TDI fades into regulatory oblivion; Enter Miata

[Tave]

I'm curious what you guys do with small cars.  I regularly need to borrow suburbans, pickups, etc. from friends and I have a 4 door family sedan.  Does no one have hobbies that involve gear?  Or miscellaneous adventures that require them?

I took my Aveo skiing.   Otherwise I borrow friends' trucks to move.

[J86]

I guess I'm always towing/car-topping things.


Re pickups- how expensive can Nissan Frontiers be at this point?

[Madman]

I'm curious what you guys do with small cars.  I regularly need to borrow suburbans, pickups, etc. from friends and I have a 4 door family sedan.  Does no one have hobbies that involve gear?  Or miscellaneous adventures that require them?

There's your problem right there.   A small sedan is useless for carrying gear.  You need a hatch.

[J86]

There's your problem right there.   A small sedan is useless for carrying gear.  You need a hatch.

which as soon as I have money I will resolve with a wagon.  But this is Tave's thread, and he needs a pickup

[GoCougs]

I'm curious what you guys do with small cars.  I regularly need to borrow suburbans, pickups, etc. from friends and I have a 4 door family sedan.  Does no one have hobbies that involve gear?  Or miscellaneous adventures that require them?

Trunk + hitch rack for bikes + roof rack for ski stuff.

[Tave]

I need a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon but I don't see that happening.

[MrH]

I'm curious what you guys do with small cars.  I regularly need to borrow suburbans, pickups, etc. from friends and I have a 4 door family sedan.  Does no one have hobbies that involve gear?  Or miscellaneous adventures that require them?

I don't know.  I guess I have space efficient hobbies?  I take the BRZ on road trips to visit friends and cities and stuff.  It carries all my gear for ultimate (which is really just a folding chair and my camelbak which doubles as a cleat bag).  I can pick up groceries in it just fine.

Used a friend's Mazda3 to get stuff from Ikea.

[J86]

I need a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon but I don't see that happening.

Is just a regular 4-door out of your budget?  My buddy has one of those- not my choice but he loves it

[Onslaught]

I'm curious what you guys do with small cars.  I regularly need to borrow suburbans, pickups, etc. from friends and I have a 4 door family sedan.  Does no one have hobbies that involve gear?  Or miscellaneous adventures that require them?

I drove just a Miata for like 13+ years. You'd be surprised what you can fit in a car when it's the only thing you've got.

[Xer0]

Yeah it's been awhile since I've driven a GTi, I should test one. I'm not sold on VW's reliability though: it's a little more upfront and potentially a lot more down the line. Honda has the Si on lockdown and gives you a ton of content on the base model. Too bad its instrument panel looks so juvenile.

I like the NA + Honda stick.


No on the Fiesta ST.

I could see myself in a Genesis Coupe but not a Mustang or Camaro, maybe a Toyobaru but they don't give you a ton of content.


Has anyone driven the Focus ST?

The new accord sport 6MT is just as fast as the Si (according to C&D), has that Honda stick, and looks really good and mature IMO.  Maybe check it out, seems like a good fit for you

[Raza]

I'm not seeing a lot of love for the current Civic, even in Si trim.  Were I you, I'd save a boatload and buy the previous generation Civic Si sedan.  It'll last forever anyway, so let someone else take the depreciation hit. 

The GTI is the best all around choice though.  Definitely a different experience from the Si; I like both, but it's completely fine to like one and not the other. 

[SVT666]

The GTI is the best all around choice though.

Not according to any of the comparos with the Focus ST.

[CALL_911]

Not according to any of the comparos with the Focus ST.

Yeah, but buying the Focus ST means you have to look at the Focus ST.

[2o6]

Yeah, but buying the Focus ST means you have to look at the Focus ST.

It looks great ...just as long you don't look at the front.

[Raza]

Not according to any of the comparos with the Focus ST.

I disagree; I think most comparisons that I've read between the two have pretty much said that the GTI is the better all around car, though the Focus may be quicker or sharper. 

[Cookie Monster]

Yeah, but buying the Focus ST means you have to look at the Focus ST.

My thoughts exactly.

