Anything good under $30k? (To replace my Corvette)
 

Nope, not selling it b/c I'm bored with it or b/c it's been bad. I just don't drive it enough to justify the expense and I'm really sick of driving my beater most of time. I've been looking for another daily for months & have not found anything for me. Stuff I like ends up being overpriced or beat or too many miles for me. Would love to have another Mustang as my daily, but people still treat them as if they are rare & made of gold. Same with LS1 F-Bodies. I won't overpay for anything.

So I put the Vette up for sale to buy something fun that I can drive daily & all year without feeling bad. I'm not afraid to get the Vette wet, but I don't have the patience to wash it daily. So it stays in the garage & comes out once or twice a week lately. :ack:

Would be nice to replace it with a V, GT500, M5 or something, but not spending that. I wouldn't mind owning anotehr Mazdaspeed6 GT, but nothing good within 100 miles of me yet & I am not willing to travel farther if I'm trading the Vette in on it. If the Vette sells to a private buyer then I will drive farther for a vehicle. Too much risk with a dealer trying to F me. Been there done that. The only other car I can think of is the BMW 335, but that is what I sold to buy the Vette. Loved the car, but want to try something different.

I do not want FWD if I'm selling the Vette for it. Must be RWD or AWD. Must be fun to drive and at least quick if not fast. I like to turn too. :rock:

I fear that I have no real options in this price range. :leaving: :hide:

I'm interested to hear what people suggest. I can't really think of much off the top of my head in that price range. Maybe the Camaro SS, the new Jags are nice not sure what a barely used one would go for. Same with Mercedes, I like the new 2 door I think it's a 300, but again not sure the price. The CTS-V is sweet, but not in the price range, so maybe a CTS coupe, they look really sharp.

That's all I can think of. The Nissan 370 is nice looking, but way too small for me.

Good luck!

Dodge Challenger Which one? SXT v/6, R/T 346 engine or SRT 392 engine?:lurk:
SRT will be over $30,000.

I would never buy a 5th Gen Camaro. No interest in a non V CTS & the 370 is over $30k & not worth the price IMO.

No point in buying an R/T so that's out since I'd want SRT8 only. How do they handle anyway? They look like they will flip over if you take a turn too fast. :rofl:

I am after a PERFORMANCE vehicle.

2007 BMW M3

then mod the piss out of it

http://www.zcars.com.au/images/e92-b...wallpaper1.jpg

The E92 & E90 M3 is not under $30k. The E46 is too slow & anything short of FI is a waste on it.

E46 M3
S2000
G8 GT (GXP's are even nicer, but come at a premium)

05,06 GTO and still have 10K leftover.

WRX or Evo Maybe? Very different from a Corvette, but fun to drive. CTS-V also popped into mind, but you'll probably have to look hard for the right one.

:thumbs: That's a great option!

You mean 1st gen V, right? No thank you. WRX & EVO 8/9 have **** interior. I like driving them, but not being in them. :lol:

Maybe a new WRX STi or EVO X, but I don't think I could bring myself to spend $25-$30k on that car. I know I'd be bored in 6 months.

My wife loves her Mazda Miata Grand Touring Convertible hard top. I think it is right about $30K new fully loaded. Not as fun as a Vette, but definitely fun to drive for a ricer.

I would not spend $20k on a 2005-06 GTO. Maybe $10k, but that's about it. Just not a fan.

I'm a ricer now? :rofl:

Honda Accord or Toyota Camry:lurk:

if you put the same thread in Off Topic you'll get a lot more answers and a lot quicker too :yesnod:

C5 z06

:iagree:

You want a high performance car you can drive in PA in the snow.

So you would need AWD and it needs to be under $30K.

Would you require a unicorn with it at no extra charge?

305 horse late model Mustang?

I say keep the vette, get a second set of wheels and snows for the winter and don't stress about keeping it immaculate and washing every couple days. It's a CAR, enjoy it. I've been daily driving corvettes and camaros since the mid 90's in Wisconsin. We have pretty decent snow plowing in winter here. There is an awful lot of aluminum and plastic on a vette, not much to corrode. Now the ls1 fbodies are another story.

If you are set on switching, a V or GT500(especially for modding)would be nice. I really like the evo 10 with the dual clutch auto as an all around track car, autocross and daily driver. But like you said, the interior leaves much to be desired.

My last car was an srt8 300c. Great daily driver and very comfortable but good God they are big cars and the mpg's aren't very good once you start modding. Not the best car to autocross.lol Whatever you choose, good luck.:thumbs:

Don't need AWD. I've driven RWD just fine. Just put good tires on.

So a 4V Cobra like I've already had. Sure, but that would replace my current beater as my daily & then I'd up, most likely, keeping the Vette. Been looking & just haven't found the right car or deal for me.

