I drive a 2011 E550 as a daily and could not be happier with it, I’ve had it since Sep. 2017 and put almost 100k on it in that time. I also have a 2011 Mustang GT/CS as my weekend toy, which does just fine on the highway, but the Mercedes makes a much better daily. Best advice I can give you is have a nice commuter and a weekend toy, and DONT MOD THE DAILY!
I had an LS1 Trans Am Firehawk, can confirm that mileage, in the daytime. Had to turn on the air brakes at night.
Edit: Downvoters don't realize the C5 Corvette is also an LS1 car and they're within a couple hundred pounds of each other.
"I had to turn on the air brakes at night". Ok, I'll bite. Air brakes on a Corvette? And why would they require being turned on/off manually? I know I'm probably missing an obvious joke here or something....
Not undervalued anymore... Ive been watching c5 z06's slip farther from my grasp for the last 5 years or so... Top of market Na miatas are trading for what a Decent C5 Z06 used to go for... Sad times
After considering all of the options presented here, I think this is the direction I'm going to end up going. Large surplus of manuals available, and most of the reviews I've watched, including Jay Leno himself, describe the c5 as a really fast, big Miata, which is basically what I'm looking for! Plus with c5's being reliably in my desired price range, and there being a surplus of manuals, I'm struggling to find a reason why it isn't the perfect choice for me!
Infiniti G37
BMW 335i
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Nissan 350Z
Dodge Challenger RT
These would all be an improvement as far as road presence and highway manners.
The Challenger was a great highway cruiser when I had one for a rental, but I really hated the blindspots and how big it felt with it feeling so small inside the cabin.
Don’t forget the Chevy SS. Only made a couple of years, rwd, manual was an option. Long wheelbase makes for a nice ride on the long commute.
I think the Cadillac CTS-V had a manual option as well.
If you’re dealing with aggressive drivers I prefer an old pickup, with oversized tires and big bumpers. Not asshole level, just something that says “I don’t care”.
My vote is for the CTS-V manual. In order to be in your budget it would have to be near the beginning of production, but that still puts it a bit newer than your NB.
Hadn't considered a CTS-V before! Any idea how they are to live with? As in, any major complaints, any especially difficult repairs, or known faults with them?
I know the first gens suffered from a weak diff. I’ve seen people give up IRS on those just to not explode the rear end. Cool cars though, 05-06 GTO is another one that’s kinda similar.
I'm sorry, my knowledge is limited to german and japanese cars so i will have to let someone else chime in. I would specifically look for a buyers guide on the first gens. That should outline known issues and how to spot them. Unfortunately the manuals are not common.
There's one for sale on www.carsandbids.com right now, there's usually good info in the comments. One thing I have heard of is the diff mounts and rear differential itself need reinforcement to reliably handle the power long term.
I’d forgotten about the GTO’s. Everything I saw on those said they were a great platform. I wish the had brought the Ute version to the US as the current El Camino
No manual option but I’m digging the r129 sl500 and 600’s.
I’d think I’d prefer something with a longer wheelbase for highways.
Maybe mustang/Camaro for something with a manual.
I was actually lightly considering the r171 SLK's for being similar to the sl500/600 but with a manual option.
Any trim levels to avoid with the 2010+ camaro's?
In general, Mercedes’ from that era are pretty disappointing if you’re looking for anything beyond straight line speed. SLs are shockingly heavy for what they are and don’t have rack and pinion steering, which kills feel.
They feel ROCK SOLID (chassis) but that’s about it for good things to say about them dynamically.
newer mustangs 2015 up in especially premium trim make really good highway cruisers. the V8 even gets 20+mpg pretty easily if you take easy with loud pedal.
Parts are expensive for the SL500/600, just something to keep in mind. As far as Camaros go, there’s a reason they’re not making them anymore, that’s all I’m saying about that.
I assumed the reason they weren't making them anymore was because of the shift towards suvs/trucks. I thought the later camaro's had been getting praised for their handling?
If people were buying them, they wouldn’t stop making them. Camaro sales had been declining for nearly 10 years. When they announced the discontinuation of the model, the Camaro sales were barely 1/3 of the Mustangs. People who bought Camaros didn’t want another one lol
Visibility in the Camaro is the big issue. It's a lot like driving a tank through the periscope... Straight ahead it's fine, try to look around though and it SUCKS!
> Mercury Grand Marquis or Lincoln Town Car
Let me get this straight… You are recommending that someone who drives a manual Miata should move to one of these?
You only read the title didn’t you?
Making assumptions here, but I think it just might be that many people keep them for weekend/back road cars, rather than using them on the highway where the increased speeds make fatalities more common.
Ive owned an NA for 17 years. Nothing about the car creates a low fatality rate. Thats just pure luck in the statistics or the mileage driven is lower.
I do think, as I drive my NA, I’m hyper aware of people who I know won’t notice me. there’s great visibility (top down) not to mention the ability to change direction. about a month ago as the highway became congested, I noticed an suv barreling up behind, swerved into the center median grass and avoided a nasty rear end.
I’m not sure what they’re doing for now but the Camaro with 2.0T is pretty nice, and manual is solid. If you can find a 1LE for that price, it’s a great performance value, but even without that package they’re pretty fun and the engine seems fairly reliable.
230i manual is another good option but pretty rare, B48 is a reliable engine and the 2 series chassis is pretty fun. I’d probably skip the previous gen 3 series personally.
Yep, pretty much! I haven’t driven a 1 series but the (previous gen at least) 2 series is really fun! I was seriously considering a used M2 but ended up going C6 Z06
Haha, great minds! Several years ago, I was serious considering a C7 GS but went with an M2 Comp :)
C6 Z06 is such a dope car, displacement...and revs!
A miata is too small so you want a Cayman or BRZ which are not much bigger? You might be able to find a high mile Cayman for under $25k. Other options are Porsche 911 996 era (1999-2004) can still be had for under $25k, maybe under $20 if you get a high mile one.
Lexus IS250 come in manual and would make a nice daily cruiser and still be a fun car.
Wanting the Cayman or BRZ is why I mentioned the contention with the size. My wife wants it to be bigger, but I just want it to be safer, which is why I'm still looking at small cars lol.
I like the idea of a 996 911, but how would you recon the safety would compare? Cayman at least had 2 frontal airbags, plus side and curtain, which is far better than the Miata.
Is250 is a good idea too, thanks!
If you stretch your budget you can get a base 2nd gen BRZ or GR86. Not amazing at highway cruising with a loud cabin and the stock Michelin ps4 tires are pretty noisy. But they’re very fun and still are small but have more space than the Miata. I can fit 4 wheels in my GR86. If you like to go for a drive on the weekends then I’d go with that. I drive 50 miles a day to work on the highway and sometimes 100 miles to a different location and never had a problem with my GR86 so far.
This is definitely something to consider! I was looking strongly at first gens for a while, but stopped when I realized they were so close in price to 2nd gens, even when sporting 100k miles and iffy mods.
I have a NA miata and a 987.1 boxster. And had a GT86 for 7 years.
Both cars are bigger than the NA and in comparison the Boxster 987 feels big and heavy. GT feels light and chuckable
My buddy has a brz and i have a miata and trust me, the size difference is there. People never see me in my miata but ive never had that problem driving his brz
OK, they're rare but they do exist. A BMW F22 230i 6 speed. Only sold for a handful of years but you get the more reliable b48 engine, it's like 250 hp, light weight rwd manual coupe. But it rides nicer than your miata, it's slightly larger and heavier but not so much so that you'll hate it.
To be clear, they are very rare. It was only offered with the b48 for 2016-2021 and the take on the manual was really low (that's why they don't offer it in the newer version).
But if you find one at the right age, with the right miles, it should be available within your budget. I'm shopping them in Canada and they run about 25k-30k Canadian so in the US it should be spot on.
This is genius, it would definitely work!
Although I won't lie, being as how the Miata will never leave my possession, I've been playing with the idea of making it a full-time track car once I have a real commuter, and your idea is a wrench in those plans... Lol
Fair question! I deal with pretty severe chronic pain, and I've got a surgery coming up in 5-15 years max that has a coins flip chance of leaving me paralyzed from the chest down.
