Best City Fun Car to Drive.

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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Bob, this is for you:


truck was stolen...

 

christoph

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Dec 11, 2015
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Neat, do you have to be 5'5" to fit in it?
Dammit. I'm 6'3" and therefore probably to tall...
That and probably 500k€ short for that beauty :rolleyes:
 
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Folsom

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I’d be interested in what others are driving. I have a 2013 JX35 that the wife drives since we sold her car. My daily driver is now a 2001 Chevy Explorer Conversion van and I’ve grown quite tired of driving a boat about town. My eyes have been towards a performance suv like a 2004 Cayenne Turbo and the Infiniti FX50.

Can you find a 2004 with low miles? I'd take a Porsche over Infiniti any day just for reliability.

Your daily seems rather uncharacteristic for you.
 

DSkip

Industry Expert
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Can you find a 2004 with low miles? I'd take a Porsche over Infiniti any day just for reliability.

Your daily seems rather uncharacteristic for you.

The daily is a work/family vehicle. With four kids and a fifth on the way a bus is about the only way to go.

The 2004 I am looking at has just over 80k and the last owner (of 2) had it for 14 years. He serviced it at Porsche regularly during that time as well. It looks immaculate and I'm waiting on the dealer to fix the few issues it has. Known issues with the year have already been taken care of as well.
 

Folsom

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The daily is a work/family vehicle. With four kids and a fifth on the way a bus is about the only way to go.

The 2004 I am looking at has just over 80k and the last owner (of 2) had it for 14 years. He serviced it at Porsche regularly during that time as well. It looks immaculate and I'm waiting on the dealer to fix the few issues it has. Known issues with the year have already been taken care of as well.


If you have a family and need reliable you should concentrate on what serves that purpose the most, for the least amount of vehicle stress. While these days 80k is half the life, it's not the best use of money nor wise for another reason. Any car older than 10 years will slowly have less parts availability. The simple reason is that car manufactures only have to stock parts for 10 years since that's the max loan limit. Also turbos are much harder on engines. And just to mention while 80k is half the life these days for a dependable vehicle, there are considerably higher maintenance costs that start coming on after that mileage, shocks, bearings, more fluid flushes, etc.

It also doesn't make sense to go smaller rather than larger with a growing family for leg space IMO (some of what you're looking at). I'd consider a Ford Transit Connect because they have seating for 7 and good MPG. I'd buy new/slightly used. I'm not a huge fan of Ford but they designed them to be a work horse so they're more like buying a Ford truck or better - predictably more reliable than their cars I wouldn't buy. They're kinda awesome, to the point I nearly want one myself but I don't need the seats (good for hauling stuff). Big feeling on the inside, not huge on outside. They're popular to the point where Canada imports them as passenger vans, removes the interior and ships back to EU, puts it in another one and ships it back to Canada... all day.

Honda Odyssey's are the only other minivan I'd consider because they're just really nice, but a little minivan-ey for my taste (the Ford TC doesn't give off that vibe for me).

Toyota Sequioa's have a ridiculously good engine in them if you can find one with a decent price/mileage. The v8 isn't great on gas mileage but is powerful and will out last everything else on the vehicle with maintenance. I think everything else is too small by Toyota or Honda seat wise. Chevy/Ford big SUV's cost a lot these days and are not as good of vehicles as Toyota's.
 

DSkip

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it’s a third vehicle for personal driving and date nights, not a replacement. I’m not that dense. The requirement I do have on myself is that it has four doors. If an emergency does arise and it’s needed I would still be able to pick kids up etc.
 

DaveC

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Nov 16, 2014
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Lol... Toyota V8s are garbage. Lucky to get 15 mpg highway, most folks I know regret buying them because they use so much gas.
 

Folsom

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Lol... Toyota V8s are garbage. Lucky to get 15 mpg highway, most folks I know regret buying them because they use so much gas.

No v8 in a vehicle like that get great mpg. But that doesn’t make them trash. The only vehicle in current production expected to exceed the mileage on the Sequoia is the Land Cruiser.
 
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Folsom

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it’s a third vehicle for personal driving and date nights, not a replacement. I’m not that dense. The requirement I do have on myself is that it has four doors. If an emergency does arise and it’s needed I would still be able to pick kids up etc.

Ever considered finding something more classic if it's for fun?
 

DaveC

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No v8 in a vehicle like that get great mpg. But that doesn’t make them trash. The only vehicle in current production expected to exceed the mileage on the Sequoia is the Land Cruiser.

IRL pretty much any domestic full size truck/SUV will do better.
 

morricab

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I have owned quite a few cars, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren, Benz, BMW, Mini, Dodge, Toyota, Honda, Mazda. I actually enjoy Mini Coupe most driving in Bangkok. It is most fun, most practical, most exciting (because I can drive as crazy as I want without worrying about totaling.) car of the bunch. The car is quick. It grips the road really well, zigzag from point A to B fastest. Never broke. The trunk is big enough to grocery shop for a week. I love the proportion of the car and I believe it will be a future classic.

View attachment 59995
Lotus Elise or Exige.
 
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morricab

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Great on the track - VERY bloody average on the road - weekend warrior only...
No, mine (Europa S) was a blast to drive in European cities with curvy streets. It was the most nimble car other than an actual go cart i have driven. It could be parked in tight spaces and was readonably economical. I used it as a daiky driver for 3 years.
 

Rob181

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Oct 1, 2014
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No, mine (Europa S) was a blast to drive in European cities with curvy streets. It was the most nimble car other than an actual go cart i have driven. It could be parked in tight spaces and was readonably economical. I used it as a daiky driver for 3 years.

You obviously have better quality roads then we have in Aus - Lotus make registerable track cars - you could not use one as a daily drive anywhere in Aus & keep the fillings in your teeth :)
 

morricab

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You obviously have better quality roads then we have in Aus - Lotus make registerable track cars - you could not use one as a daily drive anywhere in Aus & keep the fillings in your teeth :)
Yes, Switzerland has good, and twisty roads.
 

djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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You obviously have better quality roads then we have in Aus - Lotus make registerable track cars - you could not use one as a daily drive anywhere in Aus & keep the fillings in your teeth :)

I drove an Elise with sport pack suspension and R compound tires daily in Philadelphia, which are some of the worst roads in the US.
 
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howiebrou

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Tang, you should import one of these from the UK. Still quite a few knocking around.

Reliant_Robin_ca_1974_green_in_Ely.jpg
 

XV-1

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