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I'm on the verge of selling my old '94 Mustang GT tracker, and am having a hard time deciding between an '01 Bullitt Mustang (prices are actually becoming reasonable, now) or picking up another Miata, since I really miss my old supercharged '95.
Just curious how you folks rationalize fuel economy vs. fun.
And yeah, I realize the proper answer is either another forced induction Miata, or some form of LS1 swap. 
Given that my fun car is a turbo rotary RX-7, fuel economy had no influence whatsoever on my choice.
Fuel economy has almost never been a consideration for me. That said, I currently daily ride a bike that gets over 60MPG (though I use Motul 2 cycle, so the savings are kind of a wash...)
I have only used 30 gallons of fuel since October...
XBL GamerTag: bcbrownell Racing is the process of turning money into noise.
I'm going to have a hard time not buying my '05+ Mustang if prices hit $5/gallon and people start dumping them for sub-$10k.
Racer1ab wrote: And yeah, I realize the proper answer is either another forced induction Miata...
Mine doesn't get all that great a fuel economy. Sure is fun, though.
I can't say that gas prices have influenced my "fun" decisions a bit. I do try to buy DDs that get in the mid-20s per gallon, at least. That's got a much bigger cost to both environment and wallet.
Junior Brown is my hero.
Nope.... gotta have a "fun car" first. If I had a choice though, a new Mustang GT fits the bill nicely, as my old 89GT could get 30mpg if I was easy on it, aka-cruise control. Much better then the current 18mpg I am getting with my v6 dakota. 
"Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."
If they do it's in the "gas prices are expensive so gas guzzling fun cars are cheap so I should buy one" direction. I have practical car(s) why worry about how much an occasional use car drinks.
Now if I were shopping fora fun car to drive all the time, then maybe it would matter. But maybe not if the purchase price was driven down by gas prices.
'08 Mazdaspeed3, '00 PontiacGrand Prix GT, '96 Cherokee
1988RedT2 wrote: Given that my fun car is a turbo rotary RX-7, fuel economy had no influence whatsoever on my choice.
Ditto. I still have my N/A FC as well, so that's a double-whammy, and the Speed3 only takes premium, so that's a triple-whammy!
In all seriousness, though, I don't take fuel economy into consideration for a toy. Economy is what the DD is for. I do want my toy to be somewhat reliable, though, in case the DD needs heavy maintenance.
The "oh, E36 M3!" handle is above and to the right of your head. In case of an emergency, stick your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.
No thought to it whatsoever. The only things that would get so atrocious of fuel economy are things I wouldn't want in the first place, like a big-block drag car (a big-block full-size wagon? I'm all over it, lol)
--There is no turd more polished than the Ford Mustang--
Yep. Both the Miata and the CooperS were given consideration because of fun factor AND gas mileage.
'99 Miata,'03 CooperS,'91 GTI 16V, '96 Astro,06 Scion Xb
Not one bit.
Fun car is for fun, not gas mileage. It does affect my DD thoughts tho.
Also premium vs. regular!!
"mobilito ergo sum" I drive therefore I am!
Fortunately my 'fun' cars seem to be fairly good on fuel anyway, so fuel economy doesn't influence the decision that much.
Sanity is vastly overrated.
Gas just spiked here to $1.15/L ($4.30/gallon, if we say close enough on the exchange rate) and I just bought a car that will struggle to do 20USmpg in the city and maybe 27 tops on the highway... AND takes premium! I place a LOT of importance on those 15 minutes to and from work, I might as well make them count!
Rallying; It's like skydiving, except you have to dodge trees on your way down!
my "fun cars" have been free, traded or bartered, so i can't be that picky
Fuel economy had no bearing at all when I bought and built mine but I cannot say I am not enjoying the near 50mpg it delivers.
"Sweat is what makes it rock and roll, otherwise it is just folk music with drums"
yes,
I am thinking about dumping my current car (gets 16 mgp mixed driving) for one that gets 25+ or better mixed driving.
Also one that can do it on 87 not 93 like the one I have now.
It is also my DD and shared with my 17 y.o. son, so a few extra mpgs will make a difference
1991 Audi 90 Quattro 20V
and here I am thinking my Saab gets bad miliage at 25mpg....
Mercenary Stage Hand: When the money's gone, so am I.
<--- My "fun" car was originally bought to be my DD and fuel economy was part of the decision. Even though it is no longer my DD and has been highly modified it will still get over 30 mpg on the highway.
2010 Transit Connect XLT 2001 Ford Focus with a little help from Powerworks
i always try to get max fuel economy out of whatever i own. i'm weird like that.
mad_machine wrote: and here I am thinking my Saab gets bad miliage at 25mpg....
Yeah... I complain when I have to drive our '07 Cooper to work, since it "only" gets 35 mpg... Having a TDI tends to skew ones opinion about good mileage.
I'll admit I did think about gas mileage when I was thinking about toy cars last year... and sort of met in the middle with the E30.
Ian F wrote:mad_machine wrote: and here I am thinking my Saab gets bad miliage at 25mpg....Yeah... I complain when I have to drive our '07 Cooper to work, since it "only" gets 35 mpg... Having a TDI tends to skew ones opinion about good mileage.
I'll admit I did think about gas mileage when I was thinking about toy cars last year... and sort of met in the middle with the E30.
True enough: I pondered commuting (100 miles/day) in a Miata, until I realized that it would nearly double my fuel bill. The TDI is uninspiring, but it sure is cheap to run.
It matters to me these days: I want a fun car that I can occasionally take to work or go for a long drive with the family without thinking twice. I expect that less than 25mpg (highway) is just about a deal breaker for me. Newish V8 cars would generally squeeze in, old carburated muscle...not so much. I couldn't do less than 20mpg, no way.
I am with Mr. Hardy on this one. I have access to a second gen RX7 tub, an 87-92 Supra tub, a 3rd gen Camaro and a Fairmont wagon with a SN95 mod motor parts car all technically within my budget if I can find a full time garage to keep it...
I also found a 4.3 acre lot with a 45x90 and a 100x125 pole barn that I can move Casa Mofo on to as it is zoned right and has an existing Mobile Home foundation for $40K
Internationally known as The Brown Stig
Since bigger engined/less economical cars tend to also be more expensive to buy, my "fun" cars have usually been just as fuel miserly as my DD. Tho, if you think about it, if it truely is a "fun" car and therefore isn't used as often as a DD, fuel mileage should be irrelevant.
My fun cars rotate through the DD position. But they're all pre-95 VWs. Sometimes, when I curse that the Corrados only average about 25mpg, other folks (non-enthusiats with trucks & SUVs) cry. Still, after I find my next job I may go looking for an early TDI. That's if I don't go nutz and find that 1st gen Integra I was talking about on the "cheap car lust" thread. 
How can it be a midlife crisis, when I've driven sportscars my entire life?
EricM wrote: yes, I am thinking about dumping my current car (gets 16 mgp mixed driving) for one that gets 25+ or better mixed driving. Also one that can do it on 87 not 93 like the one I have now. It is also my DD and shared with my 17 y.o. son, so a few extra mpgs will make a difference
The Audi? Yeah, mine is surprisingly thirsty too. The odometer doesn't work, but my best guesstimates put it around 18 mpg. Not a big deal, as I only drive it a couple times a week.
Don't sell, man. These cars are getting rarer, and yours looks fantastic.
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