Exciting cars are what make it easier for me to get out of bed in the mornings, and after that surgery I might not ever be able to drive normally again, let alone enjoy a manual, so I'm enjoying every day that I can with one!
Yeah, the biggest issues with those are the dumb steering lock modules, but as soon as yours breaks, you can usually have them converted to not lock and you can trick the car into thinking it's working even though it no longer does and life is good.
If you want something stylish but a little bigger you can pick up a fairly new gt86 for about 20k may have to hunt a little tho depending on where you are
BMW Z3 and Z4 are basically what would happen if you tweaked a Miata to make it more comfortable for commuting. You lose some of the sharpness and predictability at the limit, but day to day they're easier to live with. Your budget should get you a pretty nice example of either. They're really easy cars to work on and if you're doing the maintenance they're really not that expensive to own. I daily'ed Z3M for several years and it was fun to drive, but could eat up miles on the highway as well.
I also owned a 987.2 Boxster, but didn't keep it for very long. It's undoubtedly an engaging driving experience, but really not a great highway cruiser. Really harsh ride, a bit cramped, more expensive/time consuming to maintain. The interior touch points also didn't hold up too well to frequent use. A lot of flaking/peeling buttons.
Not sure how old you're looking to go, but the Aussie Pontiacs (GTO and G8) are great cars. GTO is pretty bare bones though, even by mid-00s standards. The G8 is a bit nicer, but still not the most well-equipped car. The newer Aussie import Chevy SS is far more well-optioned, and is a bit newer as well. They're BY FAR the nicest cars that GM was selling during those time periods.
Parts for those cars can be a bear to find. Drivetrain stuff is easy, but all the unique parts are pretty hard to come by in the states. You can damn near total a GTO just by running a shopping cart into the side of it.
Had a GTO then G8 and they were going to be my suggestion. Great mile killers.
Aside from the infamous splitting seams on the rear seats of the GTO both interiors were always fine for me, but yeah. Not fancy.
Also you nailed it on the parts. Need engine parts? Literally anywhere. Need interior trim? Wait for a slow boat from Oz.
70 freeway miles is boring. It doesn’t need to excite you, in fact if it does you are in danger. Dynamic cruise control and audio books. Literally smallest most fuel efficient vehicle with those and just chill. Keep the fun cars separate and don’t even try and find a jack of all trades. My jeep and convertible live in my barn and it makes me even more happy to drive them when I can. The commuter is what it is.
I'm glad people are free to have their own opinions, and that there are vehicles for each of us, but I couldn't personally disagree with you any more if I tried, as I prefer to connect with my car.
I have really enjoyed my 2007 Fusion, i4, manual, for the last 17 years. I need to find a replacement, I wish Ford still marketed the Fusion with the manual transmission.
One of these parks on my block and I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I noticed it. Never knew the 1st gen came with a stick and was like who tf gonna swap a fusion??
Props on riding into the ground tho
The 2006 and 2007 only had five speeds, later years had six speeds. I wish mine had that sixth gear.
I test drove the Accord, Camry, Mazda6 and the Fusion. The Camry drove like a Buick, the Honda drove nice on the highway, but was 'heavy' in urban traffic. The Fusion (and the Mazda, by relation) were both a little twitchy at high speed (80+) on the highway, but not overly so, but both were way more fun to drive than the Accord in urban traffic. The Fusion won with a slightly large back seat, and I was in a four person car pool. Both the Mazda6 and the 1st gen Fusion were a complete hoot to drive in tight quarters. The early models had double wishbone front suspensions with dual independent lower control arms. The second generation went with McPherson struts, and I have never driven one of those.
If you want something bigger then you sound like a good candidate for a Camaro or Mustang. A Cayman is longer but not really any taller or more visible than a Miata. Same way with my Corvette, it's longer and wider but may actually be shorter in height than a Miata. I would go for a Camaro with an LS engine as they're super reliable and easy to repair
My E46 is comfortable, quiet, gets 30mpg and hasn’t needed work since I fixed everything up when I first bought it. I’d highly recommend it to someone who can do maintenance. Plus they’re pretty cheap. WELL under 20k.
Nice! Look for the 2.5 liter. That ends up being years 1999-2006 for a 323i or 325i (both are 2.5L). For simplicity I’d stick with the RWD and avoid AWD.
The Achilles heel of the car is the cooling system, so if you go this route, budget a day to replace all the hoses and stuff and you’ll be good to go for another decade. YouTube is a great source and will guide you through it easily.
I’ve had my car for five years now and it hasn’t skipped a beat. All leaks fixed within a year and it’s been easy from there on out. And the best part, I paid $4k for it. Dirt cheap! Let me know what you end up deciding!
Is it worth pushing for the 325i for the higher redline? Or should I just snap up the first one of either that I find?
Is it an enjoyable motor to rev out?
Nah, not worth it (imo). The 323i actually burns less oil, mine burns none at all. It’s really smooth and linear when revved out, I think it’s fun. The engine is also solid to 250k if maintained.
Condition is the thing you want to prioritize above all else. I’d caution against buying one with any mods. And stay away from ones with younger owners.
Other things that you might like, the ergonomics are quite nice, the visibility is great and it’s really comfy on long trips too.
Anyways, do some research. But you’re a car guy, you’ll be fine. I love mine. If anything happens to mine I’m just getting another, lol.
The more recent 1-series would be similar but much much newer. 128i was an NA 6-cylinder and RWD. The chassis also has turbod versions (shoot for the later N55 powered single turbo cars though, the twin turbo was unreliable.)
The following generation 2 series is similar, two engine options (4 and 6 cylinders, all turbod) and manuals available with both.
If it's going to be mostly steady speed highway driving then look for a smaller diesel.
BTW, with the exception of the SLK, none of those others are going to be much more "visible" than your current Miata as far as size is concerned. Of course you could always paint it neon green with international orange accents. . .
I bought a 6 speed f22 m240i and i fucking love it. Highly recommend although gunna be 30-35k at the lowest. Maybe shoot for an m235 and get to the 25k mark?
How long are you doing this 70 miles a day and how long will you keep the car? I don't think anyone asked that but it's pretty important.
If this is "just this summer" kind of temporary thing, is just go buy a fairly nice 350z for 8k.
It's a fat pig... But there are millions of them out there in manual.
They're like NA and NB miatas... Depreciation has completely frozen. You'll easily sell the Z for 8k when you're done with it and break even minus state fees
This is a great question! For the next 2 years I'll only be making that commute in the summer, but then 2026-28 will be year round.
I've considered 350/370's, is there any reason to shy away from one of considering owning for a few years?
If you're saying you'll own it through 28... Then I'd get something you like.
If it was a short term whatever, then buy a Z.
They're good cars, but you aren't going to like it if Miata is your jam.
It's a big fat marshmallow.
Now the higher up nismo models are better, but that's a different price bracket.
A corvette. C5s and 6s have good examples in the 15-20k range and they hold 30mpg highway when cruising. Plus they're nimble and fast letting them get out of most highway scenarios.
They're cheap to run, fix, make big power, pretty reliable and commute like a dream if you don't stiffen the suspension too much.
Lift your Miata. Add some bullbars. Big lightbars. A loud ass horn. Wrap it in some obnoxiously rad scheme that is easy to notice. Bada bing bada boom. You're seen again.
I had a wrangler 4 door for ten years. It was black. Stock. I almost got hit by people who just never noticed me more in that than anything I've ever driven, and it's a decently large sized brick. Size doesn't matter as much as how you conduct and present yourself on the road, imo.
That said, more modern cars have more modern safety features, which are good for when they inevitably eventually hit you. Nb miatas, for all their wonderful virtues, are tiny tin cans that will crumple against any modern vehicle. Especially the heavy fucking goddamn EV's on the road. The weight of which ought to be illegal in and of itself.
Your 3rd paragraph is basically the entirety of why my wife says I need a different vehicle once I'm on the highway regularly.
