What makes this your car?
I live in a walkable city and I am an insufferable snob about it. It’s really nice being able to just go outside and get groceries. No traffic. No parking. No fuel. No insurance. No maintenance.
God I wish more cities were walkable
I live <.5 miles from Sprouts and Costco, yet it’s so sketchy to cross the intersection as a pedestrian that I have resorted to driving for groceries 🥲
Same, still have a car though. Never driven it since I moved into the city. I feel so guilty about it 😭
Ford focus RS.
My old car was sporty (RX8), and I wanted another sporty car, but I wanted AWD because I was done with RWD in the snow. I needed a 4 door, because I was planning to have a kid. That really limited my options.
I liked the AWD system in the focus over the WRX STI or Golf R.
I don’t really like it anymore, though. It’s a really rough ride, and the seats are uncomfortable for long trips. And it’s kind of a boring car when it’s not snowing.My wife has an Hyundai Elantra GT. It’s pretty much the only car we use now, it’s way more comfortable to drive.
We’re probably gonna sell both of them and get an Ioniq 5.
I’ve got a Seat Alhambra. It is basically a VW Sharan, but cheaper, and I bought it for space. Seven seats if needed, five with quite some space for transporting things, and down to two seat and a lot of space if that is needed (and I ran this configuration twice in the last three weeks, so it is not something once-in-a-cars-lifetime like.
It also has a trailer hitch which allows me to pull 1.8t. That’s a feature I have only tried to see how it works out, pulling a trailer around the block and doing some reversing and parking with it to see how it works, but the hitch was included and might be needed next year, so I’m fine with that.
I originally wanted to buy an electric car, but at that time, most electric cars were overpriced matchboxes on wheels, so they were simply useless for me. At the moment, the VW ID Buzz is one electric model that would do size-wise, but it is way, way too expensive, and it is ugly as f-ck to boot. If prices and design have reached acceptable levels, maybe the next one will be electric.
2022 Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo
- It’s electric and electricity is cheap in the Seattle area, especially from 11pm to 7am for me when it’s $0.044 per kwh
- It charges very quickly on roadtrips, up to 270 kw or 5%-80% in about 20 minutes (did Seattle to Vegas and back in it!)
- it’s a wagon so it’s very practical. both our big dogs fit in there and we’ve taken them on some shorter roadtrips. I even got a roofbox for it, and it didn’t impact the range as badly as I’d feared
- the driving experience is wonderful. it’s not even close to the fastest Taycan but the 4S even at second lowest trim is without question fast enough, but the real enjoyment comes from the handling on top of that, it’s just so so so good
- keeps up with GT3 RS at the track, though that might be more about GT3 RS owners babying their cars than anything else
- its comfy and quiet and communicative
While I’m not exactly thrilled about the massive depreciation, I don’t see any other car now or in the foreseeable future that can also do all the things it does well without being a fucking SUV or crossover or truck.
Also if Taycans get cheap enough for more people to get into them, I hope more people do, cuz even the absolute lowest spec, zero options, smallest battery sedan is a solidly excellent car
2013 Toyota 86. My parents bought it for me when I lived in Perth. Love it to death: the looks, the way it drives everything. Since moving to Melbourne It’s been sitting in a parking spot for 6 months. I feel terrible for it. If anyone knows any nice places to take it for a day trip or a couple day city getaway I’d love to know.
So much makes it mine but if I had to pick one thing it’s the work I’ve done on it. I’ve done services, given it new wheels (after crashing and wrecking the old ones lol) and replaced parts. One particular thing I really enjoyed doing was getting a replacement throw-out bearing for it. A big moment for me was arguing with my dad about what was causing problems; listening to my gut over his advice and doing a massive job of taking out the gearbox and clutch. Im still riding the high I felt when I saw that rusted fucked up throw-out bearing. So happy that I managed to do such a big replacement part job without any issues.
1997 Mazda Miata. Simple, reliable, easy to repair, incredible aftermarket support, huge community with a ton of knowledge, and an absolute joy to drive.
Plus the headlights go up and down.
I’m daily driving a '92! ☺️
I drive a 2000, no popups but a pleasure to drive
2022 Polestar 2 with all the options. I think the Polestar is super cool, and I didn’t want to replace my Tesla with another Tesla. I got it used last August for $36k, because used rentals were flooding the market. This car goes for $70k new, but it is not worth anywhere near that
Tesla Model 3. Didn’t know Elon was a raging nazi back then.
My legs.
But, if I was forced to choose, I’d go with an RV, and then live out of it. No in-between. Why?
I have two preferred modes of living. One is without a car in a walkable area. The other is with a car, and my house is attached to the car. Everybody already gets walkable cities, but having an RV would warrant the freedom to be able to bring all of my possessions anywhere I want, whenever I want. For practicality, I’d use a motorbike for travelling after parking the RV. This is the only way I could own a motor vehicle–it must serve a purpose beyond merely moving a few people and objects between point A and point B. Else, I don’t want one.
