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.
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.
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.
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
Ford ranger - it was $500
Fuckin ford ranger
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.
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 🥲
God I wish more cities were walkable
Same, still have a car though. Never driven it since I moved into the city. I feel so guilty about it 😭
I drive a 2018 Subaru Forester. I got it because I wanted a SUV with AWD and a turbo charger. My previous vehicle was a Camaro, and while I loved driving it, having a RWD car in the winter sucks, and I had recently bought a house, so having a vehicle that can carry more than just groceries made sense.
I was driving the Camaro around Xmas time and there was a light dusting of snow on the highway. I hit a patch of it and started to fish tail, and that scared the hell out of me, so I traded it for the Forester the following fall. The Forester has handled any conditions I've come across so far like a champ, including heavy rain, snow, ice, and muddy hillsides.
Trading the Camaro in and getting the Forester marked the transition (in my mind) from being a young adult, to becoming an older, more sensible one. I was driving home from work one day, and a Camaro passed me on the highway. I couldn't help but sigh and ask myself why I had to get old. The Forester is a good vehicle and very nice (got the XT Touring package), but the Camaro was way more fun to drive, and I still miss it. I'd like to get another sports car in the future, but we'll see if that happens.
Tires make all the difference. Both the size/proportion and materials.
I've had RWD cars that were beasts in the snow (East Coast ice no less) because they were near perfect weight distribution and had the best winter tires on the market (Nokian).
I've had AWD cars that sucked, because the car was poorly balanced, the tire sidewall was too small (so the tire can't flex much), entry level winter tires (rubber was harder), and stupid electronic traction control that tried to out think the driver but just got in the way.
RWD will still usually be more challenging to drive than AWD (I think even more so with RWD cars post 2000), though some AWD systems can be unpredictable. Part of the issue with newer RWD cars is the tire sizes - it can be hard to get proper winter tires (plus they cost a lot). I've seen some cars for which winter tires didn't exist, or were exorbitantly expensive to get (it's assumed by both car and tire manufacturers that these cars won't be driven in snow).
Fortunately Subaru uses a dead simple AWD system (basically open diffs at each end) - the most complex thing they do is use the brakes for traction control/torque distribution, which is less likely (In my experience) to get in the way than things like electronic diffs (can you tell I'm a fan of Subaru AWD?).
I've driven RWD sports cars in the snow with ease. Tires are aboslutely everything. People tend to ignore their tires for WAY too long before getting them replaced, and/or get shitty all seasons that suck in every condition possible.
The trend of "I need AWD SUV because snow" terrifies me because people are buying bigger, heavier, and worse handling cars when they really just need better tires. A FWD sedan with good tires will do WAY better than an AWD SUV with crappy tires. The only upside is people will tend to put better tires on their SUV because it's more expensive than their shitty sports car/sedan.
Proton Saga 1.3
Unless you buy a domestic car, there's an import duty of 70-100% in Malaysia, so if you want to avoid that you can basically decide between Proton and Perodua.
I don't care about cars whatsoever, so was checking for used models of either brand (less than 4 years old, max 30k km down) and found a good deal on this one.
Sagas are unkillable, garbage time on YouTube put pepsi in the coolant and replaced the oil with Nutella in a 2009 saga, then when the Nutella killed the engine he fixed it with bolts from a hardware store and it still did almost the exact same times in a drag race before and after. He also cleaned out the Nutella oil using a pressure washer and it still survived.
LOL, I'll have to watch that video. Sounds like a fun time!
I've got the 2019 model I believe (manufactured in August 2020, first registered end of 2021), so it still came with half a year of manufacturer's warranty.
So far I'm really happy with it. Definitely not a race car with a 4 gear automatic transmission, but since we have a 110kph limit on highways and plenty of traffic, it gets the job more than just done.
Come Monday I'll do the first longer trip (400km, about 5h) up into the mountains, curious how it's gonna go.
Subaru forester and I'm not a lesbian. It's just a solid if boring car.
