I'm not sure how, but my oldest son is going to be driving soon. He has never showed any interest in cars, despite my obsession. So we are trying to figure out what cars would be good candidates.
Before today the only thing he ever said was that he wanted something with good gas mileage, reliable and could fit his tuba in.
Today we actually started looking at the horror of the local craigslist, and he found himself drawn to a WRX wagon, and a Fiesta ST. Then he said words that made my heart skip a beat, "would one of those be good for the autocross stuff you do, that looks like fun."
So, the hunt is on. What are the options for an autocross competent, wagon or hatchback in the $7500 dollar range. Bonus if you can get it in a manual.
The WRX looks promising, but finding one that hasn't been flat brimmed to death is hard to do.
The VW products scare me with reliability issues, is there anything they make that isn't going to spend half its life broken?
What about civic hatches? any years/generations to consider or avoid?
icaneat50eggs said:
The VW products scare me with reliability issues, is there anything they make that isn't going to spend half its life broken?
The GTI after about '06 are a pretty reliable car. Most examples, depending on the year, have one or two big things to watch out for (IE: TSI chain tensioner, FSI fuel pump follower), and outside of those things they're pretty reliable. There's usually updated / redesigned parts for the big issues. My '12 was still pretty new by GRM standards, it never needed anything other than oil changes and autocross consumables. With a $7500 budget you'd be looking at a Mk5 with the FSI engine, someone chronicled theirs on here not too long ago.
What about e46 wagons? Manuals seem relatively rare, but they do exist.
If ctsv wagons are that cheap he can drive my subaru and I'll drive the V.
He needs a Mazda3.
There is no other answer to your question.
My wife's 2012 has 90k miles on it. Zero issues. Still on the original brake pads. 36 mpg with mixed driving.
Go talk these guys down to you price range https://lawton.craigslist.org/cto/d/2012-mazda-3-touring/6333832102.html
I like the mazda 3 idea, I don't know why I hadn't thought of that.
Cheap truck.
Unlimited utility, limited passengers and distractions.
In reply to icaneat50eggs :
Seriously dude, I have been blown away with how reliable this thing is. It's also fairly sporting when it needs to be. The Skyactiv engine has really impressed me.
LanEvo
HalfDork
11/12/17 6:40 p.m.
I would probably go with a Protege or Mazda3 in either hatchback or wagon form. Probably less than half your budget. A Ford Focus wagon would be nice, too.
Then you’ve got some more oddball choices. A local race shop is selling a VW Fox in a weird 2-door station wagon format. They’ve also got an old Volvo wagon from the late-60s (I think...not a Volvo nerd), a Merkur XR4Ti, and a Saab 900. Shouldn't have any problems squeezing a tuba into any of them.
Getting back to the Volvo thing for a minute, a buddy of mine just bought a V70R wagon. AWD, manual transmission, turbo engine, and active yaw control. Slides around pretty good for such a big gal.
When you go look at one, bring the tuba case. They're shaped weird and take up more room than you think they will. A tuba barely fits in the back of a V wagon with the back seats up. If you don't care about ever having rear seat passengers then it's no big deal, but if carrying people and a tuba at the same time is in the cards, then check. On the other hand, if you don't care about putting people in the back seat when you have the tuba, I'm betting there are a whole lot of sedans (all of them?) that can fit a tuba where people usually sit which makes this whole hatchback quest a bit of a moot point.
mazdeuece, your kid carts around a tuba, right? I think i remember that and it's what made me start the thread here.
He did for four years. Gave it up this year because hanging out with theater chicks seemed preferable to forced marching on 110 degree asphalt carrying a sousaphone.
Mndsm
MegaDork
11/12/17 7:40 p.m.
t25torx said:
He needs a Mazda3.
There is no other answer to your question.
My wife's 2012 has 90k miles on it. Zero issues. Still on the original brake pads. 36 mpg with mixed driving.
Go talk these guys down to you price range https://lawton.craigslist.org/cto/d/2012-mazda-3-touring/6333832102.html
This E36 M3 right here is the gospel according to Mazda.
In reply to Dusterbd13 :
I feel like this is exactly the opposite of what he had in mind, but I 2nd this vote.
Just some ideas:
Mazda 3 (or a speed 3 if he's responsible enough)
E46 wagon
Saab 9-2x Aero
Saab 9-3 wagon
V70R
Mercedes C230 Kompressor liftback
HHR SS (260 horsepower!)
A really nice fourth-gen Trans Am.
Audi A4/S4 Avant
Audi A6 Avant (the one with the rotary controller, NOT the one that the Allroad is based on).
I like the idea of a truck. In fact there's a chance I could talk my mom into selling my 2000 Tacoma back to me. But since he expressed interest in autocross I was trying to get something tuba and cone capable.
Pattyo
Reader
11/12/17 9:42 p.m.
Subaru Baja? I think its possible to get one with a factory turbo.
Grizz
UberDork
11/12/17 9:42 p.m.
Yes hello all of you are wrong.
Autocross potential? Check
Tuba? Check
Good Gas mileage? Check?
Most importantly, Teenager proof? About as check as you can get.
Grizz said:
Most importantly, Teenager proof? About as check as you can get.
It's also the perfect car NOT to get sex in. It may have the room, but it is definitely not a sexy beast
In reply to mad_machine :
Just tell them it's a Porsche.
Grizz said:
Yes hello all of you are wrong.
Autocross potential? Check
Tuba? Check
Good Gas mileage? Check?
Most importantly, Teenager proof? About as check as you can get.
They can be teenager-unproofed with a little effort, at least depending on whether or not your son also hangs out around the theater and the art room. For some reason, the pseudo-bohemian/gothic hipster girls at my high school liked modified S13s and RX-7s and Z31s and R31s, lowered old Volvos on nice wheels and/or huge old American cars with patina.
Grizz said:
Yes hello all of you are wrong.
Autocross potential? Check
Tuba? Check
Good Gas mileage? Check?
Most importantly, Teenager proof? About as check as you can get.
Slow, safe, and unsexy. It's really what is required for a first car for a teenager.
Taurus/Sable wagons also should be looked at.
