Sold the M3 this week. I'll be back (one day?). Need new less expensive ride

[EvoFire]

Curious why you decided to downsize so quickly, I mean your wife isn't NOT looking for a job right?

Out of all those I think I'd pick the GTI or the WRX.

The Cooper S isn't a bad car, but the manual version isn't great and the DCT is boring, we have a regular Mini Cooper 3dr and I think the 5dr loses a lot of the charm of what Mini is meant to be. Also the depreciation curve is brutal.

The GTI is great, handles great, much cheaper than the R, but a little sterile. I looked at getting an R, but my wife said it looked like a grandpa's car.

I almost bought a WRX before ordering my F80. The interior is good enough, the drive is average, the seats are designed for fat people, and there is no rear LSD (moddable), but it's a damn useful little car. And on the plus side there is little to no depreciation on this car.

You are going to find that Subaru and VW cut corners in their cars. Depending on what's important to you they may be a big deal or it may not matter much. The seat situation really bothered me with the WRX and that was what ultimately broke the deal.

I don't feel like you'll keep whatever cheap car for long as you'll long for an M again really soon. You might need to balance wants and depreciation for the medium term.

[ASAP]

I would take a golf R

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by NicoleLusts4BMW

Sounds like you probably couldn't afford the bucket list car ever. If a down sizing of a job made you sell you were not financially capable of owning a $75K vehicle. GL.

This might be true - if it is, then I don't imagine that everyone here would meet your definition of capable. I wonder how many here are independently wealthy to the point that they can lose 1/2 their income and NOT think about their personal budget and the wisdom of investing in cars vs buffering against future uncertainty. Then again, I'm the one selling, not them - so it's a valid point.

In my case I think the M3 was more of an expensive toy/bucket list item than a life necessity, so it made sense to make the move, get my equity out of it, instead of watch a depreciating asset further depreciate - just in case I need that cash later.

One of the things I remind myself is that just because things got bad all of the sudden, it doesn't mean that they can't continue to get worse.

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

Curious why you decided to downsize so quickly, I mean your wife isn't NOT looking for a job right?

Out of all those I think I'd pick the GTI or the WRX.

The Cooper S isn't a bad car, but the manual version isn't great and the DCT is boring, we have a regular Mini Cooper 3dr and I think the 5dr loses a lot of the charm of what Mini is meant to be. Also the depreciation curve is brutal.

The GTI is great, handles great, much cheaper than the R, but a little sterile. I looked at getting an R, but my wife said it looked like a grandpa's car.

I almost bought a WRX before ordering my F80. The interior is good enough, the drive is average, the seats are designed for fat people, and there is no rear LSD (moddable), but it's a damn useful little car. And on the plus side there is little to no depreciation on this car.

You are going to find that Subaru and VW cut corners in their cars. Depending on what's important to you they may be a big deal or it may not matter much. The seat situation really bothered me with the WRX and that was what ultimately broke the deal.

I don't feel like you'll keep whatever cheap car for long as you'll long for an M again really soon. You might need to balance wants and depreciation for the medium term.

She is looking, and I don't think it'll take her long to find something, but you don't know what you don't know, you know? We talked about waiting and in a few months if we actually needed the cash we could make the move then.

But once I got my head around the idea of selling, it just became more of a rip the bandaid off kind of thing.

As for the cars, I'm driving a 3 dr Cooper (2014) that I bought for my daughter when she gets her license in a few months, or until wifey finds a job (or both). It's a lot of fun. I agree the 5 dr loses a lot of what I like about it. Not sure the S gains much in fun over the 3-cyl models, either.

I came from a Legacy GT (with the WRX engine), so I had the WRX power, but without the boy-racer looks. If only they still made the Legacy in a manual with that engine...

I'm leaning GTI - based on what I've seen here and the Golf R seems like an extra $15k for 100hp and AWD, which stretches the Value prop for me.

I haven't driven the most recent STI, so I'll try it just to see.

[einscot]

wait... my prior suggestion of a nissan is ridiculous.

you sold your car so you could have
a car for your not-yet-licensed teenager??

maybe i'm not the ridiculous one here

[ASAP]

I could never drive a fwd vehicle again... making the gti an automatic no... a lightly used golf r may fit the bill better or a used Audi s3...(effectively the same car).

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

She is looking, and I don't think it'll take her long to find something, but you don't know what you don't know, you know? We talked about waiting and in a few months if we actually needed the cash we could make the move then.

