I had a lot of thought into this topic and started writing (rambling) so here's a shortened version of it. Every car that I've driven extensively (dealership, friend's) or I've owned has a story to it. The enjoyment is more so in the reflection of memories or moments.

I often find myself struggling between making a practical and reasonable choice (read: boring - like an Ioniq Hybrid with 900km of range) or a "fun" choice like the Civic Type R. Like LP700 mentioned, if you daily drive the car it's no longer special to you. The Type R is too reliable. Too good. There's no visceral excitement like my previous vehicles.

I've come to (recently) realize that the "excitement" in my previous vehicles came from it being an absolute death trap (E36 M3) or mod creep (E46 330ci). I drove my friend's 964 C2 the other day. It was an absolutely terrifying experience. It's probably the most expensive car I've driven on the street, the steering is heavy as hell, the car rattles and feels like it'll send me off the road at any minute. It reminded me a lot of my E36 M3, so much so that I have confirmation that old cars are not for me. The Type R on the other hand, it handles everything with ease, and that's the beauty of it. I'm not constantly hyper aware of everything and I can just trust that the car will handle it. I don't even revmatch in the FK8 because auto revmatch is so good. And to be quite honest, revmatching in the FK8 isn't as satisfying as other German cars.

All my life, I've heard about how great these Hondas are. I'm blessed to have driven several AP1 S2000s, an ITR, FA5/CSX-S and to own my FK8, but I don't think the hype is warranted. [I have similar sentiments with my E46 M3. The engine sounded great but it didn't handle as lightly as my 330. Don't meet your heros]. Once you've done a perfect revmatch/heel toe in a German car, it feels so much more satisfying - the E90 M3, E46 M3, E36 M3, 964 C2 are examples I have driven and gotten it right off the bat.

In summary, I came to the conclusion that you just need to find the right car. For me, it's the Type R. It can be boring, but that's the beauty of something that can do everything. I just gotta get rid of the loud exhaust. All in all, I don't regret my car experiences - first track days, first RevScene meet, first auto-x, etc. I'm pretty blessed to have made friends over the internet on this forum, even after it's peak.

Notable mentions - daily drivers:

i really do like my car a lot! its nice to drive in the city and can also go on FSRs, even some rough ones with no issues.
i did give it a 2" lift and put 1" bigger A/T tires on it, so it's a bit tall now but only with minor sacrifices to fuel efficiency and comfort.
we go mushroom foraging and also hiking so it gets us to any of the popular trailheads that say high clearance 4x4, such as brandywine, cheam, or up the fsr to the sea to sky gondola.

https://i.ibb.co/wMcspbs/IMG-1021.jpg

Wow those views alone are worth it. I’m always afraid I’ll get stranded on those FSRs or I’ll break down. Last time we busted a Range Rover doing that exact thing

There's your problem.

I'm contemplating doing that in < 3 to 5 years or so. Trade in the S2K + Veloster N for a Cayman GTS or GT4 or even the new Lotus. Get a cheap beater EV/Hybrid since I realized I don't find any daily that i can afford exciting anymore.

But I'm glad to hear in a sad way that you did exactly what I planned to do and also don't find it fun anymore, maybe that means that the cars I have today is what I'll have 10-20+years from now. You lived the Cayman GTS life so I don't have to lol.

It all boils down to personality I guess. If you can be satisfied with the same car for 20 years then perfect, but most of us find little issues here and there and want more. This constant desire to have everything and compromise nothing is next to impossible to satisfy. but it’s sure as hell fun to try.

that's why I still think about making a local car trade program/website setup

car guys that want to try new things. establish a "value" for your vehicle, but you have to at least part trade with another member.

for example right now I would trade my 996 for an E46 M3. Somewhere my opposite exists that wants to try out the porsche life. I've put in my 3+ years, I'm ready for a change - and I can't just keep buying cars without letting something go.

Cars don't have to be exactly the same value but close. Save tax, try new things, don't get bored. Low to no cost to be able to mix it up.

Reading the whole post too me for a roller coaster AHA. Cool that we've got a similar mindset but ended up with a different conclusion/tactics.

Yes. So many cars these days are really 'refined' - finding something that's liveable YET stimulating can be difficult.

As for cars that still feel special, the list dwindles year after year with the way things are headed... but I'll never get tired of top down coming home from work, the fresh forest air, the smell of the ocean, the sun in my hair brings visceral excitement. For me, every convertible is fun in the PNW from early Feb to late October.

Whatever I drive HAS to make the hair on my back stand up though I drive 29-30k KM a year (commuting 2 days a week, the rest for adventures). After trying 130+ cars, these make me giggle every drive while being easy enough to live with:

* MB C43/63 with the drivers pack
* Challenger 392 has my heart... highway cruise is quieter than E class
* Wrangler 392 made me want one badly after yesterday
* AP1/ND2 (with the Recaros please)
* 500 Abarth/Veloster N

As to how I do this... I work backwards - I find the car I like them make it work for my lifestyle (AP1 had a trailer hitch). I've moved big things in the S2000 but I also rent ZipCar/Modo minivans for an hour to move big furniture.

