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What do you drive?
Curious what the community is like on here. Do you enjoy driving or wrenching on cars, bikes, etc?
Curious what the community is like on here. Do you enjoy driving or wrenching on cars, bikes, etc?
I personally really really hate driving, so I bike or longboard wherever I need to go. I don't go out often and I've never really felt the need for a car or other mode of transportation that I couldn't use the longboard/my legs/bike for. As a college student, not worth the money & mental strain for me.
That sounds like the dream. I really hate driving as well, I'm pretty much forced to in the area I live in, though.
My college is a nearly 50 mile commute from where I live and it's the closest school I could go to for my major.
Dang, that really sucks :(
I'm really lucky the place I attend has a somewhat compact campus that makes walking/not driving really easy.
Out of sheer curiosity, what major are you? I'm ECE (electrical & computer engineering)
We’re very close! I’m an electrical engineering major.
If I lived anywhere near my university, the town is pretty good for traveling by other means. But I’m nowhere near it. The other college I was considering would’ve been less of a drive, but I would’ve had to pay out of state tuition.
I couldn’t justify it when I will likely walk out of screwing around in community college and uni setting me 30-35k in debt… instead of well over 50k if I chose the other school.
Ah I get that, out of state tuition sucks.
ECE majors unite!
1994 Miata! It's my pride and joy and I hope that I'm never parted with her. At this point, I've put more $$$ in than I bought her for. Intake, exhaust, wheels + performance tires, coilovers, the works! I absolutely love wrenching, so I'm perfectly content with only buying older cars and keeping them going instead of buying new cars, since I don't really need or want modern creature comforts in cars.
Miata is always the answer.
The most smiles per mile of any car!
You're not wrong! This was my first car (I learned to drive because of the pando) and it's such a kick to drive. The handling is chef's kiss. I've added a few mods to it:
think that's it?
I don't have a good pic of all the changes, I should take one.
Nice!
I've done a Roadstersport 4 exhaust, racing beat intake, SuperMiata Tecna coilovers, and RPF1 wheels, of course! Right now, it's just my summer daily and for street use, but I'm considering adding a roll bar so I can take it to track days, at least.
I haven't made any performance mods, it's all been cosmetic. I've only been driving for... it'll be two years in August, so I figure I wouldn't appreciate it yet. But I'm eyeballing stuff for sure.
I did do a winter driving course in it, which was a blast!
I love Miatas so much. Hell I love them enough that I am giving a whole lot of real thought to buying one even with how inflated their prices are in the US
I don't think they're really ever going to come back down in price, so I'd say that it's worth getting one, even if it's like $8k now as opposed to $4k a few years ago.
Oh, man! I had a '99 Miata for 5 years. I miss it! It was SO MUCH FUN in the summer time.
Speaking as a year round ND miata driver, they're just as much fun in winter, and handle surprisingly well with a good set of winter tires! I load 100lbs of rock salt in the trunk for a bit more traction, and it's good to go.
My friend has an NA Miata that's been winterized and has studded tires for ice autocross. It's one the most most fun cars I've ever driven and really does prove that Miata is always the answer. I'm glad to hear you daily your ND, even in the winter!
It seems silly and wasteful to have multiple cars. I don't have kids and I don't need tons of cargo space, and i'd have to find storage for the second car since I only have one parking spot.
I LOVE driving that car, I can do drifts around corners in the snow (making sure there's nothing else on the road and I keep the speed low, promise!), and can even do a 180 using the clutch and emergency brake! That one was a winter track only thing. Everything else feels clumsy and unresponsive in comparison.
I have a '91 miata that was my daily in college, grad school, and first few years of my professional life. Had a kid and got a Mazda 3 for the obvious reasons. My miata has been mostly sitting for the last couple of years, but I haven't sold it yet. I just love that car so much.
I love cars, and love driving the miata. I love daydreaming about building it into a mild turbo/torson/coilover little street machine BUT every time I wrench on it, something goes wrong, something else breaks, and I'm reminded how much I actually struggle enjoying the work of working on cars. For example I did the water pump and timing belt recently. The timing cover practically disintegrated in my hands as I took it off. The rear water inlet to the pump fought me like hell putting the new pump on, and the main wp gasket kept trying to move out of position the whole time. Once I finally got it together, that rear inlet leaked like a seive, and apparently it's a common issue. Total waste of time. Gotta redo the whole job, and it's been months waiting to find a weekend where I can actually get to it.
Kinda breaks my heart. Maybe I'm just too poor for the car hobby right now, cause I'm always rushing to put out some other fire rather than finishing the miata wp. But yeah. They're awesome cars. Just wish I had more time/money to put into it.
That sounds like you had a whole string of bad luck. Mine has been cheap and pleasant to work on, but maybe I'm just lucky. Best of luck to you if you do get back into wrenching!
I've done some minor upkeep on my car ('18 RF GT), but it doesn't really need a lot of heavy maintenance like the vintage ones. If I had a garage and didn't live in a condo, I would SO be up for taking on an older NA. A friend has one they've been debating selling for a while, and while it's derivable, it's in rough shape.
The Fit is a great car; I have a 2013 I bought brand new in 2012. It's amazing how much stuff can fit in it and it's been a great family car for us after we had our kids. Plus with the manual, it's great fun to drive.
I drive a 2007 Honda Fit. A little over 210K miles and still going great! We bought it used in 2012, and it’s been solid for the last 11 years (with who knows how many more to go!)
Sad to hear the stopped making Fits @trebory6 - this is the first I’ve read that (haven’t been on the market for a car since 2015, so…)
I love The Fit! Actually they still make them (current 4th gen is mainly a hybrid affair), but they’re basically only sold in Asia and the EU.
As weird as it sounds, when I was car shopping a couple of years ago I was cross shopping the fit with the Toyota 86 which has a lot less practical space..
The Fit has been compared to the original Toyota AE86 in terms of its weight, size and handling. The new 86 would also be on my list of alternatives if I were buying now, in this sad situation where new Fits aren't available in the US. Other than that, I'd probably go with a Civic SI or Sport.
2015 here with 45k miles (lol). It's almost everything I need my car to be, just wish they had the hybrid version out here, I'd get that one in a heartbeat.
Another Fit fanatic here, I have a 2016 model that I got in 2018. I think the trim is EX-L, not sure, but it's got a moon roof and paddle shifters. Yellow!
Aside from from the way the back seats fold down, one feature I really really like is the camera on the right mirror which turns on when you signal right. Shame it seems to be getting replaced by other blind spot tech.
I don't drive much, so mine only has around 70k kilometers on it. I plan to keep it as long as I possibly can and just pray that something I like as much will come out in the interim.
I’m surprised to see how many Fit fans there are here! I drove a 2012 Fit for about a decade, it was a great little car. Like others have noted, it was surprisingly roomy. That model was pretty fuel-efficient for a non-hybrid and because of its small size it was easy to park in the city. I never had any major mechanical trouble with it the whole time I owned it.
Eventually my family outgrew it and we needed to trade it in for something with more seats, but I still look back fondly on the Fit. It’s capacious and versatile and even a little bit fun.
They haven't stopped making the Honda Fit, they've just stopped bringing them to the US market.
Japan (and maybe other markets) will have a Honda Fit RS soon. Not a GTI I'm sure, but quicker than previous models.
I drive a 2007 Fit, and it's great. Interestingly enough, it actually was a rally car platform. It's a lot of fun to drive on snow, because you can easily roll the weight onto the front and flick the back out for pendulum turns.
