Sporty Cars under 50K?

[LiquidTurbo]

Ok, I'm helping some friends pick a sporty car for their retiring parents, for under 50k, and helped them write up a list. They have zero knowledge about cars.


The list here is just my opinion and only that. As unbiased as possible and just a list of cars I would personally consider if I was looking for a sporty fun car with a budget of 50k.

No particular order:

2011 Honda CR-Z
Pros:Fuel econ, excellent driving feel, handling, low price, good resale
Cons:2 Seater, small space
Comments: This brand new hybrid is very fuel efficient,very fun to drive car. The looks are subjective. Good for year round use.

2009-2011 Nisson 370z
Pros: Excellent power, classy looks, fun to drive, has won awards (best 09 Prem Sport compact by JD Power and associates)
Cons: Bit of a gas guzzler, useless in wintertime
Comments: I like this car a lot. It's good looking, has good heritage, solid engine, its RWD (rear wheel drive), excellent performance / cost ratio. It's better in every way compared to the 350z that it superseded. Very torque-y engine.


2009-2011 VW Golf GTI
Pros: Good looks, very fun to drive.
Cons: A tad pricey, expensive to service
Comments: I would only look at the most current generation GTI and nothing else. The current gen has won lots of awards. There were all sorts of minor issues with previous generations. It's a bit early to say if they've perfected the FSI (fuel stratified injection) engine, but you can be pretty sure a new GTI could take you for 5 years, 150,000km. Beyond that, no one really knows. Expensive to fix if anything goes wrong. It's sort of like an iPod in the car world. User satisfaction is high during that time

2006-2009 Honda S2000
Pros: One of the purest sport cars you can buy. 8300RPM redline?!!! One of the best feeling 6speed MTs ever. Al Fresco motoring possible via drop top. One of the most rock solid engines ever made, super reliable. Good track record. Very high user satisfaction. Amazing exhaust note. Easy to work on and service.
Cons: Hard to find, cannot buy new anymore, useless in winter, eats up rear tires like crazy. Approx every 20,000-40,000km. Trunk only fits a something smaller than a shoebox. 2 seater. No glove box. Range is only 350-400km/ tank max.
Comments: Pretty much the perfect car for summertime transportation. It's off the scale in the sporty zone, and absolute failure in practicality. One of the best choices if driving nirvana is what is being sought after. If I had to pick one car to drive the twisty Californian coast on a nice sunny day, this would be #1 choice above and beyond. A motorcycle on 4 wheels.


2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Pros: Good looks, great price, RWD (rear wheel drive), great reception so far, very very good value. Cannot find V6 powered RWD for this price. 4 seats!!!!!! But the people sitting in the back have to be midgets. Oh, and good warranty, 5yr. Most regular cars are just 3 years. Good fit and finish
Cons: Brand image (if you actually care about that thing). Thats pretty much all I can think of. Strange looking steering wheel perhaps?
Comments: Definitely check this one out. It has surprised a lot of people. Very rare to find a 4 seat sports car as good as this. Hyundai is moving up in the autoworld fast.

2006-2011 Audi TT Roadster
Pros: Great looking car, BEAUTIFUL interior, Legendary Quattro AWD (all wheel drive) available, making it useful in winter. Incredible fit and finish and the driver seat is just awesome to sit in.
Cons: Expensive, lack of space, expensive to service.
Comments: Very solid sports car, but a bit expensive. MUCH better than the previous generation. The 1998-2005 versions were absolute garbage. When was the last time you've seen one? I thought so. 2+2 version available.

2009-2011 Mazda RX-8
Pros: Silky smooth engine all the way to 9,000RPM. Looks like a coupe but has two hidden doors for 2 passengers in the back. Great handling and very fun to drive factor, good looks, unique rotary engine.
Cons: Miserable fuel economy, questionable long term rotary engine reliability.
Comments: Very good sports car, but it's biggest flaw it its engine, even though it's a great one. Will almost definitely need to rebuild the rotary seals after 100,000km. It's a glorious 100,000km though.

2011 Mazda MX-5
Pros: Driving feel, fun factor, good on gas, al fresco available, tried and true 2.0L engine.
Cons: Useless for anything other than moving two people with no luggage. Slightly girly looking.
Comments: It's strength lies in its fun to drive factor. It's rated very very high for that. Mostly a summer car, would be useless in snow/heavy rain, and lugging groceries.


2009+ BMW Z4
Pros: Driving feel, rock solid handling. The BMW driving experience is hard to emulate.
Cons: Expensive, expensive to service. Subjective looks. Not the best resale value.
Comments: Not's a bad choice if looking for a solid roadster. Legendary driving feel. Expensive. It's just too bad you pay for the name as well.

2009-2011 Subaru Impreza WRX (and WRX STI)
Pros: Powerful All Wheel Drive system. One of the very best. Excellent in bad weather. Really a 4 season sport car, with 4 doors.
Cons: Not everyone agrees with the looks, slight turbo lag, boring interior.
Comments: Pretty much the most practical 'sporty' car you can get. Full size trunk, seats 5, all wheel drive. Nimble, quick car that's fun in the summer and useful in the winter. Good sporty, year round Vancouver car.

