What kind of car do you drive?

[bugo]

That's better than the 19 (indicated on trip computer) MPG that a V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I recently drove got on the way to and from Dallas.

[bugo]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

[wriddle082]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

I think the closest you'll come to that these days is a Scion tC, and you can probably add the turbo aftermarket.  If Scion were part of Honda instead of Toyota, I'd probably like them more.

[Laura]

I've owned two cars - both of them Chevy Cavaliers.

My first car was Cavy, and she (yes, my cars have names and genders) was a 2002 red two-door cavalier. I bought her in May 2004 with 25,900 miles on her and gave her brain damage on 14 August 2011 when I hydroplaned her into a flood. At least she left with a bang - my ex boyfriend and I were on the news sitting on top of her in the flood. Some local mechanics got her runable and I drove her an additional 150 miles post-flood before I learned from my mechanic that she needed a new transmission, was totalled, and too dangerous to drive. I donated her to Wheels for Wishes at 149,500 miles.

Cavy was a franken car - she was a salvage car pieced together from at least three other cavaliers. I love my new car, but I grew up with Cavy, drove her through 14 states, did some zany things.

My current car is Emerald Emmaline, known as Emmie for short. She's an 03 green car. I purchased her on 26 August at 89,500 miles (yes, there's an obvious mileage pattern here...) and as of this morning she is at 104,500 miles. Hopefully I can go the distance with her, because I'm convinced that Cavy had a lot of life left and I'd like to think that I could take Emmie at least 200K if I don't do anything stupid.

Cavy and Emmie are the same car and run mostly the same, but they do have teensy differences. Cavy got slightly better MPG (28-32) than Emmie does now (26-30). Emmie's acceleration is much better and her gas and brake petals are more sensitive. I get pulled over less now that Emmie is green, but I can never find her in parking lots ever. At current, they both have the exact same bumper stickers in the exact same places. Also, Emmie has the ability to help create new memories with good friends

[Takumi]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

That category was called the sport compact. The market for sport compacts shrank starting in the late 90s. The Nissan Silvia (240SX here) and the legendary Toyota Supra (which had a straight 6) were dropped outside of Japan in 1998 (and lasted until 2002 there), the Honda Prelude was killed in 2001, the Honda Integra/Acura RSX and Toyota Celica in 2006, the Honda S2000 in 2009, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse's shell of its former self was finally dropped last year. The only ~300 HP turbocharged 4 cylinder cars I know of right now are all 4 doors, but as wriddle said, you could add a turbo to a tC, or a Honda Civic Si coupe for that matter. A good turbo setup is fairly expensive, however.

[bugo]

I don't want aftermarket turbos.  I want a setup that has been tried and proven on test tracks and in real life by thousands of cars.  And that won't void your warranty.

[signalman]

Scion has a turbocharged tC, or at least they did.  I know someone who has one and he ordered it from Scion like that.  The inside of the gas door even says "Premium fuel only," the non turbo tCs just take regular.  So, with that said, I know it came from Scion like that.  An aftermarket turbo wouldn't have given you a premium fuel sticker for your gas door as a reminder of what fuel to use.    Apparently it was not a popular option, as that's the only one I've ever seen.  That's why I'm not sure if you can still order them new.

[vtk]

Laura's post made me realize I forgot to mention the names of my cars.

The Celebrity was White Lightning.
I don't remember if I ever gave a name to the Corsica or the loaner Cavaliers...
The Beretta was called Conan (named after a Conan that's probably not the one you're thinking of).
The Cavalier is Koyuki, as well as Double-O Shiny.

Finally, my boyfriend's '98 blue-gray Lumina 4-door (which I drive sometimes) has been christened Ol' Joe.

PS I also name my computers and a few other gadgets...

[goobnav]

If you have the money, and still feel the need for a big SUV, I highly recommend the current Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon with the 5.3L V8.  Has cylinder deactivation, which has made my mpg average around 21.  Been driving a rental one around SE Wisconsin since 2/1, and since I'm going to need to replace my big truck pretty soon, I WANT ONE OF THESE!

