Ok. So we might be moving. Meaning, I lose the garage, I lose the ability to work on the car, and I have to sell the project car*
My mom dropped the bomb on me that I may be SOL on us keeping the house, long story short that leaves me forced to either get my Miata 100% real quick (Yeah, right) or get rid of both (move the project to a friend's already crowded garage for the time being).
So, I've been given a proposition. I can go, with my mom, to finance a new car.
Given this, as a possible idea, I've gone on a handful of test drives:
Mini '07 5 Speed
Inside Nice, good materials cloth or leather. Seats
fold flat, cargo area is a nice "pan" shape with hideaway cubbies on
either side. Rear seats should be VERY easy to remove as well, with seat
belts and all with them. Do not get 6 disc changer, as it removes hidden
cubby in dashboard. Sunroof also ate headroom, and wasn't able to be
completely covered.
Outside Masculine, not too small. Visible as well.
Wheels are decent, still 4 lug and stance is just right. Fender gap is
fine with sport suspension.
Performance Motor needs more, but variable valve timing was
good to have versus the anemic motor in the '06. Shifter is stiff, but
distance between gates is minimal, definitely could use a bigger, higher
knob or pool ball & extension.
Mini S '07 6 Speed
Inside Same as above, checker pattern in cloth is
standard. No sunroof made for much larger interior feel and NO
uncomfortable sun-heat while driving.
Outside Same as above, subtle aggressive details in the
grille and adding a hood scoop.
Performance Awesome. Torque all over the place, NEEDS LSD to
be drivable in the twisties. Run-flat all-season tires are decent.
Stiff, but communicate well enough and match the weight of the car
nicely.
Miata '07 6 Speed
Inside Leather was nice, slippery and seats were not
too supportive. Shifter was great (Reverse is a press-down). Top
operation was simple, one handed easy.
Outside Simple, clean, and fender gapped. Good classic
look top up or down.
Performance Agile, like the NA. Smooth like an NB. Good
power up from mid-range on up. Still no tire-cooker, though.
Mazda3 '07 5 Speed
Inside Nicely done. Nice materials. Good ergonomics,
minus short shifter. Seats are comfortable for long drives, not tight
for spirited driving. Huge room in rear, though.
Outside Well, it does look like a puddle of goo being a
5 door wagon.
Performance Agile, but gutless. Heavy, and the wagon moreso.
WRX TR '07 5 Speed
Inside Cloth, very supportive seat. Single DIN single
CD/Radio deck. Open, standard 2 din space for radio as well. Power
windows, power locks with standard alarm. Manual seats (very nice,
supportive seats) with adjustable headrests
Outside Subtle, but muscular. Bright red calipers. All
17x7 rims, with 215/45 tires, all seasons.
Performance TORQUE. Pulls even from 4th at 35mph. Smooth
ride with a lot of mechanical grip, even with stock alignment. Pushes
under hard cornering, doesn't respond to throttle-steer. Four piston
full floating in the front, and what looks like 2 piston full floating
rears as well.
Focus '07 5 Speed
Inside Decent. Rear seats fold flat with protection for
front seatbacks.
Outside Needs to be lowered, but it is what it is.
Performance
Dodge Caliber '07 5 Speed
Inside DO NOT GET R/T package. Adds grossly over-riced
color matched interior panels, two tone interior. Distraction at best,
disgusting at first glance. Otherwise, interior is on par with Dodge.
Lots of plastic, fake surfacing, hard lines and weirdly placed cubbies.
Utlity is in abundance, but materials don't seem too resistant to
scratches so that may not go very far.
Outside Ooooogly. Long plastic strips on either side
from A pillar/hood area meet in rear to make hatch-tail-esque spoiler.
Performance
Solstice '07 5 Speed
Inside Gross overuse of plastics. No trunk. Odd driver
seating position. Blind towards the rear with top up. Top procedures
absolutely horrible. Trunk disappears, literally, with top down. Awkward
underhood due to old school BMW reverse hood.
Outside Fat looking. Bucktooth grille. Sky is cool,
Solstice is drool.
Performance Funny clutch pedal, 2-3 gear gap, tight and
grip-loaded.
----
Basically, I'm fishing for opinions, things I may have missed about the cars, and other cars I ought to try out. Obviously, insurance is part of this decision but it's all covered with each car. Money will be provided through a bank loan, so technically full coverage is "not required" (already worked out at the bank).
Really what I'm after is not needing to buy more parts aside from the car itself to make the car a year-round vehicle. I'm loving the WRX for this, as it's the strongest car and it comes on all seasons, unlike the Cooper S. The FF cars would work as well, they're just not quite the same.
