One of my friends just got a new job and will be swapping his 3 mile commute to 70 miles a day. His 3/4 ton 454 burban doesn't sound like the best option for this.
He's gone auto crossing with me the last few times driving an s2000 and loved it. He wants to get a good mpg daily driver that is competent at autocross. Budget around 10k
But he's a big guy 6-5, 330 or so. Watching him fold himself into the s2000 was quite amusing. So what's out there that won't involve contortionist acts for him to get in?
DrBoost
PowerDork
11/11/13 4:18 p.m.
A miata with no top or doors
C5 Corvette--if his commute is highway, he will be getting 27-33 mpg depending on who you believe from the Internet.
EDIT: That probably is non-existent in the budget.
sanman
Reader
11/11/13 4:33 p.m.
I don't know about the fuel economy, but the s197 mustang has the best chance to fit him in that price range. As a total off the wall suggestion, the first gen scion xB could be fun around corners and manage decent mpg. Also a golf or new beetle tDi. The beetle's bubble shape may benefit him. E46 might be okay of he fits well.
Ian F
UltimaDork
11/11/13 4:38 p.m.
Believe or not: MINI. Yes, the back seat behind him will be useless, but I've seen bigger and taller guys be comfortable in a MINI. However, he would need to get a manual as the automatics in that price range (CVT) should be avoided. Plus, a big guy in a small car will eventually put stress on it.
Still... it's a tall order... a friend of mine (my old bass player) is about 6' and ~350 give or take and he drives a newer (2000?) Suburban mainly for this reason. It's not a 454, tho... just a standard EFI 350. Older Caddy 2-doors aren't bad either (that's what his father had). Speaking of stress, they bought a Geo Tracker to commute into Philly - him and his father (combined - I wanna say over 700 lbs) in stop-and-go traffic. He got kinda pissed at me when I tried explain why he was going through front brakes twice a year.
With as much disdain as I had for my MINI, I agree with Ian. At just 6'4"/290, I fit quite well in my R53. It was the only car I've ever been in that I actually had to move the seat UP from the rearmost position.
He'd fit fine in a late model Mustang. 20-ish MPG from the V8, better from the V6 - over 30 according to some claims.
Neon. All the big guys drive them
The tallest person I have ever seen at an autocross drove an e36 convertible. VW new beetles have a lot of room too.
I really like the 635 I've been DDing for the last couple of months. I'm 6'2" and 260.
At 6'-3", I''ve owned three Samurai's, a VW Bug and a Mazda Protege5.
I'd suggest a P71!
Vigo
UberDork
11/11/13 11:35 p.m.
So, how are his knees? Young guys at 330 feel fine, but sometimes older guys at 330 really don't like bending the knee to 90 degrees to get in and out of something. That could be a big factor. I know he fits in your s2k but you make it sound like he might not want to do that on a daily basis.
So, is it just roominess, or is height a factor too?
Pseudonym wrote:
C5 Corvette--if his commute is highway, he will be getting 27-33 mpg depending on who you believe from the Internet.
EDIT: That probably is non-existent in the budget.
Actually, the C7 really drove the prices down, $10k for a driver isn't much of a stretch, especially this time of year.
Vigo
UberDork
11/12/13 1:21 a.m.
Damnit, i reported Kenny on accident. I'm such a jerk. I did ALSO click the +1 button.
Ian F
UltimaDork
11/12/13 4:57 a.m.
In reply to Vigo:
I believe the correct phrase is, "you bastard!!"
icaneat50eggs wrote:
Watching him fold himself into the s2000 was quite amusing.
It sounds like he really doesn't fit into the S2000 all that well.
Considering the OP is in TX (no snow; solid A/C required) and I'm assuming the friend is as well, a C5 should cover the bases well provided he doesn't need a back seat or a lot of cargo room on a regular basis. This also assumes he keeps the 'burban for when he does need those abilities.
Thanks for the suggestions, the s2000 is comical, he could never put the top up, and is bulging out of the seat like an overstuffed sausage . He will keep the burb for the 3-4 snowstorm days we gets year. Backseat requirements are minimal, just enough to stuff a kid in for a few minute drive, maybe less if he can convince swmbo
NGTD
Dork
11/12/13 6:20 a.m.
I am 6'4" and 330 and I DD an 02 WRX.
icaneat50eggs wrote:
One of my friends just got a new job and will be swapping his 3 mile commute to 70 miles a day. He wants to get a good mpg daily driver that is competent at autocross. Budget around 10k
With those criteria, even though they're low on power, a Honda Fit would be a great choice. If you've never been in one, you'd be surprised how big they are inside. We had one for several years. I'm only 5'9", but it was the only car I remember having in many years that if I slide the seat all the way back I can barely even touch the pedals. It's also got a ton of headroom, since it's tall. MPG is outstanding. They're not great 1/4 mile cars, but very competent chassis. Very nimble car. With a nice set of tires (which the Fit has tons of room to carry with the back seat folded), it'd make a great autox'er. With the 5spd manual, 1st and 2nd gear have decent power. Those are the gears you usually use for autox, so it won't be that bad.
mazda 3, focus zx3 with duratec, E30, VW GTI, VW TDI, Volvo 242.
Also, with the longer commute he'll find himself using the backseat for storage a bit more, when your commute is 3 miles you head home then run errands and to the store, when it's 70 miles you go to the store on the way home and toss the stuff in the back, you also eat in the car more etc.
P71? The Miata of big people?
DILYSI Dave wrote:
He'd fit fine in a late model Mustang. 20-ish MPG from the V8, better from the V6 - over 30 according to some claims.
But can you get one from after they fixed the dump truck-like handling (2009 I think?) within the budget?
I'm not quite THAT tall, but I fit great in an E36 BMW. A mid '90s MR2 also has a ridiculous amount of interior room - it's the only car I've ever sat in since I got my license where I could push the seat back so far I couldn't reach the pedals.
Ian F
UltimaDork
11/12/13 7:58 a.m.
In reply to MadScientistMatt:
The guy who bought my second set of E30 wheels had a couple of S2000's and now drives and E36 for similar reasons, while he at 6'-3" could fit in the Honda, his even taller son does not.
Travis_K wrote:
VW new beetles have a lot of room too.
Really? That was the exact opposite of my experience in them.