What car do you drive and why?

[Booner!]

I can't buy until may! Just checked the calender and that's a whole 8 months away until I get out of uni Although I can go on some test drives Hopefully It is what I want..

On average I probably spend 3 hours a day looking at cars I have days when I think ZOMGGG!! I'm going to buy a *lotus esprit!* (or any other impractical performance car)

But when I come back to it the vx220 makes the most sense insurance, practicality, reliability, performance and servicing wise.. It's likely that I will be getting a train to work so It's a weekend car

It's going to be black with some black vxr speedlines

Just got to keep saving.. (I hope I like my new job I start tues and have already put myself down for extra time this week )

Haha you sound like me, spending hours looking at cars and watching price drops on cars to see if they fit into my growing budget. I am buying in May also (because of insurance), which is ages away... but to be honest it's worth the wait! I have been looking at Vx220's for about a year, but then I drove the Elise S2 for a trackday and loved it so much that I am aiming for that instead. No doubt I will end up with the Vx220, but that's by no means a bad thing!

Rich, I love the way you are full of confidence with getting your next car, and I'm a nervous wreck due to my dimensions Knowing my luck I'll end up driving an M3 because I can't fit in an Elise or Boxster S

Book a few test drives or something, I have only set my heart on it since I raced one around a track... I am now happy that I could handle one on the road as time goes on and that I could live with it day to day

 

[[TW]Fox]

I drive a Golf 1.6. Y Reg. I drive it as opposed to any other car because the golfs handle well

You've not driven any other cars I presume?

 

[silvercut]

You've not driven any other cars I presume?

I've not tried many cars. I haven't driven a merc or bmw so I guess I can't compare the golf's handling to them but I suspect the some of the mercs have dare i say better handling.

 

[[TW]Fox]

The Golf is probably one of the worst handling cars of its type - you buy a Golf becuase you like the interior quality, perhaps you like the image or the way it looks, not for its handling

 

[spaceman]

Current Car: '94 mr2 turbo
Why: i wanted something quick, like the looks, seating position and handling - this fitted the bill.

Current Car 2: '98 mondeo 2.0 ghia
Why: £600 and gets me from a-b

Next Car: not really sure, when i eventually get bored of the mr2, i wouldnt mind a TVR griffith 500, love the looks and sound of them along with the performance, probably need an AA card though, lol

 

[Avalon]

Current:
Samrt Roadster Light - It's had a little work done.

Why:
1) FUN - It corners like an Elise without the running costs/bits falling off due to doing 24k a year and the turbo chirp makes me smile.
2) Cheap - 55mpg, lowish tax, lowish insurance compared to other fun options and it saves me circa 50% on running costs over 12 months compared to what it replaced (if it does that for a little over 4 years it will have paid for itself).

Oh and as an added bonus it seems to annoy everyone who is remotely interested in cars. People who know my taste in cars don't understand why anyone let alone me would choose to drive one untill they've been out in it. Then 9/10 agree they probably wouldn't want one as a daily driver but they get it. Number 10 didn't fit as he was 6-8". Can't win them all.

Next:

From the ground up jap rebuild project, i'd love to do a Scooby as i've always had a soft spot for them from many years ago. I just don't have the spare time/space/cash to commit at this stage and for what I would have got a damaged/repairable car 18 months ago I can now get a newer fair condition runner. Thanks Mr Darling...

 

[lovedaddy]

Current:- 1.4TD Toyota Yaris

Why:- Because its in the 13% company car tax band, can get 60+ mpg driving (I used to have a 80 miles a day to work drive, so was very important - now its about 22 miles round), big enough and generally quick enough for what I need. Was also easy to park outside my old terrace house. (not really an issue now, as I've got a double drive / garage)

Next:- Not sure, I get to renew in about 8 months. Current thinking.. either another Yaris (for the reason above) - BMW 118d 3 door (as its still 13% cc tax, and about the same mpg as the yaris) - BWM 123d coupe (18% cc tax, about 50 mpg, and I think personally looks a lot nicer than the hatch).

 

[Solari]

I drive a Golf 1.6. Y Reg. I drive it as opposed to any other car because the golfs handle well and are reliable.

Maybe you are just talking about grip? Too much slack in the steering on mine for my liking, and not much feeling of being attached to the road through the wheel, but it does grip the road pretty well. Probably because it's so damn heavy I do like the look of the Mk4s though, interior is quite nice too, especially at night

Book a few test drives or something, I have only set my heart on it since I raced one around a track... I am now happy that I could handle one on the road as time goes on and that I could live with it day to day

I'll do a track day when I get back from my trip away. Do the S2s come with leccy mirrors btw, as those wheels look like a potential kerbing nightmare...

 

[eidolon]

I'll do a track day when I get back from my trip away. Do the S2s come with leccy mirrors btw, as those wheels look like a potential kerbing nightmare...

leccy mirrors? On an Elise?

