I tell anyone who'll listen that the Mazda 2 is the modern day reincarnation of the Gti.
If you put one on a lift and look at it from below you'd swear the designer grew up in a house where they owned a gti.
I tell anyone who'll listen that the Mazda 2 is the modern day reincarnation of the Gti.
If you put one on a lift and look at it from below you'd swear the designer grew up in a house where they owned a gti.
I noticed that Smart Cars are finally available in the US with a manual transmission, as well as the Brabus sport package, plus I believe they've updated the chassis design so the front wheels have the same track width as the rear - those were all the big things that I found lacking in previous years, other than the fact they don't sell the little sport car roadster version here.
It would be interesting to get a first hand report on how the current version drives and performs.
GTwannaB said:In reply to OldGray320i :
This aligns with my interests. What details on specific spring strut away bar or bars? Did you try an ecu tune on that mk3?
I'm a homer for Vogtland springs, and I had standard SE struts and the handling pack units (car had 80k on it, about 30k mi on HP units).
Steeda rear bar.
Better with the hp units, by a fair amount.
Vogtland/KYB is the ultimate comfort and handling package, and if KYB had been available I'd have run those instead of the Ford handling pack units.
No tune, but I'd have done that next, and a cat back, if I hadn't got the Miata.
Supposedly with a tune, cai, and cbe, guys were getting 175 to the wheels ( and I think one or two got 190 with a catless header and full exhaust).
Really fun car, I do miss it a bit.
This on caught my attention but I'm avoiding car payments at this time.
Tampa has a few airports to choose from for a fly and drive.
Nissan Versa Note hatch. You can find them with stick shift and crank windows. Newer Hyundai Accent hatch is available with 6 speed manual. First gen Fits are great cars as well.
FWIW I had a two door Toyota Yaris hatch with TRD springs and a bigger rear sway bar and it reminded me of a first gen GTI.
Isnt the 2017 toyota/scion iA a rebranded mazda 2?
just saying
In reply to echoechoecho:
I was just going to post this. Yes, the Toyota iA is a rebadged Mazda 2.
ZombyCougar Woofencamp said:Get out there and drive them all.
We were looking 6 months ago and ended up with a Sonic which wasn't even a consideration when we started looking.
+ infinity!!!!
Other than the special models, it's not as if there's a clear stand out in the small car market. They are all very competent. But I'd also take a peek at the class just higher (Focus v Fiesta thinking)- my previous car was a Fiesta, but the Focus was a cheaper overall car to have. And it drives a lot nicer.
Back to the driving- we are all a little different. Some hate specific interiors, some love them, some fit in every seat, some only fits in one car, I can go on, but you need to make sure you fit AND you like the car. An example is the Fiat- many love that car, but renting one twice makes me hate them.
Go look at cars in person. Shorten the list to a few that you want to test drive, and do that. Select your favorite. Hopefully, if there's one car that just stands out on paper fits you well.
fidelity101 said:also be sure not to get the base model the seats are much cheaper and you don't get cruise control or fog lights... no cruise control?! what is this? 1950?!!!!
Cruise control is best used on the highway and even around here, that is iffy due to all the cars at much differing speeds. Fog lights are pretty much useless in the states, but can be easily retrofitted as most cars have the wires and connectors for them built into the harness. Just add switch and lights and you are good to go
I'll sell you my '84 GTI. 
So are you planning on replacing the aging Civic and using the new car for the same stuff?
Newer Yaris SEs have four wheel disc brakes. I bet some suspension additions would make it a fun four door hatch.
Same for newer Accents I think.
if you want to spend a bit more money than the Accent, the Veloster is the same underpinnings in a smaller body with more power.
John Welsh said:I would recommend avoiding the Spark and the Mitsu Mirage. Even if the price seems attractive, they will suffer more significant depreciation right away.
I recommend avoiding the Mirage no matter what. Only comes with a 78hp 3 cylinder across the board.
93gsxturbo said:For such a generic car like that, a fly and drive should be really painless. Find one you like on Autotrader at a dealer, head south of the rustbelt (pretty much anywhere in the country to Altanta is $200 on Southwest) drive it home.
Then you get the best of both worlds, let someone else take the depreciation hit and you get a southern car with no rust. Only fear I have with buying a used economy car is they are generally treated like the cheap disposable cars they are.
So, this has proven to be a rabbit hole to dive into, burning lots of hours surfing CarGurus, et al. Found an awesome Mk3 Focus SE for $9,100-ish that unfortunately sold about 30 minutes after I found it, but the theory is sound!
Wxdude10 said:In reply to echoechoecho:
I was just going to post this. Yes, the Toyota iA is a rebadged Mazda 2.
If it came in a 5-door, it would definitely be in the short list. The sedan body on that platform appears a bit ungainly, but maybe I need to see one in the metal.
alfadriver said:ZombyCougar Woofencamp said:Get out there and drive them all.
