The $30,000 question

"TyFc3s-A car hating millennial" (tyfc3s-a-car-hating-millennial)
10/17/2013 at 09:45 • Filed to: The line up

you can get fine examples of all these cars for around $30,000, so if you needed to buy one, right now, which would it be?

Porsche 911

Any early, air cooled car in great condition could set you back about $20,000-$30,000 (but for the sake of argument they are all $30,000 on this list) I choose the Carrera 3.2 myself, or the 930 turbo for the widebody and the infamous turbo lag!

But that classic shape is so beautiful in wide body form, but some just cant unsee the beetle in every one,but in my opinion, this is a gorgeous car

Ferrari 308:

Another classic shape, but this one is a lot more pure. This is the narrow body car, and its still amazing, those fenders are bulbous and sexy, and the wedge shape is very classic, but somehow never tooooo dated.

Forget Magnum, forget mustaches, forget that a V6 Camry will walk it and just look at the shape and realize that its a relatively cheap car that you can also modify if the lack of power gets you. But honestly, go on youtube now and look up videos of how this car sings. NOW!!

Jaguar E type:

$30,000 is a stretch, but not at all unreasonable, so simply go along with it.

This is timeless.

The other 2 offer something special in their own ways, and this is no different. A very beautiful car (if a little phallic) and you can get it in I6 or V12 variants. Not much can be said for this car that hasn't been said before so ill just leave you to your drooling/looking on craigslist out of disbelief and/or trying to prove me wrong

Lamborghini Jalpa:

Ah, the poor forgotten bastard child. Ferrari build a low level car and its loved and praised, Lamborghini does it and its quickly forgotten (just wait until 2030 when nobody has any idea what a Gallardo is... or fossil fuels). But the car still packs a lot for the money. Certainly dated styling, but in typical Lamborghini fashion, quite outlandish to say the least. This was always the 308's competition, now it is yet again.

So what say you oppo, where does your money go?? V6 mustangs?

(And can you believe the C2 corvette is more money than all of these!?)

DISCUSSION (18)

Sir Halffast > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 09:47

Porsche. Done. No question. I like the others, but Porsche's always been my dream. Besides, you do NOT want to rely on a $30,000 E-Type.

William Byrd > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 09:48

V6 Mustangs, shoot you can get a V8 for $30K! :)

Let's see, even though I'll regret it the first time it has to be serviced, I'm taking the Ferrari. The 911 looks like every other 911, the Jaguar is beautiful but not my cup of earl grey and the Lambo is pretty special, but seems even less reliable and scary than the rest.

Done.

Kinja'd!!!

505 - morphine not found > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 09:49

Porsche, and no, this isn't even a contest.

The other 3 would cost double or triple what the 911 would if i want to do anything other than marvel at them, and if i'm buying a sports car, i am sure as hell going to use it. And this coming from a guy, who just two weeks ago met a perfectly pristine 308, and had to change pants after listening to the noise that sweet beast makes. Oh my, the glory of a V8 with 4 Webers. And how small that car is, hot damn. But even with all this said, the 911 is the only choice here you don't have to explain.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 09:53

Porsche, because DAT turbo lag :D

Party-vi > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 09:59

It's between the 911 and the Jalpa for me, but since I like keeping money in my wallet I'd have to say 911 for reliability.

maximillious > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 10:01

E-Type. I'm no race car driver. But i do need to be stylish. There is nothing more stylish than the E-type.

Casper > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 10:05

Porsche is the only realistic one on the list. The others you could never afford to keep if $30,000 was your limit.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 10:09

Any one but the Jalpa. A friend of mine has this late-production car and he's told me it's the biggest POS due to Lambo's nonexistent QC back then.

Kinja'd!!!

EL_ULY > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 10:15

who are you the Devil? :]

Scott Keelan > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 10:42

If it were my money I would spend the 30 large on a well-sorted 911.

Another option: Buy the E-type, gift it to Jeremy Clarkson, and hope he invites you on the show as a Star In A Reasonably Price Car in return.

ajroder > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 10:46

Porsche.

If we could forget about the reliability issues, and we pretend like $30,000 could get me any one of these in pristine shape, I'd consider an E-Type. But probably still Porsche.

TurboSloth > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 10:51

The 911. This isn't a contest. I for one, dislike Porsches strongly, but seriously, I can't question that timeless look.

Sn210 > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 11:04

I think the Ferrari would edge out the Jalpa for me. I love the Jalpa but I'm not sure I would love owning one. If I had $30k though, I'd pick a Delorean over these four

Kinja'd!!!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 11:14

E-Type. I'd get a 2+2 V12 for cheap and do what Jay Leno did with the rest of the money.

Either that or I'd buy an MGB GT for $3000, a Rover V8 for $500 and use the remaining $26,500 making an MGB GT V8 that could keep up with any of the others on the list (and look classy while doing it).

Sir Halffast > maximillious
10/17/2013 at 11:31

And for $30,000, you'll have a beautiful crown of blue electrical smoke to go with it.

maximillious > Sir Halffast
10/17/2013 at 11:47

And I am ok with that.

Cloud81918 > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 11:59

Kinja'd!!!

You missed on0e, Lotus Esprit

The V8s can be had for 30K, the older 4 cylinder cars well under 20K. Both are easier to source parts for than the Lambo or Ferrari.

Justino6969 > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial
10/17/2013 at 13:57

308 please! I can't get over the older wedge Ferraris. (Ferrarii? Ferraries? Ferrari?)