mid life crisis car

[veeman]

Hit 40 last month.  Didn't think it would be a big deal but I am bummed.  Don't do facebook but googled a bunch of highschool classmates and thought about others who are my age.  A few have already died.  WTF?  Pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, heart attack.  Chicks I thought were hot in highschool now look like what most 40 year old moms look like; totally unattractive. 

Nanny is bitching about having to drive my kids around in her own car even though I pay for her gas.  Just sold the old house so now no longer paying two mortgages.  What an opportune time to blow some cash and buy a car!  My wife drives an Enclave and I drive a Sonata.

Test drove a Scion FR-S last Thursday.  First the automatic and then the manual.  Was hesitant about the manual for a bunch of reasons but glad I did.  It totally blows away the automatic in the fun category.  I love this car.  The supposedly super shitty interior I thought was fine.  I actually liked the guage cluster.  My manual skills are shitty but I didn't stall and made it uphill from stoplights without first going backwards.  Very jerky though.  I'll get better.  I like the orange color but my wife is peeved as it is because she thinks this is a stupid car for me at my life stage and she would find the orange obnoxious.  I'll get the dark grey.  Looks sinister.

I'm humbly querying your esteemed opinions given the following parameters:

- I don't "work" on cars
- I don't offroad
- I don't track my cars
- I don't race fellow motorists, be it at a stoplight or on the highway
- I don't go over 90 mph
- Don't want a convertible
- Need to have at least vestigial backseats for those occasions I need to carry my kids
- Want it to be under 30 grand

What else should I consider in the sports car category?

I was thinking a used porsche 911 but under 30 grand means 1999 or early 2000s and i'm very concerned about high maintenance costs.  I've rented v6 mustangs, camaros, and challengers.  I liked driving them but they didn't seem as fun as the FR-S, but then again I was driving them automatic and maybe a stick would make a big difference.  I like the added crash protection the heavier detroit iron offer but, well, you can't have everything.  A big reason of why the FR-S was so awesome to drive is how light it is.  I've heard the vw gti is a hoot.     

[Soup DeVille]

The fr-s, BRZ is definitely amongst the top on that list, the Miata is always worth looking into as well.

[Colin]

Abarth 500.

[mzziaz]

How much will you be driving it? If the answer is "not much" you can go older and more exotic.

[Cookie Monster]

Not sure how easily kids would fit in the back seat of a BRZ/FRS.

[Madman]

New:

Ford Fiesta ST
Ford Focus ST
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ
Mazda Speed 3
Fiat 500 Abarth


Used:

MINI Cooper S
Audi TT
BMW M3
Jaguar XK8
Nissan 370Z
Volvo C30

And, of course, there's the stereotypical mid-life crisis cars: Mustang, Camaro and Challenger. 

[Byteme]

I'm humbly querying your esteemed opinions given the following parameters:

- I don't "work" on cars
- I don't offroad
- I don't track my cars
- I don't race fellow motorists, be it at a stoplight or on the highway
- I don't go over 90 mph
- Don't want a convertible
- Need to have at least vestigial backseats for those occasions I need to carry my kids
- Want it to be under 30 grand

with that list of wants and don't wants I'd suggest a used Camry with a 4 banger.   

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Get the fr-s and for fucks sake atleast do a non competitive auto cross in it or performance driving event. You'll have fun.

- I don't track my cars
- I don't go over 90 mph

[mzziaz]

And, of course, there's the stereotypical mid-life crisis cars: Mustang, Camaro and Challenger. 

Asshole!   

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Asshole!   

The old guys do love them.

[Madman]

Asshole!   

[SJ_GTI]

If considering used, I would suggest checking out a Pontiac GTO (go for a year they had the 400 HP model). Very comfortable car that can go like stink and handles very well. Its true it was on the "bland" side looks wise, but that might be a good way to get the wife on board. 

[Madman]

Asshole!   

Don't worry, mzziazzzzzzzzzz.  You'll be glad to know your early-'80s Mustang isn't considered to be a stereotypical mid-life crisis car over here anymore.

In America these days, an early-'80s Mustang is the stereotypical homemade methamphetamine dealer's car!

I hope that makes you feel better! 

[veeman]

Will be driving car quite a bit.  Commute to work is 1 hour each way with mix of half local roads and half highway time-wise.

Need some back seats for the occasion where I need to take my kids.  I think the FR-S will do here because it won't be every day and they're small being 6 and 3 years old.  I'll usually take them in my Sonata if I need to go somewhere with them. 

