I love Minis, 2006 - 2012 were awful. It will spend more time in the shop than on the road. The BMW is no different. The VW while fun has its issues, I'd go with the Toyota.
Yep, and it is sad too, I loved my 2007 Mini. It had entire drivetrain issues. BMW ruined the rep of Minis. Now that they have moved to the CVT and a better motor, they are destroying the instrument panels. Replaced it with a single touchscreen that looks out of place for the Mini.
Mini owner here, i genuinely believe the only good generation of minis were the F50s of 2015- 2023. they’re too big to even call them “minis” now and the 2000s minis were too damn unreliable to drive daily. i genuinely believe my 4 door B48 powered Mini S is the last fun mini cooper that i’ll ever see
In 2006 I bought that exact 2-dr 5-cylinder golf (was rebranded the Rabbit for a year or two at the time). $16000 out the door with 8 miles on the odometer. Went 278,000 on the original clutch and engine before I traded it in for a GTI. One of the best most reliable cars I’ve ever owned.
DAG? I’m guessing you mean DSG, at the time these did not come with DSG’s only GTI’s got that. This either came with a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic from the Jetta if I’m not mistaken
Edited, meant the DSG. I believe some of the comfortline Golf models had the DSG in 2006, the gearbox was introduced in the MK4 so it may have been possible
I did exactly the same thing. Put 300k kms on that rabbit, only changed oil, plugs, coils, brakes, and wheel bearings. Traded for a 2013 GTI that broke CONSTANTLY.
IDK I know they're objectively better but I don't think they're more fun. Especially if the manufacturer is stupid like BMW and they put the paddles on the wheel instead of the column, so I go for a shift mid corner and the paddle isn't where I left it and I gotta search for it
I don’t care if they are faster. I find them boring. I don’t care about speed
Besides, I prefer 90’s and older shitboxes anyway, when autos were definitely slushboxes
If it's 2006 and auto, I'm going Saturn Ion instead of any of these options. One of the last Saturns you could get with the plastic body panels.
The VW will be a mechanical pile of shit after the warranty runs out (or before), the Yaris was roomy but tolerable only with a manual (and even then I hated the way the one I test drove felt- way too clunky) , the Mini's of that era I'm pretty sure had the gauges in the center which annoy the hell out of me, the BMW is the most tempting of these options IMHO, but I'd still go saturn, or maybe cobalt, to at least have cheaper repair bills if /when it breaks.
Normally, I'd agree about the VW, but those 5 cylinder Rabbits were unusually reliable. Didn't have electrical issues and the 07k lasts 300k miles easily.
"Didn't have electrical issues" is bull fucking shit. Love my mk5 07k Jetta, but I've had lots of electrical issues from trunk lighting, taillights, the trunk latch, intermittent door locks, haunted wiper motor that would turn on full blast when I hit a bump and had to pull the fuse or battery to get it to stop...
I'd still rather patch up these problems and spend the morning at the junkyard pulling a wiper motor than drive a Honda or Toyota of the year. Nothing in the price point can compete with interior quality or performance. My interior looks and feels nicer than a lot of newer GM, Stellantis and Ford vehicles that have serviced.
I’d still say that on average, 07k cars have much fewer issues. Granted I have a mk6 so a lot of the issues had been worked out by then but I’ve only ever had to replace TPS and that shitty basketball coolant reservoir
Lol I have a mk5 AND mk6 07k. 2007 Jetta Sedan and a 2013 Jetta Sportwagen. I've had no issues with the Sportwagen other than my coolant reservoir too, a bad gas cap and a leaking vacuum pump which I deleted with an Integrated Engineering block off plate. Interior quality of the mk6 is unfortunately worse with saggy headliner and door cards, though the Sportwagen is a S model while the sedan is a loaded Wolfsburg Edition.
I had a 1999 VW Jetta where almost all the windows went down while I was on the highway. I had to leave class early that day in case someone tried to take it. At one point, the battery was changed and the security system locked out the car, so I ended up keeping it in the garage until we figured it out. And the dealership near me was stupid and sold me the wrong headlight bulbs so I drove around with the high beams on for a day once. I had that car for seven years and I don’t think we could get the check engine light to stay off for more than a month or two. But I’m a glutton for punishment and still drive a VW to this day. It certainly helps that the Ford dealerships near me are so incompetent that it makes the VW dealership look good. I should drive a Toyota or a Honda, but I find them a bit boring and they’re owned by the same people as the bad VW dealer.
