As we do every morning, your Jalopnik staff was sitting around brainstorming Question of the Day ideas (including "What cities rhyme with Camaro?" and "What's the best car for Mickey Rourke to drive?" ) when reader Justin swooped in and saved us. And he has a practical problem.
Justin says that while he has a BMW 330i ZHP with a manual gearbox, his commute is 50 miles each way, and he doesn't relish the thought of putting all those miles on his beloved Bimmer.
He needs a commuter car, something good on gas with decent amenities and won't leave him stranded. He's considering a mid-2000s Corolla, but I think we can help him do better than that.
So that's the question of the day: What's the best fun car for a 100 mile daily commute?
Justin's budget is $5000, but I'll broaden the question to include any price tag. My suggestion to him might be the original Lexus SC. It's nice, solid and comfortable, and the 300 version may not be terrible on gas. It's pretty reliable too.
Then again, I'm sure you have better suggestions. What's the best fun car for long distance daily driving?