Help me pick a car

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

I find myself in a strange predicament. I'm not sure what to buy next.

Here are my parameters:

- I work at home, so I don't care much about fuel mileage or reliability
- I don't mind some problems or things in need of limited restoration
- Not something I have had before (E30, E36, E36 M3, WRX, NA/NB Miata, S2000)
- I have an itch to have a convertible again, but not a requirement
- I *love* torque and RWD, but not a requirement
- I'm a deal hound ... only want to buy something that is a lot of car for the $$$
- I have 2 basic options:

1. Replacement: A "nicer" car which would replace my 2001 330i daily driver. Needs to be more fun &/or interesting than that car. 4-seats ideal but not mandatory. Budget: $13k ish

OR

2. Fixer-upper / toy: A less-nice car that I add to the fleet to enjoy and tinker with. I have the V8 944 project on the lift so I don't want anything that will require a lot of work. I would need to be able to at least break even on this car. Budget: $5k

Some random things I've perusing on Craigslist:
E46 M3 convertible (always wanted one)
335i convertible (hard to find in my price range)
Early Boxster (may be too soon after the 911)
E38 750il (always wanted a V12)
RX8 (are these any good?)
Mustangs (can't seem to get excited about these, dunno why)
NC Miata (can't seem to get excited about these either)
Solstice / Sky (are these any good?)
2nd gen MR2 (yeah good luck finding a good value)

What would you spend $13k / $5k on?

clinehall · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 7:26 am

There is a guy on Rennlist doing a Boxster Club Sport. I really thought about doing that but wanted to go into the deep end of the Porsche pool if I was going to do so. I vote for that, who knows what kind of trade we could make in a couple of years!

Patrice Bousquet · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 9:03 am

Here some

MB CLK
Audi S4 the one with the V8
Jaguar XK8
Cadillac CTS V
Corvette Z06
Nissan 350Z

Now for something really different a 500 Abarth this car is lot of fun as DD.

Chuck Branscomb · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 9:20 am

MikeWhitney wrote:

I don't want anything that will require a lot of work.

E38 750il (always wanted a V12)

Don't think there two belong in the same thought process.

I sold my father's 1997 E38 740iL for him this past summer. Original owner, meticulously maintained, 97k miles, outstanding condition in and out, all original paint, garaged 24/7, etc. It's amazing how little the market values condition on these cars.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:04 am

Jaguar convertible.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:36 am

I have a suspicion that after what you have previously owned, all the cars on your list will be disappointing, except maybe the E46 M3. Solstice, Miata, Mustang are not going to get you where you want to be.

Would you consider the Merc 500SL from the 90s? In the price range, different from what you have had, and plenty to tinker with.... The early-century SL500s are "deals" as well vs their sticker price, but IIRC are significantly complex and finicky.

Edit...depending on how you define "deal" and "fixer upper" maybe consider a Ferrari 308 that does not have a perfect service paper trail? Without service records (or tool kits) there is a big price cut, and 308s are near the bottom of the price curve. Just a thought.

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

MR-S with a 2GR swap.

Lightweight (~2300lbs) and 276hp/250ft-lbs on tap seems like a decent idea to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-1f4SLilSs

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:39 am

Patrice Bousquet wrote:

Audi S4 the one with the V8

Sure. I mean who doesn't want to work on this simple design by Hans? :roll:

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:46 am

FWIW, my vote:

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:20 am

MikeWhitney wrote:

RX8 (are these any good?)

Mike - as a past RX8 owner, my experience was generally positive as far as handling, quality, and maintenance issues, but I don't think you'll be happy with the power or power delivery. Mazda rated the RX8 engine at 238-240 HP, but it's rare to see any producing over 170's on the dyno, so it's impossible for me to imagine these engines are producing anywhere near 240 BHP. Power delivery is very linear, feels almost electric (boring), and weak unless you get way up in the rpms (and even then feels comparatively weak).

Stephen Westerfield · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:29 am

MikeWhitney wrote:

- I have 2 basic options:

1. Replacement: A "nicer" car which would replace my 2001 330i daily driver. Needs to be more fun &/or interesting than that car. 4-seats ideal but not mandatory. Budget: $13k ish

Some random things I've perusing on Craigslist:
E46 M3 convertible (always wanted one)
335i convertible (hard to find in my price range)
Early Boxster (may be too soon after the 911)
E38 750il (always wanted a V12)

Folks that like German cars sure seem to use the word interesting a lot. Like, "Hmmm, there's a CEL...that's interesting". Remchak uses that word a lot and now Mike. Where as us non-German car folks would say...."Damnit, another f@cking CEL!!!" or, "I told you not to buy that piece of sh!t". Reminds me of the last Germany car I owned (I really hope David Teague has ditched it by now), a 2000 VW Pissat. One time when I was having Chris Dale at Import Autowerks try to figure out an ever glowing CEL, he made the comment, "Yeah, I don't like working on Honda's, they aren't quirky enough".

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:32 am

MikeWhitney wrote:

What would you spend $13k / $5k on?

I would buy a C5 Corvette. Maybe a project zo6 but vanity might prevail, I have a hard time with the hatchless, hardtop look.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:58 am

Stephen Westerfield wrote:

MikeWhitney wrote:

- I have 2 basic options:

1. Replacement: A "nicer" car which would replace my 2001 330i daily driver. Needs to be more fun &/or interesting than that car. 4-seats ideal but not mandatory. Budget: $13k ish

Some random things I've perusing on Craigslist:
E46 M3 convertible (always wanted one)
335i convertible (hard to find in my price range)
Early Boxster (may be too soon after the 911)
E38 750il (always wanted a V12)

Folks that like German cars sure seem to use the word interesting a lot. Like, "Hmmm, there's a CEL...that's interesting". Remchak uses that word a lot and now Mike. Where as us non-German car folks would say...."Damnit, another f@cking CEL!!!" or, "I told you not to buy that piece of sh!t". Reminds me of the last Germany car I owned (I really hope David Teague has ditched it by now), a 2000 VW Pissat. One time when I was having Chris Dale at Import Autowerks try to figure out an ever glowing CEL, he made the comment, "Yeah, I don't like working on Honda's, they aren't quirky enough".

My wife's Suburban is on its third round of CEL diagnosis at the moment. I do not find this interesting. I find it quite f***ing annoying actually.

Brett_Murphy · **Joined:** Thu Jan 12, 2012 2:02 pm **Posts:** 355

Nissan 350/370 (add boost)
Infinity G35/G37 (add boost)
Skyline
Lexus IS-F

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 1:09 pm

When IS-Fs dip to $15k I'm going to start breeding unicorns in my backyard. :lol:

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