Didn't consider the pontiac goat but would probably rather do a new v6 camaro if I were going to do the detroit muscle route.  The focus st, vw gti, and mazdaspeed 3 I should test drive. 

interesting no one said to consider the used porsche.  a decade old means big big maintenance I bet.

[mzziaz]

Don't worry, mzziazzzzzzzzzz.  You'll be glad to know your early-'80s Mustang isn't considered to be a stereotypical mid-life crisis car over here anymore.

In America these days, an early-'80s Mustang is the stereotypical homemade methamphetamine dealer's car!

I hope that makes you feel better! 

Thank you for the soothing words.

To be honest, getting vintage amcars is almost as quintessentially mid life crisis as getting a Harley over here. My only redeeming thing about my purchase is that they all buy 64-74's. Maybe I should research building a meth lab, btw. Kind of bored at work, lately.

[SVT666]

I'm humbly querying your esteemed opinions given the following parameters:

- I don't "work" on cars
- I don't offroad
- I don't track my cars
- I don't race fellow motorists, be it at a stoplight or on the highway
- I don't go over 90 mph
- Don't want a convertible
- Need to have at least vestigial backseats for those occasions I need to carry my kids
- Want it to be under 30 grand

Hyundai Sonata

[Raza]

For a fun car you can still take your family around in under 30K, you pretty much can't do better than a GTI.  That's what hot hatches were invented to do. 

[hotrodalex]

Mini Cooper or FR-S

[MrH]

My only fear is the FR-S won't be practical enough for you.  I question whether it could even hold your kids in the back (it's that small).

[Raza]

Not sure how easily kids would fit in the back seat of a BRZ/FRS.

More easily than in a 911, in which limbs and torso will have to be inserted separately.

[Cookie Monster]

Fiesta ST? Ford is lame only offers the 5 door version, but for you to take your kids it'd be perfect. Plus you can get those amazing Recaros if you want.

[Submariner]

More easily than in a 911, in which limbs and torso will have to be inserted separately.

I'll have to find the picture of me in the back of my dads 911.  All 6'3" of me.  My head must have been a good 5 inches above the windscreen.

[CALL_911]

GTI is indeed a hoot, but for a car like this, I would totally go for a BRZ/FR-S over it. 370Z?

[Onslaught]

- I don't "work" on cars
- I don't offroad
- I don't track my cars
- I don't race fellow motorists, be it at a stoplight or on the highway
- I don't go over 90 mph
- Don't want a convertible
- Need to have at least vestigial backseats for those occasions I need to carry my kids
- Want it to be under 30 grand

Sounds like don't need or want a real mid life crisis car. Not that 40 is mid life. I'm 40 and I don't feel like I'm at mid life.
It sounds like you need to go to Vegas and find the best looking escort in town and do blow off her tits.

[Laconian]

Used G coupe. Great value (good ones can be had for under $30k easily), lots of fun, pulls hard up to whatever Vmax you set for yourself, great steering and handling, serviceable back seats, and comfortable for the driver.

[veeman]

a 6 year old and a 3 year old, unless obese, will fit into any back seat no matter how small.  They're each less than 50 pounds and less than 4 feet tall. 

[MrH]

Granted, I'm 6'2", but no, they wouldn't fit behind me in my BRZ.

[SVT666]

a 6 year old and a 3 year old, unless obese, will fit into any back seat no matter how small.  They're each less than 50 pounds and less than 4 feet tall.

They won't be that size for very long.

[Payman]

- I don't "work" on cars
- I don't offroad
- I don't track my cars
- I don't race fellow motorists, be it at a stoplight or on the highway
- I don't go over 90 mph
- Don't want a convertible
- Need to have at least vestigial backseats for those occasions I need to carry my kids
- Want it to be under 30 grand

Sounds like don't need or want a real mid life crisis car. Not that 40 is mid life. I'm 40 and I don't feel like I'm at mid life.
It sounds like you need to go to Vegas and find the best looking escort in town and do blow off her tits.

Ha ha! I was thinking along the same lines. Pffft, I'm 45 and I want a hot lava FR-S. Hell I'm looking online for turbo kits for my Miata.

[12,000 RPM]

I feel like you can't do better than an M3

I also feel like you can get the V8 sedan in that price range. GTI is OK but  for the same money why not twice the HP and a much better chassis?