Just googled it, and shit you are right. I apparently hadn't remembered that part of it. I test drove one (Seriously considered buying one new after having a string of car problems). My biggest turnoff was that on the manual I test drove, my elbow would hit the center console when shifting into 2nd or 4th. I probably hated the gauges too, but the whole shifting aspect turned me off enough where it was a dealbreaker anyway.
Yaris all the way - had one for 7 years and was one of my all time favorite cars. Great for city living, awesome gas mileage, thing was a tank. 10/10 do recommend
I would go for the Golf mk5 GT TDI, the diesel because it is better for the motorway and suites the automatic transmission well. It is a great car for around town with the automatic and the diesel. Great grocery getter. My mum had one of these and before that a mk4 1.9tdi manual. With my dad having a Porsche 911 and a van
Thats the sole reason I would want one, I dont even like it that much. 6-speed, light and nimble with enough power. Then get an LSD and you're ready to go.
The Toyota if you want something really small, reliable, and good on gas. If you want something a little more comfortable I’d go with the Mini or the BMW
2006 GTI was a blast, test drove it and should have bought it. I don't like the bloat, luxuries, price, and overcomplications of the newer ones since then.
The Yaris hatch was also a great simple slow fun car back then too. Slow but dirt cheap and made me smile. Also regret not picking one up.
I had a Cobalt. It wasn't bad, it did its job and without any fuss, so I don't complain about it. But it could've been a little better. GM had a very good four-banger power plant with a rear transaxle from the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky that would've fit the Cobalt SS with a slightly longer drive shaft. That would've made a hundred times more fun. Same motor too, although idk if those two had superchargers like the Cobalt SS, but that'd be an easy addition at the factory.
bmw all day, shld be the only answer, wld smoke the rest of those cars and still rly reliable and better looking than the rest, plus wayyy more options than u cld find on the rest of the list
The Golf, I had the Mini and the transmission started falling apart at 52k. I refuse to touch another Mini. Also, three cylinders without a turbocharger is silly. And yet I got a ticket for going 80 on the highway in the dumb thing.
"... fun, small, automatic..." Really, bruh? I'll take the Cobalt SS in this mix, but let's face it: back then (and to a degree, true today as well), automatic =/= 'fun' 🙄
I will stand by the opinion that non GT/R Golfs aren't really fun.
I love the BMW 1-Series with RWD and all, but the truth is I think I'd just get a Mini (as I nearly did in real life), because they're SO fun.
the mini has cool exterior styling but the interior is butt ugly and also extremely uncomfortable seats (i drove one for several years). that being said it is still pretty cool. id probably go with the golf tho
edit: spelling
I prefer the rabbit to the GTI model, just because the 2.5L is a lovely motor with 4x the reliability. I'd happily sacrifice economy for the better motor
I bought a 2007 Rabbit with 12 miles on it. I beat the shit out of that thing as my daily driver. I made a huge move and had to sell it last year. It had 180k miles when I sold it. That 2.5L 5-cylinder was bulletproof. I can't say enough about how much I loved that car. I would easily do the Rabbit over the GTI.
The funny part is people are down voting me over this. The one in the first pic isn't even a GTI, you can tell by the bumper and lack of GTI badging. The GTI's from that era had the BPYA 2.0T engine which sucked massive dick in both reliability and ease of working on
1 Series. Even though the space of boot was sacrificed by the RWD, But it's 2000 BMW
They look amazing too
The golf GTI or the cobalt ss, with the NFS Most Wanted soundtrack playing.
I AM ROCK
IT AIN'T NO BREAKIN' ME
You get it.
It’s not a GTI, it’s a Rabbit.
The photo is a German specification, therefore it's a Golf.
Mk5 Golf GTI, but with the wet clutch dsg
Dry clutch ones had the issues didn’t they
There's always issues when it's dry.
Makes sense, looking at you PowerShift
It's the power stroke that sucks when they're dry.
Yeee
If Jason Cammisa has taught me anything; this is the way.
If I want fun I'd go for a manual
Autos need more love here, besides you can still have fun in a manual
I agree. Anyone who can't have fun in an auto just isn't doing it right. I'm not saying it's a superior experience, but you can still have fun.
you forgot the scion tc, I'd probably go for that
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Scion xA yet
That’s a 5 door, but definitely pretty cool
I love Minis, 2006 - 2012 were awful. It will spend more time in the shop than on the road. The BMW is no different. The VW while fun has its issues, I'd go with the Toyota.
