I'm thinking about getting the new Camaro (1SS), but since no one has one available for test drive near me, that's on the back burner. I'm not going to buy a car I can't test drive first.

So while I wait for that, what other cars might be good to look at? I'm looking for something fun to drive, powerful, eye-catching, preferably a muscle car style. I'm not in a rush or anything, just looking.

Friends have suggested BMW 135 or 335, M3 (too expensive I think), Mustang GT, and Pontiac G8. Doesn't necessarily have to be new.

7/1/2009 5:16:53 PM

uh 135's are pretty expensive man. the weak dollar has made imported cars more expensive.

7/1/2009 5:20:28 PM

Vette? Its better looking than a mustang GT and faster.

7/1/2009 5:21:25 PM

Well then shit son, with a $30k budget, you have quite the pick.

Some vehicles to check out (especially if a couple years old):

WRX/STI
350Z (2006 or newer)
BMW 135 (VERY fun car, I enjoyed it and would recommend...)
e46 M3
C5 z06
C6
I think that about covers it...

7/1/2009 5:22:38 PM

Lotus Elise

7/1/2009 5:26:22 PM

^^^^ friend just bought a new one for under 40k last week.

^^^ There's a used Z06 at a local dealer I'm gonna check out when I get a chance.

^ considered it. no local sellers though and I'd prefer something a little bigger.

[Edited on July 1, 2009 at 5:27 PM. Reason : ]

7/1/2009 5:26:36 PM

where are you located? russia?

7/1/2009 5:28:07 PM

^There's a dealership in Durham, how local can you get? It's one of the best in the country too.

7/1/2009 5:28:51 PM

I'm in Southport NC. 3 hours from durham. There might be a place in or near Myrtle Beach but that's an hour and a half or so too.

7/1/2009 6:41:51 PM

you're looking to spend $30k and you won't invest 6 hrs and gas?

7/1/2009 7:44:20 PM

E39 M5

/thread

7/1/2009 7:54:12 PM

i looked at e39 m5's for sale on a bmw forum and ive never seen a longer "things ive replaced in the last 10k miles" list in my entire life.

7/1/2009 7:59:13 PM

judging from his other options he has listed, i really doubt he wants to take the time and money required to own an e39 m5.

7/1/2009 8:01:58 PM

^^^^ at some point maybe, but don't have the time for it now. i don't care about the gas money just don't have the time.

^ true statement. i don't do much more than change oil/filters, rotate tires, etc.

[Edited on July 1, 2009 at 8:15 PM. Reason : ]

7/1/2009 8:14:42 PM

Quote :

"WRX/STI 350Z (2006 or newer) BMW 135 (VERY fun car, I enjoyed it and would recommend...) e46 M3 C5 z06 C6 "

I agree with that and would also like to suggest the Genesis Coupe and S2000. Don't know if there are any fun sporty front wheel drives I'd recommend. I'm not a huge fan of the mustang, if I were in your shoes it would be between the 370Z, new Camaro, or used vette/m3

7/1/2009 9:44:58 PM

G37?

7/1/2009 9:50:08 PM

Quote :

"i don't care about the gas money just don't have the time"

big baller for sure

7/1/2009 10:52:59 PM

c5 or c6 gets my vote

c5 you could mod with the left over money and reliably have a fast as fuck car. c6 would be faster stock than the stock c5 but it wouldn't take much money for the c5 to be faster.

7/1/2009 11:09:43 PM

370z imo

7/1/2009 11:49:41 PM

Lotus.

You live in podunk beach town NC. Every car you've described is a dime-a-dozen coastal cruiser. The roads are too narrow, twisty and cop-ridden to ever be able to make use of the big beef muscle cars.

Fun to drive, powerful and eye-catching. A Camaro/BMW/Mustang/Pontiac/Corvette won't do the latter. Mustang/Pontiac/BMW are a bore to drive, at least the Camaro and Vette have that nailed. Powerful - Unless you are planning on taking it to a track, everyone of these cars is going to get from stoplight to stoplight in damn near exactly the same amount of time.

If you want to be recognized by your car, for the right reasons, there's only one choice here, and it's a short drive to Durham/Myrtle Beach away.

