Summer Fun Car

[darklord700]

I'm looking to buy a used car for summer drive and my budget is $30K. I'm only going to use it for a summer or two and then I'll sell it after I have my fun. The followings are a list of cars I'm interested:

1. Early 2000ish, Prosche 911. This will be a dream car for me but it's at the top end of my budget. My biggest concern is the repair cost.

2. Late 2000ish, Mazada RX8. This will be within my budget but rotary engine has no torque. It's not a particularly popular car at this day and age and I don't want to get stuck with it after 2 summers.

3. Mid 2000ish, Audi TT. I've heard bad things about the TT's reliability. The only thing I like is the styling but it's neither fish nor fowl in terms of fun driving factor.

Anyone has owned a 2000-2002 Prosche 911? How's the reliability and would you recommend it? Thanks.

[woob]

Buy an 86-89 Porsche 911 that's already had some good work done to it in the last 10,000KM-20,000KM and you'll be able to sell it in one to two years at the same price or a profit. If you want it to be even more summery, get a Targa. But don't get a Cab, they're ugly.

My 2 cents

Edit: The 86 will have the 915 tranny, the 87-89 will have the G50. Some people like the G50 better and others prefer the 915.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

I'd recommend a Pontiac Aztek for a summer car. You can use it for camping. And if you add an cold air intake and custom exhaust, you gain like 3 or 4 hp which is exactly the same as buying a 911

[Baxter Renegade]

Eff the car, get yourself one of these babies:

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ466989899

Not only do these puppies handle and accelerate like a high-end sports car, you can also throw 5000 lbs of hookers and sheep in the box when youre feeling frisky.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by woob

Buy an 86-89 Porsche 911 that's already had some good work done to it in the last 10,000KM-20,000KM and you'll be able to sell it in one to two years at the same price or a profit. If you want it to be even more summery, get a Targa. But don't get a Cab, they're ugly.

My 2 cents

Edit: The 86 will have the 915 tranny, the 87-89 will have the G50. Some people like the G50 better and others prefer the 915.

He is not looking for that, he is looking for a Prosche. He made it very clear.

[Table 5]

Let me know if you want to add a Cayman to that list!

[dissentowner]

I have owned some pretty nice cars but the funnest car I had was my 1992 Dodge Stealth TT. Mine looked exactly like this.


All wheel drive and pretty fast just stock. With the cash you have budgeted you could add a few mods and have an 11 second 1/4 mile car that handles like a dream and launches great.

[Regulator75]

Fun Car? You must not be married or have kids.

[dissentowner]

You can browse through this Car And Driver article too.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/most-fun-for-25000

[DownhillGoat]

<removed>

Anyways, in response to the OP, kudos for looking at a fun used sports car.

IMO the 996 (911) is one of the best bang-for-your-buck sports cars available on the used market. Pm'ed.

[TSXCman]

an early c5 corvette would by far be your best bang for your buck, moreso than the porsche

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Fun Car? You must not be married or have kids.

Meh, people do it all the time. My wife actively encourages me to drive a fun car. And there's no way we're buying some lame crossover.

OP, you've got a healthy budget to find something great, but my suggestion to you is to keep in mind that "fun" is more about how your feeling while driving, as opposed to what the car is. Fun doesn't necessarily mean it has to be expensive or fast. Fun is something that engages your senses and makes you feel more alive. In my experience, you'll have much more fun beating the crap out of a slow car then you will have trying going medium in a fast one. My advice is to get something that "feels" a little dangerous when you're driving it. No nanny's and high tech to dull your sense. Convertibles are great for that too.

The 996 series kunkstyle has is a great bang for your buck Porsche. As long as you know that it has a certain little engine quirk that can brick your car at any moment. But that's what makes it so damn exciting!

[ignite09]

Honda s2000. Fun convertable that will hold its value.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I'm looking to buy a used car for summer drive and my budget is $30K. I'm only going to use it for a summer or two and then I'll sell it after I have my fun. The followings are a list of cars I'm interested:

1. Early 2000ish, Prosche 911. This will be a dream car for me but it's at the top end of my budget. My biggest concern is the repair cost.

2. Late 2000ish, Mazada RX8. This will be within my budget but rotary engine has no torque. It's not a particularly popular car at this day and age and I don't want to get stuck with it after 2 summers.

3. Mid 2000ish, Audi TT. I've heard bad things about the TT's reliability. The only thing I like is the styling but it's neither fish nor fowl in terms of fun driving factor.

Anyone has owned a 2000-2002 Prosche 911? How's the reliability and would you recommend it? Thanks.

We have a 99 Boxster on our lot with only 72 or so K on it, in near perfect condition. We are only looking for $13,500 for it. I am soooooo tempted. These cars are the definition of fun summer car. The car is at the point where it isn't going to hardly depreciate any more. It's gonna be a $10-13000 car until the end of time. Plus they are durable as tanks. These are a true gentleman's sports car. Buy it before I do...lol.

[ignite09]

Oh, and the R34 skyline should be out either this year or the next. Might be a little more than 30000 though.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by pylon

We have a 99 Boxster on our lot with only 72 or so K on it, in near perfect condition. We are only looking for $13,500 for it. I am soooooo tempted. These cars are the definition of fun summer car. The car is at the point where it isn't going to hardly depreciate any more. It's gonna be a $10-13000 car until the end of time. Plus they are durable as tanks. These are a true gentleman's sports car. Buy it before I do...lol.

Apart from that pesky IMS issue....

But agreed, it's a hell of a car at that price range. Plus the one thing with Porsches you'll find is that they feel a lot more solid than any other manufacturer. Tank is a great way to describe it.

[skudr248]

Don't get a c5 corvette, had one, loved the #### out of it, but fuuuuuuuuuuuck the gas on it was RIDICULOUS, and I wasn't really balls to the walls with it

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Apart from that pesky IMS issue....

But agreed, it's a hell of a car at that price range. Plus the one thing with Porsches you'll find is that they feel a lot more solid than any other manufacturer. Tank is a great way to describe it.

Yeah, that is the beauty of Porsche. In a world of finicky super cars, Porsches can be driven hard and put away wet when you are talking about their naturally aspirated cars (save the Carrera GT). And they are cheap to service in relative terms to the Italian and British stuff. No more than a BMW or Benz. Germans do not baby their Porsches, and they aren't really considered super special in Europe like they are here. They drive them like psychopaths over there.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Meh, people do it all the time. My wife actively encourages me to drive a fun car.

She just wants you out of the house more.

[TSXCman]

Originally Posted by skudr248

Don't get a c5 corvette, had one, loved the #### out of it, but fuuuuuuuuuuuck the gas on it was RIDICULOUS, and I wasn't really balls to the walls with it

Couldn't disagree more for performance and gas consumption from experience. Have driven regularly an 01, 03, 04, C5, a C6, a supercharged 98 cobra, and an SRT-10 Viper. The C5 has proper excitement

I got similar gas numbers on my 04 Acura TSX 4banger than I do on an 05 C5 Corvette V8. Be that the Acura spent more time in WOT.

And in terms of speed, cornering, and the whole package, the corvette is amazing. I went to Bob Bondurant's Racing school in Arizona where we learned to push C5s to the max as well. It was their fleet of choice by far for the performance vs cost ratio.