You're not a lesbian yet
That joke never gets old ….. when I first got mine, I happened to be wearing flannel and drove to Maine with my wife. So many lesbian jokes, but my beard was a bit more literal
2021 Chevy Bolt. Traded in a 1999 beater for it during the gas pipeline crisis. It's a wonderful, simple, cheap car. I haven't had any issues with it - it just gets the job done. I charge it for free at work every week or two, so I don't even have to pay for fuel. I figure I'm gonna drive it til the bottom rusts through or the batteries die.
Good luck on both. My 2017 bolt has 321,000kms on it, driven in very rough winters and charged every day in cold weather, every other day in summer. Still gets 450kms in the summer. Still doesn't have rust anywhere on it. No repairs, just maintenance (minus one front spring). My daughter's likely taking it once she gets her license in 2 years.
2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder. Bone stock except for a LSD I dropped in when a bearing grenaded in the transaxle. It was my daily driver for a long time.
2003 Subaru WRX. It was my daily before the MR2, but I blew the head gaskets around 200k miles and got the MR2 while I rebuilt it. It's now lifted, running a 2.5l ej25 with the stock 2.0l heads. It's become my fun car that I use to tow stuff with and take out when the snow makes the 2-seater convertible impractical.
But now we mostly drive my girlfriends 2022 Honda Accord Hybrid. It's bare bones low end model, but she likes it.
Excellent taste. I had a silver bugeye, one of the prettiest cars ever in my opinion. Was my first actually fast car. Those MR2s are rad as well, poor man's Elise. I'm a Miata driver, they feel like kin.
Toyota Hilux. A nice blend of not too uncomfortable but will carry me anywhere I choose to go. Seen a lot of places that thing.
Wish they were still sold in the US. I spent so much time trying to figure out how to import one from Mexico and get it on the road. Quite possibly the toughest consumer vehicle of all time
I was so dissapointed when my dad bought a frontier instead of a Hilux. The Toyota dealer didn't want to negotiate with him, but the nissan dealer did.
At least it's the non US model diesel Frontier. It's a pretty nice car. But it's still not a Hilux.
Scion FR-S
It's just so fun and pretty
FR-S here as well! Love every single 86 I see out there. Always an absolute pleasure to drive.
Glad to see some fellow 86 homies!
I actually have a lil (big) tuxedo cat named Toyota Trueno Hachi Roku Apex GT, or just Hachi, for short.
I miss mine. Totalled it 6 years ago :'[
The one I own, people get upset when I take theirs.
No car - don't need nor want one.
Honda Fit. It's tiny but mighty. I call it a bisexual car because it fills all the holes when looking for parking. City car, but it gets around.
1999 Ford F350 crew cab, long box diesel. I sometimes need to tow a heavy trailer and turns out most rental trucks don't allow towing, getting them scratched or any of the other reasons to own a truck. I have had it for about 15 years and put maybe 40k miles on it, so it isn't worth having any other car. Besides that 7.3 is the best engine Ford ever made.
Used to have the 2000 version. Amazing trucks, really.
2009 Audi A3 sportback, it was my first “nice” car.
I keep it around despite the small fortune I’ve spent in maintenance because it’s fun as hell 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
Bicycle, because fuck traffic.
2017 Subaru Outback 3.6r
It's reliable and convenient and has every feature I need or want.
It's got pretty good adaptive cruise control, good cargo capacity, including seats folding flat so that my large dogs can fit comfortably. It's got AWD and additional traction and hill features. It can tow my boat. It's got a pretty good sound system. Heated seats and steering wheel (a necessity for those of us with Raynaud's ). Two buttons for memorizing seat settings. Backup camera. High clearance. All kinds of pros and the only con is mediocre gas mileage.
I expect it to last for a very long time. It's just practical all around. And I don't need to drive it terribly much, so the gas mileage isn't a big deal for me.