If you mean the 2011+ 5.0, they have more than 305. I have thought that too, but I'd get bored 6 months in.

GT500 or V would be nice, but putting extra $ toward buying another house, wedding & having a child.

sounds like you just need to keep the vette ... it's apparent everything else wouldn't compare or match up to your expectations.

Things rarely do. That's nothing new. I change cars like people change underwear.

They will out handle a 4th gen F-body. :)

Glad you didnt get a Z06 now? :rofl:

instead of a GT500


Do the Boss 302.

The STi is by far the best option for a winter capable sporting car. I want mine back.

I hope so. A 4th gen would cost me about $6k though so I'd take the 4th gen & keep the Vette vs Challenger & nothing else.



It seems that I am. :rofl:

FRS or BRZ? No turbo option as of now but apparently they're decent handling / fun to drive and can e had for mid 20s. Might be worth looking in to.

There's a dealer optioned body kit for the FRS that can make it (a little) more interesting.

G

I actually miss my 2000 Z28...I really do.

I really liked the Challenger....it was a sweet ride.

Not sure bud, what else is there really that is performance oriented for under 30k?

Challenger has a comfortable ride. Smooth on these bumpy roads.

Infinity G25x.

This. Fun, quick and reliable.

I can't think of anything that would keep me remotely happy outside of another Speed6 or 335. Then it becomes how long before I am bored of them for a second time & am looking for a new toy? :hide::crazy2:

305 horse late model Stang is a 6 cylinder. 6 speed and Borla exhaust.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 - last generation. I think it'd tick off just about all your boxes, except for high speed cornering ability.

It'd still be a blast to drive, it can haul people and take trips to the hardware store, it can handle bad weather, if it gets scratched it's only a jeep, they respond well to mods and can be made very fast. Lots of upside....

:yesnod: End of story:yesnod:

http://youtu.be/u0JS3iEQJ00

I won't buy a V6 Stang for myself, sorry. :leaving:

If the MPG wasn't so terrible, I'd look at them & the TBSS.

If you are looking for a fun sports car, get a used Saturn Sky Redline, or Pontiac Solstice GXP. Light cars, lots of horsepower, about 1G on the skidpad, and about 26-28mpg around town.

New, you won't find much, but the Hyundi Velocitor turbo is fun car at a good price. Not many options for a fun car as not much else drives like a Vette.

Why not just drive the Vette? Ultimately it is still just a car after all.

I drive mine almost everyday.

:lurk::jester

I have a BRZ on order, it'll be my DD. Very small (smallest RWD car on the market that's not a two-seater), very light, nice interior (great seats), good MPG (22/30 with the manual). About as quick and fast as a mid-'80s Z28 or Mustang GT, so (IMO at least) fast enough to be fun but not so blazing as to be felony territory by the top of second gear.

Kind of a hardtop Miata with a back seat.

The new Scion FRS is in the mid 20's and actually has some guts to it! Motor Trend actually liked the FRS too.

[QUOTE=AlienInv8r;1581587173]Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 - last generation. I think it'd tick off just about all your boxes, except for high speed cornering ability.

If your talking a new one your talking 60,000 plus.

Who makes the BRZ? I've never heard of it. The FRS looks cool in the commercial, but I feel like it might be really tiny in real life. I haven't seen one in person yet.

do not get anything made by honda they're pos cars, I had a s2k should have never bought it. The only "cheap" car i remember was any fun to drive was a mazdaspeed3.. oh boy! or a subaru sti

Subaru version of FRS. Comes in two trim levels, both with more content than FRS. But costs a few K more and in shorter supply.

F-body IMO good gas mileage, good power, and in my experiences very reliable. Found several nicely priced while looking for my vette. Had a 6spd black on black 02 ram air trans am with 37k I found on one lot in the back of my mind the whole time untill I found the corvette I had been searching for.

I realize you said you had a 335, but how about a 335 with x-drive?

I've been thinking of getting one as a DD year round type car. I just rode in a friends new 335 with X-drive, and I believe stage 2 Dinan upgrades in it, and honestly, if I went that route I think my Vette would only get driven on the nicest most perfect of summer days (vert) and that probably won't feel like enough.

That hopped up x-drive turbo from a dig is a freaking riot. To me, it's probably the most complete car I can think of.

The car I sold to get my Vette this spring was a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT. Nice car. Fast, Well-Built and pretty rare. You don't see one on every corner like the Camaros, Mustangs or Chargers.

I don't regret making the switch to the Corvette, but there were some really nice features about the Pontiac G-8.

http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/y...2009G8GTII.jpg

My father had one of these tht had some SERIOUS front end problems. Something about replacing the entire power steering / steering arm. Was covered under warrant / recall but the shop had it for like 6 weeks.

