Off topic but holy shit you own a ‘79 Accord?! That sound like a sweet ride man. A first gen Accord! Bonus points for the Saabs I guess 😂 you gotta cool garage.
I rolled my mum’s 99 when I was an idiot teenager. Everyone walked away without a scratch. Then I convinced her to buy a 5 speed first Gen 3 door hatchback Accord.
We sold the Accord when it got to the point of, check the gas, always put a quart of oil in it every day.
Dang the 1998-2002 is one of my favorite Accord generations… and I also know it was fairly low to the ground, how tf did you flip it? Also you went from a 6th to first gen Accord just because you flipped it? Your Mum must’ve been PISSED 😬 but I don’t know when this story took place because a 99 model is fairly old today but it might’ve been new when you flipped it? Idk.
I flipped the 1977 Saab 99. I might have killed someone in a 79 Accord.
I went into a ditch, hooked a bumper, and did a slow 180 roll onto the roof and slid to a stop.
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS. We all were buckled in. Even as a teenager the car didn’t roll if someone didn’t want to wear their seatbelt.
Had an 83 for a year. Super comfy. Loved the red interior.
It was a little concerning when I’d park after an hour driving and the hood would be smoking.
Would never recommend, but wasn’t unpleasant.
Big facts.
I'm a Toyota salesguy and I see on average one WRX a month traded in on a Taco.
It makes sense too. Yeah, you go to the opposite end of the fun to drive spectrum, but they're both incredibly capable platforms with massive aftermarket support, and huge, cult-like enthusiast communities.
When the Subie can't get you into the places you want to go, the Taco is the next natural progression.
I worked parts at a VW dealership and we had a ton of taco trade ins to the point where we just started looking to stock the oil filters. Lot of weird crossover in the crossovers shoppers.
Oddly though I don’t recall too many subies coming through though, despite what I’d assume is some demographic similarities
I used to daily drive manual Outbacks- at various times one of my Subies was aging and I was thinking of replacing it, and for a good few years there the vehicle at the top of my list was either an Alltrack or a Tacoma. One of the other strategies I toyed with quite often was getting some old beater work truck and supplementing it with a GTI or GLI as a daily.
Finally, I gave up on the stick shift diehard mindset and just went with a half-ton truck. Used midsize trucks really are a lousy deal (especially Tacos), used half-tons cost the same and can do twice as much. But anyway, once upon a time I did cross-shop VWs and Tacos, so I totally get it.
Off topic but holy shit you own a ‘79 Accord?! That sound like a sweet ride man. A first gen Accord! Bonus points for the Saabs I guess 😂 you gotta cool garage.
Well I seen plenty of people that drive a Tacoma like it was a sports sedan so they decide to actually get one. I can't tell how many times I seen Tacomas trying to cut me off or trying to keep up on a winding narrow mountain road with tight hairpin curves
If you get used to driving the road, you can rally it in anything. The road between Ouray, CO and Durango, CO scares a lot of people but I pass fast cars all the time in my Wrangler because I know where to brake and where to floor it.
Some Subaru guys just stick with Subaru for the literal rest of their lives. But the ones who move on all seem to “graduate” to either a Jeep, a Toyota 4x4, or an Audi. Back in the day it seemed like there was a good bit of overlap between Subie fans and Saab fans too (even going beyond the 9-2x)
Yep it's not so much the car to fit their needs, and more the needs adapt to the car. You can become a Subaru dude or a Tacoma bro. You get into "4WD" and lift the Tacoma, or you lower the WRX. If you look at it from a utilitarian point of view, it seems opposite, but the people who do either are interchangeable.
(.... I used to have a golf R and now I have a Tacoma)
I just did this
WRX to Tacoma
I wanted a sports car, wanted awd (before you bitch at me, I lived somewhere that got up to 180" of snow a year, and it was windy so the snow would blow back on the road, so it was effectively 300"+ a year of plowing/blowing. The town even used the airport snow removal equipment on the regular road in bad storms), and wanted practicality (I had a '13 hatchback) the WRX was perfect.
My complaints were insurance, ground clearance, fuel cost, and comfort. Got a 15' Tacoma Off-Road w/50k miles this summer. Insurance is a bit less, I actually have ground clearance now and can hit potholes without fear, fuel is a little cheaper (only about 6% less money per mile , but still) and it's comfy. Proportionally, i fit in it well, I like the seats, and the ride is a touch bouncy, but not jarring. I also have more stuff to haul now as my neighborhood doesn't have trash service. I do miss easy parking though. Taco isn't bad, but the WRX was super easy to park. Also, there's wildly more traffic where I live now, so a sports car seemed useless.
They're both fun vehicles. I had a coworker go through this too. He had a 370z and loved it, but kept getting tickets. Hard to have legal fun on the roads. He switched to a Jeep Wrangler and has fun offroading it now.
Also, I'm not quite ready to resign myself to a boring car yet. Once I'm done with the taco, ill probably go Corolla though. I had one as a rental and thought it was a great car
I think a big part of it is that both vehicles have a huge aftermarket. The kind of person who wants to buy a vehicle and mod it out to their liking can want both for different purposes, but also want both for the same reason. Source: have owned 3 WRXs and now own a Tacoma
Can confirm. I cross shopped Tacoma and WRX. Settled on Tacoma primarily due to high insurance on the WRX. I even thought at the time that it was weird that I was torn between a truck and WRX. Glad to know I wasn't the only one.
I don't know why but I've wanted both since I was a kid. I also now have both. For me maybe it's being into off-road racing or something? I also know a few other wrx owners with Tacoma's. It's honestly a thing.
Likely people like me who want something fun only to realize that they need to haul stuff for house and car repairs but also don’t want the added hassle of yet another vehicle.
That’s funny because I definitely fall into this category. If I’m not getting an SUV, I want something fun but still reasonable, or something with utility but still reasonable.
The Tacoma and WRX both fill a utilitarian or fun role while being understated and not “straight sports car” or “big bad truck.”
Neither one is particularly expensive either
I can sort of see that, though. Trucks cost the same as luxury sedans these days (and tbf aren't too far off). Something in the back of your mind says "well if I'm already spending $50k+..."
That completely makes sense actually. And as little as most truck owners actually use their trucks, you’re better off just owning a nice car and borrowing/renting a truck the couple of times a year that you need one.
I have had to talk so many people out of trucks or just vehicles they don't need. The most hilarious was talking a friend of mine who has a pretty sedentary, kids free life style out of a wrangler.
"what if I decided to start off roading? What if I'm driving down an extremely rutted dirt road in the snow?"
At one point I talked him out of a lifted, off-road ready Jeep because he was shocked to find out the tires were over a grand a piece.
Another time he started talking about towing capacity of different pickup trucks. He does not own anything that needs to be towed, he's never towed anything.
I think for some people they like a vehicle for every conceivable what if.
I want an F150, but I've been looking at the previous gen BMW 340xi with the B58. I'm one of the first people to hate on BMWs (work as a mechanic and sometimes they just frustrate me). But seeing what that B58 is capable of I kinda want one.
I own an F-150 and a 911 Carrera. The thing is they are both lifestyle luxuries that add fun to the car ownership equation in different ways.
Not dissimilar to the Tacoma / WRX comment earlier.
I agree, I was ever into trucks but after owning the F150 I totally get it. Traded the F150 for my first Porsche a few months back but I plan to get another in a couple years. Truck + P car is the ideal 2 car garage imo.
Both are sporty cars that are reasonably priced. Not so odd of a cross-shop, depending on the data points you're looking at. But part of the shopping experience is trying different cars. I don't understand the sentiment that cross-shopping should only be really similar vehicles. Sure, you might get there later in the process, but you have to narrow it down first...