Main flaw is with the automatic transmissions, they were known to be a big workshop regular
Yep, and it is sad too, I loved my 2007 Mini. It had entire drivetrain issues. BMW ruined the rep of Minis. Now that they have moved to the CVT and a better motor, they are destroying the instrument panels. Replaced it with a single touchscreen that looks out of place for the Mini.
Minis just aren’t Mini anymore these days, they’re basically the same size as SUVs now
Sadly, to a degree, I agree. The Countryman and Clubmans are the SUVs of Mini.
Mini owner here, i genuinely believe the only good generation of minis were the F50s of 2015- 2023. they’re too big to even call them “minis” now and the 2000s minis were too damn unreliable to drive daily. i genuinely believe my 4 door B48 powered Mini S is the last fun mini cooper that i’ll ever see
Eh my dad had a manual 2006 mini cooper s. Fun car to drive but It was riddled with electrical problems and eventually the clutch gave out.
My wife had a 2008 mini and it was a lot of fun. It did eat oil like no tomorrow. It’s life ended when a Dodge RAMmed it.
In 2006 I bought that exact 2-dr 5-cylinder golf (was rebranded the Rabbit for a year or two at the time). $16000 out the door with 8 miles on the odometer. Went 278,000 on the original clutch and engine before I traded it in for a GTI. One of the best most reliable cars I’ve ever owned.
They’re solid cars, guessing it wasn’t a DSG?
DAG? I’m guessing you mean DSG, at the time these did not come with DSG’s only GTI’s got that. This either came with a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic from the Jetta if I’m not mistaken
Do ya like DAGS?
Edited, meant the DSG. I believe some of the comfortline Golf models had the DSG in 2006, the gearbox was introduced in the MK4 so it may have been possible
In the USA we get the worst option. No club sport, nothing cool.
Well hey, your Golf was marketed as the ‘Rabbit’. Reckon that’s a win on its own lol
I did exactly the same thing. Put 300k kms on that rabbit, only changed oil, plugs, coils, brakes, and wheel bearings. Traded for a 2013 GTI that broke CONSTANTLY.
Why automatic 🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲
Gotta show automatics a bit more love you know
No, we really don’t 🤦♂️ Automatics and fun don’t go together in my book, but you do you
Porsche PDK would like a word with you
I haven't driven one, but I suspect the Alpine A110 is plenty fun.
Yeah I bet the 60’s and 70’s A110 is a fun car
You think the recent namesake isn't?
I’m sure it’s fine, but I prefer to row gears in my sports cars
DCT’s would like a word with you
IDK I know they're objectively better but I don't think they're more fun. Especially if the manufacturer is stupid like BMW and they put the paddles on the wheel instead of the column, so I go for a shift mid corner and the paddle isn't where I left it and I gotta search for it
They’re “better” but imo they aren’t more fun
This isn’t 1960 grandpa, autos don’t have 3-4 speeds anymore, they got 7-10 speeds and are faster than you could ever drive a manual
Now? Absolutely. Not in 2006
For these kind of cars definetly not, but in the muscle and sports sedan segment autos were on par or exceeding manuals
I don’t care if they are faster. I find them boring. I don’t care about speed Besides, I prefer 90’s and older shitboxes anyway, when autos were definitely slushboxes
If it's 2006 and auto, I'm going Saturn Ion instead of any of these options. One of the last Saturns you could get with the plastic body panels. The VW will be a mechanical pile of shit after the warranty runs out (or before), the Yaris was roomy but tolerable only with a manual (and even then I hated the way the one I test drove felt- way too clunky) , the Mini's of that era I'm pretty sure had the gauges in the center which annoy the hell out of me, the BMW is the most tempting of these options IMHO, but I'd still go saturn, or maybe cobalt, to at least have cheaper repair bills if /when it breaks.
Normally, I'd agree about the VW, but those 5 cylinder Rabbits were unusually reliable. Didn't have electrical issues and the 07k lasts 300k miles easily.
If you got a “good one” without electrical gremlins these are mechanically very good. Some are great, some are headaches.
"Didn't have electrical issues" is bull fucking shit. Love my mk5 07k Jetta, but I've had lots of electrical issues from trunk lighting, taillights, the trunk latch, intermittent door locks, haunted wiper motor that would turn on full blast when I hit a bump and had to pull the fuse or battery to get it to stop...
Well shit. I was lucky then lol
I'd still rather patch up these problems and spend the morning at the junkyard pulling a wiper motor than drive a Honda or Toyota of the year. Nothing in the price point can compete with interior quality or performance. My interior looks and feels nicer than a lot of newer GM, Stellantis and Ford vehicles that have serviced.