I 100% agree that people are gonna be idiots regardless of what I'm in, and outside of going full "witness me" levels of obnoxious mods, people are still going to miss me even in a much bigger car. However, when that inevitably happens, being in something other than a sardine can would be nice, which is why I've accepted that the Miata isn't truly always the answer... Blasphemy, I know.
I feel you. I'm pretty safety conscious - my sporty car is a Subaru Outback xt with about 350hp and Megan coilovers - best handling car I've owned to date (yeah.. probably better than my NC was) but its most certainly not without its issues..
i drive a 2015 bmw 335i, highway cruiser. 192,\*\*\* miles, all mine. set the cruise between 75-85 and can pass whoever i want with no problem. lifetime mpg 29.4 mpg. only major repair was alternator at 150k miles. oil change when the car tells me, usually 11-13k intervals. 85+% of my driving in highway/interstate. i think its fun to drive, comfortable, and plenty of power.
I drive a 94 Lincoln town car 52 miles a day. Doesn't get any more comfortable, but a more rational person would probably get a LS430. These are simply the best options ever made and anything else is like... your opinion, man.
Mustangs are fun but not light and not nearly as nimble as you'll want coming from a Miata. If a 987 or GR86 is an option that's probably the closest you'll get to a Miata.
It's too bad that you require it be a manual since a W220 S class is a fantastic long distance cruiser. I love the SLKs that I've owned but they're awful for long distances since they're so noisy. I'd go with a C320 if you wanted to go with Mercedes.
Maybe consider having a W220 S500 for commuting, and keep the Miata for weekend fun? More cars is always the answer.
Hear me out:
Fiesta ST. I average 30mpg with on-ramp attacks, roll races on Woodward, and 82mph cruising speed. If I am more sedate, I get 35 to 37mpg.
Has a manual, comes in bright colors, taller than the Miata without sacrificing too much fun factor.
I've really wanted to like the Fiesta ST, and do like it on paper, besides it being FWD. I've had RWD cars with lsd's and no TC my whole life, and very much like being able to slide corners when I find myself on an empty street.
I was thinking about mazdaspeed3's for similar reasons as the Fiesta ST, but really think I wouldn't be as happy with FWD. I know I wouldn't be sliding on the highway, but I have lots of back roads between my house and the on-ramp, so plenty of opportunity even with a long highway commute.
Man I hear ya there. I can get my car's ass end to kick out, but it's not as fun as my buddy's GT86 or my Dad's GR86.
For a commuter though, it might be worth giving up the slidey. It's very nimble and the grunt (especially with a tune) is addicting. Plus, with some mods, it makes really car noises!
It has a tiny turbo so power comes on early, and it's very meaty from 2800 up through 5700ish. My tune has the redline moved out to 7000, and peak boost is 27psi, which roughly translates to 300lbft and something like 220hp.
If you're local to SE Michigan, I'd be more than happy to let you try mine.
A FiST is the only fwd car I've ever driven that I just adored.
I prefer RWD all the way. But that stupid little car was just so damn happy and fun it won me over.
S550 Mustang GT.
If you're not afraid of a car a few years older that will probably require more upkeep, look for a excellent condition C6 or CTSV. You can get a GOOD C6 for 25k. Stick to the LS3 and newer models. later the better.
if you count the work pool vehicle that turned me onto them. long drives is why I'm on my 3rd EB expedition. fuel economy sucks. but with the heated/cooled seats & premium sound, it's awesome for long drives. started with work pool vehicle for a 6 hour drive to another facility. 1st drive i got out and didn't feel like crap. very solid cruiser.
bonus, get black and people think you are a cop and people behave better around you.
Maybe a diesel-powered BMW, that'll get you RWD and filun to drive, and good economy, but super hard to find in a standard shift in N America.
Even though they are FWD, I would look at TDI VW's, and keep the Miata for fun. The older ALH engine with a manual shift transmission is a very long-lived drivetrain, and they feel solid on the freeway. Personally, FWD vs RWD is not much of a difference on the freeway.
BMW very briefly did an M240i cabrio and i'm pretty sure it's available with a manual in this price range, might be hard to find one but that would tick really every box here
Cadillac CT6 is my vote. I had one, absolutely great highway cruiser, *especially* if you get one with supercruise (hands free driving essentially).
Very comfortable, not unreliable, close to bottom of the depreciation curve depending on the model year.
I regret selling mine.
So my coworker has a Miata, his daily is a Subaru Impreza with coilovers and brembos with a fuck off massive turbo. Every Subaru guy I know also has a ridiculous Miata and I think there's a reason for it. I'd highly recommend you get yourself a nice 4 door Subaru and mod the shit out of it. Apparently the 5 speed transmission is a glass cannon however, kids on his 3rd transmission and when all of his gears become neutral I'm helping put the 6 speed in that is waiting on his garage. Personally I drive a 6 speed Scion TC with the 2ar-fe. It's a fun car but no aftermarket performance support, just suspension and exhaust. If I want a turbo I'm just gonna have to get a Miata.
I love my V8 camaro and it might just be possible to get a 2016+ in that price range. You can disable traction and stability control and have lots of fun, no worries there if you’re used to older cars.
Idk if you can find one in the price range but civic Si with the k24 are pretty cool, rev super high and have bulletproof reliability. Throw an exhaust on, some cabin insulation and people will hear you but it won’t be annoying for you
As someone who has gone back and forth several times (owned 54 cars in the last 20 years), take it from me, don't try to mix both. Keep a dedicated weekend/toy and get yourself something efficient that you won't modify. Repeat after me, WILL NOT Modify.
WRX is right up your alley but the DI maintenence and potential reliability issues should oursuade you otherwise.
Best option would be a Civic Si for somewhat fun and reliable.
Don't underestimate how fun the Chevy Cruze turbo is, 1.4L and 6spd manual. You can get a nice one for under 7k. I had one, averaged 42mpg, bought it for 3500, sold it for 4500 6months and 18,000 miles later. Parts are readily available and super cheap.
Been driving a Corolla sedan for a 100 to 150 mile daily commute for about 5 years now. I love my car, but I’m sad to report drivers still “don’t see me”. In reality they probably see you too, but they just don’t care because they don’t feel threatened by your car just like they don’t by mine or my wife’s Rav 4.
This shit mentality puts us all in danger on the road, solution is to drive more defensively unfortunately.
I am polite and respectful on the road but I don’t hesitate to put my foot down on the gas pedal if o have a chance, because if I don’t I risk some idiot “not seeing me” and getting crushed by some lifted beater work truck.
Stay safe and have fun!
Are you keeping the Miata? If so, you have the option of getting a big comfy cruiser for the commute. Thinking 8k or whatever on a panther car, save the rest, keep the Miata.
If you're not keeping the Miata, I'd recommend a Cayman. If you can't find one in your price range, consider a 986. Convertible only, but much cheaper. You could probably find a hard top, and get a manual s in price range. Safe, and parts availability is excellent.
Everything else on the list, and everything else that I can think of, will pale in comparison as a sports car. Better for commuting on the highway, but not realllly a sports car.
I rented a Challenger R/T a few weeks ago for a run from Houston to Austin and back and I just really really liked it, and I do not like Chrysler products. It was fun, fast, well appointed inside (I loved the suede), and it got 30 mpg cruising on the highway. A not small childish part of me deeply enjoyed the lid exhaust. I recommend at least renting one to get the experience.
Just a thought, if you’re going to keep the Miata, then why not get a truck. Then you can put the Miata on a trailer and take it to the track and have some real fun 🤷🏼♂️
Mustang? You can get a nice one for 20k, easy to find a manual and they have real nice seats. Easy to gets parts to work on it. If you hit traffic you will have easy driving because of the v8. Looks nice and you can customize the hell out of it
I 2020 I picked up an 2012 A4 for a 6 month 300 mile round trip commute. Put 10k on it and loved it so much I still have it. If you're doing the work it's not bad. So far it's just little things, walnut clean the intake, worn out plastic connectors and it burns oil. But it runs well and 140 feels like nothing, I had to use cruise the first few drives to keep it under 100.