What's the deal with that? Did you have any problems??

My car didn't have that problem, but I know what you are talking about. Some owners that I know had an issue with the stearing wheel vibrating at certain speeds. It was just random as to who had it and who didn't. I heard of fixes as varied as road-force balancing the tires to replacing the LCAs to some fix involving the drive-shaft. If the vehicle had it, there was no way to hide it.

+1 Great cars.

2009(.5) pontiav g8 gt or gxp. fast sedan.takes to mods well. fits 4.i have gt and for more excitement i roll my z06... go on g8forum.com and look around.

Mine was AWD E90. Got 12.9 @ 109 MPH out of it with just Cobb AP & BMS DCI.

I actually see G8s on a regular basis. They are not worth the price they command IMO.

Unfortunately I don't think you'll ever be satisfied with anything long term. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Good luck. A very expensive and time consuming hobby you have.

Personally I'd prefer driving your C6 over any of the vehicles mentioned. Sure, some are more 'practical' and utilitarian, but not more fun to drive imo.

^ a salient thought...tough parameters to satisfy.

But, I guess I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum. I try to keep vehicles as long as I can and drive the wheels off them,
so to speak. Until dependability becomes a problem. Then dump 'em and get something else. This is for the family vehicles.
The Corvette is my true toy and is something else altogether...

to each their own...GL !

This is suppose to be the most cost effective economical thing to do keep the car as long as possible rebuild transmission and engine if necessary or whatever breaks and it suppose to cost less than a new car taking into account insurance depreciation, registration etc.

Personally I would prefer to get a new car before engine time and transmission needs repair.:lurk:

You do not drive it because you do not want to wash it? Am I missing something here? I had a vette as a DD for many years before I retired and never worried about washing it every day. I drove it and enjoyed it. Do you really believe that by buying something else you do not need to wash it. Please fill me in in what I am missing here.

If you do not want a vette, that is your choice. But to sell a vette because you do not want to wash it every time you use it is something that I do not understand.

:iagree::lurk:

I don't quite go as far as that; tranny maybe, but not engine. My "model" is what are the repairs averaging per month vs what is the cost of leasing a new mid-size sedan ? $250/mo is about the cut-off for me...

I could never figure out that formula the car people or accountants use in that it is cheaper to keep her because of the depreciation of new car, registration fees, insurance on new car etc. The price of repairs can amount to a few months of car payments? Car payments today must be awfully high just like houses in that as time goes on the prices just keep going up.
I guess you have to average it by 12 months. Most repairs are anywhere from $400 a repair to $1,000 a repair then divide that by 12?:lurk:

^ that's how I view it, and the underlying assumption is that the car is already paid for, so you're in yrs 5--8 let's say...

Mine is more like 24 years+:crazy: But engine runs strong doesn't need work at over 220,000 miles. Might need a clutch first time for me.:(
But it does keep the Corvette safe from doing full time duty which makes Corvette not a daily driver.

:iagree: with this as well...

you've got me beat by a longshot...:lol: kudos to you !

I'm actually getting ready to trade my 2012 Mazdaspeed3 w/ 3,000 miles in on a Z06. :eek:

Well this car has lasted longer than anything I have owned or know of. Even outlasted marriage too:lol: along with my 16 year old Rott. I waited over 6 months when I ordered it in 1987. I have been through alot with this car through thick and thin.

maybe I can provide some perspective on this...

I had an 01 c5 Z51 that I sold 7 years ago. Every day since then I've been trying to figure out how to get another one. I moved to an S2000 and had a beater car that I drove on bad days. Then I got sick of not driving the car I was paying for, so I bought a GTO that I drove all the time, but it wasn't really what I wanted because it wasn't great as an all year round car and didn't have the looks that I was used to. So I bought an Evo X which was a great car that was great in all seasons, rare enough and fast. The problem was it had 4 doors and really bad paint, so I traded that in and bought a G35 S Sedan which has been a really nice daily driver, but it's just not what I want.

In the end, each car that I moved on to after the vette was fun for a while, but I always wanted another corvette. SO, the G35 is supposed to be traded in next week if things go as planned for a C6 that I will only drive on nice days. I've realized that I'm much happier having "the car I want" even if I'm not driving it all the time. Just knowing I have it and seeing it in my garage makes me happy :)

I remember at a point in the late-1990s we had three cars with a combined age of 51 yrs & 450K mi's...
I just shook my head and said, "what is wrong with this picture?" :lol:

You know they sell used cars now right?

They say drive it while you can cause you never know the next day maybe your last day so who are you saving the Corvette for?:lurk:

Half a lifetime on this car and it is in great factory condition. It is by no means a beater car but ends up being the daily driver since the Corvette is driven on weekends.

Whatever you get
Your gonna regret
Selling the Vett.