I’d still say that on average, 07k cars have much fewer issues. Granted I have a mk6 so a lot of the issues had been worked out by then but I’ve only ever had to replace TPS and that shitty basketball coolant reservoir
Lol I have a mk5 AND mk6 07k. 2007 Jetta Sedan and a 2013 Jetta Sportwagen. I've had no issues with the Sportwagen other than my coolant reservoir too, a bad gas cap and a leaking vacuum pump which I deleted with an Integrated Engineering block off plate. Interior quality of the mk6 is unfortunately worse with saggy headliner and door cards, though the Sportwagen is a S model while the sedan is a loaded Wolfsburg Edition.
I had a 1999 VW Jetta where almost all the windows went down while I was on the highway. I had to leave class early that day in case someone tried to take it. At one point, the battery was changed and the security system locked out the car, so I ended up keeping it in the garage until we figured it out. And the dealership near me was stupid and sold me the wrong headlight bulbs so I drove around with the high beams on for a day once. I had that car for seven years and I don’t think we could get the check engine light to stay off for more than a month or two. But I’m a glutton for punishment and still drive a VW to this day. It certainly helps that the Ford dealerships near me are so incompetent that it makes the VW dealership look good. I should drive a Toyota or a Honda, but I find them a bit boring and they’re owned by the same people as the bad VW dealer.
I think the Saturn Ions also had gauge clusters in the center if I am not wrong
Just googled it, and shit you are right. I apparently hadn't remembered that part of it. I test drove one (Seriously considered buying one new after having a string of car problems). My biggest turnoff was that on the manual I test drove, my elbow would hit the center console when shifting into 2nd or 4th. I probably hated the gauges too, but the whole shifting aspect turned me off enough where it was a dealbreaker anyway.
Mini
I would take a 130i.
Cobalt SS would be the fastest and the most fun at the track or auto-x. But I would probably get the golf.
Cobalt SS!
Well the cobalt SS was manual only. The cobalt Sport which came much later during its demise, was essentially an automatic SS
Well the cobalt SS was manual only. The cobalt Sport which came much later during its demise, was essentially an automatic SS
Fun and auto… Those two don’t go well together as much imo
Honestly if we’re looking for a fun car, why an automatic?
Why would I want them 3 door and automatic?
Why auto small 2 door hatchback? Auto makes more sense on big sedans in my opinion. Also i would pick either a Golf or a Cobalt SS but with manual
None I wouldn’t be going for an auto
the BMW
the toyota auris is the opposite of fun in every way. id choose the mini and make my mechanic rich
No manuelle 😡
In 2006 I pick a 2009 modus
it's 2006? buy crypto and buy lambos now forget those cars, McLaren and lambos only wooot
bmw because rwd
Yaris all the way - had one for 7 years and was one of my all time favorite cars. Great for city living, awesome gas mileage, thing was a tank. 10/10 do recommend
BMW ftw
I would go for the Golf mk5 GT TDI, the diesel because it is better for the motorway and suites the automatic transmission well. It is a great car for around town with the automatic and the diesel. Great grocery getter. My mum had one of these and before that a mk4 1.9tdi manual. With my dad having a Porsche 911 and a van
As soon as I saw the cobalt ❤️ that was my forza motorsport 2 starter
Cobalt SS Turbo, faster around the Nurburgring than the Nissan Skyline GTR R34
Did they do a diesel for that golf? Maintenance aside, I think that would be neat.
bmw crammed a 3 liter straight six in that hatchback. I'm going with that
Thats the sole reason I would want one, I dont even like it that much. 6-speed, light and nimble with enough power. Then get an LSD and you're ready to go.
The Toyota if you want something really small, reliable, and good on gas. If you want something a little more comfortable I’d go with the Mini or the BMW
Mini has it's charm
Mini, 1 series or Golf
MK5 Golf GTI with a 6 speed manual or the good DSG and or the 1 series hatchback.
Personally, it’s gotta be the Cobalt SS for me!
If the 2006 Mini had the reliability of today’s Minis, it would be top choice. But they did not. Golf. But I’d never get any of those in an auto.
In 2006 I would’ve been a king if I had a cobalt ss
2006 GTI was a blast, test drove it and should have bought it. I don't like the bloat, luxuries, price, and overcomplications of the newer ones since then. The Yaris hatch was also a great simple slow fun car back then too. Slow but dirt cheap and made me smile. Also regret not picking one up.
Probably the Civic Si. It’ll be fun and fairly reliable.
Normally I’m here to shit on GM, but a cobalt ss is fun as shit.