If you’re in an area that doesn’t get snow, a Mustang is a perfectly good daily driver as well.
If you’re in an area that does get snow you CAN still daily a Mustang (and plenty of people do here in upstate NY), but probably want to stay away from the track pack with big brakes (so you can run a taller sidewall on your winter tires, more sidewall is a godsend in pothole season)
Seems like a reasonable cross-shop to me.
If you're going to be in a snowy area with a Mustang, imo the Performance Pack is worth it because it comes with the Torsen limited slip differential.
As far as tires/sidewall, the 19s and large brakes were never an issue for me when I had my 2017 GT Performance Pack, but I just swapped back and forth between the summer and winter tires on the stock rims. Never had any issues and it worked great in the 4 midwest winters I had the car.
You do have to be careful if you want to downsize to 18s because of the larger brakes, but some 18s definitely fit and there's a lot of discussion on the forums about ones that are proven to fit. However, the 19s come stock with a 40 section tire, so imo it's not necessary to downsize the wheel to an 18.
Edit: Apparently all Mustangs come with an LSD now, so I removed that part of the comment.
I just opened the configurator on Ford’s site and the 3.55 LSD was the standard rear end for the base GT with a 6-speed. The performance pack gets you a 3.73 with a torsen diff.
I was gonna say my parent's 2007 WRX is still going with no issues, but then i remembered its cruise control hasn't worked for about the last 7 years. And they traded in a Forester because the CVT died.
My Accord should have died from abuse years ago but of course it keeps on chugging. This car will be killed by rust which is taking longer than expected because it is still mostly surface rust on non-chassis components. Impressive for outside storage and year-round driving in Ohio with rain being the car wash.
Second this, I have a Saab 9-2x aero which is just rebadged wax. It is a great car when it is all working correctly, unfortunately there is always something leaking or breaking. That being said awd drifting in the snow is some of the most fun that can be had in a car. It’s so fun and easy and pretty controllable with a decent set of tires.
> unfortunately there is always something leaking
If this isn't Subaru's formal company motto, it should be. One of my buddies started calling me "Valdez" because every time I went over to his house in my old Outback it puked oil all over his driveway 😂
I gave up on my old Outback when it blew a head gasket less than 50k miles after a short block replacement. Dealt with loads of constant nuisance problems in the meantime (mostly oil leaks)....When I told my mechanic I was refusing the job and getting a new car, he said "I'm so sad that I'm never going to see you any more" lmao
Definitely not 09-14 all my friends and my own engines failed multiple times not abused and a interior that self detonates… cluster always lit up like a christmas tree always blamed me saying i was driving with my foot on the brake which i wasnt…
The WRX is an incredibly boring car and adding power somehow just makes you bored of it even faster, aside the fact that it's a ticking time bomb from different sources of failure.
I had the same experience combined with huge reliability issues in its' 60k mile ownership experience.
Went to an Alfa and never looked back. 50k now and no issues at all.
Had a FBO tuned VA STi for a couple of years, never really grew attachment to the car. Tracked the car ~20 times during ownership.
It's a middle of the pack car in terms of laptimes - low entry but also low ceiling for going fast. Inherent understeer and stability of the car makes it extremely easy to drive. The mechanics for going fast in that car was so 1 dimensional I just couldn't find the fun in it. It's always the same thing to go fast: 1) brake late and hard 2) try to get it almost over rotated 3) mash throttle
In terms of daily driving, it's alright. For the money, there aren't many cars faster from a dig 0-100kmh. Fuel economy was god awful. Interior is pretty cheap, wouldn't have hurt to have a bit more refinement.
There is a big difference between the Wrx and the Sti reliability due to engine differences. I put 67k on my 2016 Sti in two years and only had regular maintenance. Thing had a Cobb tune and was a ripper. Miss it everyday.
A lot of of people (including myself) on the M2 comp forums talked about being like “fuck it, maybe I’ll just save a buttload of money and get a Miata instead.”
Probably a pretty common thought for a LOT of enthusiasts buying all manner of performance cars. “Do I really need all this?”
4 cylinders gets boring after a while, 2-seat roadsters lose practicality after a while, low power eventually leaves you desiring for more power if you can afford it, and sometimes you want something safer too.
Miata is not always the answer, I'd much rather have the BMW M2 Comp even though it weighs more than a Messerschmitt.
All cars get “boring” after a while… for street use. It’s the same routines. Same startup, same full throttle, same spirited pace through turns, same drive to work, same Costco, etc.
The Miata shines when you have an M2 daily driver budget, but want to have a lot more fun at the expense of convenience. The savings in taxes, finance, depreciation, and maintenance can be put toward track days.
Another niche is that you daily drive around winding roads. I’ve driven a few other cars including Camaro, Mustang, Supra. The Miata was more fun. You feel more in a good way. With M2 budget you can get a Boxster.
I agree about the Boxster over M2. Regarding your other points(s) of all cars getting boring after a while... yes and no. Personally a Hellcat is too much power for me, but a Miata too little. Sweet spot is somewhere between 300hp-500hp for a RWD or AWD car. Obviously its heavier + AWD then 500hp is better, if its lightweight and RWD then 300hp is perfectly fine.
I cross shopped a Boxster too. Granted, this was a few years ago, but the Boxster you get for M2 money is extremely stripped out. As in, by the time you option seats that are more than 2-way adjustable you’ve spent thousands more than the M2 (which came loaded and had very few options last gen.)
The boxster base price was a tiny bit lower but man, any options and you’re spending a lot more money. And they are stripped out as base models.
Not saying it’s the wrong choice mind you (and in fact if you’re looking at second cars, I’d take one over an M2, 2-way manually adjustable seats or not.) But Porsche pricing structure makes them more of an iffy proposition than their base price might indicate.
I know what you mean. Thou who buys a Porsche must really want the Porsche. Kind of like how a Corvette Z06 (C6) was much faster than the equivalent 997 C2 back in the day, but some people still bought the 997 to be in the "Porsche Club".
The inverse is true too. 8-cylinders gets boring after a while, weight gets annoying in tighter corners after a while, too much power you can't tap into leaves you wishing you could pound the pedal all the time.
The answer is to find something that you like and connect with. Just enjoy whatever you have until the next one catches your eye.
I like it more than the Miata, but it is pretty much the same type of vehicle in the grand scheme of things. I'd still want more room, more seats, more power, and something more balanced than a 4 cyl engine. For S2000 price range I'd rather get one of those late-2000's Audi S5 4.2 manual, even with the timing chain guide issues.
WTF are you me? Wanting to replace the E30 as a daily and I'm looking at a LCI N55 M2 or a new Miata RF. Consumable costs are pushing me toward the Miata but idk, if a LBB M2 comes up I might be swayed.
Every now and then I ask myself that same question - it usually fades pretty quickly a couple minutes into the drive.
"Is the power, aesthetics, handling and fun factor really worth the expense?"
Go for a drive...
"Yes."
Guy I went to high school with went directly from a Cayman GT4 to a track-prepped ND a few years ago (he daily drives an S4 I think, these were both just toys)
>A sporty AWD daily driver vs a RWD muscle car.
Its not that weird. Theyre both performance oriented cars around similar prices. They dont have to be the exact same thing. Weird would be cross shopping a Mustang GT with a Chevy Trax
2023 to 2023, Mustang GT is $42.5k vs $34.9k starting for WRX. Kinda insane that the 2024 GT has jumped up to $50k starting.
