rmd | YOUR OPINIONS. SHOW THEM TO ME.

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So, I may be in the market for a new car as the Mini is dead. So here's a thread specifically to solicit people's opinion on what car models are awesome. Preferably car models you have actually had experience with as a driver or passenger.

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I drove a Mazda3 wagon, which I rather liked, better than the Forte, but it has the same "poor visibility" problem that nearly all new cars seem to have. The Mazda3 felt like it handled better than the Forte (or at least more comfortably for the same performance) and you can get them used.

I drove a Mazda5, which I really liked. It's built on the Mazda3 platform, so it's not a big car, despite its minivan styling. You can get them in a manual, lots of doors, good visibility, decent fuel economy, handles well (not spectacularly, but plenty good) and is comfortable. I didn't get one 'cuz I'm a little spooked by buying *BRAND NEW* vehicles, and I found something I wanted more.

I wanted to drive a Hyunda Elantra Touring (the wagon version) 'cuz it gets good reviews from car guys, and Hyundai has an increasingly good reputation for build quality and reliability. I never found one with a manual transmission to test drive before I stopped looking though.

The Honda Element is kinda... big. It feels big in all dimensions. I don't know how bit it actually is, but it feels like a big car, kinda bubbly. Drives fine, but sketchy mileage. If I needed a utility vehicle I'd look at one seriously, but not as an only car.

I drove a Scion xA (the small one) and... too damn small. Too tinny, kinda harsh on the pavement bumps. It seemed well made, but I couldn't get one. My parents had an xD (newer small one) for a while, which is nicer, but still pretty small, and terrible windows.

I really wanted to like the Toyota Matrix, but I couldn't get the seat to adjust so I could reach the steering wheel comfortably *and* have my legs not folded up like a cricket. You won't have that problem. They're practical vehicles that just don't suck... except for the damn windows. The current generation is worse than the previous generation. It's too bad they don't make a Corolla wagon anymore, that's basically what the Matrix is, but with dumb windows. Otherwise I rather liked it.

I looked at Honda CR-Vs and Toyota RAV-4. Both were too tall and too SUV-like for me. They both felt like you could tip one over if you tried just a little bit. The handling didn't inspire confidence.

I looked at a bunch of SAABs, but none of them felt right. I was looking at older ones though. The newer ones I sat in had the same "can't see out" problem that so many cars do.

I was really reluctant to buy anything from Volkswagen, because of their ... less than stellar repair record, but since my options were running thin, I did. I drove an '04 or '06 (I forget) Passat wagon, and ... I liked it. My parents' old car was an '04, but it had an auto transmission, which made it not want to get out of its own way. The manual transmission is *way* better. It had go. They have enough doors, good windows, and styling that isn't ... too trendy. The gotcha with that generation of VWs is the 1.8L turbo engine, they really really need to have the right oil or they can lunch the turbocharger. If you don't know that the previous owner hasn't done something stupid with the engine, it could be bad. The later 2.5L engines (inline 5!!!) are supposed to be better, but worse on fuel. The 1.8T engines require premium fuel, without a corresponding improvement in fuel economy/performance. Plus, the Passat I looked at had other issues that made it not a car I wanted.

I ended up with a Jetta TDI wagon. The TDIs are the simplest and most robust of the VW engines, so I wasn't worried about a pre-lunched motor. The Jetta wagon (mine's an '04) has good windows, good handling, it's quiet, fantastic fuel economy (I get about 48mpg overall) and it fits me.

I ended up going for a car that will take more maintenance and hand-holding than a Honda or Toyota, because I can deal with those things on my schedule. All the other cars I looked at, although probably more reliable, would piss me off *EVERY TIME* I drove one, and that would make me sad.

If you're up for really keeping on top of the maintenance and paying attention to small changes in the car's behavior, I'd look at one of the VW Golf TDIs, they're neat cars. If you want to just put gas and oil in and keep the tires inflated, I'd look seriously at the Honda Fit.