It's fun, is easy to parallel park, carries more than most pickup trucks these days, and has good mileage. I'm hanging onto it as long as I can...and I'm really disappointed that the new ones aren't available in North America anymore
2018 Tesla Model 3 almost entirely for the autopilot. We rented one on one of those peer to peer rental apps for a 7 hour drive to upstate NY to see family. Life-altering. Even in 2018, the car did 95% of the (highway) driving. By the time we got back, we both looked at each other and agreed that we didn't want to give it back.
5 years makes a helluva difference. We were both optimistic about Musk and his vision for electrified spacefaring future. Now, that Musk has outed himself as Space Karen, we have a complicated relationship with owning a Tesla.
Very similar experiences here. 2019 Model 3 and almost every other car feels like a flip phone coming from a smartphone. Plus once you get away from gas cars you realize how much they stink!
Musk seems to have slipped and hit his head at some point which is annoying but it’s hard to argue with the value of a currently $33k 250+ mile range EV. Tesla has done a lot of work shaping the current EV market and pulling the old auto companies into EVs. The supercharger network is unparalleled too!
It's neat that Tesla really got the world motivated on EVs, but I just don't think I could ever own one due to the lack of physical controls. I know you can use the steering wheel, but that still just feels damn clunky to me when I can reach the nobs for Volume or Climate control without even thinking. Rented a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica recently and it has nobs, but still had to use the touchscreen to do a few basic functions and that was annoying enough.
Even though I really enjoy working on cars and engines, I'm looking forward to the EV future, but just need manufacturers to get over the touchscreen obsession first... Well and I need more money. There's a reason my newest car is 11 years old.
I thought I would have a similar concern, but the multifunction scroll wheels on the steering wheel are really good. I don't think I've ever changed volume using the touchscreen, and the voice controls for adjusting AC have been very good in my experience (press right scroll wheel inward, say "set temperature to X," boom done.)
So you end up using the scrolls wheels for 95% of everything in the car and the touchscreen for the last 5% and a good responsive touchscreen is really nice for the large map. Sit down in the car, set your destination, and then don't touch the touch screen until you are parked and leaving. It's quite well designed. My only real annoyance is having to use the touch screen to open the glovebox, but I hardly use that anyway.
33k! 😂😬😅😭 Our LR AWD was almost double that in 2018. Still worth it.
Yep paid 49k for my LR AWD in 2019. But that's the going rate now for the base model 3 after the federal tax credit!
Wow, really??? Huh!
Looks like, once you factor in AP and FSD, ours is less expensive than what we paid. We got FSD when it was on a fire sale for... 2k? It's 15k now.
2022 Model 3 here, feel the exact same way about autopilot. It’s a godsend on road trips! Made drives from central Ohio to Chicago and New Jersey almost effortless. I’d been electric for a while before it so this is the logical endpoint for my EV journey (that I can afford)
Checking in w/ the oldest daily driver at the time of writing, a 1991 5.7L 4x4 Chevy pickup.
Nice! 2000 Jeep XJ here.
Brother (sister), it took me 3 years and probably over 100 examples looked at before I found "the one". Bought it from the original owner who had in his last two years of ownership put a new long block and reman'd transmission... from the chevy dealer. Not even a dent in the bed.
That era Jeep Cherokee XJ is like my dream car. All the ones I’ve seen for sale are either in horrible condition (and despite their fixability I certainly don’t have the skills needed to do it) or very expensive for a 30ish year old car. Needless to say I’m jealous!
Long time car enthusiast and shade tree mechanic. Been buying, selling, driving and fixing since I was 16, so 45 years of things on wheels.
My current stable of oldie but goodies:
Yeah, thats a bit ridiculous number of engines and Im trying to cull the herd. The Fiat is our favorite grocery getter for most of the year, but in winter definitely the SUVs as we need 4x4 for the deep snow of northern Canada and something to plow snow.
'21 MKV Supra, cause smiles per gallon
Is that the one that looks kinda like a blobfish
Looks like a blobfish, drives like a BMW... but it says it's a Supra! /s
Seconded, but '23 MKV Supra. Gave up sport bikes for it and didn't immediately feel it was slow, so that is probably the best compliment I can give a car.
Recently traded my 2017 Mazda 3 for a 2019 CX-5. Loving the extra space, but miss some of the mods I had installed on the 3
I still drive a 2017 Mazda 3. Great little car. Fun to drive and virtually maintenance free in my experience.
I'm currently driving an Abarth Fiat 500, but I'm really considering getting a Mazda3 when this thing eventually stops working.
Not that I really have any problems with the car, I just don't want to deal with getting a used Fiat lol. And the only other car I'm really considering would be a Civic hatchback, but they don't make a SI hatchback which is just a shame.
When I was looking, I wanted to test drive the civic hatch, mazda 3 hatch, and maybe a toyota. Nothing else I wanted in my price range. Well, as soon as I stepped on a toyota lot I noped out of there. Wasn't impressed with the 2017 models appearance or fit and finish at all. At the Honda lot, I couldn't get a salesman to even look at me let alone let me take a test drive. Mazda was a completely different story. I had a great experience with the local dealer (well, as good as you can have buying a car) and the fit and finish are a step up for this class of car. No regrets. Except I couldn't get a stick.
See I really don't think I'd want to settle with anything that's not a stick, it's just so much more fun to drive when you have that much more control over the car.
But yeah as far as fun hatchbacks go it seems like you have a bunch of unreliable European or South Korean cars, a Civic, a Mazda3, and that's really it. And you can get used Fords too.
So unless they start making the SI in a hatchback I really think I'm going to be getting a Mazda unless I go with a used car.
I've been debating getting a CX-5 as my first car, or possibly one of the other Mazda models. Given that you traded a Mazda for a Mazda I'm assuming you're happy with the brand?
Went from a Miata which isn't exactly the same lol, but I also am a Mazda to Mazda owner with a 21 CX-5 Turbo. Personally I despise the tech in my CX-5; it does a very poor job of handling some weird cases with things like Teams calls not handling the microphone or appearing in Android Auto, translating DPad controls to the touch AA UI is bad on the models without any touch, and the built-in navigation system cannot handle voice commands. Seats are a little uncomfortable at first on long trips and the space is a bit lower vs other options in the class. But it drove way better than the other few cars I tested and I really enjoy it, was a much better value than other cars at the time with the Carbon trim and the dealer experience was great.
As a whole, Mazda has been my favorite brand of car to drive. I've jumped between 4 of them in the last 13 years and have never had any large or persistent issues with them. I think they've nailed the cost value of them.
Jumping off of what @Lapbunny said, for long drives the CX-5 could be a little more comfy, but I found this also applied to my 3. I am personally finding the tech in the CX-5 the most frustrating of the models I've owned so far, and a lot of that is on the auto-braking when coming up behind cars. I can make the judgment call that I'm far enough back from a car turning/leaving the lane to release my brakes and not touch the gas pedal, and the car will still brake and beep at me. There's no way to permanently disable that, only each time you turn on the car.
I've had a 2014 CX-5 for 8 years. I absolutely love it. No complaints. I've convinced 4 other people to buy CX-5s and all of them have been happy with their purchases.
2019 Tesla Model 3 and a 2022 Lexus RX450h. I love how the Tesla feels to drive, but the interior quality and tech are disappointing. Whereas the Lexus is not particularly fun to drive, but Apple CarPlay, the trackpad pointer thing, cross traffic alerts when backing up, 360 degree backup camera, a working suspension, and ventilated seats make it a more comfortable drive.
I recently just got a 2016 RX350 and absolutely love it. It’s not particularly zippy on the road, but it’s so much more luxurious than the early 00’s Camry I had prior to it.
The ventilated seats are a game changer. We’re taking it on it’s first long weekend trip this weekend and we’re excited to do it in such comfort!
