Mini Cooper or ?

[LawrenceGazebo]

You posted

Mini Cooper or ? cut and paste , I answered the ? with a real fun car suggestion. Mini Cooper ,,, not my idea of fun.​

I also posted

PS. I am not interested in things like Mustangs, Challengers, Camaros. I think they're very cool, but having driven Mustangs and Challengers in the past (no Camaros though), I generally prefer the smaller, lighter, "zippier" type autos.

and

• under $20,000 (certainly happy to be much under it );

Does Caldwell share water supplies with Flint?

 

[LawrenceGazebo]

335i?

That would be nice, but I just know I would go crazy with tunes and modifications, make 500 horsepower, careen off the road and die. OR the car would explode first...though maybe I could then transfer a few modifications to the 7 series... hmm

 

[The Critic]

That would be nice, but I just know I would go crazy with tunes and modifications, make 500 horsepower, careen off the road and die. OR the car would explode first...though maybe I could then transfer a few modifications to the 7 series... hmm

It is a platform with so much aftermarket support...and there are a wide range of options depending on your price point. Just have to exercise the discipline.

 

[simple_gifts]

Miata.

edit:missed the 4 seats.

 

[LawrenceGazebo]

Miata.

Ah yes, the elusive 4 seater Miata.

 

[fsdork]

Lexus IS?

 

[ecotourist]

Thanks a ton!

To you and the other folks who have suggested a GTI, I will definitely consider one. I also like the Abarth idea. Finally, I have been kicking around a VW TDI as an option, seems interesting, tunable and has a lot of overlap with gas models for suspension modifications.

I've been interested in the GTI for some time but they don't have a very good reputation for reliability.

In Europe they had the VW GTD. That could be the best of all worlds. And a couple of yeas ago (in Norway) we rented a VW GTE (a hybrid). It was fun to drive and used very little fuel. We didn't go far enough to get a good handle on mileage though. But I don't know if either of those made it to North America.

 

[LawrenceGazebo]

I've been interested in the GTI for some time but they don't have a very good reputation for reliability.

In Europe they had the VW GTD. That could be the best of all worlds. And a couple of yeas ago (in Norway) we rented a VW GTE (a hybrid). It was fun to drive and used very little fuel. We didn't go far enough to get a good handle on mileage though. But I don't know if either of those made it to North America.

It seems more often than not every car in my "fleet" is known by the auto-collective to be unreliable, yet they (almost) always seem fine. Though I did just get a CEL on the BMW (for the very common active air shutters...cleared it and it hasn't come back yet).

I don't think either the GTD or GTE made it to America (I know there is/was a hybrid Jetta, but don't think it had a sporting element). I am liking the GTIs I've been seeing on Autotrader, but wonder if they are perhaps too "serious" of a car? Need to check one out up close.

 

[LawrenceGazebo]

Lexus IS?

I have never been a Lexus guy, but thank you! I could be convinced to get an RC-F, though, if someone would give me an extra $30k or so

 

[BeerCan]

I was going to say a 944,951,968 but the back seats are very small.

So I second the neon srt. Fun car. Or maybe an older Subaru WRX?

 

[wings&wheels]

It seems more often than not every car in my "fleet" is known by the auto-collective to be unreliable, yet they (almost) always seem fine. Though I did just get a CEL on the BMW (for the very common active air shutters...cleared it and it hasn't come back yet).

you get used to the feeling

Funny, my DD, a Range Rover, just gave me a "...vehicle will not be able to start in 246 miles, inadequate quality DEF fluid detected..." CEL. Dealer says, "its never the fluid, give us a few days"...

 

[MCompact]

You posted

Mini Cooper or ? cut and paste , I answered the ? with a real fun car suggestion. Mini Cooper ,,, not my idea of fun.​

Glad to know that...

 

[MCompact]

Fiesta ST
GTI
MCS JCW
128i

 

[The Critic]

Fiesta ST
GTI
MCS JCW
128i

The 128i seems a bit out of place on that list, at least from a powertrain standpoint. Any reason for suggesting the 128i over the 135i?

 

[MCompact]

The 128i seems a bit out of place on that list, at least from a powertrain standpoint. Any reason for suggesting the 128i over the 135i?

A manual 128i runs 0-60 in the high five second range, and the quarter in the the mid fourteens. Perfect for a commuter and around town runabout.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Civic Si with a standard transmission.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

We were in the same boat when we got a Nissan Juke Nismo manual. Fun enough and been very reliable. I was tired of dealing with Ford paint issues, also found Mini is high maintenance once out of warranty, Fiat Abarth is unreliable and horrible resale. Already own a manual BMW, fun but maintenance is a bummer for a commuter.

 

[manicrodder]

I also posted

PS. I am not interested in things like Mustangs, Challengers, Camaros. I think they're very cool, but having driven Mustangs and Challengers in the past (no Camaros though), I generally prefer the smaller, lighter, "zippier" type autos.

and

• under $20,000 (certainly happy to be much under it );

Does Caldwell share water supplies with Flint?

I am sure there will be a lot of reaction to what I'm gonna say but l may still get an RX8 Mazda. Had several friends that have these and two conditions to get a longer life. Manual trans and red line at least once every time you drive it. Standing start quarter-mile is about 15 flat but they're pretty responsive when they're moving. One thing that they are not lying about it the advertisement. It's like having wings!

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’d never ever buy a Mini ever. In my opinion that’s worse than a Smart Car. I’d get one of the Fords listed or the Miata or the GTI.

 

[Donald]

Thank you, but underpowered and not quite the fun I'm looking for.

And if I don't stick to my 20k budget, suddenly a 25k car looks cool and I can justify it, then why not step up to 30k since that opens up a ton of stuff, then 40...and suddenly my "fun zip around car" looks a lot more like an M2 Competition than I originally intended it to.

I have a Crosstrek and its pretty fun to drive. But I am over 65 so my idea of fun may be different than yours. But I would rather have a new car with slightly less fun than a used car with slightly more fun.