I did have a 2012 F150 with a 5.0 that I put a Boss Intake, Norma exhaust and a tune. It was a real growler!

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:

quote:

Originally posted by acidjazz:
I really like the new Civic Si with the stick shift. Torquey turbo motor.

Have you looked at the price? And how far over retail the dealers are asking? 65k dollar civic? No thank you.

I think you are mistaking the Si for the Type R.

I drive a 2002 VW Beetle (diesel) and it is fun.

I might upgrade the suspension some, or I might trade it for a Golf that is diesel.

I am looking at the diesel camper vans as they get better mileage than my 2005 Tahoe.

Subaru WRX.

Symmetrical AWD for the win.

Another Mazda fan here. This hits most of you requirements. Enough power 0-60 6 sec., I get 38 - 39 MPG, less than $30k , Handles fantastic, Fun overload and a drop top to boot! Just don't expect to get two shopping carts full of groceries in it!

Yep, my Mid Life Crisis car! Just wish I could have afforded it at the time LOL!

Another vote for the Cadillac ATS. Sedan or Coupe w/AWD. Not worth buying new, but is one of the best used buys out there. Just don't get the 2.5L I4 version. Both the turbo 4 or V6 are quite quick, more fun than the current BMW 3 Series, and both really good on gas. The older V6 gives you 320 hp and 26 mpg on REGULAR 87 octane gas. It or a CTS will probably be my next lease or I'll buy a used one.

Funny I am in the midst of this very same search. My old car was a 2006 Toyota Avalon. Great car getting 24 MPG. Gave that to my wife (with over 200k miles on it). Bought a bucket list car for me: 2006 Acura RSX. Now I've been bitten by the MPG bug. The RSX gets a little over 30 MPG even with me driving like a hooligan on the weekends. Love it!


My next car is going to be great on gas! But I don't want a hybrid. I sold cars for a while and a guy came in to sell his Honda Insight. He'd had it for 6 years and now his battery was dead and all the money spent on new battery will erase all the gas savings up to this point. No thanks.

I also want a car that is sporty; it must be an automatic but have a "manual mode" for shifting when I want. I'm looking hard at the Corolla S and the Scion/Toyota iA (which is a Mazda2). The Corolla is good for about 32 MPG in mixed driving and the iA is good for 36 MPG in mixed driving (fueleconomy.gov). Mazda has a long history with racing and I trust those cars to be fun to drive even tho it's just an "econobox" daily runner.

Both the Corolla S and the iA have a "Sport" mode and manual mode for the transmission. I've driven the Corolla S and when it's in sport mode it does a great job of not shifting like the CVT trans that's in it. I was fairly impressed. I was in the passenger seat while doing a test drive in the iA and sold it to a kid fresh out of college. The back seat is a bit small but I rarely have passengers. I think the iA will be more "fun" to drive than the Corolla, but the Corolla is a bit larger. But when it comes down to pure MPG the iA is the clear winner for me right now (I don't plan to buy 'Merican [like ford and chevy]).

I know one couple that has two mini cooper's, and another couple that will be getting a second mini cooper.

Another vote on the Mazda if you want an efficient fun to drive car.
I've driven the current generation of the 6, 3 & Miata, all a ton of fun with a 6MT. With the Mazda6, you can't get a top trim GT with a manual trans, but the 3 & Miata are Manual in every trim (except 2.5l Touring Mazda3, oddly).

That said, I have a crew cab F150 2.7EcoBoost that I'm getting around 20mpg in, I imagine a reg cab short bed would be more of a fuel sipper with the weight savings.

Focus RS. Shitz and giggles fun. 80% torque at 3200rpm. Juzt picked up the w400 package for my wifes. 360 to 380whp and 400wtq on 93. 400/400 on e30 blend tune.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DSgrouse,