Recommendation for NEW TOY?

do yourself a favor and test drive an 02-04 C5 Corvette Coupe. You can grab them under 25k and as low as 20k in great condition as most owned by people over 40 and used as second or weekend cars. The aftermarket has come down on these cars and due to the LS1 being used in GM products can easily bump horsepower and keep daily drivability as desired. Even the first issue Z06 in C5 with 385hp was a barnstormer.
 
Hi everyone... thank you so much for the responses. I see a lot of common denominators... a lot of you mentioned the G, S2k, and Bimmer. Those are my top 3 choices. Sounds like I am at least close to what you are all thinking. I know there's a lot better cars out there, but since my budget is 20k or under, I am limited to my choices. :( I also don't like to mod my cars, I like to keep them stock... I try to stay away from the 'ricey' stuff. Must be an age thing... am getting too old for that group.

I actually saw a lot of you mention the Stang. I love those cars too, but aside from the extreme difficulty in finding an unmolested 03 or 04 SVT, I just wish Ford did a better job with interior quality, ergonomics, and handling. I even read that an editor tested a new one back in 03, and the vert top leaked. I mean come on... :(

Right now, I am really looking at the G and S2k... but both have their pros and cons
G - the one I'm looking at is pristine, showroom condition, priced right, backseat for baby, and has the ever so rare brembo package. The cons - it's not a vert, styling, though sexy, is a little subdued... meaning some folks won't even give a second look. My wife even said once "It looks like a sedan... like any other car on the street".
S2K - love it because of the vert (I think deep down, wife loves the fact that we have a chance to own a vert... never had one. In case you didn't notice, wife votes for S2k), the one I'm looking at is laguna seca pearl blue... LOVE THAT COLOR. Also, honda reliability... plus handling is great. Cons - no torque... gotta wind it up high... and it's a 4 banger :(

So anyways... I am headed to see the car sometime this week/weekend to check it out. Will let you guys know what develops...

p.s. the Z4 though I like it, i have heard is very costly to maintain. That true?
 
sportscarhiatus said:
Fellow auto geeks... I need a bit of advice. As my username implies, I have taken a short leave of absence from owning a sports car, and am trying to get back in it. The timing and pricing is just about right... I have narrowed my choices to the following USED vehicles. Assuming all have relatively the same mileage, are all in great shape (both exterior, interior, and mechanical), manual tranny, and are relatively the same price, WHICH WOULD YOU BUY? Please rank in order of most desired to least desired.

2003 Infiniti G, with Brembo Package
2005 - 2007 Honda S2000
2004 - 2006 BMW Z4
2003 - newer Nissan 350Z (vert or coupe)
2003 - 2004 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra (coupe or vert)
2005 - newer Ford Mustang GT (vert)
2003 - 2005 Audi TT (225 HO) (vert)
2005 - 2006 Pontiac GTO

Right now, if you asked me on the fly, it's a toss up between the G, S2k, and Z4. The best advice I was given by my friends and family is: Get the one that will make you grin whenever you walk in your garage, get in the car, start it, and drive it. Problem is, I think they ALL would... lol...

HELP! thanks all
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2003 Infiniti G, with Brembo Package <---- Not great when it comes to performance seclection. Bottom ends arent forged, and procharger/turbo system's are expensive! Along with just about every other upgrade! Expensive to maintain as well! Iforge rims are prone to paint peeling, causing the rims to discolor!
2005 - 2007 Honda S2000 - Slow, low torque...great for a vortech/turbo car! Rear IRS is weak and known to go on these cars!
2004 - 2006 BMW Z4 - Expensive maint., upgrades arent cheap...and just a overall ugly car!
2003 - newer Nissan 350Z (vert or coupe) .... cheap mans G35
2003 - 2004 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra (coupe or vert) .... Bread and butter....block is good into the 700whp range! Slection of cars/parts is large, cheap upgrades, uncommon, only 25k ever made! Maint is cheap, only down side to the this car is the factory IRS!
2005 - newer Ford Mustang GT (vert) - 3v's love power! Great when done right, and cheap all around! Hellion Turbo 3v FTW!
2003 - 2005 Audi TT (225 HO) (vert) - If you get this you will be happy, until something breaks...trust me...expensive as hell to maintain! breaks quite often!
2005 - 2006 Pontiac GTO - Got to love a pig with a LS2 6L! Heads/Cam/Tune/Exhaust, and you will turn heads....before anyone even sees you!

