help me choose my new toy (next spring)

[lavaman]

Needing a non-Dad car, a couple of years old, say $15-$20k, 50k miles or so. Since it's just my son and I, this vehicle would only be used on weekends/occasional. My intention is to buy and drive, not baby it for investment purposes.

Reqs: manual tranny, 2 seats, convertible, ABS/airbags, rollbar.

Candidates:

Honda s2000

Porsche Boxster S

BMW z4

Near as I can tell after months of research...
pro: Honda is VTEC, stupidly reliable, probably easiest on the insure and maintance and strong as a backup car that could be used daily if need be. con: 4cyl only, propensity to be driven hard by prior owner, high rev to get max power means maybe not all the performance is useable,down on the heritage, a bit too much plastic.

pro: Porsche is mid engined, and I have wanted one since I was a kid. con is potentially high cost of maintanence, propensity that prior owner didnt do maintanence, and possible reliablity issue with the main bearing on that engine, but otherwise good fit/finish. and it's a Porsche.

pro: BMW is German, I am very familiar with BMW (have owned sev), and the maintance won't be as obscene as a Porsche. Down: the looks.


any TRF owners with info?

[axxeman01]

I don't have personal experience with any of those you mentioned, however you may want to check out the Audi TT as well, good looking lil' coupe with AWD and decent horsepower.

[Ed Rooney]

M3?

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

M3?

He said two seats.

[xjeeunitx]

hmmm... is it a requirement to be a two seater? because there are a lot of very good four door cars that are better than the ones you provided... and what if you had to pick up more than one lady... like maybe two or three more... :)

[East Bay Rider]

Nissan 370Z

[Alcan]

If you could put up with two more seats and a roof, the Cadillac CTS-V is an interesting candidate. 400HP, RWD, 6 speed manual trans, Brembo 4 piston calipers front and rear, 0-60 in 5 seconds or so. About the closest you'll ever find to a 4 door Corvette. I've been looking at one.....

[Mac-Apple]

S2000 all the way Vtec is great ,and 9000 rpm Redline, What more could you ask for.

[rainman_16]

One question you should ask yourself is are you looking for a car to just cruise around the boulevard with or are you thinking of taking it to track days or autocrosses and exploring its potential?

As far as the S2000 is concerned, you do need to explore the higher revs like any other VTEC engine to get the most from it since it doesn't have a lot of torque. When VTEC does kick in it is a rush and a lot of fun.

I love the styling of the Z4 but have never driven one, nor have I had the pleasure driving a Boxster. For pure value I would gravitate towards the Honda simply because it will be less expensive to maintain and more reliable yet still gives you that great 2 seater soft top experience.

[Route 66]

I bought a new S2000 in 2001 and kept it for 4 years until my mid-life crisis was over. The car was so much fun to drive and had a shifter like a bolt action rifle; no play at all. It cornered like it was on rails and had the most beautiful sound you ever heard when you really wound it out. I liked that the windshield frame was also a concealed roll bar, but you'd never know it to look at it. It was just a great all 'round car except for one thing: as with all high performance cars, the tires didn't last very long; only about 20k miles.

But OH what miles those were!!

[lavaman]

(1) I already have a 4dr sedan, aka The Dad Car. this one is expressly for the purpose of annoying the Squares who insist that I must own a responsible car. So, few concessions to practicallity, please, e.g. 4 seats. I am taking no chances that some Ned Flanders type asks me to take their urchin to Little League :-)

If I buy another sedan anytime soon, it will be a BMW 3.

Besides, the last time I "picked up a lady" I wound up with a kid :-)

(2) I looked at Nissan 350z actually. Liked it alot. But I can't get past those doorhandles. UUUUUUUUUgh. Ditto the mirrors. Serious power, far more reliable than Corvette, which I also considered. Also, I know from personal experience that Nissan has, um, had some issues honoring their warranties, though, to be fair that may be dealers. But right now it's a runner-up (can't see the doorhandles from the inside anyway)

(3) YES, if I had to buy one with 4 seats, it would be an M3. NOOO question.

I should add that, unless it's a truck, my Ford sedan will likely be the last American designed vehicle I own. Just too many reliability problems. Ditto anything from VW group, or anything English or Scandanavian.

Oh, and thanks for the input. All opinions are of course my own, so no offense meant.....

[jatco]

I was always kinda fond of the Nissan ..but Ive seen a couple of these on the road..and I like...

.
http://models.audiusa.com/tts-coupe

[WTB007]

If would pick the Porsche Boxster S from your list. I think it would be the most fun to drive in the summer.

[blackmsport]

I go for

1. Z4 = Boxter S
2. 370Z
3. BMW 135i convert manual
4. SLK 320

S2000 needs more torque.... it's a fun car if you supercharge it

[freefly]

Boxster S, no question (`07+ 3.4L preferably). If you don't need something as new, I'd go 993 cab.

[JUSTROLEXES]

How about an Benz SLK
Topless with hard top
comes in V4 or V6, $20K will get you the nicest few years old with less then 50K on it...
Service is great and about $350 every 10,000 mile...

[Saxon007]

No idea if its in your price range but maybe an '05 or '06 Mercedes SLK350?

EDIT: I was robbed of my idea by mere seconds!

[Frogman4me]

my vote would be an AP1 s2000

[blackmsport]

Originally Posted by justrolexes

How about an Benz SLK
...

i suggested that first

[Nicko]

Mazda Miata!

[lavaman]

miata: bit too small in a wreck. not crazy about current one with the jumbo fenders. for that matter, I also looked at MR2 Spyder.

bmw 1: well if I was going to buy a 4 seat, it would be m3.

and no, it won't be for autocross.

SLK: welllll, try finding one with a manual, and in my price range? They want alot for those, even 2nd hand. Not to say if they are worth it or not, but.....

[dsio]

Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 convertible, basically an SLK AMG32 but because its a Chrysler, resale value has sunk to nothing.

[gregmoeck]

boxter would be my choice or a cayman

[2005rivers]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

Nissan 370Z

X10

I think this is the best bang for your buck and an awesome car. I would get over the door handles(I haven't noticed a negative appearance with them) and enjoy a sports car in a class of its own. Just my two cents. You could always find a good deal on a 350z and shave the handles...It does have less hp though..

[blackmsport]

Originally Posted by dsio

Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 convertible, basically an 10 years old design CLK AMG32 but because its a Chrysler, resale value has sunk to nothing.

crossfire.... are you kidding ???? it's a Piece of s....t

[dsio]

Originally Posted by blackmsport

crossfire.... are you kidding ???? it's a Piece of s....t

I own one, it's not a piece of shit, it's just cheap and fast.

And it's not a CLK it's an SLK.

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by Brunotheboxer

He said two seats.

He said it had to have 2 seats. It has 2, with 2 extras in back.

Originally Posted by gregmoeck

boxter would be my choice or a cayman

Good choice. You can get Boxsters all day at Carmax. Just peel off the sticker.

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

Ever sat in the back of one?



.

Yes.

The op wants a two seat roadster not me. I wouldn't choose any of those cars myself, I'd choose the one I bought which has back seats. Roadsters feel too claustrophobic to me.

[Art 1]

To me and many the Boxster is a girls car. I wouldn't buy one.

[dalip]

What about a Mazda RX8??

I've never really been a 2 seater lover... But have enjoyed the rotary engines in the RX series when mates have had them.