Opinions: the ultimate "summer beater"?

[SPF2006]

Posing this question on behalf of my wife, who has more experience and better performance driving skills than I do. This is based on a recent conversation we had about what constitutes the ideal summer beater -- her term, i.e., inverting the standard formula and using the nice, reliable AWD car in winter, but having something performance oriented but semi-disposable to throw about in good weather ... while ferrying kids and doing other daily tasks. Car ideally would have the following attributes:

- Reasonably cheap (no budget for new/fancy/expensive) and solid. Ideally wrenchable. Attractive.
- Mid-size, needs to accommodate kids/car seat and gear
- Good power band that opens up at higher RPM (as the M30 does when pushed) -- distribution of power matters, vice delivery of raw horsepower (less important)
- Good, tight performance suspension (either as stock or with tasteful, limited mods within reason)
- Good, tight steering and responsive braking out of the box
- Good exhaust note
- Three pedals (no compromising there)
- Airbags (front/side/curtain), integrated child seat tethers (LATCH/anchors/etc.) and modern safety equipment -- vehicle must be kid-safe
- Could be BMW but does not have to be

Options? An obvious frame of reference might be the e39 but really interested in the variety of opinions available here. Thank you in advance.

[offroadkarter]

I think you literally described this

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/2002-b ... rt-not-m5/

my only other idea, and this is totally left field for a BMW forum, would be one of these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Subaru-Legacy-L ... 2368629984

06-08 Legacy GT B-spec. Its literally a WRX that doesn't make you look like someone who wants to talk about vape juice and monster energy drinks. In 2006 only 500 were made and they had a 5spd manual, 07-08 weren't as limited and they could be had with a 6spd manual.

Those are my two ideas at 1:15am

[dsmith]

What he said. Can't beat a turbo Subaru, based on the criteria.

[Cactus]

What he said. Can't beat a turbo Subaru, based on the criteria.

I didn't read the criteria, was one of them blowing up a transmission or losing turbocharger bearings?

[dsmith]

What he said. Can't beat a turbo Subaru, based on the criteria.

I didn't read the criteria, was one of them blowing up a transmission or losing turbocharger bearings?

Doesn't happen on stock cars and mature drivers. Breaking transmissions is a driver issue. These cars are pretty cheap and mostly driven by new drivers that don't even know how to drive a stick. Kind of like teenagers getting ahold of F body cars.

Wheel bearings, though, get replaced every year with track use.

That said, like any cheap performance car, ownership history is paramount.

[Cactus]

I know a disproportionate number of Subaru owners that have gone through engines. Both adult owned street driven and kid owned rode hard put away wet. At my most recent track day, the only car I saw on a tow truck was an STi. Then again, I've seen plenty of other cars towed off a track. Usually it's because of a money shift or crash damage, rather than a mechanical issue.

[offroadkarter]

I know a disproportionate number of Subaru owners that have gone through engines. Both adult owned street driven and kid owned rode hard put away wet. At my most recent track day, the only car I saw on a tow truck was an STi. Then again, I've seen plenty of other cars towed off a track. Usually it's because of a money shift or crash damage, rather than a mechanical issue.

I've seen plenty of ///M cars that have blown up, hell I test drove a 08 E90 M3 yesterday with 80k miles and was on engine # 2 because the rod bearings failed (which is also common S85's, S54's pre recall and to some extent S62's). Hell, jalopnik had an article recently saying BMW makes shit engines (yet again, F*** jalopnik).

I mean, shit happens right?

The "glass transmission" Subaru reputation usually came from WRX owners doing standing start launches at 4500+RPM. If you're going to go after Subaru for anything, mention headgaskets and the "ring of fire" oil filter change.


I can't think of anything else really without going too old, or going too expensive. The manual trans part is what is stopping me from other suggestions.


OP whats a realistic budget? Reasonably cheap to some people can mean $2500 or $25,000.

[dsmith]

OP whats a realistic budget? Reasonably cheap to some people can mean $2500 or $25,000.

So true. I knew a guy who daily drove a Ferrari F40 and would put $50k into it to whore it out at track days for others to drive.

[demetk]

My choice would be an e34 535 with a nice turbo and coilover suspension. Oh wait, I have one of those.

New and fast is always enticing IF you can overcome the ensuing and rapid depreciation that comes with that.

[slack]

E46 330i with performance package?

[offroadkarter]

E46 330i with performance package?

ZHP's are neat, just be warned that people DO want them, so they do have some form of value.

[rmiddendorf]

E46 330i with performance package?

ZHP's are neat, just be warned that people DO want them, so they do have some form of value.

I think there were E46 330i's that had performance packages that weren't the desirable ZHP. I'd check those out. My E90 330i was an awesome car, just not fun to work on and mostly plastic. Watch those engines because they like to weep oil from every seal.

[Kenny Blankenship]

Just thinking outside the box...have you ever driven a car with 369 ft/lbs of torque? This would make me reconsider the 3 pedal requirement.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale ... 5384&Log=0

[Tammer in Philly]

Just thinking outside the box...have you ever driven a car with 369 ft/lbs of torque? This would make me reconsider the 3 pedal requirement.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale ... 5384&Log=0

Mike Skeen just sold his old daily, an E91 diesel wagon w/ 8-speed auto (they all are). Sweet car with sport package. I would consider one of those for regular use, even if an auto.

[Raj]

E320 cdi listed above is a phenomenal car! Got one for my mom back in '05 (out of state with 7500 miles, as per CA law), and car has been the best we've ever owned (now with 230k miles). Hits 60 in under 7 seconds, gets about 32mpg combined (as high as 39 highway), and has tons of torque. Like that I-6/5spd drivetrain a lot more than the newer bluetec v6/7spd in uncle's gl320.

That being said, imo perfect summer beater would be a G35/37 sedan 6spd. Quick, handles great, and rock solid reliability

[Nesset]

Imo, a 2004-2006 Subaru Forester XT if you can find a manual.

They also made great winter hoonmobiles for very obvious all wheel drive reasons.

[Tammer in Philly]

If the budget can stretch into high teens/ low 20s, I would look very hard at an E91 wagon. 328i (no turbos), hydraulic steering, great handling, lots of space, better looking than the E90 or E92 IMO, and one of the last of the "old-style" BMWs. Yes, it has some electronic complexity (have to "register" a new battery, for example), but at the core still following the old formula: practical, NA straight-six, RWD, manual trans.

I did the clutch on my dad's E82 135i (2009) this past spring and it was a bitch of a job. I can't imagine doing turbo service on it. But the NA cars make good power and are much simpler packaging-wise, and much more reliable.

-tammer

[BDKawey]

as stated in the first post, the spec b is a fantastic car. subaru manual transmissions are fine, can handle some spirited driving but no transmission wants to be dumped at 5000+ rpm over and over. subaru auto transmissions are poop though.

yeah the spec b is great but it is quite a bit more costly than the regular legacy gt which still has the same power and almost all the options as the spec b. you definitely described a subaru though. and i would recommend an 05+ legacy gt or a forester xt over a wrx any day, especially with your children/car seat requirement.

[SPF2006]

Update: a nice-looking ZHP popped up for sale right here in town that might be viable. Higher mileage but appears decently maintained, so it caught our attention. We would need to sell the venerable X3 (3.0 w/ 6-speed gearbox), which has served us very well for the past three years, to make that happen. I might put a feeler out on this board to in case there is any interest.

[SPF2006]

Well, the ZHP definitely answered the mail for my wife, and then some. Thanks to all who offered their inputs on this thread. Some very spirited driving is in her future. She is very happy with the car, which makes me very happy.