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JeepinMatt
JeepinMatt HalfDork
2/11/10 2:45 p.m.
wearymicrobe wrote: A Viper is cool, until you realize the price on a new, unpainted hood clam shell is $16,000. Zoinks!

Really? Where did you spot that? I'm not questioning your accuracy, I believe you, I'm just shocked. I knew they were expensive, but that's half the price of a whole used Viper these days.

Cotton
Cotton HalfDork
2/11/10 2:45 p.m.
Josh wrote: I've never thought a Mondial looked like a real Ferrari. Maybe it's the cheapo black bumpers. That whole combo is just wrong aesthetically, which is tough for a Ferrari. I'd much rather do this for 4 grand less: 348ts Maybe a bit over the top, but no mistaking it for anything but a Ferrari. I always thought these were the best (albeit last) of the more outrageous, angular, louvered Ferraris. I know the 355 was a better car, but it's pretty boring to look at in comparison.

Either a scam or that car is junk. I had the exotic bug awhile back and looked at these. 30-40k is more like it for a good one.

Cotton
Cotton HalfDork
2/11/10 2:53 p.m.
Ian F wrote:
skruffy wrote: The real budget supercar is the C5Z06 IMO.
But no Corvette is a supercar... well... maybe the new ZR1... but even then... all the performance in the world won't remove the bow-tie from the car. Same with the Viper, although that car at least benefits some from its limited numbers.

What about the NSX? It has been mentioned.....has Honda right there on the valve cover. I would have to say the c4 ZR1 and current would classify as supercars. We had a c4 ZR1 at a dyno day and it was a pretty amazing car.

96DXCivic
96DXCivic HalfDork
2/11/10 2:54 p.m.

I have seen Maserati Meraks for not too much coin. The one big car that has been forgotten is the Lancia Scorpion. Mid-engine, exotic looks and a badge hardly anyone recognizes anymore equals winner.

GregTivo
GregTivo HalfDork
2/11/10 2:56 p.m.
skruffy wrote: I've always considered the NSX to be the accord of supercars. Sure, they're neat looking an all, but the power is just laughable.

They made the NSX too long in the same form. If they had reitred it in '95 nobody would have thought its power was laughable. It was still 30hp short of the 348TS, but 30hp is never the value its critics complain about. Notably, it had 20hp more than the 964 Carrera 2

Appleseed
Appleseed Dork
2/11/10 10:11 p.m.
JeepinMatt wrote:
wearymicrobe wrote: A Viper is cool, until you realize the price on a new, unpainted hood clam shell is $16,000. Zoinks!
Really? Where did you spot that? I'm not questioning your accuracy, I believe you, I'm just shocked. I knew they were expensive, but that's half the price of a whole used Viper these days.

Back in the pre-bankruptcy days, Hotrod or CarCraft printed a small blurb about why you should be careful to NOT back into one of those things.

wearymicrobe
wearymicrobe Reader
2/11/10 10:41 p.m.
Appleseed wrote:
JeepinMatt wrote:
wearymicrobe wrote: A Viper is cool, until you realize the price on a new, unpainted hood clam shell is $16,000. Zoinks!
Really? Where did you spot that? I'm not questioning your accuracy, I believe you, I'm just shocked. I knew they were expensive, but that's half the price of a whole used Viper these days.
Back in the pre-bankruptcy days, Hotrod or CarCraft printed a small blurb about why you should be careful to NOT back into one of those things.

Not just running into something you can do some pretty bad damage to one opening it up incorrectly or twisting it when open. Everybody laments the lack of the clam but my insurance rates are nothing on my gen III compared to a gen II.

I will also add the Prowler. It really is a cool car, weighs next to nothing. Easy on parts and actually handles really well for what it is.

JeepinMatt
JeepinMatt HalfDork
2/11/10 11:20 p.m.

Disappointing that parts are that much. I'd love to get a Viper GTS, and as prices fall it isn't un-doable. But with parts that much, I'd be nervous as hell.