But once I got my head around the idea of selling, it just became more of a rip the bandaid off kind of thing.

As for the cars, I'm driving a 3 dr Cooper (2014) that I bought for my daughter when she gets her license in a few months, or until wifey finds a job (or both). It's a lot of fun. I agree the 5 dr loses a lot of what I like about it. Not sure the S gains much in fun over the 3-cyl models, either.

I came from a Legacy GT (with the WRX engine), so I had the WRX power, but without the boy-racer looks. If only they still made the Legacy in a manual with that engine...

I'm leaning GTI - based on what I've seen here and the Golf R seems like an extra $15k for 100hp and AWD, which stretches the Value prop for me.

I haven't driven the most recent STI, so I'll try it just to see.

Drive the Cooper until your wife finds a job or your daughter starts driving it. You have me scratching my head a little that you have a 12-15k car sitting around doing nothing but you need to downsize.
The 3 cylinder is more fun imo. We test drove both the Cooper and the S and we went with the regular Cooper. I have a Dinan piggyback for the B36/38 3 cyl I'm not using if you need to speed things up a little for cheap.

I wanted a Spec B badly at one point and the new WRX (not STI) fits that mold well. I don't think a STI is a good deal if you don't track/race, but you can easily swap trunks with someone who has a WRX and wants a winged trunk. There are lots of anecdotes of the new VA WRX not being able to handle sustained abuse (track days).

The value prop of the Golf R isn't great, and the AWD system in it isn't great either. Yes it reacts quickly and hooks up, but that's not what I'm looking for in a AWD. I'd much rather a GTI with performance pack.

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by einscot

wait... my prior suggestion of a nissan is ridiculous.

you sold your car so you could have
a car for your not-yet-licensed teenager??

maybe i'm not the ridiculous one here

LOL no- that's not right at all. I bought a Mini Cooper for my daughter to learn to drive a manual on, and to eventually be her car once I trust her to drive on her own. There's no way I was going to teach her to drive stick on the M3...and I found a great deal on a mini so we pulled the trigger on that early.

I'm driving that in the meantime while I shop for my sensible M3 replacement car....

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

Drive the Cooper until your wife finds a job or your daughter starts driving it. You have me scratching my head a little that you have a 12-15k car sitting around doing nothing but you need to downsize.
The 3 cylinder is more fun imo. We test drove both the Cooper and the S and we went with the regular Cooper. I have a Dinan piggyback for the B36/38 3 cyl I'm not using if you need to speed things up a little for cheap.

I wanted a Spec B badly at one point and the new WRX (not STI) fits that mold well. I don't think a STI is a good deal if you don't track/race, but you can easily swap trunks with someone who has a WRX and wants a winged trunk. There are lots of anecdotes of the new VA WRX not being able to handle sustained abuse (track days).

The value prop of the Golf R isn't great, and the AWD system in it isn't great either. Yes it reacts quickly and hooks up, but that's not what I'm looking for in a AWD. I'd much rather a GTI with performance pack.

I didn't explain this well at all - I sold the M3 because it seemed like an extravagant luxury when dealing with a loss of income, not because we're homeless if we can't generate cash quickly. The long term plan for the mini is still a good one I think - safe, affordable, fun, manual transmission, low powered, FWD car for my kiddo to learn on.

I also used the mini a few days a week just to keep miles off the M3. I really like it, but I think I'd probably want more power for my DD if I'm going to buy something for me and me alone. Although I've been looking for someone with experience on the Dinan power pack on the B38 engine. Did it make a dramatic difference?

The only experience I have with chipping cars is the Cobb AccessPort tune on my old Legacy GT. It made a noticeable difference, but also made the power delivery a little lumpy with an off the shelf tune.

[minn19]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I could never drive a fwd vehicle again... making the gti an automatic no... a lightly used golf r may fit the bill better or a used Audi s3...(effectively the same car).

This and I've driven my friends GTI with the performance pack on it. It is a really fun car and the diff makes it easily one of the best FWD cars out their, but it still FWD.

I would also go for the R as the drop off in power from the M3 to the regular GTI is dramatic. It is between a M3 and a Golf R also, but not nearly as bad.

[uniqueMR]

GTI wins, Period

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

I didn't explain this well at all - I sold the M3 because it seemed like an extravagant luxury when dealing with a loss of income, not because we're homeless if we can't generate cash quickly. The long term plan for the mini is still a good one I think - safe, affordable, fun, manual transmission, low powered, FWD car for my kiddo to learn on.

