I Have A Long Commute But Don’t Want A Typical Commuter Car! WCSYB

Kevin lives in D.C. and just got a new job but with a long commute. He will be looking at about an hour each way, but the drive has some nice roads to enjoy. He wants a rear-drive car ideally with three pedals. With a budget up to $27,000 what car should he buy?

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Here is the scenario.

I’m starting a new job and will be commuting ~20k+ miles per year, and am looking for a new everyday driver. We are a family of three with a 1.5yr old child and a dog. Current vehicles: 2010 Wrangler Unlimited Sport (6spd manual) that I will never get rid of for sentimental reasons and want to avoid piling miles on, and a 2019 Golf Alltrack (also 6spd manual) that is our main family whip. Looking for something fun to spend 2hrs a day in Mon-Fri and not too concerned about practicality. Some winding roads along the commute.

I’d love another manual, but would consider an auto for the right car. What I do not want is anything front-wheel-drive…I really want a rear-drive car. Though I would like to avoid the typical American offerings. My budget can be something super cheap or up to $27,000.

Quick Facts:

Budget: up to $27,000

Location: Washington, D.C.

Daily Driver: Yes

Wants: Rear drive, ideally manual,

Doesn’t want: Front drive or American

Kevin, this sounds like a heck of a commute, but I imagine the new gig is worth it. I can totally understand not wanting to be in a boring box for an hour each way, but also keep in mind that if you go too far on the sporty end, you might sacrifice your comfort. I also imagine you would want some modern tech, as it’s nice to stream music or listen to a podcast, especially since the whole ride won’t be spent clipping apexes.

There is a car that can give you everything you want, and you probably forgot about it, you just have to hunt for it. The Genesis G70, for a quick moment, was available with a six-speed manual transmission. Granted it wasn’t the slickest shifting gearbox, but it will give you a bit more engagement in a very competitive luxury sport sedan that offers a lot of features and a lower cost of ownership versus the European competition. The G70 manual was only available with the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, but that motor still put out a respectable 270 hp, which should provide a good balance of passing power and respectable MPG. The G70s production numbers were much smaller than something like an A4 or a 3-series, and manual versions were very rare. According to Autotrader, there are fewer than ten manual G70s for sale in the entire country. However, there is a nice private-sale example that seems to be well-cared for up in New England if you don’t mind buying something further away.

It’s simple: You need a Porsche, specifically a first-gen Cayman, I think. There are lots of 987s out there with reasonably low miles within your budget, in fact you could even find a great Cayman S with a manual for less than $25k. Now most of the cheap Caymans out there are in boring colors, but in this case I think that’s alright. You can always just wrap it in a Pink Pig livery yourself. Even though I know you’re not concerned about practicality, you get a lot of cargo space in the Cayman, a quality interior that is aging well, and the availability of some nicer features like xenon headlights, heated seats and a good Bose sound system. (The listing I picked as the example here is a non-S, but one with a lot of options.) Porsche sells its new PCCM CarPlay infotainment system for 987s, too.

You’ll be hard pressed to find something that will be this comfortable and liveable on the annoying parts of your commute while being this fun to drive on the windy road parts of your commute, especially in terms of outright sports cars. They’ll even get close to 30 mpg on the highway. These cars are also pretty reliable, and I wouldn’t be too concerned about a high-mileage example. And it’s a Porsche! You know you want a Porsche.

Kevin, as a New York resident, I cannot imagine how strong your left leg is if you’re dailying a manual in D.C. — I figured I’d go easy on you here and find you a manual with a nice, light clutch for that beltway traffic. I also figured I’d get you something with a rear seat to haul the kid in a pinch, which narrows your options down to one of my favorite cars: The Toyota GR86.

I owned the prior generation of this car, the Scion FR-S, and I loved it. This GR, though, is far more modified than my Scion ever was. Advan wheels, HKS suspension, a Harrop supercharger — this thing is fully kitted out, ready to handle any twisty road you could possibly throw at it. There are easily over $10,000 worth of mods here, but the full package is just $27,000. That’s a sign if I’ve ever seen one.As a manual wagon owner, you’re clearly a person of taste. I think you’ll appreciate the high-quality parts bolted to this Toyobaru if you give them the chance — take it for a test drive, and I bet you’ll leave it smiling. Get this GR86, and make your commute a little more interesting.