Why do you drive what you drive?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I expect people select their vehicles for all sorts of reason, whether fiscal, prestige, power (of the car and/or the driver), color, safety, manufacturer… There are so many vehicles on the market, it can be overwhelming - at least it has been for me. Which leads to my question: Why did you select your vehicle? Feel free to discuss your current ride, past rides, or future dream rides!

For a lot of years, I chose cars that were cheap to own and operate. I rarely got any options, since most basic cars had radios and a/c, and often more niceties. When our daughter was born, we did the mini-van thing, then a bigger van to tow our boat. The last vehicle bought just for me was a Scion xA which I loved, but when I retired, it was silly to have 3 vehicles, so I sold my Scion to my sister and we got along with my current ride - a Hyundai Sonata - as well as a basic pick-up truck.

We chose the Sonata as a good compromise between economy of operation and comfort and we’ve been very happy with it. It’s a 2012 coming up on 120K miles, and I figure we can easily get it to 200K or more, so no thoughts of a replacement yet.

My husband, on the other hand, is a car guy. He’s just bought his second Porsche (no, he just has the 1 - the other was years ago) and he’s had 2 'Vettes, a Miata, an MG Midget, and a Crossfire. Not all at the same time, but often one was traded for another. Honestly, I don’t understand what he sees in that type of car, but as long as I don’t have to drive it, I don’t really care. OK, I’ll admit, I liked driving the Crossfire, but that was the only one. :wink:

So, are you a car lover, or just a driver, or something in between? What was the draw of your ride?

2

My dad is a Ford retiree so that narrows my choices down drastically. DRASTICALLY.

Vans, large SUVs and trucks are out. So that gives me a dozen or cars to choose from. Then maybe 8 in my price range. I drove a Taurus in high school, an Escort in college (would have been a Focus today) and as soon as I became the “mommy” of a big dog I needed a small SUV so my choice went down to the Escape so that is what I got.

When it was time to get a new car, I sat in a new Escape and fell in love so I didn’t even take a gander at the Edge or a wagon.

Brand loyalty and the Z-Plan make car buying super duper easy. And I am by no means a “car person” so there’s that too.

3

I drove Crown Victorias for almost a decade. Big, powerful land yachts that rode like a La-Z-Boy on wheels. But when gas was $3-4/gallon, I was putting up to $80 a week in that thing. At the beginning of 2016 I got some bad news about my beloved Crown Vic and had to trade it in, in a hurry.

After securing a quick loan from my credit union I did a bit of research, focusing on mileage and overall value, and my choices were quickly pared down to the Mazda 3 and the usual suspects of highly-rated compact cars (Civic, Corolla, Focus, etc.). The Mazda stood out to me because it had a “fun” factor the others lacked, so I searched the local inventory and found a used 2012 Mazda 3 with under 40,000 miles, all the bells and whistles, and an excellent price. I made an appointment with the dealership, went and took a look at it, gave the salesman the okay and I was out of there in under an hour.

I’m very pleased with my decision. For going from finding out I had a badly busted car to new one in the span of 2 days I am quite happy with how it all worked out.

And I paid it off the very next weekend. :slight_smile:

4

My old Saturn SL2, which I loved and had for more than 12 years (and had another SL2 before that), was no longer reliable for winter driving. Since new Saturns are no longer available, I checked out and test-drove a number of small cars similar to the SL2 and settled on the one that felt most comfortably like it. It’s a Hyundai Elantra–not quite as good, but okay.

5

Cause it’s the bestest car in the world :slight_smile:
Seriously though I love my Subaru Outback. It is the best compromise of options for what I need while existing in a single car.

Big enough to hit Sams or Home depot for 99% of trips without even thinking about fitting.
Small enough to get 33 MPG for me.
Reliable as hell(my 4th Subie and my immediate family has had 12, all were excellent)
Good 4 wheel drive for Michigan/Colorado winters.
Could pull a small trailer if required.

6

My current vehicle is a 2014 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD that I paid cash for when new. I use my car primarily to drive the 8 miles each way to and from work each day and run the odd errand on the weekend. My car will 3 years old in a couple of months and it has 16,000 miles on it. I picked the crossover SUV because I do need space occasionally and with the rear seats down, I can haul quite a bit. I also take the kids occasionally in my car. We don’t use it for road trips. It has the turbo engine because I like the acceleration. It has all-wheel-drive, as we occasionally get inclement weather in our part of the country. I don’t have a back-up camera or navigation. It is bronze in color with tan leather interior. It has a good sound system. It meets my needs.

When the kids get older and I don’t need a back seat, I really am interested in a Jaguar F-Type.

7

I got lots of cars and bikes. Each one has its own thing going for it. Most of them are just plain fun. Classic styling, rarity, utility/functionality are all factors.

I only buy (or are given/rescue) used, older stuff. Don’t want anything new. If it needs a computer to fix it, I don’t want it.

