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      08-22-2013, 12:36 PM   #1
henryw
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Time for a Sport Car???!!!

I have had my x1 M-sport sdrive for about 4 months now and everything is just as good as expected. It performs decently with good gas mileage and utility. However, it just can't be as fun as a true sport car because of its nature(you just can't get everything in one single package ). So I am planning to get a sport car as my 2nd car in a few months.

Here's my requirements: 1) perform better than the x1; 2) manual; 3) rwd
Rear seats not a must but will be nice to have.

These are the cars I am considering now and why:
1) New Nissan 370z - attractive pricing; nice NA V6; good handling
2) 235i - reasonable price (should be); N55
3) 435i - luxury and design; usable rear seats;
4) New Corvette Stingray - needless to say, it's the poor man 911.
5) Used e92 m3- V8; practical; well balance between luxury and performance.

Among these cars, I have only driven the 370z and m3 as all the others are not available yet but I think none of them will be disappointed.

So which one will you get and why? Any comments? Any better choices that I missed? Thanks.
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      08-22-2013, 12:54 PM   #2
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Of those choices, clearly the Stringray would be the sportscar of the bunch, and have much more performance than the others. Aside from it and the M3, I'd have a BRZ/FRS over all of the others, and I also am not a huge fan of the heavy, gas munching E9x M3, so for me it would the Vette or a BRZ. It would help immensely if there were an STI version of the BRZ though.
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      08-22-2013, 01:00 PM   #3
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E92 M3 or N54 335i personally for the hydraulic steering and practicality (I traded the 335 for the X1 due to the birth of our first child). Your other options are not luxurious enough for me.

I've considered trading our 128i for a CPO 135i (N54) in the past. I love driving the 1 but it is a bit of a chick car IMO.

The wife commutes in the 128i and I got to keep my S2000 (Greddy Turbo) for giving up the 335i.

If Subaru releases an STI version of the BRZ I'd add that to your list.
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      08-22-2013, 02:20 PM   #4
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I don't know what your budget is, but my weekend vehicle is a '13 GT500. It's a MONSTER and has 4 seats. I had a basic tune and intake done, the car has over 700 HP....
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      08-22-2013, 02:32 PM   #5
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On nearly opposite ends of the approach they take, given your budget for the C7, you might also consider the Z28 and the Alfa 4C (oops, you said manual only, scratch the two pedal Alfa).
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      08-22-2013, 02:33 PM   #6
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I drove the BRZ once and I can conclude it with two words: very well-balanced and underpowered. I wouldn't consider it unless they release a 250+ hp version.

A low mileage 6-speed CPO 135i will not be too easy to find and not be cheap/good value. I see some 2010 with 30k miles listing for $35k+ which I can get a new 370z for the same price. Not really worth it IMO. Same thing with the e92 m3. A 2011/12 one will cause $55k and the new vette is about the same price.

IMO, seem like leasing a new model makes much more sense than purchasing a CPO one.
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      08-22-2013, 02:45 PM   #7
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If you enjoyed the balance and lightness of the BRZ, but prefer the power of the Z, what about a Cayman/Boxster? I just can't get past the weight and weak brakes of the Z and the recent pudginess of BMW's and lack of mechanical LSD's on non-M's keeps them off of my radar.
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      08-22-2013, 03:01 PM   #8
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If I could buy a sports car to go with the X1 other than my E93 335 it would be a low mileage E46 M3. The best car I ever owned (had 3) and I tak it over the current M3 in a second. It is really hard to find one with a manual with less than 80,000 because anyone that owns one is holding on to it.
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      08-22-2013, 03:45 PM   #9
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If the C7 is in your budget, it easily trumps the others as a sports car. The M3 is next. I second the Cayman/Boxster idea.
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      08-22-2013, 03:48 PM   #10
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It depends on what you mean by "sport".
With my idea of sports, I'd go for a Škoda Fabia S2000:



Or a Subary WRX STI, but they're so ugly.

