Here's what I really wanted to post earlier (edit time expired).
I see what some of you are saying about cost per mile. I feel it myself -- my current car raised my tire expenses by 25% and my per-month fuel costs by almost 50%, and that definitely weighs on me. I find taking public transit is often easier for me even when it's a little more expensive in reality, just because I don't have to think about a fun drive being tainted by running costs.
Here's what I think is missing: Having fun in no way requires breaking the speed limit, pulling big lateral Gs, or spending a lot of money. A legitimately fun street car is one that turns ordinary moments into events you actually look forward to, and there are legitimately fun street cars at any price point.
I mentioned the steering feedback thing. Here's a similar one: Proper throttle response and good engine sound make normal acceleration fun, even with low horsepower. Just getting back up to speed after a normal slowdown becomes an event, even if you're not actually doing it any faster.
If you have good brakes and good suspension damping, normal stops and turns make you feel safe, assured, and capable. If you don't, you're lucky if stopping and turning just feels neutral; often it feels scary.
Those are just a few examples. The mix of preferences will be different for everyone (e.g. some people prefer outright acceleration or a smooth ride), but the point is the same: if you pay attention to the experience rather than ending your inquiry at the balance sheet or the walk-up, you can get a LOT out of your car even if you're driving it like everyone else. And the beauty is that you don't even need a legit sports car to experience any of this. What I described is available in cars like the Mazda 3 and Civic Si. The Subaru WRX and Ford Mustang offer different mixes for similar prices. And so on. Given those options, intentionally buying something boring for the same price doesn't make any sense to me.
As for the mileage proposition: again, the more you drive, the more important it should be to have a car you enjoy driving. Doing miles in an uninspiring A-to-B commuter is something you put up with and hope it doesn't hurt you too much. Doing the same thing in an engaging, rewarding car -- whatever that might mean for you personally -- is something you might actually look forward to. When you multiply that difference by all the time you spend in the car, it quickly adds up to a big difference in your quality of life.