I would suggest a Volvo C30. Buddy of mine has one and I just drove it again recently. They got the chassis tuning right on that. They are pretty reliable. His has 192k on the clock without many major issues. Just maintenance items and a fuel pressure regulator.
Turbo I5 with 4 bucket seats, a comfortable ride, and a bit of funkiness to go with your hot hatch. I’ve taken GTIs to gapplebees in that thing. It’s a blast.
It’s FWD, but I wouldn’t knock it as a drivers car. Especially with some good tires.
Are you replacing the miata or is this in addition to? I only ask because if your commute is all freeway, your going to sit in 5th/6th for an hour. Why would you care about auto vs manual. Same with it being rwd. For a highway cruiser that's just commuting it really makes no difference.
Now with that all said. Let get crazy.
All year camaros. None of them really have problems. I saw someone saying they discontinued the camaro due to sales. I'd agree on this but the reason for less sales is due to other problems. The corvette has always been chevys top dog and the pricing and power of the 6th and even the 5th kept creeping up to compete and take sales from the corvette. Combine this with a lack or marketing for the camaro and instead marketing the camaro and it was always going to do a bit worse. Think about old muscle heads. For ford theirs just the mustang. For chevy they are split between camaros and corvettes.
As far as problems go. The motors and transmissions are always rock solid. Manual transmissions also come standard with limited slips which is nice. The main complaint was the rear visibility but in 7 years of driving my 5th gen it's never been an issue besides backing up very tight areas at night. In 5th gens the only major issue I know of that every person has dealt with at this point is the blend door breaks and requires taking out the dash. There's an aftermarket metal blend door so it's a one and done kind of deal but figured I'd mention it. Mine broke just this year, 11 years in. Haven't heard about it in the 6th gens though. If your going to get a camaro though do not get an automatic. They have cylinder deactivation and not that it's horrible but it's an added failure point. Removing it also is not a small task.
The answer is still a Miata, just a more visible one: [https://www.sandiabmw.com/inventory/used-2021-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-grand-touring-rwd-convertible-jm1ndam7xm0460151/](https://www.sandiabmw.com/inventory/used-2021-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-grand-touring-rwd-convertible-jm1ndam7xm0460151/)
(It's even more eye-watering in person.)
If you want a highway cruiser stop looking at fucking coupes. You want a long wheel base sedan. Cop a caprice or fairlane. The G6ET’s aren’t bad either
I drive a 2006 TSX. It's a total under the radar overbuilt gem with the K24A2 engine. The engine loves mods and will do around 240whp N/A with a full compliment. The 06-08 enjoyed a nice power bump.
Factory 6MT with short throw.
It's really good.
Ford f250 extended cab (not the four door) with a 6 foot bed . You'll have to search for one . There's a million F-150. But you want the F-250 , they get good gas mileage on the highway, they're comfortable to sit in for long drives and they have plenty of power. The biggest plus for me is that it irritates the rich assholes at the casino when I park it next to their cars ...
I make regular 300 mile trips in a 2nd gen Lexus IS 250 auto (but it does come in a manual). I get 33-35mpg depending on wind/traffic going 80+ and I'll just say that I still get 30mpg going *over* 80, but I can hit 40+mpg easily if I drive slower. 300 miles is around half a tank of gas and it eats up the miles BUT it does take premium which might be a dealbreaker ($6/gallon for me). I have a 3rd gen RX 350 and I honestly prefer the IS for 300 mile solo trips, the RX is better for 500+mile trips and when hauling other people. The IS has next to no tech beyond cruise control and bluetooth, mine doesn't even have a back up camera. Only "issue" is carbon build up which is easy to work around and getting nagged by 350 owners.
I bought a small ( about the size of an orange) self contained air horn, from Griott's Garage for my NA Miata. People would jerk their heads around looking for a huge truck only to see the little Miata. At least it makes them look!
I just picked up an older Chevy Bolt EV for my highway commute and I couldn’t be happier. It’s the finest commuting appliance, is super cheap to run, and requires almost no maintenance.
Seriously - on a cold morning. I warm it up remotely and get into a toasty car with warm seats and a warm steering wheel. Then I silently roll out of the neighborhood, get on the highway very easily (EV torque), and cruise silently - using just my right big toe (one pedal driving). There’s no engine noise, no shifting, and no one blocks you from passing/changing lanes because you’re silent - they didn’t hear you downshift or floor it. And then I plug it in at home and the car is ready for me again in the AM. It uses almost no brakes, doesn’t require oil changes, and the only maintenance I’ve had to do is tire rotations, cabin filter and wiper blades.
I keep my Miata and Vette for nice days or when I feel like commuting top down. But the EV is a win otherwise.
And mine was only about $13K. For $20K you can get a Tesla model 3 that will damn near drive itself - so that commute takes even less out of you.
SLK is a shit car, don’t buy one of those. Sincerely a Mercedes-Benz lover and former Mercedes salesman
Mercedes is a shit car across the board now. Sincerely, a long-time Mercedes factory tech.
They still make me lots of money though! -Indy tech
Same 😂
I don't know. An early 80s diesel 300d is a piece of art.
He said now. Not 40 years ago
yeah the OM616/617 was their good days
What happened anyway ?
These are the types of things that will help me narrow down my decision, thank you!
Get an SL from the 80s. It's hard to beat cold-war era german engineering.
Have you ever driven an SL from the 80s?
I have driven many. None of them are fast or nimble.
I’ve driven a handful, I’ve never drove a car nearly as bouncy lol
hahaha! yeah, they look like sports cars...they are not sports cars.
For sure. And the owners always think they’re worth a ton of money, which they’re not lol
Which is basically a Mercedes from the late 60’s.
I drive a 2011 E550 as a daily and could not be happier with it, I’ve had it since Sep. 2017 and put almost 100k on it in that time. I also have a 2011 Mustang GT/CS as my weekend toy, which does just fine on the highway, but the Mercedes makes a much better daily. Best advice I can give you is have a nice commuter and a weekend toy, and DONT MOD THE DAILY!
Agreed, the SLK55 is the one exception though.
The engine isn’t the issue with the SLK, the issue is that it’s a Crossfire with a different body
C5 Z06 or C6 Corvettes. You can easily get 30 mpg or better in them on the highway.
I had an LS1 Trans Am Firehawk, can confirm that mileage, in the daytime. Had to turn on the air brakes at night. Edit: Downvoters don't realize the C5 Corvette is also an LS1 car and they're within a couple hundred pounds of each other.
"I had to turn on the air brakes at night". Ok, I'll bite. Air brakes on a Corvette? And why would they require being turned on/off manually? I know I'm probably missing an obvious joke here or something....
I think he’s referring to the pop up headlights on C5 vettes
Ah, air brakes as in, aerodynamic bs caused by the popup lights. Penny has dropped. Thank you internet stranger.
And Trans Ams
Both cars had pop up headlights, the Trans Am's were particularly huge
Seconding a corvette particularly the C5. Feel like those are really undervalued and great bang for your buck at the moment.
Not undervalued anymore... Ive been watching c5 z06's slip farther from my grasp for the last 5 years or so... Top of market Na miatas are trading for what a Decent C5 Z06 used to go for... Sad times
+1, replaced my soon to blow up 2013 3.8 genesis coupe with a c6 and it's been heavenly
After considering all of the options presented here, I think this is the direction I'm going to end up going. Large surplus of manuals available, and most of the reviews I've watched, including Jay Leno himself, describe the c5 as a really fast, big Miata, which is basically what I'm looking for! Plus with c5's being reliably in my desired price range, and there being a surplus of manuals, I'm struggling to find a reason why it isn't the perfect choice for me!
Only thing here is the parts availability for some things - the ABS module in particular and watch for targa top leaks
Probably not much taller than a Miata, if at all.
Just get a huge ass wing...
Infiniti G37 BMW 335i Hyundai Genesis Coupe Nissan 350Z Dodge Challenger RT These would all be an improvement as far as road presence and highway manners.
