What is the Best Daily Driver?...the impossible question
 

I recently had a conversation with some friends about this and too many variables always came up. A daily driver if you're single?...Well, what about if you have 2 kids?...Where do you live?...etc... It seemed impossible to get an actual answer - I'm expecting nothing less here lol but still thought that I'd pose the question.

Ready, set, go...


For me, it has to be my current car. 2018 A4 S-line. Stylish, quick enough, handles wonderfully, and is a dream on the freeway for long distance drives. Super comfy as well.


Similar to this one:

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Depends on which of my personalities you ask:

The practical engineer in me answer: Prius

The sports car guy in me: 6mt GT4

The dad in me: Odyssey

I think that's a perfect answer. We focused too much on finding 'the one'

I'll have to think of my list, but a 993 will fall somewhere in there.

For me, one that is paid off.

Practical? A Jetta diesel with the ALH engine.

Value/Performance? 996

No limit? Cadillac Black Wing, or manual V8 wagon. Or an E63.

Honda Fit.....5 speed only

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Yep, too many factors to list. If I was trying to commute today, 85 miles one way, mostly open freeway? I'd probably enjoy commuting in my '08 Boxster S. I may also enjoy commuting in a 911 turbo or an AMG of some description.

If I was commuting someplace where I mostly sat in stop and go traffic for a long time, then it probably wouldn't be one of the cars above.

If the commute was like my commute from pre-covid (3 miles), I did use my Boxster, and I loved it, but some sort of small city vehicle, Fit, Smart, Fiat 500, prius, etc... would probably be great as well.

What is the commute (distance, traffic, roads, etc...)? What is your personality (do you like fun/engaging drives, just want to be comfortable and isolated, point A to B appliance)? And probably also where do you live (Phoenix, Cali, Seattle, Calgary) is going to make a difference.

my ideal DD will not require much maintenance. and if it does, it wont be super expensive. it will get good MPG, and have room to fit 4 adults comfy. easy to drive..

honda accord hybrid.

i dont need the thrill and exhilaration of a sports car when i am in bumper to bumper traffic.

All questions I was going to type.

Too many factors.

If it is a fun drive I would want a fun car.

If it is surface road, traffic light stop and go, I would get an appliance I care little about.

My mileage minder on the Fit pictured above...shows that I have 20% of my oil life left before changing.
I have 9800 miles on it since last change.

The mileage minder also says that I have 40.7 mpg since the last change.

Totally depends on the drive, where you park, etc.

Honestly for an all round vehicle, a new hybrid marverick would do well. Small enough to be easy to maneuver, hybrid to get 40mpg, and has 4 seats and a small bed for some weekend chores.

Right, if your commute is stop and go, then comfy, reliable, thrifty is the way to go.

If, however, your commute involved you jumping on PCH for 30 miles (assuming that never has stop and go), then you might want something a little more fun.

Does it also say that every mile in it steals a little bit of your soul and kills you just a little bit?
;) :D

Maverick? Really, those are back? What'll be next? "Here's the new Ford LTD II!" Or "Here's the new Mercury Topaz!"

I had a 993 C4 when I lived on Oahu. Its comfort made it a great DD but it was painful in stop / go traffic every afternoon on the commute home. I lived up in the mountains near Dole Plantation, about 15 miles from the office, which was near Aloha stadium. It would take me an hour to go that distance and it was an "Interstate".

Alternatively, I would go over the mountain and take the costal road along the Northern shore. About 50 miles that still took an hour but the views were phenomenal. And on that road, the manual box was the business.

So it really depends on type of traffic and whether a slush box would be preferable.

Obviously, you have never driven a m/t Honda with the powerful 1.5 litre engine. :D

It’s their new baby pickup. How have you missed the hype on it? Starts at 20k, available with a hybrid that is good for 40mpg!

^^^ I've been watching that. I almost changed my mind about the Civic to the Maverick.

S-class Benz or Audi A8L. I don’t know if I would want a current offering, I might have to go back a few years to get an engine I’d like to own long-term. Direct injection sucks and the cam chains on the newer Audi V-8’s don’t excite me.

I really like my 2013 Mustang as a DD, but could see having a smaller vehicle for heavy traffic (which I don't have to deal with...mostly county roads, and surface streets).