2009+ Infiniti G37S Coupe
Pros: Luxurious, great engine, Great looks, excellent Torque .
Cons: A bit expensive.
Comments: Essentially a more luxurious version of the Nissan 370z. Very refined. A sporty car as well. Excellent car for someone going through a midlife crisis.

2007+ Lexus IS350
Pros: Luxury, RWD, practical with 5 seats and 4 doors
Cons: A bit pricey
Comments: Quite similar to the Infiniti G37S, but with a slightly different personality. Almost like a sport car that was forced to become a luxury sedan. Some find the suspension a bit lofty and soft, but after all, this is supposed to be a sedan.

2008+ Mini Cooper S
Pros: Surprisingly sporty, peppy car. Fun to drive factor.
Cons: A bit girly, love-it or hate-it exterior and interior.
Comments: Upon first glance it wouldn't be considered a sporty car, but it actually is not bad. I can't stand the interior, but many people like the retro-dial look. A bit pricey for what you get, but a worthy alternative to the Golf GTI

2006 Acura RSX Type-S
Pros: Good balance of practicality and sportyness. Relatively inexpensive. Usuable trunk, good fuel economy, excellent 6speed manual (not as good as S2000s though), high resale value.
Cons: Cannot buy new anymore, higher than average insurance. Very small rear seats. Front Wheel Drive (not the same as a pure sports car with RWD)
Comments: A very well balanced car overall, in terms of price, performance, practicality. Hard to find though, especially one that hasn't been abused.


2008+ Mercedes SLK230/300/350
Pros: Solid german driving feel, similar to the Z4
Cons: EXPENSIVE for a two seater sport car.
Comment: Rock solid roadster experience. If one is considering an Audi TT, then the BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK must also be looked at. All are very good, comes down to a matter of personal preference between the 3.

2009+ Porsche Boxster / Boxster S
Pros: Tried and true formula for a sport car.
Cons. EXPENSIVE for a two seater sport car, knocking on 50K+ MSRP.
Comments: While I would never buy one brand new, some deals can be found for ones that are slightly used, ( 1-3years old). It's a solid sports car that's useless in the winter, and you have to deal w/ the stigma of it being a Porsche. Boxster been around for over ten years. Anything recent is good. Servicing is unbelievably expensive though.

2011 Scion tC
Pros: Cheap, sporty, practical,
Cons: Not a true sports car
Comments: Scion (division of Toyota) just launched in Canada a week ago. The tC is a quaint looking, practical sporty economy car. It's FWD though. Good price and choice for someone looking for an economy car with a touch of sporty. The looks are nothing to write home about though.

2008+ BMW 130i/135i/ 325/330/335i , Audi A4/A5, Mercedes C-Class
Comments: These cars can be lumped all together bc they have a few things in common. They're sporty. They're German. They're luxurious. They are available with two doors. They can all be configured so that each model is about the same price (with the exception of the 130/135i being a bit cheaper). They also push the 50k price bracket. As for which one is best, that's like asking who's worst at acting, Cameron Diaz, Angelina Jolie, or Kate Moss. Just a matter of preference. Audi A5 is a personal favorite.

2009+ Mazdaspeed3
Pros: Very nippy and quick.
Cons: Sucker on gas. 250hp to FWD chassis = occasional torque steer. Frequent oil changes needed. (Every 5,000km since the turbo shears the oil like crazy)
Comments: Another car to consider of the GTI is on the list. It's won plenty awards for its value, been on Car and Driver's 10 best in 2007,2008 and 2010. It's cheap speed, with practically (it's a hatch) when you need it. The looks are subjective. Some call it downright ugly.



Am I missing any cars? Am I wrong about any car? Thanks for reading.

[Mugen EvOlutioN]

wow such a long list

[1exotic]

well considering the parents are retiring, they'll wanna act like the youth again and jump back into fun.

I'd try to strick around the 30k range with something that's RWD and manual. With the extra 20k this can be put towards a turbo kit, drag and drift tires, etc.

A RWD car will be great becuase it can be used for drift, drag, and tracking.

- stay away from automatic and fwd.

[CP.AR]

Acura TL

[LiquidTurbo]

Originally Posted by 1exotic

well considering the parents are retiring, they'll wanna act like the youth again and jump back into fun.

I'd try to strick around the 30k range with something that's RWD and manual. With the extra 20k this can be put towards a turbo kit, drag and drift tires, etc.

A RWD car will be great becuase it can be used for drift, drag, and tracking.

No modding for them. All that is considered is 'sporty', under 50k, and 2+2 'would be nice'.

[Jackygor]

I know they might have zero knowledge in cars, but can't they at least narrow it down to 2 or 4 door? I mean, you are pretty much listing all cars for under 50k that can do sub 6 second in the 1/4 miles. In that list of cars, however, I would have to go with the Z4 or TT, because at retiring age, I think I would like something with a little bit more refinement as well as comfort, and being convertibles that they are, it should also be plenty fun and sporty.

