Ultimate Daily Driver

[sc_rufctr]

My VW Golf MK3 VR6 is a brilliant daily. You have to maintain her properly but she just goes and goes.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I would add a vote for the Mazda RX8 as well. Cheap to buy, generally reliable, seats 4 adults, and a blast to drive. My only complaint with mine is pretty mediocre MPG.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

I'm on my second one. Loads of fun but with a few drawbacks. I'm thinking of moving to a Civic SI.

I'm still in awe that, as tall as you are, you can actually fit in a Mini.

[epbrown]

In a truly urban area like NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc, where you're dicing for spaces on crowded streets and dodging cabs and big trucks are double-parked everywhere unloading, the city cars make the most sense: MINI Cooper, FIAT 500, or Smart Fortwo. I've owned each, and I'd have to say the 500 hits the sweet spot in terms of price, performance, and useability. The MINI is a bit pricey for what it does, and as much as I liked the Fortwo that transmission holds it back too much.

For less crowded areas, I still feel the 3-series rules the roost.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

Dottore,

Snip... the benz 3.0 bluetec ....

This.

Originally Posted by epbrown

In a truly urban area like NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc, where you're dicing for spaces on crowded streets and dodging cabs and big trucks are double-parked everywhere unloading, the city cars make the most sense: MINI Cooper, FIAT 500, or Smart Fortwo. I've owned each, and I'd have to say the 500 hits the sweet spot in terms of price, performance, and useability. The MINI is a bit pricey for what it does, and as much as I liked the Fortwo that transmission holds it back too much.

For less crowded areas, I still feel the 3-series rules the roost.

Smart car: No car has ever been more inappropriately named.

[gprsh924]

2 days into ownership of my 2012 Mazda 3. Great all around little car, though a little underpowered for high speed highway cruising.

Other than be being needy maintenance wise, my E39 530i was the perfect car. Comfortable, cruised effortlessly on the highway, and still reasonable to park and drive in downtown Chicago.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by epbrown

In a truly urban area like NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc, where you're dicing for spaces on crowded streets and dodging cabs and big trucks are double-parked everywhere unloading, the city cars make the most sense: MINI Cooper, FIAT 500, or Smart Fortwo. I've owned each, and I'd have to say the 500 hits the sweet spot in terms of price, performance, and useability. The MINI is a bit pricey for what it does, and as much as I liked the Fortwo that transmission holds it back too much.

For less crowded areas, I still feel the 3-series rules the roost.

how about a city car that feels like it has a V-8 in it?

something that can squirt forward quickly...

[Jim Richards]

Golf R.

[81Kremer930]

Dodge Ram SRT10, 2dr pickup.... 500 HP, 510Ft/lbs torque, 12mpg, and faster than most street cars..with a bed on the back!

[ErVikingo]

Volt or Prius

[widgeon13]

Well, I just passed on an 2008 Audi S6.

[dafischer]

I'm 1.5 months into driving my new to me 04 Volvo S60R. 300 HP turbocharged and intercooled 2.5 L I5, 6 spd. manual, AWD, Brembo 4 piston calipers all around, very nice full leather interior with uber comfortable & supportive heated seats, and a damn good stereo, which functions well since it's so quiet inside while driving.
It handles really well, and it has driver controllable active suspension to set the shock damping and throttle input mapping since it's drive by wire.
We just did a 450 mile roadtrip for Thanksgiving, mostly interstate, and averaged 23.7 mpg, cruising @ 75 - 85.
I can't wait for our first significant snow to test the AWD. To me, this is an ultimate DD.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

Well, I just passed on an 2008 Audi S6.

Curious, why? I lust for the V10 Audis simply for the sound that they make.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Curious, why? I lust for the V10 Audis simply for the sound that they make.

I'm looking for an A8. Going to be the wife's care.

[strupgolf]

Any good used 2000-2006 Buick LaSabre. Mine's great; 30 mpg, seats 6, hugh trunk, ride's like floating on air. I'll keep it a long time. Get the GM 3800 motor, best they ever made.

[blau911]

No one has even mentioned a 911 as a DD here? Here's my daily driver (Wayne's ex 82SC coupe).
Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?

[intakexhaust]

I guess it depends on where you drive the most, work position (ex: exec - biz travel, real estate) count me out. But always need a fleet of cars... and wide variety- LOL. Actually for the majority of city, airport longtime parking, shopping, etc. I'll take most any ricer sedan with a small engine. Park the ego, go incognito and could care less what brand. Most of the driving is suburbia and have to deal with an average 45 mph but often need to squirt and rev the crap out of them. Ricers seem to take the abuse with low maintain cost. For the appliance car's, had good luck with Maxima's and Mazda's.

The ricer drones squeeze into parking slots next to moron's who don't know how to park SUV's. Takes the dings, economical and nobody notices them - that includes theives, fly under the eyes of traffic patrol. Boring silver, blah white are ideal. Great resale and good for teenage drivers if in the household.

[1-ev.com]

My DD gets me to work and back for $0.10 (that's right - ten cents)

My $0.02 ...

[gacook]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Mustang!

But seriously... I have been driving my dad's Honda CR-V a bunch lately... well, my wife borrows it and somehow I end up driving it (we have one car, parents have two cars and are in there 80's).

Anywho, cheap, tough as rocks, cheap, able to haul stuff, cheap, great visability...

Ok maybe not so much 'fun to drive'... but did I mention they are cheap to buy and maintain?

Actually, my '09 Mustang was probably my favorite DD. Decent enough MPG, fun when I wanted it to be fun, and a ridiculously smooth, quiet ride when I just wanted to cruise. I caught myself doing 120 in Mexico and it felt like 75...

[redstrosekNic]

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

I guess it depends on where you drive the most, work position (ex: exec - biz travel, real estate) count me out. But always need a fleet of cars... and wide variety- LOL. Actually for the majority of city, airport longtime parking, shopping, etc. I'll take most any ricer sedan with a small engine. Park the ego, go incognito and could care less what brand. Most of the driving is suburbia and have to deal with an average 45 mph but often need to squirt and rev the crap out of them. Ricers seem to take the abuse with low maintain cost. For the appliance car's, had good luck with Maxima's and Mazda's.

The ricer drones squeeze into parking slots next to moron's who don't know how to park SUV's. Takes the dings, economical and nobody notices them - that includes theives, fly under the eyes of traffic patrol. Boring silver, blah white are ideal. Great resale and good for teenage drivers if in the household.

This.