RWD stick shift "family" car... and fairly recent?

I give up.
Kid #2 is on the way... so I'm car shopping.

I don't want a minivan, and neither does the wife. However, her Beretta
is 16 years old, my Jimmy is dead, the truck is a regular cab, and the
TA is parked for 6 months of the year.

All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
about $20k.

It can't be too old - the wife equates old with unreliable, and with the
winters here, that's probably not a totally unfair request.

I just can't do the front wheel drive thing.

I drove a Camry. Nice car, but the whole time I was thinking "I could
never buy this..."

Oh, and you can suggest any car in North America other than the GTO
because GM didn't certify it for Canada. <sigh>

So, fire away with car choices. I'm curious if anyone can find
something that would satisfy my fairly simple criteria... because I can't.

Ray

*car=car. not a truck, but a car.

ray wrote:
> I give up.
> Kid #2 is on the way... so I'm car shopping.
>
> I don't want a minivan, and neither does the wife. However, her Beretta
> is 16 years old, my Jimmy is dead, the truck is a regular cab, and the
> TA is parked for 6 months of the year.
>
> All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
> have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
> in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
> about $20k.
>
> It can't be too old - the wife equates old with unreliable, and with the
> winters here, that's probably not a totally unfair request.
>
> I just can't do the front wheel drive thing.
>
> I drove a Camry. Nice car, but the whole time I was thinking "I could
> never buy this..."
>
> Oh, and you can suggest any car in North America other than the GTO
> because GM didn't certify it for Canada. <sigh>
>
> So, fire away with car choices. I'm curious if anyone can find
> something that would satisfy my fairly simple criteria... because I can't.
>
> Ray
>
> *car=car. not a truck, but a car.

BMW 5-series?

Of course, my favorite was the E28 (late 80's) and IMHO all the more
recent ones have been "over-gadgetized" to the point that the average
shadetree mechanic will throw his hands up in disgust and start cussing
the Fatherland whenever something breaks and he realizes that it'll
take an electrical engineer to fix it.

If all wheel drive is OK, how about a Subaru? Sure, they're more like
a FWD than a RWD but... maybe drive one and see how you like it?

All I can say is, I feel your pain, brother. I'm hoping the get my '55
Stude coupe back on the road soon. My other car is a Porsche 944. I,
too, cannot do the FWD thing or the boring car thing, but there's
nothing new available that tempts me to spend the megabucks. I could
see me driving a S2000 or maybe a WRX or even a Boxter... but the
prices...

nate

ray wrote:
>
> All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
> have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
> in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
> about $20k.

Mustang.

On 8/19/06 6:23 PM, in article F3NFg.435172$IK3.245253@pd7tw1no, "ray"
> wrote:

> I give up.
> Kid #2 is on the way... so I'm car shopping.
>
> I don't want a minivan, and neither does the wife. However, her Beretta
> is 16 years old, my Jimmy is dead, the truck is a regular cab, and the
> TA is parked for 6 months of the year.
>
> All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
> have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
> in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
> about $20k.
>
> It can't be too old - the wife equates old with unreliable, and with the
> winters here, that's probably not a totally unfair request.
>
> I just can't do the front wheel drive thing.
>
> I drove a Camry. Nice car, but the whole time I was thinking "I could
> never buy this..."
>
> Oh, and you can suggest any car in North America other than the GTO
> because GM didn't certify it for Canada. <sigh>
>
> So, fire away with car choices. I'm curious if anyone can find
> something that would satisfy my fairly simple criteria... because I can't.
>
> Ray
>
> *car=car. not a truck, but a car.

A used G35 might match your desires.

« Paul » wrote:
> ray wrote:
>
>>All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
>>have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
>>in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
>>about $20k.
>
>
> Mustang.

Uh huh. Ever ridden in the back seat of a Mustang? Go to
fordvehicles.com and look at the interior pics. I need a _real_ back
seat... not huge, but not one of those fake back seats like my Trans Am
has.