7/2/2009 12:16:50 AM

^ There's also used newer Porsches to consider as well...

7/2/2009 12:46:23 AM

Unless it's a GT3, a porsche isn't "eye-catching" either.

7/2/2009 12:57:55 AM

how bout a genesis w/ 8k$ in mods?

7/2/2009 1:30:57 AM

I second 370z. It is the perfect new car for $30k. Got all the goods...RWD, Great engine, full warranty and gorgeous styling.

Considering you aren't DIY stay away from M3s and generally from BMWs.

Quote :

"Mustang/Pontiac/BMW are a bore to drive, at least the Camaro and Vette have that nailed"

What kind of bullshit is this? If anything it is the other way around. Driving domestic boats is more fun than tight handling, high rpm german? You are out of you mind.

7/2/2009 1:45:28 AM

^I agree, the 370z would be a good option for his criteria too!

Quote :

"What kind of bullshit is this? If anything it is the other way around. Driving domestic boats is more fun than tight handling, high rpm german? You are out of you mind. "

Sorry, but I have never, not once, gotten that silly ass grin on my face driving a Mustang, Pontiac or BMW. They are GREAT cars, but even the M3 is just ho-hum exciting as a daily driver.

Now if he could afford or deal with a M5, Z4 or M coupe, I would agree with you on the excitement factor. But a 1/3/M3 Bimmer is not a hard-on inducer everyday on the street (to me).

7/2/2009 3:40:10 AM

im sorry, but Nissan just makes some junk

7/2/2009 3:51:42 AM

Noen he wants something :

Quote :

"powerful"

ps that means torque

[Edited on July 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM. Reason : ]

7/2/2009 8:47:42 AM

I don't know "exactly" what you want, but if you're looking at a new car then I say Camaro SS or 370Z. Used my vote goes for C6 or Lotus Elise

7/2/2009 8:49:46 AM

SOUNDS LIKE LIMP NUTZ WANTS A FUCKIN REGULAR CAB CUMMINS POWERED DODGE.


$30K WOULD HAVE YOU A 600-700WHP TRUCK (ADD 200WHP FOR NITRO EQUIPPED)

7/2/2009 8:50:36 AM

I've grown to dislike diesels. fucking stinks when i'm behind one with the top down

LimpyNuts, if you want a convertible check out the S2000. You live at the beach, you should consider a drop top.

7/2/2009 9:05:06 AM

^^

I love you big truck guys. Almost as bad as ricers on the highway though, lol

7/2/2009 9:08:40 AM

big truck? shit, mine's been lowered 6".


and shiiiitttt. you'd get that bug seeing a 4000# truck lift the front wheels 18", or one pulling a 1.5 - 1.7sec 60' time and cross the quarter @ 140+.





[/I admit my ricer-ific lack of power and attention whoring.]

[Edited on July 2, 2009 at 9:21 AM. Reason : need another garage meet&greet next time i head to rolly]

7/2/2009 9:19:40 AM

oh trust me i think its hilarious

7/2/2009 9:44:17 AM

i got my civic for under six, guys

7/2/2009 10:14:32 AM

ok if you need new... the new mustang hands the new camaro and challenger their asses. better gas mileage similar acceleration and...... OHH SHIT IT TURNS BETTER THAN AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER (unlike the other boats) but the vette can't be beat.


Do you want to modify the car at all or drive it bone stock??

Is this a daily driver or a fun weekend car??

7/2/2009 10:53:45 AM

A 335 with a tune can both be a good DD (good gas mileage, not a cop magnet) and a lot of power, fun (with a $500 tune you can put down near 370 rwhp, a few more supporting mods and you can make over 400 rwhp). It may not handle as well as a lotus but BMW is not known to have shit handling.

[Edited on July 2, 2009 at 11:06 AM. Reason : ]

7/2/2009 10:56:53 AM

Quote :

"Now if he could afford or deal with a M5, Z4 or M coupe, I would agree with you on the excitement factor. But a 1/3/M3 Bimmer is not a hard-on inducer everyday on the street (to me)."

