Question for Pondrification: Real Utility

[DGS49]

Last year, after an extensive search for the "ideal" pickup truck, I purchased a Honda Ridgeline. I have written in this space before about what a wonderfully-engineered vehicle it is, and in fact if one wants a functional pickup that will carry more than two humans I don't think there is a better choice out there. But alas, I've grown disenchanted with it. It's too big to fit comfortably in my garage, the mileage is mediocre (17-18 around town), and it is no fun to drive. I just don't like driving a vehicle that large in spite of all of its positive traits, and there are a lot of them.

Before the snow flies, I think I want to replace it with something (a) smaller, (2) funner to drive, and (iii) more economical, while (D) retaining a good bit of functionality to transport large and sometimes-dirty stuff. Specifically, a load of yard clippings or an 8-foot-long 2x4 should be transportable.

And one more thing: I'm semi-retired, soon to be fully-retired, and I'm thinking about (e) doing some Uber-driving on a very limited basis.

With all this in mind, I have identified two candidate vehicles that meet all of the requirements of (a) through (e). (We are talking used vehicles here, priced at less than $15k).

1. HHR LT, 5-speed. The LT has the larger 2.4 engine and should be fun to drive. Back seats are foldable or removable (I forget which), and I believe long lumber can be transported with the hatch closed, by folding the front passenger seat forward. Tarps can be used when transporting dirty stuff. Rear seat should be sufficiently large and comfortable for Uber passengers. The panel truck version is also an option, but that eliminates the possibility of using it for Uber-driving. In fact there is a nice white panel truck for sale near me right now at a reasonable price.

2. Mazda 5. This "micro-van" has a pretty nice drivetrain and is the only "van" available currently with a stick shift. (One can find them on Autotrader occasionally). I assume that since it has a third-row seat, the interior space is fairly good with the third seat stowed.

3. I previously owned a PT Cruiser and it arguably has about the same functionally as the afore-described HHR, but I won't buy another one. No complaints, I've just been there - done that before.

4. I have often thought that a Mini Cooper might be a fun vehicle to own, and I could probably be talked into getting a Mini Cooper S - Clubman (the one with the "barn doors" and larger back seat). Less pure utility than the other vehicles mentioned, but presumably more fun. Possibly not an acceptable Uber car.

Are there any other vehicles out there that might work? The overall length has to be 190" or less.

 

[Pogo]

I only came here to salute the invention of Pondrification.

I can tell you from essperience, a MINI* is fun to drive, but high maintenance in terms of cost. Dealers (for MINI service) are few and far between and mine tends to go "oh, you have a parking light out? We'll have to replace the entire fender. 2800 bucks".

Not sure how you're considering a MINI for transporting dirty stuff. I only have the short version which of course has no cargo room (but plenty of head/leg room) so it's just for fun. Although I did haul a piano in it. That was interesting....

*("MINI" is the name of the BMW-era version, "Mini" is the original)

I'm wanting to replace mine with a Honda Fit. Good 'n' small, designed for great efficient use of space, good mileage, outstanding reliability. And of course way more reasonable maintenance.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Uber requires vehicles to be <10 years old, and I don't think any Mini would qualify.

 

[DGS49]

What? A 2010 Mini is more than ten years old?

Are you speaking of "Metric Years" (100 days each)?

 

[DGS49]

The Mini, the Mini, the Mini...like a beautiful girl with a horrible personality. Too attractive to leave alone, but too caustic to touch.

The Honda Fit is an interesting possibility. With a Cr-V, Ridgeline, and Goldwing in the stable, I guess I'm a "Honda Person" at heart. Car magazines complain that it's turning 3k rpm at only 70mph (because of the micro-engine), but is that a significant issue? Don't know. Definitely worth a look.

 

[Pogo]

The Mini, the Mini, the Mini...like a beautiful girl with a horrible personality. Too attractive to leave alone, but too caustic to touch.

The Honda Fit is an interesting possibility. With a Cr-V, Ridgeline, and Goldwing in the stable, I guess I'm a "Honda Person" at heart. Car magazines complain that it's turning 3k rpm at only 70mph (because of the micro-engine), but is that a significant issue? Don't know. Definitely worth a look.

My MINI revs higher than that at 70. Don't remember exactly what it is and I'm not in it right now... and of course it sips Premium.

The Fit has outstanding reliability ratings from Consumer Reports. Ditto satisfaction and pretty much everything.

 

[Jarlaxle]

The Mini, the Mini, the Mini...like a beautiful girl with a horrible personality. Too attractive to leave alone, but too caustic to touch.

More like a beautiful girl hooked on cocaine: keeping it going will, eventually, cost a fortune.

The Honda Fit is an interesting possibility. With a Cr-V, Ridgeline, and Goldwing in the stable, I guess I'm a "Honda Person" at heart. Car magazines complain that it's turning 3k rpm at only 70mph (because of the micro-engine), but is that a significant issue? Don't know. Definitely worth a look.

The Honda Fit is a penalty box. For that size car, I'd rather have a Mirage.

 

[DGS49]

After an extensive search, I located a 2008 Chevy HHR-SS at a Ford dealership about an hour away from me. It was bright red with chrome wheels, and has only 31,000 miles on it.

I went to the dealer's to check it out. It is absolutely like new but from what I understand it had no options whatsoever. It even had cloth seats, and I though leather/suede was standard. No sun roof, no satellite radio (I guess GM was pushing OnStar in 2008 and didn't want any distractions from that), and no nav - not a big deal by itself. I examined exterior and interior of the car from every angle, and aside from a few minor paint scratches the body was PERFECT, with no corrosion or anything. If would not surprise me to learn that the first owner never drove it in the rain, let alone in Winter.

It was FANTASTIC to drive. I took it out for about half an hour, mostly tooling around winding country roads at illegal speeds. Power was great (minimal turbo lag), handling was outstanding with almost no body lean, braking was good, and the ride was surprisingly supple and not jarring when riding over road imperfections. The stick shift had a crisp, short throw and finding the desired gear was almost automatic. The space and utility were as expected - comparable but a bit larger than what I had with the PT Cruiser that I sold last year.

On the downside, it had worn high performance summer tires on it (18") rather than All-Season (probably the original tires), which meant I would have to replace them before the snow flies, as I would be using this as a four-season vehicle. The "check engine" light was on, but on a car with 31k miles, this was probably something simple. The car ran like a champ.

My wife was against this purchase, as she likes the utility and safety of the Ridgeline, and the fact that she is comfortable driving it; it's like a (much) larger version of her CR-V. She referred to the HHR as "gay." Go figure.

The dealer was OK with a straight trade for my Ridgeline. If the HHR had had satellite radio, the sport seats, and good tires I woulda done it, but those minor shortcomings, coupled with my wife's bad vibe caused me to decline the deal.

But from a standpoint of whether I would prefer to be driving that HHR to work every day, I am mourning. There's nothing wrong with the Ridgeline, but I do not like driving a 2-1/2 tone SUV all the time. No fun at all.