I need car, recommend me sexy sports cars to test drive

[Bebpo]

I need a new car.  Maybe buying one in the next week.

I know nothing about cars besides videogames, so I always buy the ones that are cool looking and fun to drive in videogames.  I bought my Subaru Impreza because I thought it was badass in Sega Rally and Gran Turismo 1/2 and was one of my favorite cars to use.  Turned out to be a great buy.  Got 11 years of awesome driving out of it in 2 countries.

Now I'm trying to think of other cars I like in games.  I like stuff like the Mazda RX-7/8, Nissan Skylines, basically anything that's sleek and sexy with good grip.  Don't have a family so don't want SUV/Wagon, don't want a box car and not ready for electric so no Prius/Civic.  Wouldn't mind getting a convertible, can't afford porche or anything though.  Budget is like 20-30k.  I always wanted a Dodge Viper since I played GT2, but they're like 70k and I always crash them on every turn in GT because of the goddamn heavy rear wheel drive, so probably not going to touch those.

Need recommendations

[T-Short]

Recommend against RX7/8. Rotary engine, too much fuel burn and not enough HP. Also doubt you'd be able to find a Skyline with any kind of reliability for that budget.

[Mupepe]

Get a used C6 Corvette if you don't need a backseat.  Best bang for your buck as far as performance goes.

[Himu]

Have fun paying for gas.

[Bebpo]

I already pay for gas, I'm used to it.

I don't drive much though, so that helps on my gas.  I mean it took me 11 years to put 100k miles on my car.

[Bebpo]

Looking at cars, the Lotus Elise looks pretty sexy, but it also looks douchey and it's out of my price range unless I want a 5-6 year old one :X

[Mr. Gundam]

You just finished law school, how can you afford a sports car?

[Bebpo]

Savings and hopefully good salary soon.

I was going to hold off and wait until I got a few paychecks at good salary before replacing my car, but apparently my car has a leaky engine problem and I don't want to spend $1,000+ to fix it if I'm just going to sell it a few months later.  So it makes more sense to replace it now.

[Mr. Gundam]

You're in California, right? Buy one of those sweet electric cars.

[Bebpo]

My brother bought a Prius a few months ago.  He's actually in Texas now for South by Southwest and I'm looking after the car.  It's alright, but I find all the electric cars so far to be fugly little cars you'd never touch with a 10 foot pole if they weren't electric.

Like I said, I hardly drive much.  All local.  So cutting down gas cost isn't a huge priority. 

[Mr. Gundam]

Not a Prius. I was talking about the ones that are currently only available in California.

[Bebpo]

The cooler ones are really expensive though.  I looked at the Tesla and it was like 100k+

I feel nervous spending anything over 30k after tax.  Realistically I'd like something more like 21-23k.  I bought my impreza new for 21k 11 years ago the last time I bought a car.

[Bebpo]

I'm thinking I might test drive a Mazda Miata MX-5.  Looks like a nice roadster and I don't need 4 seats necessarily.  Not planning on starting a family in the next decade.

[Mr. Gundam]

Dudes don't buy Miata's.

Just sayin'.

[T-Short]

also. just read that last part in the OP. if you can't drive a Viper without crashing in Gran Turismo, why are you even looking at rwd sportscars? lol. get a stock civic type R or something.

[Rman]

Why don't you just get a used Honda with low mileage?  Much cheaper, reliable and it won't depreciate like hell as soon as you drive it out of the lot.

[Boogie]

Why don't you just get a used Honda with low mileage?  Much cheaper, reliable and it won't depreciate like hell as soon as you drive it out of the lot.

Because Hondas are lame and boring?

[Smooth Groove]

WTF Don't base your opinion of a car on videogames, especially if you're using mostly GT, which is always biased in favor of Japanese makes. 

Even if you can find an used Elise for cheap, it's probably not for you unless you plan to keep another car.  Although it handles wonderfully, almost everything else makes it impractical for everyday usage.  You're gonna be rubbing elbows with your passenger even it's just your petite Japanese girlfriend. 

