I'm a lucky guy. I have an opportunity to buy another car this Fall, and still keep my 2003 Civic DX 5mt as a daily driver. For about the same amount of money I'll be able to get:

1. 1996 C4 Corvette
2. 2001 Mazda Miata
3. 2003 Subaru WRX STI
4. 2007 Honda Civic Sedan (4 door) Si

What do you think I should get? Remember now, I'm trying to be socially irresponsible here and **** my mother-in-law off. I'd also like to get something that my wife will not want to drive. And I'll be able to keep my present Civic as a daily driver.

If I get a WRX or Civic Sedan Si, I can get rid of the 2003 Civic DX, as they have four doors.....

So, what do you think?

 

The STI, no question.

Neither the Corvette nor the Miata have any decent back-seat. The Miata might be huge on economy fun, but it's kind of a little death trap. A friend of mine wrecked one and it wasn't pretty. As a Mazda owner myself, I can definately vouch for them on quality, high velocity impacts aside. All the guys at Car and Driver consistantly have nothing but good things to say about the Miata, too. I think it's been in their anual 10 Best list for a while now. But if practicality is an issue for you, a roadster might not be the best way to go.
The Corvette is a fantastic reward car but it's a little ostentatious and is going to drink more gasoline than you can drink water in a day. If you don't mind standing out in a crowd, spending loads of money on the car after the purchase price, and getting lumped in with all the other 'Vette owners, by all means, go ahead.

So you're down to the WRX and the '07 Si Sedan. Both will make great daily drivers, have four doors, and a big fun to drive factor. And we already know how good the 06 Si coupe is. But the Subaru wins out, I think, just by having all of the great features of the Si but also having AWD, a unique and feirce boxer engine, and a giant turbocharger.
Think about it: it's got the driving thrill of the Vette, the handling and agility of the Miata, and the practicality of the Si.
Your wife might be more inclined to drive the WRX, but you say in your first paragraph that you'll be able to keep your 03 Civic DX. Just hand that off to her entirely and she'll never need to drive the WRX.

 

That's just about the most well-reasoned and thought out post I've ever seen.

I have to totally agree, except on one point--my wife would love to drive a Miata (it's cute), hates Corvettes (have you noticed how many women do?), and will have nothing to do with anything that has any kind of airfoil on the back deck lid (except a MINI S, and she's already totalled hers). But hey, that's a particular woman, another variable in the equation. She'll drive my Civic, but thinks it's a bit beneath her...a new Si Sedan might be more her speed, except she tells me she wants a hybrid, because, "it's good for the planet."

Hey, you gotta love em.

You put some time into that, and I agree with you completely. Excellent points on the Miata and the Corvette.

Thanks.

 

I wish they'd hurry up and build a mean, fast, sporty hybrid already so we could pacify our wives while sparing us from driving some dork-wagon.

 

just three letters....WRX

 

Then a Vette would be my choice. Also you can get a used C5 Vette for the price of the other cars listed.

 

c5 vette

 

WRX for me

side note to My04Civc, how do u lyk ur magna flow exhaust?

 

I say the Vette!

 

Thanks for putting some thought into this, I can tell you've all wrestled with this kind of question before--it's only lately that I've had the financial wherewithal to be able to do this....

Well, I counted three votes for WRX and three for the Vette. Did I miss anyone?

The telling blow was one comment: "if you don't mind...getting lumped in with all the other 'Vette owners, by all means, go ahead."

Thanks. I love Vettes, and several of my friends own them, but only one of them actually drives his cars, if you know what I mean. I'd hate to be lumped in with the...ahem...thining, spreading crowd.

Plus, I went and drove a couple of WRXs today, and sat in an STi. Awesome. I hope NASA can build something like this to take the first people to Mars. It all just works.

And I've discovered I like Huge Aerofoils in my old age....