fun cars that aren't a Miata? (500 abarth maybe? the answer?)

so recently I've become an acutal adult and the financial belt straps keep getting looser and looser.... so I'm looking at a "toy" vehicle of some sort... as it stands my wife has a very low millage new car, I got a big truck cause TX... and i'm a home owner and was helping a friend out by buying it from him and I need something to tow the in-laws RV/trailer that lives on my property... my daughter got the family Prius, and my son will be driving fairy soon and will be getting the free to me XJ cherokee (2wd or I don't know that he'd have managed to talk me into it)... 

being that my truck gets around 12mpg (yay titan pro4x) and it's the size of a house like most modern trucks something smaller would be nice... I live in the Houston burbs and don't head outside of that too often.

my mind has gone over a ton of different options... one moment I think another motorcycle... I haven't had one for 13 or so years and I really enjoyed it... but I'm also in houston so it's a bit of distance to any "fun" type roads and with so much traffic and the massive makes me remember that even with mesh riding gear it's pretty hot riding during the summer and a/c would be nice.

along with A/C a stick shift would be nice... I want to be able to teach my kid how to drive a stick before they leave the house so they have a basic well rounded car education (changing tires, oil, and driving stick)... I don't need anything stupid fast... just something that is enjoyable to drive to some degree and maybe go auto-x with on occasion (and drag the kids along with me hopefully)

other options... I still have my old '06 jetta TDI that I didn't trade in when we got my wifes/family car (was my daughters car for the last year and my daily prior to that)... there are LOTS of options with this thing... it's a VW so I could always do stupid things to it or pilfer the engine for something else... an a1 or a2 with a TDI swap is always something I thought would be rad especially in a VW caddy/rabbit pickup... I've even looked at the idea of swapping into various 4x4s... but as much as I love the idea if I went that route I want a jeep wranger and they are just more than I want to spend for what it is... if the answer is a swap it needs to be 97 or earlier

somewhere along the line I noticed how many fiat 500 abarth cars there are around... and how relatively affordable they are (6k-10k)... at 6'4ish and 300# should I even bother looking at them?... I read mixed things about the reliability  which kinda scares me looking at that.

on a similar thought goes the mini cooper S... I've read they are good for larger folks... but how is the BWM reliability?.

then I always come back to the thought of BMWs... there are TONS of them around... but how scary is a 10-15 year old 3 or 5 series?...

maybe the answer still is MIATA... I read the NC is the one for a big guy like me (as much as I don't care for the looks)... 

prob way too open ended of a question... but thoughts?

thanks

Mark

RSX Type-S 

K series goodness, surprising utility, limited slip, not as much a of tax on clean ones as civics and integras. 

Honda Fit?

In reply to captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

I don't know why but they don't have much supply here in Houston... but that is one that catches my eye every single time I see one... will have to keep an eye out for them I suppose lol.

In reply to dxman92 :

another one on the list... I know I fit... and they are stupid cheap... but I haven't looked too deep into them as a "fun" car... whats do they need to be fun?

Mazdaspeed 3 would fit many categories and makes a good highway bomber. 

The 500 Abarth is a very good time. Has the turning radius of The Queen Mary, though. 

Ford Focus ST. I got to drive one at an autocross last year, and they are a hoot. If you look around you can find them at the very top of your budget with higher miles, or if you could stretch your budget a little farther, you can get one with less miles.

dxman92 said:

Honda Fit?

Came to say this.  Reliable as gravity and fun little things.

Houston has it's own special set to challenges. My wife sold her ND because it disappeared in normal traffic and she was nearly run over 2-3 times every day during her commute. My Mazda2 was fantastic, except the wheelbase was short enough that it wasn't pleasant on freeways at 75-80 with the expansion joints being what they are. I do like my daughters Fit, a LOT actually, but it's bog slow and not something I want to autocross. This brings me to my next question, are you at all interested in any sort of motorsports with whatever you're going to bring home? 

I think this has been discussed before, but it's been a while; the RSX (which I have never owned so grains of salt already) might be nicer in non S-Type flavor.  The sixth gear in the box doesn't net longer legs, just more rowing.  And the engine, while having more power, also requires premium fuel, and revs are required to reach the added power.  If you could, perhaps test drive both, and see which you actually prefer? 

E46 BMW might be nice.  I see them being a bridge model from when the 3-series was a pretty straight forward driver's car to whatever they are now.  Nice styling as well which helps.

Mazda2. Most fun and reliable thing you can find that is 4 door and relatively modern.

Just a rear sway bar and some lowering springs and camber bolts makes them so ridiculously enjoyable. They take Miata size wheels/tires too. 

I have a build thread on mine, and there is a massive Mazda2 thread here too.

