What's the best "sports" car I can get for roughly $5k? (2015)

Hey guys. Long time lurker here. I searched this topic and didn't see anything relevant from the last couple years, and what $5k will get you has changed in that time. I'm located in the Austin, TX area. Here we go...

Need: Back seats. Manual transmission.

Want: V8. RWD. 2000 or newer.

I can wrench on most anything, so as long as parts are available and reasonably priced I will consider it. Not afraid of high mileage and I'm in no hurry to buy so I can wait for the perfect deal.

Here are the cars I've compiled. The ones without comment are in there so you don't suggest them to me. In order of preference:

• GTO LS1 - Yes, well used examples are creeping into this price range. There are a few at $7k in my area right now.

• G35 - These are $5k all day long and are nice cars, seems like a steal for what you get. Never going to hang with an LS anything but it's a practical choice.

• E39 BMW 540i - I have a thing for BMW's, I'm well versed in the cost of ownership. Unfortunately sport package manuals are rare enough that finding a non trashed example is tough. $$$ if crap hits the fan, even diy.

• Mustang GT - This and the Fbody are probably the standard answer to the $5k sports car question when you need rear seats. I'm not in love with the styling of either (especially the sn95), but you can't ignore the value and huge aftermarket.

• F-Body LS1

• SRT-4 - Maybe? It will be beat to hell at this price

• E46 BMW 330i

• Cobalt SS/SC or Ion Redline

• 01-03 Maxima 3.5L/6Spd

Comments? Suggestions?

Well having owned an '04 GTO I can tell you it's not very "sporty" it is a very nice grand touring car though. Will eat up highway miles like it's nothing, comfortable seats, enough power to get you in trouble with the law in a hurry. It's heavy though, at 3800lbs it likes to go through tires.

I would go for an LS1 Fbody over the GTO if you're going for more sport than touring.

I would maybe add a 300ZX to your list, for 5k you could buy a very nice '94 or '95 car, and thier starting to appreciate so you could probably get out of it for the same money or more if you take care of it. Had a '91 it's definitely one of THE best handling cars I have driven.

WRX is the first one I see missing from your list meeting the backseat/manual/sporty/5k conditions. Nissan has a couple as mentioned above 300zx, 350z, 240sx.

Then, there are a lot of hot hatches, which I wouldn't normally add to a V8, RWD request, but you do include the SRT4, so other front drivers may be of interest. focus, GTI, Civic, Integra, saab 93, mazda mx6, etc. Some of those are even turbo.

G35 coupe or sedan gets my vote..

G35 would appear to have the least negatives.

Edit: I think FEWEST is the correct term here...

In reply to johnnyk:

I was shopping fairly similar cars about a year and a half ago, so I'll try to contribute where I think I can add value. Ultimately, I ended up in an LS1 Camaro, for what its worth.

Goat: The only GTOs I could find anywhere near that price point were R title cars, but maybe your area is different? My buddy Chris has one that he and I will actually be taking on a road trip to Charlotte, NC the next couple days. They're WORLDS better than an F body or SN95 on the inside, actually quite a nice place to spend time. However, GTO specific parts tend to be a good bit more expensive and some may be in low supply, from what I understand. Insurance was also quoted about 50% higher than my Camaro, they weigh more, and you can't fit gigantic tires easily (I think 255s are about the max up front IIRC.)

Moostang: Never actually got to drive one when I was looking, but was considering them pretty hard. At the end of the day, the only reasons I could really come up with to buy one over a Camaro are 1) price 2) styling and 3) seating position, the last two obviously being totally subjective. I actually happened to like the "laying on the floor" seating position of the Camaro better, didn't care for the styling of either, and the difference in average price (in my area at least) would be more than eaten up making up the difference in HP to the LS1 and getting the rear suspension to actually work.

Camaro: Hilariously bad build quality and lots of "WTF, GM?" engineering, but boy is 340 lb-ft fun! And if that's not enough for you, the sky is pretty much the limit for mods. Unlike the Mustang, its got a decent suspension design from the factory, and can easily be made to handle very well (ditch the stock shocks immediately) and you can fit 315s at all four corners with only the "BFH Mod" to the rear inner wheel wells. Mine has been reliable for 30k miles of daily driving and parts aren't too expensive, but access to anything at the rear of the engine SUCKS big time. Honestly, though, I found the E36 more satisfying in a lot of ways and have actually been doing a bit of soul searching recently.

540i: I know little that's specific to the 5ers, but having gone from an E36 to my Camaro I can say they're VERY different beasts. If BMW dynamics are what truly tugs at your heart strings, the domestics can't replicate the feedback and feel of a Bimmer.

I've had both an LS1 Camaro and an E39 M5, and I spent a considerable amount of time in a 540i Sport 6-speed. The Camaro was an excellent engine and crap everything else. There's a reason most of them become donors for something else, IMO. When I took it apart, I found some sensors that I think would have required an engine pull to access.

The E39 is a bit of an old man's sedan in 540i guise. Not a sports car, but a real car. I also drove the 330i and it was nice enough, but didn't feel special the way the M did.

I'd love to try the G35.

Mercedes C230 hatchback 6 speed? It meets 4/5 of your criteria, is comfortable, luxurious, and practical. Plus, you can get a really nice one for $5k.

high mileage Mazdaspeed6es are getting into this price range, although I don't know if that's what you'd be looking for.

johnnyk wrote: - G35 - These are $5k all day long and are nice cars, seems like a steal for what you get. Never going to hang with an LS anything but it's a practical choice.

