Buying a sports car

Mott the Hoople

Mott the Hoople

Sweet Jane
The misses has signed off on me buying a sports car this year. I have a budget of 40K. I can go either new or used. I'm interested in what y'all think would be the best sports car for that money. Let me emphasize "SPORTS CAR" and not race car. I have neither the money or mechanical aptitude for a race car. The car has to have some practicality as I will use it to commute.

What I am not interested in is a pencil dick car. I don't have any compensatory issues. I'm interested in speed, handling, fun factor, reliability and cost to own. Not big and loud.

I'm not that interested in a muscle car. I want a car that can turn. I also live where the weather is crappy about half the year so that's a factor too.
 
Dirty stinking Dino using moron!
Check out the new tesla 3
Faster than bmw 3

Probably to classy for a garbage man though
 
The Dude said:
Dirty stinking Dino using moron!
Check out the new tesla 3
Faster than bmw 3

Probably to classy for a garbage man though
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Mott probably doesn't want to wait until 2018 for his car. Not even sure what the performance will be like, since they have not even built the proto-type.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
The misses has signed off on me buying a sports car this year. I have a budget of 40K. I can go either new or used. I'm interested in what y'all think would be the best sports car for that money. Let me emphasize "SPORTS CAR" and not race car. I have neither the money or mechanical aptitude for a race car. The car has to have some practicality as I will use it to commute.

What I am not interested in is a pencil dick car. I don't have any compensatory issues. I'm interested in speed, handling, fun factor, reliability and cost to own. Not big and loud.

I'm not that interested in a muscle car. I want a car that can turn. I also live where the weather is crappy about half the year so that's a factor too.
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Buy a Honda Civic and donate the remainder to kids with Cancer. You will be much happier in the long run with that decision.
 
At 40k you don't have many options beyond a Mustang or a Camero.

Unless you're looking to buy used that is.
 
WinterBorn said:
Fast is not the word for it. I got to test drive a Model S P85D back in the spring. In the Insane Mode it is like a launch at a Six Flags ride. Unreal.
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I think ya'll missed the part where I said I had a cap of $40K LOL

Porsche 911 are great cars but even if you can afford a used one the cost to own is prohibitive. They are very finiky, not the most reliable, even small jobs require you to drop the engine or have a hydraulic hoist and parts are astronomically high. Also remember....I live in Ohio...a rear wheel drive roadster is about like a motorcycle up here. It's going to be in the garage 6 months of the year.
 
Jarod said:
Buy a Honda Civic and donate the remainder to kids with Cancer. You will be much happier in the long run with that decision.
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No....no I wouldn't Jarod. I'm a professional do gooder working in the Environmental dodge. Doing good deeds is a why of life. I don't need to salve my conscience. I probably do more to save children from cancer as a Hazmat Manager than all the oncologist in the country do and that's no exaggeration.

Besides, the only Honda that enters the equation is the Civic Si coupe and it gets blown out of the water by the Ford Focus ST, The Subaru BRZ, The Volkswagon GTI, The Subaru WRX and the Mazdaspeed 3 and the Mazda MX 5 Miata among others. All at a comparable price to the Civic Si. Honda is not in even a consideration. The current Mazda 3 S hatchback I bought for my wife earlier this year is comparable to a Civic Si. The Civic Si has about 20 more HP but the Mazda 3 S has better handling and is way more practical since it's a hatchback and not a coupe.
 
Sheogorath said:
At 40k you don't have many options beyond a Mustang or a Camero.

Unless you're looking to buy used that is.
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Oh yes used is definitely an option and to be honest I'm favoring a rally car. I was at Mid Ohio a couple of years ago and I watched a Subaru WRX STI absolutely blow a Mustang Shelby GT off the track. In terms of performance it was superior to the Shelby GT in almost every measurable respect and costs about $15K less. The Shelby was just a little bit faster on the straights. In all other respects it ate the Subie's dust. I watched the same Subie WRX STI go against a Porsche Cayman and the Subie did surprisingly well. It beat the Cayman in the quarter mile, was just barely nosed out at the one mile point and it's handling on the curves was just a smidgen less than the Cayman. Given that the Cayman is twice the price of the WRX STI I was very impressed.

I'm very interested in the Ford Focus RS but it's not going to be available in the U.S. till April and I don't know what the price will be. Internet gossip is around $35K. I suspect it will be closer to $40.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Oh yes used is definitely an option and to be honest I'm favoring a rally car. I was at Mid Ohio a couple of years ago and I watched a Subaru WRX STI absolutely blow a Mustang Shelby GT off the track. In terms of performance it was superior to the Shelby GT in almost every measurable respect and costs about $15K less. The Shelby was just a little bit faster on the straights. In all other respects it ate the Subie's dust. I watched the same Subie WRX STI go against a Porsche Cayman and the Subie did surprisingly well. It beat the Cayman in the quarter mile, was just barely nosed out at the one mile point and it's handling on the curves was just a smidgen less than the Cayman. Given that the Cayman is twice the price of the WRX STI I was very impressed.

I'm very interested in the Ford Focus RS but it's not going to be available in the U.S. till April and I don't know what the price will be. Internet gossip is around $35K. I suspect it will be closer to $40.
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The RS is going to be $40k only if you get it fully loaded. The Focus ST is very nice if you're into rally cars, but under performs for its price in my mind.

If you want something that's a bit of a mix between sport and luxury, look at a Taurus SHO. I know they look huge (and they are) but they handle amazingly and will definitely give you a nice amount of speed and power. I just got a Limited and that thing puts me back in my seat.
 
Sheogorath said:
The RS is going to be $40k only if you get it fully loaded. The Focus ST is very nice if you're into rally cars, but under performs for its price in my mind.

If you want something that's a bit of a mix between sport and luxury, look at a Taurus SHO. I know they look huge (and they are) but they handle amazingly and will definitely give you a nice amount of speed and power. I just got a Limited and that thing puts me back in my seat.
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They cost about as much as a Stang GT too.

Actually I think the Focus ST is about the best value out there. It performs right up with the Subie WRX, Volkswagen GTI and the Mazda 3 Mazda speed at a significantly lower price. If you can live without Nav, leather and high end stereo, sun roof, etc, you can get a base model STI for about 23K as opposed to it's competitors which are around 28K.

Volkswagon R is probably the best hot hatch on the market right now but they're about $37K new and that's what a WRX STI cost.

I like the Subaru WRX. It's 10K less than the WRX STI and with AWD it handles better than any FWD hot hatch, with 270 hp turbo boxer it's probably got more power than I'd use outside of a race track and it won't beat the hell out of you on a long trip like the STI would.

That's also why I think I might be going over board with the Focus RS. My primary needs is that it's going to be a daily commuter and something I can take out and tear up the back roads on the weekends. Also, the hot hatch and subcompact sports cars kick ass in city driving over larger cars.

Another used car I'm considering is the Saturn Sky which is really an Opal GT with a GM name tag.
 
Norah said:
May I suggest considering a truck, Ford preferably, but Chevy or dodge is fine too :)
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Only a no good rotten commie would buy a Dodge or Chevy pick up. Sorry.....no offense...but I'd rather cut my left testicle off and feed it to Grind than own a pick up truck. Not my idea of fun driving....and I've driven plenty of pickups and they handle like...well....pick ups. I'd prefer a car with a turning radius of less than half a mile. My idea of fun driving is attacking the Tail of the Dragon....not ditch hopping the Pecos.

Besides....I'm not exactly the red neck type. It wouldn't fit my image. :)
 
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