Does this car exist?

I was thinking of what I really what in a Daily Driver. These things are necessary.

Fun to drive

Good Seats and driving position

Good A/C

Decent Gas Mileage (in the 20s at least)

Manual transmission

Easy to work on

Reliable

Fixed top (aka coupe, sedan, station wagon, etc)

Things I would like but aren't required.

Manual windows, manual steering, power locks and alarm (I guess I can always add that), decent safety (aka seatbelts and driver and passenger airbag), low profile (aka not a cop magnet), disc brakes all round, compact, decent aftermarket

I know getting a car with things I think are necessary is easy but add in the other things and I don't know if that car exist.

Sounds just like my Crx Si.

Fletch1 wrote: Sounds just like my Crx Si.

Good A/C? My experience with Hondas are not so much. Also do those have airbags?

'91 + SE-R?

Sounds like a new Hyundai Accent Blue.

I want one.

A Civic sounds like it would fit the bill reasonably well. Well, other than the lemon of a Civic I used to have, but that's another story.

Manual steering is nearly impossible to find these days, but the rest isn't too tough to get. Some other possible candidates that may not quite get some of the optional features but sound like they'd have the required ones down right.

3 series BMW - hard to find a stripper model with manual windows in the US, otherwise good.

Escort / Protege - May fit all the boxes if you get one with the right options.

V6 Mustang - A bit of a cop magnet but otherwise could be done.

Subaru Legacy GT - Like a WRX without the cop magnetism.

Saturns - Unfortunately, they dropped rear discs in the mid '90s. Otherwise may be a good choice.

Do ALL these things exist in a brand new car? No. I think even the Hyundai Accent Blue has power steering, tho I could be wrong.

Also, I don't think you will find a used car with 4 wheel discs AND manual steering.

And manual steering with power locks....another non-existent package.

E36/46 sedan, or coupe if you prefer. Easy to work on if you're not mechanically stupid plus RWD.

Or a Civic Si if you want more reliable and more boring.

Everything these days has powersteering and you're only going to find boring base model Kia's with manual windows.

Celica?

Budget?

Buy a Mazdaspeed3, disconnect the power steering? Or find a DSM and do that.

Well my Civic has all that except good seats, good A/C, disc brakes and power locks and alarm. I mean I can modify the Civic so it fits most of that except the A/C. I don't know about other generations of Civics but the A/C in EKs sucks.

Duke wrote: Budget?

This isn't something I am getting soon. But I was just thinking about things I like about my Civic and things I don't think. Once I finish college I will be in engineering so I would guess $10 to $12k

If it didn't have to be a car a 4cyl Ranger fits the bill minus "fun to drive" but the utility of it makes up for that pretty quick IMO...

MadScientistMatt wrote: Subaru Legacy GT - Like a WRX without the cop magnetism.

This!!!

Post-2002 E46. Should easily be in your price range at that point and fits the bill well. Find a sport package with manual seats (best seats I've ever driven in) and avoid the premium package.

(Surprise, I'm recommending a car I own.)

Raze wrote: If it didn't have to be a car a 4cyl Ranger fits the bill minus "fun to drive" but the utility of it makes up for that pretty quick IMO...

Well I want to buy an old '70s Ford truck with a 300 for utility.

In reply to 96DXCivic:

Sorry, didn't see that part. Definately no airbags.

I think you can get all but one. The lack of power steering is the tough one. I mean, a dark mk2 MR2 isn't too much of a cop magnet unless you have shiny bling wheels on it and a ricer exhaust and gets you all of that.

What's driving your desire for now power steering? Simplicity? Weight (though AC would negate any weight savings), feel/feedback?

I know this sounds weird but BMWs for the most part never do it for me. If I was going to buy a European luxury car, I want a Jag. However that is neither reliable or a manual. I like most of the ideas so far.

Mid-80s 911, brown

Brotus7 wrote: I think you can get all but one. The lack of power steering is the tough one. I mean, a dark mk2 MR2 isn't too much of a cop magnet unless you have shiny bling wheels on it and a ricer exhaust and gets you all of that. What's driving your desire for now power steering? Simplicity? Weight (though AC would negate any weight savings), feel/feedback?

Feel and simplicity. I have found a manual steering in cars I have driven always feels better then power steering.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Mid-80s 911, brown

I like but how are the to work on and how is the A/C?

I have two cars without power steering and manual windows that are fun to drive and easy to work on, but they both have rear drum brakes, no airbags, no A/C, no power locks, and no alarms.

Not all power steering is bad power steering. I'd make the manual steering and manual windows requirements optional and then there are lots of choices.

Escort GT, swap in a Pony rack.

Celica is a good suggestion, other than the manual steering part, and the fact that manual windows weren't available on 4wheel disc models i don't think. But they're easily swapped.