Best Reliable Lowest Cost To Own Sports Car Under $20k?

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B

ballmode

Lifer
Aug 17, 2005
10,246
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When I mean lowest cost I mean maintenance, wear and tear items, gas millage, insurance etc.


You can find E46 M3's under $20k but will need the maintenance of around 100k

I was thinking STI/EVO but the tires/brakes eat up quick, but right now it's on the top of this short list IMO


GTO I suggested for the high 20's to low 30's if you kick it into 6th and go 55-60mph. Reliable, not many electronics to break and LS1/2

Mazdaspeed 3/GTI for the 4 door with less miles than the EVO/STI and better chance at finding left untouched.

350z if he was considering a mustang of that era since it was a better handler and better HP to weight.

Reason why is my buddy wants to have the most fun for his money for anything under 20k. He doesn't want to mod it other than maybe an exhaust and upgrade the headunit to accomodate digital media.

Suggestions?
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
5
81
MX-5? You've covered all the other classic low-cost sports car options in the OP.
 
exdeath

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
If you are looking at that generation Mustang and $20k, you should only be looking at one car.

But any $20k sports car is going to eat maintenance money like candy, you can't avoid it. Z rated tires, premium fuel, low MPG, etc.
 
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9

996GT2

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2005
5,212
0
76
MX-5
Honda S2000
C5 Corvette
Porsche Boxster
 
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slugg

slugg

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
4,723
80
91
The best fun-to-cost ratio will be a Mazda MX-5. The insurance is cheap, wear-and-tear items aren't that bad, gas mileage is good, and maintenance is straight forward. They're easy to find un-molested, but the aftermarket support is so good for these cars that even if you find one slightly modified, if the parts are from a major brand, it's probably good to go anyways. If not, the car is so popular that you're bound to find a local club that will want those aftermarket parts, and will even help swap them.

Next on the list is the Honda S2000. In my opinion, it's one step higher than the MX-5 in every way. It's a little bit faster, a little bit more grip, and a little bit cooler looking. The downside is way more expensive parts, not as good on gas, and significantly more to insure. They're usually impossible to find completely unmolested, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Most of the ones I've seen for sale have had only minor mods that I'd recommend anyways, like a stiffer front sway bar and a lighter exhaust.

Both of these are great choices if you want a true sports car. If your buddy wants a muscle car, then forget what I just said.
 
DVad3r

DVad3r

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2005
5,340
3
81
C5 vette z06? Great power, reliability, gas mileage. I'd buy one.
 
slugg

slugg

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
4,723
80
91
DVad3r said:
C5 vette z06? Great power, reliability, gas mileage. I'd buy one.
Click to expand...

That's debatable.

Also, the cost of the wear-and-tears are "cheap for a Corvette," but not cheap for a car. Especially if he's hiring someone to do the work.

... but if the OP's buddy can afford it, it's one sexy beast. I'd also like one. ;)
 
uOpt

uOpt

Golden Member
Oct 19, 2004
1,628
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0
Sports what?

Roadster?
Fast convertible?
Light convertible?
Heavy stiff racing car?
Light stuff racing car?
Sporty looking car?

If fast is desired, straight line only or in curves?

IMHO if you want a kicker but want to keep the risk and maintenance down, you can also look at a high-powered non-M 3-series BMW. Get one with the sports package, low and wide. You can also have somebody put in M-ish tuning later if you have more money and decided you like it. They are heavy pigs, though.
 
T

thedarkwolf

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
9,024
118
106
miata
What is he planning to do with this sports car?
autox, track days, drag racing, impress the ladies, drive around?
 
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HAL9000

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
jlee said:
Also if he wants to upgrade the head unit for digital media, it'd be a royal PITA...the CTS-V unit controls a lot of other stuff too, so it'd have to be relocated somewhere.



How many times do we have to tell you they aren't that cheap over here?
Click to expand...

A few more times, I'm sure it's doable if you can get one over here for £7k.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
HAL9000 said:
A few more times, I'm sure it's doable if you can get one over here for £7k.
Click to expand...

The cheapest one in the entire US on Autotrader is $23k.

Find one under $20k and then you can start talking.
 
satyajitmenon

satyajitmenon

Golden Member
Apr 3, 2008
1,911
9
81
HAL9000 said:
It's doable.
Click to expand...

You not posting irrelevant nonsense - that's doable too. And yet....

@OP - there are plenty of options out there. Until you actually test drive some of them, you won't won't know what ticks you off about certain models and what endears you to them.
 
B

ballmode

Lifer
Aug 17, 2005
10,246
2
0
The miata isn't on the list because he wants to be able to be able to take people off the line and just "feel" like hes going fast.

Miata 60-70 depending on year.

Reason why he wants a low insurance is that he isn't going to drive it year round just in the summer or nice spring/fall weekends. He doesn't want to pay max money on something he can't enjoy as much.

Surprisingly the STI/EVO/Vette are about $90 a month to insure so really its not that big of a difference.

To give you an idea of what he's going to use it for, he will probably go on a 1000ish mile round trip in the summer to a park/resort. He will drive it to work on a Friday, be able to take not only his friends/co workers/wife

so something like an Ariel Atom/Lotus Elise won't cut it (although its out of the budget)

He wants it to not be able to lose the comforts from his other cars that we take for granted (like a quiet enough cabin to hold a phone conversation) so the S2000/miata might pose a problem being a convertible... although I'm trying to talk him into those miata's with the folding hard top.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
ballmode said:
The miata isn't on the list because he wants to be able to be able to take people off the line and just "feel" like hes going fast.

Miata 60-70 depending on year.

Reason why he wants a low insurance is that he isn't going to drive it year round just in the summer or nice spring/fall weekends. He doesn't want to pay max money on something he can't enjoy as much.

Surprisingly the STI/EVO/Vette are about $90 a month to insure so really its not that big of a difference.

To give you an idea of what he's going to use it for, he will probably go on a 1000ish mile round trip in the summer to a park/resort. He will drive it to work on a Friday, be able to take not only his friends/co workers/wife

He wants it to not be able to lose the comforts from his other cars that we take for granted (like a quiet enough cabin to hold a phone conversation) so the S2000/miata might pose a problem being a convertible... although I'm trying to talk him into those miata's with the folding hard top.
Click to expand...

So he wants a 4 door, then?

Does he want a sports car or a fast car? Do we have a target 0-60 time or anything?
 
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