I'm starting to get the new car itch, and I'm looking around there is just about nothing out there that interests me that is at a price I'd be willing to pay.
I've never really been in this situation before. I've always loved to look at what new cars are out and even think about what I'd buy if something happened to my daily driver, but man is the selection out there bleak as hell. New or slightly used. Here is my short list, but even the cars on the list all have at least one (and most have 2 or 3) thing I've not crazy about.
New Mustang. Never been a Mustang-guy before but I saw the new one in person and I liked it more than I thought I would.
New or slightly used Camaro. Like the Mustang, it's more impractical that I really want, but still tempted.
WRX. I still haven't forgiven Subaru for phoning-it-in with this redesign. I'm actually hoping a mid-cycle refresh solves this issue.
Genesis G70. I really want to like this car.
Kia Stinger. The lack of a manual is really the biggest issue - love the hatch design. There's just something about this car that feels cheap. Which is weird because in higher trims, it really isn't a cheap car.
CT5-V. No not the Blackwing. I wish. I'd definitely onky be looking at used ones. I feel it is underrated car. It's got probably the best proportions of any regularly priced car on sale today. That long hood, short deck proportions is phenomenal.
Chevy Trax. The new one. This one is a total left field pick, but I'm totally digging the super low price and small, but not too small, size. A neighbor has one ans it's lower than most other crossovers so the wagon-ness of it really appeals to me.
Nizzan Z. Like the Camaro and Mustang, this is very impractical but the old-school nature of it (manual, RWD) is incredibly appealing.
Toyota GR Corolla. Lots to like about this, but I get the feeling it would be unobtainium because I sure fuck am not paying a dealer markup.
What's your short list of cars?
If my car died tomorrow I'd be looking at 30 year old cars. New cars don't excite me much. My commute is 15 minutes and I need something to occasionally haul big stuff for the house. Currently driving a lifted 99 Legacy wagon. Once I catch up with deferred maintenance (about $2k) the car will be perfect for my needs and reliable.
Looking at your list it looks like you want something on the sporty side. Do you ever to haul kids, groceries, etc?
My only comment for your choices is a bout the the Kia. I don't believe they try to do the right thing for their customers. They never took full responsibility for the exploding engines. Now with the "Kia Boys" hack they left customers on their own, again. I was caught up in the engine fiasco but my Kia is higher end so not easy to steal. The streets in my area were littered with stolen/trashed Kias for a while but I think the kids ran through the supply.
I'm with you on the 30 year old cars bit! I don't really want to own anything built long after 90 tbh, but have been looking longingly at some trucks from the late seventies to early eighties.
I just feel like, in general, automobile designs and engines have been going downhill for a while but it also could be that I'm poor and like to actually be able to repair my stuff. Some of those trucks from between the 70's to 90's? Easy as pie to repair, finding parts is the issue. Everything after around 2005 that I work on just gets increasingly complicated, with redundancies all around, meant for progress but breaking setbacks along with them.