I actually like the Accord suggestion, but I didn't bring it up because it's not really the same as the other cars Tave listed.

[Tave]

Nothing is off the table, don't hold back on my account.


I had been thinking about the Accord too, as it's more of a practical size and I like the chassis + 6spd + engine. Is it really as fast as the Si? I thought the Civic had it beat on content and performance, but if it's just the extra goodies, I'd consider the better car.





I don't know what y'all are talking about but the Focus is definitely a looker compared to the rest of these dogs.

[Raza]

Nothing is off the table, don't hold back on my account.


I had been thinking about the Accord too, as it's more of a practical size and I like the chassis + 6spd + engine. Is it really as fast as the Si? I thought the Civic had it beat on content and performance, but if it's just the extra goodies, I'd consider the better car.

I guess it depends on how you define practical.  The Accord is almost 16" longer than the Civic.  Sure, it does come with more space, but are you getting anything out of the extra space most of the time?

The Civic also has slightly more power and weighs around 300 pounds less.  The Accord may match it in a magazine 0-60 run, but you'll get more out of the Civic's engine and handling more of the time.  I wouldn't look at the Accord unless you wanted a fun family sedan.

I don't mean to sound like I'm knocking the Accord here.  I actually really like this new Accord.  But as a single guy, the choice between the Civic Si and the Accord is an easy one to make. 

[NomisR]

What about the WRX?  Since that's roughly in the range of those you're considering.

I'm now considering one for myself. 

[Tave]

I don't need the AWD.

[NomisR]

I don't need the AWD.

So?  AWD > FWD

[Tave]

Yeah, I might consider it, the power is super tempting.

But see, that's the thing, I'm already stretching my budget just thinking about it.



I really wish one of you Hooligans could report to me on the ST. What good are y'all anyway?

[Tave]

I guess it depends on how you define practical.  The Accord is almost 16" longer than the Civic.  Sure, it does come with more space, but are you getting anything out of the extra space most of the time?

The Civic also has slightly more power and weighs around 300 pounds less.  The Accord may match it in a magazine 0-60 run, but you'll get more out of the Civic's engine and handling more of the time.  I wouldn't look at the Accord unless you wanted a fun family sedan.

I don't mean to sound like I'm knocking the Accord here.  I actually really like this new Accord.  But as a single guy, the choice between the Civic Si and the Accord is an easy one to make.

The Si is very attractive because there are no major options besides nav. I can find a manual sedan w/o nav fairly easily. So it should be cheap, well-optioned, decent power.

I could get a manual Accord S for about the same price. I'd be stepping up in build and space but down in creature comforts.

I can go up to a WRX, MS3, GTI, or ST for more power or refinement.


What I really want is a Wrangler 4door, but I don't want to drive it for work, and I really want a coupe, but I don't want it for my only car.

[SVT666]

The local Ford dealer has an ST.  I've driven too many cars there though, so I probably shouldn't try to drive a car I won't be buying.

[Cookie Monster]

I tried to test drive an ST once. They wouldn't let anyone drive them unless they were dead certain on buying one.

[Xer0]

I had been thinking about the Accord too, as it's more of a practical size and I like the chassis + 6spd + engine. Is it really as fast as the Si? I thought the Civic had it beat on content and performance, but if it's just the extra goodies, I'd consider the better car.

CD has the Accord to 60 at 6.6 which is about as fast as the Si.  I'd say content is a wash too unless you absolutely have to have a sunroof which the Accord S doesn't.  It's down 10hp but up like 40 ft/lb so it kinda evens out.  No LSD and won't be as agile, but certainly worth a look.

[Cookie Monster]

I think the only reasons I'd take the Civic Si are the LSD and lighter weight. Otherwise, the Accord looks nicer (more mature), is less of a target and probably has cheaper insurance.

[CALL_911]

I can't understand why you'd buy a Civic Si with the other choices on the market. I mean, the Honda shifter is nice and all, but it is definitely outclassed.

Accord, on the other hand, I completely get.

[Laconian]

I wouldn't consider the two to be interchangeable. They probably have a totally different feel that isn't obvious from spec sheets.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If this is replacing the Aveo, then the logical choice is a Chevy Spark.