whats the best 2nd car/ daily driver?

[hkspwrsche]

I'm probably going to get rid of my bike and the crx and get an upgraded daily driver....around 30k is the most I want to spend on a new car or if someone has a good suggestion for a used car @10-15K, no payments would be good. I was thinkin either used 99-00 Acura GSR or go ahead and get a new BMW 325i....

[deoxford]

A car that gets you and your family around , and gets real good gas milage.
But really I had a Toyato Camry as a daily drive before my truck and it was great!!good gas milage +30 nice inside , never had a issue. That car was prefect, the guy I sold it to sold his other cars and only drives it, he loves it to!!

[450knotOffice]

My wife and I own a 2004 525 and we love it. Solid, well built, quick, nice handling, etc. However, I don't think you'll find a new 325i for 30K or less. Maybe a year or two old, yes?

What about a Subaru WRX?

[Brother]

Unless your 911 is a track machine, you can drive it on the road too. Your maintenance budget will be the same and you'll have a bunch of extra money.

What kind of daily driving do you do?

[ScottKelly911]

I recently got a Scion tC as my daily driver. It's a great little car for the money, a lot of standard features that are options on other cars. Get's good mileage which is important to me nowadays and has the tried and true Toyota 2.4 liter 4 cylinder out of the Toyota Camary. Here's a pic of it.

[RANDY P]

I just tossed my e46(2000 328ci) for an e39 (2002 530I sport) this weekend.

The later 3s are known for several serious potential issues - torn subframe mounts.

You can find great deals on E39's easily in that price range. Mine's an 02 with 54K documented miles, sport, premium and cold weather pkg. not a scratch inside or out. I'm into it for about 26K. Higher miles, stick with the 6 cyl and make sure the radiator has been swapped out - they come apart around 80K.

rjp

rjp

[david c.]

I've been itching to buy a W124 era E500 lately.

[morganb]

I have an AMG Benz as my daily driver. Have a look at these AMG's in C and E class depending on what size body you need.

[hkspwrsche]

by around 30k I guess I meant not 50k.
I dont have a track machine yet but, if I drop the engine or take a part off to work on it through the week it helps to have an extra car. and thats what I'm used to doing now.
Randy.. the new 3's tear subframe mounts?? I was looking into the 2006 models. have they fixed this by now?
Thanks,

[petrolblue83911]

I picked up a 2002 saab 9-3 (last of the hatchbacks) for 14k with 38k miles on it last year. They have a great cert. program which provides 6yr/100k bumper to bumper coverage. I've been very happy with it. Tons of space, fast, great milage, safe, and reasonably fun to drive. I've put nearly 20k miles on it and havent had any significant issues with it. great near-lux sports sedan for the $$

-Adam

[wahoofan]

Maybe not exactly what you're looking for, but my $.02

My daily driver is a '95 Infiniti G20 with 140k on it and it is by far the best car I've ever had. Relatively sporty, very comfortable, and practically bulletproof. I've had it for 7 years and 80k miles and it has only needed mech. work once(dizzy went bad last year).
The '96 and older ones are hard to find with low miles, but they brought the G20 back for '99-'00 (I think) and you could probably get a great, low mileage one for under 8000. Or go for an I30 with a six cyl.

Own one and you'll understand

[Breeang]

My F-150 is a an all expenses paid company vehicle. I stuck in a good sound system and smile a lot as I 'daily drive'.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Breeang
My F-150 is a an all expenses paid company vehicle. I stuck in a good sound system and smile a lot as I 'daily drive'.

I was going to say "light truck" even before I got to the bottom of the thread and saw your post. If not a truck, a sta wagon (they're coming back big time) like a Volvo. Too much ultility never hurt. I can make a truck handle pretty good with some suspension mods and a little ballast in the back. A wagon does that for you already. Lower CG and a lot of fun for "utility." When the desiel gets reformulated next year, I'm gonna be on that to see how I like it. I've never owned any kind of desiel, so that will be a new experience. I hope they get 50 MPG.

[RANDY P]

Originally posted by hkspwrsche

Randy.. the new 3's tear subframe mounts?? I was looking into the 2006 models. have they fixed this by now?
Thanks,

I couldn't tell you. The E36's were known for it, even the M3's. In the e46 it's pretty much all models except the M. This is also an issue with the Z3 as well. It's suspected it's fatigue due to age. Out of the box they aren't reinforced in the mount areas and there is a few holes which act as stress risers.

BMW Germany has issued a voluntary recall / repair for torn subframes but BMW USA doesn't acknowledge the issue.

Sux if you don't live in Europe.

rjp


EDIT: check it out http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=195602&highlight=torn+subframe

[Nine9six]

I am a firm believer in Honda or Toyota products.

[deathpunk dan]

I dont know about E46, but my dad and I each own E36 325is' with a combined 350k on our cars without the rear subframe issues...I have seen Turner race cars with that area reinforced...I am hard pressed to believe this would be an issue on a daily driver.

For me, if money were no object, my daily driver would be a Golf R32. Fast, comfortable, not 'boy racer', fairly subtle, nice big hatchback to hold lots of stuff, AWD.

[jpnovak]

Mine is a 95 Volvo wagon. Tons of room, really comfy and a 911 motor with full intake sitting on a pallet slides right in the back. tons of miles with no major issues. I replaced the shocks/struts and springs(sagged) at about 100K miles with Bilsteins and HR and it handles pretty good right now.

[VincentVega]

30k gets a lot of car. For cheap I would look at 7-10k Accords or Civic. For mid teens Acura TL's and RL's are great cars.

[gerry100]

If you just need a driving appliance for those times when you can't or don't want to drive the Pcar , I'd go japanese.

I've got a Toyota company car with 65K, and it runs like new. Only problem is they are incredibly boring to drive.

If my company ever goes to a car allowance, I'd pick up a used BMW that's been well cared for. You'll pay a little more upkeep, but you'll still have a car that will be a nice drive and can sleep outside.

[CarreraS2]

BMW's are the only sedans that even come close to having as much soul as a 911.

(And they have MORE soul than most other porsche products, like 944, etc.).