What car should I buy? For old time's sake...

[Apoc]

I'm thinking about buying a car. I don't really need a car, but I'm in the (un)fortunate position of having one car the wife and I share and a second car that probably shouldn't be driven as much as I drive it. Namely, it's likely worth double what I paid for it, it's manual everything (including steering - think parallel parking in a very hilly city), there are no appreciable safety features, it doesn't have any meaningful defogging system in a moist city, and it gets 12 mpg. I split my commute 50/50 between bus and driving and end up driving it 2-3x/week with trips to work, doctors appointments, and visits to the gym.

My requirements:
>Two seats; not necessarily four
>Enough storage space for a suitcase
>Cheap - $12k is good, $10k is better, $8k is great
>Absolutely zero maintenance, other than oil changes
>Small footprint
>Not a piece of shit
>Something I won't hate every single day

Some things I've been kicking around:

[ScottyB]

if you're willing to entertain the thought of those first 2 things then how about a CR-Z? $10-11k all day, although that's based on what's down here in the SE and not in hippie granola land so maybe the market is hotter up there.

dead reliable, 6 speed, looks like a dustbuster.

[CaptainHenreh]

Just join me and JP in the Prius Cult.

This Flavor-aid may not taste amazing but it gets the job done and it's cheap. So cheap.

Look at your req's:
>Two seats; not necessarily four
Check
>Enough storage space for a suitcase
Check
>Cheap - $12k is good, $10k is better, $8k is great
Check
>Absolutely zero maintenance, other than oil changes
Oh man, so check
>Small footprint
Check
>Not a piece of shit
I can attest they are definitely not pieces of shit, so Check
>Something I won't hate every single day
This is a nebulous requirement, but I guarantee you'll hate it far far less than a goddam SMART.

I mean, look at your "suggestions", none of those cars meet your requirements.
1: Junk.
2: "I don't want a prius so I bought a shittier version of a prius"
3: Out of budget for a nice one and not any better than a 911
4: Junk (Imported from detroit LAWLZ NO THANKS)
5: Out of budget for sure.
6: JUUUNNNKKKKKK

[Senor_Taylor]

I'd say start looking at Focus's. Probably the most practical one of the lot.

[RawrImAMonster]

If you want something that is fun, very reliable, and gets decent gas mileage, look into a 06-07 civic si. My friend absolutely beat the shit out of his car and we compression tested it at 100k miles. It was 2-3 psi off brand new factory spec on all cylinders. It's now supercharged and still running strong.

Meets all of your requirements and its actually fun.

[WRXtranceformed]

I was going to say, just join Rex and get a Prius. You already have your fun car, you just need something practical and reliable and a bunch of those cars on your list were none of those things.

[RawrImAMonster]

I was going to say, just join Rex and get a Prius. You already have your fun car, you just need something practical and reliable and a bunch of those cars on your list were none of those things.

How long are the batteries on a used prius going to last though? I can't imagine they are cheap to replace.

Also just imagine the shame when you tell people you drive a prius :lol:

[CaptainHenreh]

How long are the batteries on a used prius going to last though? I can't imagine they are cheap to replace.

Errybody worries about the battery pack. Don't worry about the battery pack. If you're handy, you can do it yourself with new cells for like 600 bucks, if you don't want to rebuild your pack a brandy new pack is 1500. It's pretty much child's play to replace, just gotta take apart the rear seats...and that's assuming you have to worry about it, which most of the folks I know with high mileage units don't. Hell, they're warranted to 100k miles.

Also just imagine the shame when you tell people you drive a prius :lol:

You know it's weird, you just sort of get used to people being assholes and trying to define you by the things you own instead of the content of your character. Then you remember that big fat stack of cash in your wallet from getting 48 miles to the gallon everywhere you drive and you just roll with it. Haters gonna hate.

[SlimKlim]

Whatever you do just don't buy a smart car. They're shit fucking miserable to drive and it probably wouldn't be zero maintenance either.

I vote for a Ford Fiesta (would probably blow your budget to shit if you tried to get the ST), Honda Fit or if you want something a bit bigger, a clean 1st gen Mazda3. All of them will be dead nuts reliable, available with a manual transmission if you're still into that sort of thing, and all of them are well within your budget.

[WRXtranceformed]

Also just imagine the shame when you tell people you drive a prius :lol:

I assumed that up his way he would fit in pretty well with one rather than have it be a topic of shame

[BLINGMW]

whoah whoah, why a hybrid if it's only getting driven 2-3x per week? They are more complex, and while they drive *ok*, that's compared to other boring FWD econo-haulers. None of the requirements were hyper fuel economy, and beating the porsche in that department won't be tough. Now, that being said, I cannot imagine why you'd want a 3rd car when the porsche sounds perfect for non-daily use.... but.... whatever... :dunno:
I'd vote a Miata or NA Mini as at least they have some character and are still reliable. Honda Fit isn't a bad idea either if you could use some more utility. I don't know what the shared "1st" car is though, maybe that's not needed.