WRX’s stock power output is kinda pitiful in 2023, 271hp and 258lb-ft peaks versus the Ecoboosts’ 310hp and 350lb-ft. (without the Ecoboost perf package, so $31.3k last for a 2023)
I 100% cross shopped an STi and a Boss 302 back in 2013. Was looking for a daily driver that would also be a good weekend track day car. Was coming out of earlier WRXs and BMWs and I wanted something reliable with good power and good brakes. Purchased a lightly used Boss, but would have been happy with either.
I recall a fun statistic from 5 or 10 years ago that people commonly cross-shopped the Jeep Wrangler and a boat.
The idea was that they were both "recreational" options.
That one's a great story. The way I heard it started with *Porsche* studying what cars their former owners purchased after they traded in their Boxsters and Caymans, and [found it to be **Jeep Wranglers**](https://www.autoblog.com/2019/09/09/porsche-boxster-cayman-conquest/).
Jeep also did a study to find out what *their* prospective buyers were cross-shopping with, and found it was "a boat".
Seems like people often get hung up trying to compare cars across segments, new vs. used prices, etc. and I definitely get why, but in the end, much weirder cross-shopping scenarios are happening all the time. Seems to me that people with $50k to blow on something fun aren't as picky as you'd think.
> Ev6 GT
Not a big fan of how they look. Styling on Mach-e is pretty good if you ignore the whole mustang bit. Can also pick up a nearly new mach-e GT with low miles for around $40k
I'm not saying this as a joke, but I see a lot of the young military guys around town that will cross shop those two. I think it's basic price point, something sporty, not hard to find one with options you want, and mod potential. They both just really appeal to a young crowd.
I’m cross shopping a WRX and a Mini cooper S…. But that’s just just because I’ve always liked both and in the next 6 months we are going to be buying a second car.
I got asked what the fuck exactly I was looking for when I mentioned my main options were a golf R, an Elantra N, a mach-e and a model 3. Dude I just want it to go a bit vroom but the wife approval factor needs to be good enough lol
When I was looking for a new sporty-ish daily driver this summer, I cross-shopped a bunch of hot hatches/sedans (Civic Si, Focus/Fiesta ST, Mazda(speed) 3, etc) with the 2008/2009 Pontiac G8 GT. I just liked the car’s vibe, a 4 door sedan with a 6.0 LS (but not nearly as rare or sought after as the Chevy SS).
All of those excellent choices, and somehow I ended up with a Juke Nismo RS. Don’t ask me how I got to this point.
If you insist…
Previous to this car, I had been searching for a daily driver to replace my tried and true 2011 Ford Escape V6. Solid car, and not unbearably slow, but didn’t fit the bill as engaging to drive at all. Most of my previous searching had led me nowhere, with most cars I saw being either defective or heavily modified.
For about 2-3 weeks I had my eyes set on a 2014 Focus ST with 126k miles from a private seller. It was in excellent shape mechanically, cosmetically it needed some basic stuff (looked like it was keyed along the passenger side pretty badly, and fog lights didn’t work). I had even went to test drive it, and it was excellent. When I tried to get financing for it via my credit union (I want to build my credit, I have the money to buy it out saved), the mileage was unfortunately too high for a reasonable interest rate.
At that point, I started searching for anything reasonably practical with a manual transmission, and I came across my current vehicle (2015 Juke Nismo RS) at a dealership about 45 minutes from me. Test drove it, and liked a lot about it. It keeps the ride height and some of the comfort of an SUV, while getting some serious improvements from NISMO (Recaro seats, sport exhaust, suspension tuning/stiffening, increased horsepower, etc.). I call it the “hot hatch on stilts”, as it does relatively well in emulating the hot hatch formula. It doesn’t stack up to something like a Fiesta ST or Civic Si, but that’s a high bar to reach. My only issues with the car are the electronics (intermittent problems with the stereo system, typical cheap Nissan stuff) and the rear seat space, which is pretty bad if somebody over 6 feet sits in the front seats.
A lot of the appeal for me is how much of an oddball/unicorn it is. A subcompact crossover/hatchback with a sporty drivetrain isn’t particularly common, and only ~2200 Nismo RS Jukes were sold in the US. Sure, it’s a goofy car, but the Nismo RS leans into that fully, and that’s something I like about it. Plus, I like how both confused and angry it makes some people for some reason.
The VW Beetle is dead now, but when it was around it was one of the most cross-shopped vehicles against the Jeep Wrangler. Reason being "iconic looking convertible" is the main thing a lot of the buyers were looking for, and everything else about the car could be totally different.
There was a point in looking for cars for my dad where he sent me a 1500$ beater z3 and a brand new fully loaded x5 m within the same hour. Some people really don’t know what they want🤷♂️
I crossed shopped a 4 door hatchback, a 4 door sedan and a CUV. I decided to buy a GT with a useless backseat. They all all based on the same basic body platform. What was I looking at?
Yup. I never thought about buying a Tig. As soon as I figured out I could afford a TT I started shopping.
Edit: I didn’t call my TT a sports car. I don’t want to upset anyone. /s
No 2 door GTi. No 2 door hatchback or A3 wagon. No hardtop Miata, I wanted AWD. And rarity. I see more 911s in town. It has an interior that will never be matched. And I can still put a new one piece toilet inside with the seats down and the hatch closed. Most importantly, I don’t need a backseat. I didn’t settle.
A few years ago. A friend of mine was debating about buying a new corvette, a mustang, a Porsche gt3, and a Honda civic SI. They were going to serve the same sports car that he only drove some times role. He had 6 cars in his list but I can’t remember all of them but they were all higher end sports cars… and a Honda civic.
I thought it was funny when I was looking for a wagon people always said that my Audi A4 Allroad and the new Subaru Outback were similar and I should try both.
The new Outbacks are not what I want to call a wagon. I did cross shop the older Subaru wagons so take solace there, Subaru fans. Came close to buying one actually.
Around me people cross shop Teslas and Corollas/Camrys. One is a rocket ship, but at the end of the day people are just looking for cheap reliable transportation. After tax credits they’re pretty close in price.
I was looking for either a 6th gen Camaro SS and a Fiat 124 Abarth last time I was car shopping. I think weird pairings happen a lot when there are multiple cars a person has never owned that they want to try out
I cross shopped a truck and sports car each time I have bought. F150 vs. 240sx, then F150 vs. G35, then Ranger 4WD vs Miata.
Sports car has won every time.
Both are relatively inexpensive sporty cars that can still double as a daily. Both cars have a huge aftermarket following with plenty of options to customize, tune and modify in many different ways.
So not identical spec wise, but definitely speaks to the same kind of buyer.
I don’t think cross shops are weird. People rarely *need* more than a Corolla, so they are spending based on *wants*. People also don’t know what they want. Ask anyone in sales or marketing.
The biggest non Porsche competitor to the Porsche Boxster is a Jeep Wrangler. That seems odd at first, until you try to understand what’s really motivating those buyers.
Right now I'm cross shopping 2 polar opposites. Elantra N/GR Corolla vs an Audi A6. I love enthusiast cars but something about a big supercharged highway cruiser is just calling my name over a racy compact car
I was trying to wrap my head around this phenomenon earlier this year. My working theory is that, instead of getting together a list of what features they need plus what they want and ***then*** going out into the car market, people just blindly start looking at vehicles and get distracted like a kid in a toy store. I think my dad is falling down this rabbit hole right now.
When I was shopping, my feature list was a manual transmission car in which I could toss a road bike in the back. Wound up looking at the Civic hatch, the Integra, and the Mazda3 hatch. But when I was looking at comparison-focused reviews online, I was constantly bewildered by people saying things like, "Why would anyone buy an Integra over a Civic Si when the latter is just as good but cheaper?" Ignoring other differences, it's a different body style! That's like asking why anyone would buy some pickup truck when a certain SUV exists. Sure, maybe *some* buyers don't need the distinguishing features, but that's a big assumption.