How do you like the 3.6r overall? I have a 2018 with the 2.5 and I love it, but I sure do wish I had more power sometimes. I get great gas mileage though (if I drive right)
I love it. I'm glad I got the 3.6r. It's got plenty of power for accelerating at a reasonable rate (though I wouldn't call it speedy like my old Mini was) and I don't have to worry about hauling cargo or my boat.
Interestingly, when I last took it on a road trip out to Glacier National Park, some guy saw me getting into it and was so excited because he used to have one that was a couple of years younger and he missed it that he felt compelled to talk cars (I'm a woman--this is not a thing that happens to us). He went on and on about how much he loved and misses the 3.6r engine and how they're just not the same anymore.
But I do use it for things like hauling boats and the occasional UHaul trailer or similar. If you're just using it as a commuter car, the better gas mileage would make more sense.
I did test drive a 2018 before buying the 2017 and the 2018 had a nicer sound system.
I haven’t driven in over 20 years—my current personal transportation is a pair of freeskates.
2019 Škoda Fabia Monte-Carlo Edition.
It's a relatively small car, but bigger on the inside, allowing my 6.5 feet (1.98m) and considerable bulk to sit comfortably and commute a route where sadly public transit isn't an option. It's only drinking 5.5l per 100km (
4.27742.77 mpg) and I have had good experiences with that model in the past in regards to the cost of maintenance.I can go 200km/h (125 mph) (downhill and with a tailwind) and the sporty features (manual transmission, sports suspension, sports seating, stronger engine and spoiler) are really nice when going quickly around corners on country roads or speeding down the Autobahn.
Do you mean 42.77 mpg? Because 4.277 mpg is awful lol
Hah! The google calculator completely bombed it. Yes, a better calculator says it's 42.77 mpg.
2008 BMW 328i. I bought it used back in 2011 and it still cost almost as much as I made in a year at that time, but I really wanted it and otherwise I lived very modestly.
It's such a fun car. I have the manual transmission and the sport suspension, and I love driving it. With that said, it's not a practical car. Only I can drive it because no one else in my family knows how to drive a manual, and the sport suspension makes the car quite uncomfortable when going over any bumps. (I tell passengers "I paid extra for that" while driving through rough areas.) Oh, and forget about driving it in snow. I tried that and spun off the road several times before learning my lesson.
This car is almost 17 and while it was quite reliable for most of that time, now it's at the point where everything is breaking all at once. I refuse to replace it because I can't justify buying another rear-wheel-drive manual-transmission sporty car (one of the very few models still built like that) either to other people or to myself, but I still want to own that sort of car. I guess I'll keep spending more than it's worth on it... I just spent $340 that way today.
I drove a 328i for a few years in N. Alberta many years ago, winters and all. You just start out in 2nd instead of first and don't do anything sudden. You get used to how much pedal to get it drifting in the snow and you could make some neat moves, especially when parallel parking.
I have a 2021 Seat Leon FR PHEV Hatchback.
It is basically a Spanish VW Golf.
I got it one and a half years ago as my first car after getting my license at 35.
As a first car it is very luxurious, as a daily driver at 35 it is comfortable but highly annoying (every cabin control is either in the infotainment, or on touch surfaces (some without lighting) which forces you to take you eyes off the road to set cabin temp, Turn on heated rear window, turn on heated seats and more).
It is mine because I bought and paid for it.
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
2017 Ford Focus 1.0L with 18k on the clock when I got it. It was free.
When I was stationed in Germany with the US military in 2010, I wrecked my car in a blizzard. It was totaled; I couldn't drive it anymore and I needed to get to work every day, so I dropped cash on a used 2006 Mazda 3. It was a 5-speed manual and was in immaculate condition. The former owner had detailed journal entries and receipts for every bit of maintenance they'd ever done. They were only selling it because they had more cars than they needed at the time and they needed some quick cash.
Fast forward to 2020... I was stationed in Nebraska and my Mazda 3 was finally showing its age. I had driven it across most of Europe and half of the US, and its mileage was approaching 200K. I was in the market for a new car.
