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I need to replace my car. I've been thinking about options for the past couple of months and almost settled on a FJ Cruiser until this link came to me the other day in my email. It's the new BMW 1 Series that's coming out in America in the Spring. I like it, but I'm not an impulse buyer, so I'm still thinking it through, planning, budgeting, and then thinking some more. Take a look at it. Suggestions on options are welcomed.

http://content.bmwusa.com/microsite/1se ... flash.html

Gypsy - obviously I don't know what kind of driving you do, or what you need a vehicle to do for you...do you need to haul stuff or do you want to tear up those TX twisties? Usually you won't find a single vehicle that can do both well. With fuel prices rising steadily higher, fuel economy will become more important. If you're considering a diesel, get a good one and expect to pay more for maintenance of it. If you need to tow something heavier than a motorcycle, that may be a good engine choice.

I recently helped my daughter buy a Honda Fit and we drove it from Florida to PHillie over two days. While the tires didn't inspire confidence initially, the car did great on the super-slab, running 80+ all day long and getting 38mpg brand-new! It was comfortable, peppy, and used available interior spaces so innovatively that you are surprised when you get out how small it looks outside because of how big it feels on the inside (how do they do that?)! It wasn't real quiet, but we could (and did) carry on extended conversations at highway speeds, and it has a great sound system.

This was the second Fit she bought a month after the first one was hit in the front by a drug-dealer running a red-light in a stolen Mitsubishi SUV. The impact pushed her wheel strut back to the cabin, and both vehicles air-bags went off (although her side-bags didn't and her windshield was undamaged). She walked away from the wreckage with a bruise across the chest (from the self-tightening seatbelt) and a sore ankle. She said she never felt the airbag hit her and she had no burn marks, so I don't think it did. The squib-driven seat belt held her securely.
I really feel that the car gave it's all to save her as it was totalled by the insurance company. The SUV didn't look any better.

All in all, it's lot of safety and Honda value for $16+K, but it won't quicken your pulse in the twisties (but that's what the RR's for, right?)

That's my $0.02, FWIW.

DISCLAIMER MOMENT: I don't work for Honda and don't hold their stock.
I just liked the car and am grateful it saved my daughter!

1 series w/ twin turbo FTMFW.

If you were looking at the FJ and now 1 series, you are not looking for basic transpo to and from work.

Hondas are for girls, my wife is on her 3rd and loves them, my parents too, Element, now Pilot. They are soooooo boring.

I have a MKV VW GTI, and love it.

"Hondas are for girls..they are soooo boring"... you are soooo right! We recently bought an Acura (high dollar honda) to replace the mini cooper that caught fire and burned up. We did the 'sensible' thing buying the Acura. It is, like mr big papa said 'boring'. Everything in it is good, it's just not fun to drive. Now, that new one series BMW looks smokin. I can see Gypsy tooling down the road in one of those! Maybe a red one. Yes, definatley can see her in a red BMW!!! I wonder what the price tag on one of those babies is?

If we're listing vehicles we like, this will be a long series of posts (when 17 I loved my Morris Minor - the funkiest POS car in Kansas City, Kansas). Instead I think "process" will be my focus.

Me, I have a plain vanilla, bare bones pick up. I believe I always will drive a truck. My point it I drive a basic pickup because it fits my needs for my vehicle... a utilitarian hauler - as our secondary vehicle.

If it were my only vehicle, my plain vanilla pickup might become a four-door, loaded-up Tacoma pickup.

I guess that's how an old engineer approaches these things. My first issue is, what function do I want this vehicle to perform?

I look at you two choices for the intended function and see....what? I really don't know.

The FJ and the BMW both look good to me. But they sure are different functionally. Defining you needs in a vehicle might help narrow the choices.

The vehicle I need next is not for utilitarian purposes. It's strickly needed for getting me from point A to point B. It doesn't have to tow anything, and doesn't have to haul people around. And I don't go from point A to point B daily, since I work out of my home. And sometimes the distance between point A and point B might be many miles with lots of twists and turns. So the next car I get is going to be just a driving machine. I had a Honda Element - Utilitarian and a very good vehicle. I had several Toyotas - they run forever. Done the truck thing too (this is Texas, you know). And I've had a few different SUV/mini-van type vehicles. All my previous cars were bought for practical purposes. This time - all I need is a vehicle I enjoy driving when I need to drive.

Nice car...I guess you get what you pay for!
I love my Toyotas though!!

Good GypsyRR, you've defined your needs. That slims down the choices some. So next things to consider would be budget and economy versus fun and reliability.

I've always shied away from first year model introductions, thinking that waiting for next year's model will give them a chance to work the bugs out of it. But some people want to be the first on the block... On the other hand, if the One comes with BMW's 100,000 mile maintenance program + warranty, then that's probably going to be less of an expense for you, although there may be some inconvenience of being without your vehicle while it's in the shop for a few days fixing recalls. I know what you're thinking, it's a BMW, there shouldn't be any recalls! But we know better, don't we?

It's a good looking car. Check the stats and reviews at some car sites like edmunds.com and cars.com. Maybe Consumer Reports has looked at it?

GypsyRR wrote: This time - all I need is a vehicle I enjoy driving when I need to drive.

Ooooohhhh, a VERY good situation to be in.