:iagree:
Keep Corvette and buy something else.

^ :iagree: also...

I'd say look at a BMW 135. Although not much smaller than the 335 it definitely feels smaller and more nimble. It's actually a bit more fidgety and not as planted but that kind of makes it more fun.

You get the benefits of the 3 series is a slightly smaller envelope and generally are a fair bit cheaper for a lower milage car. Just add on a tune and you've got a solid 12 sec daily driver with a set of real seats and steering wheel.

I have both... and the 135 is a great daily, my SC vette a great weekend car. Having both is a luxury, but if i could only have 1, my heart would cry for the vette but my head would keep the 135.

Keep the Vette and buy a 2006-2007 LS2 Corvette, easily under 30K with some sharp shopping. Pick a no show dirt color, like silver and drive it and beat on it.

I would look at the Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

:iagree:

Bought my 07 new with 2 miles on it & now it has over 138,000. :steering:

What I'm looking at .............
 

Hyundai Genesis coupe. RWD, high out put V6. 350HP/295 TQ @ 5100 RPM Track pkg

They are nice looking cars, if my Corvette is gone that would be my next purchase.

Probably is going to be for me. That 8 spd paddle shift is killer. Plus the s/o could drive it. With me getting up in age (70), I need to have a car she is able to drive if God forbid, I have a medical issue while we're out of town on vacation.

If you do get it, PM me what you think about it. :thumbs:

Well, you dismissed them already saying you'd get bored, but there's nothing that you'd not be bored with as far as I understand, so what's the point?

Anyhow, I'd probably go with a Mustang GT Premium, or a WRX. Both are available brand new around or under $30K, and are fun in different ways.

Under $30k.. WRX, GT 5.0, Camaro SS and Challenger RT are the only things I can think of. And even then I couldnt stomach it. Different cars on totally different levels than a Vette. Its like going from steak to hamburger. But they are much more practical, come with a warranty and provide great levels of performance, fun and technology.

There is no way in hell I'd touch anything German that doesnt come with a warranty, especially an older M3. I know the 3series is more reliable than the rest of BMW's lineup, because its cheapest thing they sell and thus alot less complicated. But there is nothing that will bitter the ownership experience more.. than a surprise $1000 repair bill. And you are pretty much asking for that with any German manufacter thats not under warranty. The vast majority of new BMW's sold, are leases. People are smart enough to keep them while the times are good.. and get rid of them when the warranty is gone.

As someone else said, you dont have to give up the Vette totally. Get a 06 or 07 LS2 for $25k. I paid $25.5k for my '07 a year and half ago. It had 66k on the clock, but it was in showroom condition 1-owner that was female driven and still under GM powertrain warranty until June 2012. Id look for the same, in silver (easy colour to keep clean). And drive the living piss out of it. Im proud to say I'm up to 75k miles already.. and thats almost all from road trips. 30mpg, great comfort and good cargo room means I always have a reason to drive it on the weekends. Rain or Shine. No garage queen here!

There is no substitute.. IMO just drive the vette. It's just a cool ride and besides GM designed it as a competent daily driver.

Good luck in whatever you decide and your journey around and around.

LOL ...you'll be back

(edit). Im on third vette. First two garage queens and this one I decided to make daily driver. I drive all year round except the day of the snow storm if more than 5 inches of snow if they haven't plowed.

I drive the black vette into manhattan without concern every week too..

The car looks immaculate for a 51k mile 08 m6 z51 coupe. Selling the car would bring just under 30 grand if that so why would I save it in the garage all the time?

Better to enjoy the beautiful sports car as part of my daily life.

Btw with a black vette...I wash wax and dry the mint black vette weekly in 12 MINUTES FLAT.

I like a clean car. Looks mint.

So my suggestion stands...enjoy the vette as the cool daily driver it is.

You want it fast, you want it good, and you want it cheap.

You can have two of those ... take your pick.

Yep, you are missing something. I don't have the time & patience to wash it EVERY SINGLE DAY. Never said I won't/don't wash the car.

With something else I won't feel the need to have to keep it clean 24/7. That's just me.

Owned a 2010 GC 3.8 Track & it was a pile. Build quality was TERRIBLE. The aftermarket was horrible.

I'd love to hear your 12 minute system. Seems impossible. :rofl:

Involved 15 Mexicans who are here without a green card, work visa or any other legal reasoning.

:rofl:

Of course. I don't want to ditch the Vette, but I think driving the beater 99% of the time & paying on a car & drive about 4 times a month will piss me off more than selling it.

I admit it, you are correct. No matter what I have, I end up wanting something else soon after. Don't want to replace the Vette, but not wanting to drive the beater most of time & make payments on a car I drive maybe 4 times a month is not my idea of fun.