So if you weren't an enthusiast, what would you drive?

I'd go with the 4-cylinder Sonata. It's roomy, comfortable, reasonably priced, well-built, has a nice interior, and the exterior is handsome in an understated way.

1996 Honda Accord.

C-Class Luxury. Bank-vault solidity, just the right size, great interior, unbelievable seats, unbelievable sound system. Ideally, though, I'd like some sort of C-Class with a smaller-displacement Blutec diesel.

That would explain why you got so mad at me on the other thread. LOL

I would probably just get a Honda Civic since it fuel efficient, fairly reliable and inexpensive.

Can it get any more 'non-enthusiast' than a single cab F-150?

How does it explain anything? I think Hyundai makes great cars for the non-enthusiast, also I wasn't mad...

Also this thread is clearly titled "If you WEREN'T an enthusiast" acknowledging that we all are.

Dacia Sandero 1.4.


Can't get any more basic than this.

^ Great news.

I think it's interesting that most people are going with cheap, fuel-efficient basic transportation, as opposed to really posh, nice cars that simply aren't exciting to drive. Personally, I spend over an hour each day in my car, so even if I wasn't a driving enthusiast, I'd want that time to be really nice, not just adequate and economical.

I actually rode around in a Sandero taxi. It's basic, cheap, no thrills motoring. Just what a lot of car buyers are looking for.

It explains that fact because I disagreed with you on the fact that Hyundai makes great cars. But hey, it's just my opinion.

Alright, as long as you aren't mad, the word "hate" did kind of sound my "i'm pissed off at people like you" alarm. LOL.

And it's just my opinion that you're being really stupid and annoying right now.

You raise a good point. I guess if I had to ride in my car for 1+ hrs a day, I would go with something with a softer ride. Maybe a Chevy Impala? Malibu?



ROFL, fair enough

Same car I have now, the Impreza 2.5.

I would never own a daily driver in Manitoba without AWD.

I'm between fun cars now.

I'd like to think that I'd do like my friend, who drives an Audi S4. He's not a car enthusiast one iota, but he likes the effortless grunt and he LOVES the interior.

Well, in that case, let's rename the thread "If you weren't an enthusiast...but had money".
In that case, I guess I'd get a BMW M5.

For more reasonably priced, a 2008 Honda Accord Coupe EX-L.

For not so reasonably priced, a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E550 Wagon.


EDIT: MB no longer puts a V8 in their wagon? Sacrilege. Gimme a CLS550.

If I wasn't a car enthusiast, I would not have any car. I'd probably go around on a bicycle or a horse or something along the way. I think I'd be rich if I wasn't a car lover.

If I were not an enthusiast but had money I think I would have either an Audi Allroad or a Volvo XC70. Although I think I would have those cars now anyway. I have taken up the philosophy of having a good solid well rounded daily driver, after spending my youth broken down by the side of the road in my fun cars.

With money, I'd take a Mercedes CL500...hell I'd do it even as an enthusiast.

Just out of curiosity Bjorn, what were your fun cars?

Given that we're discussing several price ranges now:

Realistic car (if I had to buy this week): MkIV Jetta TDI.

Realistic car (with a bit of planning ahead financially): C300 Luxury, or better yet, C220 Bluetec if they ever sold it as a North American production model.

If I was richer than I really am: Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec.

I had a bunch of stuff...nothing really lasted too too long. Ones that really stick out in my memory are a second generation RX-7 (that had an alarm which was so sensitive the act of closing a door near it set it off, and which blew up after I owned it for about six months. It is also the car I popped my 200 km/h cherry in.), a hot little Mazda GLC (which had one working door, a big assed carburetor, and destroyed it's brakes), a Triumph Spitfire (my uncle had it in his garage when I was a kid, and I dreamed about owning it one day, then I bought it off of my Uncle and never got it running) and a Porsche 914 I bought off of a co-worker when I was working in a garage, which I owned for a few days before realizing it was in such a state of disrepair that I could never afford to keep it running for more than a few hours at a time. He was nice and gave me my money back.

There were other money pits, but those are the highlights. I don't make smart "fun car" purchasing decisions...I tend to go with my heart rather than my head.

I'd probably get a Fusion or a Taurus.

It's kind of hard to think of what car I'd want as a non-enthusiast since I immediately start thinking of all the specs/comparisons in my head as soon as I start consideration. I'd probably like something small and attractive with ample power. Being single and 21 I don't need anything particularly roomy so assuming I had some money I'd probably go for something like a basic A4 or Impreza.

My cousin has one. Very well built and not bad at all to drive.

The most underrated family car on the market IMO...

MKV Jetta, would be nice to have it with the new 2.0L TDI engine.

I don't think many non-enthusiasts would get a diesel, personally...

Lol I might get an Eos

My grandfather just did, and he's never been a car enthusiast. He bought a brand new Jetta TDI wagon.

I'd get an Acura RL... a very underrated car. And if I really didn't care about maintenance costs, etc... I'd have a Jag for sure.

Hyundai Accent ? The hatchback one.

It just looks so good.

This coming from a guy who said he'd buy an Audi S4?

Anyway, neither the Jetta TDI nor any of the three Merc diesels in the States are "driver's cars." They're selling to non-enthusiasts because of (1) concerns about fuel economy, (2) desire for torque, and (3) a rising interest in biodiesel (especially Jetta drivers there).

I'm all about biodiesel, and that has nothing to do with driving excitement. I think it's the most viable fuel of the future, especially when made from algae. That's why I listed three different diesel cars.

Hey, mine's based on personal experience from a good friend who would pay you to not invite him to a Grand Prix.

As for diesel, I still think it's too scary and unfamiliar for most buyers. Now, I can see the appeal from the environmentally sensitive non-enthusiasts, or other little niches, but MOST people aren't about to dive into a modern diesel car IMO.

A beige 4-spd automatic toyota corolla with roll up windows and a tissue box in the rear window.

Just saying that someone who's going to buy a V8 sport sedan as a "non-enthusiast" shouldn't be raising an eyebrow about a Jetta TDI or a diesel E-Class.

Maybe my Protege?

Jetta 2.5?

Accord EX Coupe?

Acura TL?

Mazda3?

1997 Mercedes S600 V12

^ Haha. My best friend, who's a hardcore petrol head, had one of those. We had crazy fun in it. It's gone now It was replaced by a couple Jags, which were replaced by a couple bikes, which were replaced by a bike and a Crossfire.

Why?

Why not? It's just a previous-generation Mercedes SLK coupe with a Chrysler badge, yet it costs tens of thousands less than a Mercedes SLK.

+1

Oh man, the W140 S600 is such an amazing car! My dad used to have a 92 600SEL.. talk about maintenance bills... man oh man.

Better picture of what i would want.

He's a Mercedes nut, he liked the unique styling of the Crossfire, and bad residuals meant he got his hands on one cheap. Hell, even I'd get one.

At least tell me it wasn't the coupe.

It was, black on black. I think it's sexy.

Ever since I saw the TG News segment where the talked about it, I always see the shitting dog when I look at the profile shot.

Top Gear also said that the Cayman's ass was too ugly to look at. That's when I quit listening to Top Gear on car aesthetics.

I also still, to this day, can't see the shitting dog that people talk about.

b5 s4



i might end up getting this eventually anyway