It's that time again, $30k Summer Fun.

Maybe something like this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shelby-Cobra-2-Door-Roadster-/261446124795

Cross shop porche Cayman. They have spoiled everything used in the 30k range for me.

Not as brutal as a z06 or viper, but you have to test one at that price point.

Elise was on my radar too but I worry about being weathertight and parking outside in the rain. You could fit if you really want to

If I'm going to potentially die in a poorly-built kit car, I at least want the piece of mind knowing that it was my fault.

There was a clean ERA Cobra that sold locally for mid-30s. I just don't really know how financing would go on something like that. I would overlook being able to take any sort of trips for an ERA.

The Cayman thing is interesting, a P car wasn't even on my radar. Are those susceptible to the IMS failures that everyone complains about in the Boxster? Some google-fu doesn't return much, which might be a good thing. This might be something that throws a wrench into things.

The Viper thing still intrigues me quite a bit. I'm sending out some VINs for insurance quotes this week to get a ballpark idea. Driveability is all relative. I DD's the ACR all last summer with no AC, Konis/Mopar X-High Rate Springs, and a gutted trunk/no rear seat. A little bit of cabin heat and some exhaust noise wouldn't be the end of the world.

I've driven the C5 Z06, and enjoyed the drive. Suspension felt a lot less brutal than the ACR (drove that 50+ miles to the dealer). I could've financed it through the dealer at a marginal rate with only $1000 down. Sold the ACR, set quite a bit of money aside, I don't think it would be much of an issue. Have been scoping out some newer stuff just to be safe in that regard. The C6s seem like a better deal than I thought initially.

The 456 though.. I'm sure I'd spend a fortunate on maintenance per year. While I'm pretty anal about it, I know that care and feeding of a Viper, Corvette, or even a Cayman would be quite manageable.

In reply to Mazda787b:

Where (approximately) do you live? There's a good chance I'll drive past you at some point if I cover as much of the U.S. as I want to in July. We can meet and you can see for yourself that Vipers can be "as docile as Lincolnshire" as Clarkson put it in the 1990s.

might be able to find an evora?

I'm just south of Detroit. Will be headed from here down to TOTD, across NC for a wedding, up to VA Beach, Pittsburgh, and home the weekend of the 26th. If we were to cross paths, I'd buy a beer or two if you let me gawk for a few moments.

I'm really hoping to have something in the garage by then. By then it would've been over a year with no fun vehicle. I'm developing the worst case of "cabin fever" so to speak.

In reply to Mazda787b:

Dang. I drove through Detroit on my way home with the car. My July trip will probably be Southwest from MD to Tennissee, then to Georgia, then up the East coast. I will be traveling a lot for work over the next two months. If I wasn't, your trip might have you drive past me.

confuZion3 wrote: In reply to Mazda787b: Dang. I drove through Detroit on my way home with the car. My July trip will probably be Southwest from MD to Tennissee, then to Georgia, then up the East coast. I will be traveling a lot for work over the next two months. If I wasn't, your trip might have you drive past me.

Sounds like we might be taking the same route. Maybe some gopros (or the cheap Walmart equivalent) are in order.

I just bought the Hero 3 Black. It will be on and recording.

I'd stay away from a viper as they are not cheap to run/maintain, and gen1/2's look really dated. C6 z06 if you can pull it off or C6 z51. Wouldn't mind a 302 boss either.

I like the C6 Z51 the best so far. I have a few curve balls for you.

NC Miata; The answer is always Miata

E91 M3; You will probably have to go with an early model

996 911; Maybe the most expensive to maintain, but are considered very good.

HAZZARD wrote: I'd stay away from a viper as they are not cheap to run/maintain, and gen1/2's look really dated. C6 z06 if you can pull it off or C6 z51. Wouldn't mind a 302 boss either.

Just because something isn't cheap to maintain, does not mean it isn't worth enjoying.

Whatever he gets will be a weekend car anyway. Odds are, the only maintenance he'll need on whatever he buys will be regular oil changes.

EDIT: Also, the Viper is probably the easiest car to maintain that I've ever owned.

You could buy a new Mustang GT for this price if you wanted a new car.

Really if I wanted a $30k car that is something sporty and interesting I would look Lotus Elise and end there.

Too much? Then 2ZZ MR2 Spyder.

confuZion3 wrote:

HAZZARD wrote: I'd stay away from a viper as they are not cheap to run/maintain, and gen1/2's look really dated. C6 z06 if you can pull it off or C6 z51. Wouldn't mind a 302 boss either.

Just because something isn't cheap to maintain, does not mean it isn't worth enjoying. Whatever he gets will be a weekend car anyway. Odds are, the only maintenance he'll need on whatever he buys will be regular oil changes. EDIT: Also, the Viper is probably the easiest car to maintain that I've ever owned.

Trust me, I use the "worth it" justification way too often.
That said if someone is spending 30K on a car, you don't want to be dumping a whole pile of money into it to keep it going (more on the viper in a second). One car I was tempted to recommend was the BMW E63/E64 M6. I'm starting to see these drop down into the low thirties as well. But maintaining that V10 and everything else that goes with it can be outrageously expensive. Just because a person can afford a used 30K car doesn't mean that they can afford to maintain a 100K+ car when it was new.
As for the viper, I personally have never worked on one and do not know what the costs associated with maintaining it would entail. What I was moreso referencing was the cost of running a viper at the track. I do know a couple of people that run vipers at the track, and from I've been told, Viper slicks are $1800 and last 2 weekends. Brakes pads are $500 for a weekend. Rotors are $1500 and last about half a season. Compare this to something smaller where your track consumables will arguably be a good bit lower.

