For the last eight years, THE ANSWER has been Miata in my garage. (E30's were The Answer for the five years before my first Miata, but that's another story.)
In the six years that I've owned my turbocharged NB the car has been reliable, inexpensive to run, and endlessly entertaining. But its ultimate performance has been limited by its stock wheels and suspension.
The new wheels, tires, coilovers and anti-roll bars I'm shopping will set me back well over $3,000. Consider the turbo kit and custom exhaust already on the car, and the aftermarket parts bill easily swells past $7,500.
So counting the purchase price, a used Miata can bought and modified to become a serious performance car for for maybe ten to fifteen grand. But thanks to depreciation, there are a lot of amazing performance values to be had these days. $8,000 will get you an early Boxster, $10,000 will get you into an S2000, and $12,000 could find you behind the wheel of a Boxster S or S54 M Roadster. If you want a tin-top track star, C5 Corvettes also start at around $10,000.
As I debate sinking another $3K into my car, what's your call - what sports coupe would be THE ANSWER for $10,000 grand or so?
C5 Vette or GTO would be what I would go for if I had 10-12k to spend right now.
OK, so you got a Miata and put a 3K turbo, exhaust... and are considering suspension, wheels, big brakes?
Do you really think you will just buy a new "X" and not consider the same things in 6 mos?
That said... Boxster S or S2000 all the way.
Boxster S over the Miata every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
My money though? GTO is the absolute best $10K used car deal on the planet. LSx, 6-speed manual, 4 real seats, defeatable TC, IRS, and GM Australia build/materials quality (which is actually good).
Javelin wrote: Boxster S over the Miata every day of the week and twice on Sunday. My money though? GTO is the absolute *best* $10K used car deal on the planet. LSx, 6-speed manual, 4 real seats, defeatable TC, IRS, and GM Australia build/materials quality (which is actually good).
Just spent two days borrowing one from a bud for a funeral, it was great. Really fast and super comfy to just cruise in.
Corvette. It's the american thing to do, the terrorists lose each time you buy one!
HiTempguy wrote: Corvette. It's the american thing to do, the terrorists lose each time you buy one!
FOR JESUS!
are GTOs really trading hands for under $10k? 
AngryCorvair wrote: are GTOs really trading hands for under $10k?
Yup. Especially 04's. Don't even have to look hard. If I had $10K I could blow without a divorce, I would have bought one about 5 times by now.
$10k might also buy you a half decent 911 SC.
Does it have to be a coupe? Im seeing IS300s at $9-$10k all over...
I would drop the 3k on the mx5, thats just me
GTO drivetrain + FC type RX-7? I picked that one because there's a convertible option.
GTO . . .oh my yes . . . I need to get another one. BRB . . . going to look on Autotrader . . .
yeah to all the answers above ... 'cept for one thing... when you're out on track and go blowing by someone with the 'Vette or GTO ....etc..... it's kinda expected.... when you blow by them in a great handling turboed Miata their jaws usually just drop ..... "what the berkeley was that ????"
You sank a lot of money in a turbo/engine setup. The STR car I am driving this year cost $6K total, and from a handling standpoint is fully prepped. You could slap a turbo on it for another $2k and have a killer car.
You will spend money on aftermarket parts for anything you buy.
S2000
Stay with your Miata. You have the power part down and you sound like you'll spend money on the right suspension for it.
Plus, if you buy something new it probably will "need" suspension work right out of the box anyway. Stay with what you know.
Javelin wrote: Boxster S over the Miata every day of the week and twice on Sunday. My money though? GTO is the absolute *best* $10K used car deal on the planet. LSx, 6-speed manual, 4 real seats, defeatable TC, IRS, and GM Australia build/materials quality (which is actually good).
true, but i cant find em around here for less than 15k. especially since I would want the 6.0
Javelin wrote: Boxster S over the Miata every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I agree with you Wholeheartedly, but I would NEVER purchase a 10K Boxster S.
corytate wrote:Javelin wrote: Boxster S over the Miata every day of the week and twice on Sunday. My money though? GTO is the absolute *best* $10K used car deal on the planet. LSx, 6-speed manual, 4 real seats, defeatable TC, IRS, and GM Australia build/materials quality (which is actually good).true, but i cant find em around here for less than 15k. especially since I would want the 6.0
Fly and drive baby! 
Javelin wrote:AngryCorvair wrote: are GTOs really trading hands for under $10k?Yup. Especially 04's. Don't even have to look hard. If I had $10K I could blow without a divorce, I would have bought one about 5 times by now.
I'd buy a C5 over a GTO all day long. But that's mainly 'cos the prospect of a C5 Corvette for Monaro/GTO money is baffling to me 
. They're all imports and cost min. $60K over here, (Aus).
I agree with the implied premise in that im skipping the middleman (miata) and planning on a Boxster.
I might pick the NC over the Boxster if it didnt cost the same amount. 
BoxheadTim wrote: $10k might also buy you a half decent 911 SC.
Not quite.. not yet...
GTO for sure.
But... i'd keep the Miata. Depending on how serious you are with the Miata or what you want to actually do with it, though... Consider the FM VMaxx Stage 2 suspension. It's cheap, seems to work very well, and would probably cut a big portion out of your upgrade costs.
I can't decide between the Vmaxxs or some Cusco Zeros.
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