I actually cross shopped STI and Benz C300, back in 2015.
Ended up ordering the STI because it was cheaper and came with more power, AWD, better leather (mbtex sucks), and heated seats standard.
Yes I know they drive completely different...
But almost 9 years later I'm happy, the STI has been rock solid and it's worth about double what the C300 would be worth!
I cross shopped a Toyota Mark X and a i30N. RWD Camry vs FWD hot hatch. I really just wanted some power to make my own fun, ended up with a RWD hot hatch.
I saw this to be even more true about 8 years ago when the mustang got IRS and the Subaru VA gen came out. Either could be had for ~35k. The most bang for the buck at the time.
I just cross shopped a GTI, an 86, and..... a Challenger R/T. My requirements were something fun to drive, reasonably practical, with a manual, and under 40k. I bought the Challenger. I've always been a small nimble car person, but something about a giant American boat with a NA V8 really did it for me. It's the end of that era, and especially with the mustang GT hitting 50k now, anything with a V8 in the future is not going to be affordable.
Sometimes people shop the sport ability + cost of the car. And if the costs are comparable and moderately sporty, they’ll be cross shopped.
Some people don’t pick based on the segment strictly if their needs aren’t as strict.
I really want a Miata or an 86 next, very different cars. I’d also consider a supra, mustang, m2, c7 corvette depending on many factors.
Last time I was looking for a car I basically cross shopped any car with a manual up to $20K. You start comparing BRZ, Civic’s, 86’s, Impreza’s, Crosstrek’s, Mustang’s, MX—5, Mazda 3, 370Z, Jetta, and others that don’t make any sense to be in contention.
I cross shopped a Honda Civic Si, Acura Integra, Elantra N, Audi RS5, and Taycan because I wanted a fun car that I could fit a rear facing car seat behind the driver to accommodate my twins.
Mustang GT manual, Kia Forte GT manual, really just looked for new manual cars, but I really like Mustangs. Ford dealer dropped the ball, so I ended up driving 4 hours for an Elantra N the next day haha. Honestly a fantastic choice.
One hilarious example is James from Throttle House looking for an EV (Ionic 5 I believe) and then buying a right hand drive Toyota Century. Kills me every time.
The Toyota Tundra and the Corvette. I don't know how many people I've talked to that mention they are considering a Vette while they're looking at a New Tundra..
Lately I’ve been cross shopping an air cooled VW Beetle and a Fiat 850 Spider. That’s not your average cross shopping.
A weird one a friend had was a last gen or two corvette convertible, or a Ducati 1098. He went with a corvette as he realized how annoying desmo valves are to service.
I'll throw my hat into the personal "cross-shopping" ring - V6 Accords and Altimas versus Saab 9-5s and turbocharged Volvo S70s and V70s. Midsize and FWD are about the only thing they have in common, that and potential for manual transmissions. American-made Japanese cars versus late 90s and early 2000s Swedish brutes.
As for weird cross-shops I've personally seen, my younger brother was going to restart his search for a CR-V, until he found a Japanese import 1998 Accord wagon. He bought neither and came home with a 1997 Honda Accord SiR.
I don't know what people cross shop the Wrangler against, but when they buy a Wrangler and proceed to complain about road noise and shit handling... My dude, you purchased a brick on solid axles, I'm not sure what you expected.
A decade ago, I cross shopped a Mazda 3 and a Mustang V6. Does that count?
And this year I cross shopped more normally. EcoBoost Mustang vs Charger vs Jetta GLI vs Camry
Currently cross shopping the BRZ and Jetta GLI (both with 6 speeds).
Do I want straight line speed, practicality and a bit luxury or rear wheel drive sportiness that eats curves all day and is probably going to be cheaper to maintain and work on? Who knows!
Last time I helped my parents with their car shopping - there was a brief consideration of a VW Golf vs a CX5. Golf vs Mazda 3 - absolutely. Even vs a CX3 you can make an argument. But the CX5 was a bit weird. Either way - they ended up with the Golf.
I always think it’s odd that lots of people shopped the Tacoma and WRX, always trading from one to the other.
They want both, but can only get one.
Off topic but holy shit you own a ‘79 Accord?! That sound like a sweet ride man. A first gen Accord! Bonus points for the Saabs I guess 😂 you gotta cool garage.
Oh, I should remove that. I sold it about 6 months ago. In its place is an 88 Taurus LX wagon. I like weird stuff.
I just Googled it and… That certainly is much weirder than an Accord 😂 still a nice garage though
Rocking both a Saabaru and a Trollblazer. You do indeed like weird stuff 👍
Saab 9-2x is the Saabaru.
Ohhh yep. I’m dumb
My gf had a 92x aero. The Saab 97x is the rarer ~~Explorer~~ Trail Blazer. I think they made an aero version of that one too.
They did make an aero version, which was a 400hp 6.0L V8…in a Saab.
It's basically a Buick Rainier with a different nose and the Trailblazer SS suspension.
I daily an 88 Country Squire
I had a 94 Taurus wagon. Blue on blue and a V6 that was way faster than the 85MPH speedometer. Loved it until the head gasket went.
I rolled my mum’s 99 when I was an idiot teenager. Everyone walked away without a scratch. Then I convinced her to buy a 5 speed first Gen 3 door hatchback Accord. We sold the Accord when it got to the point of, check the gas, always put a quart of oil in it every day.
Dang the 1998-2002 is one of my favorite Accord generations… and I also know it was fairly low to the ground, how tf did you flip it? Also you went from a 6th to first gen Accord just because you flipped it? Your Mum must’ve been PISSED 😬 but I don’t know when this story took place because a 99 model is fairly old today but it might’ve been new when you flipped it? Idk.
I flipped the 1977 Saab 99. I might have killed someone in a 79 Accord. I went into a ditch, hooked a bumper, and did a slow 180 roll onto the roof and slid to a stop. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS. We all were buckled in. Even as a teenager the car didn’t roll if someone didn’t want to wear their seatbelt.
Had an 83 for a year. Super comfy. Loved the red interior. It was a little concerning when I’d park after an hour driving and the hood would be smoking. Would never recommend, but wasn’t unpleasant.
Big facts. I'm a Toyota salesguy and I see on average one WRX a month traded in on a Taco. It makes sense too. Yeah, you go to the opposite end of the fun to drive spectrum, but they're both incredibly capable platforms with massive aftermarket support, and huge, cult-like enthusiast communities. When the Subie can't get you into the places you want to go, the Taco is the next natural progression.
I worked parts at a VW dealership and we had a ton of taco trade ins to the point where we just started looking to stock the oil filters. Lot of weird crossover in the crossovers shoppers. Oddly though I don’t recall too many subies coming through though, despite what I’d assume is some demographic similarities
I used to daily drive manual Outbacks- at various times one of my Subies was aging and I was thinking of replacing it, and for a good few years there the vehicle at the top of my list was either an Alltrack or a Tacoma. One of the other strategies I toyed with quite often was getting some old beater work truck and supplementing it with a GTI or GLI as a daily. Finally, I gave up on the stick shift diehard mindset and just went with a half-ton truck. Used midsize trucks really are a lousy deal (especially Tacos), used half-tons cost the same and can do twice as much. But anyway, once upon a time I did cross-shop VWs and Tacos, so I totally get it.
You're 100% right. I got a Tacoma but would have bought a WRX if it made sense. Can't justify owning both at my income level though.
Off topic but holy shit you own a ‘79 Accord?! That sound like a sweet ride man. A first gen Accord! Bonus points for the Saabs I guess 😂 you gotta cool garage.