Yeah they really change the game in the summer. The heated steering wheel is amazing as well (although the non-heated wood parts are FREEZING in the winter). Another feature I love is when you start to turn, it shines a light to the side so you can see where you are turning, it's really cool!
I particularly like the downlighting from the side view mirrors whenever you’re near the front doors. It’s such a nice little touch.
That’s so weird — you would think it would be the opposite.
Cars that still focus on a human driver have added tech to improve that experience, whereas Tesla is so convinced the human won’t be driving that they haven’t made many advances in that realm for awhile.
For the last 20 years, up until just recently, I drove a 2003 Hyundai Elantra. Great car, still works great, but getting pretty old and falling apart inside to the point where I don't really enjoy driving it at all.
Last month I replaced it with a 2017 Fiat 500e because I wanted something electric, small, fun to drive, and relatively inexpensive and the Fiat fit the bill on all fronts. Main reasons I wouldn't recommend it to someone is it only has a 80 mile range on a full charge, and the back seats are pretty cramped, but as a secondary family car for someone like me who drives very infrequently and mostly just for short errands or to drop off or pick up one kid at a time it's a really fun little car. Because the battery is pretty low capacity it can fully charge from empty in about a day and a night on a standard 120V household outlet, so even without installing a fast charge circuit in my garage it's pretty much always at 100% when I need to use it.
Awesome! I didn't expect to see another Fiat 500e owner on here, given their relative rarity, especially where I live in Canada (they were never sold here). I went all the way to Illinois to get mine (1900 miles) and haul it home on a car trailer, which is a bit nuts but I really wanted one, and this one wasn't selling because, well, its Illinois and no one cared about EVs in 2018 when it was 3 years old. I was blown away that I could buy a car that was 34k new three years later for 8k!
I picked the Fiat after test driving several small battery EVs at the one and only used EV dealer in my province. It was so fast and so fun to drive I knew I had to have one. I love it even though I can only drive it about 9 months of the year. In winter its so darn cold here that the range drops too low to make it safe to drive into town - lots of times Ive come home with only 4 km range showing. Not comfortable.
I took the rear seat out because all our kids are grown and its the perfect grocery getter. I hope FIAT brings the newer iteration of the 500e to Canada. They're a little known gem amongst the 'big boys' of the industry.
I live in a city centre, so it's much more efficient to cycle than drive. My company sponsored a "bike to work scheme" and paid for half the bikes cost, which allowed me to splash out a little - current bike is Trek Domane Al 3, Shimano groupset which is always nice with the disk breaks.
I've kitted it out for long distance spins and switch out the pedals if I'm just hopping on it going into work.
Before that I used to drive an electric blue Fiat Panda, easy choice!
38 years old and never got my driver's license. I was living out of home since I was 15, so there was never a straightforward way to get practice, that coming-of-age milestone kinda passed me by. Then once I was working full time, the time and cost of paid driving lessons, well, never floated up the list of priorities, with reasonably decent public transport to work (although that's kinda changed, the infrastructure has not kept up with population growth and it takes twice as long as it did a couple decades ago).
But, I recently got a hand-me-down 2011 Suzuki Swift 1.5l manual for my birthday, just sitting in my driveway waiting for me to be able to drive it, so I'm on a warpath with professional lessons, press-ganging friends to come on road trips so I can practice for my test. After all these years, I'm gonna be a car guy. Looking at an aftermarket dash screen and reverse camera, maybe a stereo upgrade.
Always sort of dreamed one day when I'd gotten around to driving and in a bit better financial place I'd buy a 4WD, take a bit of a sabbatical and do a big driving holiday around Australia. Figuratively and literally, the wheels are in motion.
Yo, good luck and enjoy! I hope it's everything you've dreamt of :)
I'm 35, no driver's license, but I also sold the one car I inherited without bothering to drive it. It's a personal choice for me.
2012 Jetta, 5 cylinder with a 5-speed. Not fast, but 1st and 2nd are geared short enough to have fun with, and the 5 cylinder makes a nice sound. When money’s less tight, I want to add fog lights, a short throw kit, and maybe an ECU tune, although I really like not having to pay for 91 or 93 octane with the car stock.
Bet you drop a turbo in there (or supercharger maybe easier) and it'll scream.
2018 Audi RS3. I absolutely love it and it's the best car I've ever owned. Lovely 5 cylinder motor and will probably be my last gas powered car before going full electric.
2000 Jeep Cherokee that I bought used in 2017. Three radiators later it’s still running (sometimes under protest) but it gets me where I need to go.
Our other car is a 2015
glorified doorstopSubaru Outback. That car broke my heart, I bought it after my dad died and I wanted to love it so much but we had problems with it almost from day 1, and last summer it just quit. Wouldn’t turn over, it wasn’t the battery, I’d already replaced a bunch of other stuff and I’m just over it. :( So it’s sitting inoperable until I can make arrangements to deal with it.(I live in the Canadian Arctic so it isn’t as simple as just getting it towed to a dealer, I would have to ship it via cargo ship to Montréal and then figure it out from there. It’s a headache and I just have no capacity to deal with it right now.)
I have a 2013 Honda Fit with a manual that is great fun to drive and gets solid MPG's; I bought it brand new, to my specifications in 2012 and it took a few months to actually get, but I'm so happy with it still. Turned into a great family car when we had our kids starting in 2017. Currently sitting at over 130k miles, with nothing major needing to be done to it. Though this summer, I do need to do my front brakes, as I can feel the warped rotors when I'm braking from higher speeds and I should go in and check the adjustment on my rear drums.
Also have a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan that I absolutely love, which recently turned over 231k miles. Back in October I drove it on a 2k mile road trip and it just ate up the miles and was so comfortable for all the way. I bought it 3 years ago with about 214k on the clock and have somewhat revived it; I rebuilt the suspension and steering, replaced the AC system, alternator and as of a few months ago, did a new waterpump to stop the leak it had. It burns a slight bit of oil, but otherwise runs and shifts great; comfortable to drive, easy to get my kids in and out of and I can take the seats out and have an 8' covered hauling space. My wife and I have even put a camping mattress in it and camped out of it back in 2021; I absolutely love the thing.
Also have a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee I haven't driven in about 4 years, because I'm rebuilding the engine and with two little kids and limited time, it's very slow going. Hoping to finally have it back together by the end of the summer and be able to take it out on some trails and see what it can do with the new tires I bought for it 4 years ago, right before I yanked the engine...
2016 Kia Soul EX... I'll be happy with it until the engine blows up
I have a 2015 Soul!
I love this thing; I will happily never get another car. We added a trailer hitch and recently bought a utility trailer; I can't really imagine why I'd ever get a different car (aside from potentially needing another row of seats if we end up with a large family).
Also have a Yuba Spicy Curry e-bike for me to get around when my wife has the car.
I don’t drive, but I have an all-access travelcard that’s valid for my entire country and all their rail services. Costs less than a car if you factor in petrol and insurance, plus I can work on a train as opposed to having to focus on the road
2006 Toyota Century, aka the one with a V12.
I actually walk to work daily. And I usually take public transportation when I go somewhere. The only time I really drive is on road trips, so I wanted a comfortable and unique car to suit that.
Most people hear it has a V12, and they think it's an asphalt killer. But really, it's only rated at about 300hp. So it's really built for comfort and oh man, that thing is silent on the highway.
One of my absolute all time dream cars. I’d give a kidney to do a bagged VIP Century build one day.
I'm looking at my options right now to do exactly that. Or maybe turn it into a battle car instead, lol.
