Car Shopping

[vcdgrips]

You sound like you are writing specs for a Kia Stinger to me. IIRC, Kia "poached" some talent from BMW re design/execution of this platform.

Please take my data point for what it is worth. My daily driver for a number of years was a 95 Jeep Cherokee with 90K on it as it belonged to my mom.
For any number of road trips, I rented a number of small sedans to include Toyota Corollas, Chevy Cruises, Ford Fiesta/Focus, Nisan Ventra etc.

My 2017 Leased VW Jetta is miles ahead of the other sub 20k offerings in terms of driving dynamics, even when hamstrung with a set of OEM tires that are optimized for fuel economy.
There is something about "German" engineering that positively affects the driving experience. JAD is spot on IMHO.

Keep us in the loop.

[DocGKR]

Having been through 30 years of German GTI's, 3-series, A6's, E-Class, 911's, etc..., I have become boring over the past decade and now stick with Honda for commute and Lexus for touring vehicles, resulting in a dramatic decrease in service costs and an increase in vehicle life-spans....

[rayrevolver]

I drove the original R32 and it was amazing to toss around. The feeling of the front wheels pulling through the corner was interesting.

Since you seem like a hot hatch guy, what about a Focus RS?

A coworker just traded a 500hp tricked out Civic for a Type R. He is very happy and said additional HP was easy to get. Paid less than sticker in FL.

Right now, I would love a GT350. The sound is fantastic and I roll my windows down every time I get near one in traffic.

[orionz06]

Since you seem like a hot hatch guy, what about a Focus RS?

Quite a few around here have blown up and the long term outlook for the fit/finish doesn't seem too terribly great. I've love one for a year to beat the snot out of but that's about it.

[PearTree]

The Chevy SS was dead I thought.

It is 2017 was the last model year. But I still think it's the best 4 door sports car there is right now. Great weight balance, great engine, and competes with most any offerings from other brands. It will be my next vehicle.

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[GardoneVT]

It is 2017 was the last model year. But I still think it's the best 4 door sports car there is right now. Great weight balance, great engine, and competes with most any offerings from other brands. It will be my next vehicle.

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Be advised some parts are hard to get for it, being Australian and all. With GM closing the Aussie operation I’m not sure what the parts situation for that car will be in ten years time.

[ragnar_d]

Another vote for the Charger R/T Scat Pack and Daytona, even if it doesn't quite fit with the OP's requirement based on the transmission and driveline. Winter would worry me a bit too, but decent snow tires would help. A Challenger comes with a Tremec 6-speed manual option, but you go to a big arsed coupe instead of a sedan. That said, an F8 Green Scat Pack or Daytona 392 is gonna end up in the garage if I don't go F150/Tundra or 4Runner after I ditch the Explorer. I've had responsible cars my entire life and want something kinda stupid next.

Since the Ford Interceptor is going away, my department has been looking at what to go to next. What I hear is that PDs aren't having issues with the transmissions in the Chargers at all, but they go through brakes fast. I'd have to research if the pursuit rated Chargers get the same transmission as the commercial version now, though. They don't always. The first year for the 6 speed auto, pursuit rated got the older 5 speed.

Not PD, but that jives with information I'd received. My dad works in parts sales and the Dodge dealership guys were saying the Chargers were going through brakes like a M240 chews through belted ammo.

[rob_s]

Be advised some parts are hard to get for it, being Australian and all. With GM closing the Aussie operation I’m not sure what the parts situation for that car will be in ten years time.

I don’t have an SS and didn’t even know they were Australian, but I had a 2005 GTO and I can attest to the bitch of a time getting parts for offshore snowflake cars. I cracked my windshield and had to wait for them to order one in and it’s took forever and was not cheap. I asked about what happens if something else goes bad and they basically said “get comfortable, and get out your wallet”.

That experience has soured me on any sort of rare-ish import. I really, really, want a Volvo v90 (the big brother to the v60 I posted to earlier) but it’s all special order and I hear only 300 were sold in the US last year, so NOPE.

[ragnar_d]

I don’t have an SS and didn’t even know they were Australian, but I had a 2005 GTO and I can attest to the bitch of a time getting parts for offshore snowflake cars. I cracked my windshield and had to wait for them to order one in and it’s took forever and was not cheap. I asked about what happens if something else goes bad and they basically said “get comfortable, and get out your wallet”.

That experience has soured me on any sort of rare-ish import. I really, really, want a Volvo v90 (the big brother to the v60 I posted to earlier) but it’s all special order and I hear only 300 were sold in the US last year, so NOPE.

I had a similar experience with my old Mercury Cougar. Trying to find moonroof parts for a 12 year old car that went out of production 11 years prior . . . and Ford sourced parts from Germany for that particular component. Yeah, that shit sucks.

And yeah, I want a V60 Polestar something fierce, but parts availability scares the hell out of me. Especially for a daily.


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Disclaimer: I work in the firearms industry as a designer and engineer. My posts do not represent the opinions or positions of my employers, past or present.

[rob_s]

And yeah, I want a V60 Polestar something fierce, but parts availability scares the hell out of me. Especially for a daily.

Well *supposedly* the new V60 that's coming out 2019 is supposed to be far more mass-market. They actually intend to have them in stock on dealer lots as opposed to the order-only V90. It sounds like their goal is to make the new V60 more mainstream, which in turn would help with parts and such. Obviously not terribly helpful in year 1.