Now you just need to heed the strings:
Purse strings and
heart strings.

Whatever gets your blood pumping and is within your budget. Lucky duck.

Funny - we are in the process of shopping for a replacement for my wife's Honda Accord. She does not like the new one (too big). I will probably be posting on the final result of our search later.

But for now, the short story is, we are downsizing. Our Civic test drive was OK but uninspiring.

So I don't want to give away the ending of my future post, but . . . if you want an economical car that is fun too drive, build well and handles like a sports car you need to check out the Mazda 3!

How about the Miata?

That's what I was going to say!

Like WNC, I am wanting a Mazda 3. Also, test drive one of those Mini-coopers, supposed to be great fun. Is a Lexus IS 350, BMW 3 Series out of the price range? Subaru WRX?

But I am that 1% of most demanding drivers. Reliability is the only thing that counts for my car, fun does not enter the equation.

I will Probably end up with ol' reliable corolla, but the newer civic has a 5-speed automatic, so I may go that way.

I was looking to buy a new car last year. I have always bought practical cars. The 98 Altima has well over 230k miles, my 87 Chevy Turbo Sprint had 287k miles on it when I sold it, they both have been reliable cars, (the Sprint has over 400k miles on it now, good thing it is owned by a motorcycle mechanic) but this time I wanted something fun. Getting cancer made me think about the things I always wanted to do, but was to darn practical to do. I considered the Miata, the Z4 BMW, and a good old fashion American muscle car. I bought a Mustang GT. This is the most fun you can have, and still have enough room to carry the grocery's. I made a few improvements to enhance power output, there is a lot of stuff out there for the Mustang. We took it on a trip to Washington state a couple months ago, it is much more comfortable then the trucks we own. I believe it would be a better choice then the roadsters also. With the cruise control set to 70 mph, I was getting 26 mpg. Not to bad for a car that can get out of it's own way. Just have to be careful when using the throttle. it is easy to get to much power........ I wholeheartedly support the idea of getting something you will enjoy, not just drive to get from point A to point B. You will miss out on a bunch of fun if you just do the practical thing all the time.

I do like that Beemer!

It is a good lookin' Beemer, isn't it?

Boxermania - a Corvette is actually always on my short list, but my older sister has one and I'm afraid she'd get mad if I got one too. (older sister jealousy thing, ya know) - and a convertible and the south coast of Texas just don't go well together. 'Course, me and the south coast of Texas don't go well together either, for that matter. Maybe time to move on, except for the good saltwater fishing.

Suggestions for options on the Beemer is what the initial thought was - not suggestions on cars. I'm a slow buyer anyway, so something else may come up before I get to the buying point.

OOOOOOOOOH YAAAAAAAAAAAA! Nice Beemer!!!!!!!!!!!

Get the manual trans!

I'm really surprised the 1-Series BMW is only just coming to the US, they've been out in Europe for ages already & are a very regular sight in London.

It's priced as a premium product here, but in an odd niche. The main criticism is the lack of legroom in the back (the front seat bolster can touch the rear bench...) but they're highly praised for all other aspects except for those two. The diesel models are most popular, but they've now started to put some of the bigger 3-series petrol engines in too - 130i anyone? Popular UK accessories are dark metallic paint, A/C, leather seats, but not much else.

There's a general backlash growing here against larger cars, so these are mostly selling either to people as a radical alternative to a large 4x4s, or a more stylish alternative to minivans, or people who just don't want a Mini Cooper S for some strange reason. They've also just started the tv advertising campaign here for the follow-on 1-Series coupe too ...



http://www.1seriescoupe.co.uk/Default.aspx


If I wanted a small RWD car, then I too would look at the Miata first, they're much better value & the latest model comes with an automatic tin-top cabrio instead of cloth now. My favourite in that bracket though was my dearly-loved and sadly-departed Honda S2000 - now there's a car ...

Skip the miata, no power!!

But +1 on the s2000. Its simply awesome and one of the most driver-oriented cars out there. Go drive it if you haven't before - feel free to buy one used (2002 on later only) in good nick, they last forever.




Also look at the pontiac GTO. Dont let the "Pontiac" scare you, its actually a Aussie-designed car by a company called Holden. Holden is well known for their sporty sedans (the Minaro). You can get great deals on them because no one knows about these cars. They have strong 340HP corvette engines, so you can still keep up with sis in her vette! Lots of fun to drive and comfortable. I don think they make them anymore, but you could get lucky finding a new one left over.




I think Holden is redesigning the GTO and the G8 GT for Pontiac, so might want to watch for that, not sure if they are for sale yet, but should be nice cars.

Also there is the WRX STI. Its basically a ricer car and really ugly, but if you can get beyond that its great bang for the buck. Great fun to drive and very safe at the limit.



Or there's the 350Z. Very balanced, great power, very reliable. Great fun to drive..!



The Audi TT is also a looker, but not as strong performance-wise as the others listed here, and I've heard terrible things about Audi reliability with the TT:


I also like the VW GTI/GLI. Great cars, and lots of fun, but perhaps a little underpowered based on price. Worth a drive though, and try the flappy-paddle DSG gearbox, its really well done:

GLI sedan:


GTI hatchback:



If you want to wait a year, the new camaro looks cool:


BTW, whats you're budget?