Getting a commuter car in this traffic (Fairfax, Haymarket: 2015, buying)

[NOVAAudi]

I commute from Haymarket (route 15 exit 40), to Fairfax exit 60, on I-66. It is straight up slogging through stop and go traffic in the morning and evenings, with the turtle speeds.


I know people are affluent here (either that, or they spend all their money on housing and commuting and just look affluent) - so do they keep special commuter cars that take lots of wear and tear such as a Toyota Corolla, Prius, Civic, etc -that would have maintenance costs? My primary and only car is an Audi A4 and it is seriously getting hammered recently with this traffic, constant speeding up, slamming on the brakes for traffic and people swing around - along with me pretty much eating breakfast and living in this car since it takes so long to get anywhere. The other nice cars I see during my commute -these drivers treat like crap, weaving in and out, almost getting into accidents and doing whatever to get ahead of you. I guess I should forget about my hobby of having and taking care of a nice car and focus on the career here like everyone else?


Seems like this place would give you a good definition of a commuter car.

[Flamingo13]

That is one long commute (I personally wouldn't do it)

[ChristineVA]

There are two schools of thought on what to drive while commuting.

A friend of my insists on buying a luxury car for her commute because she feels she spends so much time in it that it should be comfortable and have everything she wants (good ride, power, bells and whistles).

The other way to look at it is that everything devalues your car. The harder your commute and mileage, the quicker you crap out the car. Do you want to devalue the car with a long, tough commute?

Just depends on your perspective.

I'm not a car person. Well, I do love a nice car and would LOVE an Audi, but as I've gotten older, it just seems really impractical to me. I'd have to make so much money that the cost wouldn't even hit my radar.

Most people I work with have a "nice car" that they use for trips, weekend stuff and they have the commuter car for work. A few of us at work are in the "Jetta" club. Cheap car with enough "stuff" on it, but handles well and the little turbo is fantastic. It makes our Hyundais, Corrollas, and Civics feel like dogs. Gas mileage is really good. Coworker just got a new one for about $16K.

[Old Dominionite]

I commute on the Beltway between Fairfax and Montgomery counties for work. Before my current job, I commuted between Fairfax and Rosslyn on I-395.

I drive a '16 Subaru Legacy, which I find to be a good balance between comfort and overall value.

I find the rush-hour traffic around here to be annoying, but tolerable. The number of road maniacs is relatively small. Most people stick to their lane and strive to achieve constant speed (even if its only 15 mph at times). It's far from perfect, but I find driving around here to be less stressful than New York or Boston.

The OP mentioned "...constant speeding up, slamming on the brakes for traffic..." One thought is to learn to look ahead and anticipate when traffic slows down. This often allows you to coast at a reasonable speed in your lane, and significantly reduces the wear and tear on your brakes over time. It also increases your overall fuel efficiency.

[HokieFan]

Personally, I do not know of anyone who drives a commuter car. They either drive their primary car or use public transportation.

[Carlingtonian]

I usually drive a very old (1992), high-mileage car to work most days, but that's only because I'm trying to keep miles off the other ( slightly collectible) car, which I now drive to work about once a week. My wife drives our new-ish (2015) car every day. Her commute to DC is short but still aggressive. (She was hit by another driver recently but is ok.)

If the A4 is comfortable, I'd just keep driving it every day. It's not a future classic like an Ur-Quattro. Driving a really old beater each day gets exhausting (especially in the summer, if the a/c doesn't work) and can be a bit scary if the horn isn't reliable. My daily driver is also quite loud at freeway speeds and eats a ton of gas.

To my mind, the ideal commuter car is recent enough to be safe and comfy but not something you'll cry over if it's in a fender bender or racks up 15K miles in a year.