Let's play the "find me a car" game

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 03/24/2015 at 16:41 • Filed to: None

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I am not in the market for a car. But I will be! In approximately...2 years. Because I like to think about hypothetical car purchases, let's play a the old car suggestions game. I want something with the following criteria:

Sunroof, targa or convertible—I need to tan my bald spot.

RWD and possibly AWD depending on the car.

Manual transmission, or if flappy paddles, must have be good flappy paddles.

Doesn't have to be particularly new or reliable since it won't be my only vehicle, but I also don't want to sink massive piles of cash into it.

Reasonably quick. Like 14 second 1/4 mile at the slowest.

No air-cooled 911s.

Not overly heavy, try to keep it 3500 lbs or less.

Budget of $25-30k, in spring of 2017. If the car itself doesn't cost that much, that's fine.

Some ideas to get your brain juices flowing include:

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 16:48

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CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 16:49

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Buy it Now=$14,000

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Current bid=$18,500

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Current bid=$27,500

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Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 16:50

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Easy. SW20 MR2. Plenty of them out there, RWD, t-top, targa, and sunroof models are all available (convertible too if you go for a W30), can be had with a stick, they're actually reliable, and they will be way under your budget. Only downside is that the 1/4 mile is about 14.7 seconds, but with all that extra money and the incredible amount of aftermarket support you can modify to your heart's content.

Textured Soy Protein > CaptDale - is secretly British 03/24/2015 at 16:51

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Is there such a thing as a GTO with a sunroof? Because I would only get one with a sunroof, and not one with an aftermarket sunroof cut in.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 03/24/2015 at 16:52

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The only answer on MR2sday.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > CaptDale - is secretly British 03/24/2015 at 16:53

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solid option

Textured Soy Protein > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 03/24/2015 at 16:54

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Hmm that's an option, might be difficult to find one that's not beat to hell, kinda like the FD in that regard.

bob and john > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 16:56

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roof less?
fast?
manual trans?
RWD?
not your only machine?

DUDE. motorcycles.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 16:58

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NO!!! It was never a GM/Holden option. If one has it, its going to be a crappy aftermarket.

CaptDale - is secretly British > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 03/24/2015 at 16:59

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That's why I bought one...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > CaptDale - is secretly British 03/24/2015 at 17:00

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Wise choice friend, wonderful cars. I love them

misfitmascots > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:01

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Textured Soy Protein > misfitmascots 03/24/2015 at 17:02

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No sunroof, no care.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:02

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There are actually a fair few clean stock examples out there, since Toyota seems to have a more dedicated niche fan base to keeping cars in clean relatively stock condition (unlike Nissan, Honda, Mazda, and Mitsubishi). I think it's because there are a lot of "older" guys who are Toyota fans, and they tend to value the car for what it is more than some young kid who just wants an overly boosted EG hatch to rip down the drag strip or a gutted S13 to thrash at drift events. The FD you should be able to find clean well cared for examples of, but you will pay a premium. Although the FD will almost definitely have been driven hard, whereas you have a decent chance of finding an MR2 that was owned by some elderly person.

I nearly bought a '93 AllTrac Celica from an elderly lady in AZ. She was the only owner, the car had 80k miles, and looked like it'd just rolled off the factory floor. Her son who was selling it for her, guy in his mid-40s, may have driven it hard at some point, but otherwise it was an absolutely amazing specimen. I really regret not buying that thing.

Textured Soy Protein > CaptDale - is secretly British 03/24/2015 at 17:02

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No sunroof, no care.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 03/24/2015 at 17:02

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I knew you'd like this. lol

Your boy, BJR > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:03

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I carefully considered your criteria and found you a cherry 1 of 200 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Bicentennial with just 248 miles on the odo for $100k in Miami, Florida. Link here .

*DISCLAIMER- I stopped reading literally at the word "convertible" and decided this was what you wanted. I'll take my finders fee and "Ben is awesome" praise now, thank you.

BarryDanger > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:04

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Done.

or Momentum is key

Textured Soy Protein > Your boy, BJR 03/24/2015 at 17:04

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The only criteria on my list it satisfies other than "convertible" is "not an air-cooled 911."

Textured Soy Protein > BarryDanger 03/24/2015 at 17:05

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Pretty sure I can't fit inside any Lotuses.

Your boy, BJR > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:07

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Wow I'm great at this! Watch out Auto Match, there's a new car finder in NJ!

misfitmascots > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:08

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Yeah I just remembered the no sunroof stupidity.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:16

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This may be impossible on price...

misfitmascots > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:18

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davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:23

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If not the Boxster Spyder, how about an Elise?

CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/24/2015 at 17:59

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Fine, Factory sun roof... $12,500 V6 5-Speed

Textured Soy Protein > CaptDale - is secretly British 03/25/2015 at 00:11

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No.

Textured Soy Protein > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2015 at 00:12

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I don't really fit inside.

Textured Soy Protein > misfitmascots 03/25/2015 at 00:13

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My impression on the NSX is that prices are going up.

Stephen the Canuck > Textured Soy Protein 03/25/2015 at 00:35

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I believe that hits it out of the park.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Textured Soy Protein 03/25/2015 at 08:42

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I fit (6'1", 225), but it wasn't pretty getting in or out - ha!

Textured Soy Protein > Stephen the Canuck 03/25/2015 at 09:42

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Bleh, I don't really hate any car makers, except for VW/Audi. It's not that I'd never buy one, but it would have to be pretty extraordinary, and well, the TT doesn't strike me as extraordinary except maybe in RS trim.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/25/2015 at 10:53

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They are fun!!

Textured Soy Protein > CaptDale - is secretly British 03/25/2015 at 10:57

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Not my flavor in the slightest.

Stephen the Canuck > Textured Soy Protein 03/25/2015 at 11:36

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The TT RS seems like it would be fun. But other than that it leaves a bit to be desired.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Textured Soy Protein 03/25/2015 at 11:58

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Ah ok, the search continues!

Textured Soy Protein > Stephen the Canuck 03/25/2015 at 14:01

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The TT in general doesn't quite excite me. My dad had an '01 TT Roadster, right when the TT first came out. It was a relatively fun car, until I drove other cars that put it to shame. My '99 Miata I had at the same time with the factory sport suspension and LSD destroyed it in handling. The motor felt deceptively quick and torquey but when you'd get in something with actual top-end power it wasn't really close.

Obviously the RS is a whole different animal from his old 180 hp 1.8T fwd one, but all the TT RSes I can find on Autotrader are coupes, and the coupe doesn't come with a sunroof. I'm not sure if Audi actually brought the TT RS roadster to the US. I'd have a hard time picking it over the Z4 M anyway.

Stephen the Canuck > Textured Soy Protein 03/25/2015 at 18:22

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Fair enough. The first ones look a lot like a Beetle to me. The Z4M would be a good choice.

What about a Miata? Would the Mazdaspeed Miata have enough power? Not sure what their prices are like though.

Textured Soy Protein > Stephen the Canuck 03/25/2015 at 19:00

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I've already had a Miata. It was a '99 10th Anniversary Edition. I tried out the Mazdaspeed when it was new, and it was a bit more powerful but not mind-blowing. For some reason Mazda took out the cruise control on them though. If I went back to a Miata I'd get a loaded-up '01-'05 and get an aftermarket turbo, or swap in a V8. But I'm not sure I feel like doing a project like that.

Stephen the Canuck > Textured Soy Protein 03/25/2015 at 20:52

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See if Flying Miata has one ready to go for you.

I'm out of ideas.

Textured Soy Protein > Stephen the Canuck 03/25/2015 at 22:48

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That's not a terrible idea actually.