Sensible car or fun car?
 

Ratbastid and I may soon be in the market for a new (to us) car, and I'm torn about what to do. We currently have a 2000 Miata and a 97 Protege. The Protege is the car we're looking to replace.

Our options at this point are either a sensible used ($10-14K) car, like a 2-3 year old low-mileage Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla, something very reliable off the Consumer Reports recommended list

-OR-

A new Mini Cooper. Small and not very practical (not like we really haul around 4 adults or large furniture very often) and more expensive (about $18K the way we want it- ugh!) but extremely fun!

Ratbastid is leaning toward the Cooper (incidentally, same name as our dog, but that's beside the point. She was named after Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks, not the car), and I'm leaning toward the used Civic.

Anyone care to weigh in with advice?

Why not go for the fun vehicle if you have no reason to be forced to buy a sensible car?

Why not enjoy what you are driving instead of wondering what it would be like to drive the other car?

I think the corolla's are nice, not been in a civic tho. But I love the little Mini Coopers. If I were to have the option to pick, and knew I could afford it no matter what...I'd go with the Mini Cooper too!! ;) Good luck!!

Well, I have a 2001 Civic that I love so I'd say that.


I think the coolness of having the Mini would wear off and you'd find yourself wishing you bought yourself something more sensible.

well, it seems that you guys already have a 'fun' car in the Miata, which is strictly a 2 seater.

I'd go for a more sensible car for the second vehicle. The Mini wouldn't be very good at all for transporting people or furniture.

What are you and Ratbastid's plans for the future? any kids in the horizon?

And I'm pretty much against buying new cars. You lose 3000k just driving it out of the lot. I'm for the used Civic, or you could consider Accords as well. Used accords and civics are surprisingly comparable in price, and with the new models out, you could probably get a good deal.

I agree with dimbulb (wait, that doesn't sound right...). If you already have a Miata, what vehicle will you use when you need to get, say, a week's worth of groceries? As long as you both get to take turns with the fun car, that's my advice.

Considering I drive a car thats blue-book value depends on how much gas I have in it, my advise shouldn't amount to a hill of beans. But here goes....Go with practical.

It's not like you're going to be hauling a bunch of people or furniture in a Civic, either. Either way you're getting a tiny little car, might as well go for the one that is fun to drive and doesn't look like it was designed by Kenmore.

I enjoy watching people walk around parking lots trying keys in various beige Corollas/Civics to find out which one's theirs. I've seen that a few times. I'd never own a car like that.

Have you considered a VW GTI? It's pretty roomy (for such a small car) and practical, while being fun to drive as well.

I'm going to buck the trend... go with the Cooper... I'll be renting one in Spain.. the people I know who have driven or have one say they are great...

It's going to come time to retire the Miata at some point in time.. then you can get the practical vehicle... :)

irseg is right...

personally, I drive an Integra, which is based on the Civic platform, but has a hatchback. Try looking at other sporty hatchbacks like the Integra or the VW golf. I've moved house using my Integra, and its not all that bad. It gets my snowboards and my gear to the ski slopes, it moves my desk and chairs when i break them down, its sporty when i want it to be........

They offer a good blend of practicality and fun.

Oh, I think I forgot to mention the Mazda Protege5. You guys seem to like Mazda. I drove this car for a while, and its a pretty nice car. Sporty enough, and practical.

Before my current SUV, I had a pickup truck. It was fine for transporting me and one passenger...only. When I went places with friends it kinda bummed me out that I couldn't drive every once in a while. Not that I necessarily wanted to lug around a bunch of idiots (me included), but I sorta felt like a leech after a while (I did kick in for gas when appropriate.)

With that in mind, if it won't be an issue, go for the fun car. If I wasn't so damn responsible, that's what I would do.

1/ You've already got a fun car. Why have two?

2/ Look at cars that straddle the gap - something like the Toyota Altezza or the Subaru Legacy GT (or GT Wagon), which do a nice job as fun sports sedans.

(Assuming you can get them in the US market).

Up to you guys, but you have a fun car.

I would want at least one car that had enough room for four adults (friends) so I could go out with them.

Civics are sweet and very reliable...I wouldn't pass one of those up.

Mini cooper's are awsome cars...and for a small little thing, they have some power too.

don't the coopers seat 4? tightly but seat 4?

Your friends wouldn't ride on the flatbed?

What a pack of wusses...

What it basically comes down to is that Ratbastid is in love with the Cooper. I sympathize completely.

To restate the question: although you already have a fun small-load-capacity sportscar, should you spend $4-6K more than you planned to replace your beater with yet another small-load-capacity fun car that one of you is in love with but maybe not the other.

Well, it's the least economical solution, eats into your savings more (or puts you in debt more), and provides you with the least flexibility in hauling and passenger capacity in your "fleet." And it's also going to cost more to insure than a used Civic, I suspect. On the other side of the ledger, is fun and fun alone.

It's up to you to decide what's most important to you. But I would stress that, since I assume that the money is coming from both of you, no decision should be made that both of you don't feel good about. Otherwise, there's the possibility of unresolved money/power issues down the road.

I'm gonna have to say it's up to you...but why not get econocar now (btw, the Toyota Altezza is a USDM Lexus IS300, and not an econocar here by any means), doesn't have to mean its a box, and get the Cooper when you're ready to upgrade the fun car?

