Budget sports cars!

[KAK]

I am about a year out from trading in, I decided that rather than driving a gas guzzling SUV around all the time because i will need to haul a bay boat down to Galveston from north Houston 5-6 times a month. I would just get a used sports car and pay for on the water forklift dry storage for the boat. I did some math and I would probably work out to the same price at 6-7 mpg difference. So since I'm used to 14 average I would need about 22 average. This sadly rules out the muscle cars because I wouldnt own one without a v8.

The ones I'm thinking about would start under 18k. So things like 350z with about 35k miles on it. Infiniti g35 with about 40k miles on it. Sound like the deals to be had.

Like I've said before I really like Nissan products so the G35 and 350z top my list.

I am leaning a bit on the Infiniti because it has that little back seat for putting things or dogs and seems a bit more practical. Plus a bit more cargo room. I've driven a z though and I loved that car.

Has anyone compared these 2? Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[dcfis]

It begins and ends with and evo IX

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

Go with the Z. between those two you'll just be paying for a name. Z and Infinite both handle great. Or go with a Vette, you can still achieve that mileage, lol.

 

[chubbyzook]

G35 even though its not a sports car

 

[GunlessNot4Long]

you cant go wrong with a G35, or the 350Z. one other car in that body style that comes to mind, is the Hyundai Genesis coupe. All I hear is good things about the Genesis and the Infinity/Nissan. Good luck.

 

[chubbyzook]

Why not look into a used sti for about the same price

 

[robin303]

Most small trucks are like sport cars. They handle real well in you can do something with them.

 

[Bithabus]

350Z is the best sporty car value, IMO.

 

[randy_rcr]

I've sat it both the 350 and the g35 driven the g for a few days. And I perfer the g35 has back seats and I like the seating position better in it. I was too low in the 350 of course me being of a smaller stature 5'5-5'6 (depending on the convenience store I'm walk out of) I'm sure that had something to do with the seating position.

 

[nalioth]

Hello, and welcome to the 21st century!

Today's V8s can be equipped with a system that allows them to function on 4, 6 or 8 cylinders as needed. This increases gas mileage and still allows you to have your "V8 muscle".

 

[Jakashh]

My friend has a tree fiddy zee vert. It was even with my bolt on 01 mustang GT, but that was only because I was using shitty worn ass tires (almost showing threads) and had no traction control due to a faulty ABS sensor and 4.10 gears.

But do you really want a 350? they're not that great, and they have a 20 gallon tank, which is nice, but it will suck for when you want to fill it up.

I get around 18 to 19 mpg average with my v8 stang. 220 to 240 miles per tank. 12 Gallon tank, but remember, i have 4.10 gears which do reduce gas mileage. The car stock comes with 3.27's so you'll get better than that. Plus they're cheap. I doubt you'll be modding much so you'll be fine with the 2v, just make sure they have an aluminum crossover on the intake because that's the recall fixed one.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Budget-smudget.....this will get ya better than 22mpg.

I'll sell ya mine...

View attachment 8030

 

[KAK]

Hello, and welcome to the 21st century!

Today's V8s can be equipped with a system that allows them to function on 4, 6 or 8 cylinders as needed. This increases gas mileage and still allows you to have your "V8 muscle".

I have issues with V8s that have the MDS or cylinder deactivation. One point is that no matter what the system or brochure says there are going to be 8 cylinders in the engine and the pistons within them are going to be moving. I would be drawn to completely go all out for performance in a muscle car. That means some ridiculously aggressive cams which are notorious for having problems with fuel miser systems. Plus cams on a normal V8 dont help economy. My biggest problem is a cammed muscle car would get me in trouble.

Jakashh- if the 350 has a 20 gallon tank that kicks ass. The bigger the tank the better my range. I doubt I would mod either one except for a really nice in dash navagation/ bluetooth/ video system (for my passenger).

 

[TheDan]

Between those two, I'd go with the G35. If you look at used car prices, the 350z and G35 are very closely priced. The G35 is essentially the same car as the Z, except it's better equipped. I'd also look at the BMW 330i. It doesn't have as sporty of a look as the 350z, but its definitely a contender.

These options are all a little portly to be considered sports cars, tho. More like sport coupes. For a really sporty car you'd need something like a Miata or maybe the last MR2. They'd do better than your 22mpg goal, too. Hell, the 2011 base Elise gets 45mpg

 

[KAK]

I love the lotuses! I pretty much agree with you. The infiniti is within the pretty much exact price range of the Z, I like the back seat, not for people though but the G35 has allot more cargo room. On trips I would take it on fully loaded would consists of me my girlfriend 2 a mini beagle and a 25lb mut and 2 folded up kennels and our shit. So the G would probably just be enough for our most loaded down trips. Z woudnt cut it.

I really like the look of that lancer EVO MR. It is not ugly as all hell like a typical evo. I would love that thing.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

2002 or 2003 M3.....

 

[KAK]

The best mod you can get is a Valentine 1 radar detector. Ive had an Escort 8500 x50 its a joke compared to the V1. If you dont have a V1 you cant even use a prius to its full potential.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

The best mod you can get is a Valentine 1 radar detector. Ive had an Escort 8500 x50 its a joke compared to the V1. If you dont have a V1 you cant even use a prius to its full potential.

Amen to that!

 

[TheDan]

The best mod you can get is a Valentine 1 radar detector. Ive had an Escort 8500 x50 its a joke compared to the V1. If you dont have a V1 you cant even use a prius to its full potential.

You shouldn't be driving a Yugo to it's full potential on the street. That's what track days are for. Great handling and 0-speed limit blasts can make your daily commute more fun, but I never speed

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

lol, radar dectectors are useless. You'll be paying attention for a while, but just like car alarms, become complacent. There's been a lot of people I stopped who swore up and down I didn't catch them because they're radar didn't go off. All the meanwhile, it's beeping during our contact. Be careful though. There are a lot of us who use a standby feature that seems to work pretty well, lol