- 4,822
- Concord, CA
- kylehnat
I would have no problem with it being my only car if I lived in a drier, sunnier climate. It's not a good car for a rainy/snowy winter .DanoffThe 370Z auto may now have to sit at the top of my one-car column
I would have no problem with it being my only car if I lived in a drier, sunnier climate. It's not a good car for a rainy/snowy winter .DanoffThe 370Z auto may now have to sit at the top of my one-car column
You must not be planning taking your wife in second car on a trip to anywhere.Maybe a lotus.
How so? That V6 being a Honda will make it easy to work on, good gas, & easy to commute with. The ride is the only thing that may be harsh.
Yeah, why hasn't the RX8 been mentioned yet? Better yet, Mazda is working on a bigger rotary - 1.6 liters. It's supposed to be more powerful and more efficient, but I'm not sure what it's going in yet.
Anyways...
There, I said it. A single-car compromise that you don't like because it's a stick, but is otherwise an excellent compromise. And I have driven these.
Not the quickest thing you've ever driven but the car is involving and fun, which is more important than outright speed. The engine is sporty sounding but quiet and is amazing smooth, with nary a vibration coming through anything at all really. The stalling issues have been resolved this time around so turning it on and off like a normal engine shouldn't be of concern at all. Sweet trans too. The seats are very nicely sculpted and lean a bit towards the sport side of things, but that means you get supported well whether carving corners or on a long highway journey. It's even got rear seats that, while not ideal on long distances, are surprisingly comfortable. I'm nearly 6 feet and I can sit behind myself with little complaint. It's got a trunk. You can literally interrupt your highway cruise to try a windy road you spotted on the GPS and the car is only happy to do both very well. What you're looking at here is the R3, the top sporty model, with the Recaro buckets and body kit and bunch of goodies. Being more sport oriented it passes on some options like heated seats, which you don't need because you live in the desert. It's got bigger 19 inch wheels, but you can save some money and get a lesser model if you don't need the R3 performance goodies. The thing is a looker in my opinion. Prices start at $27,000 and crest $36,000 with a loaded Grand Touring with the manual. An R3 is actually cheaper than that.
Fuel economy leaves something to be asked for, as you'd probably only average 25, maybe a bit more, on the highway and the same as a big V6 in town, 16 EPA. Plus, the engine only makes 232 horses and 160 torques, so it's not the quickest thing in the world. It does rev to 9 grand though which is good fun, especially if you've got an aftermarket exhaust. The ride is stiffer than sport sedans, and stiffer still with the R3, but never harsh, more like taught and controlled. The main thing this car offers over typical sports sedans not necessarily bigger numbers, but definitely more sport and more fun. The R3 will be a hoot on a track day.
You should add it to your single-car list and go take a test drive despite its manual. Come on, it'll be fun.
What about a Maserati Coupe/Spyder/GranSport. Those are fun little cars and I do believe they come with paddle shifters. You can find em for under $30k too! And you get to own a Maserati!
Dan, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of limit are you willing to spend on the Sunday driver since you're going to have a cheaper daily driver? Depending on what you're looking at, an Elise may be well within your range.Nope, don't want a stick if I can help it. Definitely not in a one-car scenario. If you're gonna suggest a stick, I'll nudge you toward the two-seater segment. Maybe a lotus.
And if the fusion and escape don't share a trans, please, disregard this completely
Dan, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of limit are you willing to spend on the Sunday driver since you're going to have a cheaper daily driver? Depending on what you're looking at, an Elise may be well within your range.
The RX-8 will suit your 16 mile "course" beautifully if the road isn't big on speed. Also with this Mazda, how long until you're looking to buy? The RX-8 is going out of production soon & I imagine Mazda dealers may throw a small discount to get any off the lot. This will of course, be months from now, which is why I ask.
I'll do some digging tonight. My buddy got his Elise for the same range w/ less than 5K on the clock, granted it's 5 years old now.I'm looking at $30-40k for the sports car, and it doesn't have to be new.
Ah, so you've got quite a lot of options then, esp. since some of the new 2011 cars will be on the used lot by then.The sports car is probably sometime within the next ~3 years. The daily driver is probably early next year. I want to get my strategy set before I buy the daily driver though, which is why I'm trying to think all the way through this. If I decided on the NSX, and just the right one came along, I could potentially get that first - and even this year. With any of these cars I'm willing to take my time to look for the right one.
or at least let it put a smile on your face with as small a dent as possible.
Wouldn't be any point in buying the other car, then. Porsche would just sit in the garage collecting dust when it's just as capable as the Corvette for daily driving & being a fun sports car.Corvette for the daily and Cayman for the sports car?
...yea, at this point what's the difference? 20 cents out of $3/gallon is only like 5%. The difference between 20 mpg and 30mpg saves me a lot more money.
...yea, at this point what's the difference? 20 cents out of $3/gallon is only like 5%. The difference between 20 mpg and 30mpg saves me a lot more money.