Drive a used VW R32, if you can find one. You'll like it.

JR

Keep the vee-dub. It's just a daily driver, anyway. Don't take the financial bath. And get a new Monster.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...Monster-V2.jpg

arrgghh....stop showing me pictures of Italian bikes...

Even though it is a daily driver, I gotta have a stick. I just can't deal with the automatic. Plus I need to practice heel and toe every day.

Gonna drive a Cooper S. I drove one many years back before I bought the 911 and remember being underwhelmed, but different times. BMW wagons with stick are few and far between, and I just can't do a 3-series sedan unless it was an old e30. It would be a no-brainer for the WRX but I've gotten spoiled by the leather and interior of German cars. How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm...

The cooper is like the 911 - sure just driving around the block - big deal - but get the revs up, and it's like it gets on it's tippy toes and goes...

I find that I must repeat myself. Drive a used VW R32, if you can find one. You'll like it.

It has a stick.
It is a hatchback.
It has power.
It handles.
It has a nice German leather interior, with nice German sport seats.
It's pretty loaded with options.

I suggest a blue one. Observe picture below:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1179859215.jpg


JR

The R32 is nice, but is tough to find one that hasn't been pimped out or abused.

I just picked up a low mileage 325is w/stick! SWEET RIDE!

The mini cooper S is a lot of fun. Dare I say as much fun as an older 911, but in a different way. The gear box is amazing and steering very responsive. My only complaint is my car (02) is full of rattles. Hopefully, a newer example will have some of these addressed.

i am gonna make the same purchase soon. my decision is not on your list. i am going to go with the mazdaspeed3. it may be difficult to find one used tho.

on your list, go with the WRX. get a white one, and black out the wheels. the asian chicks will dig it. :D

Don't forget to add a fart can exhaust. Your neighbors will dig it.

Seriously, a Cooper S is the way to go.

Perhaps that's true. I did a quick search and there are a half dozen for sale in SoCal. No idea of their condition.

You can always buy a new one. The latest version comes out in late summer.

JR

The new R32 will be DSG - no stick. :(

I will check out the MS3 as well. But obviously I have to drive a Mini.

I was thinking that the Asian chicks my age would likely dig the Audi more than the Subie. I don't date the young ones ;)

Dismiss the front wheel drive cars now. Drive wheels belong in the rear. Porsche has never made a front wheel drive car, and probably never will. There is a reason for this.

My neighbor got a Cooper S a few months ago, I've driven it a few times and driven in it a bunch of time.

Don't waste your time. I knew you were wasting your time and would eventually take a financial bath with your automatic VW (but was too polite to say anything because you already bought it), you'll do the same thing with a Mini.

I'm like your mother. I've read your posts and know you!

that shortens the list pretty heavily. I have to admit that my gut feels the same way...one reason my heart lies with a Subie (I did like that STI test drive).

There are a couple of R32s around (awd and 3.2L na engine). I'll try to drive one.

Beyond that, not much rwd other than bwm. Suppose an X3 would fit the bill but...

Re: back to a stick: choices
 

i had a stick gti...awesome car.(got t boned) that dsg is really good...are you sure you want to do this? i had a stick and was not digging traffic, and the dsg is just pukka

Go with the WRX, the wagon has better torsional rigidity than the sedan, fits a ton of stuff, and has a whole world of go-fast bits available.

Re: Re: back to a stick: choices
 

I drive in some of the worst traffic around (stretch of 405 in west LA). Gotta have a stick. Hell, I'd drive my track car every day if it had ac and room to carry stuff in the back (but has neither).

The DSG is amazing. But I like rowing gears and my left leg is horribly bored.

FWIW, my sister (Asian) picked up an A3 (2.0 DSG) last year. She's pretty happy with it, so far.

As nice as it is to be a hardcore sportscar guy and demand a RWD car, it's pretty slim pickings in this price range (unless you're willing to look at older stuff). Miata, Mustang, Solstice, Sky, Z3/4. None seem to fit your need to haul stuff, occasionally.

Holy crap an X3...you're knee is healed so quit the narcotics dude.