Daily winter driver for a 911SC owner

[Jameel]

I'm looking for some advice on a daily driver. The 911 is parked for 4-5 months in the winter here because of the salt. I've always been a Honda man, but having driven my 911 tens of thousands of miles over the past few years, the small Hondas feel so tinny, and their hi revving engines and lack of torque have gotten to be quite annoying. I do like their reliability though. So I'm currently driving a low-mileage stock 2005 Civic Si (the English-made hatch) but am thinking about getting into something more meaty for my winter car. I'd also like four doors for hauling friends and stuff, and a hatch would also be nice. I do not want an SUV or Crossover. I know nothing is going to drive like the 911, but I at least want something that is engaging, feels solid, has good power and torque. I'm thinking BMW wagon, VW GTI, but I don't know much about either of those cars. Any recommendations?

[wilnj]

BMW E39 530i with 6 speed and sport package.


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[unclebilly]

Wrx

[stevej37]

Honda Fit with manual tranny.
Hatch opening is big enough to wheel my road bike in and transport upright. I think it could hold at least a half dozen at one time.
With the manual..it's quite peppy.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Depends on budget and what kind of winters you have. We get a fair bit of snow and I need the extra bit of ground clearance over a GTI, etc. I drive a slightly modified 2008 Subaru Outback XT. Basically a WRX wagon. Can be found all day for under $10k. Also can be found in manual form which I have. Mine has a Legacy GT steering rack swap which helps with the handling so it is not bad but no BMW in that department I'm guessing.
They also sold a 6 cylinder version of this car up through current generation.

[Nickshu]

+1 on WRX. THAT would be fun.

A Golf R or R32 would be fun too.

Focus RS also, but pricey.

[racer]

Budget? Used Cayenne.. They don't drive like an "SUV" and since its a Porsche, you can enjoy driving something nice year round. Prices vary from sub $10K to 50K if you want to spend that much. Diesel? Gas? V6? V8? Twin Turbo?

You say you want a car.. but I'd try one first. Big enough to haul people/stuff. Rated to tow 7700lbs regardless of engine. Sadly, it might outperform your SC

Not sure where you are in Iowa but:
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/ctd/d/hiawatha-2011-porsche-cayenne-awd-v8/6826784948.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/ctd/d/kansas-city-2009-porsche-cayenne-turbo/6815499073.html
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/ctd/d/des-moines-2005-porsche-cayenne-suv-awd/6831217951.html
https://quadcities.craigslist.org/cto/d/davenport-porsche-cayenne/6793023777.html

And think of the Rally Build! https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/a23548529/porsche-cayenne-off-roader/

[Jameel]

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

Depends on budget and what kind of winters you have. We get a fair bit of snow and I need the extra bit of ground clearance over a GTI, etc. I drive a slightly modified 2008 Subaru Outback XT. Basically a WRX wagon. Can be found all day for under $10k. Also can be found in manual form which I have. Mine has a Legacy GT steering rack swap which helps with the handling so it is not bad but no BMW in that department I'm guessing.
They also sold a 6 cylinder version of this car up through current generation.

When you say basically a WRX wagon, can you elaborate? I drove a new WRX a couple years ago and loved it. But always figured the Outbacks were underpowered and heavy.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Wrx

This. Lots of power, and 4 wheel drive.

[Jameel]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Honda Fit with manual tranny.
Hatch opening is big enough to wheel my road bike in and transport upright. I think it could hold at least a half dozen at one time.
With the manual..it's quite peppy.

Ironically enough, I bought a 2013 Fit brand new. First new car I ever bought. I sold it after a year and bought the 911. It was a good car for tooling around town, but I want something more solid and powerful.

[onewhippedpuppy]

What is your price range? That will dictate a lot.

[SiberianDVM]

Used 335i xDrive with some good winter tires

[Jameel]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

What is your price range? That will dictate a lot.

