What DD car would you buy for... $15,000?

scottmandue · 07-28-2005, 12:37 PM

Okay so it's not a "dream car thread"

I'm an average guy in my 40's and coincidentally I also make around 40K a year, doing alright due to the real estate boon and having a state job.
I commute 40 mile a day round trip mostly on freeway and have a Hyundai to do the job, reliable/economical/invisible to highway patrol and gangsters looking to carjack in downtown L.A. .
In December the car will be paid for however it is starting to show a little wear so my options are...
Keep the car (warranty good till 2011) and drive it into the ground.
Trade it in for another Hyundai (not too exciting)
Sell the Hyundai and get something a little more interesting.

For instance Techweenie was selling a 72 911 sportmatic... probably gets good gas mileage, no smog test, has an (kind of)auto for rush hour traffic.

Any suggestions?

RickM · RickM's Garage

You have a lot of great cars to choose from. However, the Hyundai makes a dynamite fleet or commuter car. The one observation I'v emade is that they require very little maintenance and are very well made.

gaijindabe · 07-28-2005, 01:29 PM

I would take care of the Hyundai, but otherwise drive the wheels off it. An older P-car makes a perfect second car..

LeeH · 07-28-2005, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scottmandue
I'm an average guy in my 40's ....
I also make around 40K a year...
I commute 40 mile a day...

So let me guess. Your car has about 40K miles on it?

Keep driving the Hyundai. When it's paid off take the amount of your monthly payment, deposit it in the bank and forget about it. By the time the car dies you'll have enough to pay cash for a new one.

cowtown · 07-28-2005, 01:45 PM

Keeping the Hyundai sounds like a good idea, with the warranty and economy. If I wanted a fun commuter for that price range, I think I'd look at a slightly used Toyota MR Spyder or S2000. Maybe even a used base Mini.

mikester · 07-28-2005, 01:50 PM

If you live in San PEdro and Work in Downtown LA - I would start taking the commuter bus from PEdro to LA. It will likely reduce the time you're on the freeway by leaps and bounds. I take one from El Segundo to downtown.

3.50 round trip - with today's cost of gas you can't beat that. If you buy a Commuter pass it's good for the Downtown Dash as well so getting around in Downtown shouldn't be an issue.

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

Mikester is right. And I can sell you an electric bicycle to extend each end of the commute easily.

BTW, the 2.4T MFI is not known for great gas mileage.

EdT82SC · 07-28-2005, 02:50 PM

Keep the Hyundai. My daily driver is a 93 Nissan. The warranty is long gone, but it has been a very reliable car. You still have a warranty so I see no reason to sell.

pohsche · 07-28-2005, 03:04 PM

2000ish Acura TL. Great cars with comfort. I did and am damn glad.

Alan Poh
'77 Carrera 3.0

Drago · Drago's Garage

Well, I paid $15.5 for my Carrera so I guess my answer would be my car.

cowtown · 07-28-2005, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Drago
Well, I paid $15.5 for my Carrera so I guess my answer would be my car.

Well you can't beat that with a stick. I change my answer to a G50 Carrera.

mikester · 07-28-2005, 05:56 PM

I'm serious - that 110 North into downtown is a beast. The day I started taking the bus to work was one of the coolest days ever. I went from an hour or so commute to a half hour or so commute and I don't walk more than a couple of blocks to get to my office from the bus stop. If I take the bus all month (which honestly is a little rare) then I will barely use a tank of gas in my Porsche.

Typically though I take the bus 3 days a week but I really try to make it as many days as possible.

Also, this isn't your every day run of the mill bus - it's a commuter bus so it makes limited stops and is a bit more comfortable than your average everyday bus. No lowlife's either - unless you consider lawyers heading to their downtown firms lowlifes of course. The park and ride is right at a mile from my house too.

So; Get ride of the Hyundia. Buy a nice SC and start riding the bus a few days a week to work. You'll save on insurance (less mileage), Gas and sanity since the bus is a nice place to relax a little before and after work (I typically take a nap).

Rob Channell · 07-28-2005, 06:50 PM

I just bought a Miata. I am into it about $3k so far. It is a fun daily driver and my last tank got 28.3 mpg including a day of autocrossing. I'd use the other $12k to buy a 3.6 for the 911.

jyl · jyl's Garage

From San Pedro to downtown, can you take the Blue Line?

I'd keep the Hyundai as a commuter car (even if that commute is just from home to the Long beach Metro station) and a spare car (for when you're working on the Porsche).

mikester · 07-28-2005, 09:02 PM

Miata's are great - I had 2000 and didn't keep it nearly long enough.

scottmandue · 07-29-2005, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jyl
From San Pedro to downtown, can you take the Blue Line?

I'd keep the Hyundai as a commuter car (even if that commute is just from home to the Long beach Metro station) and a spare car (for when you're working on the Porsche).

Yes and no, it is a ten or fifteen minute drive to LB for me but the deal breaker is I work in Exposition park and the blue line doesn't stop anywhere near here.

Mikester, I'm going to look up where the commuter bus picks up in SP. Something I have been thinking of doing for years but I'm just plain lazy, is that a Metro line?

scottmandue · 07-29-2005, 07:11 AM

Oh yeah, always wanted a Miata since they first came out (English design with Japanese engineering is hard to beat) and it is probably a better car than my 944...
but it doesn't look anywhere as cool.

djmcmath · 07-29-2005, 07:15 AM

For a lot less than $15K, you can get an early VW Bug. It's an ACRE (air cooled rear engine) car just like your 911, except it's a zillion times cheaper to operate, gets better mileage, and doesn't make chicks think that you're a money-grubbing *********. A bug in good daily driver shape should run way less than $3K. If you're savvy, and don't mind putting in a little time, there are always people dumping bugs for $500 with easily repairable mechanical problems.

That was officially my $.02 on this topic, as well as my official plug for VW this week.

scottmandue · 07-29-2005, 09:16 AM

How about a 912? Get the cool look of a 911 with... oops better not say.

Although some sort of auto tranny is required for LA commuter traffic.

Been poking around the metro site, geeze they make it a roaring pain is the a$$ to get any info... no wonder so few angelinos use the bus.

tabs · 07-29-2005, 10:59 AM

Keep the Hyundai until it is on it's last legs...save the panango for the next one...if U want get a 2nd car to play....take the Metro if convienent......

I commute from the bedroom to the front bedroom...a 30 second walk if I go through the kitchen to turn on the Salvatore...