If you’re looking at new only under $30k, that’s about it. Maybe a WRX, but that’s more of a daily driver than a fun car (so is the GTI). If you’re open to used, there are a lot more options.

Go with the Toyota 86, it is the car that checks every box you just listed.

How do you submit a “What Car Should I Buy?” I’m hitting a midlife crisis and my wife has (tentatively) signed off on a fun car. I don’t care THAT much about 0-60 times, but want something that handles lots and lots of curvy roads, as I live in WV. Plus I don’t have that much money to devote to the thing. Basically I…

based on the headline, I’d say an older pickup truck and start your country music career

I think these cars are so fun that I named my real life self after the parent company and now have about four smarts. :3

now that it’s been framed this way I don’t see how I didn’t realize that electric torque + RWD + total weight of 2094 lbs = party machine

I can!

Who tracks an R8? This is a car you drive through the alps with your turtle neck wearing wife to a sterile Swiss hotel, for some mild fun. The R8 was always the remarkably unremarkable choice. VAG has other products if you care about lap times or spilling your cocaine.

I am an unabashed McParland stan, because I love the common sense car talk. It’s not always sexy, but it sure is helpful when I want to explain car buying to an audience that is generally not interested in cars, car buying, car ownership, etc.

Considering your terrible car history, getting into so competent as a modern Japanese or German car could be too much and lead to depression for having missed out for so long, so let’s go half way, or as I should say, half-ass.

Haha, just posted the same. Especially after having gotten some thoughts on this with you earlier this week on the 460 it’s like this challenge was coming from within my own brain.

Hey a Prado-xus!

I saw the new Camry on the road recently and said out loud, “Wow, the new Camry looks sick.”

Because if you have enough discipline, the Camry could easily still be running in 2036. The new vs used debate becomes almost trivial if you keep a car long enough. But few have the discipline to do this and since this gentleman is looking at cars after only 2 years he may not.

Wants: Fun & reliable

It’s obvious what he needs.

Big cars rock, I went from a 99 Cadillac DeVille de Elegance to a 2003 Honda Civic ex. I love them both. One for the floaty take your time mafia feel and the other for it’s nimble go-kart like handling.

I would take a GM truck from that era, or anything 3800 powered, as far as hand-me-downs go.

Pretty much any grandma car or Toyota. Grandma cars tend to be more interesting as they have lots of untapped potential (ask a man who owns one)

A Grand Marquis. Once someone learns how to drive one they’ll be able to drive anything smaller than it with no issue - add on their reliability and the ease of working on them, and you’ve got a good contender IMO.