I found myself "deployed" to South Carolina for 4 months during the pandemic, and while I was there, my wife called me up and asked if I wanted her to buy a new car for me. Apparently, some married friends of hers bought a brand-new 6-speed 2017 Mazda 3 Touring Edition as their daily driver to college classes. But their entry to college was delayed a few years, then the pandemic hit and all classes moved online. So it was just cluttering up their garage. They had 5 cars and hardly drove any of them, so they decided to sell 4 of them during the pandemic.
The 2017 Mazda 3 had only 7,000 miles on it. And they sold it to me for $17K cash. It was a helluva deal! I sold my 2006 Mazda 3 to a coworker and my wife bought the 2017 version for me. And I've been driving it since. It's way nicer than my older version, and the previous owners had even paid for some upgrades to the base car.
I'm retired now, since 2022, and I don't need to drive as much as I used to, but I always take my 2017 Mazda 3 when I leave the house. I enjoy cruising around in that car. It's not a super fancy luxury car, but it's the nicest car I've ever owned. I'm hoping I can get a solid decade or more out of this car before I need another one.
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.
Currently no car and relieved I don't need one any more. Before that - Suzuki Vitara. As far as new cars went in 2019, it was the best choice for a small AWD SUV.
2015 Honda Civic SI - best sports car I could get for the price. Great value car; still running perfectly almost 10 yrs later (afai
kct). The interior was also much better compared to others.Probably not getting a new car ever due to all the "smart" features cars come with that I really don't like.
I recently switched from a Suzuki Spacia to a Nissan Sakura.
In Japan, the roads are narrow, so a Kei car is very convenient.
None. I have a license but driving stresses me the fuck out. I have an old bike.
Toyata Matrix. It gets me around. Keeps me out of trouble.
I sold my matrix recently, nice car, good gas Mileage, plenty of space to haul stuff when the seats fold down (I somehow hauled a 53” tool box in it once). Little weird the trunk is plastic, but has tie down rails. I miss the car a lot, but I moved out of state and could only drive one car.
A 2005 Seat Leon TDI. It was cheap, uses little fuel and is reliable. In the summer I drive our 1988 Trabant 601. It's fun and tiny, but definitely not reliable.
Though after moving to a bigger city from the countryside, my main modes of transportation have become my bike and a tram, the car is only for when I visit my parents where no public transport goes
Tesla Model 3. Didn't know Elon was a raging nazi back then.
2019 Subaru Crosstrek.
When I was buying a new car I wanted three things:
- Manual transmission
- Hatchback
- All-wherl drive
Turns out there were only three cars that checked those boxes in the US for manufacturing year 2019: a Ford Focus RS (too expensive), a Mini Cooper Countryman (too Mini Cooper), and a Subaru Crosstrek. So I got the Crosstrek.
Great car. Mine is a 2021. Do lots of adventure things and need vaguely off-road capable vehicle, grew up driving stick and have only ever driven standard, it was basically the only option. Sad they don't offer out on manual anymore.
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.
Our family car is a 2005 Acura MDX. Best snow car I've ever driven, seats 7. Got it in 2013 with 68k miles. Now has 152k, only work I've had to do to it is routine maintenance. That did include the timing belt replacement and I wish every motor was engineered like that one.
We got it because of the "seats 7", known good safety and AWD performance, and low mileage. The price was right and it remains one of my favorite purchases yet. It's not very efficient but it's powerful as hell which is really nice in the Colorado mountains.
Seems like I remember fitting a queen size mattress flat across in the back of mine… May be misremembering, but it was a great vehicle overall. Until the transmission choked up on the freeway and I couldn’t trust it not suddenly breaking down on me.
Maybe a double, but I doubt a queen.
We were until recently a one car household (my wife and I both work from home). So I drove a 2019 Toyota Camry. Why? Because that's what my wife wanted.