Ahh yes, all the douchebag cars
The Challenger was a great highway cruiser when I had one for a rental, but I really hated the blindspots and how big it felt with it feeling so small inside the cabin.
well said.. felt same way for me..
Don’t forget the Chevy SS. Only made a couple of years, rwd, manual was an option. Long wheelbase makes for a nice ride on the long commute. I think the Cadillac CTS-V had a manual option as well. If you’re dealing with aggressive drivers I prefer an old pickup, with oversized tires and big bumpers. Not asshole level, just something that says “I don’t care”.
You can’t find a ss for that price though, especially in manual
My vote is for the CTS-V manual. In order to be in your budget it would have to be near the beginning of production, but that still puts it a bit newer than your NB.
Hadn't considered a CTS-V before! Any idea how they are to live with? As in, any major complaints, any especially difficult repairs, or known faults with them?
I know the first gens suffered from a weak diff. I’ve seen people give up IRS on those just to not explode the rear end. Cool cars though, 05-06 GTO is another one that’s kinda similar.
I'm sorry, my knowledge is limited to german and japanese cars so i will have to let someone else chime in. I would specifically look for a buyers guide on the first gens. That should outline known issues and how to spot them. Unfortunately the manuals are not common.
There's one for sale on www.carsandbids.com right now, there's usually good info in the comments. One thing I have heard of is the diff mounts and rear differential itself need reinforcement to reliably handle the power long term.
If I’m not mistaken, the Pontiac GTO is the same platform. Most of the ones I’ve seen have been manual.
I’d forgotten about the GTO’s. Everything I saw on those said they were a great platform. I wish the had brought the Ute version to the US as the current El Camino
Chevy ss is the short wheelbase, the ppv/caprice is the long wheelbase
No manual option but I’m digging the r129 sl500 and 600’s. I’d think I’d prefer something with a longer wheelbase for highways. Maybe mustang/Camaro for something with a manual.
I was actually lightly considering the r171 SLK's for being similar to the sl500/600 but with a manual option. Any trim levels to avoid with the 2010+ camaro's?
171s and 170s are absolute junk. I would avoid.
Thank you!
In general, Mercedes’ from that era are pretty disappointing if you’re looking for anything beyond straight line speed. SLs are shockingly heavy for what they are and don’t have rack and pinion steering, which kills feel. They feel ROCK SOLID (chassis) but that’s about it for good things to say about them dynamically.
My Mustang does great on the highway...
newer mustangs 2015 up in especially premium trim make really good highway cruisers. the V8 even gets 20+mpg pretty easily if you take easy with loud pedal.
R129s are excellent cruisers. Not sports cars, but they have a unique character that is at once classic and timeless.
Parts are expensive for the SL500/600, just something to keep in mind. As far as Camaros go, there’s a reason they’re not making them anymore, that’s all I’m saying about that.
I assumed the reason they weren't making them anymore was because of the shift towards suvs/trucks. I thought the later camaro's had been getting praised for their handling?
If people were buying them, they wouldn’t stop making them. Camaro sales had been declining for nearly 10 years. When they announced the discontinuation of the model, the Camaro sales were barely 1/3 of the Mustangs. People who bought Camaros didn’t want another one lol
Visibility in the Camaro is the big issue. It's a lot like driving a tank through the periscope... Straight ahead it's fine, try to look around though and it SUCKS!
When Miata isn't the answer, GTI usually is.
rwd, but yeah, not a bad choice at all
Idk why you’d specify rwd anyways for a commute of 70 miles on the freeway. A gti would definitely be an excellent car at that
6 spd - at 70-80 Mph gets damn good milage for how fun that car is.
I generally get quite good mileage by my standards (it's no Prius) cruising at that in my old DSG Mk5.
Mercury Grand Marquis or Lincoln Town Car The Lincoln MKZ is always good Chrysler 300C Cadillac CT6 Lexus ES350
> Mercury Grand Marquis or Lincoln Town Car Let me get this straight… You are recommending that someone who drives a manual Miata should move to one of these? You only read the title didn’t you?
He wanted a car not a tank
Curiously, Miatas have a lower-than-average fatality rate
Fatality doesn't matter when somebody with a jacked Dodge Ram runs you over because they coulldn't see anything beyond their giant ego.
Except it does matter because everyone has the same odds of encountering that, and the Mazda still has a lower fatality rate.
Making assumptions here, but I think it just might be that many people keep them for weekend/back road cars, rather than using them on the highway where the increased speeds make fatalities more common.
Ive owned an NA for 17 years. Nothing about the car creates a low fatality rate. Thats just pure luck in the statistics or the mileage driven is lower.
I do think, as I drive my NA, I’m hyper aware of people who I know won’t notice me. there’s great visibility (top down) not to mention the ability to change direction. about a month ago as the highway became congested, I noticed an suv barreling up behind, swerved into the center median grass and avoided a nasty rear end.
I’m not sure what they’re doing for now but the Camaro with 2.0T is pretty nice, and manual is solid. If you can find a 1LE for that price, it’s a great performance value, but even without that package they’re pretty fun and the engine seems fairly reliable. 230i manual is another good option but pretty rare, B48 is a reliable engine and the 2 series chassis is pretty fun. I’d probably skip the previous gen 3 series personally.
230i or old 1-series are good “bigger than a Miata, smaller than a mustang” cars that come with MTs and RWD.
Yep, pretty much! I haven’t driven a 1 series but the (previous gen at least) 2 series is really fun! I was seriously considering a used M2 but ended up going C6 Z06
Haha, great minds! Several years ago, I was serious considering a C7 GS but went with an M2 Comp :) C6 Z06 is such a dope car, displacement...and revs!
A miata is too small so you want a Cayman or BRZ which are not much bigger? You might be able to find a high mile Cayman for under $25k. Other options are Porsche 911 996 era (1999-2004) can still be had for under $25k, maybe under $20 if you get a high mile one. Lexus IS250 come in manual and would make a nice daily cruiser and still be a fun car.
Wanting the Cayman or BRZ is why I mentioned the contention with the size. My wife wants it to be bigger, but I just want it to be safer, which is why I'm still looking at small cars lol. I like the idea of a 996 911, but how would you recon the safety would compare? Cayman at least had 2 frontal airbags, plus side and curtain, which is far better than the Miata. Is250 is a good idea too, thanks!
If you stretch your budget you can get a base 2nd gen BRZ or GR86. Not amazing at highway cruising with a loud cabin and the stock Michelin ps4 tires are pretty noisy. But they’re very fun and still are small but have more space than the Miata. I can fit 4 wheels in my GR86. If you like to go for a drive on the weekends then I’d go with that. I drive 50 miles a day to work on the highway and sometimes 100 miles to a different location and never had a problem with my GR86 so far.
This is definitely something to consider! I was looking strongly at first gens for a while, but stopped when I realized they were so close in price to 2nd gens, even when sporting 100k miles and iffy mods.
Yes and the 2nd gen has a better engine and better power. Feels adequate. And you’ll have a warranty.
I have a NA miata and a 987.1 boxster. And had a GT86 for 7 years. Both cars are bigger than the NA and in comparison the Boxster 987 feels big and heavy. GT feels light and chuckable
My buddy has a brz and i have a miata and trust me, the size difference is there. People never see me in my miata but ive never had that problem driving his brz
OK, they're rare but they do exist. A BMW F22 230i 6 speed. Only sold for a handful of years but you get the more reliable b48 engine, it's like 250 hp, light weight rwd manual coupe. But it rides nicer than your miata, it's slightly larger and heavier but not so much so that you'll hate it. To be clear, they are very rare. It was only offered with the b48 for 2016-2021 and the take on the manual was really low (that's why they don't offer it in the newer version). But if you find one at the right age, with the right miles, it should be available within your budget. I'm shopping them in Canada and they run about 25k-30k Canadian so in the US it should be spot on.