My vote...Cobra, GTO followed by the S2k!
 
sportscarhiatus said:
...p.s. the Z4 though I like it, i have heard is very costly to maintain. That true?
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Not if your handy with with a wrench. I own a 540 and do all the maintenance on it myself. "Knock on wood", its been almost trouble free since I bought it, over 2 years ago. But I don't think it would be a good choice, or any vert for that matter, because you have a baby and need the space. Which brings me back to, the M5. Good size, awesome power, awesome motor, great handling, luxurious, and very safe; everything previously mentioned is relatively speaking of course.
 
it really depends on what you want the car to be. if your looking at over all performance and handleing i would say the g coupevery clean and reliable. i sold parts for 4 years at oreilly and the nissan brand is the line that i sold the least ammount or parts for out side of reg wear and tear items. lookin for more straight line fun stuff? 03 cobra hands down motor is a beast and has forged internals to handle power con on that car is the bushing set up on the irs the rubber is weak and can cause the handleing to be a little wierd when really launching the car. the goat is a very nice car but they have bad front allignment issues with strut rub. bmw's if maintained will run forever but parts are expensive.

side note- so do you not mod your cars at all or do you just do little stuff like wheels/tires?i have no idea how you stay away form modding your cars. lol. any thing i get i have to play with in one way or another.
 
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As far as BMW's being expensive to maintain, it all depends on who you buy it from.

BMW's free maintenance is a joke, essentially just oil changes. So as long as you find one that has been truly maintained on a schedule, they are not bad at all.

It's those lease returns where the owner put nothing in it but waited for the "idiot light" to tell them to change the oil.

Still going to stick by my original post that the S2000 has to be way up in the rev range to make any torque.
 
+25


killrwheels@autogeek said:
do yourself a favor and test drive an 02-04 C5 Corvette Coupe. You can grab them under 25k and as low as 20k in great condition as most owned by people over 40 and used as second or weekend cars. The aftermarket has come down on these cars and due to the LS1 being used in GM products can easily bump horsepower and keep daily drivability as desired. Even the first issue Z06 in C5 with 385hp was a barnstormer.
Click to expand...
 
I'd go with the Honda S2000

Cool traditional sports car look, great aftermarket support, strong following, Honda quality and there will always be a strong market for this car should you decide to sell it.

Besides that, anything made in Detroit before 1974 with a V-8 and 2 doors with the convertible option a plus.

Mustang
Camaro
Chevelle
Cuda
GTO (The real ones)
Elcamino
Ranchero
GTX
Firebird
TransAm
Nova
AMC Javelin
AMC AMX
Impala
Dodge Charger
Ford Torino
Ford Fairlane
Plymouth Roadrunner
Oldsmobile 442
Dodge Coronet R/T
Corvette
1975 Jimmy

Easy to work on, relatively inexpensive to work on, (my friend just had to have the ignition replaced in his BMW and it cost him $2000), fun to drive, holds their value, cool factor, collectible, good on gas!
:)
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I'd go with the Honda S2000

Cool traditional sports car look, great aftermarket support, strong following, Honda quality and there will always be a strong market for this car should you decide to sell it.

Besides that, anything made in Detroit before 1974 with a V-8 and 2 doors with the convertible option a plus.

Mustang
Camaro
Chevelle
Cuda
GTO (The real ones)
Elcamino
Ranchero
GTX
Firebird
TransAm
Nova
AMC Javelin
AMC AMX
Impala
Dodge Charger
Ford Torino
Ford Fairlane
Plymouth Roadrunner
Oldsmobile 442
Dodge Coronet R/T
Corvette
1975 Jimmy

Easy to work on, relatively inexpensive to work on, (my friend just had to have the ignition replaced in his BMW and it cost him $2000), fun to drive, holds their value, cool factor, collectible, good on gas!
:)
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other than the bold cars...I love your selection! :dblthumb2:
 
kronos said:
Not if your handy with with a wrench. I own a 540 and do all the maintenance on it myself. "Knock on wood", its been almost trouble free since I bought it, over 2 years ago. But I don't think it would be a good choice, or any vert for that matter, because you have a baby and need the space. Which brings me back to, the M5. Good size, awesome power, awesome motor, great handling, luxurious, and very safe; everything previously mentioned is relatively speaking of course.
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Thanks for the suggestion... however, I am in the market for a 2 door (not sedan) coupe or convertible...

