I get it, putting it in terms of a full time job just helped me understand the magnitude. For my potential hypothetical project car, I am probably looking at something that takes a more casual approach.

I had to do a double take here as well.  I have fantasized about buying an old E30 to tinker on, but this scares the hell out of me.    990 hours is literally a full time job for 6 months.   

Indeed. I owned an 85 Civic Si into the late 90's that was fantastic, fun and reliable. It was fuel injected though which was a big difference from this one.

Carburated and a few of us remember driving these back in the day. I drove an 85 Civic Si in college. Was a blast to drive and had a good bit more hp than this one.... and was fuel injected. Even then at the rate of decay that it’s body was experiencing in the late 90's, I can’t imagine owning one 20 years later.

But actual critical thought and nuanced thinking requires so much effort. Thinking is hard!

I’m an architect.  Many times in my career I did one shitty option to make the “obvious” option more obvious.   Eventually I learned that the suits will pick the “shitty” option because reasons.  

The past few generations of 3 series touring (F31/N21) have shared the exact same length and wheelbase as the sedan counterpart, and each generation grows a few inches. The current N20/N21 is still a few inches shorter than the E39 5 series that came out in the mid 90’s.

Came for this.  Left (quickly) satisfied. 

Issue is run flats on big wheels with super low profiles.  No flex in sidewalls.    My 3 series wagon has 215/50r17 run flats and the ride is fine.   Intentionally found one with 17’s as I spent a fortune on pothole repairs with my previous car, a GTI with 40 series tires.   

Agree and it is madness on the terrible roads in the Midwest. I recently traded my 2015 GTI in for a 2014 328i Wagon and specifically looked for one with the 17” wheels because I’ve spent a small fortune on pothole repairs. I’m sure I will forever be shunned by the BMW bros on the forums who all “upgrade” to 20’s.

I just bought a used 328i wagon that nails all of these boxes.  Can get CPO for $30k.  All roads around same price.  Or Volvo.  

More range = more batteries, more weight, more cost, worse economy etc...this car is about keeping it simple. The Miata has a comparatively shitty horsepower compared to any of its contemporaries, but does that make it a shitty car?   Sometimes less is more.  

I owned a modern diesel, a white sport wagon , no soot anywhere on the back of the car except on the back of the tailpipe, but that is true of any direct injection motor. My tail pipe on my GTI and 328i is just as bad.

Plenty of Urban and Suburban households have access to a garage and live in a single family home.  Over 70% of the U.S. households.   I get that the 220v thing is an obstacle but I can add one for about $1000 to my century old house.   If somehow you could finance this with the car....

But it will happily make that 60 hp for the next 1000 years.   

The entire front end of this car is a disaster that spits in the face of rational design.... and don’t get me started on Nissans forced giant corporate grill chrome “V” grill that looks bad on every vehicle they tack it on.

In fairness, judging by his grammar and level of discourse, he is probably in middle school. Don’t assume that everyone with a Kinja account is an adult.

Pretty much true of any overseas travel anywhere? Or automobile travel in general.  Jalopnik is a blog dedicated to (mostly motorized) transportation so that standard would wipe out most of the articles, especially David Tracy’s Jeeps.  

Underrated response. 

I bought/drive a used 3 series wagon now, and luckily presently fit your uncompromised definition of an enthusiast, but recognize that life is about compromise and enthusiasm comes in different forms.