At your price range, I'd recommend a new BMW 1 or used BMW 3.  Trust me, Euro >>>> Japanese.  Once you've driven a nice European car, Japanese cars just feel like cheap rentals.  Japanese manufacturers make nice budget cars but I wouldn't even consider them once I'm in the 30,000 range.  The only exception might be the Skyline, which is an incredible value but is also fug as hell. 

I'd also rule out American sportscars because you wouldn't get the most out of them unless you're an experienced driver. 

[Boogie]

I've really been digging the look of the Genesis Coupe.  Haven't driven one yet tho.

[choco parfait]

Used or new?

As for two seaters like a Miata, passenger transport isn't the only consideration you should factor when deciding on one. When it comes time to transport something huge you just got at Ikea or Home Depot, or when you need to bring home a huge batch of groceries, the limitations of a tiny 2-seater start to become annoying.

At your price range, I'd recommend a new BMW 1 or used BMW 3.  Trust me, Euro >>>> Japanese.  Once you've driven a nice European car, Japanese cars just feel like cheap rentals.  Japanese manufacturers make nice budget cars but I wouldn't even consider them once I'm in the 30,000 range.

Coming from both a 3 Series as well as other luxury Japanese cars, I respectfully disagree.

[Smooth Groove]

I have an Infiniti G37.  It's not trash but it's definitely inferior to all the Euros I've driven. 

[Bebpo]

Used or new?

As for two seaters like a Miata, passenger transport isn't the only consideration you should factor when deciding on one. When it comes time to transport something huge you just got at Ikea or Home Depot, or when you need to bring home a huge batch of groceries, the limitations of a tiny 2-seater start to become annoying.

At your price range, I'd recommend a new BMW 1 or used BMW 3.  Trust me, Euro >>>> Japanese.  Once you've driven a nice European car, Japanese cars just feel like cheap rentals.  Japanese manufacturers make nice budget cars but I wouldn't even consider them once I'm in the 30,000 range.

Coming from both a 3 Series as well as other luxury Japanese cars, I respectfully disagree.

Probably new.  Although the idea of leasing out something in the higher price range instead of buying is a possibility as well.

As for BMW.  My dad has a BMW, somethingsomething-i, sedan like and it's alright but not really for me.  Too roomy.  He used to have a Mercedes and Jaguar convertible but I didn't like those either.  My mom has a Subaru Wagon which is ok but kind of boring and I don't need trunk space.  My brother had an Accord but now has a Prius and Accord was pretty sweet back in the day but it's kind of boring now.  Prius is too fugly for me.  I used to want an NSX (along with a Viper) when I was a kid, but they don't make them anymore and I don't want an old Nsx that will fall apart.

In general I don't like American car designs.  They're big and bro-ish.  Which is not for me.  Although Chevrolette C6 mupepe mentioned is really neat but it looks way out of my price range.  I generally like Euro roadsters and Japanese roadsters/sedans.

I would fire up GT5 to test out some cars and see what they're like but I deleted the install months ago and don't want to sit through hours and hours of installing.  Would be faster to just go to the dealership and test drive cars :\

[Smooth Groove]

Dude, don't even bother with GT5.  Even with the best steering wheel, you won't get what a car feels like until you've driven it IRL.

There aren't many options if you're looking for a new $30,000 roadster.  I like my Z4 but even the lowest end model is probably around $40000.  The S2000 and 350Z convertibles might be close to what you're looking for but also handle a little ruggedly.  Give them a test to see if you like how they feel. 

[Boogie]

ya, have to lol at the idea of analyzing possible car purchases based on how they handle in Grand Turismo.  smh, Bepbo.

[choco parfait]

I have an Infiniti G37.  It's not trash but it's definitely inferior to all the Euros I've driven. 

That I can agree with. Infiniti doesn't hold a candle to BMW in terms of handling and styling.

As for BMW.  My dad has a BMW, somethingsomething-i, sedan like and it's alright but not really for me.

It depends on if it was one of the bigger sedans like the 5 series or the 7 series. A 3 series is small and sporty enough that one wouldn't get bored of it in daily driving.

