best value sports car under 100k? - Page 2

If reliability and maintenance costs are included, you can throw pretty much all of these out.

I agree the Cayman S is tough to beat.

Performance wise, sure. But is the Atom street legal on US roads?

Also, for some people the ability to drive in the rain and maybe carry dry-cleaning home is important.

The Elise is a plenty practical car. Now if only they'd have designed it so that people over 5'9" or 5'10" could fit behind the wheel!

If I had a 100k right now, I'll buy a pre-owned Exige and save the rest of the money for an E92 M3. If I can only get one car, it'd be a 911 Carrera S (RWD, please). For used cars, +1 on a 993 Turbo (Turbo S if you can find it).

Turbo S is over 100K - well over, if low miles .

There's always an old man somewhere with a pristine copy stored in his air conditioned garage, and now that he's dead, his wife is willing to sell it for pennies on the dollar.

That's how the story goes anyway. So yeah, a Turbo S costs a pretty penny.

Yes, and you can buy it from these guys:

http://www.arielatom.com/

And drive it all the way home, like this guy did:

http://www.atomacrossamerica.org/

For my money, it would be the 1st gen Mazda Miata (if you fit) or a bone-stock BMW E30 M3 if you do most of your own service, and you can get over the fact that it's not a traditional sports car. Both are cheap, easily maintained, and liveable daily drivers.

Spend the rest of the money on driving schools to learn how to drive the car properly, and see some of what it's capable of.

BTW, I fit fine in an Elise, but not a Miata.

--Andre

Suzuki Hyabusa

someday...someday....

http://www.rpmsportscars.com/door28.htm

Someday...indeed....

I like the new M5, although it's not a true sports car. I know you said no fugly vettes, but there isnt a better value, not to mention it will absolutely rape almost any other car on the road.

It's actually not the fitting that's my problem with the Elise. It's the entry and exit. Neither is a problem in the Miata, though if I were any taller or longer of leg it likely would be.

New cars (US market only):

997 C2S
Z06

Nothing else needs to be on your mind if it's sports car you are looking for

Used (US markets only):

996 turbo (you can get a good one in the 60's)
996 GT3
97 NSX Zanardi edition (only because all other post 97 NSXs are T-tops)
SL55 (not as sporty, but a great car)

I wouldn't touch any out-of-warranty Ferraris with a ten foot pole if you have a limited budget. The same some what applies to Porsches as well, do not touch them if you know a good mechanic and understands the maintenance needed for them. I also wouldn't buy any used American cars as they do not age well.