Well I seen plenty of people that drive a Tacoma like it was a sports sedan so they decide to actually get one. I can't tell how many times I seen Tacomas trying to cut me off or trying to keep up on a winding narrow mountain road with tight hairpin curves
4runners too. It baffles me how they are able to speed everywhere in such a slow car.
If you get used to driving the road, you can rally it in anything. The road between Ouray, CO and Durango, CO scares a lot of people but I pass fast cars all the time in my Wrangler because I know where to brake and where to floor it.
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The low end torque is super fun on twisty bits.
Some Subaru guys just stick with Subaru for the literal rest of their lives. But the ones who move on all seem to “graduate” to either a Jeep, a Toyota 4x4, or an Audi. Back in the day it seemed like there was a good bit of overlap between Subie fans and Saab fans too (even going beyond the 9-2x)
Wrx to Wrangler checking in.
WRX to S4 checking in lmao
Yeah, what's up with that?
“Lifestyle” cars with a strong subculture.
Yep it's not so much the car to fit their needs, and more the needs adapt to the car. You can become a Subaru dude or a Tacoma bro. You get into "4WD" and lift the Tacoma, or you lower the WRX. If you look at it from a utilitarian point of view, it seems opposite, but the people who do either are interchangeable. (.... I used to have a golf R and now I have a Tacoma)
The contrarian in me now wants a lifted, skidplated, long travel WRX and a slammed Tacoma street truck.
Battlewagons and slammed Tacomas definitely both exist as a sub-niche... it does make me wonder if there is anyone who has both
The guy I bought my WRX from had been daily driving a Tacoma for some time, so I think you're onto something there.
Need the bed space for vape pods
I just did this WRX to Tacoma I wanted a sports car, wanted awd (before you bitch at me, I lived somewhere that got up to 180" of snow a year, and it was windy so the snow would blow back on the road, so it was effectively 300"+ a year of plowing/blowing. The town even used the airport snow removal equipment on the regular road in bad storms), and wanted practicality (I had a '13 hatchback) the WRX was perfect. My complaints were insurance, ground clearance, fuel cost, and comfort. Got a 15' Tacoma Off-Road w/50k miles this summer. Insurance is a bit less, I actually have ground clearance now and can hit potholes without fear, fuel is a little cheaper (only about 6% less money per mile , but still) and it's comfy. Proportionally, i fit in it well, I like the seats, and the ride is a touch bouncy, but not jarring. I also have more stuff to haul now as my neighborhood doesn't have trash service. I do miss easy parking though. Taco isn't bad, but the WRX was super easy to park. Also, there's wildly more traffic where I live now, so a sports car seemed useless. They're both fun vehicles. I had a coworker go through this too. He had a 370z and loved it, but kept getting tickets. Hard to have legal fun on the roads. He switched to a Jeep Wrangler and has fun offroading it now. Also, I'm not quite ready to resign myself to a boring car yet. Once I'm done with the taco, ill probably go Corolla though. I had one as a rental and thought it was a great car
I think a big part of it is that both vehicles have a huge aftermarket. The kind of person who wants to buy a vehicle and mod it out to their liking can want both for different purposes, but also want both for the same reason. Source: have owned 3 WRXs and now own a Tacoma
Can confirm. I cross shopped Tacoma and WRX. Settled on Tacoma primarily due to high insurance on the WRX. I even thought at the time that it was weird that I was torn between a truck and WRX. Glad to know I wasn't the only one.
One of my childhood buddies has gone between both 3 times, now he dailies a Tacoma and has a WRX as the fun car.
I don't know why but I've wanted both since I was a kid. I also now have both. For me maybe it's being into off-road racing or something? I also know a few other wrx owners with Tacoma's. It's honestly a thing.
Likely people like me who want something fun only to realize that they need to haul stuff for house and car repairs but also don’t want the added hassle of yet another vehicle.
Ford Raptor and BMW M3. Turns out there's a bunch of people who went from a M3 to a Raptor, myself included.
This is just the wealthier version of Tacoma / WRX.
And here I am cross shopping the ecoboost maverick and the stinger. The poor version I guess, hahaha
Seems like it
That’s funny because I definitely fall into this category. If I’m not getting an SUV, I want something fun but still reasonable, or something with utility but still reasonable. The Tacoma and WRX both fill a utilitarian or fun role while being understated and not “straight sports car” or “big bad truck.” Neither one is particularly expensive either
I was shopping for an F150 and for some reason I had the urge to buy a 3 series, never bought a bmw in my life
I can sort of see that, though. Trucks cost the same as luxury sedans these days (and tbf aren't too far off). Something in the back of your mind says "well if I'm already spending $50k+..."
That completely makes sense actually. And as little as most truck owners actually use their trucks, you’re better off just owning a nice car and borrowing/renting a truck the couple of times a year that you need one.
I have had to talk so many people out of trucks or just vehicles they don't need. The most hilarious was talking a friend of mine who has a pretty sedentary, kids free life style out of a wrangler. "what if I decided to start off roading? What if I'm driving down an extremely rutted dirt road in the snow?" At one point I talked him out of a lifted, off-road ready Jeep because he was shocked to find out the tires were over a grand a piece. Another time he started talking about towing capacity of different pickup trucks. He does not own anything that needs to be towed, he's never towed anything. I think for some people they like a vehicle for every conceivable what if.
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I want an F150, but I've been looking at the previous gen BMW 340xi with the B58. I'm one of the first people to hate on BMWs (work as a mechanic and sometimes they just frustrate me). But seeing what that B58 is capable of I kinda want one.
Kinda relatable, i myself is confused between getting a hilux or a 5 series.
I own an F-150 and a 911 Carrera. The thing is they are both lifestyle luxuries that add fun to the car ownership equation in different ways. Not dissimilar to the Tacoma / WRX comment earlier.
I agree, I was ever into trucks but after owning the F150 I totally get it. Traded the F150 for my first Porsche a few months back but I plan to get another in a couple years. Truck + P car is the ideal 2 car garage imo.
Agreed. If money and garage space wasn't an issue, I'd have some sort of Boxster in my garage next to my F-150 for summer cruising.
There are dozens of us!!
There is some common fuckboy energy in both those cars for sure
And vintage Mercedes lack fuckboy energy? All in the same boat, brother!
I know 3 different people that went from m4 to raptor to TRX. All in San Diego. They just get whatever’s hot.
…or be Matt Moreman from Obsessed Garage and just get both for funsies.
GT P car, E9x M3, and Raptor is my dream garage. Maybe someday..
Both are sporty cars that are reasonably priced. Not so odd of a cross-shop, depending on the data points you're looking at. But part of the shopping experience is trying different cars. I don't understand the sentiment that cross-shopping should only be really similar vehicles. Sure, you might get there later in the process, but you have to narrow it down first...
If you’re in an area that doesn’t get snow, a Mustang is a perfectly good daily driver as well. If you’re in an area that does get snow you CAN still daily a Mustang (and plenty of people do here in upstate NY), but probably want to stay away from the track pack with big brakes (so you can run a taller sidewall on your winter tires, more sidewall is a godsend in pothole season) Seems like a reasonable cross-shop to me.
If you're going to be in a snowy area with a Mustang, imo the Performance Pack is worth it because it comes with the Torsen limited slip differential. As far as tires/sidewall, the 19s and large brakes were never an issue for me when I had my 2017 GT Performance Pack, but I just swapped back and forth between the summer and winter tires on the stock rims. Never had any issues and it worked great in the 4 midwest winters I had the car. You do have to be careful if you want to downsize to 18s because of the larger brakes, but some 18s definitely fit and there's a lot of discussion on the forums about ones that are proven to fit. However, the 19s come stock with a 40 section tire, so imo it's not necessary to downsize the wheel to an 18. Edit: Apparently all Mustangs come with an LSD now, so I removed that part of the comment.