I generally like Euro roadsters and Japanese roadsters/sedans.

Then you should start by looking at those types of cars. You've sorta only been describing your experience with cars in the family sedan/cargo volume priority segment.

Take a look at stuff like the BMW 325i, BMW Z3, Nissan 350Z, Lexus IS250, Honda S2000, or Audi A3.

[Bebpo]

I forgot about the S2000.  Hmmmmm....I always thought that was a cool car.  Wonder what they go for these days.  I see in 2009 a new one was about 35k.

[Bebpo]

Hmmm, S2000s seem hard to find these days.  There are some used 2008 models with about 20k mileage for ~26k in my area.

[Akala]

maybe a hair over budget equipped, but I believe in you bebpuu~

[Bebpo]

What car is that in the second pic?  It looks like an expensive Porsche

Dudes don't buy Miata's.

Just sayin'.

Since I value the opinion of all my fellow EB bros, can you go into more detail at what you dislike or find girly about the Miata line? 

While a lot of the recommendations in here are pretty sweet, they're also more like 30-40k price point.  The Miata line is more like 22-26k which is really within my budget.  Tomorrow I'm going to the Mazda dealership and will test drive the Miata and an RX-8 just to check it out.  Then will go and test drive the one remaining Honda S2000 in my county.  Dunno what I'll test drive after that.

[choco parfait]

What car is that in the second pic?  It looks like an expensive Porsche

Top is an Audi TT Coupe. Didn't recommend it because it's definitely above your stated budget of $20-30K.

Bottom is a decked-out Fairlady Z. 

[Bebpo]

Why does it seem like all the hot sexy cars went out of production in 2008/2009 and the only cars being produced now are dread boring generic sedans?

*edit, hmm, the Nissan 370 Nismo is pretty cool but starts at 40k >_<  Could possibly lease it for a few years...

[Boogie]

My current shortlist if I were to pick up a "sporty" car in the next two years:

WRX
Gen coupe
BMW 1- or 3-series
Maaaybe Focus RS/ST

That's on paper, without having driven any of them yet. 

[Akala]

The 2011 sport pack Focus looks kinda awesome. Kinda. A baseline 370z is almost in your price range, you should test drive one

[Boogie]

The 2011 sport pack Focus looks kinda awesome. Kinda. A baseline 370z is almost in your price range, you should test drive one

A coworker has a 350z.  Nice looking car.

[Bebpo]

Thinking about a Nissan now.  Not sure if I'd rather have a 370 sedan, 370 coupe, or 370 roadster.  Might test drive all three.  They have a hell of a lot of horsepower going by the specs!

[Smooth Groove]

Pretty sure there's no 370 sedan.  The coupe will most likely handle better and accelerate a little faster.  It's all gonna depend on whether you want a better drive or an open top.  IMO, if you're staying in the LA/OC area, the coupe is probably the better choice.  My top is up most of the time because of the nasty air and dust.  Also, Spring, which is the best time for open top driving in LA, is far too short.  When it's Summer, I just want the AC on full blast. 

[T-Short]

The 370Z is RWD with oversteer on tap. You'll probably just crash it

[ferrarimanf355]

Dudes don't buy Miata's.

Just sayin'.

You need to see some Spec Miata racing, just sayin'.

[Mupepe]

bebpo, regarding the c6 Corvette, if you pay anythingover 12k below msrp you're getting ripped.  it also has a removable top (not convertible, it stows away in the hatch and is easy as hell to take off or put on) for your summer/good weather driving.  it has some body roll but unless you're trying to be a racer it shouldn't be a problem for you. 6 speed transmission gives it great power in every gear that you'll feel as soon as you hit the gas.  the hatch has enough room for most average needs.  i fit a 46 inch lcd in it with room to spare. check out corvetteforum.com and go to the c6 forums general discussions and see if its right for you. there are a ton of casual drivers who wanted some oomph in their car on there.