Six BMW’s. Old classic driver (fun to drive, not many left), old classic “investment” (ha ha!), 3 e30’s (a beater daily driver, a race-car project and an X drive. X drive is for the winter deep snows and let me tell ya, it works amazingly!). Big-ass family boat. Bought it when the kid entered the picture.

Four Fords. Old muscle car, sits in the garage. Big old truck, carries the camper. An old beater, and a rare old project.

A couple general purpose Nissans for the wife, and a couple rare old European sports cars. 2 Jeeps to take the dogs off-roading every day (the first one broke, and it was cheaper and faster to just buy a second one). A bunch of obscure oddball motorcycles.

Wife wants a VW Thing (one for sale just down the road, too much $$), and I wish I still had my 1980 Dodge Colt RS with the twin stick transmission. Fun times! Wouldn’t mind a project Rolls Royce, either. Find a non-runner and stick in this stupid GM V8/tranny combo I got taking up space in the garage. It’ll never happen.

I’m actually gonna start selling off some bikes and stuff I don’t drive much anymore. Tired of chasing my tail trying to keep batteries from going bad and replacing rotten tires, keeping birds and mice out of stuff.

8

Odyssey - carries a ton of people or stuff, drives like a big sports sedan, quiet, comfortable, decent mileage, just a likeable daily driver for a family anchor.

XC90 - same but with AWD/snow tires it keeps us from being socked in no matter what the weather. Was mine, now the wife’s DD.

Outback - daughter’s version of the XC90, cheaper to drive and maintain. Perfect cars for the northeast semi-rural regions.

Cobra - 500HP, 2280 pounds, makes people grin when they see it. :slight_smile:

9

I’ve always had small reliable cars. First a Civic and then a Corolla. I’m pretty practical when it comes to a car – reliable, gas mileage, easy to park. I don’t need much storage capacity so the small sedans are fine. For my third car, I decided I need a 4WD (and that meant Subaru). I decided this during the umpteenth time I couldn’t get up the driveway two winters ago.

So I start looking at Subarus. Did I mention I just need a small sedan, and had had two already? Though I liked the sporty CrossTrek, my practical side said the Impreza small sedan. But I just couldn’t do it – not another one! So I got the Impreza hatchback – hugh difference. :smiley: (and it’s the CrossTrek, only lower.)

As to why the exact Impreza hatchback? I had to have the Deep Sea Blue, and that is only offered with the Sport Premium and the trim level beyond that. So the unsportiest person on Earth has a Sport Premium. And although there are many Impreza hatchbacks around, I’ve only seen one or two other Deep Sea Blue ones.

Mine has the roof rack and spoiler like this one. I need to find a use for the roof rack! http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/impreza14-5door22.jpg

And naturally it hasn’t snowed enough the past two years to challenge it on the driveway. :smack:

10

Outback, ‘Subaru’ for all those not listening. Price and ongoing costs was in range for AWD and the ground clearance I need to get to all those places I need to, like trail heads and in the snow.

11

'07 Subaru Legacy Wagon (not the Outback which was $4000 more for the same car 2" taller with plastic cladding on the lower half of the car). AWD for the winter, wagon because I have to haul stuff, roof rack for the same reason, auto because my wife was also going to be driving it and didn’t want a stick (which still ticks me off, btw). My dream car? Tesla S P100D or a Cayman S. Never happen because of the price. FWIW, we also have a Ford Edge and it’s a great highway distance cruiser, lots of power and super comfy.

12

When our Saturn rusted and wasn’t usable after 19 years, we went to Consumer Reports and looked for their best buys. Tgey indicated the Hyundai Elantra was a good choice. The dealer let me take it home overnight and we were sold. The Saturn died on Thursday and we had the new car on Saturday ( put it on our credit card).

13

Rav4 Sport for me (All wheel drive). I just got it because of a mix of practicality and Toyota reliability. I drive about 25,000 miles per year and I live in New England so snow and ice are always a consideration. It is big enough to carry 5 people and a couple of large dogs in a pinch with room left in the back for plenty of supplies. It can also hold a ton of cargo if it is just me and I fold the rear seats down. Snow performance is good and I can’t imagine what I would have to do to get it stuck.

That is a good mix of features for something classified as a “small” SUV. I didn’t want a large SUV because I hardly ever need anything that big and I don’t find them as pleasant to drive.

If I didn’t have as many practical considerations, I would get another BMW 3 series because that is what I really like to drive.

14

In my years of poorness-to-just-getting-by (1967-2012) I bought what I could afford on the used car lot, usually good Nissans, but never exactly what I wanted (color, options, etc).*

In 2012 I bought a used Jeep Grand Cherokee (a 2007) I’ve liked a lot, but am currently trying to sell.

I have an older BMW I’ve lovingly restored and last Monday I bought my 50th birthday pres I’ve been saving for: a BMW X3 with everything I wanted. I’ll be driving both.

I love to drive and now I can afford nice cars I intend to buy BMWs the rest of my life.