'Nother word on the Merak. I love 'em. But parts sure seem pricey to be considered cheap. I think a lot of people get sucked into thinking the Esprit is a cheap supercar, then balk at the prices for repairs and maintenance, thus letting prices on the cars fall further.

A Pantera sure would be interesting, and with that common-as-dirt Ford drivetrain, at least that would be cheap. Not so sure on the rest of the car, but I wouldn't count on it. And Panteras are still more expensive than either the Viper GTS and any Esprit. Don't get a chance too often to talk about four of my favorite cars in one post.

Woody
Woody SuperDork
2/12/10 8:27 a.m.
JeepinMatt wrote: . A Pantera sure would be interesting, and with that common-as-dirt Ford drivetrain, at least that would be cheap. Not so sure on the rest of the car, but I wouldn't count on it. And Panteras are still more expensive than either the Viper GTS and any Esprit. Don't get a chance too often to talk about four of my favorite cars in one post.

I know where there is a Pantera that has been parked for at least 25 years, in front of an empty house. It's completely overgrown with weeds and invisible from the road. I suspect that the homeowner is in prison. Last time I looked, one door was either open or missing (can't remember).

Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog HalfDork
2/12/10 8:44 a.m.
Woody wrote: I know where there is a Pantera that has been parked for at least 25 years, in front of an empty house. It's completely overgrown with weeds and invisible from the road. I suspect that the homeowner is in prison. Last time I looked, one door was either open or missing (can't remember).

If they're not in jail they should be, just for letting that happen to a Pantera.

mistanfo
mistanfo Dork
2/12/10 9:21 a.m.
ReverendDexter wrote: Considering how few Camry AllTracs were made, I just can't see Toyota making a seperate tranny for them.

I think that my family owned half of them. To bad they only offered a five speed manual transmission in the first year of production, all of ours were four speed autos. Adding the auto to the mix of viscous differentials just made for one more random noise to listen to in stop and go traffic. And for whatever reason, they would kill batteries in the summer, often to the tune on 2 or more each July/August.

Back to your regular thread.

Schmidlap
Schmidlap Reader
2/12/10 10:09 a.m.

What about Jaguar XKRs? You can find early ones for less than $15,000. It's questionable whether it's a supercar (it's a little heavy), but it's faster than a lot of the other cars mentioned here, and has much better looks (in my opinion, at least) than many.

XK8's can be found for $8,000, a lot less if it has engine or transmission problems. Swap in a cammed LSx/T56 and you'd have a very fun car.

Bob

racerdave600
racerdave600 Reader
2/12/10 10:57 a.m.

For the money, a 944 Turbo is very hard to beat. I had about $6,500 in mine when it left, and it was extremely fast and a very stable platform. It would outrun almost all of the real exotics listed here, including a 348 and Pantera, and was easier to drive to boot.

Maintenance isn't too bad assuming you don't buy one that's neglected, like I did. It is more than your average Honda or Miata though, so you have to be prepared. But next to the Ferrari, you could run one for life on what a Ferrari costs for a yearly service.

Oh, and whoever posted that there isn't much difference between an MKIII and MKIV Supra, they are massive. We used to race them in IMSA. A property modified TT Supra could probably outrun almost any car in it's price range and then some, and a NA MKIV can pretty much run down a E36 M3 on track as long as it's stock as well. I think we won almost every race in '96 with one. The TT in '97 went over 170 at Daytona with only the speed limiter defeated.

joepaluch
joepaluch Reader
2/12/10 11:07 a.m.

1988 944 Turbo S, 1300 cars produced world wide (700 in the USA), 250hp, 162 mph. Not big numbers these days, but faster than a 1988 911 Turbo at Willow Springs in when new.

Matt B
Matt B Reader
2/12/10 11:39 a.m.
racerdave600 wrote: For the money, a 944 Turbo is very hard to beat. I had about $6,500 in mine when it left. . .