I got my first car a year ago, a 2016 Hyundai Accent SE, so I could drive as needed for work (to the office, to clients, etc).
I like it. I was looking at compacts and saw a mention I thought was hilarious: "They sound like you're having fun when you aren't doing anything dangerous." I can really crank it to get up to 65 on the freeway and it feels like I'm speeding.
A wireless back up cam, and a front/rear dashcam later and it's perfect.
"Slow Car Fast" we car people tend to call it. Way more fun to drive slow car fast than fast car slow.
I like it.
When I drove the car home it sounded like a demon, but that was because I engaged the manual shifting these Hyundai transmissions have. Checked with people I knew tonsee if the 15 miles total I drove that was was going to kill anything.
That's definitely why I like my Fiat Abarth 500 so much. It sucks to take anywhere far away because to get over 70 mph you're basically stuck at 3k rpms with the turbo constantly on, so it's noisy as shit, but for driving around town it's a blast.
My current car is a Ford C-Max energi, it's been a fairly economical/worry free car, but it being a first gen-ish PHEV I lost cargo space and the interior leaves a lot to be desired, but the overall experience driving it has been and still is great, and it's never had any issues.
We just bought an Ioniq 5 for my wife and the interior and overall packaging is miles better than my C-Max and even her BMW(that we traded in). At this point I'll probably replace my C-Max with another EV, just not sure which I would get, probably wait until there is something sportier and use the 5 as the family car
2012 Honda CRV EX-L, a more responsible choice after enjoying a 2008 BMW 335i.
I don’t mind doing basic work on my car. I have never enjoyed working on a bicycle. You probably meant motorbike, though.
My daily drive is a 2017 Dodge Caravan, aka Dad's Taxi service.
My previous car was a Mustang. It has been... a bit of an experience making the change.
To be honest, I'd take the minivan over the Mustang any day; minivans are the ultimate utilitarian vehicle.
In general I agree, but Iloved the Mustang. We just didn't have room to keep it.
The irony is that a few years after getting rid of it we moved somewhere with a garage and I probably could have kept it and restored it... but I want to get away from internal combustion engine cars anyways.
Restoration is a HEAP of work, so you may have dodged a bullet (Bullitt?) at least. I'm semi-restoring an old Jeep and with two little kids, it's taking ages just to get the engine rebuild done; I'm four years into just that so far and six years into owning the vehicle altogether.
I also need to disassemble the dash to get at the heater box so I can fix some vacuum tubing on there and while I could have gotten into that sometime in this 4 year engine rebuild, I just can't start another big project where I have to take something completely apart. I'm hoping that one doesn't take so long, but I'm just going to live with only defrost on my vents for awhile when I finally do get the engine back together...
I actually would have been in a sweet spot - the engine was in great condition, and most of what needed work was body / interior, which I'm generally okay with. Plus I have a fairly nice garage to work in now, which makes a huge difference. That said, I don't have tons of free time so it probably would not have progressed particularly fast, and I may also have had a multi-year project on my hands, which would not have been great.
I miss that car though; I loved driving it.
The dodge caravan’s Stow ‘n Go seats are so cool. I wish my sienna had that feature.
I absolutely love the stow 'n' go. I can go from full dad taxi to getting things out of our storage unit in 5 minutes. It's super convenient, and you can use the underseat stow areas can actually be used as storage when the seats aren't in them, which is great. If I'm going into Toronto, I often put any of the things that frequently sit in my car into those storage areas, and the whole van just looks empty.
That’s awesome. To me it puts pickup trucks to shame if you don’t need the hauling power!
I had a rental 2018ish Grand Caravan and was surprised how much power it had. That V6 will move when you put your foot into it.
It really is quite nice to drive - you can get up to speed in a really reasonable amount of time on a highway, and if you have to put your foot down, it'll go. We've been really happy with it, and it has been a sturdy vehicle with very few issues.
A 99 Land Cruiser (100 series). I've torn that thing down and rebuilt it. I've learned a ton about cars in the process. I've driven that thing all over the country and had a lot of fun offroading in it too. There's a wealth of info over at ih8mud if you're into old Land Cruisers.
I drive Ford Focus Combi 1.6l natural aspirated gasoline engine, 75 or 77kW I believe, 2017 model.
We bought it new into the family with our second kid. The extra space in Combi came in handy when transporting stroller. We have everything cheapest option including dark blue color with extras: tow bar, fog lights, tinted back windows, leather steering wheel and rubber... hm... Like rubber safety thingies on the doors so that we can't chip the paint (ours or theirs) if kids open the door and slam it into the car next to us in a parking lot.
We chose Focus because it was the cheapest and yet still reputable car.
I got it dynoed after driving first 3000km and learnedthat the max torque lies between 3700 and like 5500rpm, so that is the range I tend to use when driving. Too bad speedlimits limit me in that :-) It would do 80km/h on 2nd, around 140km/h on 3rd and around 180 on 4th. Andthere is still 5th gear left. Butit loses power when going fast, drag eventually gets me. I drove like that only on German autobahn as it is the only place where I feel safe enough to try (good quality road, everyone goes fast anyway), otherwise I'm more of a calm driver. But still, the car is thirsty.
I like it. It also still looks sleek in comparison with all the SUVs out there. It is quite low and long from the side and I like that.
I drive a 2023 Subaru Impreza Hatchback and I love it. I got my first Subaru back in 2020 and decided to get another in March. The AWD is so nice for the Upstate NY winters.
2019 here. From a Mazda 3 I was blown away by how the Impreza felt like it was glued to the road in comparison
A 2019 Subaru Outback! I love her with all my heart. I generally avoid driving as much as I can, but I just moved across the USA and she treated me perfectly.
I have the same car. I am loving the AWD, Eyesight & all that space in the trunk for my junk.
I have a few. Daily driver is a 22 F150. Would have liked to go smaller, but I just use a truck to tow way too often.
My fun ride is a 72 Dodge Dart Swinger. 3 speed with a 360 under the hood.
Lastly, have a 2016 Indian Scout that i don't get out as often as i would like.
ND MX5 RF miata. In the only colour that counts, soul crystal red metallic.
All Miatas are red, even the blue ones!
Not a driver, but I ride a motorbike.
Yamaha Tracer 900.
I drive a 2013 Mazda 3 (that was my first car), and it's still running strong at 165K miles. We decided to add another car (mostly an SUV) and were deciding between the Mazda CX-50 and the BMW X3.
I have had a great experience with my Mazda and wanted to stay with the family. However, after test driving the X3 and Mazda dealers around us charging "market adjustment," we decided to go for a custom build and paid MSRP for our X3.
Absolutely no regrets about our decision. The X3 is an amazing car and serves us well for long road trips. Mazda, on the other hand, is still our daily driver to get groceries, daycare drop-offs, etc.
I'm sure I'll get crap for this - 2016 Ford F-250. So here's the rationale - I use a truck for truck things often enough that it makes sense for us to own one. When the weather is nice and a lightweight vehicle is appropriate, I ride a motorcycle (that gets 60mpg). If my wife and I are going somewhere together and don't need the truck, we take her car.
But when I'm hauling a horse trailer, construction materials or the motorcycle itself, or if the weather is bad and my wife needs her car, I take the truck. It doesn't make sense (economic or otherwise) for the 2 of us to own a 4th vehicle.
I feel this. I got a 2018 F-150 for a couple reasons. Though I would love to gave a small electric car for the around town business. I put myself up for being the one in the family to tow horses and haul stuff. That and it was a dream vehicle of mine as silly as that sounds. Before that I had a 2000 4runner and let me tell you the F-150 was a big jump in comfort & tech!