Definitely no 'vette. Those are meant to go from stop light to stop light, not sports.
If sticking with BMW, an older M3 from before it became street car only.
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      08-22-2013, 04:14 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bread View Post
If you enjoyed the balance and lightness of the BRZ, but prefer the power of the Z, what about a Cayman/Boxster? I just can't get past the weight and weak brakes of the Z and the recent pudginess of BMW's and lack of mechanical LSD's on non-M's keeps them off of my radar.
You're absolutely right. Cayman/Boxster are really nice but I am more concerned about the reliability and the running cost as what I can afford are typically out of factory warranty. I've never owned a Porsche but I think it wont be so cheap to own.
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      08-22-2013, 04:20 PM   #12
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No car is truly cheap to own, especially if it's driven hard. I've never heard of Porsche having many issues as per their owners. I'd seriously look into it. I'd also seriously look into a Shelby Mustang. They're animals, absolutely feral animals. You could probably get the stang for less than a vette and have that leftover money for tires which you'd surely need after a few weeks of tooling around in a cobra
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      08-22-2013, 04:23 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by henryw View Post
You're absolutely right. Cayman/Boxster are really nice but I am more concerned about the reliability and the running cost as what I can afford are typically out of factory warranty. I've never owned a Porsche but I think it wont be so cheap to own.
Read up on Rennlist, you might be surprised. I have a few friends with them and they're great track cars that don't need nearly as much as M cars, much less regular BMWs. Skip the PASM and as much of the electronic shenanigans as possible and you have a relatively straight forward car. I prefer the 2009 and newer 987.2 cars, since they have a little more sorted engines with DI and an available LSD, but the LSD doesn't make nearly as much difference with the mid engined Cayman as it does with something like a 335i.
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      08-22-2013, 04:24 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
Definitely no 'vette. Those are meant to go from stop light to stop light, not sports.
You can't be serious?

Either that or you've just never been to a track.
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      08-22-2013, 04:27 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
It depends on what you mean by "sport".
With my idea of sports, I'd go for a Škoda Fabia S2000:



Or a Subary WRX STI, but they're so ugly.

Definitely no 'vette. Those are meant to go from stop light to stop light, not sports.
If sticking with BMW, an older M3 from before it became street car only.
That's exactly what I used to think of Vette but the C7 with all the improvements totally changes my thought.
I have been looking a m3 for a few days now but still haven't found one that match my needs. Searching used cars just time consuming.
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      08-22-2013, 04:54 PM   #16
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The 370Z is a good value, but that 3.7 VQ is past its prime and has gotten pretty coarse. I actually preferred the earlier 3.5 I had in my G35 coupe even though it was a little slower. I assume the Stingray is going to be hard to find at sticker price for a while. I respect the hell out of them, but Vettes really aren't my thing anyway. Plus first year of a brand new model ... little scary. From the rest of the list I like the M3. Personally, I'd be looking at a Cayman S or TTRS. I've driven the Cayman a couple times and loved it. I could even live with the base model with little complaint. Never had the pleasure of driving the TTRS, but my goodness I love the sound of that turbo five. If you're looking for something that will be a good long-term investment, you could try to get your hands on a Boss 302. And then there is the Supra rumored to be under joint development by Toyota and BMW. Ohhhhhhh yeaaaaaahhhhhhhh!
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      08-22-2013, 07:53 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bread View Post
You can't be serious?

Either that or you've just never been to a track.
Been to tracks quite a few times. Never seen a 'vette other than in the parking lot.
(Then again, I don't go to ovals - they're to race tracks what Budweiser is to beer.)
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      08-22-2013, 08:03 PM   #18
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The King of Race Tracks?
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      08-22-2013, 09:16 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
Been to tracks quite a few times. Never seen a 'vette other than in the parking lot.
(Then again, I don't go to ovals - they're to race tracks what Budweiser is to beer.)
Plenty of 'vettes at tracks out west (Willow Springs, Laguna Seca, Infineon, etc).

Depends on what the definition of "sports car" is and what you want to do with it. To me it means "visceral" and I would want to track it, not drive it fast on the street. Frankly a spec Miata is a pretty cheap way to go. There also are spec Boxster classes as well. You can buy an older Boxster pretty cheap and depending on the previous owner, can be cheap or expensive to keep running.

I'd rather have a lower hp car with dialed in suspension and drive the snot out of it. Way more fun to drive a slow car fast than the other way around.
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      08-22-2013, 10:09 PM   #20
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What about E46 M3?

Eventually I plan on getting one as a project car.
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      08-23-2013, 10:08 AM   #21
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I second the Boxster...or third it.
Have you considered the Audi S5? Amazing car, IMO and would likely have the best interior of most "sports cars". It would be at the top of my short list.
If I had to pick from your list, I'd opt for the Vette, no question.

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      08-23-2013, 11:55 AM   #22
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Frankly a spec Miata is a pretty cheap way to go.
Or an RX8, which are astonishingly fun to drive.
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