
Pontiac
Kevin lives successful D.C. and conscionable sewage a caller occupation but pinch a agelong commute. He will beryllium looking astatine astir an hr each way, but nan thrust has immoderate bully roads to enjoy. He wants a rear-drive car ideally pinch 3 pedals. With a fund up to $27,000 what car should he buy?
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Here is nan scenario.
I'm starting a caller occupation and will beryllium commuting ~20k+ miles per year, and americium looking for a caller mundane driver. We are a family of 3 pinch a 1.5yr aged kid and a dog. Current vehicles: 2010 Wrangler Unlimited Sport (6spd manual) that I will ne'er get free of for sentimental reasons and want to debar piling miles on, and a 2019 Golf Alltrack (also 6spd manual) that is our main family whip. Looking for thing nosy to walk 2hrs a time successful Mon-Fri and not excessively concerned astir practicality. Some winding roads on nan commute.
I'd emotion different manual, but would see an car for nan correct car. What I do not want is thing front-wheel-drive...I really want a rear-drive car. Though I would for illustration to debar nan emblematic American offerings. My fund tin beryllium thing ace inexpensive aliases up to $27,000.
Quick Facts:
Budget: up to $27,000
Location: Washington, D.C.
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Rear drive, ideally manual,
Doesn't want: Front thrust aliases American
Expert 1: Tom McParland - A Rare Wildcard Emerges

Autotrader.com
Kevin, this sounds for illustration a heck of a commute, but I ideate nan caller gig is worthy it. I tin wholly understand not wanting to beryllium successful a boring container for an hr each way, but besides support successful mind that if you spell excessively acold connected nan sporty end, you mightiness sacrifice your comfort. I besides ideate you would want immoderate modern tech, arsenic it's bully to watercourse euphony aliases perceive to a podcast, particularly since nan full thrust won't beryllium spent clipping apexes.
There is simply a car that tin springiness you everything you want, and you astir apt forgot astir it, you conscionable person to hunt for it. The Genesis G70, for a speedy moment, was disposable pinch a six-speed manual transmission. Granted it wasn't nan slickest shifting gearbox, but it will springiness you a spot much engagement successful a very competitory luxury athletics sedan that offers a batch of features and a little costs of ownership versus nan European competition. The G70 manual was only disposable pinch nan 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, but that centrifugal still put retired a respectable 270 hp, which should supply a bully equilibrium of passing powerfulness and respectable MPG. The G70s accumulation numbers were overmuch smaller than thing for illustration an A4 aliases a 3-series, and manual versions were very rare. According to Autotrader, location are less than 10 manual G70s for waste successful nan full country. However, there is simply a bully private-sale illustration that seems to beryllium well-cared for up successful New England if you don't mind buying thing further away.
Expert 2: Daniel Golson - You merit a existent sports car
It's simple: You request a Porsche, specifically a first-gen Cayman, I think. There are tons of 987s retired location pinch reasonably debased miles wrong your budget, successful truth you could moreover find a awesome Cayman S pinch a manual for little than $25k. Now astir of nan inexpensive Caymans retired location are successful boring colors, but successful this lawsuit I deliberation that's alright. You tin ever conscionable wrap it successful a Pink Pig livery yourself. Even though I cognize you're not concerned astir practicality, you get a batch of cargo abstraction successful nan Cayman, a value interior that is aging well, and nan readiness of immoderate nicer features for illustration xenon headlights, heated seats and a bully Bose sound system. (The listing I picked arsenic nan illustration present is simply a non-S, but 1 pinch a batch of options.) Porsche sells its caller PCCM CarPlay infotainment strategy for 987s, too.
You'll beryllium difficult pressed to find thing that will beryllium this comfortable and liveable connected nan annoying parts of your commute while being this nosy to thrust connected nan windy roadworthy parts of your commute, particularly successful position of outright sports cars. They'll moreover get adjacent to 30 mpg connected nan highway. These cars are besides beautiful reliable, and I wouldn't beryllium excessively concerned astir a high-mileage example. And it's a Porsche! You cognize you want a Porsche.
Expert 3: Amber DaSilva - Never enactment stock
Kevin, arsenic a New York resident, I cannot ideate really beardown your near limb is if you're dailying a manual successful D.C. — I figured I'd spell easy connected you present and find you a manual pinch a nice, ray clutch for that beltway traffic. I besides figured I'd get you thing pinch a rear spot to haul nan kid successful a pinch, which narrows your options down to 1 of my favourite cars: The Toyota GR86.
I owned nan anterior procreation of this car, nan Scion FR-S, and I loved it. This GR, though, is acold much modified than my Scion ever was. Advan wheels, HKS suspension, a Harrop supercharger — this point is afloat kitted out, fresh to grip immoderate twisty roadworthy you could perchance propulsion astatine it. There are easy complete $10,000 worthy of mods here, but nan afloat package is conscionable $27,000. That's a motion if I've ever seen one.As a manual wagon owner, you're intelligibly a personification of taste. I deliberation you'll admit nan high-quality parts bolted to this Toyobaru if you springiness them nan chance — return it for a trial drive, and I stake you'll time off it smiling. Get this GR86, and make your commute a small much interesting.