I've talked about my car exhaustively but I drive a 2012 Nissan Leaf. When my last car was on it's deathbed I was actually looking at tiny economy gas powered cars - I was considering things like the Smart car - but when I was out I saw a leaf and asked if I could test drive it, too, and it blew everything else out of the water. It was more comfortable, more responsive, and had a much better ride overall. With used prices at the time it was actually cheaper as well. With all the extra advantages of it being an EV, there was no contest.
I actually want to trade it in and get an EV with a longer range so that I can do road trips in it (as well as get the newer bells and whistles), but the market for any car right now is too high since all the automakers decided to get rid of their economy cars. You might have heard of Chevy discontinuing the Bolt and Nissan discontinuing the Leaf.
With that being said, I kind of hate driving now. I drive way too much, in too much traffic, and seen too many asshole drivers. If that weren't the case I could enjoy driving much more.
I kind of wish that I could get around with a scooter or motorbike of some sort (electric would be nice, but gas would probably be acceptable too). Unfortunately it really doesn't work where I live; there's just too much distance to travel. More than anything, I'm afraid that those bad car drivers will hit me and either ruin or end my life.
A lot of countries really shit the bed with transportation.
A 2022 Kia EV6. No one we run into seems to know what it is, but it's an amazing battery electric car. We snagged the tax credit before they stopped it, and talked down the dealer to a small markup last year. Just extremely lucky and have been enjoying the car so much. We were driving a 2009 Pontiac with nearly 200k miles on it before, so quite a change.
Sidenote, the only thing I've missed about reddit is the niche communities for things like a specific model of car, where everyone geeks out together about it.
Toyota 86!
It’s like a slightly more practical miata thanks to the rear seats and larger trunk, and cost of ownership is pretty low.
One day I’ll probably have to upgrade to something with bigger rear seats and storage capacity (Corolla GR? Honda Type R?) but I’m happy with the 86 for the moment (2-person family)
A fellow Japanese boxer owner! I've got a 2022 WRX! The 86 was on my short list. Unfortunately, I was too tall for it. I can happily recommend the WRX when you need some extra room but want something that'll put a smile on your face.
I wish they still made a hatchback WRX. Those were cool.
'22 Subaru BRZ here! It's a fantastic car. The aftermarket support was a big part of the reason for buying - I'm installing a ducktail spoiler on mine today, and have an intake and the new Grazio lightbar on the way. Really excited to have all three installed!
1999 Toyota Tacoma dude
2013 F150 King Ranch. It’s my DD as well as our family tow vehicle for the monthly camping trips we take in our camper. It’s been a workhorse for me and still shows no signs of slowing down.
Nice job on actually using it to it's full extent! I know a few people that use it only to drive to work and get groceries. It never leaves the city lol.
I may not use it as much as say, a contractor, but it’s certainly needed for our towing! And no matter how hard I try, I can’t justify the cost of a third vehicle to save gas in the truck. A few MPGs takes a looooong time to add up to the price of a decent car good enough for family.
Like some other commenters have mentioned, I absolutely hate to drive and I am lucky enough to not have to drive often. When I do need to travel (in decent weather) I like to Onewheel. It feels sort of like riding an endless wave, or snowboarding down an endless mountain. 20 mile range with about 20mph max speed. Super fun.
2022 Volvo xc60. Yes, I'm a boring dad. My wife is the car person.
Alas, living in the place with the highest car prices on earth means that this is no country for motorheads.
Just curious, what country is that?
Singapore. We pay for a Certificate of Entitlement , which can average around $90-110k (say USD 75-100k), plus heavy taxes, plus import duties before you actually factor in the price of the car. This certificate is valid for ten years after which you have to scrap the car, sell it or renew the certificate (there are provisions for classic cars).
For example a 2023 Toyota Camry is currently going for the equivalent of approx 169000 USD.
holy shit.
Nissan Micra. It’s efficient and does what I need it to do.
2016 Ford Focus for longer journies, but mostly just my feet or a bike for going to the shops etc.
(I've got a CX-5 Turbo for kid/dog/stuff hauling and I'm eternally fixing issues on an E46 ZHP sedan.)
A 2014 BMW 535d. Luxurious, quiet, and efficient. Easily get 35+ mpg. Diesel is getting harder to find in my area though unfortunately. Out of the dozens of stations available, only like 3 have diesel.
I have a 2004 Toyota Sienna, though I’m thinking of selling it since I don’t have kids and live in a city now. It’s nice to not be burdened by all the responsibilities of owning a car. Fortunately, public transportation is good where I live.
I have a 2013 Ford Fiesta that I have been driving since new. I pray every time I get in that car that it lasts another 10,000 miles. I currently have 100k on it but these cars are known to be awful with transmissions going out by the 120k mark. The AC is already not working consistently. It is fully paid for and the insurance is dirt cheap so if I can squeeze some more blood out of this stone, I will be happy. I just need it to last until I purchase a home later so my debt to income is at a reasonable level
I drove a 2013 Ford focus, which had the same transmission issues, until last month. I just sold it to a coworker for $500. It has 166k miles on it and I feel it can go many more.
2016 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition. Bought it new near the end of 2015 for 17.9k cash out the door. At the time, my commute was only 18 miles round trip and the last year and a half I've been WFH. IT has 44k miles on it today. It's wearing out in the cosmetic department, but mechanically it's perfectly fine. As long as nothing crumbles apart (gaskets, wiring, etc), then I suspect I can hold this car for at least another 5 years. Well worth it for what it is.
I love nice, fast, high end cars. I do not care for the amount of money those cars cost. It's crazy to me what people spend on cars compared to what they make. I always say "when my rap album goes platinum, I'm getting that nice car".... I'll stick with my sensible choices and never be disappointed.
I drove my Elantra for ten years and never ran into an issue other than I wished it was slightly faster. I just replaced it last year with a Sonata and expect to get another ten or more since I drive less now than I did then.
Been on any trails with it?
I've got a '98 ZJ that I'm in the process of rebuilding the motor on and hoping to have done by the end of summer. My suspension is already all done and has been for years at this point, but plenty more mods I want to go on it; ideally the next up will be a bumper with rear tire carrier to reclaim the interior space and after that a lunchbox locker would be nice, but I'm not sure if I'd put it in the front or the rear; already have limited slip in the rear, so I dunno.
A Hyundai Elantra N. Wrote a somewhat lengthy write up over at r/cars back when that existed. It's good at everything I use it for: the preschool run, autocross, and HPDE/track days.
Awesome car! Almost went with this myself, but could never find one to test drive. Ended up going with the Golf GTI, but I've only heard good things about the Elantra N from folks that have them.
Sold our 2009 Ford Escape with 218k miles for a new Tesla model Y. I learned a lot working on that Escape to keep it running but I'm so done with all the problems gas cars get as they age. Despite ( I would say prestine) maintenance on that car, there seemed to be a major problem every month for the last year or so. Transmission went out (I think this was the second one we had to get rebuilt) which was expensive, I replaced the brake master cylinder myself (brake started going all the way to the floor), oil leaks, etc. I guess it's unavoidable at that mileage but I was still thinking for so long that after [this one thing] it would still be a good car for a long time. Even if I did fix everything myself (to include the transmission) I was still spending way more than the car could have possibly been worth to maintain it.
Absolutely love the Tesla (despite disliking the person running the company). Love the minimalist design, love that the wife and I can go camping in it (we have a mattress in the back), love all the lane-assist stuff etc. I love we can charge it at night and are barely charged anything compared to gas. Not loving having a car payment but we are paying it off aggressively and it should be paid off within the first year of ownership. Perhaps most of all I love how quiet it is and how I don't really worry about the next thing breaking (so many less moving parts!).
