BobbyZ Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Well it has been 6 years and I am finally graduating from college. I have been living the student life for far to long and I am ready to have a few bucks in the bank. My first mission is to buy myself a daily driver to commute in and I was wondering if anyone here had some advice for me. This is going to be my first big auto purchase (before this I had a pos ranger). My requirements are pretty boring but I really dont want something like a corolla or a civic, I want my car to have a little personality. 1. Fun to drive 2. Comfortable (1hr commute each way) 3. Reliable/Cheap to maintain (I dont need another project) 4. Good gas mileage 5. Around $15K I have shopped around for a few ideas and one of the best seems to be the 2004 wrx wagon. I like the look, fun to drive and around 15K. I also like the 2000 audi s4 but I think I would spend too much time and money on something like that. Any new suggestions or comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 First off stay away from the VW/Audi seen if you want easy and cheap to maintain. Once those cars get some miles on them things like the cat convt. and O2 sensors like to go and its very expensive to fix(the dealership I work at also services the VW/Audi's). Changing an O2 sensor on some of these cars requires removing the engine! 8-| ! You could get a miata, that would probably get good milage and be fun to drive? I don't know if it would be comforatable for a 1 hour commute though? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyZ Posted July 1, 2007 Author Share Posted July 1, 2007 I unfortunately do not fit into a miata. I am 6 foot 3, I tried to drive one once and the top of the windshield blocks my vision. Your advice on VW/Audi is exactly what I have been hearing from a lot of people. Which is unfortunate because the 2000 s4 is cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 how about an LS1 f-body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 For just a little more than your stated budget you could get a new Civic. Not much in the way of a sports car but pretty much nails all of your stated goals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240hoke Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 BMW 3 series... perhaps a 323CI.. or spent a little more and get a 330Ci. Thats what I drive as a DD and I love it. I have never had any maintence issues with my BMW's (knock on wood). The coupe sport models handle awesome and are alot of fun to drive while still being super quite and smooth. My last 3 series had over 240K on it.. here is my 330Ci she has 70K on her... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240hoke Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 btw i looked at S4's for a LOOOONNNNGGGG time i really really wanted one. but when I heard all the maintence nightmares it was just plain scary. Enough for me to stay far away from them. I think an S4 is a good project/race car if you have another car to drive. I was looking at a car at a local dealership they wanted 11,500 for this rather nice S4 chipped with exhaust. I was going to buy it when i took it for a test drive the intake boot popped off and they wouldnt fix it for me till monday since it was the weekend and the service people were so i decided to wait. In the mean time I found the old registration in the car and gave the previous owner a call. He had bought the car 7 months previously for 15,000. After he bought it the turbos went out along with the transmission....I believe he said he ended up with about a 5,000 dollar bill to get that fixed. Late on down the road he took it to get inspected and found out that the o2's and cat's needed replacing. When he took it in for that they wanted 3,000 for factory cats and o2's with labor. He said ♥♥♥♥ it and took it for a trade in on a new VW....... He traded it in for 9,000 dollars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyZ Posted July 1, 2007 Author Share Posted July 1, 2007 I want an s4 so bad... I guess the only way to own that car is while it is still under warrantee, oh well someday. The BMW idea is another one I have toyed around with. I really dont like the image that comes along with them, but from what i hear they are really great cars. I am also afraid of the mainenance costs to own one. Maybe I will test drive a couple, I was seriously looking at the 328. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240hoke Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Go drive one... everything else will feel cheaply built. The image... eh well maybe a while ago but now seems like there are as many bmws on the road as hondas. I see a few around every corner thats why I wanted to change to an S4 because I wanted something somewhat unique. But I like driving my bimmer too much.. Im prolly just gonna mod it on down the road to make it more my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY77Z Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 1993 cobra you could find them with less than 30000 miles on the clock for about 12-14K. keep in mind that less than 4000 were made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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