(this is not in regard to the M5, but in general, I would like a stick shift for sure, and the back seat is back and forth with me. I have a son I wouldn't mind having in the sports car for drives, but in a way, we're probably ok with a 2 seater because wife even mentioned we'd just use the car for dates (if she's in it), and as for me, it'd be my stress reliever after work...

BlackSunshine01 said:
side note- so do you not mod your cars at all or do you just do little stuff like wheels/tires?i have no idea how you stay away form modding your cars. lol. any thing i get i have to play with in one way or another.
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Thanks for the insight on the Nissan and Pontiac cars... yeah the G I'm looking at is bone stock. I might do some very slight mods to the car, but I usually don't get into modding much. I prefer to keep it stock... it helps with reliability, and also resale. Put it this way... I wouldn't look twice at buying a modded vehicle. God knows what the prior owner did to it. Although, that's not to say I might not try to mod something eventually down the line... like adding a supercharger to the S2k if I get it... lol.

mchess1 said:
As far as BMW's being expensive to maintain, it all depends on who you buy it from.

BMW's free maintenance is a joke, essentially just oil changes. So as long as you find one that has been truly maintained on a schedule, they are not bad at all.

It's those lease returns where the owner put nothing in it but waited for the "idiot light" to tell them to change the oil.

Still going to stick by my original post that the S2000 has to be way up in the rev range to make any torque.
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Thanks for briefing me on that point. That IS scary. God knows what some people do to these used cars. We wonder if they really change the oil when recommended :( scaryt thought of buying a car that had an owner that let it go for years without an oil change

Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I'd go with the Honda S2000

Cool traditional sports car look, great aftermarket support, strong following, Honda quality and there will always be a strong market for this car should you decide to sell it.

Besides that, anything made in Detroit before 1974 with a V-8 and 2 doors with the convertible option a plus.

Mustang
Camaro
Chevelle
Cuda
GTO (The real ones)
Elcamino
Ranchero
GTX
Firebird
TransAm
Nova
AMC Javelin
AMC AMX
Impala
Dodge Charger
Ford Torino
Ford Fairlane
Plymouth Roadrunner
Oldsmobile 442
Dodge Coronet R/T
Corvette
1975 Jimmy

Easy to work on, relatively inexpensive to work on, (my friend just had to have the ignition replaced in his BMW and it cost him $2000), fun to drive, holds their value, cool factor, collectible, good on gas!
:)
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thanks Mike... I like your S2k suggestion but am not really into the older/muscle car group. As far as why... hmmmm I dunno... maybe it's shape/body style kindda thing? I love the newer shapes and styles and the added tech features...

SRHTX said:
Question, sorry if I did not read it in the begining, have you thought about an Audi S4 Cabrio?

Find Your Car: Audi S4 Listings Near Harlingen, TX 78552 - AutoTrader.com

The November '09 Car and Driver magazine has two different write-ups about the Audi S4.

The 1st one is a new Audi S4 vs. BMW 335i. Audi won

The 2nd one is about lightly used Audi S4s. The S4s from 2004 to 2008.

My $.02

Stephen
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I never thought of the S4 cabrio. Thanks! I will try to find some close to my area. Althought do they only come in autos? and I am a bit frightened about the Audi reliability.... per what some folks said here and some research I have done. Audis tend to fail and are costly at that... :(
 
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UPDATE:

Friend and I went and test drove a new 2009 Ford Mustang GT premium vert. It was the first time I test drove a gt that was 05 or newer (other than the 03 SVT's of course). I must say, I was surprised at how composed it was. It was no S2k in terms of handling by any means, but the suspension was composed esp for an axle rear. What I really loved about it was the torque down low. No need to go up high in the rev range. Never owned a V8, but it could get addicting.

But I tell you what... that S2k just has this "tightness" to it that I have not seen in any other car I have driven. Let me try to explain what I mean by that word. When you get in the car, close the door... and you start driving... turning that wheel as you pick up speed, esp in corners... even as it takes bumps. It's just so TIGHT... I love that. It just feels like it was MADE RIGHT. You know what I mean? The steering is so communicative... and the shifter is heavenly... snick snick... again, just feels so TIGHT... I just love the way Honda made it. But alas, it has no torque, esp down low. Esp after driving the Mustang GT... it was like night and day... totally different cars.

