I really looked at the Stinger this year, but it was a bit pricier than I wanted and a bit bigger.
OP, you really need to get some criteria set. How fast do you want it? Do you want it to be functional for other stuff? How comfortable?
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Car guys and gals
- Thread starter eldirector
- Start date
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OP, you really need to get some criteria set. How fast do you want it? Do you want it to be functional for other stuff? How comfortable?
eldirector
Grandmaster
0-60 MPH under 5 seconds. Seating for 2 adults, one child, and a 150# dog. Heated leather seats.
I'll stick with my original "sporty as hell, and a blast to drive. Something even my wife will look forward to a trip in."
Edit: also back to my OP: I'd REALLY like a Lotus Exige or Evora. If i could cram my kid into a 2+2, I'd do it. But, I'm saving that one for later, when my wife and I can start travelling with just the two of us again. So, THAT is the measure of fun, performance, and comfort. It isn't the fastest, or the best handling, or the most luxurious. BUT... it is a freaking adult go-cart, with leather seats. All for under $25,000 used and low mileage.
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How on God’s green earth does a Ford Crown Vic get mentioned in a thread about fun cars to drive ? ! !
femurphy77
Grandmaster
LOTUS Lots of Trouble Usually Serious. I would love one, but the horror stories I've heard of quality control convinced me otherwise.
I drove Zs for 30 years. A 5-10 yr old 350Z or 370Z would fit your criteria, except of course no room for more than two. I never had any serious issues with any of them. I put over 100k on 3 of them. People I've known who have owned Miatas loved them, but underpowered. My wife's 328i 4wd has 75k and no problems.
I drove Zs for 30 years. A 5-10 yr old 350Z or 370Z would fit your criteria, except of course no room for more than two. I never had any serious issues with any of them. I put over 100k on 3 of them. People I've known who have owned Miatas loved them, but underpowered. My wife's 328i 4wd has 75k and no problems.
I like driving BMW’s but not owning them!
So it’s about the same with all the European cars nice till you need to work them.
Driving a Honda is like eating vanilla ice cream boring!
Your under 5 second 0-60 demand puts it into a pretty high category of car.
Looks like you have disregarded most of the American cars unfortunately many fit into your requirements.
My humble recommendations.
1. Cadillac several models fit your requirements
2. Subaru WRX
3. Dodge Challenger
So it’s about the same with all the European cars nice till you need to work them.
Driving a Honda is like eating vanilla ice cream boring!
Your under 5 second 0-60 demand puts it into a pretty high category of car.
Looks like you have disregarded most of the American cars unfortunately many fit into your requirements.
My humble recommendations.
1. Cadillac several models fit your requirements
2. Subaru WRX
3. Dodge Challenger
How did you reach the pedals and see over the dash?
And for god's sake man, where were your parents??
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How did you reach the pedals and see over the dash?
And for god's sake man, where were your parents??
I was the last before the snowflakes.
At this point there is zero chance you could get me into a used Subaru. Too many engine issues. Too boring. Too many flat bills. I don’t do German cars. I know what it costs to keep them good. Especially used.
The company that tuned my old forte just tuned a gt stinger to 408/453tq with an intake, catback and tune in the stock 3.3.
Been a BMW owner since 2010 and have loved every minute of it. Just sold my 2006 330i and bought my dream car, 2008 M3 sedan 6 speed V8. 2008-2013 M3 series are the ONLY M series with a V8 and one hell of a V8 it is. Designed after their F1 engines, the S65 sounds like an F1 on the street. Redlines at 8,400 RPM 414hp and 298 ft-lbs of torque. I love 4 doors, manual transmission, and a V8...what is there not to love. Affordable 4d V8's with a manual transmission are hard to find. Just took it out to the road course today for the first time. Tons of fun. I do my own work on my BMW's so I spend pennies on the dollar compared to a shop. So these cars are not really very expensive to me. They are not really difficult to work on.
The video doesn't do it justice but that sound is still intoxicating. Soooo much fun.
