Instead of trading my S2000 in after 6 years of faithful service . I'm toying with the idea of getting maybe a Honda Fit or possibly a base Suby Impreza as a daily driver and retire "Buttercup" to sunny day use only, maybe 5k a year. Shes got 91k on the clock now. The Fit will run me about $15k and yield 35mpg while the Impreza is about $17k but will only get around 22-24 mpg. I don't see gas prices ever coming down so I'm leaning towards the Fit even though the Impreza boasts an additional 61 hp. Any opinions?

 

Buy a base MINI. Even better mileage than the Fit.

 

the fit is just too small for me. I think I would get bored with it very fast.

I would go with the base impreza

 

Mini costs a lot more than either in fact the gas mileage would never pay for the extra cost.

However that's not to say the Mini is not a great and fun car, however it would be hard for me to get a base Mini when everyone wants a Mini S which would be even more money and less gas mileage.

I think either a Fit or Impreza would be nice cars. I have a Legacy which (I think) has same/similar engine as the Impreza and it does not have a high redline or a lot of power but it moves the car fairly well. Subarus come with a lot of features for the money (IMO).

I drove a Fit but have not driven an Impreza, but if I assume the Impreza is close to a Legacy for sure it will feel more substantial and (IMO) safer which is the price you pay in gas mileage.

I am getting ~27 MPG with my Legacy wagon (non-turbo) with manual tranny. I would expect the Impreza to be close or maybe better mileage than that since it's same power and weighs less.

Fit is the way to go for cost and may be more fun to drive owing to it's low weight, but it is underpowered and (IMO) showing it's age. The Fit has been out in the ROW for 5+ years and it's engine is clearly way behind the new Civic engine in refinment and power even tho the Civic gets just as good mileage.

I am waiting to see the new Fit which (I think) will be out sometime next year.

I would like to buy a Fit, but driving where I do on the HW with two or three ton cars and trucks all around, I would prefer a regular size car. Not saying that is all that matters, but until small cars start to be more common than large trucks on the road, I will stick with something with some weight to it.

 

i think the fun factor will be with the Fit though. i'm a WRX owner and love it but i think you'll find the Fit a better daily driver. you can't leave either cars alone though

 

Did you consider a base model VW Rabbit ? it has tons of standard features, feels very big inside, and it's fun to drive. you can get it for around 15k as well. if you are willing to pay 17k a Civic is a solid choice, specially the resale value.

 

If the base cooper looked like this I wouldnt mind

 

i wish i was in your shoes. i want a fit so badly.

 

I like the idea of the Rabbit too, but I wish that VW had kept the name "Golf". What about the new model GTI, say a year or so old?

I also think that the Fit would be a good choice. Check this out too:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9071228.016/ho...okyo-auto-salon

The newer fit looks nice in my opinion.

I have driven a Mini, not a base model but an S, a 2005 model. I really have to say that it handled nice, but the engine in the Mini S is not as smooth as a Honda Si's or even a Fit's for that matter. It certainly pales in comparison to the 2.0 litre turbo in the GTI or even the older 1.8 litre turbo in the older GTI. But what I really didn't like about the Mini was the tactility of the interior materials: very poor with lots of hard brittle plastic that frankly is out of place n a car costing as much as a Mini. I also have to admit that I don't like the looks of the Mini: retro is just a design language that I think goes nowhere.

 

[QUOTE=triman54,Dec 29 2007, 06:22 PM] I like the idea of the Rabbit too, but I wish that VW had kept the name "Golf".