My sister got a new car so I bought her old one off of her so I could have a backup on the rare times we needed two. It's a 2012 Ford Fiesta. Why? Because it was cheap ($2k) and it gets good gas mileage. I also like the car because I'm a minimalist at heart. It's very simple and I like that.
2007 Nissan Navara (Frontier) pickup truck.
I originally bought it because a german luxury saloon wasn't big and unpractical enough and I've dreamed of a pickup truck like that since I was a kid but then I started my own business and now I'm using it as my work truck, hauling tools and construction supplies.
2013 VW Golf-R - it's paid off and runs like a champ but I'm looking forward to replacing it some day with something like a used Tychon. Never buying an ICE car again with any luck. I love the Golf-R because it's fast enough to be fun but still somewhat economical and handles well enough as a daily. It gets me around town and up to the mountains without any trouble.
2022 Chevy Bolt EUV. EV with plenty of space and comfortable. Good mileage and never pay for gasoline again.
I got a 2019b Volt, but I haven't needed to put gas in it since March.
I hope it lasts another 10 years. (It replaced a 2004 (or 3?) Saturn Ion that I bought new and drove even after insurance totaled it, and the transmission lasted less than a year after I sold the Saturn.)
2008 F350 Diesel. I'm a farmer so there's a good chance there will be something covered in oil/shit/blood/ice/mud or combination thereof in the box at any given time. I can put a pallet of seed or a 1000L tote of fertilizer in the back. And I can pull a 35' flat deck loaded with bales with it. And honestly it gets fairly good mileage on the highway when its empty. It has about 1100km of range on a tank if I keep my foot out of it.
I'd love an electric that does what it does, but that's a pipedream for a few years yet. Maybe when I've driven this into the ground it'll be a thing.
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.
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 $0.044 per kwh
- It charges very quickly on roadtrips, up to 270 kw or 5%-80% in about 20 minutes (did Seattle to Vegas and back in it!)
- it's a wagon so it's very practical. both our big dogs fit in there and we've taken them on some shorter roadtrips. I even got a roofbox for it, and it didn't impact the range as badly as I'd feared
- the driving experience is wonderful. it's not even close to the fastest Taycan but the 4S even at second lowest trim is without question fast enough, but the real enjoyment comes from the handling on top of that, it's just so so so good
- keeps up with GT3 RS at the track, though that might be more about GT3 RS owners babying their cars than anything else
- its comfy and quiet and communicative
While I'm not exactly thrilled about the massive depreciation, I don't see any other car now or in the foreseeable future that can also do all the things it does well without being a fucking SUV or crossover or truck.
Also if Taycans get cheap enough for more people to get into them, I hope more people do, cuz even the absolute lowest spec, zero options, smallest battery sedan is a solidly excellent car
2015 grand caravan. Great family car, two reason it's not a Honda or Toyota, 10 000$ price difference at the time that my low mileage does not justify but the main point is the stow and go. It turn the family car into a light cargo in seconds.
A Ford F-150. Where I live it just makes sense for every family to have one truck, so I have the truck while my wife has the more sensible / fuel efficient Honda.
I'm driving an orange MG4.
I moved back in France almost a year ago and needed a family car, I wanted a car that would serve me for at least the next decade.
For me anything else than an EV was not making sense so I got the second cheapest EV I could get at the time.
I got it new because at the time second hand EVs were almost or even more expensive than getting a new one.
2007 Toyota Prius because it gets 45mpg and I have to drive about 45 miles to get to work
2006 Nissan Frontier for when I need a truck. It has the same specs as the Tacoma, just as reliable, and a lot cheaper in the used market.
2015 Ford Focus ST
Traded in my 11 WRX for it after Subaru tried to dick me around on a warranty claim. It's got 128k on it now and it's been rock fuckin solid dependable outside of the gas tank sucking itself inside out lol. Ford handled that.
