quote:

Originally posted by JonDaddy82:
No one has mentioned Mazda3 hatchback 6spd?!

Totally a fun and practical car. Love mine! A pleasure to drive.

2016-up Ford Fiesta ST ticks all the boxes you listed, OP.
Small, turbocharged, light, 6 speed manual transmission only, waaaay more fun than you should be allowed to have.
The $2k Recaro seats are perfection. You can sit in them all day.
I have one with modifications (ECU remapped, bigger intercooler) and it's just an absolute riot, even commuting 5 miles across town.
On the highway, it averages right at 34mpg at 70mph all day long.
EDIT: they are selling on the used market now for $12k-up, depending on year.

Thanks guys


several ideas I did not consider, some I did;

Miata- perfect and would love one but where I do I put the 2nd suitcase and well ....anything else

Mazda 3 - need to look at it

Honda - Civic R is nice...except for that damned wing but the accord might be a good solution

3 series wagon - love them but for the years I am looking at 16-18 they want quite a premium over the sedans 8-10K

WRX - no hatchback and since it has the same engine as my XT I would assume it gets similar mileage

Chevy (Holden)SS - awesome but um gas mileage challenged

Fiesta ST - need to revisit this one

Ford Mustang eco with track package (or is it the sport package) not sure you can get one with a manual but with the Sport package it reminds me of the SVO of past

Keep 'em coming...

And for the question practical means above 32mpg highway (at this point the 3000 miles a month I drive almost pays for the car payment compared to the FXT) and able to hold at least 2 29" suitcases. The VW is small but I had a 2010 TDI and it was huge inside, especially with the back seat down

quote:

Fiesta ST - need to revisit this one

This one really checks all your boxes.

My Wife has had a MKVI GTI Since 2012 and it still running strong. Kept up on preventative maintenance and is a solid 4 season car for us, especially with quality snowtires (Michelin Xice and now Bridgestone Blizzaks).


Odds are, we will have a GTI in the fleet for the foreseeable future, perhaps after another couple years of the upcoming MK VIII being on the market.

quote:

Originally posted by dewhorse:
Fiesta ST - need to revisit this one

Dewhorse-- please email me (in my profile) if you'd like more insight into the Fiesta ST. Your email isn't listed in your profile.
We also own a Mk VII VW GTi as well.

Number 1. With a 345 HP HT383 under the hood it's peppy, will haul a 5000 lbs. boat and trailer, and the trunk can hold 3 AR's and 7 shotguns. BTW, when you do that you will have to use the back seat for luggage and ammo. Down side is 17 mpg in town and 22 on the highway when not towing.



Number 2. Weighs in at 2700 lbs and has 197 hp under the hood with amazing torque hitting at about 2k. Also handles darned near like a go cart, think of a direction and snap you are going in that direction. As for hauling stuff, fold the rear seat backs down and the capacity is surprising. BTW, it will smoke Number 1 in 0-40 times and is dead even at 0-60, after that HP rules. Concerning fuel mileage, the tattletail in the dash is showing 32.4 mpg at present with an average speed of 24 mph. On a straight level highway I've seen 39 mph at an average speed of 73 mph (metro Detroit to Lake George NY - 720 miles). However driving the WVa Turnpike yielded only 34 mpg, it turns out that making a lot of sweeping curves does actually reduces fuel economy as well as increasing wear on the tires.

BTW, Number 2 has a full Mountune induction kit, COBB Rear Motor Mount, 2.5 inc Cobb Catback, and a Mountune 3 pass radiator. All this might have gained me perhaps 3 HP but I can still get full power when it's 95 degrees. Someday I might think about an MR230 tune but right now if I turn the traction control off and nail it at 2 grand in 2nd the front tires go up in smoke. So more power really isn't urgent, as it is it's still a real blast to drive.

quote:

Originally posted by Scooter123:
Number 2.

^^^Scooter123 gets it. Magnetic is the color.

Another VW option could be the Alltrack.

AWD & available with a 6MT in all trims

Not as peppy as the GTI, but not a slouch.

VW also offering 0% for 72 & 180 days deferred pmts, if you're looking at new.

Scooter, you did all that and didn't put a larger IC in it?

Love the Monte SS...old school cool, especially love the aero models

I'd recommend the VW Bug not only economical, ultra inexpensive on taxes and insurance as they are considered antiques ... the Orange is Cheeto and he's stock, the blue and white ragtop is "Blue Abyss" a Baja(its where all my money has been going) white & blue is a low ride ... I dont think Jason has a name for it yet.

Anyway, the Bug is the 10-22 of vehicles ... limited only by your imagination and budget.



We were out driving around and past our grandkids houses ... its amazing how many looks, smiling nod's and thumbs up we get!

Like dewhorse, my son's looking at a used fun car as his next car. His Toyota Tacoma recently lost a battle (after 150K miles) to the middle barrier on a freeway when he hydroplaned during a sudden downpour. Totaled the truck but he escaped with only some minor bruising from the lap and seat belts.

Again like dewhorse, he wants something fun to drive and it must be a manual transmission so he's zeroed in on Mini as his preferred option.

I'm following this thread for input from the forum, pro or con, on a Mini or other options. Thanks in advance

quote:

An E46 BMW wagon could be great.

They are. It's a manual.


It's a hard life.

quote:

Originally posted by SevenPlusOne:
It's a manual.

Oh my.
I also have an E46, but mine is a ZHP coupe.
Believe it or not...I'm more turned on by the Xi wagon than the M5, lol.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Man I'd love one of those cars, but those prices are stupid, especially for an ugly American sedan.

Except it's an Australian sedan.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
Mazda Miata..

Relatively cheap, manual, convertible, handles great and it’s reliable!

Not exactly 'practical'. But Miata Is Always The Answer.

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:
Honda accord sport.

Another that I seriously considered.
I drove the 6MT Sport & the 10AT Touring (both with the 2.0T). For a quite large car, it handles fairly well, and the 2.0T is quite peppy. also, I don't recall the 6MT having the atrocious rev-hang that I'd experienced in other MT Honda models.
The back seat space rivaled my F150 that I was driving at the time.

You actually get used to the rev hang. It can be tuned out though. Took a couple of months but my muscle memory adapted and I don't even notice anymore.

Really annoyed me for a while though.

quote:

Originally posted by SevenPlusOne:

quote:

An E46 BMW wagon could be great.

They are. It's a manual.

I've always favored the Silver Arrow to it's Bavarian rivals, but a MT E46 wagon is appealing.

The only newer wagons MB brought to us were the C240 (no), E wagons, & hyper expensive AMG E wagons. All autos.

quote:

Originally posted by VictimNoMore:

Oh my.
I also have an E46, but mine is a ZHP coupe.
Believe it or not...I'm more turned on by the Xi wagon than the M5, lol.

I also have my old e46 sedan, with 245k miles on it, it's nearing it's retirement. The wagon I bought last summer from the original owner with about 62k miles on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:

You actually get used to the rev hang. It can be tuned out though. Took a couple of months but my muscle memory adapted and I don't even notice anymore.

Really annoyed me for a while though.

I didn't notice it at all on the Accord Sport, it was atrocious on the 6MT HR-V.