User Panel
Quoted: I just looked up a few in the area and I didn't realize they were holding their value so well. Any years in particular to look at? Guess it wouldn't hurt to test drive one. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I had previously owned 2 Miatas, a 1994 and then a 2001. To this day one of the best pure sports cars, you can buy. A few years ago, I wanted to get back into another 2-seater, so I looked at the usual suspects: Miata, 370, S2000 and a couple others but no Vettes. I too,never liked Corvettes. Then I drove one, a base C6. That changed everything. Then a drove a few more Vetts, C5 and 6, base and Z06. Ended up with a C5 Z06 which I moded. Not a car for everyone. But a C6 manual will surprise you with its competence, power, handling and reliability, and sadly, a Miata won't be the same ever again. Pro tip: Drive a manual C6 Grand Sport. I just looked up a few in the area and I didn't realize they were holding their value so well. Any years in particular to look at? Guess it wouldn't hurt to test drive one. The later the better. The Grand Sports arrived in 2010 I think. I'd be interested to know your observations after trying one. |
|
|
This thread has me thinking of a fun little car. Looking in Autotrader, a 2020 or 2021 BMW Z4 M40i could be had for ~$50k...
|
|
I had a 2003 Toyota MR2 6 Speet SMT. Damn I miss that car it was fun.
Attached File I rented a New Miata Hardtop at the Des Moines airport last year and it was also damn good. |
|
This 2021 Jeep Wrangler with the 2.0T replaced our Mini Cooper S Convertible. The Mini-Cooper had that fun popping exhaust on it. However, living in rural cattle country Missouri, the Jeep makes more sense. Especially when you have a Chevy 3500 pulling a load of hay riding your back bumper.
Attached File Attached File The 2.0T Wrangler Sport is actually a lot of fun to dive. It's quick off the line. |
|
Quoted: The Elise's drivetrain isn't too bad parts-wise, but everything else? Yeesh. Don't damage the clamshell. They're superb cars, though, and if you can handle the fact that they don't even attempt at being practical, have at. Just remember that the British sports car experience requires a bit of masochism. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I think it's also good performance level for fun, safe, competitive racing... That's highly maintainable and available. The Elise... Is what it is, it might be a little faster, but it's a glued together tub with some fiberglass panels screwed on made out of unobtanium parts and quite frankly I'm surprised they were able to sell them as long as they did in the US. It was fun to drive though, there's not a lot like it and their won't ever will be again sold for the street. The Elise's drivetrain isn't too bad parts-wise, but everything else? Yeesh. Don't damage the clamshell. They're superb cars, though, and if you can handle the fact that they don't even attempt at being practical, have at. Just remember that the British sports car experience requires a bit of masochism. Compared to a Miata, the trunks are hilarious. I was very excited when I found my helmet barely squeezed in to the trunk so I didn't have to put in between my passengers legs. |
|
Quoted: This 2021 Jeep Wrangler with the 2.0T replaced our Mini Cooper S Convertible. The Mini-Cooper had that fun popping exhaust on it. However, living in rural cattle country Missouri, the Jeep makes more sense. Especially when you have a Chevy 3500 pulling a load of hay riding your back bumper. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/JL_Sport_jpg-2742874.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41568/Mini2_jpg-2742869.JPG The 2.0T Wrangler Sport is actually a lot of fun to dive. It's quick off the line. View Quote |
|
Your list is depressing.
Of the list you posted. Porsche. Real answer. Viper. |
|
Quoted: Yeah, sports cars are dude bro magnets. Nobody gave a shit about my old FR-S other than car nerds. Color seems to have an effect, though - I've had a bunch of young women comment positively on my Supra, and I'd be willing to bet it's entirely due to the fact that it is yellow. View Quote Interesting. I had an '08 Z4 soft top for a few years. Fun to drive. I don't think I'd get a convertible again though; coupes just looks so much better. I was looking at F-types but didn't pull the trigger and they're getting pretty dated now. |
|
Boxster is the way. Buy a dfi one, stick shift, you want leather door panels and a non leather dash.