2020 Hyundai Elantra SEL 50k miles. After the Impala’s electrics started going out at 200k I wanted a vehicle that I knew the maintenance history of. I got a good deal on a demonstrator model with 3k miles on it, right before the market went to hell – I figured it would and I needed transportation because I went back to work.
I just needed a go box, but wanted car play. I knew the Elantra was one of the best selling cars, so in the long run parts would be available. I took a gamble on the CVT transmission because it’s Hyundai’s first go at it with this model, but all my other options were CVT.
It’s still a young vehicle, but it’s standard change oil and make sure it has fuel. That’s what I wanted.
My other half is more progressive. A belt-driven long range e-bike charged by solar.
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.
I don't have a car, but I sometimes drive my wife's car which is a Volvo S60.
Before I moved countries I had a green Opel Agila, and what made it mine was that I played in cash for it.2023 Kia EV6
I was driving a 2004 Chevy cobalt, it was paid off and the motor wouldn’t stop working, that’s all the good that could be said about it, everything else was falling apart. One day the AC stopped working, so I went to roll the manual window down, and the handle came off in my hand. I decided I was done. I knew I wanted at least a hybrid, preferably a plugin hybrid, maybe a full EV if the price was right. They are way more efficient than a traditional ICE, and with less maintenance. I knew I also wanted cooled seats, summer’s in the southeastern US can be brutal.
It happened to be near the end of the year, the dealership was in the process of unloading the 2024 model cars, and they only had 2 2023 models left that fit my requirements, so I got a brand new car with options for less than base MSRP, and I completely skipped the hybrid / plug in hybrid phase.
Focus ST, great blend of quick, fun, utility, and reasonably efficient.
Our family car is a Nissan Murano. One of the few 5 seaters wide enough to fit 3 car seats. I also have a LWB Nissan titan that I love to death, but is always giving me shit, and I just don’t utilize enough to justify keeping. Once I fix what ever the hell is currently wrong with it it’s getting sold :(
I've got a road bike for short distances and take the train for longer distances. For all other trips, I rent a car. On a normal year, this works out to zero times.
An obnoxiously bright Scion tC. I bought it while in college but can’t really afford to replace it now that it’s paid off. I’m going to 40 and still driving that thing, I swear. I’m just not willing to work 30 jobs to make rent, bills, and a car payment work.
My 2005 highlander has cost me nothing but tires, fuel and batteries. Oh, and a serpentine belt. Very reliable and gas efficient and doubles as a bit of a truck as needed. I doubt I'll do this well on my next vehicle.
2010 (I think) Ford Fiesta.
Because it's what I have available to drive.
dodge grand caravan. main reason is my wife has a large amount of medical issues and the captains chairs have the longest time till pain for her along with it being at this sorta perfect but height such that you don't have to lift into it but you also don't drop onto it. Its also super versatile and for a non car vehicle gets decent gas mileage. unfortunately they killed it to push their pacifica whos seats are not as good. we need to check out some of the others like honda or toyota now. on the upside if they work out. way better reliability.
2021 GMC Canyon.
I never wanted a truck, but with home ownership and Saskatchewan winters I learned early enough that they do come in handy for renovations and such. Also, the older I get, the less I want to groan getting into and out of a vehicle, so the higher the ride, the better for my back.
But I still didn't want to go full truck (half-tonne). So I compromised and got a quarter-tonne. Useful enough for day to day stuff, but with a V6 engine isn't really any worse on fuel than your average SUV.
2004 Nissan 350Z Roadster Touring.
Bought it because I don't fit into a Miata. I like having a more powerful engine too.
I'd like to eventually buy an EV, but modern cars suck. They're too big and handle like shit because of their size and electric steering. I want something small and nimble that is reasonably fast and handles like a dream; the 350Z checks all of those boxes. Literally point the car where you want to go, and it just goes there, even with all the driver assists turned off. I see why it's a popular drift car.
I'd suggest reconsidering wrt the electric steering.