I would look strongly at a VW GTE, or GTI, also the Honda Civic type R if I were commuting a long way every day.

In that case you can walk faster than that sports car will go...

Subie WRX with an auto box..

Mine is an 08... 293K miles ( in and around NYC)

Unfortunately I dont think you can get an auto WRX anymore

I work from home and my DD is a 996. It's a perfect car for that commute.

If I really needed to drive a distance each day, I would definitely get something else. It would be a four-door, but I don't know if I would go with a sedan, station wagon or crossover. I do know that I would not go with a SUV or pickup. I don't need something that big.

I know the above does't answer the question. So, if I needed to buy something tomorrow, I'd look at a Macan first.

Why piss money away on a Honda when you can get a 2010-ish Grand Caravan or Town & Country for several thousand less.

With the 3.8L you have no timing belts to deal with like in the Odyssey and the six speed auto is way more sturdy than in the way back.

It's ugly as f#@k but it is so functional with Sto and Go seats that fold into the floor.

Gets 24 MPG which is very close to the Honda Fit's 40 MPG.

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I picked up this'13 WRX a couple of months ago and it's proven to be the perfect daily. Gets great mileage, goes like stink with the turbo and out corners the 911 with all wheel drive. The wife loves it, she can fill the hatchback at Costco and we both enjoy spirited driving with the 5 spd. manual. Installing a Cobb AP tonight, woo hoo!

My ideal daily driver is a bicycle, of which I have several that work really well for city commuting purposes. But since my office is now 15 miles away instead of 4.5, I still ride the other stuff but I don’t always ride to work because driving is a lot faster than either riding or the CTA. So for that purpose, if I’ve got to take a car or choose to, the ideal is probably an EV - I’ve spent a lot of time in a Tesla Model S, so ima go with that.

The best daily driver is not an Exige, I have some supporting anecdotal evidence

I am sure the FCA minivans work just as well, though I must say I have been super impressed with the engineering and functionality of our odyssey

I am not sure it is a ton more expensive overall depending on how long you keep vehicles though since the odysseys and Sienna's have much better resale (at least from the ads I see). I guess the answer is probably slightly used caravan then.

If I were single...I would probably drive a very cool car and hope that helped my limited game (because If I had game, I would not be single). A nice 911 would fit this.

If married, I would be driving the coolest car I could drive that still allowed me to buy an house and max out my 401K. You only live once and you have to drive a minvan or SUV when you are with your family

When out with family, I would be driving the coolest car I could drive that still allowed me to buy a house and max out my 401K that everyone fits in safely (A used Cayenne comes to mind)..

GTI manual. gives me some good style and fun and practicality….the usual cliches about them are true

i’ve had 6 hatchbacks and can’t live without one. i tried

Here's a pic of my Fit with the Honda Magic Seats folded down.
15" Kicker Sub and enough room for a fridge.

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Mine is a 2011 Mercedes E350 4matic. Love it.

I like this logic http://forums.pelicanparts.com/suppo...s/beerchug.gif

I think the obvious answer is a black Audi wagon...

Daily driver for me would be something I would’ve used to commute to and from work, alone. If I wanted something inexpensive, has reliability and fuel efficiency, a Corolla. But I want to have a bit of enjoyment on my daily commute which would’ve been mostly freeway and a lot of stop and go traffic, a PDK 997.2S…

For me the best daily driver has two wheels. Attachment 10589

Our last road trip to Ohio, which included my wife commuting that week frmo the hotel to the corporate office, averaged 29+ mpg. The actual tanks on the freeway were in the 32mpg range. Stow-n-Go is tough to beat.

It is, however, not my DD most of the time. Depending on the weather, it may be our sports sedan, motorcycle or Cobra replica.

Bought a 2000 awd Rav4 and absolutely love it.. Large swing out back door ..23 mpg & glass headlights ! :)

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My company car which is a 2019 Camry. Never had any issues and it gets almost 34 mpg on regular gas.

I just had a Caravan fall into my lap super cheap after my last two minivans being Odysseys.

There is no comparison between them. I can say with confidence the Caravan ain't bad but it's not special.