Viper is still a hell of a ride tho'

In reply to HAZZARD:

I don't know where you got those numbers from. You're off by hundreds of dollars on the tires (a full set of V710s costs about $1,300), and brakes cost nowhere near what you suggest. Tirerack has race pads at about $180 for the front axle and rotors cost no more than $150 a piece on the high end. They're really not that bad. So you have to buy two more spark plugs and wires when the time comes than you would for a V8. And two more quarts of oil.

In reply to confuZion3:

I'm guessing that they are probably running some primo gear. They have the money to do so, but they still b!tch about it.

I picked up a 97 Viper GTS this spring. I am 6' 1" and it is a tight fit. Also I won't lie, I still love driving my $2013 challenge miata more than it.

Go sit in and test drive the cars on your list it is the best way to make a decision.

WillrunifChased wrote: I picked up a 97 Viper GTS this spring. I am 6' 1" and it is a tight fit.

REALLY? I always though they were built to accommodate bigger guys. I'll be test driving some things in May when work dies down.

As far as feeding and maintaining a Viper, costs didn't look any different than a C5. Tire costs appear similar as previously mentioned. Basic tune-up items are available in the MOPAR catalog. It's a lot less to maintain (from what I've seen) vs. an E46 M3/Z3M/Z4M. 10 QTS of M1 can be had for ~$60 from Advance with the oil change specials, and I have a backlog of filters. 2 extra copper Champions and splurging for a set of Magnecors isn't a big deal. Gotta love Chrysler parts-bin engineering. I'm really more concerned with whether or not the thing would kill me on the first damp afternoon like everyone seems to say.

I really want to scope an Elise out, but the dealer someone mentioned earlier up in the thread that there's a dealer north of Detroit. Unfortunately, Auto Europe seems to have been converted to a Ducati dealer. I'm going to Pittsburgh during the first weekend in May, might run by the Lotus dealer there.

I'm not so keen on Mustangs, unless something older. Not sure I'd take the depreciation hit on a new car. However, if I'm in the odd situation where financing something a bit older becomes a problem, I still have my eye on a Boss. They just ooze cool.

These might not be a perfect fit, but just to throw them out there:

1) Ferrari 328

2) 993 Porsche 911

In reply to Mazda787b:

The Viper, though it's like 15 feet long, may not accommodate a large person, either in height or girth. That can always be fixed, but if you don't have any problems in a Miata, you probably won't in the Viper. Also, the Viper won't kill you in the rain. It's balanced and it has huge tires. Just make sure they're not dry-rotted and you'd be OK.

The Elise is definitely a car worth checking out. They look like they're a ton of fun, and they are seriously fast. They were always top contenders at autocross events unless the course was built to favor high horsepower cars.

Now Driven5 has me looking at videos of Ferrari 328s. Look at that interior!

Man, the 456 is on the bucket list, and I can't help but think it has bottomed out.

How about a Panoz AIV?

Mazda787b wrote: REALLY? I always though they were built to accommodate bigger guys. I'll be test driving some things in May when work dies down. As far as feeding and maintaining a Viper, costs didn't look any different than a C5. Tire costs appear similar as previously mentioned. Basic tune-up items are available in the MOPAR catalog. It's a lot less to maintain (from what I've seen) vs. an E46 M3/Z3M/Z4M. 10 QTS of M1 can be had for ~$60 from Advance with the oil change specials, and I have a backlog of filters.

There are no problems with foot room but there is only .5" more headroom than in a miata. They do make seat lowering kits. I only bring it up because it is one thing to be crammed in a cheap car like a Miata and another to have spend 30k plus on a car and barely fit, also with a GTS can't put the top down and look over the windshield. I still have yet to get used to the seat belts coming from the middle of the car in the Viper.

Be careful on the tires, if you get a viper that comes with 17" wheels there are only two options for a rear street tire in 335/35-17 on tire rack one is $489 PS2 the other $566 Pirelli currently. It kills me to think I sold a complete set of wheels and tires for my miata for $500 and it will only cover the cost of one tire.

daytonaer wrote: Cross shop porche Cayman. They have spoiled everything used in the 30k range for me.

You should be able to find a non-S for low to mid 20s and they are very good cars.

Saw something along these lines:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-Cayman-S-07-6-Speed-Manual-Leather-3-4L-H6-CD-Coupe-Porsch-S-WE-FINANCE-/400691902872?forcerrptr=true&hash=item5d4b193998&item=400691902872&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-Cayman-S-2007-Porsche-Cayman-S-Hatchback-2-Door-3-4L-/251501330933?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3a8ea5c1f5&item=251501330933&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Anything in particular about care & feeding on these? I'm just worried about a potential $5k-10k repair bill down the line. I know if I were to nuke a motor in an Corvette, Viper, or Elise I could have something for a few grand. Cayman? Not so sure. I still see some horror stories about IMS bearings causing an issue. Or maybe people are just paranoid?

Evoras also seem to be touching on this pricerange, although I don't ever tend to hear much about them. The internets do not turn up as much info as I'd like.

The magazine did a story about the IMS bearing issue in their Boxster tech tips. You could call a Porsche dealer to know how problematic they are in these year Caymans.