The $15k car challenge.

[OriginalWheelman]

So here are the rules.

Car must cost less than $15k.
Can be new or used.
Must be fun to drive.
Must be dependable enough to daily drive.
Must be new / low mileage enough to get financed.

What would you buy and why?

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Really nice NB miata or NC Miata. Because Miata.

[krash]

2007 350z


http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale ... 7421&Log=0
$14,900
- Fun to drive
- Pretty competent around a track
- Sporty
- Looks great
- Good aftermarket support

[WDRacing]

Really nice NB miata or NC Miata. Because Miata.

Hard to argue with this logic...

If I'm going to have a car with no backseats, I would NOT buy a Z. You can pick up a C4 Vette for very cheap these days. Not sure I'd take the Miata over the C4...close toss up. I've wanted another Miata for a long time though. Just wicked fun to drive.

[LocAL_anarchy]

2 years ago I picked up a 2008 Mustang GT base model for $15k. Was a former lease, only had 33k miles on it. I was never a fan of them, but I couldn't pass up that deal. With the Coyote 5.0's and the 2015 with IRS, I'm foreseeing a lot of 05-09's going for a decent price. I have a few complaints, but for the most part, it's been a very good vehicle for me.

- Decent power
- Well-composed on highways
- Aftermarket support
- An abundance of inexpensive OEM take-off parts due to premium models (Saleen, Roush, etc)
- Handles better than I expected; even more so with a few bolt-on suspension pieces

[MinisterofDOOM]

O HAI THERE!!!


Dependable (most of the common issues are non-drivability issues and despite being a "modern" electronic car most of them are also easily fixed in the driveway on a saturday afternoon).
Very fun to drive (51:49 weight distribution, double-wishbones at all 4 corners, lightweight for its size, superb chassis tuning).
Affordable (You should EASILY be able to find a loaded '06 for under $10k).

On top of that:
The AJ V8 is one of the best DOHC V8s I've ever had the pleasure of driving (this is the same basic engine that's in the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, after all). Torque everywhere...there's nowhere on the tach from 0 to 6500rpm that it feels anemic. It sounds MAGNIFICENT even through the stock over-muffled exhaust. It looks clean and handsome--nothing loud and it certainly won't get attention from most people, but it's not ugly or bland, either. It wears a realistic size wheel and tire...buying 17'' tires is a lot easier on the wallet than 18-inchers and there's no drawback performance-wise. It's just as much at home doing 80mph on the highway while silky smooth and quiet as it is showing corners where their apexes are. You can hoon it, and then turn around and drive people to a classy restaurant in the same car without it feeling out of place in either case. It uses common Ford parts for the most part, and any old Ford dealer can work on it.

It's the perfect only-car. The only thing it does poorly is interior fanciness. Everything else it's either very good at, or exceptional at. You don't lose. There's no compromise. It's what a proper sport sedan should be: all the fun, and all the practicality, with no tradeoffs.

Granted by today's standards it's a bit gutless. And after you get a feel for the way the chassis works and the car talks back, you'll start to lament that pegleg rear end. And the steering ratio is a little slower than it should be on a car that's this much at home in the twisties--getting sideways or transitioning between curves keeps your hands just a LITTLE busier than it should. And parts of the interior makes Kozy Koupes look nice. And the leather's cheap and wears fast. Oh, and there's absolutely ZERO aftermarket for anything on it.

But those are stupid downsides when you're looking for a car you can have fun in every day, depend on, and not feel irresponsible owning.

Oh, bonus point: It looks DAMN FINE in black.

[Kompresshun]

Miata. Simple and easy. Mazdaspeed Miata if you can find one.

If you're wanting something with back seats, I would consider a Mazdaspeed3 or a G35 coupe.

Don't waste your time on muscle cars. Raw power is great, but it'll disappoint you in many other ways IMHO.

[WDRacing]

Raw power is great, but it'll disappoint you in many other ways IMHO.

Well IMHO, you HO sucks...

[sx moneypit]

Really nice NB miata or NC Miata. Because Miata.

Hard to argue with this logic...

If I'm going to have a car with no backseats, I would NOT buy a Z. You can pick up a C4 Vette for very cheap these days. Not sure I'd take the Miata over the C4...close toss up. I've wanted another Miata for a long time though. Just wicked fun to drive.

Whats wrong with a Z?

[WDRacing]

Overweight and under powered?

[OriginalWheelman]

A lot of what I read I expected to see. I ask this because last time I played this game I bought my wife's Mazda2. I'm considering playing it again in a few months. I've been looking at the 350z, 3 series, and the Miata. I do not think I'd buy a Miata unless it was a Mazdaspeed. My wife will never let me buy a Mustang. She is so anti-solid axle that I would be sleeping on the couch till I sold it. The only grace I could get there would be a Cobra, but those are too old to finance easily.

I never understood the argument that the Z is overweight. It's not the lightest thing on the block, but it has a good power to weight ratio. I felt it was very composed. It had enough weight that it actually had traction to use the power it has. It was hard to break it free but not impossible. I thought it was very balanced for a street car.

[Kompresshun]

Raw power is great, but it'll disappoint you in many other ways IMHO.

Well IMHO, you HO sucks...

Let me elaborate on that a little more, because I was posting on my phone earlier and didn't feel like going into detail.

Don't waste your time with a muscle car that $15k can buy you, unless you're buying old school muscle or a Corvette. Mustangs, Camaros, and Firebirds are going to let you down unless you throw a ton of money at the suspension and the engine. Yes, the potential is there but a newer Mustang is lame unless you can swing an 03-04 Cobra.

