As an automotive journalist, I get to drive a lot of different cars every year. Counting the new product launches and press cars you fleets, I guess that the total is somewhere between 60 and 75 different vehicles every year. As for trying to be objective, it is difficult to not form an opinion on certain brands and certain vehicles. I've never been loyal to any particular trademark brand, but no doubt there are brands that gravitate towards and marks that tend to avoid.
Life lately, it has been filled with changes, and not all of them are good. Despite what you may think, not all automotive writer of jet-setting glamour, and most of us paid less than our counterparts in the nutrition industry accelerated. Sold my bike a few months back to help rebuild the savings, and now is the time to reduce the number of cars, my wife and I own. Gone is the 2006 Acura TSX, that was my daily driver in the Northeast. In five years, the car asked nothing - he began every day, ever needs repair and was totally predictable handling, even in the worst snow storms of winter (footwear with tires in winter, of course). As it is, the TSX was a device, like a toaster or coffee machine, and I've used the phrase "completely without soul" to describe the car more than once. Don't get me wrong; as cars, could not have asked for a more reliable ride or confidence, but not to the emotion factor, it was only there. Do you miss it? You miss your sensitivity to ask for anything, and I only hope my choice of replacement is half as reliable.
My 2006 Mazda MX-5 has disappeared, too, and stings a little. If the Acura was without soul, Mazda created for it in spades. It was the best car of management that I've never owned (once equipped with Mazdaspeed springs and swings, IE), and I have to tell many improvements to the car in the years that I've lost. It has promoted the tail of the Dragon, he has been Barber Motorsport Park and has never ceased to put a smile on my face every time that I I have gotten behind the wheel. Me I can not afford to maintain two cars, so I sincerely hope that the MX-5 is going to a new owner who is well. It is worth much.
Do so here is the big question: what is replacing the two cars? My approach was simple: had to be entertaining behind the wheel, but sufficient for a daily driver handy. It had to be again with a guarantee from using cars (in my experience) always come with baggage of another person. It had to be a brand I trust, and had to be a wash in price: in other words, I am in two used cars and walk way with a new car.
The obvious choice would be a Mazdaspeed 3, and that was certainly near the top of the list. I could not warm up for the style (inside and outside) and the direction of couple was more than what I care to deal with on a regular basis. Priced right, but I could not see I live with the car in the long term, which is why does not the Court.
Next up was the Mini Cooper S, which comes with its own set of luggage. Distributors are very rare (at least here below) and cars seem to belong to one of two categories: the current smoothly and those who make a yoke seem to be the pinnacle of automotive reliability. Like the Mazdaspeed 3, simply could not warm to the interior of the Mini style, which favors the cute comic in function. It was the car following the delivery of the list.
Subaru WRX was a contender, at least until I had one of a fleet of press car. The new style draws heavily from the sexually transmitted infections, which make the car of a sheep in Wolf's clothing; It is much faster, but billed it as a neon sign. Not just throw a more rigid than a Dodge Viper clutch, and the WRX was a car that I would like to deal with every day, especially if I had to drive in peak traffic hours.
In the end, I chose a four-door Mark VI VW GTI. Even the model base has an interior of Audi-esque, IE is the best of all the cars in the list, and by a wide margin. The power is appropriate in material form, but some simple changes will have the car to Mazdaspeed 3 power levels (I see a generation to publish soon). As the Mazda, the GTI is a blank canvas, with a large number of companies of after-sales ready, willing and able to sell parts of go-fast. Finally, is a reasonable option for a car of a tour of America: fast enough in the events of time trial to keep it entertaining, yet quite comfortable in the legs of transit that is pleasing. Easy to swallow is worth a week of the arts, too.
He made the right choice? Time will tell you, but I think I did the best he could under the circumstances.
