92 Honda Accord EX 5-speed as a winter beater here. Saved the G from 7K miles and the corrosive salt this winter.

 

Imperial,

Do you park at the Otay Crossing when you go over. I have recently been seeing a Pearl White G35c with Axis se7ens parked there.

--- this is me just guessing you are in SoCal and I may be way off.

Anyways, I am considering the same thing as you ... I need a car when I go to Mexico for work too ... it is a pain crossing. I am thinking of a mid-90s camry as well as the standard civic or diesel volvo

- jim

 

I can understand not driving the car in the snow/salt, and maybe to Walmart or somewhere where it will probably get dinged, but come on people...driving your G only on weekends or only for pleasure? You buy a car to DRIVE, not to sit and protect with your life. It's like buying a $10,000 plasma TV and then saying, "let's watch my 13" Black and White, and maybe we'll use the plasma for a movie on a special occasion; I don't want to get any burn-in or dead pixels or blown bulbs!" That would be some expensive movies, just as you guys are putting some expensive miles on your cars due to depreciation alone. Anyone agree?

 

A car is a car. You bought it to drive it. I have few scratches on my rear bumper and a sh!tload of rock chips on front bumper. Do I mind? Not really. It's a freaking car! I do like to keep her clean but I wouldn't go crazy about those things as it is pretty much unavoidable if I daily drive my car. Just drive it. What good is it if you paid $35k for your car and not drive it?

 

what about a Mazda Protege or Toyota truck? Please don't get a Civic....EVERYONE has a Civic...

 

>You buy a car to DRIVE

And I do exactly that on the weekends minimum 5hours a day add another 2 hours
for cleaning, maintenance, etc. all I do is DRIVE and play with my cars on the
weekends. ask my wife. where's ken? .... out, or check the garage.. where's ken
now? out... or check the garage.

The commute to work cramped by other pos cars on the road, bumper to
bumper traffic is not driving. whenever we see people in sporty FR's slipping
in snow... or in bad weather I shake my head. poor sob... there's a time
and place for my hobby cars and if you can afford a garage(house) for
your car and get a beater, go for it. it's definitely worth it.

 

Hey everyone, thanks for the responses. After some exhaustive searching I have settled on a Hyndai Elantra or a Kia Rio from about 2001. I can get this car for about 4 to 6 thousand in San Diego. I really would prefer the Civic, but Civics run at a premium. Anyone have an opinion on Rio vs. Elantra, or if I should avoid any particular year? If there a big difference between a 2000 model versus a 2002 model?

By the way, I work as a pharmacist in Walmart.

Thanks for the replys.

 

my g is my daily driver. my commute is about a half hour to an hour but i know where all the winding roads around here are so i take those.

3000 miles since early Jan and ever since the break-in period was up i wind it out whenever i get a chance.

 

>Rio vs. Elantra

which one is which again? hahaha. jk I'd just take the cheaper one, i suppose...?
It still comes with its 10year 100K mile warranty, right?

 

i bought a 95 Toyota Avalon with 120,000 miles for $2500, its in excellent condition,no rust. just look around. and park your car way back!

 

Park far far far far away.

If you are still going to get another rig. Buy a rig that has other uses, like an SUV for Winter driving or a truck/SUB for hauling! Maybe an old Pathfinder or Toyota!

 

I agree with Dental you should drive the dang car. Thats why you bought it not to just look at it. So you get a couple dings here and there... so what.. you go and get it fixed and hope it takes awhile until you get the next one. Stop being so paranoid, now i agree I wouldnt take it to Walmart or park it alone at a border somewhere, but I probably only go to Walmart once every two years maybe. Who ever can afford this ride shouldnt be shoppin or workin at Walmart anyways , no offense, but stop acting girly and do what its made to do. Besides I wouldnt be caught driving a damn elantra or Rio, no way, at least get a new civic, geeezz. Imperial dont do it.

 

I'm in the middle of fixing up a 1990 Acura Integra. I bought it for $100 and had to put a new motor in it. I'll be into it about $600 all together so I think that will be a GREAT daily driver. To and from work. I've always had a second car so I don't have to drive my nice one. That's why I only have 4k miles on my G and I've had it since the end of June.

 

If you can afford two cars why should it matter. Now i'd say i would have two cars one for the snow bad weather and the G as a daily nice day driver. And i'd have a motorcycle too. I guess it all comes down to what you can afford.

However i really don't see the G being put to good use as a weekend driver unless it's your SHOW car.

 

Couldn't agree more with this part. G is a car that is made to be driven every day. If I could have two cars right now(it's a little hard to do since I'm in college ), I'm pretty sure it will be a sedan for daily driver and a real sports car for pleasure. G is just the best compromise of both.