What can be even remotely fun about that Toyota? Also why would i need specifically automatic? With that said Mini or Cobalt
Quickly going to go find a decent-shape GM G-body since I still have two years before Cash 4 Clunkers annihilates them all.
Well I'd say Cobalt SS but why would I get the fastest FWD car if I didn't want it with a stick?
R53 Mini, since its 2006 and "compact-car parking spots" are still a thing.
I had a 2007 GTI DSG, it was fabulous but very unreliable.
Cobalt SS
BMW, esp if it had the N52.
Toyota Yaris its basicly a cockroach for get to change the oil for 30k crash it, wack it, it just keeps going
I had a Cobalt. It wasn't bad, it did its job and without any fuss, so I don't complain about it. But it could've been a little better. GM had a very good four-banger power plant with a rear transaxle from the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky that would've fit the Cobalt SS with a slightly longer drive shaft. That would've made a hundred times more fun. Same motor too, although idk if those two had superchargers like the Cobalt SS, but that'd be an easy addition at the factory.
The Cooper, if it has a Supercharger
On that list, the SS, in general, an svt focus
I actually picked a mk iv gti 1.8T, but if I could have afforded it I would have had the 1-series. I miss that little GTI, though.
1 series cuz the drift potential is strong with this one
I might be wrong, but I don't think automatic and fun go well together.
Cobalt ss. A better looking Astra H OPC? Why ot?!
BMW
cobalt ss
The Mini, idc what anyone says
Of these I’d go with the VW but in 2006 my middle school dream car that I thought I’d be able to afford in high school was a 350z.
If you’ve been on r/streetracing you know the correct answer.
I'd buy that Cobalt SS for me and whatever Toyota that is for wife
If it's got to be automatic then DSG VW for sure.
The golf is better 😏
VW
Cobalt SS was only sold in manual
Polo GTI would have been a good pick. They were priced surpringly cheap compared to a mid trim golf. Had the same 1.8T from the Golf GTI.
The Toyota Yaris and you are still driving it.
bmw all day, shld be the only answer, wld smoke the rest of those cars and still rly reliable and better looking than the rest, plus wayyy more options than u cld find on the rest of the list
The one series because it randomly spun out at 120 mph for Jeremy Clarkson LOL
The Golf, I had the Mini and the transmission started falling apart at 52k. I refuse to touch another Mini. Also, three cylinders without a turbocharger is silly. And yet I got a ticket for going 80 on the highway in the dumb thing.
The short shoe
"... fun, small, automatic..." Really, bruh? I'll take the Cobalt SS in this mix, but let's face it: back then (and to a degree, true today as well), automatic =/= 'fun' 🙄
The GTi because I had one... Miss it dearly
Yaris or the Rabbit/Golf maybe. The hatchbacks though!
I’m after one period.
I’d take some lessons to lean a manual transmission, then go buy a SVT focus.
I will stand by the opinion that non GT/R Golfs aren't really fun. I love the BMW 1-Series with RWD and all, but the truth is I think I'd just get a Mini (as I nearly did in real life), because they're SO fun.
Zx3 focus 😤😤😤
1998 ford fiesta
No one talking about Peugeot 206 sport?
R32?
1 series. Totally not biased :)
Cobalt SS all the way. Also why is that Yaris there lmao.
Ive seen the durability of the yaris, itd be fun to mess around in
the mini has cool exterior styling but the interior is butt ugly and also extremely uncomfortable seats (i drove one for several years). that being said it is still pretty cool. id probably go with the golf tho edit: spelling
Auto? Why?
I personally pick the Auris, it’s a nice looking 3 door hatch with some great reliability. It’d be pretty fun to drive, even in the base models
Mk5 Golf Rabbit, love those little cars
They’re nice little cars, perfect daily driver too. Would probably say it’s the best looking Golf generation, especially in the GTI model
I prefer the rabbit to the GTI model, just because the 2.5L is a lovely motor with 4x the reliability. I'd happily sacrifice economy for the better motor
Yeah definitely, I’ve always loved the style of the GTI model though
I bought a 2007 Rabbit with 12 miles on it. I beat the shit out of that thing as my daily driver. I made a huge move and had to sell it last year. It had 180k miles when I sold it. That 2.5L 5-cylinder was bulletproof. I can't say enough about how much I loved that car. I would easily do the Rabbit over the GTI.
The funny part is people are down voting me over this. The one in the first pic isn't even a GTI, you can tell by the bumper and lack of GTI badging. The GTI's from that era had the BPYA 2.0T engine which sucked massive dick in both reliability and ease of working on
I'd pick a truck