[Bildi]

While MX5's are technically awesome, sadly yes, they are definitely a girl's car.  I'm not up on recent cars but a kitted out Focus or the Nissan sound pretty good.  I admit the new 350z always struck me as a tosser's car, but that might just be me.  I love Hondas, but yeah, I realise they're considered lame by many.

[Bebpo]

I test drove a few cars today:

It's worth noting that the kind of driving I do is 30-50mph city driving light to light or 20-30mph windy hill climb driving.  So I'm in the low rpms gears 1-4 usually when driving these things.

Nissan 370Z coupe 40th anniversary edition with spoiler - Alright.  Handled well and had enough room.  Could see myself going with this, but for the 35-40k price range, it doesn't feel like it imo.  Nothing shouts out 15-20k better than my 20k Impreza.  Just a little more omph and tighter & nicer looking inside.

Nissan 370Z roadster - waaaaay too small.  I'm 5'4" and I'm almost hitting my head on the ceiling and when you look back it's like WALL right behind your face.  I'd never drive in a car this small and it felt claustrophobic.  Otherwise handled the same as the coupe, but I'd definitely go for the coupe over this.

Mazda RX-8 - didn't care for it much.  Felt a bit heavy and less responsive.  Had a HUGE blindspot on the side for changing lanes which sucked.  A bit engine noise.

Mazda Miata MX-5 - when I saw the soft-top in HOT RED I was like eeeek, yeah that's a girl car.  Looked like the color girls paint their fingernails.  Would be awkward driving that.  But then when I checked out the hardtop in black it looked pretty good!  Didn't look girly at all.  This car with the top down felt really great.  Like excellent acceleration in the lower rpms/gears, responsive handling, just really fun and fast.  Was still a little small in the room department, but it wasn't as claustrophobic as the 370z roadster.  My only qualm is that looking at it from the outside, with the top down it looks pretty sweet like a cool sports car.  With the hardtop up it looks pretty lame.  Still, was impressed and seriously considering going with the MX-5.

Later this week I'll go check out the Chevrolet dealership and maybe some Honda/Acura although I dunno what I'd try there besides maybe just check out the Accords these days.  My dad keeps pushing me to go drive the BMW 3 series because I can tell that's what he wants me to get since he drives a BMW and he has this impression that if you are a lawyer you must drive a BMW because anything else is unfitting blehhh; I pretty much don't want to get a BMW or Mercedes or Jaguar or anything because I don't want to be my dad.

Honestly, though the Miata was pretty cool.  I'd never been in a 2 seater before test driving these cars and I never realized how you really have NO ROOM for anything besides 1 other person and that's it in these cars.  So I dunnnnoooo, maybe I should just get a boring sedan with 4 seats. 

[Bebpo]

Also I think what I realized driving the 370z and RX-8 is that I don't actually like race cars.  They're fun in the games, but irl they're small and not super comfortable and built for street racers, which is not a category I fall in.

[Smooth Groove]

Like I said before, Euro sports cars are much more refined.  Why won't you buy an used car?

At your budget, you can still find a Porsche convertible with less than 50,000 miles.  Porsches are so well built that they'll last long beyond 100,000 miles. 

I was a young dummy when I got my last car and bought new.  Next time, I'm gonna buy an used Carrera or Aston Martin instead of a new mid level car.  Cars don't really reach their max potential anyway until about 20,000 miles. 

[Bebpo]

Yeah, I was looking around and I could probably lease a Porsche Boxter Spyder if I wanted.  I should go by the Porsche place.

[cool breeze]

yeah, Euro cars are better at doing the sport with luxury thing. 

Infiniti seems like Nissan's attempt to market luxurious sports cars (they're still branded as Nissan in Japan, iirc) and fwiw the G coupes are pretty nice.  Those get more expensive, and if you start raising your limit, more Euro cars become options.

and I'm with you about wanting cars from video games.  I was convinced that my first car would be a Lamborghini Diablo because it kicked so much ass in Need for Speed.  That didn't happen.

[Smooth Groove]

I'm fairly satisfied with the G37 as the day to day car.  It's quite fast but is kinda bland to drive like most Japanese cars.  There's also more than enough space for bachelors who might occasionally transport other people or need room for athletic equipment.  The best part about the car is probably the navigator which is one of the best I've ever used. 

