for <$20000 id be looking at a car that handles great and eschews all the badge snobbery youue bouond to run into
a two or three year old MINI cooper S. but only as a stick. why bother with an auto.
It's too slow either way, coming in at about 7.6sec 0-60. It's also too damn small. I definitely understand where you're coming from and I definitely thought about them for a bit, but its size is the eliminating factor, in the end.
Toronado
If he wanted other cars I would have suggested the Z32 300ZX.
You'd recommend a car that's already at least a decade old knowing that I'll be keeping it another decade?!
YSSMAN
My two cents on what has been suggested thus far:
1) My love for GM would certainly push me towards the Grand Prix Comp G for the 3.8L Supercharged V6 and the "TapShift" automatic, but for the most part, I'm not sold on outgoing W-Bodies unless they are post-2005 restyle. The interior quality went up substantially, as did standard equipment and fuel economy. You can find high-spec models on the cheap these days, given the rebates and their rather poor depreciation ratings. It won't be long until you could get a Bonneville GXP (4.0L Northstar V8) or Grand Prix GXP (5.3L V8) on the cheap... Otherwise I'd look for a newer Grand Prix GT, which is essentially the same car as the old Comp G, at a lower price.
I presume you mean 4.6-liter Northstar, and Grand Prix GTP, since the GT is the 205hp 3.8-liter non-supercharged pushrod V6. The reason I'm considering the Comp G is because it's a very performance-oriented vehicle, perhaps moreso than any other vehicle on this list. It's also loaded. And, it has TAPShift. If I wasn't so interested in manumatic, I'd look at a regular Grand Prix GTP.
2) I really like the Mazda 6, don't get me wrong, but not for the length of time you are looking at here. We were looking at buying a 6i not too long ago, and although the sportyness of the car was certainly a plus, I wasn't particularly impressed with the quality, and the ride would eventually get tiresome if you are looking for some levels of comfort. True, agility counts in it's class, and the 6s has it in spades. But overall, you searching for one sans manual transmission raises red flags for me. If you are looking for a sport sedan with an automatic, the 6s is the wrong place to shop.
That's a really interesting comment, YSSMAN. The 6 seems to be generating a
lot of division. I guess I must drive it in order to determine how I feel, because you guys have very different opinions.
(You may want to check out the "sporty" Kia Optima. It is essentially the same car [think Impala vs Grand Prix], but with more sport baked-in)
Fair, but remember that the Optima came out in 2006.5, so they're hard to find used (not only because they're just-out but because searching for a "2006 Optima" yields both new and old models
). I'd be more apt to get an Optima than a Sonata, indeed, but I don't think I'll be able to find one.
There are a wide range of engines and transmissions to choose from here, certainly one that can match your budget and offer the kind of performance you are looking for. Obviously on the high-end of things there is the Passat W8 (my personal favorite), dealer retail knocking on the $20K door for a 2003 model (last year was 2004). You are getting German-grade quality here, which can be hit or miss in some cases. The best part of the deal is of course the 270 BHP W8, and with the optional 5-speed Triptronic, you are good for about 20/27 MPG. And with the added 4MOTION AWD, you are going to get plenty of traction in the snow.
No Passats. The W8 is
WAY too expensive, with a first-year model averaging $21,137 right now. The V6 is way too slow, as is the four-cylinder. Really, why get a Passat when I could have the TL-S, which is way more powerful and has more features. Don't even get me started on Volkswagen reliablity, either.
Ghost C
Have you considered a CTS? No manumatic mode but from my understanding the auto tranny is very good. They're right near the top end of your price range though, but nice examples can be found for good deals.
No manumatic, too slow. Remember, for its first year, 2003, the CTS wasn't available with the stunning 3.6-liter engine it uses now; instead it used a 220hp 3.2-liter V6 (0-60 in mid-sevens), and even those are averaging $21,100 right now - way too high.
niky
LS V8? Kinda hard to pick, and you'll have to look up the history of the car... might be more complicated to care for than an Acura or a Lexus
Indeed, and the V8 was designed by Jaguar, so it just screams trouble.
) but price wise, can't got wrong on the Corolla.
And I did autocross it, and I learned alot.
