Unwanted Complexity

Your only recourse as far as new cars are concerned seems to be either going the course of total minimalism (barebones compact/subcompact, probably a jap) or euro entry level luxury hoping that is was not screwed yet.

Another option is a decade old car.

Midside "family" segment is utterly screwed as you have just discovered. even bmw 5xx is screwed by electric steering.

I was eyeing jeep compass lately until discovering that off road group is coupled to cvt and can't be had with a manual.

Unfortunately the euro entry-level luxury cars available in the US are pretty over the top as well. I looked at the Mercedes C class recently, since it's about the only Mercedes available with a manual. It comes with a million "standard options" that cannot be removed. In Europe, you can purchase it without those options, but not in the US.

BMW 128 is even worse.

I'm driving a 40-year-old BMW to work every day and while BMW still has parts available for it, miraculously, there is a limit to how long it is going to last.

See...the current BMW 5-series is just gargantuan. I would call that bigger than midsize, personally. Maybe that's part of my issue.

The CVT isn't a bad thing... I would actually love to have a manually adjustable CVT! That would only involve adding one control and some software!

--scott

Yeah, last time I checked porsche 911 on carsdirect had a LOT of delete options. Some at no charge, some were $$.

But don't kid yourself: europarliament has a lot of retarded laws affecting carmaking, just in a way different from US.

I could not imagine US lawmakers getting away with mandating carmakers into mandating ESP sold outside some expensive bundles just because some of them have perception that it's a safety enhacing feature.

This would be a fun area for car journalists to explore: "How legislation f***ed up automotive industry in the last 4 decades"

Yep, you don't even get i116/118/120 four bangers let alone 120d which make a lot of sense in that smaller 3xx

bmw of the usa does not want to break $30k barrier downward into mini territory I guess. Part of the brand image preservation program (TM).

Speaking of which: is basic cooper or cooper S bare enough for your tastes or you share my aversion for fwd?

it's fullsize, had been for a long time I suspect. Any problems with bmw bread and butter 3xx? last time I checked it was not screwed up in a major way with options overload

Childseats are problematic in compacts: kid legs touch the backs of front seats. Not a problem if you are done reproducing (see cooper above)

If I were in the states and was married at the time, thusly not caring about chickmobile perception, I'd given it a thought along with the forrester.

being where I am now I went for 2003 A4 1.8T quattro avant shipping somewhere from princeton area. I guess I'm not contributing to "save the manuals" campaign run by car and driver :-]

Cooper S is right out. FWD, no spare tire. The basic model I might be able to live with. It handles amazingly well for FWD although I don't think I would be able to change a clutch. Changing the clutch on the 2002 is about two hour's work in the driveway with some 2X4s to lower the transmission. And a spare gaibo since I have wrecked one every time I have dropped the thing.

I think that's probably where I'm going to be going. Still lots of junk on it.

I have been avoiding reproduction. As a child I remember sitting between my parents on the parking brake of the MGB on long drives. So while I think child seats are a good idea, I do find the current obsession with safety to be a little over the top.

--scott

I drove 1997 520i stripper last night you get dual zone climate and as far as junk goes there is sunroof and that's it. Still could be handy to vent hot air out when it's hot outside.

I could not feel any engine vibration or heard any unpleasant noises from that 4 banger :----------O

Not an issue for you since you are in the states.

Good luck finding bare bones bmw there.