2011 GMC Terrain, Carbon Black Metallic, 2.4L I-4.  SLE trim.

My wife has a 2011 Equinox, gray, LE, same engine.  It's probably really going to be my next vehicle, as we're most likely going to trade my truck in on something bigger for her.  Not that I'm complaining, it's an excellent car, and the Eco mode on the transmission really seems to make a difference with the mpg.

I had to downsize from a 2007 GMC Sierra to the Terrain, it was a good choice as I was paying more for registration in NC due to them thinking the truck was a commercial vehicle even though it is registered for personal use, Gross weight caused the additional charge for those who are legal sticklers.  The highway mileage is worth it though, went from Richmond, VA to Lancaster PA and all around there and back to Metro DC Maryland on 3/4's of a tank.

[agentsteel53]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

can you get a used one?  I see lots of Honda Preludes around; I'd imagine that is a testament to their longevity.

[Takumi]

Preludes (or any Honda) never had a stock turbo. Honda uses its VTEC system to increase power in its higher-performance cars. A stock 5th generation Prelude (1997-2001) has about 200 horsepower.

[formulanone]

I recall the Scion tC had a TRD supercharger option, but it was dealer-installed or perhaps a "port modification". The latter meant it was not technically factory-installed, but performed under the auspices of the manufacturer, and per local demand.

Wouldn't mind that new Scion FR-S; I think 200hp will be plenty enough for me, if the car remains as light as promised. When people used to ask me whether whether they should get the high-output motor or not, I'd ask them whether they have their choices as "do you prefer your driver's license suspended or revoked?"

[Takumi]

Wouldn't mind that new Scion FR-S; I think 200hp will be plenty enough for me, if the car remains as light as promised. When people used to ask me whether whether they should get the high-output motor or not, I'd ask them whether they have their choices as "do you prefer your driver's license suspended or revoked?"

I believe its twin, the Subaru BRZ, had a turbocharged version shown at a recent car show, but it won't be a production option initially. Might be worth keeping an eye on.

[Stratuscaster]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

You aren't going to find many small 300HP turbo I4 coupes at all. In fact, I can't think of any small production coupe offered today that offers such an engine.

Sporty 2-doors might have been common - sporty 2-doors with 300HP turbo I4 engines? Not common at all.

Just looking at "small, 2-door, 4-cylinder coupe" - the selection is not all that vast - but that also depends on your definition of "small."

Honda Civic Coupe
Honda Accord Coupe
MINI Cooper
MINI Cooper Coupe
Audi A5
Scion tC
Nissan Altima Coupe
Kia Forte Koup
Lotus Exige
Hyundai Veloster (OK, technically it has THREE doors)
Hyundai Elantra Coupe (just announced this week)

You might be limiting yourself with the 2-door requirement. Security reasons?

[Takumi]

The only 300 HP I4 Turbo cars I know of are the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and the Subaru WRX STI, but they both have 4 doors.

[Brandon]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

You might be limiting yourself with the 2-door requirement. Security reasons?

What "security reasons"?  Lock the flippin' back doors.

[Sanctimoniously]

And enjoy having a FWD compact car with 300 horsepower.

[bugo]

Scion has a turbocharged tC, or at least they did.  I know someone who has one and he ordered it from Scion like that.  The inside of the gas door even says "Premium fuel only," the non turbo tCs just take regular.  So, with that said, I know it came from Scion like that.  An aftermarket turbo wouldn't have given you a premium fuel sticker for your gas door as a reminder of what fuel to use.    Apparently it was not a popular option, as that's the only one I've ever seen.  That's why I'm not sure if you can still order them new.

I don't like Toyotas.  They feel cheap to me and they are boring to drive, although some of them are pretty fast.  If I were going to buy a Japanese car of that size, I'd buy a Civic coupe.
Post Merge: December 31, 1969, 06:59:59 PM

I recall the Scion tC had a TRD supercharger option, but it was dealer-installed or perhaps a "port modification". The latter meant it was not technically factory-installed, but performed under the auspices of the manufacturer, and per local demand.