(says the man with the 2 seater as his primary and only transportation)

OK, just to re-state things, here are the points in favor of my position, the Boring Used Civic:

- economy (cheaper, better gas mileage)
- reliability
- more flexibility (bigger trunk, holds 4 people)
- once the fun wears off the Mini you're left with a MicroMachine that may or may not break down and can't hold 4 normal sized adults
- we already have a fun car

Points in favor of the Mini:
- fun
- different
- Civics are one of the most-stolen cars (I didn't see that here but Ratbastid keeps pointing it out)
- how often do we need to haul around 4 people? And we aren't planning on kids.

OK, my position is solidifying. Sorry, hon!

Carry on!

cars are for driving around, not really for fun.
You really should get the one with best fuel economy, reliability and flexibility.
It's the inside that counts, ie function over form.

Got a Corolla hatchback D4D van, great car to drive, very fast and very economical. Really hugs the road. Was always a VW driver but the comfort in the toyota has converted me.
My car is a pratical one, hauls around dogs, tools and whatever else I can fit into the back.

Ok, I went with a fun car instead of a sensible car.

I love driving it, a lot (though I wish I could have gotten it in standard, automatic is so boring). However, it has really cost me alot of cash keeping it up.

It's fun to drive, so it gets driven harder and stresses the components more.

They would on occasion, but when I was too lazy to remove snow it just wouldn't work. And besides, they all had their own cars, why rough it if you didn't have to.

And to Lurkette: if you don't think that you will need to bring others along, not just the little ones, go for the fun car. The next car you get will be the sensible one.

Actually, it's not even all that tight. It's got a really well designed, surprisingly spacious interior.

I'm not biased at all... *coff*

I'll be driving one in Spain for 1 week... :) can't wait...

but seriously.. how long you gonna keep the miata? another 2 years maybe 3? I'd go for the fun car... and then get the practical in the future... i mean the fun car is going to be replaced around that time more than likely....

No Car.


Buy a Motorcycle of Scooter.

That was the beginning of the conversation, three years ago, that ended with the purchase of the Miata.

It's the most motorcycle-like car I could think of!

HAAHHAHAHAHAH that's why I'm allowed to get a Z3...

I dunno. Do they steal a lot of cars in your neighborhood? If not, the Civ should be fine. We've had one parked on the street for 12 years, in a downtown neighborhood. I won't say nobody's ever touched it, but certainly nobody's ever stolen it.

very hard to say...im in the same situation as you....


my lease runs out in a few months and i want to buy a house soon so the sensible thing would be for me to buy something used for a couple of grand......


but im 24 years old and i like my toys.....and plus the new ford f150 04 is looking sweet.......


but it would be so nice not to have any payments and only pay the minium on insurance.....

not sure what im going to do yet

dammit... i just rented a Cooper for a week in spain... OMG what a fun car to drive... i'm now trying to convince Skogafoss that we need to own one... maybe we'll wait to see what the drop top one is like at the beginning of the year.

Haha - I think that's what we'll end up doing: driving one of our current cars into the ground and then getting a Cooper to replace it :( Phooey.

why not sensible AND fun? Several cars fall into that category in your price range, including the old standby, the Integra.

i agree with most of the opinions here, even if they're conflicting! :)

but here's my take on it:
-you dont 'need' a sensible car, you're not hauling around rugrats or pianos
-the mini doesn't cost *that* much more the way you want it
-you really wanna drive something that's fun!!! who wants a Saturn or a civic or an Accord when they have the chance to drive something cooler??

at first i didn't care for the new mini's at all, but i'm starting to change my mind!
life's too short to putt around in a "sensible" car. if you get the mini, be sure to get the hot-rodded version!!!
whatever it is, it's the performance model, i haven't looked it up but i know that's an option. go for a test drive with both of you in it (weight's a factor in handling) and taking turns and see if you like how it handles. i heard they're a real blast to drive.

oh yeah, i forgot to mention that the 'civics are the most stolen cars' thing is a little misleading -- they're the most stolen because they're the most popular! just like the Accord and a few other imports which i can't remember. more are stolen because there are simply more of them out there! a theft-to-production-amt. ratio would be a more valuable factor to compare, in general....

I'm in a similar boat...
I currently own a Civic--and it's rock-solid, surprisingly roomy, gets great mileage-- but I seriously want to trade it for a Mini.
But my wife HATES them.

Get the MINI!!!
Life is too short to drive something boring. When you're paying so much for something, you should get the one that gives you a kind of emotional envolvement. It'll make writing those checks a little easier.
And I would argue that the Minis are fun AND practical!
Certainly easier to park and take up less room in the garage.

a mini would be sweet :D... but you know... it depends on your financial sutuation i guess... if i had lots of money id have a mini... then get it lowered.. and choped.. heh

Cars have one purpose as far as I'm concerned: to carry me around.

What am I going to do with a "fun" car? Drive it around the block for the heck of it?

If I was going to get anything other than a practical car, I'd get a sports car. And I'd race it. Mmm... 0-1/4 mile in 10 sec, max speed 175 mph... mmm... :D

But that's just me. ;)

I think fun car.

just thought i would put it my 2 cents.

Easy choice:

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!!!

Have fun, do what you have to do, in 10 years, you'll regret not living out these years to their fullest, live in the moment, don't go out and buy a vette, buy a fun car in your price range, and the cooper sounds like a good idea! go for it, and live it up!