I'd go with the G35, although apparently sellers in my area haven't gotten the "$5k all day long" memo.

I had a 6-speed G35 sedan and it was a very fun and reliable car. I would like to try a coupe although the tiny trunk is a huge letdown for me.

http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5249216331.html

Only true sports car on the list. The rest are fat GTs

Rx8?

I second the RX8 suggestion, although it might not be your cup of tea. They're fantastically practical for a sports car, but will seem cramped an impractical compared to many of the suggestions. It'll out handle anything on your list, is widely available with manual transmissions and have depreciated a lot. They're wonderful cars if you're not expecting V8 power and torque and can accept the rotary eccentricities.

E36 M3 is only thing outside of an rx8 that I'd even consider a sportcar that you can find in that price range with a rear seat. I know that their a bit older, but I'd take an older straight 6 over a still well used rotary, which is a personal preference, but seeing that every rotary owner I know has out of nessecity become a rotary expert, it's the route I'd go.

GTO will never fall into 5k range, the drivetrain is worth 6k in used prices (3-4k LS whatever, 2k or so for the T56/4l60E.) Then if you have any decent interior you can get money for it. INsurance co's scrap em for the slightest fender bender... Until the LT1 is so prevalent that ls prices drop (5 more years or so?) it aint going to happen.

RX8...Then start saving up to turn it into RXV8.

rcutclif wrote: WRX is the first one I see missing from your list meeting the backseat/manual/sporty/5k conditions.

I don't think he'll find WRX's in the $5k range, at least not rusted through to the bone. .....what about Speed3? (says the guy that may be out of touch on S3's and their asking prices)

(Hell I was going to say maybe a V6 swapped MR2 until I saw the back seat requirement!)

RX8. It's the only actual sports car out of the box with rear seats. Most of what you have on the list are closer to GT cars than sports cars.

Jerry wrote:

rcutclif wrote: WRX is the first one I see missing from your list meeting the backseat/manual/sporty/5k conditions.

I don't think he'll find WRX's in the $5k range, at least not rusted through to the bone. .....what about Speed3? (says the guy that may be out of touch on S3's and their asking prices) (Hell I was going to say maybe a V6 swapped MR2 until I saw the back seat requirement!)

$4500 wrx wagon 160k miles

Im surprised noone has added IS300 to this thread. It's a pretty great car. A little slower than a G35 but its still very pleasant and of course the sky is the limit with that engine. Better back seat than a coupe, and you can find them around 5k pretty much constantly here in south/central texas, although a very nice one is higher.

Impala SS with a T-56 swap.

Appleseed wrote: Impala SS with a T-56 swap.

Excellent idea.

Although it would still be a fat GT car, not overly sporty without some extra power and suspension mods.

johnnyk wrote: Want: V8. RWD. 2000 or newer. - GTO LS1 - Yes, well used examples are creeping into this price range. There are a few at $7k in my area right now. - G35 - These are $5k all day long and are nice cars, seems like a steal for what you get. Never going to hang with an LS anything but it's a practical choice. - E39 BMW 540i - I have a thing for BMW's, I'm well versed in the cost of ownership. Unfortunately sport package manuals are rare enough that finding a non trashed example is tough. $$$ if crap hits the fan, even diy. - Mustang GT - This and the Fbody are probably the standard answer to the $5k sports car question when you need rear seats. I'm not in love with the styling of either (especially the sn95), but you can't ignore the value and huge aftermarket. - F-Body LS1 - SRT-4 - Maybe? It will be beat to hell at this price - E46 BMW 330i - Cobalt SS/SC or Ion Redline - 01-03 Maxima 3.5L/6Spd Comments? Suggestions?

My blunt opinions:

GTO = snoozy. Lots of sound, lots of torque, but heavy, bland, and don't handle that well. GTOs are kinda like a supermodel... all the right parts are there, but how they're assembled just makes them look dumb.

G35 will hang with an LS1. Not crush, but hang. Nicely refined car, I like them. They do have a bit of Tuner stigma stuck to them. They're like a Japanese supermodel. All the right parts are there, and they're exotic, but the language barrier makes them seem more boring than they actually are.

E39 will probably be cheaper than you think. The right parts sources will make it very DIY friendly. They are also a dream to work on, so there will be fewer things that you feel loathe to tackle yourself. Even cheaper (and more likely to find a manual) would be an E34 if you're willing to break the 2000 rule.

Mustang and F-body. Only if you want most of your suspension travel to be in the unibody. Brute force, but no refinement to be able to handle it. They are Pony cars. Stuff big V8 in a tinfoil car and sell a million of them. They are like Arkansas Supermodels. They have a couple of the right parts, but they are floppy, fat, and drink Busch Light from camouflage cans

SRT/Cobalt. Meh. They're fast, but they're still econoboxes. They aren't supermodels at all. They are a bag of Ramen noodles with a spicy seasoning packet.

Maxima. No. Yawn. They are not supermodels. They were in a beauty pageant once, but they didn't make the cut.

E46. Ding ding ding. That's my winner.

curtis73 wrote: Mustang and F-body. Only if you want most of your suspension travel to be in the unibody. Brute force, but no refinement to be able to handle it. They are Pony cars. Stuff big V8 in a tinfoil car and sell a million of them. They are like Arkansas Supermodels. They have a couple of the right parts, but they are floppy, fat, and drink Busch Light from camouflage cans

On a side note I have been eye balling 2005 Mustang GTs....mmmmmm Bush Light