Jump to content

Your perfect daily driver


Ruadhd2

Recommended Posts

Skip. I'm sorry but you never looked like a Cadallac person to me. All the other cars........ Yes! I had a Scirocco myself, a 1975, but that is another story in itself. Harry (Super Stalker) has an SX4 and he loves it. Tried to talk my wife into one and she said no way. Of course she never likes what I like. Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Skip,

 

I've owned two of the later generation of VW Scirrocos; I thought they were good daily drivers, but traded the last one for my '86 Porsche 944 Turbo, which I did not treat as a daily driver, so I had to then get a replacement daily driver (a '86 Jeep Scrambler, which gradually became a rust bucket...).

 

But I still have the '86 944T, with just 50k miles on the clock. Debating now whether to modify it (Lindsey Racing 400+ hp??), or to trade it in on a new 911 of some variety. The trade-in value is unfortunately less than $9k, so it won't go far with that option.

 

I really hope you find your master list of cars owned (or match up your memories with your photos). I would like to see as complete a list as you can come up with, embellished with the stories...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The list continues, keep in mind that these are just the more interesting of those I have owned.

 

1983 Honda Accord coupe (a real lemon, 26 items on the first trip back to the dealer)

1985 CRX Si

1986 CRX Si

1982? Civic Si (bread van type)

1986 Honda Accord coupe

1987 Prelude

1989 Accord coupe

1998 Civic coupe

1997 Civic coupe

 

1991 Acura Legend coupe

 

1991 Nissan Sentra SE-R

1993 Nissan 4WD pickup

1998 Nissan 2WD pickup

199X Nissan 2WD pickup

199X Nissan 4WD pickup

1998 Nissan Pathfinder

 

1996 Isuzu Pathfinder

 

1985 BMW 325e

 

1956 Buick 2 dr post with three on the tree - used to whup on the 55', 56 & 57 Chevys.

 

196X Wolseley 4 dr saloon

 

1967 Jeep CJ5 V6

 

197x Audi Fox

1981 Audi 5000 (3 of these, can't remember all the years, 1 was a diesel)

 

1978 Mazda RX-7 (#6 to come into the state)

 

1985 Mustang GT convert 5 speed

1953 Ford 2 dr wagon

1972 Ford 4 dr wagon

1963 1/2 Ford Galaxy slant back with 427 and 4 speed

1958 Thunderbird

1960 Thunderbird

1969 Ford 2 dr full size something or other

 

1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III

 

1939 Chevrolet 2 dr humpback sedan

1966 Chevelle SS396

 

1941 Pontiac woody wagon

 

1998 Subaru Outback wagon

2002 Subaru WRX wagon

2005 Subaru Legacy GT wagon (turbo and 5 speed) a great daily driver. I used to tow the Seven on an 18' open trailer with it. Wish I still had it.

 

Motorcycles:

1955 Triumph 500

196X Triumph Bonneville TT

197X Suzuki 250 dirt bike

1971? Kawasaki 350 or 500 dirt bike

197X Honda 550 Four

196X Honda 90 Trail

1987 Suzuki Intruder 1400

1988 Kawasaki Concours

1993 Kawasaki Concours

 

I'm sorry but you never looked like a Cadillac person to me.

I really liked the old Cadillacs. I used to do snow and ice autocrosses in the '67 Eldorado. They laughed at me the first time but I took FTD every time I ran it. Not much front drive competition in those days. When I went off to grad school at Texas A&M I used it to tow the '61 Chevrolet panel truck to Texas.

 

There are lots of good stories to go with the cars, some about the cars, some about the trouble I got into with them. I don't think I have the time to write them all out nor do you want to spend the time to read them.

 

I keep trying to close this out but more cars keep rising to the surface of my memory.

Edited by scannon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great list. Thanks for sharing. My #1 dream car from that list would be the '55 AH 100-4. Too bad the collectors/speculators have driven prices for them through the roof.

 

But back on the original topic...I drove a '77 911 (last year before the SC) which was very engaging and enjoyable. Now I have a Honda S2000, which I'd highly recommend as a daily driver. It's simple, reliable, cheap to maintain, and entertaining to drive. The high-revving engine and top-notch gearbox are the real plusses. The only minus is the lack of low-end torque. It can be a bit boring to drive at low RPM, but really comes alive when kept near redline on the track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keep the 7. Don 't include winter with more than 3 inches of snow. So, 4 seasons. Under $50,000. Used cars ok.

 

With $50k to work with you really open up the field. It becomes more slanted towards fun cars you can live with full time rather than having a winter beater type car to supplement your fun cars. Here are three very different cars, any of which I could live with:

 

Any AWD Porsche 911. The '98 Turbo S would be my first choice, I love the sound of the air cooled engines. AWD and 435 hp make it fun and it is one of the easiest cars to go fast in that I have driven on the track, yet is a pussycat to drive in town.

 

The '05 Subaru Legacy GT wagon with 5 speed. Add a Cobb reflash, a short shifter and two sets of wheels and tires, one with dedicated snow tires and one with ultra high performance summer tires. Unfortunately they don't make this one anymore.

 

1st or 2nd gen Miata. Add turbo, suspension and two sets of tires and enjoy.

 

I can think of many more just as good.

