I Need A Fun Road Trip Car For A Life Reset! What Should I Buy?
Jamie recently broke up with his girlfriend, so he is looking for a bit of a reset. He is going to put his stuff in storage and travel around a bit. However, his Fiat 124 Spider Abarth isn’t the best road trip car, so he wants something more ideal for long drives that’s still fun. What car should he buy?
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(Welcome back to What Car Should You Buy? Where we give real people real advice about buying cars. Do you want us to help you find a car? Submit your story on our form.)
Here is the scenario.
I’ve got a 2020 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth, it’s a blast, I love it, but the payments are just a bit too much to keep up with. I recently broke up with the girl I’m living with, and I’ll be moving out soon, so bills are about to get a bit higher. I’m in a fortunate position right now where trade-in values are a bit higher than what I owe on the loan, so I’m looking to trade into something a bit cheaper. I’m figuring a budget of around $25,000 but could flex to $30,000 for the right situation.
When I move out, I’m going to toss my stuff in storage, pack enough stuff to live and work out of a couple suitcases and backpacks, and drive to the east coast for a month or so to visit friends I haven’t seen in too long and shake off this long Minnesota winter. So ideally, I’d like a great road trip car! The Fiata would be mostly great for this, but it wouldn’t exactly be comfortable to sit in for twelve hours a day, so maybe something a little bigger would be ideal.
I’m extremely partial to manuals. If it’s an auto or a paddle-shift, it needs to be one fun enough for me to not feel like I’m missing out. As you might guess from the Fiata, (I also used to own an NA Miata) I’m a fan of convertibles, but not-a-convertible isn’t a dealbreaker. I’d like something either fairly reliable, or with enough room under the budget to include an extended warranty. Yes, I’m willing to attempt to Doug DeMuro my way through the right unreliable car.
Overall I want – Great handling. Manual transmission. CarPlay compatibility would be cool, or at least something that can be affordably retrofitted into something that will have CarPlay. The unquantifiable fun factor.
Quick Facts:
Budget: $25,000, could push closer to $30,000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Fun, enough room for luggage, good for long drives
Doesn’t want: Boring, or wildly unreliable
Expert 1: Tom McParland – Four Doors, Three Pedals, Fun Color
Image: Hyundai
Jamie, sometimes relationships run their course and it’s a good time to reflect and reset for another chapter. Keeping the Fiat is probably the best choice in the long run if your luggage is small, but if you feel the need to move onto something else I would suggest changing up the body style. Even though you are driving solo, having a four door gives you some options in terms of storage, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little bit of fun.
The Hyundai Elantra N is one of the best compact sport sedans on the market. It makes 276 horsepower, and though all those ponies are sent to the front wheels it has an impressive suspension setup, so it won’t feel like a boring commuter car. The Elantra N is available with both a manual gearbox or a DCT and is loaded with all the tech and creature comforts you would expect from a modern car. The only real downside is these models are a bit rare, so a super wide net cast would be necessary to find one within your budget.
Here is an example with under 20,000 in the excellent Performance Blue for under $30,00.
Expert 2: Collin Woodard – The ‘Bad’ GTI
Photo: Volkswagen
Well, Jamie, like he loves to do, Tom took the answer I was going to give when I read your submission. So once again, the rest of us have to figure something else out. I’m sure Andy’s going to recommend a Challenger because, of course he would, so I considered taking that suggestion for myself, but I think I’ve got a better idea — a Volkswagen GTI.
Almost every brand-new MK8 GTI I saw in your area was listed below MSRP, which means many of them are oh-so-close to the top end of your budget. You could, of course, simply bite the bullet and drop a couple thousand extra on your new car, but it’s probably worth it to at least test the waters on whether any dealers in your area are able to come down to a price you feel more comfortable with. If that doesn’t work, then you can always go used. For example, here’s a 2022 Volkswagen GTI S with a manual and only 8,200 miles on it selling for less than $30,000.
The current-generation GTI has generated a lot less interest than its predecessor due to Volkswagen’s decision to largely abandon physical controls in the cabin, and with many enthusiasts out, the demand for a hatchback with a manual transmission probably isn’t as high as you might assume. Also, as we found at the time, the MK8 GTI is legitimately quicker, sportier and a better autocross car. Even if you can’t swing a new one, the GTI should be able to handle anything you throw at it.
Expert 3: Andy Kalmowitz – You Know The Fucking Vibe
Jamie, if you’re coming to Jalopnik for advice, that means you’re coming to me, and if you’re coming to me, you already know what you should get. That’s right, babe. What you need is a Dodge Challenger R/T. To be fair, everyone needs a Dodge Challenger with a Hemi V8, but few need one as badly as you do.
Sure, the cars Collin and Tom suggested are fine, but they’re not going to light your soul on fire in the same way a 375-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi motor will. Apart from this being the right choice in terms of vibes, it also just happens to check most of your boxes. Let’s take a look at your criteria, shall we? You want something fun. Well, the Challenger R/T is a hell of a lot of fun. Sure, it’s not a corner carver, but you can do sick burnouts. Check. You want something with a lot of luggage space. The Challenger is massive. The trunk is massive. The rear seats are massive. You can fit everything you own in there without issue. Check. You want something good for long trips. Buddy, with those comfy-ass La-Z-Boy front seats, this thing is a dream to cruise down the highway. Check. It’s even got Apple CarPlay. It’s perfect for you, my friend.
Because I’m such a good guy, I found the perfect Challenger R/T for you. Located not terribly far from you is this perfect orange 2022 Challenger R/T with just 12,000 miles on the clock and a beefy manual transmission. All of this American muscle goodness can be yours for just under $28,000. What a deal. Jamie, life may seem tough right now, but there’s no better car to get through it with than a Dodge Challenger R/T.
Expert 4: Amber DaSilva – Get Your Negotiating Hat On
Jamie, my friend, first off I wanna give you my condolences on the relationship ending. That’s rough, buddy. A road trip is a good way to take your mind off of things, recenter yourself, and there’s only one perfect car for your plans: The Acura Integra.
I’ve spent plenty of hours behind the wheel of the Integra — at the car’s launch, the Type S drive, taking one around Colorado for Pikes Peak — and every time there’s something indescribably comforting about the interior. It feels, in some odd way, like home; a car I could spend days in without complaint. It’s a hard car to leave.
The issue with you getting an Integra is cost. You’re looking far outside of your budget for a new A-Spec With Technology trim, and that’s the only way to get a stick shift. Used cars, though, are just starting to dip into the $30,000 range, which makes them sort of viable for you.
Here’s a used manual Integra for which the dealer is asking $30,500. It’s just outside your stretch budget, I know, but there must be a way to bargain the dealer down that $500. Do that, and you’ll have the perfect long-term road trip vehicle — a car that truly feels like home.
