...before I go broke/crazy/both.
On a whim I searched some used cars, within a set of simple parameters, and found 3 fun cars easily that fit my budget and requests.
$20k or less. Manual trans. Within 200 miles of Dayton OH.
Found a 2011 Genesis Coupe R-Spec with low miles, MINI Cooper S, and 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth 
Abarth? Used? I can afford?
I'd sell you my 2011 MINI Cooper S for thereabouts (probably a little less). One owner, British Racing Green with Black Roof, 6-Speed, No Sunroof. NMEngineering Rear Bar, and a set of Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 17" wheels along with the OE anthracite twinspokes.
Oh, and I'm in Columbus.
I drove a Genesis. It was surprisingly fun.
I've seriously been thinking Abarth, although I'd prefer a white one.
The Abarth is more about fun than speed, so if your fun comes from speed, think again.
I was surprised that I liked the Genesis as much as I did.
The Mini is...OK.
Not after a sports car? You can have a heck of a good time in an S2000, for instance.
It's not like the Abarth is slow, it has decent pick up, just never take it out of sport mode and drive it like an Italian car should be driven, high revs.
Fairly simple electronics upgrade to get it from "quick" to ludicrous in a hurry if that's your thing too.
I'm going from a 1rst gen Scion xB with maybe 120 glorious HP. ANYTHING will be faster. I'm thinking a quick hatch of some sort, open to suggestions but I've seen a crap load of "What should I buy?" topics already so I'll spare you the repeats...
My top list so far are Abarth's, Cooper S's, WRX if I could afford one. Genesis Coupe looks pretty nice. Focus ST if I can get over my distaste for "Murican cars. Kind of all over the board as long as it's foreign and sort-a fast.
Drive them and see what you like :)
I've had the Abarth for almost a year now, 25,000 miles. No complaints, loads of fun to drive and easy to live with.
Nothing against your other choices either, seems like you have a solid list to choose from.
Wait 6 months, but Toyobaru.
I've been on a technology/efficiency kick lately. That's my excuse. Try a CR-Z.
I have a 2010 Mini Cooper S and love it. I rented a base Mini in Vegas and was not impressed. I rented a base Fiat 500 in Europe and was surprised at how fun the car was. No experience with the Abarth, but I think I would like it a lot
10k on my ABARTH,love it!
10k on my ABARTH,love it!
What are the odds I could test drive an Abarth and not get harassed for an hour to buy? (I understand they have a job - sell cars. But maybe I'd like to test drive 2-3 different cars and decide after that? Is that unreasonable?)
They cannot force you to stay. Don't be rude, but just excuse yourself and leave when you are done.
Go drive it.
Also might want to think about Mazdaspeed 3.
Jerry wrote: What are the odds I could test drive an Abarth and not get harassed for an hour to buy? (I understand they have a job - sell cars. But maybe I'd like to test drive 2-3 different cars and decide after that? Is that unreasonable?)
Depends on the dealer but when I went to test drive mine there was no pressure at all. The only pressure to buy was the immediate loss of all logic when they fired it up, in the showroom, and that exhaust echoed off all the walls :)
camaroz1985 wrote: Go drive it. Also might want to think about Mazdaspeed 3.
I went to Import Alliance at KY Speedway today, I couldn't spit without hitting Mazdaspeed3's! I think I had seen one in my life before today, now it was easily 25.
Jerry wrote: What are the odds I could test drive an Abarth and not get harassed for an hour to buy? (I understand they have a job - sell cars. But maybe I'd like to test drive 2-3 different cars and decide after that? Is that unreasonable?)
Funny story: when you passed us on I-75 today, my wife and I were on our way back from car shopping. I saw you coming up in my mirror and figured there was only one toaster with big ole rally lights like that!
I was actually at the local Fiat/Kia dealer today drooling over the very large selection of Abarths that they have sitting on the lot. My wife said the 500s looked cute and I remarked that come Christmastime, she should just remember that I want one with the little scorpion on it. The salesman actually said "the only disadvantage to those is that they don't come in an automatic". I think my wife was the first to laugh and say "that's a feature!". Really nice looking cars, though.
As it turns out, we're shopping for a mommymobile for the wife so we've been to a few places and didn't try to drive the Abarth, but we did take a Mazda5 at the zoomzoom dealer up the street for a drive and it was pretty low pressure overall. We crawled over the car on the lot for a bit and the salesman asked if we wanted to take it for a drive, copied my license and then jumped in the back seat and we drove around a bit. He started giving directions but when I indicated that I wanted to go a different route, he had no problems. When we got back, he asked us to come inside to do the traditional "what can I do to get you to drive this car home today" routine, but I was polite-yet-firm that while the 5 was still on our list, we needed to look at and drive some other things first and we weren't ready to wheel and deal yet. I let him know that my timeframe was to have something purchased in about a week and asked for his card and what days he worked, we shook hands and parted ways, no big deal and I didn't even have to peel him off my leg so I could climb back in the van!
Heck, their industry spawned the very term "tire kicker", so they should be used to it by now, right?
wae wrote: Funny story: when you passed us on I-75 today, my wife and I were on our way back from car shopping. I saw you coming up in my mirror and figured there was only one toaster with big ole rally lights like that!
Haha, yeah that was funny. Coming back from a huge car show with my Scion friends, and run into (figuratively at least) one of my rallycross friends. There were 4 of us together, might have been 3 by that time, all newer body styles.
My fiancee even likes the Fiat, and has driven a manual some time ago. I've volunteered to re-learn her, even in the MR2 if needed. There was even one at the ImportAlliance car show (easily 1000 cars, half riced half really nice) & I love the way it looks. Really want to drive one.
And as mentioned, Mazdaspeed3's every where you looked. Although my friend's new wife let me know her Mazda "is a piece of crap" (her words). It squeaks and rattles, every time you start it it makes all kinds of clattering noise (I asked if she checked the oil, just in case). But they looked nice, so could hers have been a fluke?
I wouldn't worry about the squeaks and rattles comment. One persons harsh and buzzy is another man's heaven.
20k buys you one hell of an ms3......
"Fine. Fine. I'll rub the lotion on the skin, just gimmie the dang Autotrader."
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