Wouldn't mind that new Scion FR-S; I think 200hp will be plenty enough for me, if the car remains as light as promised. When people used to ask me whether whether they should get the high-output motor or not, I'd ask them whether they have their choices as "do you prefer your driver's license suspended or revoked?"

I'd rather have the Scooby Doo version.  I'd be a lot prouder driving a Subaru than a Toyota.
Post Merge: February 12, 2012, 12:27:03 AM

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

You might be limiting yourself with the 2-door requirement. Security reasons?

What "security reasons"?  Lock the flippin' back doors.

If somebody wants in badly enough, they will get in whether the doors are locked or not.  And sometimes I forget to lock doors.  I just feel safer in 2 door cars and I always will.  And I don't like the styling of most 4 doors that were built post-1960.

[Takumi]

My '95 Prelude, in case anyone was wondering what one looks like

[PHLBOS]

2007 Ford Mustang Pony Package convertible (Red Fire Metallic); 38,000 miles owned since August 2007

1997 Ford Crown Victoria LX, Handling & Performance Package (Deep Forest Green Metallic); 134,000 miles owned since November 1996

I'm looking at replacing it with a Ford Flex.

Good choice.  The Flex is my favorite CUV.  Very roomy inside.  If my Crown Vic ever died; a Flex would be a possible replacement among newer vehicles.

I also have 4 project cars: 2 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 2 door hardtops, one is white with a teal top and with a 390/300 HP and automatic transmission.  The other one is black with no engine (it came out with a 223 six cylinder with a 3 speed on the tree) and no front seat.  Plans for the black one include an FE big block engine (probably a 390, but a 406, 410, 427, or a 428 if I can find one) and a 3 on the tree with overdrive.  The white one has highway gears, while the black one has low gears.  The black one will be a brutal around town car that is quick off the line, while the white one will be more of a long distance cruiser.  

I, for one, am jealous.

[vtk]

If somebody wants in badly enough, they will get in whether the doors are locked or not. 

That's why I don't usually lock my doors when I park.  If someonw eants to steal something from my car*, I'd rather not add a broken window to the loss.  (*I also don't leave in sight anything worth stealing, and this is just another reason why I prefer a factory radio.)  This is speaking from experience; a few years ago, someone stole hundreds of car radios from my neighborhood, breaking windows if necessary. I was glad my car was unlocked, and not sad to see the Sony Xplod radio (which came with the car) go.

[Brandon]

If somebody wants in badly enough, they will get in whether the doors are locked or not. 

That's why I don't usually lock my doors when I park.  If someonw eants to steal something from my car*, I'd rather not add a broken window to the loss.  (*I also don't leave in sight anything worth stealing, and this is just another reason why I prefer a factory radio.)  This is speaking from experience; a few years ago, someone stole hundreds of car radios from my neighborhood, breaking windows if necessary. I was glad my car was unlocked, and not sad to see the Sony Xplod radio (which came with the car) go.

That's why I use the basic radio the manufacturer provided and leave nothing in sight when I lock and park my car.  On the other hand, we've had a rash of things stolen from unlocked cars here recently.

[realjd]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

Saab has some sporty, turbo charged 4 bangers. I don't remember if they offer 2-door versions though.

Why not get a 6 cylinder sport coupe? They're much more common.

[bugo]

I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors.  RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable.  Throw in a 300 HP turbo option.  Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common.  Now they've all but disappeared.  I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.

Saab has some sporty, turbo charged 4 bangers. I don't remember if they offer 2-door versions though.

Why not get a 6 cylinder sport coupe? They're much more common.

I drove a Saab extensively over the last year or so and I wasn't impressed at all.  And from what I have been reading, Saab is likely history.  And if it does survive, I would be leery of purchasing one because of possible parts shortages if the company implodes in a few years.

As for V6s, I prefer 4 cylinders.  They're just more fun, and I love revving them.  Most V6s are boring to me.

[realjd]

If you think a V6 is boring, you're diving the wrong cars! Go test drive one of the Altima coupes with the 3.5L engine.