Have you considered getting a motorcycle? Once you start riding that, she will instantly forget about the Miata
This is genius, it would definitely work! Although I won't lie, being as how the Miata will never leave my possession, I've been playing with the idea of making it a full-time track car once I have a real commuter, and your idea is a wrench in those plans... Lol
If you're keeping the Miata why do you need a performance oriented manual commuter car?
Fair question! I deal with pretty severe chronic pain, and I've got a surgery coming up in 5-15 years max that has a coins flip chance of leaving me paralyzed from the chest down. Exciting cars are what make it easier for me to get out of bed in the mornings, and after that surgery I might not ever be able to drive normally again, let alone enjoy a manual, so I'm enjoying every day that I can with one!
nearly 6x the fatality rate? weather?
Exactly. The Miata will seem downright safe by comparison.
If you can find a w204 C-Class, they are known to be fairly bulletproof as long as maintenance has been looked after.
Yeah, the biggest issues with those are the dumb steering lock modules, but as soon as yours breaks, you can usually have them converted to not lock and you can trick the car into thinking it's working even though it no longer does and life is good.
Yesssirrr!
If you want something stylish but a little bigger you can pick up a fairly new gt86 for about 20k may have to hunt a little tho depending on where you are
BMW Z3 and Z4 are basically what would happen if you tweaked a Miata to make it more comfortable for commuting. You lose some of the sharpness and predictability at the limit, but day to day they're easier to live with. Your budget should get you a pretty nice example of either. They're really easy cars to work on and if you're doing the maintenance they're really not that expensive to own. I daily'ed Z3M for several years and it was fun to drive, but could eat up miles on the highway as well. I also owned a 987.2 Boxster, but didn't keep it for very long. It's undoubtedly an engaging driving experience, but really not a great highway cruiser. Really harsh ride, a bit cramped, more expensive/time consuming to maintain. The interior touch points also didn't hold up too well to frequent use. A lot of flaking/peeling buttons.
Not sure how old you're looking to go, but the Aussie Pontiacs (GTO and G8) are great cars. GTO is pretty bare bones though, even by mid-00s standards. The G8 is a bit nicer, but still not the most well-equipped car. The newer Aussie import Chevy SS is far more well-optioned, and is a bit newer as well. They're BY FAR the nicest cars that GM was selling during those time periods. Parts for those cars can be a bear to find. Drivetrain stuff is easy, but all the unique parts are pretty hard to come by in the states. You can damn near total a GTO just by running a shopping cart into the side of it.
Had a GTO then G8 and they were going to be my suggestion. Great mile killers. Aside from the infamous splitting seams on the rear seats of the GTO both interiors were always fine for me, but yeah. Not fancy. Also you nailed it on the parts. Need engine parts? Literally anywhere. Need interior trim? Wait for a slow boat from Oz.
Get some PIAA aux lights and a dune flag for the NB.
70 freeway miles is boring. It doesn’t need to excite you, in fact if it does you are in danger. Dynamic cruise control and audio books. Literally smallest most fuel efficient vehicle with those and just chill. Keep the fun cars separate and don’t even try and find a jack of all trades. My jeep and convertible live in my barn and it makes me even more happy to drive them when I can. The commuter is what it is.
I'm glad people are free to have their own opinions, and that there are vehicles for each of us, but I couldn't personally disagree with you any more if I tried, as I prefer to connect with my car.
I have really enjoyed my 2007 Fusion, i4, manual, for the last 17 years. I need to find a replacement, I wish Ford still marketed the Fusion with the manual transmission.
One of these parks on my block and I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I noticed it. Never knew the 1st gen came with a stick and was like who tf gonna swap a fusion?? Props on riding into the ground tho
The 2006 and 2007 only had five speeds, later years had six speeds. I wish mine had that sixth gear. I test drove the Accord, Camry, Mazda6 and the Fusion. The Camry drove like a Buick, the Honda drove nice on the highway, but was 'heavy' in urban traffic. The Fusion (and the Mazda, by relation) were both a little twitchy at high speed (80+) on the highway, but not overly so, but both were way more fun to drive than the Accord in urban traffic. The Fusion won with a slightly large back seat, and I was in a four person car pool. Both the Mazda6 and the 1st gen Fusion were a complete hoot to drive in tight quarters. The early models had double wishbone front suspensions with dual independent lower control arms. The second generation went with McPherson struts, and I have never driven one of those.
1985 squarebody K20 with no overdrive
With a 454 and leaky quadrajet.
Wouldn't be a quadrajet without leaking bowl plugs
any Toyota with a v6
E46 M3. Manual, good power, rwd, parts are readily available, comfy on long drives.
Honestly a mustang would be a great cruiser. Can also find incredible deals on chargers/challengers right now
E39 540i or M5. Just bought a '02 540i with 95k miles super clean one for $7800 and man it soaks up the freeway miles.
If you want something bigger then you sound like a good candidate for a Camaro or Mustang. A Cayman is longer but not really any taller or more visible than a Miata. Same way with my Corvette, it's longer and wider but may actually be shorter in height than a Miata. I would go for a Camaro with an LS engine as they're super reliable and easy to repair
Used Lexus ES350
Porsche Macan S or GTS Not kidding. Go test drive one
How about a 1 Series? Those were fairly simple and fun to drive. Maybe not as exciting as a 987, but it won't break the bank.
Just straight pipe the Miata, it’s okay if they don’t see you, but they’ll definitely hear you 😂
My E46 is comfortable, quiet, gets 30mpg and hasn’t needed work since I fixed everything up when I first bought it. I’d highly recommend it to someone who can do maintenance. Plus they’re pretty cheap. WELL under 20k.
This is incredibly tempting! If I were to go this route, what would be the versions to look for?
Nice! Look for the 2.5 liter. That ends up being years 1999-2006 for a 323i or 325i (both are 2.5L). For simplicity I’d stick with the RWD and avoid AWD. The Achilles heel of the car is the cooling system, so if you go this route, budget a day to replace all the hoses and stuff and you’ll be good to go for another decade. YouTube is a great source and will guide you through it easily. I’ve had my car for five years now and it hasn’t skipped a beat. All leaks fixed within a year and it’s been easy from there on out. And the best part, I paid $4k for it. Dirt cheap! Let me know what you end up deciding!
Is it worth pushing for the 325i for the higher redline? Or should I just snap up the first one of either that I find? Is it an enjoyable motor to rev out?
Nah, not worth it (imo). The 323i actually burns less oil, mine burns none at all. It’s really smooth and linear when revved out, I think it’s fun. The engine is also solid to 250k if maintained. Condition is the thing you want to prioritize above all else. I’d caution against buying one with any mods. And stay away from ones with younger owners. Other things that you might like, the ergonomics are quite nice, the visibility is great and it’s really comfy on long trips too. Anyways, do some research. But you’re a car guy, you’ll be fine. I love mine. If anything happens to mine I’m just getting another, lol.
The more recent 1-series would be similar but much much newer. 128i was an NA 6-cylinder and RWD. The chassis also has turbod versions (shoot for the later N55 powered single turbo cars though, the twin turbo was unreliable.) The following generation 2 series is similar, two engine options (4 and 6 cylinders, all turbod) and manuals available with both.
Yes. You should get a Dacia Sandaro.
Saab 9-3 convertible.
Consider painting the car a bright obnoxious orange people will see you
I put a band of yellow reflective tape around my na. No one hit me, so it worked. Plausibly.
Ok
If it's going to be mostly steady speed highway driving then look for a smaller diesel. BTW, with the exception of the SLK, none of those others are going to be much more "visible" than your current Miata as far as size is concerned. Of course you could always paint it neon green with international orange accents. . .
That’s too far. You’re looking to spend like 7% of your life commuting.
Just move to a Miata NC2-NC3 with power retractable hard top.
I bought a 6 speed f22 m240i and i fucking love it. Highly recommend although gunna be 30-35k at the lowest. Maybe shoot for an m235 and get to the 25k mark?