He said $15k or less and if I were spending $15k, then I wouldn't waste my money on a weak d!ck 4.6L Mustang or an LS1 powered F-Body because they look and feel cheap.

I probably would go for a Z33 or a G35 Coupe way before i'd go for any in the above comments, excluding a Corvette.

Another idea aside from the Miata that I forgot about is the Saturn Sky Redline and the Pontiac Solstice GXP. I have a buddy with the Sky Redline and that thing is FAST. Makes 260hp stock and looks damn good too.

Oh and Brian - STFU

[flohtingPoint]

Base C5. I got my FRC (pictured below) with 36.000 miles on it for 17 out the door, if you search harder you can find one with about 50k miles on it for your range. 350 hp, 33mpg highway (I got 33.8 mpg on the way to the National Championships this past year), dwb suspension all around, awesome car...

[Bubba1]

I agree. ^ It's hard to argue against a C5 being an incredible sports car bargain.

[krash]

C5 was my first instinct, but its hard to find one under 15k

[BusyBadger]

And you can spend a little more and pick up a Z06.

But you're not going to find one of those in the 15k range for a good long while, C7's everywhere or not.

[krash]

That was my thought as well but the challenge was under 15k! I will admit though, going from C5 to Z33 over a couple of grand is hilarious.

[OriginalWheelman]

That's what makes it a challenge. If you go up to 20k, you can find a lot more options. But the same could be said for 25k etc. The reason I set it at 15k, is this seems to be a good point where it goes from 'saving for a car that costs a few thousand dollars" to 'saving a few thousand for a down payment' or at least it was for me. Most of the 5 to 10k range cars were not good enough to make me want a payment, or too hard to finance because they are older or sad states or engineering.

I think if I had to go buy one now, it would be hard not to buy this.
http://www.edirectmotors.com/07-350z-gt/index.htm




I want a vert, but I can't help but feel like a sport sedan is a better choice.

[Heavy]

why not a g-sedan with a stick? ive been looking for one for a friend the past few days, you can get a 06S or a 07-08 for about that price.

[OriginalWheelman]

Because Vert? lol If I'm going to go with a sedan the G series doesn't really appeal to me.

Decided to search Gs and found this today. Doesn't seem like a bad price but the mileage is kinda high.

http://www.nforceautosales.com/2008_Inf ... 504746.veh




What's interesting to me are the cars not mentioned. The Porsche Boxster is in this range, as is the BMW Z Roadster, The Honda S2000, and even some higher mileage CTS-V fit into the range. I've got to admit, I find the CTS-V tempting, and I might go for it if I can find a black on black.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Oh god a Z vert? Ew. If you're going to get a vert, get a Miata or S2k. I don't really advocate cheap porsches, as they often end up being the most expensive porsches.

CTS-V sounds good too.

[Jesda]

I'd like to try a C5 vert.

I'd like to also try a Lincoln LS.

In actuality, I'd end up with a Cadillac DTS Platinum... and a tow hitch... with a 1990 Miata attached to it to take home.

[MinisterofDOOM]

CTS-V is a good choice. They sound magnificent.

Oh god a Z vert? Ew.

Glad I'm not alone there. Z Vert is just weird. Especially Z33s. They look wrong with the top up OR down.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

We've had some members on here with abysmal top longevity too. Of course Nissan didn't want to do anything to help them.

[OriginalWheelman]

CTS-V is a good choice. They sound magnificent.

Oh god a Z vert? Ew.

Glad I'm not alone there. Z Vert is just weird. Especially Z33s. They look wrong with the top up OR down.

The CTS-V interior bothers me. Maybe it's just the steering wheel and the displays. They look like 80s LCD displays, not what I expect from a car from this millennium. And the steering wheel is just... awful...

The Z33 vert is ugly. I will not argue that. But I'm addicted to driving witht he T-Tops out in the summer and I'd miss that a ton if I got a fixed roof car. There are no real T-Top options anymore. The Vette at least comes targa. But I love the feel of being part of the world I'm driving through, instead of watching it pass by outside of the box.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I love the feel of being part of the world I'm driving through, instead of watching it pass by outside of the box.

Miata or S2k

[krash]

Ive never driven one, but I've always hated the older boxsters.

If I got an S2k it'd have to be an AP2, and AP2s are pricey. I'd pick a Z33 over an AP1.

[elwesso]

What about a BMW Z3 or Z4? Probably just as tossable as a Miata, and the engines in the non-M version go forever.

[elwesso]

The CTS-V interior bothers me. Maybe it's just the steering wheel and the displays. They look like 80s LCD displays, not what I expect from a car from this millennium. And the steering wheel is just... awful...

The CTS-V's interior should bother you because it's so unbelievably cheap. My CTS-V (an 05) had a replaced headliner and other parts, and it STILL rattled when the car was at idle or at lower RPM (I think like 1500 RPM was the sweet spot). The interior was epically cheap and very poorly put together. Shifter was also junk, it was like trying to manipulate a wooden spoon in a bowl of jello.

However, all that didn't seem to matter when you pressed the go-pedal!!

[Bubba1]

Ive never driven one, but I've always hated the older boxsters.

If I got an S2k it'd have to be an AP2, and AP2s are pricey. I'd pick a Z33 over an AP1.

The rule of thumb I heard with Boxsters is that the newer the better. They are great cars to drive, though the S version is what you'd want as it has more pep.

I agree with the Z33 over AP1 S2K, though the S2K (either AP) are a hoot to drive too.