What is your daily driver?

shelby27604

shelby27604

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Location
Efland NC
I just completed a 2,000 mile round trip in my daily driver (a 2010 Honda Fit clown car). Sadly the car has been reliable and fuel efficient....but it is boring. Been thinking about biting the bullet and getting something newer now that the market has slowed down.

I love my manual transmission vehicles, but I also love diesels....when my back acts up I daily the mega cab which is the best of both worlds, but at $5.50/gallon it is a hard sell for a daily.

Top wants/needs:
-Something that can get us to and from a trailhead.
-decent MPG
-comfortable
-room for dogs
-reliable with few nanny electronics.

Current list is a Subaru Crosstrek, an ecodiesel Ram 1500.

What do you daily?
 
I love my diesel DD (Audi A6 TDI), but current diesel-gas delta removes any economical advantage. Sounds like a diesel Wrangler would be good for you, but not sure if they offer a manual in that combo.
 
I like cheap beaters for a daily driver. I tried a new car, had a 2021 Mazda 3 for a year, but I just don't want to own/drive a new car.

Current daily is the same old $400 2000 Mazda Protege I've had for several years. And once I get it put back together, a 2001 Chevy Tracker will share daily duties.

Wife has new stuff as her daily, she has a 2023 Kia Soul and a 2018 Dodge Durango.
 
shelby27604 said:
What do you daily?
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2006 Honda Accord 2 Dr V6 with 287k

It is the epitome of....
shelby27604 said:
Sadly the car has been reliable and fuel efficient....but it is boring.
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It's had belts, plugs, oils, battery, and brakes replaced. Nothing else.

I USE to put $35 of fuel in it every 2 weeks, now its $47 and just drive it.

It's been my experience that if you want a DD you don't think about you buy a Honda or Toyota and you just go back and forth to work.

Some days I would PREFER a Rousch Mustang manual as a DD..that'd be friggin awesome. But I need my commute to be boring and thoughtless, and RELIABLE.

I spend my time on the way TO the office thinking about what I need to do when I get there. I spend my ride home trying to calm down from wanting to kill any particular architect on any given day. So anything with "character" would get me arrested. I save that car for weekends when I've not checked my email 😇😎

I'm currently eyeing the Ford Maverick hybrid. Getting 60mpg looks interesting. And it's boring enough to not think about. But it's not a Honda norr Toyota so I have to consider cost of operation
 
05 TJ. If I don’t drive my company vehicle I just drive the TJ. The mileage is similar to my dually and the fuel is cheaper. Unless I need the 3500 at the house for something it just stays at the farm these days.
 
This is the only vehicle I regret selling. First car purchase out of college and put 100k miles on it in 3 years. Legit 40mpg commuter with non-ethanol 87 and dropped to about 38mpg with 10% ethanol. 2002 ex 5 speed.

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After that I had an Si for a couple years, a 325i and a g8 gt briefly. Then DD my truck for 6 years.

Current DD is a 2006 Avalanche, but I don't drive much.
 
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2023 Toyota Camry...only new car I could fit in that was under 30k. Plan is to DD it until my son is ready to take it over as his daily, years down the road.

Boring car, no turbo, no hybrid, no start-stop bull chit, 35 plus mpg.

Wanted a manual, 300-plus hp commuter to replace my F150's commuter status...but bought a Camry.
 
Company car- 2022 Ford Escape Hybrid that gets 42+ mpg and almost 50 mpg if driven speed limit.
Kids have fuel sippers- 2015 VW Passat and 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback. Both get great mileage but Passat is more enjoyable to drive and roomier. The Honda just feels like an economy car…
 
05 Altima unless I need to haul something that wont fit in the trunk.Then its a 96 f-250 PSD.For long trips pulling something I have a 06 F-350 CC PSD.
 
jeepin' jen said:
2013 BMW 328i Msport - just enough zip to make me smile but not enough to get @Mulishajoe in trouble 🤣

Joe took over my 2006 4runner as his DD when I got the car.
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And here I thought MY wife was spoiled 😳


🤣😘
 
2019 Honda Accord Sport 2.0t
Fun enough to drive around town and gets good mileage and I don’t have to worry about anything on it

That said. I don’t drive a ton anymore since I work from home and have a itch for an audi rs3
 
2004 Toyota Sienna. Yep, mini van. With my family situation, it makes sense. I think all the time of having something else, but i might drive one forever. Keeping my mtn bike in the back safe and sound all the time is a huge plus. And the amount of different things i can fit in the back is great. Fuel economy is the main thing that lacks for me at about 20.
 
For a long time a Daewoo Nubira, My son in law has it on permanent lawn I guess, :confused: Tough as nails beat and driven like a go-cart, still boring. No Ac
After for almost as long a Ford Ranger 2wd 4banger. More utility and actually poorer mileage then the Daewoo. No frills but has AC.
Now my two feet or Kawasaki Mule when I am lazy.
Dodge or Ford Full size when work duty calls.

My Ideal commuter would be 2wd, hatch, and manual. Can you get a manual in anything anymore? B
Before diesel went nutso I dreamed of a manual swapped Cummins R2.8 repower In the Ranger. Alas that engine would cost more then the value of the truck and the engine is still way to strong for junking.
 
The 98 S10 trash,firewood, beater w the v6 and 210k. Gets 17 round town.
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I ordered 2 tires to replace the wore out back tires 4 days ago.
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They want to spin when it's raining.
I'm sure the Grabber A/TXs will fix that and help if it's snows. The old generals where awesome in snow and ice.
 
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An 85 S10 2.5/4spd or my Dmax if I'm going on a trip. I drive my other two trucks here and there. It's only like 8 miles to work.

Although the S10 has been to SC and NJ. It's probably the most reliable piece of junk I own. Get 22mpg regardless of what you do or how you drive it.
 
Old DD vs new DD. Old one was bland but got me from A to B…the Navigator is the ‘truck’…with the ‘tow package’…can handle upward of 9900lbs. It’s picked up air compressors, brought transmissions from storage to the house, moved a trailer or two…been a parts getter…and has transported a few sets of swampers.

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Wife DD’s the Expy…it was the ‘truck’ (also has the ‘tow package’)…but primarily pulls kid duty these days…

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The Navigator and Expidition both get 16ish mpg around town, and I’m not afraid to hook a trailer or go parts picking with either
 
DSM Turbos said:
That said. I don’t drive a ton anymore since I work from home and have a itch for an audi rs3
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I was eyeballing the RS lineup a few weeks ago, and that's the one I would pick too!
 
jeepinmatt said:
I was eyeballing the RS lineup a few weeks ago, and that's the one I would pick too!
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For what you get the price isn’t awful. I have heard they are really hard to get right now (what isn’t though). But I probably won’t come off 60k for a car. I didn’t want to spend this much even in the accord!
 
DD my F250 7.3 gaser. I love it but I miss my TDI Jetta. I'd like to find something manual to DD. I've been contemplating a vw diesel truck from the 80's. My parents had one when I was a kid. I'd love a manual LJ for DD. It would get about the same mileage as the 250 I think. I want something manual.
 
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