I'm sort of bored with my E36 and it is starting to become a little annoying since it can't easily carry all the stuff I want to carry. I've got a marketing company and I will need to carry some camera/video equipment, chairs, boxes, etc and I get annoyed having to borrow the wife's car. My other loves are mountain biking, skiing, tailgaiting (go App State!) and general outdoorsy stuff.
So, I thought I'd go where I could get a lot of opinions on "cars" in my price range, but slanted toward good handling/fun vehicles.
So, I'll go ahead and give you the list of MUST haves (sorry, Miata isn't the answer, although it could be if my wife wouldn't kill me for putting 4 vehicles in the driveway :)
Current stable -1998 328i - DD springs, konis, 17x9 wheels, Yakima roof rack -2006 Ford Escape - wifes (although, we are looking ahead toward kiddo #2, so we'd like to get a 11+ Explorer) -1996 Cobra - Full Maximum Motorsports suspension, hates concrete patches and speed bumps, excels at smooth on ramps and track days -- when it doesn't puke some type of fluid)
MUST HAVE list: - 4 doors (so, no coupes, period) - AWD preferred (consider FWD) - Manual preferred (would have to be the right car to go auto) - Hatchback or wagon - Turbo preferred - Moonroof (the bigger, the better) - Ability to haul 2-4 bikes (2 mostly) - less than 75k mileage
My list so far... - WRX hatchback (prefer 2011+, but mostly out of $15k max, not a fan of the 07-older wagon) - Legacy GT wagon 5 speed (2005 only, unicorn, d@m&%^, driven one, loved it) - Focus ST (would have to be like 50k miles+, drove one, LOVED it) - VW Sportwagen TDI 6 speed, would consider DSG (brother in law has a DSG and it is just okay to me) - VW GTI (I like the idea of 6 speed or DSG+paddles, but seems a little smaller than the Focus/MS3) - E46 325xiT manual (this would be a cheaper option on my list) - E90 325xiT manual (worry about cost to own) - E53 X5 3.0 prefer later model (worry somewhat about cost to own, we do have a couple of great bimmer shops in town) - BMW X3 6 speed (my mother-in-law has one and it is nice and sort of fun to drive) - FJ Cruiser (07s with higher miles are close to $15k) (drove an auto, it was "meh", I wonder if I'd like the 6 spd, it has a lot of character and would be TOTALLY different from what I have now, but I may hate it after a while) - Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4 door - this is what I'd like to have, but it seems like $23-25k is barrier to entry, plus mileage is terrible - Toyota Tacoma double cab 4x4, these also seem to be $20k plus... - Mazdaspeed 3 - never driven one - Ford Sport Trac - IRS, haulability, like the looks okay, poor-mans-F150, terrible gas mileage - Audi A3 (smallish backseat, but wagon/hatch plus 6 speed or DSG+paddles) - Audi A4 wagon (seem to be rarish and $$$) - ??
What else should I add to the list? Thanks in advance for playing!