[video=youtube;b-Juxnj5O-Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Juxnj5O-Y&list=PLgf6wfGQrzqWV_8a0z8j1BSnhMzQbO-vC&index=8&t=0s[/video]
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The OP of this thread voiced some of my recent thoughts and interests and I’ve found the subsequent posts both informative and interesting. The last “fun car” I had was a 2011 Camaro SS. I sold it because my wife said she didn’t care for the car because if we were going to have a fun car it needed to be a convertible. So. . . . . . I’ve been looking at Camaros,Mustangs, Toyota’s, Mercedes, Audi’s, and BMWs. From the comments on this thread it would appear I need to rule out the European makes based on repair issues.
As with the OP’s comments, this would be a weekend driver at most for me and was hoping to keep the cost below $25K - or less. I’ve done the classic car thing several times and I now want something with a modern suspension, air conditioning, fuel injection, cruise and power steering,and disc power brakes, etc. Narrowing it down to American made ( yeah, I know, many are made in Mexico ) any suggestions. OBTW, reasonable resale value would be a plus too.
As with the OP’s comments, this would be a weekend driver at most for me and was hoping to keep the cost below $25K - or less. I’ve done the classic car thing several times and I now want something with a modern suspension, air conditioning, fuel injection, cruise and power steering,and disc power brakes, etc. Narrowing it down to American made ( yeah, I know, many are made in Mexico ) any suggestions. OBTW, reasonable resale value would be a plus too.
femurphy77
Grandmaster
I hear ya! I don't mind working on cars but I don't want to HAVE to work on it to get to work in the morning. Those days are long gone thankfully.
Like Denny I’m a big fan of BMW I have owned several and think the engineering is brilliant!
If your not willing to get dirty and repair them yourself it’s a hard pass!
Mustangs are probably the best bang for the buck available especially the convertibles.
If your not willing to get dirty and repair them yourself it’s a hard pass!
Mustangs are probably the best bang for the buck available especially the convertibles.
femurphy77
Grandmaster
Wait for the weather to warm up a little or go somewhere that it is and rent a mustang convertible and a camaro convertible. We've done this on our trips to Key West and the camaro got a resounding thumbs down for many reasons. The biggest being that you lose most of your trunk space with the top down. You also sit very low in the car and it has poor visibility with the top up.
WanderingSol07
Sharpshooter
I have this 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP that I would like to sell...
I have not posted it for sale, but we only drive it a couple thousand a year now.
It is as much fun you can have with your clothes on! :-)
I have not posted it for sale, but we only drive it a couple thousand a year now.
It is as much fun you can have with your clothes on! :-)
Wanting one under 5 secs really limits your choices.
The Golf R would qualify IF you can get over the plain looks. I often describe it as my go-cart. I know my 2016 sold for about $24K.
Another option would be a Taurus SHO.
If you want to go above 5 secs, that opens up a lot more options. You get the Lexus IS350, the Infiniti G37/Q50, and the Acura TLX SH-AWD.
eldirector
Grandmaster
Very nice. If I am lucky enough to go this direction, that's exactly the experience I'm shooting for.
I don't mind working on my own vehicles one bit. Especially maintenance items. Repairs and upgrades are totally in my wheelhouse as well. I am lucky enough that my OWN car does not have to be dead-nuts reliable. Hell, I own and drive Jeeps. The only vehicle I know of where ping and pinion is considered a "maintenance item" and the only working dashboard light says "Check Engine" (I did. Still running. Good enough for today.).
I've kicked around ton of options over the last several months. Some pay homage to my late uncle's "fun cars" (His Audi Quattro or Buick Grand National), or to let my wife relive a bit of her own childhood (her dad daily-drove a 1971 454/4-speed Corvette). These would all be a ton of fun, but are getting really pricey and would end up being a fair weather car. I want a daily, and something I am not afraid to drive cross-country on a lark, without care of the weather. Just like any other DD.
While fantasizing on the above, I started to notice just how quickly some really nice cars depreciate. My current "dream car" is the Lotus. They are $75K new (hell of a bargain, IMHO), and a REALLY nice low-mileage 2000-and-something model is $25K or less now. If I were at a slightly different place in life right now, there would be an Exige in the garage. But, BMWs, Mercedes, Audis, and a whole host of other sporty luxury cars ALSO depreciate like mad over 10 years. Some of them still look fantastic. Some still compete really well on performance specs.
Soo... Dunno.