Anyway! Input?
My mom dropped the bomb on me that I may be SOL on us keeping the house, long story short that leaves me forced to either get my Miata 100% real quick (Yeah, right) or get rid of both (move the project to a friend's already crowded garage for the time being).
So, I've been given a proposition. I can go, with my mom, to finance a new car.
Given this, as a possible idea, I've gone on a handful of test drives:
Mini '07 5 Speed
Inside Nice, good materials cloth or leather. Seats
fold flat, cargo area is a nice "pan" shape with hideaway cubbies on
either side. Rear seats should be VERY easy to remove as well, with seat
belts and all with them. Do not get 6 disc changer, as it removes hidden
cubby in dashboard. Sunroof also ate headroom, and wasn't able to be
completely covered.
Outside Masculine, not too small. Visible as well.
Wheels are decent, still 4 lug and stance is just right. Fender gap is
fine with sport suspension.
Performance Motor needs more, but variable valve timing was
good to have versus the anemic motor in the '06. Shifter is stiff, but
distance between gates is minimal, definitely could use a bigger, higher
knob or pool ball & extension.
Mini S '07 6 Speed
Inside Same as above, checker pattern in cloth is
standard. No sunroof made for much larger interior feel and NO
uncomfortable sun-heat while driving.
Outside Same as above, subtle aggressive details in the
grille and adding a hood scoop.
Performance Awesome. Torque all over the place, NEEDS LSD to
be drivable in the twisties. Run-flat all-season tires are decent.
Stiff, but communicate well enough and match the weight of the car
nicely.
Miata '07 6 Speed
Inside Leather was nice, slippery and seats were not
too supportive. Shifter was great (Reverse is a press-down). Top
operation was simple, one handed easy.
Outside Simple, clean, and fender gapped. Good classic
look top up or down.
Performance Agile, like the NA. Smooth like an NB. Good
power up from mid-range on up. Still no tire-cooker, though.
Mazda3 '07 5 Speed
Inside Nicely done. Nice materials. Good ergonomics,
minus short shifter. Seats are comfortable for long drives, not tight
for spirited driving. Huge room in rear, though.
Outside Well, it does look like a puddle of goo being a
5 door wagon.
Performance Agile, but gutless. Heavy, and the wagon moreso.
WRX TR '07 5 Speed
Inside Cloth, very supportive seat. Single DIN single
CD/Radio deck. Open, standard 2 din space for radio as well. Power
windows, power locks with standard alarm. Manual seats (very nice,
supportive seats) with adjustable headrests
Outside Subtle, but muscular. Bright red calipers. All
17x7 rims, with 215/45 tires, all seasons.
Performance TORQUE. Pulls even from 4th at 35mph. Smooth
ride with a lot of mechanical grip, even with stock alignment. Pushes
under hard cornering, doesn't respond to throttle-steer. Four piston
full floating in the front, and what looks like 2 piston full floating
rears as well.
Focus '07 5 Speed
Inside Decent. Rear seats fold flat with protection for
front seatbacks.
Outside Needs to be lowered, but it is what it is.
Performance
Dodge Caliber '07 5 Speed
Inside DO NOT GET R/T package. Adds grossly over-riced
color matched interior panels, two tone interior. Distraction at best,
disgusting at first glance. Otherwise, interior is on par with Dodge.
Lots of plastic, fake surfacing, hard lines and weirdly placed cubbies.
Utlity is in abundance, but materials don't seem too resistant to
scratches so that may not go very far.
Outside Ooooogly. Long plastic strips on either side
from A pillar/hood area meet in rear to make hatch-tail-esque spoiler.
Performance
Solstice '07 5 Speed
Inside Gross overuse of plastics. No trunk. Odd driver
seating position. Blind towards the rear with top up. Top procedures
absolutely horrible. Trunk disappears, literally, with top down. Awkward
underhood due to old school BMW reverse hood.
Outside Fat looking. Bucktooth grille. Sky is cool,
Solstice is drool.
Performance Funny clutch pedal, 2-3 gear gap, tight and
grip-loaded.
----
Basically, I'm fishing for opinions, things I may have missed about the cars, and other cars I ought to try out. Obviously, insurance is part of this decision but it's all covered with each car. Money will be provided through a bank loan, so technically full coverage is "not required" (already worked out at the bank).
Really what I'm after is not needing to buy more parts aside from the car itself to make the car a year-round vehicle. I'm loving the WRX for this, as it's the strongest car and it comes on all seasons, unlike the Cooper S. The FF cars would work as well, they're just not quite the same.
Anyway! Input?