Ray

N8N wrote:
> ray wrote:
>
>>I give up.
>>Kid #2 is on the way... so I'm car shopping.
>>
>>I don't want a minivan, and neither does the wife. However, her Beretta
>>is 16 years old, my Jimmy is dead, the truck is a regular cab, and the
>>TA is parked for 6 months of the year.
>>
>>All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
>>have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
>>in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
>>about $20k.
>>
>>It can't be too old - the wife equates old with unreliable, and with the
>>winters here, that's probably not a totally unfair request.
>>
>>I just can't do the front wheel drive thing.
>>
>>I drove a Camry. Nice car, but the whole time I was thinking "I could
>>never buy this..."
>>
>>Oh, and you can suggest any car in North America other than the GTO
>>because GM didn't certify it for Canada. <sigh>
>>
>>So, fire away with car choices. I'm curious if anyone can find
>>something that would satisfy my fairly simple criteria... because I can't.
>>
>>Ray
>>
>>*car=car. not a truck, but a car.
>
>
> BMW 5-series?
>
> Of course, my favorite was the E28 (late 80's) and IMHO all the more
> recent ones have been "over-gadgetized" to the point that the average
> shadetree mechanic will throw his hands up in disgust and start cussing
> the Fatherland whenever something breaks and he realizes that it'll
> take an electrical engineer to fix it.
>
> If all wheel drive is OK, how about a Subaru? Sure, they're more like
> a FWD than a RWD but... maybe drive one and see how you like it?
>
> All I can say is, I feel your pain, brother. I'm hoping the get my '55
> Stude coupe back on the road soon. My other car is a Porsche 944. I,
> too, cannot do the FWD thing or the boring car thing, but there's
> nothing new available that tempts me to spend the megabucks. I could
> see me driving a S2000 or maybe a WRX or even a Boxter... but the
> prices...
>
> nate
>

I looked at a WRX. I liked it. The problem is the cheapest ones I can
find are $20,000. And it hurts that my V8 powered Trans Am gets BETTER
fuel economy... (5.7L @ 19/28 vs 2.0L @ 20/27)

I was thinking BMW 3 series due to the cost, but BMW is definitely on
the list of cars I need to look at... I almost bid on an old 7 series on
ebay that went for only $2500...

Thanks,
Ray

E Meyer wrote:
>
>
> A used G35 might match your desires.
>

Hmm... THAT one is new to me. Might be a bit pricey for my current
(cheap) budget, but because it CAN come with a stick might make it worth
looking at one just to see if I like the rest of the car.

Thanks. That one's been added to the list of cars to check in the
"might actually like" category instead of the "sucky minivan I'll
probably end up buying" category.

Ray

ray wrote:
>
> « Paul » wrote:
> > ray wrote:
> >
> >>All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
> >>have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
> >>in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
> >>about $20k.
> >
> >
> > Mustang.
>
> Uh huh. Ever ridden in the back seat of a Mustang? Go to
> fordvehicles.com and look at the interior pics. I need a _real_ back
> seat... not huge, but not one of those fake back seats like my Trans Am
> has.
>
> Ray

Won't two baby seats fit in the back of a Mustang?
I know one fits quite well.

« Paul » wrote:
> ray wrote:
>
>>« Paul » wrote:
>>
>>>ray wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
>>>>have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
>>>>in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
>>>>about $20k.
>>>
>>>
>>>Mustang.
>>
>>Uh huh. Ever ridden in the back seat of a Mustang? Go to
>>fordvehicles.com and look at the interior pics. I need a _real_ back
>>seat... not huge, but not one of those fake back seats like my Trans Am
>>has.
>>
>>Ray
>
>
> Won't two baby seats fit in the back of a Mustang?
> I know one fits quite well.

Probably about as well as they fit in my Trans Am. They fit, but the
kids better have short legs. Judging by the pics of Ford's website, the
amount of legroom looks ... well ... nil. I'm 6 feet tall, so the
seat goes back pretty far. Oh, and a reverse facing seat... means the
passenger is kissing the dash.

Just not practical enough.

Ray

ray wrote:
>
> « Paul » wrote:
> > ray wrote:
> >
> >>« Paul » wrote:
> >>
> >>>ray wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>All I want is a rear wheel drive car* with a stick shift. It doesn't
> >>>>have to be a V8, but it does have to have enough room for two baby seats
> >>>>in it. (all wheel drive is allowed.) Let's also say a price cap of
> >>>>about $20k.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Mustang.
> >>
> >>Uh huh. Ever ridden in the back seat of a Mustang? Go to
> >>fordvehicles.com and look at the interior pics. I need a _real_ back
> >>seat... not huge, but not one of those fake back seats like my Trans Am
> >>has.
> >>
> >>Ray
> >
> >
> > Won't two baby seats fit in the back of a Mustang?
> > I know one fits quite well.
>
> Probably about as well as they fit in my Trans Am. They fit, but the
> kids better have short legs. Judging by the pics of Ford's website, the
> amount of legroom looks ... well ... nil. I'm 6 feet tall, so the
> seat goes back pretty far. Oh, and a reverse facing seat... means the
> passenger is kissing the dash.
>
> Just not practical enough.
>
> Ray

Hmmm... I've been looking at cars myself lately.
I really don't think there is one that fits your requirements.
As someone else mentioned, the G-35 is very nice but prices for a used one with
60k miles start at about $23k. That's why I don't have one.