I had a 2004 RX8 which had electric steering and it was excellent. Many automotive journalist seem to agree that, despite a rough start, electric steering is just as good as hydraulic steering now.
2007 Toyota 4runner
I have a lot of outdoorsy hobbies and am an avid DIYer, so I need something with room for gear/lumber/etc. a roof rack to strap on my kayak or other bulky gear, a trailer hitch to tow small trailers or put a bike rack or basket on to carry a cooler and such when there's no more room in my trunk, and some space for friends and/or my dog. Some ground clearance is nice for when I find myself on shitty deeply rutted dirt roads, and 4wd for when I drive onto the beach to go fishing. I'm also an essential worker (911 dispatch) who has to be able to get to work in the snow, and I work a weird shift that sometimes has me commuting before plows have been through.
I don't really go "off roading," I'm not going out looking for mud and Rocks to go driving over for it's own sake, but I do sometimes, in the course of whatever else I'm doing, have to drive off the road.
I also sometimes camp in my car, and it's nice to be able to fit an air mattress in the back, it's a bit tight but it works.
It's also the used car I could afford when my previous one got totaled on me.
My previous cars have been roughly the same sort of midsized SUVs- 2000 Isuzu Trooper (I really loved that car) and 2006 Chevy Trailblazer (it did everything I needed to but I was less of a fan, nothing in that car was quite where I thought it should be) so I've kind of dialed in that that's the right size vehicle for me.
Ideally I'd like to have a small EV for most of my daily commuting and errands, and then a (small) 4x4 pickup truck for when I need it. Something like the old ford rangers (the new ones are bigger than I need) with an extended cab (not a full crew cab, just some back jump seats) and a 6 or 7ft bed. The maverick shows some promise, I'm hoping they add a midgate when they refresh it in a couple years.
But I don't have the parking space or budget for 2 cars, so the midsize suv is kind of the compromise I'm stuck with.
My family has always had good luck with Toyotas, and I like my 4runner well enough, if I had the budget to be picky and needed a car, there's a good chance I'd be looking at 4runners, though unless my financial and parking situations get better my next car will probably be whatever 10+ year old midsized SUV comes my way when this one goes (still going strong though, slowly inching up on 200k miles and still no major issues)
Got a few but winter time is my P2 Volvo XC90. Why? V8 go brrr
I drive a 2013 honda civic (200k km). Because No monthly payments, thing works great and is super cheap to fix (most of which I can do myself).
Cars these days just aren't worth it, you get an EV or Hybrid and at the first repair it's 15k and you might as well throw it out.
Mercedes E350 2008.
I wanted an old school Mercedes, but the old 90s S Class would have been too expensive to run so after a bit of research, I came across the W210 and then I realised than a W211 was within reach.
So I bought it. Been a bit of drama with it. 2 fender benders, parts and maintenance. I DIY a good bit and I am happy with my decision. Gone cross country three times with it and daily drive it on my job which involved driving around 200 miles a day. It's comfortable, fast, and quite reliable.
I am happy with my decision till a light comes on the dash. Still, cheaper than car payments.
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.
2017 lincoln MKZ. Got it used for about 26K, just before used car prices went nuts during covid. So comfy, huge trunk too. Glad i went with used luxury as opposed to something brand new, barely had 40K miles on it and was in great shape.
Simple, stupid, and reliable
2016 SE for me, and yes, cheap enough to drive daily, good and reliable enough to keep.
Mine is the same year.
2005 Peugeot 206 Gti.
I blew up my car on saturday and it was a very cheap shitbox that I could buy with cash on hand on a sunday to get to work Monday.
Im working my way through everything wrong with it upgrading as I go. If I make it through the problems list, then Ill have an amazing base to start adding horsepower and removing practicality once I get a new daily driver.
I have three vehicles right now.
My daily driver is a 2020 Chevy Malibu. It is spacious, fast, and comfortable, and it gets pretty good gas mileage. About 30 miles per gallon on the highway and about 22 in the city.