I also used the mini a few days a week just to keep miles off the M3. I really like it, but I think I'd probably want more power for my DD if I'm going to buy something for me and me alone. Although I've been looking for someone with experience on the Dinan power pack on the B38 engine. Did it make a dramatic difference?

The only experience I have with chipping cars is the Cobb AccessPort tune on my old Legacy GT. It made a noticeable difference, but also made the power delivery a little lumpy with an off the shelf tune.

This is what I have. I believe they advertised 20hp and 30lbft.
https://www.dinancars.com/product/d4...6-b48-engines/
I mean you aren't going to get Mini Cooper S levels of power, but it makes it extra peppy and I would say borderline fast(compared to stock). I took it off cause I had some AC issues and had to send the car in for warranty and got too lazy to put it back in. It has 4 maps (+0 to +3psi) and I ran the +2 map and it was a hoot.
I'd say the biggest difference is accelerating from a dead stop or from a 50mph roll. Stock rolling on the throttle from 50-70 it makes you wait whereas this is much faster.

I'll let it go for $200

[KevinM]

Sorry to hear of your wife's temporary situation. It seems you are looking at new car, correct? If so, the Golf R is above you cap, but a GTI should do nicely. I think the base model is in the mid-20s, and I love the cloth seats.

[REDEV217342]

CPO '15 or '16 Audi S4

[Nikolas]

Go for the STI. They are a blast. I've owned two. I gave my last one to my son. It's 5 years old and never had a single problem. They also retain their value much better than any of the other options in this thread.

[GERMAN M3]

Based upon your list, the Golf R gets my vote.

[damnitBobby]

Stay away from Subaru and their glass motors.

Out of that list I would get the Type R. The GTI would be a runner up.

[BIGW0RM]

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

Here the problem

They look sexier without the shopping cart wing though...

[Nikolas]

Originally Posted by BIGW0RM

They look sexier without the shopping cart wing though...

You can order it without the wing.

[BIGW0RM]

Originally Posted by damnitBobby

Stay away from Subaru and their glass motors.

Out of that list I would get the Type R. The GTI would be a runner up.

LOL! Glass motors? I had 4 of them with full bolt on with Cobb tunes and downpipes and not one of them blew.

Ugly ass cars, (my 03 jDM bugeye was favorite) but a blast to drive.

Motors were 3-4K to rebuild at garage tuning in Orange County, ca. And you got forged innards.

Subaru's are great fun cars. They are just kinda ugly.

[BIGW0RM]

Originally Posted by JibSTir13

Totally agree that the STi is way past its prime.

I had an '05 STi with 300 HP (stock). Now, 13 years later, the STi has 305 HP. Completely unacceptable for a performance sedan to get a mere 5 HP increase in over a decade.

But out of the choices OP listed, I would still consider the STi.

Originally Posted by 48Laws

The STI ship has left port. I’ve owned two at the height of the Suby/Mitsu rivalry. That car has an image issue in ‘18. Aggressive styling yet 300 horses. Still! At least the GTI isn’t having an identity crisis.

Originally Posted by JibSTir13

Totally agree that the STi is way past its prime.

I had an '05 STi with 300 HP (stock). Now, 13 years later, the STi has 305 HP. Completely unacceptable for a performance sedan to get a mere 5 HP increase in over a decade.

But out of the choices OP listed, I would still consider the STi.

I like the new 18 look. It reminds me of the bugeyes. I do agree the lack of extra HP sucks. But you get pretty decent numbers with dowpipe and tune. The motors are cheap to rebuild and buy parts for. Nasioc is still HUGE, Even after all these years... LOL. I was there. Lol.

AnywAys, my vote is for the STI. The golf looks too girly. I'd rather have a ugly yet really cool
Wingless Sti.

[DanMpower]

Originally Posted by Stage IV

Driven by Honda with a multitude of modifications. Bogus time.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't Nurburgring records usually driven by the manufacturer?

Also please enlighten us with the "multitude of modifications" the Type R had when it smashed the FWD record.

From what I read it was on stock tires, and the necessary roll cage added for safety was a floating one that didn't add any structural stiffness.

For the OP, I vote new Honda Accord Sport 2.0T 6spd with a Hondata flash. Or if you want German, go with a CPO Audi S3.