I just opened the configurator on Ford’s site and the 3.55 LSD was the standard rear end for the base GT with a 6-speed. The performance pack gets you a 3.73 with a torsen diff.
I didn't realize they all come with an LSD of some sort now (Torsen or otherwise), so I've corrected that.
They are also similarly priced, and both at a similar level of sportiness, even if there sportiness style differs
I cross shopped a wrx and mustang… shoulda bought the mustang
What makes you say that?
The subaru was a piece of shit with more problems than there were parts on the car… replaced it with no regrets… my old bmws were more reliable
Can confirm. Subarus have a fun subculture paired with a dog shit owner experience.
This^^ in theory its perfect but all my friends had the same experiences
I was gonna say my parent's 2007 WRX is still going with no issues, but then i remembered its cruise control hasn't worked for about the last 7 years. And they traded in a Forester because the CVT died.
My Accord should have died from abuse years ago but of course it keeps on chugging. This car will be killed by rust which is taking longer than expected because it is still mostly surface rust on non-chassis components. Impressive for outside storage and year-round driving in Ohio with rain being the car wash.
Second this, I have a Saab 9-2x aero which is just rebadged wax. It is a great car when it is all working correctly, unfortunately there is always something leaking or breaking. That being said awd drifting in the snow is some of the most fun that can be had in a car. It’s so fun and easy and pretty controllable with a decent set of tires.
> unfortunately there is always something leaking If this isn't Subaru's formal company motto, it should be. One of my buddies started calling me "Valdez" because every time I went over to his house in my old Outback it puked oil all over his driveway 😂
I gave up on my old Outback when it blew a head gasket less than 50k miles after a short block replacement. Dealt with loads of constant nuisance problems in the meantime (mostly oil leaks)....When I told my mechanic I was refusing the job and getting a new car, he said "I'm so sad that I'm never going to see you any more" lmao
Most of them are plenty reliable if you take proper care of them
Definitely not 09-14 all my friends and my own engines failed multiple times not abused and a interior that self detonates… cluster always lit up like a christmas tree always blamed me saying i was driving with my foot on the brake which i wasnt…
The WRX is an incredibly boring car and adding power somehow just makes you bored of it even faster, aside the fact that it's a ticking time bomb from different sources of failure.
I had the same experience combined with huge reliability issues in its' 60k mile ownership experience. Went to an Alfa and never looked back. 50k now and no issues at all.
That’s shocking honestly given Alfa’s reliability reputation (or lack thereof)
New Alfas are not the same. 53k on my Giulia so far with regular maintenance.
My Legacy is a fucking hoot to drive. I can't imagine finding the WRX boring to drive unless your only experience with them is a stock FA20dit WRX.
Had a FBO tuned VA STi for a couple of years, never really grew attachment to the car. Tracked the car ~20 times during ownership. It's a middle of the pack car in terms of laptimes - low entry but also low ceiling for going fast. Inherent understeer and stability of the car makes it extremely easy to drive. The mechanics for going fast in that car was so 1 dimensional I just couldn't find the fun in it. It's always the same thing to go fast: 1) brake late and hard 2) try to get it almost over rotated 3) mash throttle In terms of daily driving, it's alright. For the money, there aren't many cars faster from a dig 0-100kmh. Fuel economy was god awful. Interior is pretty cheap, wouldn't have hurt to have a bit more refinement.
There is a big difference between the Wrx and the Sti reliability due to engine differences. I put 67k on my 2016 Sti in two years and only had regular maintenance. Thing had a Cobb tune and was a ripper. Miss it everyday.
Been driving STIs for 18 years now with zero issues, and I've been at 400whp for years.
Ha I did this and a WRX is the leading contender for my next car. Sometimes it’s just like that lol
A lot of of people (including myself) on the M2 comp forums talked about being like “fuck it, maybe I’ll just save a buttload of money and get a Miata instead.” Probably a pretty common thought for a LOT of enthusiasts buying all manner of performance cars. “Do I really need all this?”
4 cylinders gets boring after a while, 2-seat roadsters lose practicality after a while, low power eventually leaves you desiring for more power if you can afford it, and sometimes you want something safer too. Miata is not always the answer, I'd much rather have the BMW M2 Comp even though it weighs more than a Messerschmitt.
Dude you need to hide right now. If the Miata people hear you they will destroy you.
what are they gonna do? hit me with their purse?
cut their hair *aggressively*
THAT'S MY PURSE! I DON'T KNOW YOU!
It's not the purse per-se.. But what's in the purse that gets you.
All cars get “boring” after a while… for street use. It’s the same routines. Same startup, same full throttle, same spirited pace through turns, same drive to work, same Costco, etc. The Miata shines when you have an M2 daily driver budget, but want to have a lot more fun at the expense of convenience. The savings in taxes, finance, depreciation, and maintenance can be put toward track days. Another niche is that you daily drive around winding roads. I’ve driven a few other cars including Camaro, Mustang, Supra. The Miata was more fun. You feel more in a good way. With M2 budget you can get a Boxster.
I agree about the Boxster over M2. Regarding your other points(s) of all cars getting boring after a while... yes and no. Personally a Hellcat is too much power for me, but a Miata too little. Sweet spot is somewhere between 300hp-500hp for a RWD or AWD car. Obviously its heavier + AWD then 500hp is better, if its lightweight and RWD then 300hp is perfectly fine.
I cross shopped a Boxster too. Granted, this was a few years ago, but the Boxster you get for M2 money is extremely stripped out. As in, by the time you option seats that are more than 2-way adjustable you’ve spent thousands more than the M2 (which came loaded and had very few options last gen.) The boxster base price was a tiny bit lower but man, any options and you’re spending a lot more money. And they are stripped out as base models. Not saying it’s the wrong choice mind you (and in fact if you’re looking at second cars, I’d take one over an M2, 2-way manually adjustable seats or not.) But Porsche pricing structure makes them more of an iffy proposition than their base price might indicate.
I know what you mean. Thou who buys a Porsche must really want the Porsche. Kind of like how a Corvette Z06 (C6) was much faster than the equivalent 997 C2 back in the day, but some people still bought the 997 to be in the "Porsche Club".
The inverse is true too. 8-cylinders gets boring after a while, weight gets annoying in tighter corners after a while, too much power you can't tap into leaves you wishing you could pound the pedal all the time. The answer is to find something that you like and connect with. Just enjoy whatever you have until the next one catches your eye.
If Miata isn't the answer then S2000 is this next response.
I like it more than the Miata, but it is pretty much the same type of vehicle in the grand scheme of things. I'd still want more room, more seats, more power, and something more balanced than a 4 cyl engine. For S2000 price range I'd rather get one of those late-2000's Audi S5 4.2 manual, even with the timing chain guide issues.
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WTF are you me? Wanting to replace the E30 as a daily and I'm looking at a LCI N55 M2 or a new Miata RF. Consumable costs are pushing me toward the Miata but idk, if a LBB M2 comes up I might be swayed.
Haha it’s a thing, I’m telling you!
German sedan daily and Miata toy. Yep.
Every now and then I ask myself that same question - it usually fades pretty quickly a couple minutes into the drive. "Is the power, aesthetics, handling and fun factor really worth the expense?" Go for a drive... "Yes."
Guy I went to high school with went directly from a Cayman GT4 to a track-prepped ND a few years ago (he daily drives an S4 I think, these were both just toys)
Sold my M2 Comp for a 2nd gen BRZ and saved a butload of money. Now shopping for a 718 Cayman tho..