[RawrImAMonster]

You know it's weird, you just sort of get used to people being assholes and trying to define you by the things you own instead of the content of your character. Then you remember that big fat stack of cash in your wallet from getting 48 miles to the gallon everywhere you drive and you just roll with it. Haters gonna hate.

Just a joke, don't get your panties in a bunch. But the things you own do tend to reflect your character.

I still won't touch hybrids/electrics until our battery tech improves vastly (which shouldn't be that far off).

I'd vote a Miata (NA) or Mini as at least they have some character and are still reliable. Honda Fit isn't a bad idea either if you could use some more utility. I don't know what the shared "1st" car is though, maybe that's not needed.

I've always heard mini's were horribly unreliable.

That and the latest JD Power dependability study backs that up by putting them as the least reliable auto brand on their list.

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[ViPER1313]

My buddy just bought a brand new 2014 focus hatch for under 13k, loves it.

[SlimKlim]

It's a shame the 1.0L Ecoboost Fiesta hasn't been out for a while, those things seem like they're going to be half a ton of fun and still get awesome mileage.

[Sully]

Honda fit has like 12 cup holders if that helps your decision at all.

[Evan]

everything you wrote screams miata.
Miata Is Always The Answer

you just sort of get used to people being assholes and trying to define you by the things you own instead of the content of your character.

you mean like what we've all seen you do like a million times

and for the record, I wish to shit I had bought a hybrid before the 'clean special fuel' (lulz) HOV exemption ended.

[CaptainHenreh]

It's a shame the 1.0L Ecoboost Fiesta hasn't been out for a while, those things seem like they're going to be half a ton of fun and still get awesome mileage.

I'm not even sure if they really exist, I think they're just Lies Ford Tells. But that would be a great answer.

Just a joke, don't get your panties in a bunch. But the things you own do tend to reflect your character.

Bro, chill, brooooooooooo I was just jokin' too, bro. Jeez. Bro. I give precisely zero shits about what people think about what I drive, my jimmies are as unrustled as the stillness of a cool summer night. I knew what I was getting into when I bought my first prius. But I'd heard it all before when I drove a Geo Metro.

[CaptainHenreh]

you mean like what we've all seen you do like a million times

Yes, do as I say, not as I do. Jesus, it's like you guys don't even know I'm God Emperor of Mankind. Did none of you get the memo I sent?

[Maengelito]

I'm thinking about buying a car. I don't really need a car, but I'm in the (un)fortunate position of having one car the wife and I share and a second car that probably shouldn't be driven as much as I drive it. Namely, it's likely worth double what I paid for it, it's manual everything (including steering - think parallel parking in a very hilly city), there are no appreciable safety features, it doesn't have any meaningful defogging system in a moist city, and it gets 12 mpg. I split my commute 50/50 between bus and driving and end up driving it 2-3x/week with trips to work, doctors appointments, and visits to the gym.

My requirements:
>Two seats; not necessarily four
>Enough storage space for a suitcase
>Cheap - $12k is good, $10k is better, $8k is great
>Absolutely zero maintenance, other than oil changes
>Small footprint
>Not a piece of shit
>Something I won't hate every single day

I think your Porsche fits all those requirements except the maintenance part. But still, if you only drive it a couple times a week, I don't see the issue. :dunno:

[SlimKlim]

Eh, I get not wanting to drive the Porsche except when you want to drive the Porsche. If it's worth a lot more than you have in it, you probably want to preserve that, and also own it for a long time. It's not going to lose any value in the next 5-10 years, but if you put another 40k miles on it'll cost you one way or the other, either in resale or repairs.

It's a shame the 1.0L Ecoboost Fiesta hasn't been out for a while, those things seem like they're going to be half a ton of fun and still get awesome mileage.

I'm not even sure if they really exist, I think they're just Lies Ford Tells. But that would be a great answer.

Just a joke, don't get your panties in a bunch. But the things you own do tend to reflect your character.

Bro, chill, brooooooooooo I was just jokin' too, bro. Jeez. Bro. I give precisely zero shits about what people think about what I drive, my jimmies are as unrustled as the stillness of a cool summer night. I knew what I was getting into when I bought my first prius. But I'd heard it all before when I drove a Geo Metro.

I know, according to the website you can add the package to get that motor, but not in the actual configurator. I sort of want to test drive one, just for fun. There's a lot of appeal in a <$18k car that you can drive like you stole every single day.

Rexy I feel like this Pruis experience has brought us closer together. Now, you too can pointlessly defend your car that the rest of MM loathes.