I'm not a huge car guy but I've always wanted to learn how to drift! Anyone have any resources on where to get started? I'd probably have to buy a used car haha. I personally drive a 2022 Polestar 2, big fan of EV's right now for a daily driver though!
Noriyaro has a lot of pretty great drift and drift culture content; he recently re-shared an old how-to video of his with updated commentary, which is where I would start. I'm hearing a lot nowadays that the various simulators (Assetto Corsa, etc) are actually really good for learning to drift, so if you want a slightly more money-friendly solution before you take the plunge on a car, that's a great place to start.
That looks amazing! I'm actually heading to Japan soon and would have loved to visit drift school if it wasn't so expensive and out of the way. I'll take a look at Assetto Corsa though, I don't have a wheel which might not be as good sadly.
Oh yeah, on the note of drift school - check locally! Even my little isolated city has events every so often. Don't even need to bring your own car, they provide one.
Adventure vehicle: 2008 Honda Element. Camping, kayaking, biking, it's a great bash about that does the job.
Daily driver: alternate adventure vehicle: 2017 Mazda Cx-5. Good grocery getter, a few more creature comforts, nice all around reliable ride.
Fun time car: 2005 Nissan 350Z. All beauty with a good amount of grunt. Super fun to drive, eye catching, not as nimble as we would like. Lots of smiles per mile.
We do our own wrenching, so upkeep is manageable. Used to race sportbikes. Riding on the road since the cell phone era is pretty sketchy with so many drivers being distracted. Sold my Yamaha R6 about 6 or 7 yrs ago. Hubby still has his old Honda CBR, but hasn't ridden in quite some time. We live in a decent sized city. If we move farther out I would consider picking up a used Ducati or Triumph for funsies.
I drive cars from the car sharing services in Berlin, so I get to try a lot of different models. I really like the VW ID.3 and I hate new minis.
Apart from cars, I built myself a really nice city bike and I ride it everyday to work.
I drive a Toyota Tacoma. Thinking of getting something with a bigger inside having three kids is tough in the small inside of a Tacoma haha.
I drive a 2013 Smart Car that’s black with white cow spots - bought it that way, but I love it! I always get fun comments about her (dubbed: Beep Beep Pony by my 6’2 bestie who drives it to work and looks like they’re getting out of a clown car lmao)
This is my 2nd smart car. I’m a bit of a fan and was kinda sad when they withdraw from American markets.
A 2005 Honda Civic LX. It is my first car, and driving it since 2007. It has its maintenance issues here and there, but its engine is running great. Hope to drive it for as long as I can.
That Civic should last you a long time. That generation civic (2001-2005) started off with lots of issues but by 2004 and 2004, it turned into a great car.
When i worked at a Honda dealership, it wasn't uncommon to see 2004 0r 2005 Civic with well over 200k miles coming in for maintenance/service.
We actually have three cars between my wife and I, and we're trying to decide which to get rid of.
2021 Mazda CX-30 - this is our most commonly used car. It gets pretty good gas mileage for its size and its more powerful and roomier than our other cars. The downside is it's relatively expensive both in insurance and current payment. We're probably going to keep it though, because with a baby on the way it will be the easiest to use. Drives like the Mazda 3 but basically twice as big inside. Loaded with safety tech.
2017 Mazda 3 - love this car. Stellar gas mileage and it's fun to drive. Also sort of the top contender to sell, since it'll probably be the easiest to find a buyer for and get a good price.
2006 Acura RSX - this is my actual favorite car to drive. It's not the type-S so it actually gets great gas mileage, handles like nothing else I've ever driven, and that Acura engine will probably go another 150k miles (currently close to the first 150k) with no issues. The downside is it's obviously relatively small, it's not that safe, and when the used car market settles it won't be worth anything much. But it's owned outright so I hate the idea of getting rid of it since it's close to free to own.
Only a couple of Scoobs here.
I drive a 2008 Subaru Outback Sport w/ a manual transmission (base model Impreza hatchback). I'm a college student and pretty strapped for cash as I took a lower paying job so I could go back to school.
It's honestly in great shape for it's age. I bought it in 2021 with 150k and so far, put another 35k on it. My dad and I did pretty much the entire suspension, new clutch, and then just general maintenance items.
I love it a lot and I hope to keep it until I can buy an EV.
We've got a secondhand 2008 manual Suzuki Swift that we love the heck out of. It's very fun to drive; it's not very powerful, yet it feels zippy and nimble. It also performs well on dirt, sand, and gravel tracks. We also occasionally drive it around the property (we live on a farm), and even on wet grass and mud, you can coax it up slopes with clever shifting. Our driveway washed out in a flood about six months ago, and the Swift is coping just fine, so we probably won't put a new one in anytime soon (possibly ever).
Manual Suzuki Swifts (and a couple of other similar hatchbacks) seem to be very popular here with people living on rural properties. We are located near a lot of parks, trails, campgrounds, etc., and our nearest town is also a tourist hotspot, so we get a lot of people showing up from our largest local city (Melbourne) with huge SUVs to go offroading. It's very funny for the locals because, of course, the locals handily show them up in little underpowered hatchbacks.
2020 Honda Civic (: I needed to sell my old 2010 Kia Rio (hated that car), and when I was looking in 2021, the Honda I drive now was the first car I found that was close to me. This was during the used car shortage so I considered myself very lucky. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, but I love it. Originally wanted either a Hyundai Kona or a Subaru Outback (too expensive for my budget) but this will do for awhile.
Currently a 2017 Ram 1500 4wd (I live out in the desert)
I will be getting a 2010 mazda 3 6 speed in a week or some from my neighbors in about a week or so to save on gas.
And in my garage currently being built is my 1993 Mitsubishi 3000gt Vr4. Twin turbo, All wheel drive, all wheel steering.
Make sure the Mazda 3 has had the driver seat recall done. I had the same year and got real sick of rocking back and forth after the seat broke.
Thanks for the information! A new seat would be pretty dope. It's not in the best condition but it only has about 70k miles and she's selling it to me for less than $2k. Gonna be nice to get more than 11mpg on my 10 mile drive to work every day lol.
2019 Honda Civic. I absolutely love it and plan to drive it for a long time. In maybe a decade or so I'd like to go electric but it's not super feasible right now. Still driving too much in areas that don't seem to have chargers readily available. But I think that will change over the next several years.
I drive a 2012 Toyota RAV4.
Since August, 2021, I've had a reservation for a Rivian (at first an R1T, but switched to an R1S), which they estimate they can deliver in early 2024. I still have yet to test drive a Rivian, but whether I go with it or not, I want my next car to be a full BEV, even if getting something with comfortable features and range is much more costly, up front, than an ICE or hybrid vehicle.
I have a 2007 Rav 4! I'm also hoping to get an EV next since the long term cost of ownership should be so much better.
Right now, I'm patiently hoping and waiting to order an Aptera if they are able to make it into production. If you are interested in vehicles with extremely low running costs and don't need more than 2 seats (or have a secondary vehicle), then I suggest you check it out because it is such a unique idea. Note: I have zero affiliation, I just think it is an exciting vehicle
I’ve looked at Aptera, but a few things concern me:
Those are all good concerns!
I think this is a common concern. The company’s position is that their egg-shaped carbon passenger compartment is very safe by design. They seem very confident in their computer models and have specifically called out examples of side impact, head-on, and roof-crush impacts that expect Aptera to perform well on.
I’m inclined to believe them, but I’d also really like to see real-world tests by a third party. I think Aptera recognizes that real crash test data like this is necessary, so that should become available once they start manufacturing their first vehicles.