Wow. That seems like a real GRM kinda deal there. I've only seen clapped out 944 turbos for that price. Most decent examples seem to hover around $10K+.

I want one. Bad. Unfortunately I'm already tied up with maintaining one 80's sportscar. lol

ReverendDexter
ReverendDexter Dork
2/12/10 11:49 a.m.
mistanfo wrote: To bad they only offered a five speed manual transmission in the first year of production, all of ours were four speed autos. Adding the auto to the mix of viscous differentials just made for one more random noise to listen to in stop and go traffic

Mine's a five-speed with the push-button locking center diff. And, for the record, ALL first year Camry AllTracs were 5-speed cars, the auto wasn't even offered until the second year of production.

And I'll stop hijacking this thread with my boring-ass Camry as soon as other people stop trying to claim a Corvette or front-engine Porsche is a supercar. Supercar performance is not the totallity of what makes a supercar.

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
2/12/10 11:56 a.m.
Matt B wrote:
racerdave600 wrote: For the money, a 944 Turbo is very hard to beat. I had about $6,500 in mine when it left. . .
Wow. That seems like a real GRM kinda deal there. I've only seen clapped out 944 turbos for that price. Most decent examples seem to hover around $10K+. I want one. Bad. Unfortunately I'm already tied up with maintaining one 80's sportscar. lol

There was actually a really clean '86 944 turbo for sale locally for around 5k. I've seen it around town and it looks really nice. I thought that was a smokin' deal.

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
2/12/10 11:59 a.m.

Actually it was $4300. Damn I wish i had $4300 right now. http://evansville.craigslist.org/cto/1569846449.html

racerdave600
racerdave600 Reader
2/12/10 1:02 p.m.

I paid $3,500 for my 944 Turbo, but the timing belt broke before I could change it. $3k and a ton of labor labor it was smokin' fast. Not as fast a friend's much modified '89S, but it was an absolute rocket over 100mph!

Chris_V
Chris_V SuperDork
2/12/10 1:08 p.m.
Josh wrote: I've never thought a Mondial looked like a real Ferrari. Maybe it's the cheapo black bumpers. That whole combo is just wrong aesthetically, which is tough for a Ferrari.

Only early ones had the black bumpers:

One of my fellow BSCC members autocrossed a Mondial cab like the one pictured. Made the right noises, looked the part, and was his daily driver (he had a 512 TR as well).

I'd take one in a heartbeat.

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair SuperDork
2/12/10 2:29 p.m.
16vCorey wrote: Actually it was $4300. Damn I wish i had $4300 right now. http://evansville.craigslist.org/cto/1569846449.html

i just peed my pants a little.

JeepinMatt
JeepinMatt HalfDork
2/12/10 2:44 p.m.

I love the 944, really love it. But I wouldn't consider it a supercar.

JeepinMatt
JeepinMatt HalfDork
2/12/10 2:46 p.m.
Appleseed wrote: Back in the pre-bankruptcy days, Hotrod or CarCraft printed a small blurb about why you should be careful to NOT back into one of those things.

No such luck that anyone's got a link to the article?

Bobzilla
Bobzilla Dork
2/12/10 3:26 p.m.

I know one of the body shops I deal with had an NSX and a Wiper at the same time. We were talking about how pricey the aluminum quarters on the NSX were when he told me what they spent for the front end of a standard Viper. Something close to $12k for the doghouse, new, plus paint and labor. This was about 5 years ago, so I am sure prices have gone up.

Bobzilla
Bobzilla Dork
2/12/10 3:26 p.m.

I know one of the body shops I deal with had an NSX and a Wiper at the same time. We were talking about how pricey the aluminum quarters on the NSX were when he told me what they spent for the front end of a standard Viper. Something close to $12k for the doghouse, new, plus paint and labor. This was about 5 years ago, so I am sure prices have gone up.

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