That's just it... we're all car nuts... I think we'd be happy with ANY car...lol. So we'll see. I have an appointment set up to test that blue S2k on Friday, and a black immaculate Z4... will keep you posted.
 
Find a terminator to test drive. Now THAT will hook you on a v8 :D

sportscarhiatus said:
UPDATE:

Friend and I went and test drove a new 2009 Ford Mustang GT premium vert. It was the first time I test drove a gt that was 05 or newer (other than the 03 SVT's of course). I must say, I was surprised at how composed it was. It was no S2k in terms of handling by any means, but the suspension was composed esp for an axle rear. What I really loved about it was the torque down low. No need to go up high in the rev range. Never owned a V8, but it could get addicting.

But I tell you what... that S2k just has this "tightness" to it that I have not seen in any other car I have driven. Let me try to explain what I mean by that word. When you get in the car, close the door... and you start driving... turning that wheel as you pick up speed, esp in corners... even as it takes bumps. It's just so TIGHT... I love that. It just feels like it was MADE RIGHT. You know what I mean? The steering is so communicative... and the shifter is heavenly... snick snick... again, just feels so TIGHT... I just love the way Honda made it. But alas, it has no torque, esp down low. Esp after driving the Mustang GT... it was like night and day... totally different cars.

That's just it... we're all car nuts... I think we'd be happy with ANY car...lol. So we'll see. I have an appointment set up to test that blue S2k on Friday, and a black immaculate Z4... will keep you posted.
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sportscarhiatus said:
I never thought of the S4 cabrio. Thanks! I will try to find some close to my area. Althought do they only come in autos? and I am a bit frightened about the Audi reliability.... per what some folks said here and some research I have done. Audis tend to fail and are costly at that... :(
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Your best bet would be to find a Audi Dealership and buy one that is certified. Certified Audis carry an extended warranty and such.

Stephen
 
sportscarhiatus said:
I never thought of the S4 cabrio. Thanks! I will try to find some close to my area. Althought do they only come in autos? and I am a bit frightened about the Audi reliability.... per what some folks said here and some research I have done. Audis tend to fail and are costly at that... :(
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Based on your assessment of the S2K, I think you'd really like the Audi S4. My previous car was a 2004 A4 (same car, weaker engine). I had narrowed my choices down to a BMW 330xi, Infiniti G35, and Acura TSX. Only because the Infiniti sale guy totally pissed me off, I happened to stop by the Audi dealership on my way back home. I fell in love with the A4. It handled like the BMW, but the interior was outstanding. For me, the selling point was the fact that there weren't very many on the road. I never had any problems out of it, and I'd probably still have it if Audi hadn't come out with the gorgeous A5. I realize I'm not the most objective; I'm a big Audi fan, but above that, I am a true Auto Geek - I am very much into cars in general. The worst thing about an Audi is post-warranty maintenance. You'll find this with any German car, though. It's in your best interst to find a good import mechanic. The S4 is a 340hp V8 and is available in a 6-speed manual that is extremely fun to drive. It's comparable to the BMW M3. If you didn't want to spend the money for the engine, the A4 is exactly the same except with a 3.0L V6 - 240hp. It is also available in the 6-speed manual. I strongly encourage you to drive one before you decide on the Honda. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. :xyxthumbs:
 
I've owned an Audi TT and I've owned an S2k. I've also test driven many of the cars on your list. I'll throw my 2 cents in but in the end it comes down to what you want. Do you want a car that handles like it's on rails? Do you want a car with BRUTE power? Do you want a car with all the luxury trimmings? You have to decide what's most important to you. None of the cars on your list really do all three at a high level.

My 2 cents: the S2K is the only car I've ever driven (aside from a Viper) that just left a total poop eating grin on my face. It's just SO much fun to drive like a go cart or a motorcycle with four wheels. The short throw shifter is easily the best manual tranny I've ever driven and the car handles like crazy. That being said you can't get nav, it doesn't have endless power under the hood, the interior is kind of cheap, and the trunk is non-existant. One thing I LOVED about my S2K is that I rarely saw another one on the road. I can tell LDJaxon and I don't live near each other because A4's are plentiful where I live.
 
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2004 corba for speed. The S2000 is nice and can be fast but no leg room. I say go with the Audi TT with APR chip, intake, exhaust
 
Man. Find a nice used Audi S6. I can't quite watching the Transporter DVD's. Especially Transporter 3 where the S6 was heads up against, I think, a MB E class sedan on the dirt roads and everything else. :props:
 
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