Budget Supercar Comparo

My vote is NSX first, Z06 second. I've already been lucky enough to have spent a lot of quality time with a Z06. The NSX has stood the test of time for me. Still my favorite car. I would love the chance to drive one in anger.

HiTempguy wrote: I know a ton of people in Calgary and Edmonton who DD awd Porsches. Not really any problems with them. Only thing is, the more miles you rack up (as on any vehicle) the closer you come to needing to rebuild the motor... and Porsche motors are insane.

True that prices are high unless you find a good shop. However, I sold my last Porsche with 264K on the clock and the motor had never be opened.. tranny either.

HiTempguy wrote:

cwaters wrote: Not a single Viper vote? Interesting.

I personally feel that dollar for dollar (and this is a totally uninformed opinion btw), you can get a newer, "better" Vette for the same price as an older, miled out Viper. Not to offend, but the first Vipers were... meh. They LOOKED cool, and were "fast", but from what I understand not quite the handling beasts they evolved to be.

The Viper convertible is not nearly as good looking as the coupe, IMO.

The later NSXs would be my vote, though. I don't know if they're available for $30k, though.

The Viper GTS and Ferrari 308 GTB are the best looking ones in my opinion. The coupes just have the most resolved body lines and overall look.

However, if it were my money, I'd be worried that I can't handle the Viper and that the Ferrari would just require too much maintenance. Thus, I'd buy the NSX and enjoy the snot out of it every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

I have to say a $25,000 Maserati sounds appealing to me.

You can consider the Maserati Cambiocorsa Spyder as a Ferrari California with a $170,000 discount. The specs are remarkably similar.

Nordschleife lap times

Corvette C5 Z06 - 7’56, Porsche Cayman S ’05-06- 8’06, Mercedes SL55 AMG ’03- 8’12, Lotus Esprit V8 ’99- 8’13, Porsche Carrera 996 C2- 8’15, Acura NSX ’92- 8’16, Dodge Viper RT-10 ’99- 8’17, Maserati Cambiocorsa ’04- 8’18, BMW 645Ci ’05- 8’20, Jaguar XKR ’05- 8’25, Aston Martin DB7 ’98- 8’47, Ferrari Mondial ’92-94- Stopped for lunch.

For something to live with, and inside of my means, I think the Elise would have to be the choice.

Why?

Because the Elise isn't fitted with all of the crazy, over the top electronics, complicated dohickeys that move body panels around at so-and-so speed, or highly specialized components that are found in most of the other cars.

If it doesn't have over-complex fiddly bits, they won't break.

The M3 and the Porsches are contenders too, as they have a reputation for being reliable. Once I eliminate fiery death by adult-onset overpass stanchion, (Dodge Viper) the Vette is the only choice with a dealership in my town.

Now, I've been looking at W208 CLKs in a sort of modestly curious way. And the price of a used Maserati seems way too low considering the parts you get. I think I'd drive those two cars because I'd like to know more about them, but the money would go into an Elise.

The z06 is the easiest to have as a dd. The elise likes to get totaled after a door hits it.

mmosbey wrote: For something to live with, and inside of my means, I think the Elise would have to be the choice. Why? Because the Elise isn't fitted with all of the crazy, over the top electronics, complicated dohickeys that move body panels around at so-and-so speed, or highly specialized components that are found in most of the other cars. If it doesn't have over-complex fiddly bits, they won't break. The M3 and the Porsches are contenders too, as they have a reputation for being reliable. Once I eliminate fiery death by adult-onset overpass stanchion, (Dodge Viper) the Vette is the only choice with a dealership in my town. Now, I've been looking at W208 CLKs in a sort of modestly curious way. And the price of a used Maserati seems way too low considering the parts you get. I think I'd drive those two cars because I'd like to know more about them, but the money would go into an Elise.

At halftime we have four clear favorites emerging: NSX, Z06, Elise, and Esprit. A few call outs spread amongst the other cars. Few brave enough to venture into the high maintenance unknown. Two reliable dd usable cars lacking any love: The Mercedes SL55 AMG - third fastest around the 'ring! The BMW 650i/ 645Ci - very high tech, SMG gearbox, quick car.

I'll keep my FD RX7. Simple and effective w/ a real race car suspension design. 2800 lbs w/ a full tank of gas 315 rwhp - 216 RWTQ 8.9 power to weight ratio

Excellent point, that's a good contender. Closer to a supercar than a M3, no question.

I wondered why the last rx-7 wasn't included originally, it would have been my first pick.