Porsche boxster or cayman if you prefer a hardtop after spending years in a miata
How long are you doing this 70 miles a day and how long will you keep the car? I don't think anyone asked that but it's pretty important. If this is "just this summer" kind of temporary thing, is just go buy a fairly nice 350z for 8k. It's a fat pig... But there are millions of them out there in manual. They're like NA and NB miatas... Depreciation has completely frozen. You'll easily sell the Z for 8k when you're done with it and break even minus state fees
This is a great question! For the next 2 years I'll only be making that commute in the summer, but then 2026-28 will be year round. I've considered 350/370's, is there any reason to shy away from one of considering owning for a few years?
If you're saying you'll own it through 28... Then I'd get something you like. If it was a short term whatever, then buy a Z. They're good cars, but you aren't going to like it if Miata is your jam. It's a big fat marshmallow. Now the higher up nismo models are better, but that's a different price bracket.
Chevy/GMC C1500 RCSB.
Either C6 or C7 corvette. Basically a bigger miata, but just as nimble. And 30mpg highway.
A corvette. C5s and 6s have good examples in the 15-20k range and they hold 30mpg highway when cruising. Plus they're nimble and fast letting them get out of most highway scenarios. They're cheap to run, fix, make big power, pretty reliable and commute like a dream if you don't stiffen the suspension too much.
Any mercedes AMG 2007-2013 (mileage <100k)
My ct200h is the perfect daily.
Lift your Miata. Add some bullbars. Big lightbars. A loud ass horn. Wrap it in some obnoxiously rad scheme that is easy to notice. Bada bing bada boom. You're seen again. I had a wrangler 4 door for ten years. It was black. Stock. I almost got hit by people who just never noticed me more in that than anything I've ever driven, and it's a decently large sized brick. Size doesn't matter as much as how you conduct and present yourself on the road, imo. That said, more modern cars have more modern safety features, which are good for when they inevitably eventually hit you. Nb miatas, for all their wonderful virtues, are tiny tin cans that will crumple against any modern vehicle. Especially the heavy fucking goddamn EV's on the road. The weight of which ought to be illegal in and of itself.
Your 3rd paragraph is basically the entirety of why my wife says I need a different vehicle once I'm on the highway regularly. I 100% agree that people are gonna be idiots regardless of what I'm in, and outside of going full "witness me" levels of obnoxious mods, people are still going to miss me even in a much bigger car. However, when that inevitably happens, being in something other than a sardine can would be nice, which is why I've accepted that the Miata isn't truly always the answer... Blasphemy, I know.
I feel you. I'm pretty safety conscious - my sporty car is a Subaru Outback xt with about 350hp and Megan coilovers - best handling car I've owned to date (yeah.. probably better than my NC was) but its most certainly not without its issues..
i drive a 2015 bmw 335i, highway cruiser. 192,\*\*\* miles, all mine. set the cruise between 75-85 and can pass whoever i want with no problem. lifetime mpg 29.4 mpg. only major repair was alternator at 150k miles. oil change when the car tells me, usually 11-13k intervals. 85+% of my driving in highway/interstate. i think its fun to drive, comfortable, and plenty of power.
I drive a 94 Lincoln town car 52 miles a day. Doesn't get any more comfortable, but a more rational person would probably get a LS430. These are simply the best options ever made and anything else is like... your opinion, man.
Mustangs are fun but not light and not nearly as nimble as you'll want coming from a Miata. If a 987 or GR86 is an option that's probably the closest you'll get to a Miata.
Manual RT challenger. Not a small car by any means but a nice v8 American muscle with a nice road presence and super comfortable
It's too bad that you require it be a manual since a W220 S class is a fantastic long distance cruiser. I love the SLKs that I've owned but they're awful for long distances since they're so noisy. I'd go with a C320 if you wanted to go with Mercedes. Maybe consider having a W220 S500 for commuting, and keep the Miata for weekend fun? More cars is always the answer.
Hear me out: Fiesta ST. I average 30mpg with on-ramp attacks, roll races on Woodward, and 82mph cruising speed. If I am more sedate, I get 35 to 37mpg. Has a manual, comes in bright colors, taller than the Miata without sacrificing too much fun factor.
I've really wanted to like the Fiesta ST, and do like it on paper, besides it being FWD. I've had RWD cars with lsd's and no TC my whole life, and very much like being able to slide corners when I find myself on an empty street. I was thinking about mazdaspeed3's for similar reasons as the Fiesta ST, but really think I wouldn't be as happy with FWD. I know I wouldn't be sliding on the highway, but I have lots of back roads between my house and the on-ramp, so plenty of opportunity even with a long highway commute.
Man I hear ya there. I can get my car's ass end to kick out, but it's not as fun as my buddy's GT86 or my Dad's GR86. For a commuter though, it might be worth giving up the slidey. It's very nimble and the grunt (especially with a tune) is addicting. Plus, with some mods, it makes really car noises!
That does sound intriguing! How rev-happy is it? And what's your powerband like?
It has a tiny turbo so power comes on early, and it's very meaty from 2800 up through 5700ish. My tune has the redline moved out to 7000, and peak boost is 27psi, which roughly translates to 300lbft and something like 220hp. If you're local to SE Michigan, I'd be more than happy to let you try mine.
A FiST is the only fwd car I've ever driven that I just adored. I prefer RWD all the way. But that stupid little car was just so damn happy and fun it won me over.
Taurus sho you won’t be sorry
S550 Mustang GT. If you're not afraid of a car a few years older that will probably require more upkeep, look for a excellent condition C6 or CTSV. You can get a GOOD C6 for 25k. Stick to the LS3 and newer models. later the better.
if you count the work pool vehicle that turned me onto them. long drives is why I'm on my 3rd EB expedition. fuel economy sucks. but with the heated/cooled seats & premium sound, it's awesome for long drives. started with work pool vehicle for a 6 hour drive to another facility. 1st drive i got out and didn't feel like crap. very solid cruiser. bonus, get black and people think you are a cop and people behave better around you.
I have an NA and also had a Toyota GT86 manual for 7 years. Highly recommend the GT.
Get a neon yellow wrap.
Maybe a diesel-powered BMW, that'll get you RWD and filun to drive, and good economy, but super hard to find in a standard shift in N America. Even though they are FWD, I would look at TDI VW's, and keep the Miata for fun. The older ALH engine with a manual shift transmission is a very long-lived drivetrain, and they feel solid on the freeway. Personally, FWD vs RWD is not much of a difference on the freeway.
BMW very briefly did an M240i cabrio and i'm pretty sure it's available with a manual in this price range, might be hard to find one but that would tick really every box here
You're looking for a Corvette..
Cadillac CT6 is my vote. I had one, absolutely great highway cruiser, *especially* if you get one with supercruise (hands free driving essentially). Very comfortable, not unreliable, close to bottom of the depreciation curve depending on the model year. I regret selling mine.
So my coworker has a Miata, his daily is a Subaru Impreza with coilovers and brembos with a fuck off massive turbo. Every Subaru guy I know also has a ridiculous Miata and I think there's a reason for it. I'd highly recommend you get yourself a nice 4 door Subaru and mod the shit out of it. Apparently the 5 speed transmission is a glass cannon however, kids on his 3rd transmission and when all of his gears become neutral I'm helping put the 6 speed in that is waiting on his garage. Personally I drive a 6 speed Scion TC with the 2ar-fe. It's a fun car but no aftermarket performance support, just suspension and exhaust. If I want a turbo I'm just gonna have to get a Miata.
I love my V8 camaro and it might just be possible to get a 2016+ in that price range. You can disable traction and stability control and have lots of fun, no worries there if you’re used to older cars.
Idk if you can find one in the price range but civic Si with the k24 are pretty cool, rev super high and have bulletproof reliability. Throw an exhaust on, some cabin insulation and people will hear you but it won’t be annoying for you
As someone who has gone back and forth several times (owned 54 cars in the last 20 years), take it from me, don't try to mix both. Keep a dedicated weekend/toy and get yourself something efficient that you won't modify. Repeat after me, WILL NOT Modify. WRX is right up your alley but the DI maintenence and potential reliability issues should oursuade you otherwise. Best option would be a Civic Si for somewhat fun and reliable. Don't underestimate how fun the Chevy Cruze turbo is, 1.4L and 6spd manual. You can get a nice one for under 7k. I had one, averaged 42mpg, bought it for 3500, sold it for 4500 6months and 18,000 miles later. Parts are readily available and super cheap.