Yeah, I think the number of seats is the biggest limitation. The trunk space actually seems to be quite good though. They have a neat video on YouTube showing the trunk space. They also say it will be big enough to sleep inside which is cool! Definitely a small car relative to the Rav4. Probably this is best for young singles/couples or commuters.
This is definitely a huge concern! It isn’t even certain they are going to make it into production. However, they are the only vehicle company I have seen that activity wants to empower and support their customers and the world. They are a right to repair company! They are committing to providing parts and manuals to customers for almost all parts of the vehicle. They also are going to use openpilot for level 2 driving features which indicates some support for open source projects as well.
Who know how things will develop or how true to their values they will stay. But for now, I think they have a chance of being something really awesome and positive for the world.
Obviously better public transit infrastructure and walkability would be ideal, but if we have to have cars (and car companies) then I hope more of them look like Aptera rather than Tesla.
I drive a Fiat 500E. I admit that with its 100 mile range and being a single car household, logistics can be a bit tricky in the US, but I’m repulsed by the American highway system so it’s my little protest.
2022 Ram 1500…no I’m not one of those Ram drivers ;) I’ve always wanted a pickup and was finally able to get it one. I can’t imagine going back to an suv or car.
Currently, a 2007 Nissan Titan. Paid cash for it in '21, with 236k miles on it, some minor maintenance since then (valve cover gasket, o2 sensor, water pump). Base trim with manual windows and locks, less to break. Plan on driving it until it isn't worth it, though if EV conversions get affordable enough or common enough, that might happen.
One thing I really look forward too is seeing classic cars with fully electric engines. Like a '58 Cadillac that sounds like a space ship.
Honestly, for a conversion, I'm not interested in seeing crazy acceleration numbers or top speed, just match or slightly improve the performance of the gas engine, and get decent range. With this truck, if I could have a 200-250 mile range on a charge with a load, that would match the current range. Though to be fair, the only way I'm getting 250 miles on a tank is highway cruising about 55 mph and running it to empty...
I haven't driven a car since I moved to Japan.
*cries in North American
I'm delighted to say that I don't drive. I'm giving my old Chevy to charity and becoming a 100% get-around-on-transit guy. In a city with good transit, it can be done and it sure beats driving.
Recently upgraded from a 14 year old Mazda 6 to a lightly used 2020 VW Golf GTI! I absolutely love it. I didn't know driving could be this fun until I took it for a spin. Also having a car from this decade in itself was such a huge upgrade.
I got my first car in 2000, and they went in this order:
Model 3 hands down my favorite but the 83 DeVille is a very close second
My very first car was a 1984 Ford Tempo actually, purchased (very) used from a church garage sale.
2004 Honda S2000 (yellow) here!
My wife and I share/alternate between a Kia Telluride and a Kia Sorento.
The Telluride is an amazing family car. We had one that was wrecked by a drunk driver while parked and the decision to get another one was almost without question.
Great styling, comfortable ride, great for kids with second row captain's chairs and a third row that we mainly use for storage but can serve to carry other adults in a pinch. Wouldn't want to put an adult in the third row for a long road trip, but the third row space was best in the segment and we didn't want to go bigger. Price was right too for what you get.
There are occasional very minor annoyances or lack of polish but I have to keep reminding myself that I bought a Kia and not a true luxury SUV (like when it wouldn't allow me to configure the digital key but the app error messages were generic and unhelpful, or when the app/website are slow/glitchy, or when a button press takes too long or doesn't register, or the fact that "next song" on the steering wheel is a push down on the toggle button rather than a push up).
But other things Kia does really well, like a high resolution backup camera and surround view system or the blind spot view where putting on your turn signal displays a live camera view of the lane next to you on the dash so you don't have to turn your head. That's a true game-changing feature for me. Now I have muscle memory and confusingly stare at the dash of other cars when I drive them.
Would NOT recommend the process of buying a Kia, as the dealers are mostly terrible with tons of unnecessary markup or dealer added packages, but if you can find the right dealer the car is great for the money. I think Kia is used to selling cheap cars to people and taking advantage of them, but when you're looking at the higher end vehicles/trims and thinking "for just a little more I could have a Mercedes with no sales drama and more polish," it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
The Sorento is a little smaller and therefore easier to maneuver and park, and it's a little more sporty/fun to drive compared to the Telluride. It does feel a bit like a tin can sometimes. The finishes are nice but sometimes you just get the feeling they took the B or C team from the Telluride development group and had them cut a few features and slap together the Sorento. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy driving it, but the Telluride is just a smidge better of a package overall.
2019 Hyundai Ioniq (original recipe hybrid before they reused that name for the electric) and a Kawasaki Z400. Drastically different vehicles.
Bit of a weird mix, but each have their strong points and weak points. The Lexus is the “fun” car, the Tesla for school/schooling runs, the Elgrand is basically used as a Ute/van for going to the hardware store or taking the bikes to the park, and the CRX is a barn find rebuild that I eventually plan on turning into an EV track car.
2017 Toyota Corolla
With two kids (3 and 5), that was the sedan with the biggest trunk we could afford to carry all the stuff we need, and I like the adaptive cruise control on it. It's nice being on the highway and just let it adapt its speeds and keep a safe distance without worrying about it.
One of the reason I'd like to stay with Toyota for my next car, unless the competition caught up on this?
Current daily driver is a 2021 Civic Type R (FK8) in Championship White modded to be OEM+. Before the FK8 I drove a 2010 MK6 GTI w/stage 2 tune and full suspension. Before that a couple boring cars and before that a 2004 Scion xA. Started on a 1986 Toyota Corolla SR5 and a 1990 Toyota Pickup 4 spd.
A Toyota Starlet 1996. Almost hitting the 400k km mark. Only issue sometimes is size but when I'm using other cars it feels like i will bump into everything because they are way larger haha.
I'm driving a 2005 Audi A6 3.2 FSI Limousine. It uses a crazy amount of gas, doesn't fit in the garage I pay for as part of my apartment lease but it's really fun. It's a manual transmission so driving around country roads is nice and at the same time cruising the highway is comfortable as well.
I love it.
I daily drive whatever car my boss buys me, currently a Nissan Rogue. My personal car (really my wife's car 99% of the time) is a 2014 VW Beetle. We love it, fun to drive and sportier feeling than it has a right to be. And being able to do topside oil changes is great. So far it's been the easiest car to service we've owned. It used to belong to my grandparents, and I never want to let it go.
Somewhat of a Honda/Acura enthusiast here... Currently own an 11th gen Civic which I've had for just over two years, a 2007 Tacoma, and a 2009 Civic.
Over the past 21 years of driving, I've owned multiple Civics and Accords, one Integra, one TL, and one Legend in the Honda Acura family. Outside of Honda Acura, also owned a c300 Benz, a Mazda Protege, and a Subaru Impreza.
I currently drive a 2011 Kia Sportage, but I'm saving up to buy a Subaru Impreza Hatchback. I'm sick of how big this SUV is but I love the cargo space. Somehow the Impreza hatch has only slightly less room so it'll be a nice upgrade whenever I get there.
Previously I drove a 2008 Honda Civic Coupe and that has been by far my favorite car I've ever owned (I owned a '08 Chevy Cobalt that gave its life for me in an accident), such good mileage and I had the premium sound package so all my music sounded pretty good too. Unfortunately (again), that car killed itself as the water pump died. No big deal, but as I was driving it to the mechanic I cracked the engine block.
I can't wait to get rid of my Sportage unfortunately. It's just filled with weird electrical problems currently that just don't make sense to try and get fixed. For example, only the driver's window will roll down, the rest I can't roll down from the driver's seat (and the passenger seat window barely rolls down at all), my fog lights no longer work (the lights arent dead, they just don't turn on unless I turn on my right turn signal (???)), along with other minor issues.
