I need a new daily driver

[Helaman-99]

I can't believe nobody's brought up Mazda yet...

A simple, cheap, reliable, but fun daily driver would be a Mazda3 hatchback for me. I used to drive a newer AWD one, very first year of the 4th gens, and it was awesome! Mazda has always tried to pack more niceties into their cars, while also staying the same price as the competition, and an older 3 won't cost too much.

Maybe you could even get a speed 3?

But in all honesty, hybrids are usually pretty reliable too. We've had a C-Max since 2014, put about 150K miles on it, and it has only needed routine maintenance (with the exception of a single transmission reprogramming).

Good luck with the search!

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Look into an Audi RS3!

I am with Tony. My oldest son (Matt) just bought one, and it is a super cool AWD car. It gets decent mileage and is FAST AF and the family can all fit in it.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Porsche or BMW definitely get my vote for the daily driver! I absolutely love my Turbo Cayennes but the gas mileage is rated in SPG, not MPG! (smiles per gallon vs miles). You simply can't beat the driving experience and comfort of a German engineered car.

Can’t beat that repair bill and how much of a PITA they are to work on either.

The X3 and X5’s are ridiculous with a tune, man. Ridiculous.

 

[b00st3d]

I am with Tony. My oldest son (Matt) just bought one, and it is a super cool AWD car. It gets decent mileage and is FAST AF and the family can all fit in it.

He took me for a ride when I picked up the trans...it's a very cool car for sure!

Can’t beat that repair bill and how much of a PITA they are to work on either.

The X3 and X5’s are ridiculous with a tune, man. Ridiculous.

My Porsches aren't a pain to work on, but there is definitely a tax on the parts cost.

 

[Dericsh]

03-07 Honda Accord 4 cyl (not 6) is my favorite daily recommendation. Since you’re looking for more luxury maybe step up to Acura TSX? reliable but easy to work on when needed, affordable and AVAILABLE parts.

 

[curt-s]

I'll never buy a non-CPO used German luxury car again unless I hit the jackpot.
It's like a DSM in terms of what needs to be replaced as soon as you take ownership but at 4-8x the cost.
My M/T B8.5 APR S4 was pretty to look at and almost a dream to drive given its size, though.
Except immediately needed a new clutch and pilot, perhaps trans, then a month later camshaft position sensors, o2 sensors, and cats due to complete deterioration..
And less than 60k km on it at the time too.

I got myself a sweet cx5 which has been almost trouble free (except for wear suspension items because this city is pothole ridden) for the past 6 years and is now paid off.
It's transported bags of Rockwool, 20-at-a-time 8-12ft studs, snowblowers, all sorts of shit with little issue except from my own stupidity which started the moment it was paid off, amazingly.

 

[enriquez2000]

The 2013+ Infiniti G37/Q40 is absolutely bulletproof mechanically, they are extremely reliable and decent fun. The VQ37 and the whole driveline have no major flaws, so you'll basically just be doing routine maintenance. A low mileage version will last you a very long time. Fuel mileage sucks in winter stop-and-go traffic and short trips in freezing weather, but they're pretty efficient on the highway and are a genuine bargain luxury car. I've had my 2013 since the beginning of 2018, it's needed nothing but front stabilizer links (it's now at 62k miles). It could use a valve cover gasket , and salt ate away at the exhaust and the body a bit, and seized a caliper, but those corrosion problems don't apply to Oklahoma. The 2008-2011s had a faulty metal gasket in the engine that could lead to oil loss and a blown engine - buy one of those and swap in a 'fixed' engine if you want a cheap project.

I second nissan/infinity.. the vq motors are damn strong if you take care of them even the vq35DE... i can vouch for daily driving my procharged 350z for over 2 years

 

[CrackedDSM]

03-07 Honda Accord 4 cyl (not 6) is my favorite daily recommendation. Since you’re looking for more luxury maybe step up to Acura TSX? reliable but easy to work on when needed, affordable and AVAILABLE parts.

I had an 07 Accord EX-V6 sedan, and that thing changed my outlook on cars in general. Comfy ass leather seats that were heated, ride quality was exceptional, had GREAT performance for the time period honestly...great car. Got good gas mileage too for what it was. My adopted mother has an 05ish 4 cylinder and it's got like almost 300,000 miles on it. She's never had to do a single thing to it except get the A/C fixed. Everything else is stout.

Great cars, honestly.

 

[Tina94]

I was looking for mostly the same things you are for a daily driver last year before choosing something loud, hard riding, unrefined, and with mediocre economy anyways (green camaro). Here’s what I liked:

-E39 540i.

