$40k fun machines

[johnydep]

http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-comp...bnr=MjM1MzQ5Nw

We compare some of the most affordable cars for those who love to drive

Didn't they miss a few?

[buggo]

I started reading the article while they video played, and the guy says "..these cars are FWD, AWD & RWD". So I thought yeah fair enough, I guess they chose SS over XRT because it's newer. Whatever no biggie.

Than I read "Nothing comes close to the Holden Commodore SS for sheer bang for your bucks." and just couldn't handle listening to anymore.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by buggo

I started reading the article while they video played, and the guy says "..these cars are FWD, AWD & RWD". So I thought yeah fair enough, I guess they chose SS over XRT because it's newer. Whatever no biggie.

Than I read "Nothing comes close to the Holden Commodore SS for sheer bang for your bucks." and just couldn't handle listening to anymore.

This!

[Nova 8]

I think they mean nothing in the test, not everything is a conspiracy against Ford.

Personally I thinks it's a bit rediculus to have a V8 in a test with a bunch of 4 bangers in general. If someone wants a fun car they will generally know what they want. If they want a RWD V8 they aren't going to also look at a Toyota 86 just cause, they will look at other similar cars (falcon).

[usernametaken]

The ST 0-100 time is pitiful

7.6 seconds!

[Grippy]

The XR6 Turbo certainly deserves to be considered among those cars and would stand up extremely well value wise.

[Ben73]

Out of those 4 cars the SS is the one I would be least likely to buy.

[hedgehobb]

Essentially, it comes down to: do yo want a thirsty car, or economical?
Thirsty = 2 ton barge.
Eco = 1 ton skateboard.

[tut0r]

Has anyone driven a toyota 86? I got to test drive one a few days after it was released and the novelty of people always looking at the car driving by was great alone. That was a car that you could take to the track and push the limits and have a ball of a time, more than any falcon I ever drove. It still didn't feel worth the price though!! Especially when falcons give you so much more! Plus I'm 6'1

[SensationFG8]

Or do you want performance?

Even lightweight genuine performance cars chew lots of fuel.

*disclaimer I don't consider hot hatches to be performance, they aren't quick enough.

[Poetic Justice]

WRX would be my pick.

Oh, yeah, I did pick one.

[ivandrago]

Id rather have an efxr6 spend 35 grand on it then drive that around least it would have some character and personality not like new cars these days.

[mik]

My first thoughts where why wasn't xr6 turbo in the mix, so I opened up car sales to see how much they had listed as drive away price for an fg 2 ....... 54K .... hhmm , i thought they where a fair bit cheaper than that ?

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by tut0r

Has anyone driven a toyota 86? I got to test drive one a few days after it was released and the novelty of people always looking at the car driving by was great alone. That was a car that you could take to the track and push the limits and have a ball of a time, more than any falcon I ever drove. It still didn't feel worth the price though!! Especially when falcons give you so much more! Plus I'm 6'1

I recently had one for a weekend drive to the Hunter, thanks to a mate lending me his one.

Completely stock.

My thoughts, they are brilliant! For a spirited drive, it was sensational. The turn in is mind blowing, you feel the car pivot around you and you can easily alter your line during a corner just by throttle control.

It doesn't have much torque at all, but then again, it is great fun rowing through the gears, getting the revs right up high in the rev range.

I found the brakes to be rubbish, but that is my own personal opinion.

Seating is really good for a fun drive, the suspension is fantastic through corners and keeps you very flat.

I will say that on sub-par roads it was very jarring and after a 3hr stint of mainly spirited driving, getting out of the damn thing was a mission!

I could of just easily rolled on to my belly to get out.

[commonrails]

54k must be full retail on an XR6T and if you paid that you would have the salesman stuck to you like you know what to a blanket. Gee's the last of the F6's were run out at 55k with leather and sat nav.

[commonrails]

$46k according to redbook for a 2014 XR6T so it just missed the mark however the XR6 could of made the list at $39k.

[mik]

Yeah, the xr6 na still goes like a cut cat, and it is a good car , probably most people only think of the big bangers for performance driving, but you can still have fun in a capable family sedan with sporting overtones.

[BLOHSV]

My GT would be a good fun machine in the 40k + mark

[RG]

Originally Posted by SensationFG8

Or do you want performance?

Even lightweight genuine performance cars chew lots of fuel.

*disclaimer I don't consider hot hatches to be performance, they aren't quick enough.

Huh?

There's plenty of quick hot hatches, it's just that none of them made this test.

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[SensationFG8]

My comment was in response to hedgehobb talking about thirst, taking into consideration the cars in the article. 6+ second 100 times aren't performance.

[RG]

If all you're interested in is straight line speed, if you're after something fast through the twisties it can be plenty if the thing handles.

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[SensationFG8]

The problem with that is the handling of a modern SS isn't that bad and it's quick in a straight line. I don't like the feel of higher powered fwd cars so the rwd of the SS is also a plus.

Once you bring performance into a hot hatch fuel consumption goes up, eg audi s3 is near on 10l/100km. Even some other light weights like the Lotus elise s get near on 8, in my experience real world numbers are more like 12 though.

[ronnas07]

Originally Posted by usernametaken

The ST 0-100 time is pitiful

7.6 seconds!

They must have stalled

[ronnas07]

Originally Posted by ivandrago

Id rather have an efxr6 spend 35 grand on it then drive that around least it would have some character and personality not like new cars these days.

Yeah its always disappointing when they dont pick an assortment of 20 year old cars and then spend the leftover cash on upgrades to do a comparison with.
Im already looking to trade in my characterless Focus ST on an old bomb falcon that i can throw bucket loads of cash at...

[RG]

Originally Posted by SensationFG8

The problem with that is the handling of a modern SS isn't that bad and it's quick in a straight line. I don't like the feel of higher powered fwd cars so the rwd of the SS is also a plus.

Once you bring performance into a hot hatch fuel consumption goes up, eg audi s3 is near on 10l/100km. Even some other light weights like the Lotus elise s get near on 8, in my experience real world numbers are more like 12 though.

I get 8's in mine and it's plenty quick, stupid quick on a twisty road and certainly more capable than I ever will be.

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[SensationFG8]

But it's over 6s to 100, nothing against it, I'm not saying it won't be fun, I just don't consider that performance. It's purely my personal standards so you don't need to agree.

[ronnas07]

Lucky the article title is $40k fun machines and not $40k performance machines

[mik]

As much as like 8 cyls under the bonnet, i think I would have picked the 86 out of that lot.

[HULK_I6T]

Originally Posted by usernametaken

The ST 0-100 time is pitiful

7.6 seconds!

Thats what they do. basically XR5 Turbo performance.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

Thats what they do. basically XR5 Turbo performance.

Yeah. Sure. Right.
Stick to your LS love in.
And really, I so purchased my old XR5T and my ST for straight line speed to...