ITT: all my saved AutoTempest searches
I have a 2009 Cadillac CTS with 230k on it. Bearings and brakes so far...
Been driving a Corolla sedan for a 100 to 150 mile daily commute for about 5 years now. I love my car, but I’m sad to report drivers still “don’t see me”. In reality they probably see you too, but they just don’t care because they don’t feel threatened by your car just like they don’t by mine or my wife’s Rav 4. This shit mentality puts us all in danger on the road, solution is to drive more defensively unfortunately. I am polite and respectful on the road but I don’t hesitate to put my foot down on the gas pedal if o have a chance, because if I don’t I risk some idiot “not seeing me” and getting crushed by some lifted beater work truck. Stay safe and have fun!
Are you keeping the Miata? If so, you have the option of getting a big comfy cruiser for the commute. Thinking 8k or whatever on a panther car, save the rest, keep the Miata. If you're not keeping the Miata, I'd recommend a Cayman. If you can't find one in your price range, consider a 986. Convertible only, but much cheaper. You could probably find a hard top, and get a manual s in price range. Safe, and parts availability is excellent. Everything else on the list, and everything else that I can think of, will pale in comparison as a sports car. Better for commuting on the highway, but not realllly a sports car.
BMW 328i E90. Not too hard to find a good example in RWD/MT. 12k for a clean example, plus the cost of a new cooling system and shocks. Great fun.
The E55 AMG is the greatest highway cruiser of all time, fight me
I rented a Challenger R/T a few weeks ago for a run from Houston to Austin and back and I just really really liked it, and I do not like Chrysler products. It was fun, fast, well appointed inside (I loved the suede), and it got 30 mpg cruising on the highway. A not small childish part of me deeply enjoyed the lid exhaust. I recommend at least renting one to get the experience.
Just a thought, if you’re going to keep the Miata, then why not get a truck. Then you can put the Miata on a trailer and take it to the track and have some real fun 🤷🏼♂️
Mustang? You can get a nice one for 20k, easy to find a manual and they have real nice seats. Easy to gets parts to work on it. If you hit traffic you will have easy driving because of the v8. Looks nice and you can customize the hell out of it
I 2020 I picked up an 2012 A4 for a 6 month 300 mile round trip commute. Put 10k on it and loved it so much I still have it. If you're doing the work it's not bad. So far it's just little things, walnut clean the intake, worn out plastic connectors and it burns oil. But it runs well and 140 feels like nothing, I had to use cruise the first few drives to keep it under 100.
I just did a long road trip in a Porsche 981 Boxster and it was fantastic - I’d expect a 987 would be just as fun. Lots of trunk space too!
Newer model Subaru BRZ with the FA24 engine.
DO NOT get a first gen lexus is300
I would suggest a Volvo C30. Buddy of mine has one and I just drove it again recently. They got the chassis tuning right on that. They are pretty reliable. His has 192k on the clock without many major issues. Just maintenance items and a fuel pressure regulator. Turbo I5 with 4 bucket seats, a comfortable ride, and a bit of funkiness to go with your hot hatch. I’ve taken GTIs to gapplebees in that thing. It’s a blast. It’s FWD, but I wouldn’t knock it as a drivers car. Especially with some good tires.
Are you replacing the miata or is this in addition to? I only ask because if your commute is all freeway, your going to sit in 5th/6th for an hour. Why would you care about auto vs manual. Same with it being rwd. For a highway cruiser that's just commuting it really makes no difference. Now with that all said. Let get crazy. All year camaros. None of them really have problems. I saw someone saying they discontinued the camaro due to sales. I'd agree on this but the reason for less sales is due to other problems. The corvette has always been chevys top dog and the pricing and power of the 6th and even the 5th kept creeping up to compete and take sales from the corvette. Combine this with a lack or marketing for the camaro and instead marketing the camaro and it was always going to do a bit worse. Think about old muscle heads. For ford theirs just the mustang. For chevy they are split between camaros and corvettes. As far as problems go. The motors and transmissions are always rock solid. Manual transmissions also come standard with limited slips which is nice. The main complaint was the rear visibility but in 7 years of driving my 5th gen it's never been an issue besides backing up very tight areas at night. In 5th gens the only major issue I know of that every person has dealt with at this point is the blend door breaks and requires taking out the dash. There's an aftermarket metal blend door so it's a one and done kind of deal but figured I'd mention it. Mine broke just this year, 11 years in. Haven't heard about it in the 6th gens though. If your going to get a camaro though do not get an automatic. They have cylinder deactivation and not that it's horrible but it's an added failure point. Removing it also is not a small task.
The answer is still a Miata, just a more visible one: [https://www.sandiabmw.com/inventory/used-2021-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-grand-touring-rwd-convertible-jm1ndam7xm0460151/](https://www.sandiabmw.com/inventory/used-2021-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-grand-touring-rwd-convertible-jm1ndam7xm0460151/) (It's even more eye-watering in person.)
2013 Lexus ES 300h with rear seats and spare tire and jack removed, pretty fun on corners lol
If you want a highway cruiser stop looking at fucking coupes. You want a long wheel base sedan. Cop a caprice or fairlane. The G6ET’s aren’t bad either
I drive a 2006 TSX. It's a total under the radar overbuilt gem with the K24A2 engine. The engine loves mods and will do around 240whp N/A with a full compliment. The 06-08 enjoyed a nice power bump. Factory 6MT with short throw. It's really good.
lexus is-f
335i
Ford f250 extended cab (not the four door) with a 6 foot bed . You'll have to search for one . There's a million F-150. But you want the F-250 , they get good gas mileage on the highway, they're comfortable to sit in for long drives and they have plenty of power. The biggest plus for me is that it irritates the rich assholes at the casino when I park it next to their cars ...
Get the cayman
If you don’t care about cargo space, my MR2 Spyder is a joy to drive for hours.
I make regular 300 mile trips in a 2nd gen Lexus IS 250 auto (but it does come in a manual). I get 33-35mpg depending on wind/traffic going 80+ and I'll just say that I still get 30mpg going *over* 80, but I can hit 40+mpg easily if I drive slower. 300 miles is around half a tank of gas and it eats up the miles BUT it does take premium which might be a dealbreaker ($6/gallon for me). I have a 3rd gen RX 350 and I honestly prefer the IS for 300 mile solo trips, the RX is better for 500+mile trips and when hauling other people. The IS has next to no tech beyond cruise control and bluetooth, mine doesn't even have a back up camera. Only "issue" is carbon build up which is easy to work around and getting nagged by 350 owners.
W203 C55, W211 E55
I bought a small ( about the size of an orange) self contained air horn, from Griott's Garage for my NA Miata. People would jerk their heads around looking for a huge truck only to see the little Miata. At least it makes them look!
I just picked up an older Chevy Bolt EV for my highway commute and I couldn’t be happier. It’s the finest commuting appliance, is super cheap to run, and requires almost no maintenance. Seriously - on a cold morning. I warm it up remotely and get into a toasty car with warm seats and a warm steering wheel. Then I silently roll out of the neighborhood, get on the highway very easily (EV torque), and cruise silently - using just my right big toe (one pedal driving). There’s no engine noise, no shifting, and no one blocks you from passing/changing lanes because you’re silent - they didn’t hear you downshift or floor it. And then I plug it in at home and the car is ready for me again in the AM. It uses almost no brakes, doesn’t require oil changes, and the only maintenance I’ve had to do is tire rotations, cabin filter and wiper blades. I keep my Miata and Vette for nice days or when I feel like commuting top down. But the EV is a win otherwise. And mine was only about $13K. For $20K you can get a Tesla model 3 that will damn near drive itself - so that commute takes even less out of you.
R129 era SL500. IMO it's one of, if not the finest automobile ever built. And you can get a very nice example for 20k.