[Bebpo]

I also want to be kind of weary of buying any car that is too douche as I'm still dating around and don't want a car where girls think ugh, this guy is another lame OC douche with his fancy car.  I want something that looks nice but not overly ridiculous.

[Smooth Groove]

Most chicks are impressed by nice cars.  Just don't brag about it.  If you're concerned about image, then an Euro would definitely do more than a rice rocket.  Even Asian chicks tend to care more for BMW, Audi and Mercedes. 

[cool breeze]

buy a jaguar e-type if you're looking for a ladyfriend

[Bebpo]

So the other day I went with my parents to my relatives for a family get together and my dad got drunk and I had to drive everyone home in his BMW 5series.  It was the first time I'd ever actually driven his car.  I'd been in it before, but never the driver.  Anyhow, wow, it drove really really nice!  The power and handling felt way better than any of the cars I test drove. 

So now I'm thinking about maybe getting a BMW 3series or the Z3/Z4 roadster.  I know they're less powerful and smaller than the 5 series, so I'm going to test them out but if they drive anywhere as nice as the 5 series then maybe I'll pick up a couple year used one.  The roadsters look pretty nice; I see them on the roads sometimes.

[Himu]

bebpo is totally doing this for the pussy

[Smooth Groove]

3s handle better than the 5s actually.  M3s are widely considered almost perfect drives and they look awesome.  If you can find a low-mileage M3 for your price range, definitely consider it strongly. 

The Z4 is fun to drive but the ride is a bit bumpy, which is why I prefer driving something else for long trips. 

[TEEEPO]

at the very least.

[Bebpo]

lol, M3 is waaaay too expensive.  I need to be at <=30k before tax.  I want under 30k mileage and used M3s are still like 50k.
In terms of the 3 series there are several makes, 325i, 330i, 335i; what's the difference besides the higher number being more expensive?  I really think the BMWs sedan/coupes look so boring on the outside, but I guess that's because where I live, 9 out 10 cars on the road are BMW 3 or 5 series :\

[Smooth Groove]

Higher number means more powerful engine.   Sometimes, the trim is slightly different too. 

[Bildi]

If you like your Impreza, how about a WRX?  I know they've become flubbery compared to what they once were but I'm sure they're still pretty great on the road.

It looks like in the US you could even pick up a used STI for well under $30k.

[Bebpo]

WRX's are great great cars, but I just want something different after 11 years of Subaru Impreza.  I've owned 2 in the time frame and it's time for a change.

Anyhow, bumping this because I checked out some more cars today.  Went to a used car lot and the salesman kind of showed me around some I hadn't thought about.  He showed me the Mini Cooper S which I have to admit was kind of neat.  It's like one of those safari off-road jeeps but tiny.  Also they had an 2009 Honda S2000 with 24k mileage on it and it was pretty sick.  Very interested in that.  Also checked out the M3s and they were waaay spacier and nicer than the BMW3 series, but I dunno all BMWs have this BMW feel and I don't think I'm a BMW man yet.  Same thing with Nissan and the 350/370z; feels similar to the Z4 and not my thing.  I want something that's not overly leathery fancy but not dinky either.  Something in the middle.

[Mupepe]

stay away from the mini cooper, stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away stay away x 100000000000000000

I own a mini cooper and it's a POS (especially if you're talking used).  The build quality of that car is fucking horrible.  Look at reliability lists.  They're usually 2nd to last.  I've replaced every piece of the cooling system because it's a common failure.  The cooling system is inadequate for that engine.  I replaced the water pump, radiator, thermostat and fan and head gasket!!!.  I have replaced the alternator twice and it's in pieces as I'm fucking typing this because tonight I have to replace the starter.  If my wife didn't love that fucking car so much I'd hack it up into little pieces.  STAY AWAY FROM THE MINI COOPER FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

[Bebpo]

haha, ok

[Mupepe]

Did you ever test drive a Chevy C6 Corvette?