I have a pickup truck, which is a 2004 f150. It's a good vehicle for hauling furniture or helping friends move or for the occasional camping trip. It's four-wheel drive. It has rear seats, and honestly other than the fact that it's a relatively slow vehicle and that it gets horrible fuel mileage at like 17 mpg combined, I enjoy having it.
Finally, I have a project / fun car, which is a yellow 1986 Jeep CJ7. Has the inline slant 6 4.2 258 motor, hardtop, and is constantly in need of repair, lol.
My hope is to have it finished up by summer and take it on a camping trip and go do a little off-roading, but for the most part it just sits in my driveway and looks beautiful.
My annual insurance runs about $2,800 for all three vehicles. If I got rid of two of them I could probably cut that down to 1200 or so.
2018 Kia Soul.
I like boxy cars, they're big on the inside. And the small boxy ones don't feel small.
I had a 2005 Honda Element for many years, and it just started falling apart. The car itself was worth less than the fix, so I got rid of it, but I got used to no car payment, so I decided I wouldn't pay more than $300/month. Found this car for 10k. Perfect.
I like it. It's slow to gain speed, but I'm not trying to out speed anyone. It also fits my giant 112lb dog no problem. It's comfy, and though most would now think it's old tech-wise, it was a major improvement in tech compared to my previous car.
223 Tesla Model Y, I’ll admit it
While I don’t like whatever rabbit hole Musk went down , this is the nicest car I’ve owned. It’s quiet, quick, nice sporty handling, love the glass roof, and it’s a gadget lovers dream. While it is the most expensive car i’ve owned, I got both federal and state incentives so not by much. Most of all I can charge at both home and work so never need visit a gas station again.
Yes the panel gaps are normal and straight. No I don’t notice any different performance, reliability, or range in the cold. Yes, superchargers are plentiful around here so my 1,200 mile roadtrip was no problem
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.
Nisan Altima. Because I gave up driving for a decade, but then the pan happened and I was horribly isolated. I could only go to places I could reach on foot because I didn’t want to risk anything unnecessarily. After the vax arrived, I knew it was time to empower myself by having my own car again. I barely drive it, but I don’t have to fret about getting my cats to the vet or transporting large items anymore. And if another pan breaks loose, I’ll be ready.
I drive a 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid because it was cheap and my city is too car centric to get away with no car. I walk more than I drive at least though
I don't drive because I know I'll eventually hit someone, whether by my own fault or another's, and i don't want that on my conscience.
There's often a high chance at least one of any participants in traffic, regardless of the chosen mode of transportation, is truly dumb or having a dumb moment and will fuck something up for everyone else.
And I know that when a dumb fuck eventually crosses my path or I myself become one, I won't be able to handle the situation reasonably, so my chosen preventive measure is staying away from the wheel.
I do not have a driver's license :)
I don't. I tried for the license but it's too hard and the instructor is an asshole. I hate the lack of control and pressure. I will never drive and that limits my life. We have a car at home but nobody uses it due nobody having a driving license. The times I have to go on early shift my uncle, angry, drives me to my job. I wish I would get fired already so I don't have to deal with this pressure
None. I don't have one and do not want one. They are a blight. I want them gone.
Terrible that you're being downvoted for this while, currently, the top upvoted comment is someone boasting about having two cars.
I was kind of expecting it. The question is "What car do you drive?" and not "If you have a car, what's the one you're driving?" because it's to be expected that everyone has or wants a car. So those without cars are not being asked, and saying you don't have one is "not the question". Worse if you don't like them. I'd bet that saying I don't have one but wish I had a specific one would have gained more sympathy.
As a North American that doesn't like cars, I'm just used to that type of reaction. A car is status and prestige. A car defines who you are. If you don't have a car, you're not normal.
I'm happy for you. I drive an electric scooter to work and my husband by bicycle. We have a car but only for longer trips. I hope car sharing becomes more accessible where I live, because I don't need to have my own car if I only use it occasionally