To each his own I guess. I agree on M-coupe and Z4 (to a degree), but M5 is just a long wheel base powerful sedan. I think by any conventional excitement-factor meter things like handling, precision, nimbleness, mongoose reflexes outweigh big engine, long wheel base GT cars/sedans with poor visibility and numb steering. I will say that something like Z06 or modded big block V8 have a big fun factor, but a camaro or a regular vette definitely not, unless we are talking about looks.

7/2/2009 11:13:39 AM

if you just want a fun car that is nimble fast with some versatility why not consider an Evo?

they had models with leather seats and no wing.



[Edited on July 2, 2009 at 12:05 PM. Reason : .]

7/2/2009 11:53:47 AM

Saab Aero 93X, all wheel drive ($7k less if you can deal with 210 HP), close to 300 HP (295lb-ft), luxury-esque, pretty decent MPG (I get 36 highway), Very fun to drive, turbo, easy mods are out there, super cheap with them being sold recently to Koenigsegg (hello super car)... and, very sexy car that does not scream I bought a Jap/Chinese car...

7/2/2009 12:25:38 PM

Quote :

"car that does not scream I bought a Jap/Chinese car..."

it says you bought a GM.

7/2/2009 1:05:23 PM

not a single Chinese made car has been mentioned in this thread FWIW

7/2/2009 1:08:11 PM

^I think our misinformed friend meant Korean (although i haven't reviewed whats been mentioned but chances are its either Japanese or Korean)

7/2/2009 1:29:20 PM

Quote :

"ok if you need new... the new mustang hands the new camaro and challenger their asses. better gas mileage similar acceleration and...... OHH SHIT IT TURNS BETTER THAN AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER (unlike the other boats) but the vette can't be beat. "

The Camaro beats the Mustang in every acceleration performance category, and looks way, way better.

7/2/2009 1:39:48 PM

i personally believe that people should only buy challengers and camaros for the sole reason of putting pressure on ford to give the mustang a nice bump in power. i thought that this was going to happen until car magazines started declaring mustangs the best of the three. if only they couldve been like, "would have easily destroyed the camaro/challenger with another 50-100 hp, but in it's current state it just doesn't measure up. oh what could have been..." if this had occured maybe a horsepower war could have developed among the big three. wishful thinking at its best.

7/2/2009 1:55:52 PM

^what? i've yet to read a single comparison where the new Camaro didn't wipe the floor with the Challenger and Mustang.

The new Camaro is gorgeous looking, and is one of the best cars that GM has ever made. It definitely fits all of Limpy's requirements, and with GM tanking, it may end up being a pretty rare, short run car.

7/2/2009 3:19:18 PM

sometimes i think i'm the only person who thinks the new camaro is ugly

7/2/2009 3:30:16 PM

^^ You must not have read last month's Car & Driver then. They picked the Mustang GT over both the Camaro and Challenger in a three way shootout. With regards to the Camaro; it was almost as quick to 60, it stopped just as fast, and it outhandled it. It got beat in the quarter, but I think that's about it iirc. It was hardly "wiping the floor" with anything despite it's big horsepower advantage.

[Edited on July 2, 2009 at 3:40 PM. Reason : s]

7/2/2009 3:35:35 PM

^^^ maxim picked mustang over the camaro too.

i know they're such an auto authority, but still...

7/2/2009 4:47:22 PM

Jeebus this thread blew up fast.

I obviously don't want a truck, I assume those suggestions were made in jest.

Not a fan of the S2000, I don't like the look. The 370Z was a good idea I think. G37's not a bad idea either, the convertible looks pretty sleek. I'll definitely check out the Lotus' when I get a chance. I saw some guy punch it at a light in an Exige... he was at the next light before I got through the intersection (not that I currently drive a car worth shit).

Also, the car doesn't have to be a great daily driver. I've already got my everyday car. My drive to work is about 2 miles. Even if it gets less than 10 miles/gallon I still wouldn't have a problem driving back and forth.

7/2/2009 5:08:08 PM

--->

[Edited on July 2, 2009 at 5:14 PM. Reason : ]

7/2/2009 5:14:19 PM