I'm starting to lean toward a Focus RS for a DD/occasional HPDE vehicle.

They're just starting to hit the used market here. Between 10 and 30k miles but all are at or above 30 thousand dollars.

It's tempting, but other options for me are more practical.

Failed/Leaking Head Gasket Resource Thread

Something to consider

Yeah, I've seen that. Rumor is that Ford has a fix for all cars.

But then there are cars like the Vorshlag car that Terry's friend owns. It's been beat on since new and hasn't had any problems.

My two daily drivers in one picture: 2009 Mazdaspeed3 for summer commuting and backroad shredding and 2004 Silverado 2500HD (6.0 gas motor) for winter and towing.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4327e2dd6e.jpg

Yes, the head gasket failures aren't isolated from what I've been following.

As far as the fix...3 more ft-lbs on the studs, and 2 less psi? Something on par with the PCM update for the E-diff over-temp issue.

My daily beater, an 07 Burb fully loaded. Too often I hear from people "Hey, you could open the rear hatch on that thing and put your Miata in there!"
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5bbe288a99.jpg

Started my daily driver, (01 NB) in 0F temperature after sitting for 10 days just now.

Fired right up. What a great car. Haven't changed the battery in 6 years.

Nice, do you have the normal sized battery?

I have the deka ev14 i think, and it cranks kinda slow in 10*F

This is my daily, I call it "The Truck":

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/397/31...0466121b_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/773/31...c8d78a63_b.jpg

It has quite high mileage so it's not worth much at all. It's great to be able to throw the bikes in the back or other stuff and not worry about the car. In saying that I still try to take good care of it.

It has a turbo diesel engine so it gets quite good economy. It's no 135i but it's still surprisingly quick! Being RWD is fun, too.

Yeah. Just the regular battery. I believe it's from Walmart.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1b120b9831.png


I'm starting to shop for a new car; I need more doors.

I think #1 on my list is a 2013 550i xDrive m-sport.

I drive a 2008 vw jetta as my daily. Have had it for 7 years and am shopping as well. I test drove a ford focus ST and really liked it! Not sure what else compares besides a GTI.

I was looking at them before I bought my WRX. they scream 18-24yo to me, and I don't like FWD.

but yeah, not a lot of hot hatch game anymore. you could Fiesta, Golf GTI or R, Mini S, older MS3, fiat 500, and the freaking veloster I guess...

My list is currently the 550i xdrive and CLS550 4matic. lol. I was considering the XF SC, but there's too much I dislike about it. The ATS V6 is on the long list. I was sold on a Q50s Hybrid AWD but the lack of a trunk and/or fold down rear seats was a deal breaker.

Yeah I'm a child at heart! Lol. They seem to oversteer when u get into turns hard which is fun! I like wrxs and will definitely be test driving them but not sure of newer body styling... i liked the 2011 hatches.

Those new jaguars look sharp. Sounds like your budget is way above mine lol! I think those focus RS' are glorious! I just dont want to spend 42k on a car

Just out of curiosity, what have you cross-shopped? Usually BMW, Merc, and Audi get shopped together, but Volvo seems to be trying to get into that market and I guess Lexus and Cadillac could get included sometimes.

Edit: it looks like you answered my question before I hit the post button. Did you look at Volvo at all? I haven't been in a Mercedes lately, but my Volvo is on par with the few BMWs I've been in in the past.

I daily my 2015 Sienna Limited. Once you get used to driving a Miata, the "man driving minivan" jokes tend to roll right off.

Fits in a normal parking spot. Amazing turning radius. 20-22 mpg. Some day my turbo Miata will beat it off the line. With the low floor, huge side doors and Airlift bags I put in the rear suspension, it hauls stuff like nothing else. I use it as a camper for weekend mountain biking trips; it fits a full sized cot with mattress easily, along with all my stuff. I'm trying to figure out how I can use it to tow the Miata to the track... tough to pull off with a 3500 lb limit though, unless I get a Featherlite trailer.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a6f122ed49.jpg

The WRX does NOT oversteer, it PLOWS first, then oversteers a tiny bit out of the median you ran into. Such a disappointingly handling car. Mine even has aftermarket sways on it, where I had the rear on the stiff setting and front on softest. I was going to find a stock sway to toss on the rear it was that bad. Snow driving was treacherous.

the 4matic in my MB is AMAZING. He just this morning in the snow you have all the confidence in the world, you can control your drift angle with throttle and steering, it catches you getting into a understeer situation and correct it by send the power to any other wheel. it's truly awesome.

I had a LOT of gripes about the WRX (09 hatch) so I sold it for the MB. It was a bit quicker in a straight line (after tuning), but I love all the TQ out of my v6. I spent a LOT of time getting the throttle to not feel like a flaccid dick in my hands with that WRX too.

The S60 T5 AWD, I guess, would get tossed in there. Meh. the exterior styling is so forgettable and the interior looks like a cheap economy car with a minimalistic center console that was beyond outdated -- so glad they finally got rid of it.

I don't like that the AWD keeps 95% of the power to the front wheels, and only engages the rears in a slippery situation, unlike the XF which keeps 95% of the power in the rear wheels.

and a 6.6sec 0-60 is SLOW BALLS.

the new cx60 looks cool though, not that I'm in the market for it.


And I'm really not looking at Audis at all. there's a few I would really like, but, I'm not interested in a car that lives at the shop. Right now, the 550i hits all the points for me -- and there's tuning potential with the BMW where the rest don't really have the options for it. something like an instant extra 100hp with an ecu.

I also have the is350 AWD f-sport on the list, but the interior is a bit meh, and they are really $$$$$$$.

I'm really sad about the trunk of the Q50s, the hybrid engine gives you a 75 bump in hp and acts like a SC -- instant TQ anywhere in the powerband. Gets great MPG for the performance -- the regular V6 felt a bit underwhelming in comparison. I liked the interior and the car felt nice to drive.

the E-series is not really doing it for me for MB. I'd want an E550, but for my price range, that would keep in the body style before the redesign and I think that's a pretty boring design. Honestly, I'd buy my same car again in 4dr. But here's the stupid thing. I have a C350 4matic. So a 3.5L AWD. In the sedan, if you want the 3.5L, you can only get it in the RWD Sport model. If you want 4matic, you can only get it in the 3.0L non-sport model. really annoys me.

I don't know anything about them but I've seen a new Volvo S90 around town a couple of times and it looks really sharp. But I never buy new vehicles because I hate the idea of new vehicle depreciation.

better for sure, but out of price range.