I much prefer the non turbo 6 to the new turbo 4. But the turbo 4 can make big power with a tune. Boxster is the most reliable car porsche ever built. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quoted: Quoted: 911 or Ferrari... anything else and you are just a boomer, fag, or college girl. Yep This is ARF. The only answer is to get both. However most new production 911s are plus sized images of their former selves and most new Ferraris are pretend Porsches. All of which are more than the OP is willing to spend. Except for maybe a rough Monial or Bubbafied 911 with a trailer park V8 swap and no top. I doubt either of which are appealing to OP. There are plenty of fun cars out there. It really depends on what he wants it to do. |
|
1970 Chevelle with a built big block; absolute dude magnet car, can't stop at a light or gas station without some doofus asking if it "gots a three fiddy? Do a burnout!!" ,women under 50 nearly universally think it smells bad, and wonder, "why does it sound like that?" (Big cam and headers)
Attached File Absolute chick magnet, couldn't hardly drive it across town without a random female saying "I like your car!", or at least a wave or smile. Granted, they weren't all Emily Blunt, but it's easily a 50:1 ratio over the Chevelle. Of course I had to deal with idiots in diesels occasionally cracking predictable jokes. I should not have sold my Miata, but my wife and I needed two new vehicles to carry the kids. Attached File Attached File ETA: Chevelle is fun because big smoky burnouts and V8 big cam soundtrack. Miata was a riot because braking for corners was optional. Unfortunately it's flat and boring where I live, if I lived closer to curvy roads I'd never have sold the Miata, great little go-cart cars. |
|
Quoted: My poor man convertible, but it's got room for a spare 15 round mag in the trunk.https://i.postimg.cc/RZvBTjnd/44306.jpg" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/RZvBTjnd/44306.jpg View Quote I love the look of the saturn sky... I ended up in the boxster Yes i would buy it again :) |
|
In the past my three greatest car regrets were opportunities to buy:
2003 Ford GT for $80K 2001 BMW Z8 for $40K 1970 Ferrari Dino for $7K NEVER listen to your wife on such matters. NEVER. |
|
|
Quoted: In the past my three greatest car regrets were opportunities to buy: 2003 Ford GT for $80K 2001 BMW Z8 for $40K 1970 Ferrari Dino for $7K NEVER listen to your wife on such matters. NEVER. View Quote Mine was a Lancia Stratos. It was blue. She doesn’t like blue cars. I would have sold it long ago though. I like drivers, not garage queens. ETA: I knew a guy who built a Factory Five Cobra with his father. His dad died. To be fair to the other siblings the father required the car to be bought from the estate by my friend at a fixed price. His wife wouldn’t let him buy it. The car was sold at auction. He eventually got a divorce. |
|
Quoted: In the past my three greatest car regrets were opportunities to buy: 2003 Ford GT for $80K 2001 BMW Z8 for $40K 1970 Ferrari Dino for $7K NEVER listen to your wife on such matters. NEVER. View Quote Yikes... Shortly after we were married one of my brother's friends put his '65(?) Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII up for $10K. I'd wanted one forever, but she thought I'd lost my mind. It's still a sore subject almost 30 years later. |
|
My S2000 only let me down once, picked it up in '99 and not letting it go. The let down was a transmission failure, some may have heard/read the story. Apparently they fixed the problem early and I've put over 100,000miles on the replacement trans provided by Honda.
It's not good on slippery snow or ice, definitely fun but you wont get anywhere quickly in that stuff... ABS works in reverse at 60mph... gas mileage varies from 12mpg (track) to 30 on the highway... tires, same kind of thing, rears can be 10k to 40k and fronts double that if they don't dry rot first... |
|
Miata with a 6-speed manual. The question is, are you secure enough in your masculinity to handle it?