Fraid not, they come with mirrors from a Metro, and they're most definitely not electric!

 

[Solari]

leccy mirrors? On an Elise?

Fraid not, they come with mirrors from a Metro, and they're most definitely not electric!

Ouch, parking will be a paranoid affair then! I'm always using my electrics for parking to avoid kerbing the wheels. It must take a fair bit of time getting used to parking up what with the low driving position? I'd have thought it would have thrown the usual spatial awareness familiarities out a bit?

</Derail>

 

[eidolon]

I've never had any problems to be honest, it's such a small car that you can practically touch the rear wheels anyway.

 

[commited]

I have a few cars because I'm stupid..

Current daily: 08 Nissan Navara LE
Why: I have to have a company car that can go offroad and tow when required. Seemed like the best bet for my budget.

Current Personal car: 2003 BMW 530d Sport
Why: I can't sell it - market is dead in Ireland. I did enjoy 18000 miles in it in 6 months, the best car I've owned.

Next car:
Classic of some sort - Porsche 911 or a BMW 635Csi.

 

[Justintime]

Current : 2002 Ford Focus 1.6 LX automatic - got it as a pure commuter/heavy traffic car but its proven to have some poke and is actually fun to drive. Only drawback was i had to rebuild the transmission not long after i got it, prolly the reason the last owner sold it and me not knowing anything about automatics did'nt realise it was'nt really supposed to be that bumpy and slow on the uptake until it went into limp mode one day Its been reliable otherwise though, could do with better mpg but oh well.

2005 525D SE - impulse kind of, one of a few i found in manual form and i liked one i drove a few months earlier. Mates cousin was selling it and i knew it before while he had it so knew of any issues it had, scraped the cash together from a few jobs and pc part sales + savings. Been swell to drive, reliable and i drive the Focus a lot less these days.


future: not sure but thinking some sort of Mercedes or big american barge. I've shifted from faster smaller cars to luxobarges in taste over the years

 

[Sp00n]

Currently drive a 1.5 DCi Dynamique Megane - its crap but its "free".

 

[BigglesPiP]

Alfaromeo 146, for teh passion and teh sole.

Also it's a big hatchback which fits all my stuff when moving in and out of flats.

 

[Bakedgoods]

Current: 2004 Clio 1.4 Expression, 3 door.

First car, only had it for a few days. I bought it because they look ok, it was local and I got it for a good price.

Next...

Fiesta ST
Clio 172/182

All depends how much my insurance comes down. I'll hopefully have 1 years NCB along with my first years driving under my belt, and i'll be turning 21.

I'm really not sure yet but I can't wait

 

[Countcussy]

Seat Leon 1.9Tdi. (New shape)

Great fuel economy. Decent enough performance for my commute to work. I do 25k a year just commuting. All mod cons as regards interior. 3 year warranty adds peace of mind. Dealer is very good and servicing costs are reasonable. Cost of car is very good compared to similar models. Good build quality, without the big badge price tag.

Would I have another? Definately.

 

[brid]

Got a Porsche 911 Carerra 2 - W Plate. Have since put a Porsche switchable electronic sports exhaust on it which i can turn on and off with a button on the dashboard. It usually stays on tho

Bought it with 41k on the clock, and have put about 4k on it in about 4 months. Its my daily driver and i use it to commute to work and back.... much to the jealousy and hatred of others i work with

Fantastic, effortless car to drive - Feels completely 'evolved' which sounds strange but when you drive it you can sense a lot of learning and ongoing design has been put into getting something that shouldnt work (engine in the back)... work. It might cost me 15 quid a day in petrol, but i dont care - you dont buy a car like that and worry about petrol costs eh.

Almost too easy to drive i'd say - You could almost say that the ease of use is almost a letdown of sorts? Hard to put that into words. I'll probably keep it till about Christmas and then look for something else. It was a slight power drop over the M3 so im looking for something a bit more special next. A Maserati or an E60 M5 perhaps.

Have owned an E46 BMW M3 and an Alfa GTV before then - i've only had my license about 3 years now (I'm 29) so i wanted to get sports cars out of my system before i 'settle'

 

[Conscript]

Ouch, parking will be a paranoid affair then! I'm always using my electrics for parking to avoid kerbing the wheels. It must take a fair bit of time getting used to parking up what with the low driving position? I'd have thought it would have thrown the usual spatial awareness familiarities out a bit?

</Derail>

It's easier to park because all the kerbs are taller than your car.

 

[div0]

Seat Leon 1.9Tdi.

Great fuel economy. Decent enough performance for my commute to work. All mod cons as regards interior. Good build quality, without the big badge price tag.

Would I have another? Definately.

I used to have the 1.9Tdi (51 plate) - got it for the same reasons as above.

Recently sold it and got a 2.0Tdi (08 plate) - very happy