Can be found with the excellent 6 speed manual and lowish miles right around the timing chain guide service interval for dirt cheap. I’ve driven them and they’re fast, luxurious, and look sexy. You’d be capable of timing chain guides and rebuilding the vanos pump yourself, which is cheap in parts but expensive in labor and is the cause of most people selling theirs. Still easier to work on than Audi.

The rain gutters are an issue and can cause water inside the cabin soaking the carpet and trashing the computer under the seat, messing with grounds, etc.

My green camaro has been flawless and is pretty quick but is rough and unrefined. Something about the smooth power and satisfying growl of the small ohc v8 in the bmw with that euro feeling 6 speed has always made me wonder if I made the right choice (especially when I’m fueling up every other day) but the wet carpets in the ones I drove made me worried I’d someday have to chase electrical gremlins.

-Genesis coupe.

Quick, cool looking, cheap. Great economy and reliability, super easy to work on, ultra low maintenance.

Decent 6 speed and more modern creature comforts, they ride nice and handle well. The turbo 4 was cheaper than the v6 so there’s more of them, which is better anyways.

The big drawback is a limited aftermarket. But coming from the dsm world, that shouldn’t be a big deal.

-Early 00s Jetta tdi. My dad has one and gets ~50 mpg with a couple super minor mods. Torquey and quick, the 5 speed is ok. Easy to work on despite Volkswagen because the engine is so tiny. Has that euro build quality and nice ride you seem to want. Mechanically injected, no emissions, super simple and easy but still fun and rides nice. Decent aftermarket and super easy to make as much power as you want, if you don’t care about that 40-50 mpg.

Then of course the obvious candidates like g35, 350z, is300, accord sport, sportier trim civics all seem cheap, fun, reliable, easy to work on with strong aftermarkets.

I think you’re limiting yourself by not considering American. LS and ford mod platforms are so plentiful and make so much power so cheap with so little effort while maintaining insane reliability that they at least bear consideration.

Just my opinions, remember I drive 90s gm mainly so much idea of “luxury” or “nice ride quality” is probably much different than the population at large .

 

[pauleyman]

Excellent thread so far. Lots of objective info and opinions. I'm so cheap I'm sitting on things right now but boy am I pissed about the Dodge van I own. It's in the shop again less than 2 years after trans rebuild. Money says they're going to tell me I'm SOL. I hate that thing. Still looking at new subarus but there will be another car besides that also. My 2004 outback will stay.

 

[Tina94]

Ooh I almost forgot. The Lexus SC 300/400

2jz in the 300, 1uz in the 400. They look awesome, cost nothing, ride like you’re on a cloud, Toyota reliability, luxurious seats and nice sound systems, and a lot of them were bought by old people who didn’t drive them much But maintained them well. I found several 400s in my area with under 100k and impeccable service records for under 10k when I was looking last year. None of them panned out because I was only shopping for manual but they’re such awesome cars.

 

[pauleyman]

Well not my daily driver but the teenager gets out of the pontiac montana he hates. Just bought another 2nd gen subaru outback. This time a 35 anniversary h6. Has some small things wrong but nothing crazy.

 

[Imback]

Excellent thread so far. Lots of objective info and opinions. I'm so cheap I'm sitting on things right now but boy am I pissed about the Dodge van I own. It's in the shop again less than 2 years after trans rebuild. Money says they're going to tell me I'm SOL. I hate that thing. Still looking at new subarus but there will be another car besides that also. My 2004 outback will stay.

I'm in the same boat. I'm also looking for a new daily and subaru has everything i'm looking for. I'm looking at the crosstek sport. I'll finish my galant before i pick one up but they seem perfect from all the research i've been doing. Let me know what you end up getting.

 

[SixBolt_16G]

I can't believe nobody's brought up Mazda yet...

A simple, cheap, reliable, but fun daily driver would be a Mazda3 hatchback for me. I used to drive a newer AWD one, very first year of the 4th gens, and it was awesome! Mazda has always tried to pack more niceties into their cars, while also staying the same price as the competition, and an older 3 won't cost too much.

Maybe you could even get a speed 3?

But in all honesty, hybrids are usually pretty reliable too. We've had a C-Max since 2014, put about 150K miles on it, and it has only needed routine maintenance (with the exception of a single transmission reprogramming).

Good luck with the search!

Gotta agree... I had a first gen Mazda 3 hatchback as a company car for mobile dent repair and would gladly buy a Mazda as a daily driver... That car was really solid. Great in the snow too. Wife even loved it.