What to do with the Mazdaspeed?

[dan]

https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-fo...-honda-accord/

[John V]

Originally Posted by JST

All of those are good options but none (save the 3er) have a practical rear seat. I also don't really think of the American muscle cars as "practical" and "fun" in the way that, say, a 2002 might be. Like, they're fun, but they're sort of like driving overpowered torpedoes. Not so much "practical" as "missile-like."

The Mark VI GTI/Golf R was practical and fun but not RWD. The Mark VII GTI/Golf R was also practical, but less fun.

An M2 is probably the closest I can think of, but that's also eyewateringly expensive.

EDIT: No manual for the Charger.

This SS is not a bad option, but hammer price is still TBD and it might easily be goofy. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...et-ss-sedan-3/

I'm with you that the Challenger isn't fun. I think a Camaro or Mustang would be. And like those cars, a 1er has a big enough back seat for the dog as well as a human, at least for short trips.

The use case here is for a daily driver and winter beater, and weekend runabout when we have the dog with us. So pretty much every weekend when we go hiking.

As much as I hate to admit it, the best option is something like a 128. Cheap enough that I won't care about driving it through the winter. Sized properly for two adults and an occasional third passenger. RWD, stick, with a reasonably charismatic engine. The problem is they are so fucking ugly I can't bring myself to buy one

Hence why I'll be having this conversation two years from now

[JST]

Originally Posted by John V

I'm with you that the Challenger isn't fun. I think a Camaro or Mustang would be. And like those cars, a 1er has a big enough back seat for the dog as well as a human, at least for short trips.

The use case here is for a daily driver and winter beater, and weekend runabout when we have the dog with us. So pretty much every weekend when we go hiking.

As much as I hate to admit it, the best option is something like a 128. Cheap enough that I won't care about driving it through the winter. Sized properly for two adults and an occasional third passenger. RWD, stick, with a reasonably charismatic engine. The problem is they are so fucking ugly I can't bring myself to buy one

Hence why I'll be having this conversation two years from now

As much of a Ford partisan as I have been/am, I just...can't see driving the Mustang for duty like this. Admittedly I haven't driven a new EcoBoost performance pack or whatever, but I recall renting a Mustang turbo and an A4 at the same time on our trip to AZ and that Audi was just...more fun to drive. All around, all the time, in the canyons, on the freeway, everywhere. The fact that the Mustang was RWD and the Audi was AWD really didn't help the Mustang.

Audis with sticks are hard to find, but I'd buy an A4 manual before a Mustang as a practical daily every single time, esp if winter driving was one use case.

You know what you need, and I'm not even kidding? A 996. Get a cheapish one. They don't cost a ton these days, even with 911 prices what they are, and while the IMS issue is an Achilles heel, you could do the retrofit in a weekend if you find a car that hasn't already had it done. With winter tires even a RWD 996 is good in the snow. It doesn't have a lot of space inside but it's not that much less than a Mustang.

EDIT: Like this one. I don't love the aerokit and probably could do without the AWD, but it's had the IMS bearing done and also has the slick PCM Classic upgrade, which is pretty cool.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...-carrera-4-28/

[clyde]

Originally Posted by dan

manual only? or is auto fine

Auto is probably preferred.

Originally Posted by dan

https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-fo...-honda-accord/

Originally Posted by dan

https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-fo...-honda-accord/

Should also have also added caveat that I don't really want to travel more than 75 miles for it. They're as common as Honda Accords.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by John V

I'm with you that the Challenger isn't fun. I think a Camaro or Mustang would be. And like those cars, a 1er has a big enough back seat for the dog as well as a human, at least for short trips.

The use case here is for a daily driver and winter beater, and weekend runabout when we have the dog with us. So pretty much every weekend when we go hiking.

As much as I hate to admit it, the best option is something like a 128. Cheap enough that I won't care about driving it through the winter. Sized properly for two adults and an occasional third passenger. RWD, stick, with a reasonably charismatic engine. The problem is they are so fucking ugly I can't bring myself to buy one

Hence why I'll be having this conversation two years from now

I don't see a Mustang/Camaro checking the dog in the back seat box. I know it won't for the Camaro and it's hard to think the Mustang would be much better.

[John V]

The idea of a winter beater 996 is hilarious.

[FC]

Originally Posted by John V

The idea of a winter beater 996 is hilarious.

I had a winter beater NC Miata with a soft top.

[JST]

Originally Posted by John V

The idea of a winter beater 996 is hilarious.

Put it on safari tires, too!

[John V]

I was surprised to learn that Paco doesn't sell a lift kit for the NC. Seems like an obvious thing to have given how cheap and unloved the early NCs are.

[JST]

Wait, RWD, back seat, four(ish) doors...you need an LS swapped RX8 as a winter beater.