that?

[hokeplaya05]

if i were to get a car for daily driving it would be a subaru wrx or legacy gt. both are awd, fun as $hit in the snow, get good gas mileage and are fairly quick. i would also consider an older a4 (pre VW ownership). and yes subarus can have oiling issues, but it seems to be hit or miss from what i have seen with my friends cars. my .02

[GuillaumeC]

if i were to get a car for daily driving it would be a subaru wrx or legacy gt. both are awd, fun as $hit in the snow, get good gas mileage and are fairly quick. i would also consider an older a4 (pre VW ownership). and yes subarus can have oiling issues, but it seems to be hit or miss from what i have seen with my friends cars. my .02

Subaru and good gas mileage? Define "good" mileage..

Oh and BTW your avatar sucks. lol

[MrAngry]

WRX is out of my price range, and I'm trying to avoid a new payment. If I finance, I'll just get a Jetta TDi through our purchase program at work.

No Cobalt. After dealing with a few for family, and this awful Cruze, you couldn't pay me to own a newer GM.

Older Subaru's don't last up here. The chemicals they dump on the roads eat them up, same with Honda's. I've driven my sisters Legacy GT, and its not bad. But, hers came from down south, and 1 winter later is getting rust

[hokeplaya05]

Subaru and good gas mileage? Define "good" mileage..

Oh and BTW your avatar sucks. lol

good meaning better than my daily which gets 13mpg on a good day lol. i consider anything that is 18+mpg as having good gas mileage

i hear ya on the road salt crap, that stuff get way overly used up here in NH and it sucks

[Fastbird]

Your problem is the Fun part coupled with 30MPG or better and under $5k. You could pick up an A4 Golf or Jetta with a 1.8T in it and have lots of fun with room for the kids. Those are readily available for under $5K, but the Volkswagen is just as expensive as an Audi to repair, though they're quite reliable. Otherwise about your best option would be to find a 2000ish Subaru Legacy model of some sort. AWD and built like a tank, fun as hell, and get decent economy. The Supercharged GM stuff......good luck getting 30 MPG. I've had several friends with those and no one ever got more than about 25 MPG.

[popo8]

Im serious about what inwrote above... what about a talon or eclipse... turbo awd...and cheap.

[MrAngry]

I averaged 30-32mpg with all my GTPs. But, I get on the highway 1 mile from home, and off 3 blocks from work. Set cruise at 68, stay off the boost.

Popo, I'd be all over the DSM, but no kid room, and the same problem as Hondas here.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the kid issue, I'd have grabbed an Audi TT and been good to go. I'm leaning heavily towards an older 1.8 a4. I know the drive train well.

I'm kicking myself right now. A year ago, before the Cruze went to pieces, I bought a clean B5 S4 from my neighbor with a bad engine. Oil change place cross threaded the drain plug and it fell out on the highway a couple weeks later, couldn't get it covered. Original owner and garage kept.

I got it cheap, put a motor in it, and sold it for a tidy profit. Should have kept it.

[Sahara54]

It's not quite a DSM since it was from Japan but same engine.; The Galant VR4. 4G63T, AWD, 4WS and 4 door. It's pretty much a damn Evo

Also the rare Dodge Spirit RT and Caravan RT with the 2.4 Turbo from Lotus.

[MrAngry]

Oh, to find another turbo Dodge! I had a bunch, including a turbo Caravan. But, needle in a haystack, and I couldn't drive an RT in the winter. Same lines as the SyTys.

The Caravan didn't get the twin cam. It was the sohc 2.5 same as the Daytona. The Daytona RT and Spirit RT got the Lotus head motor. All turbo Dodges can be wicked fast.

Galant vr4 is a rare bird. Only about 2000 imported, so finding them is hard.

I have a hard time beating on rare cars. It hurts to see them fall to pieces. Now, a run of the mill DSM is nothing special.

I just need to move someplace with no snow. Buy an LS1 auto t-top car and rock it till it dies. I hate snow..... Lol

Someone on another board mentioned the early awe BMWs are dropping close to that price point. Anyone know anything about them? Aside from my m3, I don't have much experience with newer BMWs. I got rid of the m3 before the warranty was up.

[MrAngry]

Well, I figured I'd update this thread. The Cruze is toast. Totaled. 70mph on the interstate, and smoked a large doe on the way to work a few weeks ago. Insurance paid out, car is gone.

So, I've been daily driving the z28. Not ideal, and won't be for long. Its never seen winter until now. Car washes get expensive every other day! Lol

I ran into another issue. I'm doing Hot Rod Power Tour next year. The idea was to take the z28, but after a short trip in it, the wife put the cabosh on that and said find something else.

So, after some talking and searching, I've settled on a Mark VIII. It fits most of the needs, and she'll ride in it for PT. Then, next fall I'lol pick up a Range Rover for her, and steal the Pacifica.

The Mark and the z28 will then be relegated to toy duty.


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[popo8]

What did she say no to for the road trip??? Its the HOT ROD power tour...

[MrAngry]

With the big floor hump on the passenger side, and the "awesome" stock Camaro seats, she was uncomfortable as hell in just 1 hour. The HRPT is going to about 2800 miles round trip. She'll go, but not in that car. That's ok, I want an excuse to buy another Mark VIII anyhow. I love those cars! It also means I don't have to rush on some things I want to do to the z28 over the snow season. I picked up a Corvette long block with low compression on 2 cylinders for $150. I'm using it to build a forged motor for nitrous. Basically a copy of the engine that I had in the Formula.

The other options were an Audi a8, BMW 540i, or a Benz CLK430. I think the Mark will fit in better on the tour. It's also a platform I'm very familiar with.

Although, I was just sent a link for a '91 Mark VII LSC, nearly identical to my old one. It's not an SE, but it's T-Red. My last one had a 347 with a turbo and Tremec 5-speed swap. Did mid-11's with nice stereo, air conditioning, and full interior. That car was a riot! I've had a couple nitrous fed Mark VIII's in the mid-12's.

[popo8]

Oh... ok. Mrs popo never complained about it...so never realized it was a issue.

[popo8]

Nophix

Did u ever make a decsision?

[MrAngry]

Actually, I bought a 2012 Jetta TDi through work. It was way too good a deal to pass up. Should be taking delivery the week after New Year.

I'm still looking for a Mark VIII. Although, if your Vette was for sale a few months later than it was, it was high on my list. But, the z28 would have to be sold. I love your c4!


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[popo8]

Well congrats man... hope u enjoy the jetta. Yeah... i love it also.... but am now lookin fwd to makin it my "racecar." :)

[MrAngry]

That's actually what I'm looking at doing with one. A street car/road course car. I'm torn between a c4 Vette and a mid-80's Porsche 944 with an LS/t56 swap.

[popo8]

That porsche could be fun. Im LTX all the way... but can still appreciate that.

[MrAngry]

If I can swing keeping my z28, it'll stay LTx.


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