Check to see if you fit in a Fiesta ST? I'm seeing a couple with under 60k miles within your budget

I can only speak towards MINIs and mainly the R53 version. Yes, they are quirky and there is a bit of a BMW-reliability (what's that?) tax, but they can make up for it with fun and character. Owning one is a little like owning a classic car - as long as it's not your primary vehicle, a MINI can be a fun alternative once in a while.  But like a classic car, it might leave you frustrated once in awhile. The community is quite Jeep-like, if that means anything to you. Most metro areas have active clubs and can be a great resource for parts and service. 

Your TDI (assuming it's a manual) is IMHO the best car for teaching someone to drive a stick.  All of that off-idle torque is very forgiving.  At least my '03 feels that way. 

I've had a soft spot for the RSX-S for years, although I don't see them very often these days.

STM317 said:

Check to see if you fit in a Fiesta ST? I'm seeing a couple with under 60k miles within your budget

I have one and about six foot and 240 lbs. Fun little car to drive. I have had some AC issues but appear to be fixed.

G35. This was the most fun I could find for under $5k with RWD and a manual transmission that wasn't German built. It has been a hoot from day one. I'm 6'2" and about 320 and it fits well. 

Name another $10K car that offers a world-class chassis, 6-speed manual, 197hp/202 ft-lb, 4-door + hatchback practicality, and decent reliability? Oh, and don't forget you can dominate HS, take it to track days, and see amazing handling and power gains from the aftermarket on a small budget. There is none, and no matter what you try to compare to the FiST, it isnt as much fun to drive day-to-day, squirting through Houston traffic or blasting down a back road.

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

Yeah, as much of a Miata fanboi as I am, the FiST is a really strong answer.

I'm starting to see 2013 FR-Ss pop up for under $10k. I'm 6'4" and was 280lb at one point when I had it. Wasn't a bad fit. 

Try out the FiST. You probably won't like the Recaro seats as they are quite snug.  The standard seats are wider and more comfortable for most people.  Also, I find it very easy to shift, but I learned on a '73 Beetle.  Still not bored with it after 2.5 years.

I have a Miata NB and a MINI Cooper S.  Both are stupid fast.  

The MINI is nothing but fun.  It's a laugh riot.  I am ALWAYS grinning ear to ear when driving it.

The Miata is built the way most people on this board would build it.  Overbored, FM2 turbo setup, Ohlins, etc.  Driving it is a workout.  It's no where near as fun.  It's even a little scary.  Part of that is because of it's aftermarket mods (it's almost more of a track car, and a bit over powered on the street), but part of that is how it was built from the factory.  The laid back seating position and low roofline means that I am staring at the belt line of most cars on the road, and wondering if the lady driving her SUV can see me at all.

The MINI has an upright seating position and higher roofline.  It's more comfortable in traffic.  It also has MUCH more cabin space, even though it is a foot shorter than the NB.  It also has a wheelbase which is 8" longer than the NB- it makes for a smoother ride.

My NB is lowered.  The seat of the MINI is 6-8" higher than the NB.  That makes getting in more comfortable.  

I'm not huge.  6'-0", 190 lbs.  But I am big enough that the NB feels cramped and I have to duck to see out the windscreen.  I could do a foamectomy, but that would make the seat even lower and less comfortable.

Bottom line is that I really enjoy the MINI much more than the NB, and I know I will pay a premium for maintenance over the years.  I will be selling the NB soon- someone here is gonna get a really nice car!

Oh, one more thing... I'm teaching my 16 yo daughter to drive a stick shift in the MINI.  I wouldn't dream of letting her drive the Miata. 

Tha Abarth is a riot to drive, but I think the FiST is even more fun.  I bought the Abarth, because at the time, finding a no sunroof FiST with Recaros was pretty much impossible.  The Abarth should be fine on headroom, as long as it is a hardtop.  The big thing is to take it for an extended test drive - its seating position is a bit abnormal.  I was able to get comfortable in it (enough for a 3 week cross country and back drive), but it required the seat and wheel be in one specific position.  If you are going to be driving in a city, also look for one with 16” wheels, to cut down on the risk of blowouts/wheel damage.

If it's not your only car and you're  able to do your own maintenance, a 10-15 year old BMW 3 series shouldn't be scary at all, and they're very tall driver friendly.

BMW Z3 or Z4, also Solstice/Sky. I've been looking lately and keep drifting back to these 4 but I'm only looking at convertibles. 

lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter) said:

also Solstice/Sky. 

Not at OP's dimensions. I'm 6'3" and 240lbs and I cannot drive one of these. My knees are jammed against the dashboard and I can't work the clutch. They have less interior room than my Miata.