[jpark]

^i agree, sucha tough choice with this many options

[LiquidTurbo]

Yup, I'm not looking for any single car recommendations, just looking to compile a list for them. They just want a fun second car. Their primary car is a Sienna Minivan LOL.

[Mugen EvOlutioN]

out of them all


I probably highly recommand 370z out of the whole bunch

G37 fully loaded is close to $60g

while 37 starts $42, than $45, and fully loaded to the max is $50g before taxes


MX5 is out of the league, if its fun that he wants, s2k is the no.1 choice

[rawr]

IMO, Boxster. It's the only mid-engine RWD roadster on the list. Handles BETTER than a Carrera. Pretty much the epitome of what a good handling car should be. Plus, Porsches have been known to have very good reliability and resale value.

[optiblue]

Wow, you may have missed it, but jackygor missing it? I guess the Evolution X isn't sporty enough?
Posted via RS Mobile

[tofu1413]

Originally Posted by rawr

IMO, Boxster. It's the only mid-engine RWD roadster on the list. Handles BETTER than a Carrera. Pretty much the epitome of what a good handling car should be. Plus, Porsches have been known to have very good reliability and resale value.

actually they work great in the snow.. just need a nice set of snow tires.


they should consider a used Cayman.. theyre in the low 40k range nowadays..

but quality on those cars are hit or miss. either problematic or flawless for those cars.. it'll take a bit of searching and luck.

a 01+ 996 Targa would be a great car to own actually.. (assuming they dont mind the tacky interior)

and dont forget the ralliart lancer/ Evo X.

[Leopold Stotch]

Merceedes Benz SLK.

/end thread
Posted via RS Mobile

[Arash]

First you should compile your list in pictures and ask them which top 5 cars they like the looks of best, then bring that list for us to advise about.
Anyway I say Miura replica for under 50k.

[shawn79]

"their retiring parents"

Benz c350
most suitable car for a c-lai to go swimming and grocery shopping

[JoshuaWong]

2009+ Z4 !

[Death2Theft]

ATOM FTW

[Jgresch]

I never thought I would actually recommend this ever on revscene.... But have you looked at the new Volvo coupe/sedans? They are really fast/sporty, but the amount of saftey features are just stupid, more than almost every car on the list. I would personally not drive one but I was suprised with the crazy amoutn of features and it's easily in the price range...

[ilvtofu]

I guess if their primary car is a sienna you MUST take the fact that it's useless in the snow out,

I'll just eliminate the few that would be too cheap for retiring people to be seen in IMO
-RSX
-TC
-WRX

Then the ones that are a little too boy racer
-370z
-RX8... I couldn't recommend this car to anyone IMO especially of that age, I would hate to have to rev that high going around the city, and if they're not car guys then further no...
-SLK should be what a 20 - 40 year old gold digger drives, not a retired couple
-Gen coupe great car, i'm supposing they're getting the automatic and really don't need all the track stuff, defeats the purpose a little, and definitely styling isn't age appropriate
-mazdaspeed 3... nuff said
-TT for girls and homos

G37- only worry is the styling might not age very well, and this might be a car that they'll keep for a while. also I think the interior is overly complicated and buttons are ugly. Not a fan of the amount of space you get in the back as compared to the 3, golf clubs are hard to fit too.

So pretty much I would only look at
Boxster - it makes me happy to see an old couple cruising in one of these with the top down, kind of says, "we've made it" but without the ego of the 911. Porsches are not expensive at all for what it is and the development that went into it.

S2k - surprisingly because of the age it doesn't really seem that boy racer anymore and a stock one in silver/grey/black actually looks rather respectable

3 series coupe - classy styling and roomy interior, large enough for a road trip with actual luggage even with a cabrio one. handles great and sounds ... satisfying but not painful.

Gti - one of my favourite cars, definitely feels more solid than some japanese sportster. not the most exciting cars though and if they don't mod honestly sounds a little bad especially when pushed. but DSG!!! ever consider the eos?

Miata- great car, interior might be a little claustraphobic, used car prices are a little high, might be a good thing if you buy new though lol

As expected with typical RS decision making, no domestics are included...

New mustang V6 - not as aggressive looking as the V8, subtle car with lots of performance and style, V6 is pretty affordable. also theres a convertible model available

New CTS coupe base price is a little high but a beautiful interior, styling is not my cup of tea but might be for someone whos triple my age. German feel american discounts the Regal is nice but not really a fun retirement car, brand might be a little too typical for retirements haha but the regal is a very nice car

[twitchyzero]

half of those on the list aren't even sports cars...
tC? CR-Z?

[ilvtofu]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

half of those on the list aren't even sports cars...
tC? CR-Z?

they're not tracking the cars form>function 2 door coupes = sports haha

[Volvo-brickster]

5.0L

[Volvo-brickster]

Originally Posted by LiquidTurbo

2009+ Mazdaspeed3
Cons: Frequent oil changes needed. (Every 5,000km since the turbo shears the oil

Be the good son that you are and change it for them if they don't wanna take it to the stealership.

Oil changes are the easiest thing to do.

[jigga250]

Audi A5

[donjalapeno]

GTI > TT > 335i