We were looking 6 months ago and ended up with a Sonic which wasn't even a consideration when we started looking.
+ infinity!!!!
Other than the special models, it's not as if there's a clear stand out in the small car market. They are all very competent. But I'd also take a peek at the class just higher (Focus v Fiesta thinking)- my previous car was a Fiesta, but the Focus was a cheaper overall car to have. And it drives a lot nicer.
Back to the driving- we are all a little different. Some hate specific interiors, some love them, some fit in every seat, some only fits in one car, I can go on, but you need to make sure you fit AND you like the car. An example is the Fiat- many love that car, but renting one twice makes me hate them.
Go look at cars in person. Shorten the list to a few that you want to test drive, and do that. Select your favorite. Hopefully, if there's one car that just stands out on paper fits you well.
Great advice...I have a feeling that regardless how closely things line up on paper, there are going to be some nuances that become a lot more pronounced behind the wheel. I need to spend some time flogging the various options and see which of them speak to me.
Nick Comstock said:So are you planning on replacing the aging Civic and using the new car for the same stuff?
That’s the thought. All the hard-won scuffs and scrapes make me question the validity of that decision, but my hope is I can spend more time in the seat and less time undoing 18 years of corrosion damage and bad decisions by the PO. Of course, two years and a lot of money and effort have undone most of those issues...a smarter person would finish the last 10-20% and enjoy. No one ever accused me of being smart. 
Many times I will get the same urges to buy a new, cheapish, basic car (or even something just not what I currently own) and realize that putting a few more dollars and some more time into what I own is way cheaper and certainly doesn’t come with the ball-and-chain that is car payments on a severely depreciated car.
ebonyandivory said:Many times I will get the same urges to buy a new, cheapish, basic car (or even something just not what I currently own) and realize that putting a few more dollars and some more time into what I own is way cheaper and certainly doesn’t come with the ball-and-chain that is car payments on a severely depreciated car.
I'm pretty sure that's what is happening here. The minor failures are annoying and frustrating given how much work has already been done, but they don't take away from the car's ability to move around an RX course or participate in a TSD. I daily a stripped F-350 XL, so while I'm content with zero options, SWMBO wouldn't mind a creature comfort now and then, of which the Civic falls short. I've been here before and if I can hold off long enough on buying something else, it will pass...at least for a week or two.
Are there any creature comforts that are in the aftermarket and that won’t impede its abilities?
In traffic last night I saw an older Civic hatch with new red paint and nice 5 spoke wheels and thought to myself “I’d drive that”!
The thing is, I watch so many car tv shows and see how simply decent door panels can be made and carpet and seats put in, dash cover installed etc. not to mention how nice a simple 4 speaker stereo can sound nowadays
Just for grins, I consulted The Great Google to find some specs on the 1983-1984 GTI. Those rose-colored glasses are pretty dark, given that what was an aspirational hot hatch in 1984 would struggle against most of the subcompacts discussed so far (although it would totally school that 3-popper Mirage):
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $8350 (about $19,900 in today's dollars)
ENGINE TYPE(S): 4-in-line, iron block and aluminum head, Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection
TRANSMISSION(S): 5-speed close-ratio
DIMENSIONS:
FUEL ECONOMY:
PERFORMANCE:
Source articles for more info - GRM, R&T, C&D, Automobile
Bet my Fiesta could beat one. Less lbs. per HP.
Rotaryracer said:Nick Comstock said:So are you planning on replacing the aging Civic and using the new car for the same stuff?
That’s the thought. All the hard-won scuffs and scrapes make me question the validity of that decision, but my hope is I can spend more time in the seat and less time undoing 18 years of corrosion damage and bad decisions by the PO. Of course, two years and a lot of money and effort have undone most of those issues...a smarter person would finish the last 10-20% and enjoy. No one ever accused me of being smart.
That's what I wanted to do when I bought my Civic. Well, if one were to replace road rally with the occasional auto cross. Just have a basic car that will let me play. Basically what Mazduece was doing with his Mazda 2. If I had the money I would love to have one of the frisbee twins as I'm much more of a RWD guy and don't need the practically of a hatch. Anyway, based on your wants I'll join the chorus and say Mazda 2.
I certainly see the appeal of wanting to get into a newer car.
In reply to Nick Comstock :
I'd love a Frisbee (and was doing a lazy search on Copart for lightly crashed examples). I think it would be great fun on the RX course, but perhaps not quite as much fun on some of the steeper hills during the winter road rally season. I know they came stock with an LSD (Torsen, I think?), just not sure how well they work in snow/ice.
Just for grins, here are a couple of shots of the Civic from a recent RX. This car gets zero mechanical sympathy, yet keeps coming back for more.
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