MM: Help me choose a new daily driver!

[ScottyB]

couple thoughts:

off the top of my head.....maybe an older subaru legacy 2.5GT? enough power to get around ok (165 hp), classy looks, not so nice you won't want to stuff in a tight parking spot but nice enough, and all weather capable. as a bonus, you can stay in the suby family and get good gas milage.


if you can manage with fwd, i second Evan's vote for an older TL. those things are fast as hell and quite posh. you'll fly under most people's radar but still have the Acura badge to flaunt to those clients 8) pretty much an "old reliable" type of car, run forever and whatnot. watch out for theft issues though, i've heard many get jacked.

i think the IS is a good choice, but as many have said, it can be an aquired taste. my limited time in one left me feeling like...."meh, a rwd sedan with a confusing gauge cluster". they have vast potential, don't get me wrong, but i was just expecting more of a japanese bmw. they were sold in only autotragic for the first 2 years i think, so manuals are rare and the wagons (sportbacks) are one hard to find bird.

sniper edit! - forgot the maxima. a pretty good value indeed. the older ones have better build quality and are pretty damn capable. that VQ motor is an animal, the architecture for it has been around since '96, very proven. it's one of those cars that has way too much power going to the front wheels though.


that's my top four. notice they are all Japanese here's my take on the euros:

ok, i'll just get it out of the way -- audis. i think they're pretty cool. it is a very, very buyer beware brand though. models are real hit or miss, which is unfortunate because on paper they're a solid car. torsen-diff quattro awd, torquey, light clutch for those jams, sportyish.....again, great on paper for a cool daily driver. so with a 15k price cap, that limits you to a B6 (2002 to 2004 IIRC) or B5 (96-01) A4. you can rock the wagon model too. the problem is that the B6 audis use the late model 1.8T engine (i would take the 1.8 over the 2.8 or 3.0L 6 cyl. but you might enjoy it, test drive one) which were more prone to problems than earlier versions of the 1.8T, which use regular throttle and not drive by wire. the engine is the biggie, other wise they're a fairly solid car. what will eat you up is maintainance and it's relation to the weird german characteristics that makes these cars "unique". that said, i'd buy an older B5 for cheap (and they are, people are dumping off mid-milage pre-00's for under 8k) and use some leftover cash to take care of maintainance crap. if you go with a B6, just remember buyer beware. buy from someone who knows/loves the car inside and out or just walk on by. when they're running right, they're fantastic for what you need. when stuff starts to break, you'll curse til you pass out. i'm in the phase with my '99.5 where some big stuff has been taken care of, but my calendar is starting to fill up with weekends i need to devote to random crap i need to fix. sad but true. i'll keep it though, its grown on me and makes me smile most of the time.


E36 325i or 325is, i've always thought those were pretty slammin cars. i love that they are still classy and fairly true to ye olde BMW driving standards, but like the audis you will struggle with some nickel and dime stuff, i'm sure. ask RJ.

mercedes C320? smooth car, rwd but probably a little out of your scope.

i'm really reaching here but are those volvo 850's any good? 850Rs were cool back in the day, i think?

as for American cars.....i can't imagine much that would be up your alley, despite how many midsize sedans that are on the road. Lincoln LS maybe? i really don't think you'd like anything from the US.[/img]