Looking for a cheap gt type car >20mpg

Ok one last wrinkle it needs to be pretty reliable and have excellent a.c. It gets pretty hot out here!

Infiniti G35 hasn't been said yet?

NickD said:

Infiniti G35 hasn't been said yet?

I’ve been looking into these myself. With a brake upgrade they seem to fit the criteria pretty well.

steelynorm said:

What ia m looking for is car that can eat up highway miles with ease yet can carve up a mountain road with scalpel like precision

 

If a Corvette is comfortable to you, it's hard to get a better tool for what you say you want. 

C5? I have never driven one maybe this weekend....

mad_machine said:

You can get a nice E46 for that kind of money.

You can get a very nice E46 for that money, indeed.  I loved my E46 for the 11-1/2 years I owned it.  But for real highway driving, I'd get the nicest E39 I could find.

3rd gen Camaro.

996! It does both and gets 25-27 mpg. 

A 951 would also work.

Last night I was looking at 996s don't think i can find one i would want under 10k

I really WANT a 996 but should wait on that one

Daily drive a 944 all over cali???

Seems like lunacy?

Two good answers so far - G35 and Corvette.

If you're driving this many miles, the tiny radar signature of a Corvette or CRX will make a big difference when it comes to keeping your license.

Ooooh, this seems like a good place for an '04-'06 GTO

markwemple said:

A 951 would also work.

He said, reliable.  A 951 or a 928 are neither at this point in their respective ages.  I would also pretty much put nearly any German car from that period.  Sorry, just a fact of life.

steelynorm said:

Last night I was looking at 996s don't think i can find one i would want under 10k

I really WANT a 996 but should wait on that one

Daily drive a 944 all over cali???

Seems like lunacy?

 

IF and its a HUGE IF, IF you can verify that it has been well taken care of and you're capable of having alternative transportation when it does need extensive maintenance and/or strands you.  Then you could do that with a 944/951/928.  Personally I don't find the cars worth the effort at this point as there are better options available without the "I wonder what that noise was?" or "Hmm, that did work earlier, wonder why it won't work now..."

For track days/racing or for running to/from car meets or local drives, go for it.  For slogging through miles of interstate, including traffic?  I'd look at a hybrid and put some decent tires on it for when the road does turn and spend my money on fun stuff for the weekends.

I've driven a few c5s and like them to the point of continually wanting one even after buying a 996 and having built more 'thrilling' rides in the past.   I'd say they're a solid option.

G35 sounds good except that g37 coupes can be had under 10k and they're WAY cooler in my personal opinion. A g37 convertible hardtop with a lower rear gear swap is actually pretty high on my list of 'near-stock cars that are really cool'. 

In reply to Stefan :

Completely disagree. A well maintained one should do very well. No less reliable than a Honda. 

A 8 series or 6 series BMW may fit

In reply to NickD :

I like this idea. Buddy and I did about a 1300 mile road trip in his GTO a couple years back that was a mix of lots of highway slogging and a few nice back roads along the way and it was a fantastic car for that. Much nicer inside than a C5, IMO, but the Vette would be great too. Hell, even my 4th gen Camaro was a pretty good 'GT' once I upgraded the suspension, horrid interior aside. Pretty much anything with an LS/T56 is great since they just loaf along at 90 with their stupid tall gearing.

Are those Maserati coupes under $10k yet? 

First time ever hearing a vette being expensive to insure.

In reply to markwemple :

You got some pretty strong opinions on these things. An GenIII v8 is about as simple and reliable as modern motors get. T56’s have a great reputation. Insurance is generally cheap on Corvettes, but hey, that doesn’t matter because you need to be “fat and white” to drive them??!?! A corvette is unreliable, but an 8 series is a good idea?

As far as loosely “gt”, I’ve dded a 911, Corvette (c4, hated it, loved a c5 in comparison), e30, e36 m3, e34 and currently an e39. The e39 is absolutely incredible on the highway: quiet, smooth, comfortable. Of this list, the e36 was next. The M3 was great at everything I wanted it to do: long road trips, fun driving, autox. The 911 was awesome, but the relative costs of the 911 keep me from recommending if for what you want to do.

In reply to Nathan JansenvanDoorn :

E39 Is In The Right Price Range

How Durable Are The Inline 6s with Vanos And Dual Vanos ?

How are The Electrical Systems?

I had The Opportunity To Dd A 540-6 For A month, Loved That Thing.

But Those V8$$$$$ with Over 100k Miles moneypit!

​​​​​ 

So, we're going to pretend the xkr coupe doesn't exist?

In reply to Nathan JansenvanDoorn :

There is a lot more to a car than an engine and trans. The vette, as well as all US pony cars have a very long history of jkust not being screwed together well. Vettes also have a lot of electrical gremlins, body issues, poor interior quality, etc. As far as the insurance thing, I checked it myself before but have a brother-in-law who is a claims adjustor as well. If people here get good rates, congrats. I just know what I have learned.It's obvious you like the vette, fine. I've never known someone, personally (as in in-person) who had a good experience with long term ownership. That includes all gens from 1-6 (although 6 really isn't long term yet). But they are cheap and use GM parts bin stuff so they are pick and pull friendly. That's a plus. I've never seen a Porsche, XJS or BMW 6 series in a junkyard. But several vettes. And we are pick and pull guys here.

In reply to steelynorm :

Don't forget that the entire cooling system should be replaced upon purchase, just in case.