Derick Freese wrote: I have to say a $25,000 Maserati sounds appealing to me.

IMO, which aint worth much, those Maseratis could easily have been styled by Olds or Buick, or in other words, the looks are quite underwhelming. You'd expect a Maserati to be more striking, and have more presence. Just sayin...

I didn't include the FD RX7 since the car is more common and didn't meet my completely arbitrary "supercar" standard. I suppose the M3 could also be considered too common. There are lots of quick cars. Rule of thumb is that if it doesn't raise the eyebrows on the parking valet at the Country Club it probably isn't exclusive enough to be a supercar. As mentioned by someone earlier, the Porsche 996 Turbo is available in the sub $30K range and could be added to the list instead of the normal 996. The 996 Turbo lapped the 'ring in 7'56".

I must state the following disclaimer before my next post. I like the C5Z06, one of the best buys ever in the used performance market. That being said...

I fell they are not supercars. They are hot rodded vettes and IMHO, there is nothing supercarish about them (other than the performance), compensating for something yes, rare, exclusive almost childish no. (don't feel bad I think the 911 is in the same boat)

A supercar is more than just a go fast tool. It is something you can be a excentric in.

That being said

Lotus Espirit

Ferarri 308

NSX

Pantera

Maserati

BMW 850i

Viper

Aston Martin

Panoz

Dunno, the FD may be "common" but it is still jaw-droppingly pretty. I think it is far better looking in a supercar way than some of the other cars on the list.

I think the FD will be much more sought after by more people 30 years from now than say a 308 or Mondial.

Don't get me wrong Flynlow, I'm a fan. Our Lotus $2012 Challenge car is rotary powered.

Flynlow wrote: Dunno, the FD may be "common" but it is still jaw-droppingly pretty. I think it is far better looking in a supercar way than some of the other cars on the list. I think the FD will be much more sought after by more people 30 years from now than say a 308 or Mondial.

I agree. They are getting less and less common and quite forgotten by the public. Combine that with the fact that they are incredibly good looking and the public just assumes they are looking at an exotic. It's really cool watching the cars exotic status grow. It does sadden me a bit because they are on my "must own before I die" list, but just can't have one right now and I think they will outgrow my price range very soon.

In reply to Argo1:

Very cool. And you're absolutely right, its not a supercar...just a very, very good sports car.

But they got dragged into the thread and I got all excited

Back on topic....I have a C5 Z06, and I LOVE it. Reasonably comfortable, quiet, decent fuel mileage/cargo space........and then when you push it hard it screams like the apocalypse and outruns everything around it while you laugh maniacally.

The NSX and F355 are on my dream garage list too.

Hmm. First on my list is the Elise. That car just grabs my attention and holds it. I don't care that it's a four banger, it ticks all the right boxes: light, agile, stunning performance, razor sharp handling, Toyota reliability. Behind it, in order, the Esprit (because Lotus!) and the Z06. The rest of them are just overpriced gold neck chain attention grabbers, the only one that could be reasonably practical in my view is the NSX because Honda.

Flynlow wrote: Back on topic....I have a C5 Z06, and I LOVE it. Reasonably comfortable, quiet, decent fuel mileage/cargo space........and then when you push it hard it screams like the apocalypse and outruns everything around it while you laugh maniacally.

My Corvette experience was back in the '80s with my C4 Z51. I got tired of being trounced soundly in my 911 at autocrosses by the C4 Corvettes so I "went over to the dark side" and got a Vette. Fun, fast, and 24mpg highway. I'm still a Porsche guy. Now my problem is that I told my wife that she would know when my mid-life crisis started when I came home in a Ferrari. This may have been a tactical error on my part. I never thought that I would be able to do it. Does a Maserati or Aston Martin count?

Argo1 wrote: Does a Maserati or Aston Martin count?

No, no it doesn't. Crisis implies there's something wrong:

Curmudgeon wrote: First on my list is the Elise. That car just grabs my attention and holds it. I don't care that it's a four banger, it ticks all the right boxes: light, agile, stunning performance, razor sharp handling,

I love the Elise. We are going for the same light, agile performance in our Challenge Lotus - hence the light rotary power. I CAN wedge my 6'3" 200lb self into the Elise but the gymnastics needed to get in or out with the solid roof on are insane. It really needs a quick release steering wheel. My drill to get in any car is put the seat back to the stops then get in. I became a Porsche guy when I did that in a 911 and couldn't reach the pedals. It was an epiphany momment.

Ferrari 308. I don't want to die having never owned a Ferrari.