Seriously, I have a 2004 and live in the mountains. It is a blast to drive. |
|
|
Turbo S is unobtanium for most folks bruh. Nice car though. |
|
Quoted: Miata with a 6-speed manual. The question is, are you secure enough in your masculinity to handle it? Seriously, I have a 2004 and live in the mountains. It is a blast to drive. View Quote People refuse to acknowledge that if you live in an area with twisty roads, you will have a very hard time finding another car that is more fun to drive then a Miata even at two or three times the money. Sure you can get a car that'll do 160 down the highway easily enough but do that as often as you run corners on a back road and you'll either lose your license soon enough, go broke from the fines, or be followed so often that you'll start to think you are public enemy number 1. However, a NA or a NB Miata sucks just driving down a straight highway. Seriously. |
|
Quoted: People refuse to acknowledge that if you live in an area with twisty roads, you will have a very hard time finding another car that is more fun to drive then a Miata even at two or three times the money. Sure you can get a car that'll do 160 down the highway easily enough but do that as often as you run corners on a back road and you'll either lose your license soon enough, go broke from the fines, or be followed so often that you'll start to think you are public enemy number 1. However, a NA or a NB Miata sucks just driving down a straight highway. Seriously. View Quote He'sRightYouKnow |
|
Quoted: Convertibles suck. I have one and hate it. View Quote So much this. They’re hot/cold depending on the weather, they leak, they’re noisy, tops eventually rot and have to be replaced. I’ve had three Miata’s (currently an NC) and my first endeavor has always been to procure a hardtop (thankfully dealers still have them). If I were going to buy new, it would definitely be the RF (power hardtop). That being said, I’ll never not have a Miata. It is one of the most fun things I’ve ever owned |
|
Quoted: My NB1: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/106617/IMG_20220528_120150__2__jpg-2740473.JPG It's not stock. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/106617/IMG_20210806_122224__3__jpg-2740475.JPG View Quote @Walkure what supercharger is that? Kit? |
|
Quoted: @Walkure what supercharger is that? Kit? View Quote @fsjdw2 FFS It is a slightly older kit: now Tom only uses the TVS900 instead of the MP62, and ECool is always included. The TVS was an upgrade option when I got mine, but I didn't feel like spending the money (in hindsight, I should have). The ECool system I'm not huge a fan of, and as it was an extra cost upgrade when I bought my kit, I took that money and instead pieced together my own W/M injection system. (Main components from Hydro-HP.) Because of my WMI system, I also fabricated my own intake tract. I still want to fab a new air filter box, as I would prefer to run an AEM filter (they don't have one that would fit Tom's box, which is built around a K&N). |
|
|
Quoted: Miata Is Always The Answer There's a reason they're the most-raced car in the world. Also, they're just a British roadster made in Japan. If an MGB or a Jag E-Type isn't gay, then neither is the Miata. View Quote This. The big difference you will notice though between a Miata and a British roadster is the way it starts every day The non-ford post-2015 Mazda's are great, and Miata's are a blast. And lol at the "gay" comments. If you think your truck/car makes you a man, you're basically a living meme anyway and don't actually own a man card. buy what you want OP and drive the shit out of it. |
|
Quoted: Compared to a Miata, the trunks are hilarious. I was very excited when I found my helmet barely squeezed in to the trunk so I didn't have to put in between my passengers legs. View Quote The trunk on the ND is pitifully small. The NA/NB trunk is literally several times larger than the ND. I didn't understand at first when my dad got his and was talking about packing concerns for a roadtrip. He ran the numbers, and apparently it's nearly the same capacity as he had on his FJR, albeit all in one place rather than split between two saddlebags and a (huge) top trunk. It's comically small opening it next to any of the previous generations - even the NC PRHT, which really doesn't impact trunk space like you might expect. |
|
|
Quoted: The trunk on the ND is pitifully small. The NA/NB trunk is literally several times larger than the ND. I didn't understand at first when my dad got his and was talking about packing concerns for a roadtrip. He ran the numbers, and apparently it's nearly the same capacity as he had on his FJR, albeit all in one place rather than split between two saddlebags and a (huge) top trunk. It's comically small opening it next to any of the previous generations - even the NC PRHT, which really doesn't impact trunk space like you might expect. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Compared to a Miata, the trunks are hilarious. I was very excited when I found my helmet barely squeezed in to the trunk so I didn't have to put in between my passengers legs. The trunk on the ND is pitifully small. The NA/NB trunk is literally several times larger than the ND. I didn't understand at first when my dad got his and was talking about packing concerns for a roadtrip. He ran the numbers, and apparently it's nearly the same capacity as he had on his FJR, albeit all in one place rather than split between two saddlebags and a (huge) top trunk. It's comically small opening it next to any of the previous generations - even the NC PRHT, which really doesn't impact trunk space like you might expect. Still bigger than the Elise lol, I owned an NA and you could fit quite a bit in there. You also had a huge shelf behind the seats you could cram stuff in. Drove an ND, had a launch edition reserved, but never took the plunge and was annoyed the launch edition was based on the grand touring rather than the more race oriented club with the brembos and such. That's when I bought my Elise... Sold it in 2018 for not much different than what I paid. I did a few autocrosses in the Elise and had fun, but in stock condition even with good tires it was woefully overclassed in superstock compared to GT3s and such that were well sorted |
|
|
Just bought a 2017 2SS Camaro. 6.2L V8, manual 6 speed trans. I am very impressed with it. Comfortable car, for the front passengers at least. And it has great power and torque. A lot of people complain about the visibility, I say just drive the fucking car you pussy.
|
|
|
|
|
Quoted: Turbo S is unobtanium for most folks bruh. Nice car though. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Turbo S is unobtanium for most folks bruh. Nice car though. Turbo S is the minimum spec for the average arfcom millionaire. |
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.