 

I own one of them (Miata) and used to have the other (Subaru) although I don't drive the Miata in the snow, other than one memorable trip on borrowed studded snow tires from Denver to Grand Junction and back, heavy snow on both passes, both ways. I passed every single AWD and several tried to chase me down. I kept pushing and pushing it and I couldn't make it spin the tires or skid without massive application of boost. I came up the West approach to the Eisenhower tunnel at 85 mph in the unplowed inner lane. Traffic was doing about 45 mph in the other two lanes. I was very impressed with the handling in the snow.

Edited by scannon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A better list might be the ones I haven't owned and wanted to, all Ferraris, etc.

 

Two more for the list.

 

1959 Mercedes Benz 190 sedan named Stella

1968 Mercedes Benz 250 SE, the PO had installed very powerful aircraft landing lights in the upper headlight positions and moved the high/low beams to the bottom position giving three levels of light. No one EVER failed to dim their brights after a brief flash with those. Many pulled off the road until I went by.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have lots of catchin up to do - I've only owned 3 cars in my life (4 if you include the shared Lemons car) :-)

 

My current daily driver is an Elise which I have put almost 60k miles on including trips throughout the West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver. It does have its flaws but it puts a smile on my face every time I drive it and is much more practical than the Seven.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been wanting a MINI but couldnt get the wife to go along. She didnt like the looks. Im the very opposite. I really like the look of the new Minis. I had a few MINIs when I lived in the Uk a 76 and 79. They were older rust buckets but still a ton of fun.

 

I would really like to drive a newer S version, but no room in the garage right now. My wife would kill me if I brought one those home. I pretty much stay in trouble for my car hobby as it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1972 Ford Pinto, 2.0L/4spd. Mags, stripes, spoiler, glasspack, 80's bling. Bought when I was 13. Taught me auto repair. Got rid of it because all it did was break down

 

1977 Honda Civic. Corvette Yellow with cool '80's graphics that were cutting edge for about a week. Got hit three times in one year, finally written off in a parking lot by some kid who lost control showing off to girls.

 

1974 Ford Pinto, 302V8/FMX Bought it already swapped with the intent to house a '69 351W-4V I was rebuilding, but never did.

 

1978 Honda Civic. Thumping stereo. Lots of suspension repair. Lots of rust.

 

1985 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Spring equivalent) Thumping stereo, slightly lowered, highly abused. Fun, nimble, and reliable. You could drive the snot out of it, and nobody knew. Parted out because it was dying a slow and horrible death.

 

1976 Ford Pinto, 302V8/C4 I built this one as a stress relief during University. Very cam'd and high compression engine. Taught me left-foot braking (one foot to keep stopped, the other to keep it running.

 

1975 Pontiac Astre, 350V8/4spd (Chevy Vega equivalent). Eventually ripped the lower control arms out of the floor, so I designed and built a Ladder Bar suspension that worked awesome until it tweaked the body and the doors wouldn't open. Parted it out.

 

1986 Honda Civic 1500S. Got me into autocross and taught me driving. Racing seat, harness bar, rear sway bar, Tokico Illuminas, 2" exhaust, Radio-interfering ignition system, thumping stereo, terminal East-Coast rust. Sold it to a kid who didn't ask questions, and I didn't volunteer information.

 

1995 Nissan Sentra XE. Energy Suspension bushings everywhere, Whiteline caster bushings, Suspension Techniques sway bars, KYB AGX shocks, Hypercoil springs, front & back upper & lower chassis braces, Cold air intake, 2" exhaust, thumping stereo. Took me to 2nd place in the Canadian National Autocross Championship in 2003. Sold it when our second child was born.

 

1994 Nissan Hardbody 2WD short box. Previous theft-recovery/write-off. Energy Suspension bushings, Lowered 4"/5" (BellTech spindles, torsioned down, short shocks, 3" lowering blocks, softened bumpstops, frame notched), 2-1/2" Magnaflow exhaust (horrid drone on the highway), thumping stereo, relocated ECU, retrofitted A/C, 4WD front fenders. Two baby seats shoehorned into the standard cab. Still have it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No where near the number of cars some of you have gone thru... most notable ones:

 

72 Datsun pick up (first car)

 

late 60s VW squareback rustbucket, while stationed in Germany (great in snow)

 

72 Lotus Europa

 

73 Triumph TR6

 

70 something Dodge Ram 4X4

 

78 El Camino (V8 wish I would of kept longer)

 

67 Chevy C10 short fleetside

 

05 G35 Coupe (nice daily driver)

 

05 Mini

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1991 Lotus Elan M100 - Its a Lotus that is robust, fun to drive, different and inexpensive. A/C, good heat, driver's side airbag, convertable, rare (http://www.lotuselancentral.com/), good in snow. Good examples are under $14,000.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tend to keep cars for a long time, so haven't owned a lot of them. Of my favorites, would be an 83 VW GTI that was fairly heavily modified (and yet still a mere 143hp), and 88 Acura Integra and my 02 Subaru WRX Wagon.

 

My WRX was mildly modified as well and really enjoyed that car a lot, but I recently got rid of it for an 05 Subaru Outback Wagon with 6-cylinder and an automatic transmission which I really like.

Frankly, I really don't need a fun car to drive around, I live in a city and 99.7% of the time it is just stoplight to stoplight errand running and freeway driving so I decided I needed something more practical and more comfortable to drive around (and better for hauling my photo gear). I have found I stay a lot calmer in the Outback and it is much better for long road trips.

 

I also like the idea of living in "purgatory" during the week so that when I do take the 7 out on the weekend and head for the canyons, it is all the more special

 

 

If I was going to buy a fun DD under $35k right now, it would probably be a VW GTI or a Subaru STI Hatch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...