The only cars I’ve been at all interested in otherwise are old Honda Stepwgns, the Peel Trident, station wagons, and, indeed, motorcycles. Still see no point in these when a hypothetical RV would be much better for a solo road trip, and when I can go on a vacation via plane or another friend’s car. I’m not going out alone.
I don’t like single-use items. I prefer everything I have be as multi-purpose as possible.
EDIT: I should probably clarify I would live out of an RV. It’s not just a hypothetical alternative, it’s something I’m considering.
Daily: 2018 2.5 Outback. It’s nice, comfy, reliable, and overall an amazing daily driver.
Fun car: 1994 Mazda Miata. It’s a Miata.
It’s a Miata.
Let’s go!
It’s a Miata
'Nuff said (I’m only slightly jealous). A car that’s undetappreciated by too many gear heads. It’s a modern version of a 1960’s Lotus. Love it
1994 Miata
I wrecked my car recently and this might be the new one if I can’t fix it. Did you get a 94 for the reasons I think you got a 94?
94-97 have the bigger 1.8 motor which I wanted. Coincidentally the 94 was the first year to switch to the new freon for the AC system so if I need to get it recharged (which I do) I don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for ancient AC that won’t even work well.
The guy I bought it from had 4 Miatas and actually prefers the 1.6 since you have to work harder for the speed, but the car is slow enough as is. It doesn’t need to be any slower.
If I’m not mistaken, the 94 is also the only year to have the 1.8 but still using OBD rather than OBDII, which supposedly makes it easier to slap a turbo in.
Preferring the slower version is wild, haha. I’ll be moving from a VQ platform so losing ~200HP is going to be an adjustment.
Just wanted to pop in and say I have a 95 with the 1.8; It’s OBD1.
Interesting! Any idea if it’s uncommon or anything? From what I’d read (which is admittedly not a lot), 95 is when they’d switched to OBDII, but maybe they made the change in the middle of the production cycle?
I think 96 was the first model year that had it. But the OBD2 mandate took effect in 1995 (for the 96 model year).
That said I’m not turboing the car and it currently has a check engine light so obd2 would be really nice right now.
You know, I’m not certain on that. Now I’m gonna have to do some reading! I was just happy it had that combo when I bought it.
Jealous. I have a 2011 prht and it’s amazing and a much better car in a lot of respects, but NA Miatas are just the best.
I’m not sure. I’m about to buy a car for Uber, but I’m not sure what I want to get.
I used a rented 2020 Toyota Corolla for Uber a couple years back, and that was pretty good. I’m tempted to get some kind of hybrid, so I might go for a hybrid Corolla or Camry (the Camry would qualify me for Uber Comfort rides, but that’s not that much more money).
I’m open to suggestions.
Daily: 2011 Subaru STi wagon. It’s fun, speedy, has excellent traction for the mountains and snow where I live, and can transport 4 people with snowboarding gear.
Fun: 1955 Caddie. My great uncle bought it new so this is nostalgic.
Moto: 1982 Yamaha XS650. I use this for joy rides in the mountains and to save on gas
Bicycle, because fuck traffic.
A bike is my preferred method of transport. Just a simple 3x7 steel hardtail mountain bike. It keeps me in shape and can go just about anywhere.
When I have to drive, a manual Subaru tends to be my ride: Capable, reliable, and fun I guess. I also use an ebike if I have to haul a lot but don’t want to drive.
If it’s going to be in city only, the old Honda Fit is hard to beat functionally: Easy to park, very maneuverable, and lots of storage.
I was looking at mountain bikes recently and found out the new norm is 1x. Been ages since I rode a 3x, but going to 1x seems attractive if only to remove the shifter.
I too bike around town, on 25mm tires, and usually with a trailer though. Such a joy to get everything done under your own power. Obviously this isn’t the post to tout such ideas, but more people should be riding around the city.
First I’d heard of that in mountain biking, unless are you thinking of the r/Xbiking subreddit? They often repurpose MTBs, sometimes with 1x, but often with other drivetrains too.
I was surprised too. Went into a local shop and every single one of their mountain bikes, be it full suspension or otherwise, was 1x.
They said most of the time a chain gets spit off a ring, it’s the front, so people have been converting over to 1x to keep the chain on, and going to 10-12 on the back to make up for the lost range.
No idea if it’s bologna or marketing but it seems to be the new trend. I’m guessing it’s beneficial moreso in competitive circumstances, but the only time I spit my road bike chain out is when I shift under too much pressure. I don’t really do much trail riding on account of not having an appropriate ride, so I’m just going off what this one person said.
They look nice though without a front derailleur. Makes me want a fixie.
Oh, you mean like 1x10 or 1x12? Yeah, that’s definitely a thing. I thought you meant literally one gear on a MTB.
Right, I should’ve been more specific. I haven’t shipped for a bike in eons so I don’t know when they became common. Last I remember using everything was 3x7 or so.
Would be funny to use a single speed on a trail though.
2016 Hyundai Accent. It was cheap and what I could afford. I will run it into the ground before I get another one. She works and she’s tough. She got me across country with a full trailer attached to her and is just fine. She’s filthy, but she is mine. And I love her.