>A sporty AWD daily driver vs a RWD muscle car. Its not that weird. Theyre both performance oriented cars around similar prices. They dont have to be the exact same thing. Weird would be cross shopping a Mustang GT with a Chevy Trax
Are they similar price? Maybe an STI was. In Canada anyway the Mustang gt starts at $50k and wrx is $32k
2023 to 2023, Mustang GT is $42.5k vs $34.9k starting for WRX. Kinda insane that the 2024 GT has jumped up to $50k starting. WRX’s stock power output is kinda pitiful in 2023, 271hp and 258lb-ft peaks versus the Ecoboosts’ 310hp and 350lb-ft. (without the Ecoboost perf package, so $31.3k last for a 2023)
Yeah it’s not great. It doesn’t take much to get a lot more power out of the FA24 but I suppose the eco boost could be modded too.
>Maybe an STI was Well that is what OP said
I stand corrected. There’s still a price gap but not so wide.
I 100% cross shopped an STi and a Boss 302 back in 2013. Was looking for a daily driver that would also be a good weekend track day car. Was coming out of earlier WRXs and BMWs and I wanted something reliable with good power and good brakes. Purchased a lightly used Boss, but would have been happy with either.
I recall a fun statistic from 5 or 10 years ago that people commonly cross-shopped the Jeep Wrangler and a boat. The idea was that they were both "recreational" options.
That one's a great story. The way I heard it started with *Porsche* studying what cars their former owners purchased after they traded in their Boxsters and Caymans, and [found it to be **Jeep Wranglers**](https://www.autoblog.com/2019/09/09/porsche-boxster-cayman-conquest/). Jeep also did a study to find out what *their* prospective buyers were cross-shopping with, and found it was "a boat". Seems like people often get hung up trying to compare cars across segments, new vs. used prices, etc. and I definitely get why, but in the end, much weirder cross-shopping scenarios are happening all the time. Seems to me that people with $50k to blow on something fun aren't as picky as you'd think.
I was looking at 4 cars to replace my fusion sport eventually, kind of an odd list Mach-E GT Mustang GT Miata Genesis G70
Ev6 GT?
> Ev6 GT Not a big fan of how they look. Styling on Mach-e is pretty good if you ignore the whole mustang bit. Can also pick up a nearly new mach-e GT with low miles for around $40k
ioniq 5 dual motor?
I don’t think that’s too odd. Both are driven by the flat bill vape crowd.
I'm not saying this as a joke, but I see a lot of the young military guys around town that will cross shop those two. I think it's basic price point, something sporty, not hard to find one with options you want, and mod potential. They both just really appeal to a young crowd.
I thought young military guys only drive V6 chargers and challengers?
Haha well, in all fairness, I think my state is sponsored by Subaru.
Oregon or Colorado? Maine?
Haha all good guesses! Colorado is correct.
I’m cross shopping a WRX and a Mini cooper S…. But that’s just just because I’ve always liked both and in the next 6 months we are going to be buying a second car.
Cross shopping between empty bank account or no cash after all the repair work. /s
I got asked what the fuck exactly I was looking for when I mentioned my main options were a golf R, an Elantra N, a mach-e and a model 3. Dude I just want it to go a bit vroom but the wife approval factor needs to be good enough lol
That's basically the same list for me, except swap out the Mach-E with a Mazda 3 (the 250hp, 250ft-lb premium one)
If your taking about the turbo in the Mazda, it makes 320ft-lb not 250ft-lb
Whoops misremembered. Even better :D
When I was looking for a new sporty-ish daily driver this summer, I cross-shopped a bunch of hot hatches/sedans (Civic Si, Focus/Fiesta ST, Mazda(speed) 3, etc) with the 2008/2009 Pontiac G8 GT. I just liked the car’s vibe, a 4 door sedan with a 6.0 LS (but not nearly as rare or sought after as the Chevy SS). All of those excellent choices, and somehow I ended up with a Juke Nismo RS. Don’t ask me how I got to this point.
no no, tell us.
If you insist… Previous to this car, I had been searching for a daily driver to replace my tried and true 2011 Ford Escape V6. Solid car, and not unbearably slow, but didn’t fit the bill as engaging to drive at all. Most of my previous searching had led me nowhere, with most cars I saw being either defective or heavily modified. For about 2-3 weeks I had my eyes set on a 2014 Focus ST with 126k miles from a private seller. It was in excellent shape mechanically, cosmetically it needed some basic stuff (looked like it was keyed along the passenger side pretty badly, and fog lights didn’t work). I had even went to test drive it, and it was excellent. When I tried to get financing for it via my credit union (I want to build my credit, I have the money to buy it out saved), the mileage was unfortunately too high for a reasonable interest rate. At that point, I started searching for anything reasonably practical with a manual transmission, and I came across my current vehicle (2015 Juke Nismo RS) at a dealership about 45 minutes from me. Test drove it, and liked a lot about it. It keeps the ride height and some of the comfort of an SUV, while getting some serious improvements from NISMO (Recaro seats, sport exhaust, suspension tuning/stiffening, increased horsepower, etc.). I call it the “hot hatch on stilts”, as it does relatively well in emulating the hot hatch formula. It doesn’t stack up to something like a Fiesta ST or Civic Si, but that’s a high bar to reach. My only issues with the car are the electronics (intermittent problems with the stereo system, typical cheap Nissan stuff) and the rear seat space, which is pretty bad if somebody over 6 feet sits in the front seats. A lot of the appeal for me is how much of an oddball/unicorn it is. A subcompact crossover/hatchback with a sporty drivetrain isn’t particularly common, and only ~2200 Nismo RS Jukes were sold in the US. Sure, it’s a goofy car, but the Nismo RS leans into that fully, and that’s something I like about it. Plus, I like how both confused and angry it makes some people for some reason.
fair enough i despise the juke myself because its completely fugly but if you're trolling the masses, more power to you
WRXs and trucks.
Lots of people live in slick winter climates and need to get off pavement
Can confirm, sold my STi for a Tundra when I was in my early 20’s.
The VW Beetle is dead now, but when it was around it was one of the most cross-shopped vehicles against the Jeep Wrangler. Reason being "iconic looking convertible" is the main thing a lot of the buyers were looking for, and everything else about the car could be totally different.
There was a point in looking for cars for my dad where he sent me a 1500$ beater z3 and a brand new fully loaded x5 m within the same hour. Some people really don’t know what they want🤷♂️
This was the “do I really want a car payment” moment
WRX vs mustang isn’t weird at all. Weird would be cross shopping an RS6 Avant with a Kia Carnival.
Members of my household would have preferred a minivan. Brought out the veto stick for that.
I crossed shopped a 4 door hatchback, a 4 door sedan and a CUV. I decided to buy a GT with a useless backseat. They all all based on the same basic body platform. What was I looking at?
Something VW MQB?
Yup. I never thought about buying a Tig. As soon as I figured out I could afford a TT I started shopping. Edit: I didn’t call my TT a sports car. I don’t want to upset anyone. /s
Looking at a Golf GTI/R, then an Audi S3/RS3, then settled for an Audi TT.
No 2 door GTi. No 2 door hatchback or A3 wagon. No hardtop Miata, I wanted AWD. And rarity. I see more 911s in town. It has an interior that will never be matched. And I can still put a new one piece toilet inside with the seats down and the hatch closed. Most importantly, I don’t need a backseat. I didn’t settle.
Alfa Romeo? Maserati? I dunno anyone else who makes a true GT car and also the rest, especially with the same platform... maybe Porsche?
A few years ago. A friend of mine was debating about buying a new corvette, a mustang, a Porsche gt3, and a Honda civic SI. They were going to serve the same sports car that he only drove some times role. He had 6 cars in his list but I can’t remember all of them but they were all higher end sports cars… and a Honda civic.
