Quote:
Originally Posted by BlkGS
You're gonna have to give us some sort of a budget or you're gonna get all kinds of wacko answers from Miata to Miura.
Assuming your budget is sub $50k, and it's gonna be a manual for fun, you can throw the idea of a 993 out. Probably any air cooled Porsche that's decent. It sounds you want something more along the lines of a roof off l, handling focused car, not a muscle car. It sounds like you're chasing an experience more so than a time period.
Given all that, I'd consider an E92 M3 convertible. The Z3/Z4 M make great options as well. You could get into a 996 or a really crappy 997, but they're not going to scratch the itch in the same way. You could get into a plethora or Corvettes that I think are going to deliver more performance than you actually want. A 350Z would be a good choice, but hard to find clean ones. S2000 of you're a little manlet that can fit in one too (if you're at least 6 foot tall, forget about it). You could probably get into an early Viper and maybe come out alive?
Outside of that, you kinda gotta start narrowing down what you actually want.
|
Thanks for asking these questions!
Yes, I am chasing the experience more than the time period. But it seems to me that if I go for an older car, I'll find one that is more engaging at legal speeds. For the price range, anything under $100k seems plausible.
In terms of what I'm looking for, it would be a car that is so delightfully connected and involving that it makes California Hwy 1 weekend drives a delight. Extra points if it is still fun when stuck behind weekend tourists doing Hwy 1 at the speed limit.
For me, delight means great steering feel that is full of road texture, bump impact, and wheel loads, an engine with a good sound and interesting character, brakes that hold up to hours of mountain driving, and a RWD chassis that relishes curves. I also want the car to have enough power to challenge the rear tires. My all time favorites include the current Camaro SS, NC Miatas and
Porsche 997 C2S and
997 GT3. I loved my
Lotus Elise test drive, but that car is too bare-bones raw for me; I want more ride comfort and sound insulation than that!
I owned an
E90 M3 for almost 7 years, loved the engine and chassis, but honestly found it too subdued/boring at slow speeds and wished for even more steering feel.
I now own a
CTS-V wagon, and it has better steering feedback than the M3 and a superior (more compliant yet still capable) suspension. It's a keeper for me, but doesn't do engine fizz or intake sound like the M3. It is, however, fun to drive slowly.
I also have an
AMG GT S which I'd be selling to make way for the new weekend car. The AMG GT has phenomenal chassis and steering and a damn good engine, but isn't that fun when driven at the speed limit.
I'm open to the Z3/Z4 M. I've been ignoring Corvettes because they don't meet high standard for steering. I'm over 6-feet tall so I've been ignoring the S2000.