Gotta agree with you, and after owning a Cooper, I never wanna sit in that crap again.
Awful cars, stay away.

 

Mine has been on more or less constantly for the las 8 years or so and the car has not spontaneously combusted yet...


twice. No love loss here for that imperialist effer.

 

You've had two of them

 

The Elantra makes 30mpg city and 44mpg hwy. You'll be driving a Huyandi, but still...at least it has a 6-sp manual

Not the most powerful, but good power to weight. and cheap with a damn good warranty.

 

Actually a guy I work with has a 4 door colbalt ss turbo. Nice looking car and quicker than stink with a reflash. Not sure on the gas mileage.


I also saw a badass looking HHR SS at a trade show recently.

 

Yeah same here. I'm trying to get Meg to trade hers in before I need to change the clutch and/or replace the supercharger. Trying to get her to get a new turbo Optima. Cheaper than the turbo Sonata by like $1000 and looks nicer both outside & in, and otherwise the same-ish car.

 

2011 Chevy Malibu

1. 3 years general, 5 years powertrain, 6 years rust warranty
2. Reasonably roomy 4 seater, supposably seats 5
3. 22 city/33 highway
4. Retail for the top of the line model, brand new, is $27k
5. 1/20.2 power to weight
6. 15 cu. ft. trunk space. (compare to 12 cu. ft. in civic lx sedan / 5 cu. ft. in a miata)



bonus points (optional):

a) > 40mpg
b) < 30k new (2010: 22k, 2009: 14k)
c) > 1/13 power/weight ratio
d) general awesomeness. My opinion: Looks killer

 

Wait what's wrong with a mini cooper? My GF wanted to by a Mini cooper S but I sold her on the mazdaspeed miata. I was worried about bullshit problems with the Mini. Are there a lot of **** problems that someone mechanically ambitious couldn't easily fix?

 

Not to hijack, but our '03 has phantom electrical gremlins. Passenger window stops working from time to time, requires a firm punch to a certain area on the door (sticky relays). Sunroof is sticky. Radiator has holes. LOUD inside due to garabe or nonexistant sound deadening. HK amp took a **** a while ago. little knobbie for the vents break. HVAC system smells like mold regardless of the 'fixes' or procedures mini comes up with for it. Heavy flywheel. Funny clutch. Back of car/rear window gets dirty after 1/4 mile of driving. Windshield washer nozzles suck. Changing oil required buying a 36mm socket. Uhh I'm sure there's more.

But they handle awesome, are pretty quick when you whine them out, and are great on gas when women drive 'em.

 

30 mpg hiway.

Excellent for a car with such power.
I hear the suspension tuning is fantastic on real world backroads too, and not harsh.

 

Really, When I tried to build one, the turbo is only auto.. Am I missing something?

 

Probably because the Elantra doesn't come with a turbo...

 

nissan cube brah
comes with a turbo too

 

I had one as a rental once.

As UGLY as it is, its got tons of room, great visibility, great gas mileage, and handles pretty good for a stock compact car too. I was impressed: might make a good appliance for the cheap price. You could vinyl wrap it in a brown paper bag print for teh lolz.

 

Find your favorite 4cyl car. Remove two adjacent pistons/rods and accompanying valves/springs/injectors. Plug off intake and exhaust ports so no oil gets out. Turbocharge remaining 2 cylinders. Profit.

 

So aside from looking like a vw beetle and pontiac aztec procreated and had a downs offspring, you're saying its not bad?

 

Ok it is a bit of stretch on the mileage but
2009-2011 WRX
265hp(300ftlbs stage 2), AWD, much better handling than the old rex.
Just get a DP and flash to stage 2 and you could probably get 30mpg on the highway if you keep your foot out of it. around town well..

 

30mpg is quite a bit of a stretch, but I guess possible if you absolutely never go over 10% throttle lol. That's the only reason I didn't suggest that car too, because otherwise they are NICE!!
So much fun and so practical its amazing.

 

Oh my badz, I was thinking sonota... I cant tell those damn things apart anyways.