$10-$20k

[onewhippedpuppy]

Do you want AWD? Or are you good with FWD/RWD and some snow tires? I'm assuming that you have to deal with snow based on your location.

[CurtEgerer]

Tough find, but if you can locate an old Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS. This is the non-turbo version of a WRX. So better torque/throttle response like you're used to, even though ultimate speed will not equal a WRX. Awesome sound too without the muffling effect of the turbo. I found it very fun to drive.

4 Things That Make the Subaru 2.5RS the Ultimate JDM Machine

* the link focuses in on the uber-rare 2-door coupe. The 4-door sedan in more common and mechanically the same.

[Jameel]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Do you want AWD? Or are you good with FWD/RWD and some snow tires? I'm assuming that you have to deal with snow based on your location.

AWD would be a nice plus. Don't really need it though. They keep the roads here pretty clear, and I don't commute to work, so I can delay my errands until the storm clears. We do get plenty of snow though. My favorite winter car used to be a late 90's Civic wagon with real-time 4WD. It was a blast to scoot around in the snow. Honda used to be so interesting back then.

[Jameel]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

Tough find, but if you can locate an old Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS. This is the non-turbo version of a WRX. So better torque/throttle response like you're used to, even though ultimate speed will not equal a WRX. Awesome sound too without the muffling effect of the turbo. I found it very fun to drive.

4 Things That Make the Subaru 2.5RS the Ultimate JDM Machine

I need the extra doors and a trunk/hatch. But yeah, I drove one of those new way back when they were new. Loved it, but was too poor to buy one. I would imagine any that are left are pretty well beat.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Ok here's some suggestions with AWD or FWD, because FWD is almost as good if you have quality tires.

Subaru Forester XT, WRX, Legacy GT - all of these have the turbo 4, all can be had with a stick, all are fun to drive. The Legacy has the nicest interior, it's like a reliable BMW. I had a Legacy GT wagon and loved it.
Mazdaspeed3 - fast, robust, fun, and cheap
Saab 9-3 Viggen, 9-5 Aero wagon - oddball choices but I love Saabs, they are awesome in the snow and fun to drive
Audi A4/S4 Avant, A3 hatchback - super nice interiors, fun to drive, but you pay the Audi tax in maintenance
Ford Fiesta ST/Focus ST - fun, fast, reliable, I had a Focus ST as a DD and loved it
Dodge Caliber SRT-4 - cheap interior but another hot hatchback rocket
Mazda 3 hatch/6 wagon - less exciting than some but affordable and still nice to drive
Mini - multiple options here, nice to drive but I find them to be cheaply made
GTi/R32/Golf R - one of the gold standards in hot hatchbacks, will be more maintenance intensive than some of the other options

EDIT: Forgot the Volvo wagons, V40/V50/V60. Acura TSX wagon but it's a unicorn.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Originally Posted by Jameel

When you say basically a WRX wagon, can you elaborate? I drove a new WRX a couple years ago and loved it. But always figured the Outbacks were underpowered and heavy.

I'm not a Subie expert but the XT version of the outback, 3rd gen only, have the 2.5 turbo engine similar to the WRX but detuned and with a smaller turbo. Forester XT is the same drivetrain from that era. Mine has been modded a bit with a WRX turbo, catless downpipe and some other aftermarket goodies and given a COBB tune. It is now putting out about 270 horsepower. The Legacy GT as I understand it is the non outback version of what I have. I like the looks of those better and their steering rack is different, quicker turn ratio but they are amazingly hard to find. Mine has the Legacy GT steering rack swapped in. I have the limited version so leather, big moon roof, etc. It is no German car though in terms of interior quality but great for my needs.

[racer]

fwiw, I had a 2004 WRX Wagon. Little cramped in the back seat. Also, no engine life below 3K rpm. I imagine the Legacy GT was tuned to improve low end grunt vs the WRX. IIRC, Legacy of that time was limited in rear seat room as well.