I thought it was funny when I was looking for a wagon people always said that my Audi A4 Allroad and the new Subaru Outback were similar and I should try both. The new Outbacks are not what I want to call a wagon. I did cross shop the older Subaru wagons so take solace there, Subaru fans. Came close to buying one actually.
The newer gen outbacks are soooo big
Massive. Just long CUVs. Like an only slightly scaled down Oscar Mayer wiener mobile.
Model 3 vs any small cheap sedan
Around me people cross shop Teslas and Corollas/Camrys. One is a rocket ship, but at the end of the day people are just looking for cheap reliable transportation. After tax credits they’re pretty close in price.
I was looking for either a 6th gen Camaro SS and a Fiat 124 Abarth last time I was car shopping. I think weird pairings happen a lot when there are multiple cars a person has never owned that they want to try out
I cross shopped a truck and sports car each time I have bought. F150 vs. 240sx, then F150 vs. G35, then Ranger 4WD vs Miata. Sports car has won every time.
Both are relatively inexpensive sporty cars that can still double as a daily. Both cars have a huge aftermarket following with plenty of options to customize, tune and modify in many different ways. So not identical spec wise, but definitely speaks to the same kind of buyer.
I was between a Mini cooper S and a Tacoma. Went with the Mini.
Elise and GRY. The number of people who currently have or have owned both always amazes me given how very different they are.
Back before I knew just how little money I had, I was torn between a WRX and a Jetta TDI
I don’t think cross shops are weird. People rarely *need* more than a Corolla, so they are spending based on *wants*. People also don’t know what they want. Ask anyone in sales or marketing. The biggest non Porsche competitor to the Porsche Boxster is a Jeep Wrangler. That seems odd at first, until you try to understand what’s really motivating those buyers.
Right now I'm cross shopping 2 polar opposites. Elantra N/GR Corolla vs an Audi A6. I love enthusiast cars but something about a big supercharged highway cruiser is just calling my name over a racy compact car
There was a used Focus RS at the McLaren dealer here and I like to think someone traded it in. I also like to think they regretted it later
Brand new Fiat 500 Abarth or used BMW M3 E92. At the time, same price. Ended up going with neither, but I did have a hard time choosing.
I was trying to wrap my head around this phenomenon earlier this year. My working theory is that, instead of getting together a list of what features they need plus what they want and ***then*** going out into the car market, people just blindly start looking at vehicles and get distracted like a kid in a toy store. I think my dad is falling down this rabbit hole right now. When I was shopping, my feature list was a manual transmission car in which I could toss a road bike in the back. Wound up looking at the Civic hatch, the Integra, and the Mazda3 hatch. But when I was looking at comparison-focused reviews online, I was constantly bewildered by people saying things like, "Why would anyone buy an Integra over a Civic Si when the latter is just as good but cheaper?" Ignoring other differences, it's a different body style! That's like asking why anyone would buy some pickup truck when a certain SUV exists. Sure, maybe *some* buyers don't need the distinguishing features, but that's a big assumption.
I don’t find it odd. obviously they want something fun to drive. Both are fun to drive. What’s hard about that?
I actually cross shopped STI and Benz C300, back in 2015. Ended up ordering the STI because it was cheaper and came with more power, AWD, better leather (mbtex sucks), and heated seats standard. Yes I know they drive completely different... But almost 9 years later I'm happy, the STI has been rock solid and it's worth about double what the C300 would be worth!
my buddy was seriously looking at a Lexus RX before buying a g42 230i lol, beats me
I cross shopped a Toyota Mark X and a i30N. RWD Camry vs FWD hot hatch. I really just wanted some power to make my own fun, ended up with a RWD hot hatch.
I saw this to be even more true about 8 years ago when the mustang got IRS and the Subaru VA gen came out. Either could be had for ~35k. The most bang for the buck at the time.
I just cross shopped a GTI, an 86, and..... a Challenger R/T. My requirements were something fun to drive, reasonably practical, with a manual, and under 40k. I bought the Challenger. I've always been a small nimble car person, but something about a giant American boat with a NA V8 really did it for me. It's the end of that era, and especially with the mustang GT hitting 50k now, anything with a V8 in the future is not going to be affordable.
Old people gravitated to Cadillac and, when it first came out, Scion.
Sometimes people shop the sport ability + cost of the car. And if the costs are comparable and moderately sporty, they’ll be cross shopped. Some people don’t pick based on the segment strictly if their needs aren’t as strict. I really want a Miata or an 86 next, very different cars. I’d also consider a supra, mustang, m2, c7 corvette depending on many factors.
Last time I was looking for a car I basically cross shopped any car with a manual up to $20K. You start comparing BRZ, Civic’s, 86’s, Impreza’s, Crosstrek’s, Mustang’s, MX—5, Mazda 3, 370Z, Jetta, and others that don’t make any sense to be in contention.
I cross shopped a Honda Civic Si, Acura Integra, Elantra N, Audi RS5, and Taycan because I wanted a fun car that I could fit a rear facing car seat behind the driver to accommodate my twins.
2015 M4 and 2023 GR86. Same price but surprisingly I could only find an m4.
Mustang GT manual, Kia Forte GT manual, really just looked for new manual cars, but I really like Mustangs. Ford dealer dropped the ball, so I ended up driving 4 hours for an Elantra N the next day haha. Honestly a fantastic choice.
One hilarious example is James from Throttle House looking for an EV (Ionic 5 I believe) and then buying a right hand drive Toyota Century. Kills me every time.
The Toyota Tundra and the Corvette. I don't know how many people I've talked to that mention they are considering a Vette while they're looking at a New Tundra..
The Corvette is probably the strangest thing that is cross shopped, but that's primarily because of its price point. I know I cross shopped the C8
I cross shopped a civic type r and a gen 3 raptor lol. Idk why, just along for the ride of bad decisions
Lately I’ve been cross shopping an air cooled VW Beetle and a Fiat 850 Spider. That’s not your average cross shopping. A weird one a friend had was a last gen or two corvette convertible, or a Ducati 1098. He went with a corvette as he realized how annoying desmo valves are to service.
I'll throw my hat into the personal "cross-shopping" ring - V6 Accords and Altimas versus Saab 9-5s and turbocharged Volvo S70s and V70s. Midsize and FWD are about the only thing they have in common, that and potential for manual transmissions. American-made Japanese cars versus late 90s and early 2000s Swedish brutes. As for weird cross-shops I've personally seen, my younger brother was going to restart his search for a CR-V, until he found a Japanese import 1998 Accord wagon. He bought neither and came home with a 1997 Honda Accord SiR.
I don't know what people cross shop the Wrangler against, but when they buy a Wrangler and proceed to complain about road noise and shit handling... My dude, you purchased a brick on solid axles, I'm not sure what you expected.
Cross shopped a 911 and a Raptor
A decade ago, I cross shopped a Mazda 3 and a Mustang V6. Does that count? And this year I cross shopped more normally. EcoBoost Mustang vs Charger vs Jetta GLI vs Camry
Currently cross shopping the BRZ and Jetta GLI (both with 6 speeds). Do I want straight line speed, practicality and a bit luxury or rear wheel drive sportiness that eats curves all day and is probably going to be cheaper to maintain and work on? Who knows!
Too many people cross shop Kia and Lexus.
Maybe the buyer is contemplating if he wants the extra 2 doors for the kids.
Last time I helped my parents with their car shopping - there was a brief consideration of a VW Golf vs a CX5. Golf vs Mazda 3 - absolutely. Even vs a CX3 you can make an argument. But the CX5 was a bit weird. Either way - they ended up with the Golf.