*With these exceptions: 1976 Ford Courier truck that blew up there months after I bought it from a farmer for $500 and a shitacular '85 Ford Mustang that died at 54k. With the exception of the Jeep, I’ve never bought another American car (and never will, though quality is much higher nowadays).

15

I had never purchased a new car before in my 40-plus years. The first couple of cars I ever called my own were hand-me-downs from my family, and then in 1992 I got a line on a 1986 Acura Legend that was being sold by community college as parts, which eventually became my daily driver until 20 years later, when I bought a '91 Toyota Celica that used to be owned by my grandmother.

Then, last year as my wife and I were planning a trip to Las Vegas, my father’s old clunker broke down and offered to buy the Celica, which I was happy to do. Now, I still have the Legend, but being a 30-year-old salvage, I decided that in spite of how well the car still ran, getting a newer car for the trip to Vegas was a better idea.

So, after first considering getting something used, I decided to take the plunge and buy a new car, and ultimately chose a 2016 Honda Civic. First consideration was price - didn’t want to spend (much) more than $20K, and wanted to be sure it was reliable and economical, and my experience with Hondas put that on the top of the list.

Considering the newest car I had owned before was a '91, jumping ahead 25 years into a modern car has been amazing. First, this compact economy car is just as large and spacious as my 1986 full-size luxury sedan, gas mileage is outstanding (got 40 MPG on the trip to Vegas, and get 33 on average for my daily commute), and the bottom-of-the-line stock radio has better sound than anything I’ve had before.

16

I dislike driving, car culture, and pretty much everything to do with cars, but I can’t do anything without them that I feel like doing (not a city person). My cars are chosen entirely because they best fulfill the functions I need. I don’t give one crap what they look like. Presently I have two.

  1. Honda Fit. Best car I have ever owned. Gets 42 mpg on the hwy. Tiny turning radius. Handles well. Very cleverly designed storage, I can get two medium-large animal crates in the back, or eight bales of shavings. Easily will carry a bale of hay plus sacks of feed. I have carried dogs, geese, goats, ducks, and chickens in it. Great car.

  2. Ford F-150 turbo with extra cab/6’ bed. This I got last year because my Toyota Tundra was too weak-engined to haul a horse trailer. It’s the first new truck I’ve ever owned, the first nice truck I’ve ever owned. First truck I actually kind of enjoy driving. It is a very safe, competent and comfortable ride. Mileage is about 22 mpg if I’m not hauling a trailer, which is not often.

17

#1 for me is good gas mileage.
#2 is air conditioning
#3 is a radio

The rest I could care less about. When my 2000 Honda Civic got totaled last year, we sprung for a 2016 Toyota Corolla. It has all these bells and whistles that I did not know were available. And funny enough, technology has improved enough that my new car gets better gas mileage than my little Honda (38 mpg vs 33.) So I’m filling up once a week now instead of every five days.

18

I’m on my second Toyota 4Runner. I like the traditional 4WD as I engage in a lot of skiing/canoeing/back-country recreation and I’m not always on the best of roads or even a road at all. MPG isn’t a primary concern as my daily commute is only 5 minutes so when the weather is good I usually walk or bike. I can carry all I need and in a pinch I can fold down the back seats and sleep in the back on an air mattress. Plus it’s handy for getting around this town that takes forever to plow its streets. If needed, I can crawl my way through up to maybe ten inches of unplowed white stuff. Any more and well, even I can get high-centered. And, of course, 4WD doesn’t help you slow down any faster on ice. “All cars have four-wheel stop.” Getting around on ice is really more about your tires than your drive train.

19

Chevy Aveo.

[ul]
[li]Automatic Transmission[/li][li]Good Gas Mileage[/li][li] Wish you were here, Opal. :([/li][li]Low Price[/li][li]Hatchback[/li][li]Acceptable head/leg room.[/li][/ul]

20

06 Pathfinder.

I must have 4x4 and good ground clearance. Low range too, though that is going away with new vehicles. SUV’s are turning into crossovers.

I need room, not just for me, but for dogs, suitcases and whatever. I have hauled quite a bit in it.

I also insist on something that is easy to get in and out of. I’m 6’4" tall and 210 lbs. I also have size 13 feet. Cars that are low to the ground and have deep foot wells are hard to get in and out of.

I do have a truck for plowing, but it stays chained up on all four 6 months out of the year. It never goes further than a mile from home during the winter (plow the road).

I’ll be buying a new ‘car’ in about 2 years. I’d be very happy if Chevy brought back a 1976 size Blazer that had modern tech.

My Wife bought a 2016 Outback. It does have good ground clearance, and AWD. It’s doing pretty good that she has learned how to turn off VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) and we have Nokian snow tires on it. Still, my Wife misses her Grand Jeep.

To address the OP’s question directly, why we drive what we do? Mostly snow. It’s not unusual to get 30’ a year at our house. 12.5 feet so far, and it’s only January. March is the big month.