For when I'm driving I have a '99 Lexus IS200. When I was looking for a car (almost 10 years ago now) I was after something medium sized, manual, rear wheel drive, with reasonable handling, and reliable - with what I could justify spending the options basically came down to the IS200 or the 3 series from that era and my desire for reliability meant I went with the fancy Toyota. It's held up well over the time I've had it, only non service item that I've really had to deal with was the alternator bearings starting to give up and that was solved cheaply by swapping in a secondhand alternator. Definitely not the fastest car around these days but I still find it compares favourably with many modern cars in regards to handling and feel.
I spend much of my time however on motorbikes and have collected a few of those since I eventually got around to getting my bike licence. In the shed I've got:
Good god I'm jealous!
I recently bought a 2012 Audi S5 with the v8 and it’s been amazing.
We have 2 Hyundai's, but we only drive one. For the last year, the other has had flat tires and a dead battery. We just didn't drive it enough since the pandemic. We're planning on trading them both in for a camper and something that can tow a camper. We foresee a lot of road trips in our future.
Open to advice from anyone with suggestions. We'd like something more SUV than truck so we can pack in the dogsand a camper that has some sort of bathroom/shower solution.
2018 HR-V
I let my boyfriend drive me most of the time in his truck. He likes driving (and finds it less stressful) a lot more than I do :)
I'm driving a 2016 Raleigh Sport. Aluminium frame, front shocks. An ideal road bike. I bought it used and had to replace everything on the frame (~$800 ;_;). New drive train, new rims, brake pads, cables, etc. and it's been solid since then.
What's more, my beautiful city just passed a major milestone of cycling lane construction. I can now take my bike from one end of the city, to the other without sharing the road with cars (other than a few blocks near the end in a quiet neighbourhood, but that' doesn't really count).
2009 Honda Jazz with hail damage the size of a cricket balls.
I enjoy driving it but my partner is not so much a fan. I would prefer something better but the Jazz is a beast and does it's job.
When I put the back seats down you can fit a surprising amount of stuff in it.
I daily a 2008 bmw 328xi 6mt. Owned it for 4 years now and its been great. Fun to drive, does well in the winters, and has been super reliable. Picking up an '01 c5 corvette this weekend and am super excited to get back into a sports car (1st car was 1991 3000gt sl in...drivable condition) and get into wrenching
I have a 2006 chevy cobolt. Craziest thing about it is that the battery is in the trunk.
The vehicle I use when I have the kids is a 2015 Toyota Sienna. I also have a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 for hauling junk and for when my wife is using the van.
BUT! I'm currently working on getting a 1968 Pontiac Firebird back on the road. It's in the garage on jack stands currently and will be stuck like that for most of the summer, unfortunately. But, I'm in the middle of replacing the entire front end and converting from front drum to front disc brakes. After that, I've got some electrical gremlins to sort out before I can get it on the road for a couple test drives. It's certainly not going to be a daily driver (because I don't drive daily) but I do plan to actually drive the car regularly. It's not a show car and it's not going to just sit in the garage for me to look at occasionally. Can't wait!
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, but also walk a lot. I liked Jeeps because they retain their value quite well.
2018 Honda Civic, best car I've ever had. I work from home, my husband drives to work, so we have just the one car. So I get the benefits of being essentially carless and often ride the bus or walk around, but I still have a car whenever I need to run errands. That system works fantastically and we've saved countless money over the years.
2014 Subaru Forester. I love this car! Not too big. The blind spots aren't too bad. I plan on driving it until it dies. Which is hopefully never.
Parked outside my house, is a 2015 Audi A4 Estate.
My daily ride that gets the most use would be a 2019 Trek Emonda ALR 5.
My love, which is now a twisted pile of steel from being hit is a 1994 Maxi Sport. God I loved that bike.
My race machine is a 2018 Orbea Orca Aero
And I also have a wall princess in my 1980 Colnago Master.
2021 Toyota RAV4 and a 2023 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Love them. My next vehicle will most definitely be an electric Toyota or Lexus. I can't see myself every buying a brand new vehicle that's not one or the other.
I also really want an early 2000s/90s Land Rover or 4runner though to play around with and to use for towing a boat.
MK3 Toyota Supras, 1987 has a 2jzgte BPUed, 89 is just plain Jane 7mgte, and 88 is getting a full rally make over (think rally fighter). Then IS300 01' and a 1951 Ford MUTT M151A with ROPS. 1995 Ford F350 7.3 with a few upgrades...and lastly a RX300 from 2000...so yes I'm a bit of a gear head. Next purchases will be HMMVWs, probably a few of them.
4 wheels: '22 Kia EV6 AWD
2 wheels: '14 BMW F800GT. Dad-spec with the bags and all.
My wrenching skills are limited to simple shit like oil changes, which isn't a thing on the EV6.
I also ride a Trek Marlin 8 mountain bike for exercise, which I enjoy a lot.
2018 Toyota Prius-C base model. It’s really my wife’s car, but it’s the only one we have. It’s fine. Gets good gas mileage, but it’s tiny, and unlike some other small cars does not make good use of interior space. Also it doesn’t have cruise control! What?! I would love for our next car to be an electric or plug-in hybrid wagon…Volvo V60?
2008 KLR650. Goes anywhere, slowly. Mechanically simple, but annoying to work on — even a spark plug change requires all the fairings to be removed, and the rubber well nuts disintegrate when you touch them. Tenere 700 would be my dream bike right now, but I’m not riding much lately.
2002 Sportster 883. Not currently riding it, as I crashed it and smashed it up just a bit. Waiting on repairs, and then selling it. Never liked it that much. Heavy and slow.
90’s Trek 520. Steel, made in USA. Great bike.
Previously
I have three vehicles, of which just one is in running condition unfortunately:
My two wheelers are e-scooters (mind you, the castrated German versions, limited to 22 km/h). One is a
I ride my bicycle pretty much everywhere, public transport for trips too far to bike. Personally I absolutely despise cars and am really happy my city has been working to get rid of them as much as possible.
My younger brother also gifted me a longboard for my birthday so I want to practise using that as well.
For my new job I'll probably be using an electronically assisted cargo bike a lot, I'm curious what that will be like as I have never used one before .
For years we had one family car which was a 2016 Honda Fit, before that we had a 2010 Honda Fit. Most days though I ride the bus to work and my wife only drives me to and from the bus stop.
My son just got his first job off the farm and he works odd hours (starts around 5pm, ends around 2pm) so he needed a car. He didn’t want anything new, partially because he hates touchscreens, partially because he hates the look of a new car.
We got a great deal on a 1996 Buick Park Avenue which is a sweet car because it has the throwback feel of a 1970s “boat” but it is modern in all the ways that count: it supports OBD II, has airbags, traction control, etc. and was a bit ahead of its time because it was a “luxury car”. It gets 29mpg which is not bad at all considering it is a “full size” car.
I could never afford a car but an ebike is perfect.
I’ve had loads of stupid stuff in the past but my current steed is a bit special. It’s a ‘21 Alpine A110S which isn’t sold in the US and is rare as rocking horse poo over on this side of the pond.
It’s a 2 seat coupe, mid engined, RWD with 300hp but it only ways 1100kg (~2300 lbs).
There was a crazy obsession with light weight during the development, and you can feel it as soon as the car starts rolling. It’s epic.
AND because it’s so light it can still average 40MPG!
I know my next vehicle will be an EV, but until they get the price and weights down, and the fun up, I’m waiting.