favourite everyday car

[sandwich]

well what should an everyday car have?

two doors? four?
hardtop?
fwd rwd awd?
turbo?
4 banger? 8 cyllinder?
wagon? hatchback?
performance? comfort?
snow? rain? sun all the time?

everyday in california is a lot different than every day in montreal...

i know i'm starting to sound like a groupie, but for overall usefulness, evo's and wrx's are looking better and better. AWD is great for inclement weather...four bangers use less gas, generally, turbo for power, hardtop for cold weather, and a full trunk for storing dead bodies. Somebody made the point of harsh rides...but it's a compromise...do you want an everyday car to enjoy cruising, or that you can fly around corners with on your way to the grocery store? I know I want the latter (even though the grocery store is literally across the street....)

I like the mazda six also, and most audi's are nice, but they don't have the performance of the evowrx, but many cost just as much or more....

that being said, i drive my civic everyday, it does over 30 mpg city, holds four(sometimes five) and almost seems sporty with the manual tranny. it's a fine car, but not showy...and not go-ey.

edit: i don't think convertible is a good option because it sucks when it's cold, and ain't so great in the rain. Not impossible though. I say no rwd because of driving in the snow. I say 4 doors for 4 homies, and a turbo 4 (although I'd prefer a turbo six) for it's economy and power. I would prefer a hatchback, i love the way they look, but nobody in the US makes a good hatch right now. HMMMMMMMMMMM maybe an Z3 coupe/hatch....still would suck in the snow

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

I'm currently in love/lust with the Lancer Evolution VIII and the WRX STi but I aint concieted enough to think they would be regular everyday drivers. Most people would consider the ride harsh on their asses so that effectively rules out my 2 fav cars right now :'( *cries* lol

Newayz I've always liked the civic (any of em Si, Type R, even hybrid) they give good gas millage have decent power and handling and comfortable ride (plus they look sporty )

even then civic is not perfect as no car is ... all FFs suffer from understeer and torque steer to a certain degree, if i could make the perfect everyday car it would be all wheel drive with active difs (just like evo and sti ^^) which would make driving in snow and rain a helluva lot easier and would definetly need a V-6 if the engine is N/A, otherwise a turbo 4 cyl would do. all wheel disc brakes are a must, comfortable yet reliable suspension, roomy interior yet compact exterior, all this and it must be enjoyable to drive + <20 000 dollars

so to sum it up ... itll never happen

[Quiggs]

a friggin makinen evo 6 isnt a bloody everyday car

It might be if you're Tommi Makinen...

[jelLO]

MX-5 Miata....best everyday day ever...

well what should an everyday car have?

two doors? four?
hardtop?
fwd rwd awd?
turbo?
4 banger? 8 cyllinder?
wagon? hatchback?
performance? comfort?
snow? rain? sun all the time?

everyday in california is a lot different than every day in montreal...

i know i'm starting to sound like a groupie, but for overall usefulness, evo's and wrx's are looking better and better. AWD is great for inclement weather...four bangers use less gas, generally, turbo for power, hardtop for cold weather, and a full trunk for storing dead bodies. Somebody made the point of harsh rides...but it's a compromise...do you want an everyday car to enjoy cruising, or that you can fly around corners with on your way to the grocery store? I know I want the latter (even though the grocery store is literally across the street....)

I like the mazda six also, and most audi's are nice, but they don't have the performance of the evowrx, but many cost just as much or more....

that being said, i drive my civic everyday, it does over 30 mpg city, holds four(sometimes five) and almost seems sporty with the manual tranny. it's a fine car, but not showy...and not go-ey.

edit: i don't think convertible is a good option because it sucks when it's cold, and ain't so great in the rain. Not impossible though. I say no rwd because of driving in the snow. I say 4 doors for 4 homies, and a turbo 4 (although I'd prefer a turbo six) for it's economy and power. I would prefer a hatchback, i love the way they look, but nobody in the US makes a good hatch right now. HMMMMMMMMMMM maybe an Z3 coupe/hatch....still would suck in the snow

[henk4]

An everyday car should be:

Capable of dealing with every traffic(jams) without problems or overheating
Economical
Spacy (depending on your family situation)
Confortable
Reasonably performing

in short what you need is a hydropneumaticly sprung, self levelling turbo diesel engined wagon. Currently there is only one car on the market that meets this requirement. The Citroen C5.

[Ferrari F50]

Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG or S600 for me, with some added bit of tuning from RENNTech or Kleeman.

[Matra et Alpine]

An everyday car should be:
.....The Citroen C5.

You forgot to say competently engineered

After the debacle with the Picasso rear suspension I've been convinced ( yet again ) that French design houses have a "cock-ups" department who have an input into every car design to ensure at least one thing is the most stupid decision that could ever be made.

Citroen have lead the pack with inboard disk brakes where you had to take the manifold off to replace the pads.
A car which you cannot get the spare wheel out until you jack up the car - and the jack is kept - - - inside the spare wheel

Hey don't get me wrong, I love French cars ( own 4! ) , but realistically they are and probably always will be a liability

[henk4]

You forgot to say competently engineered

After the debacle with the Picasso rear suspension I've been convinced ( yet again ) that French design houses have a "cock-ups" department who have an input into every car design to ensure at least one thing is the most stupid decision that could ever be made.

Citroen have lead the pack with inboard disk brakes where you had to take the manifold off to replace the pads.
A car which you cannot get the spare wheel out until you jack up the car - and the jack is kept - - - inside the spare wheel

Hey don't get me wrong, I love French cars ( own 4! ) , but realistically they are and probably always will be a liability

Never heard of the Picasso problems, but this ugly peace does not meet my definition, it's steel sprung, and the 90 BHP Hdi is the "best" performing diesel you can get. Furthermore I thought you knew that the C5 does not need a jack to get it up, the suspension will do that for you and then you put the jack under it and lower the car again. The fact that you need to remove the front bumper before you can switch a light bulb comes closer to your ideas about french engineering
That's why I intend to drive my souped-up Xantia break for a while longer.

[jameswithington]

An everyday car should be:

Capable of dealing with every traffic(jams) without problems or overheating
Economical
Spacy (depending on your family situation)
Confortable
Reasonably performing

By these rules I would go for a new Mini Cooper. I don't have any kids so the relative lack of space isn't a massive problem for me. It's decent value, pretty economical, very well built and reliable, stylish, comfortable, and a really sweet handling little thing. I could be tempted by a Cooper S or Cooper S Works, but both are less economical and more expensive to start with, and the Works version has a much firmer ride.

[Falcon500]

My 1980 datsun sunny witha rebuilt engine, tasteful mags and no back seat (really hate giveing lifts) of course me and my old man are still podering about the turbo charged engine and useing my sunny as the test mule.

[SPN:DOC]

Renault Laguna II Privilege LX.... or a 3 series BMW... or a C-class Merc... or an Audi A4... or a Volvo s60... or a Volkswagen passat.... or a Opel vectra... Na Na the Laguna is good.. i like the Laguna... my dad own one by the way.. its gr8...

[Rijoh]

Audi RS6/M5/CL65/Continental GT

[henk4]

Audi RS6/M5/CL65/Continental GT

Every day traffic in the Netherlands will be very frustrating when driving one of the above cars. Of course you are aware of our fuel prices too.

[Rijoh]

Every day traffic in the Netherlands will be very frustrating when driving one of the above cars.

True, but the traffic is frustrating in every car.

Of course you are aware of our fuel prices too.

If you got the money for one of those cars I don't think you care much about high fuel prices.

[ZerK]

MG ZT-T 260 And the Rover 220 Turbo Coupe