I can also relate to the "perennial recommended cars" not making me happy: Giulia 2.0, 981 GTS, 991 Cup, Mk7 GTI (R is a bit better, the point and shoot nature with AWD encourages me to realy rip it), JCW Cooper, FK8, GR STI, F80, RSX-S, TSX 6MT, F30/G20 340i xDrive and RWD variants, etc just had very little spice to them. Pass the chili sauce please. ��️

I think most people are satisfied because they can't financially upgrade to anything more fun than their current car. I guess my desire stops at whatever level I think I can still afford.

There's no better combo than the S2000 and Veloster N for the money, if your criteria is fun and cheap.

I've tried the C63 507 / Mustang 5.0 and still need to try the E92 M3 as a daily. But none of them made my hair stand up like you said. The E63s did but I can't afford that atm, pretty sure I'd kill myself in that thing. It went like 0- 200KM on No.3 Road in like 10 seconds lol.

If anyone has a recommendation on an upgrade that is more fun, I wanna hear it, I'm trying to find something great that's worth striving for but I can't find it.

The Seattle s2k mekanik said he sees more owners upgrading to Ferrari/Lambo/McLaren level car instead of BMW or Porsche...

That said, wonder if a drop top C43/63 would change the experience for you.
Air Scarf keeps you "in nature" for more of the year, top coming down makes all the sensations and exhaust more obvious.
AMG Driver Pack is a must for the Veloster N like exhaust.

Thats where I am at at the moment. GT4 as a track/ weekend car only and a Tesla Model 3 as a daily that I share between my wife and I. Before the GT4, I had a fk8 Type R and I honestly had more fun in terms of modding it, being able to use it more, not having to worry where I park it, going out with my wife and son in it etc.

Since I don't drive the GT4 a lot (WFH 100% of the time) and where my life situation is at, I feel like I don't get to enjoy it as much as I can. However, driving the tesla as the daily/ errand beater, the extreme difference in driving characteristics between the two cars makes me appreciate the GT4 every time I do get a chance to take it out.

Trade ya for the S2K :ilied:

But yeah, when you don't drive the car a lot, aka < 12K total and maybe 2,000km for the S2000. You start to think if it's even worth having something expensive sitting vs investing it elsewhere.

Just use it like a family car. I'm sure you can put a baby in the GT4 frunk :lol

If a time machine is invented, most people would go back in time to see the pyramids being built or some shit

Then there's the car forum:

I'd go back to the day I bought my 92 civic si and floored all 142hp up heritage mountain

It is invested - in happiness dollars

There’s an obsession to have every dollar in some super appreciating market. S2K dollars are doing just fine where they are no matter how much you use it.


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Goodddaaaaamnnnnm, first.. congratz! second... uber jelly lolol

thankfully I am a poor mf, so GT4 is way out of my budget... but ultimately this is actually my end game, keep the TM3 and get a P car (like a 997.1 carrera S 6MT, high milage but well documented, it would be awesome to just take if off a friend's hands, I just realized all my used car purchases are off people I know), told myself to make it happen before I am 40... so just a few years left lolol...

Problem is.. 911 prices are stupid money these days...

Yeah, I'd go back in time and tell my 2015 self not to sell the NC I had at the time cause I was gonna regret it real bad.

Or still have lol

Nope, still going back to see the pyramids get built, walk Rome/Kyoto/Chang'an/Venice during it's respective heydays/golden age, fuck cars, I have a M3 already lol.

Will trade my ex for an Evo (hell, even a corolla would be worth way more...)

The Fiesta ST was already a fun car right out of the box. Part of my enjoyment was the process of buying it new and slowly working on it throughout the past 7 years of ownership, many of the work done on it myself. It's making around 290whp now and it's a riot.

I'm a fan of smaller, lightweight cars so I haven't really been tempted to want anything else when the typical modern car just keeps getting heavier and heavier, and I already have more than enough power to have fun when I go on cruises.

I take the bus!

On the weekend, we share our one car (or I take the bus).

Traffic is just so horrible it makes me mad sitting in it. While on transit, I can zone out. And I'm saving money which we spend on other things.

We live very close to a rapidbus line. It's super convenient.

Eventually we may have to get a second car and if we do, I'll have to consider one that my wife is comfortable driving too (so that limits my choices).

Luxury, comfort, cargo room, with a sporty nature is top of my list now. After owning an AP2 for many years, I have no desire to get back into something like that.

Yesterday I was following a 997 GT3 RS and I thought "man what an awful car" lol.

But a Cayenne? or RR sport? If I win the lottery, I'll take both.

@badhobz As someone who drove one on pace to 25k/yr, I can confirm all of this.
If you were thinking to sell/trade your daily for it, you can get it off your mind. The FK8 is hella boring as a daily driver.
If you were to track the car, it would be a different story.

What are you looking for in the E46 that the E36 isn't offering you? I would say the main draw to it would be that it is more refined, the induction noise via a CSL-like box is readily available and easily achievable, and that it makes slightly more power (but even then it's also a heavier car). For the rest I would take the E36M3>E46M3

really? me and dark just took it around richmond for a bit and i was grinning my ass off. that engine is buzzy, communicative, and feels as old school as a EK civic. The shifting was super enjoyable (i havent driven manual in a while so maybe thats why) while the chassis was sporty and plush enough to use as a daily.

Man if you gents think thats boring, id outta lend you my novocaine camry.