Sporty first car under 5K

Looking to narrow down my list to cars with more affordable maintenance costs, but still fun to drive.

E30 Bmws
Rx7
944- Expensive maintenance, Belts and Pumps every 40k.. chicks would love it
Conquest tsi- They look alright, I dont know much about them though.
3000gt vr4- supposibly a PITA to work on and not rear wheel drive.
99 Or newer Mustang - All around 100k miles, which is when they start having major problems
Mr2- Only 2 seats
Miata- Only 2 seats and about as much hp as my bike.
De sol
acura integra
Formula firebird
Trans am
240sx
300zx
honda prelude 5th gen
Honda Prelude 3rd gen 4ws
toyota solara - not that sporty
supra
sc300
sc400
Dsm?

If you are under 25, some of those cars are going to be very expensive to insure.


From your list I'd take either the e30 or the Miata.


Miata may not have much HP, but the light weight makes up for some of that. Tons of mods available if you want to.

RX-7 can be expensive to repair. Fuel economy is terrible too.

3000GT is one of the hardest cars to work on ever built. Only thing close to it would be a Lancia Beta. Don't get either one.

I don't care much for the Mustang. Back when they were new I drove several as Hertz rentals.


The rest I have no opinion on.

Miatas are easy and relatively inexpensive to maintain and a lot of fun to drive.

Yea, but theyre only 2 seats, and im probably going to drive some friends around once in a while...

Originally Posted by jason12345

Yea, but theyre only 2 seats, and im probably going to drive some friends around once in a while...

e30

I had a Lexus SC300 with a 5 speed MT. It was more of a GT car than a sports car but it was a lot of fun to drive, very comfortable and the back seat was usable by adults. In 15 years and 120,000 miles the only repair was the air conditioning compressor.

Originally Posted by jason12345

Yea, but theyre only 2 seats, and im probably going to drive some friends around once in a while...

My first car was an E34, and I drove lots of friends around. If you go with a BMW lmk I know some hookups for BMW service in our area..

Originally Posted by captainaudio

I had a Lexus SC300 with a 5 speed MT. It was more of a GT car than a sports car but it was a lot of fun to drive, very comfortable and the back seat was usable by adults. In 15 years and 120,000 miles the only repair was the air conditioning compressor.

That was basically a non-turbo Supra right?

I drove a turbo Supra once (the newest model), it was pretty awesome.

I've owned 2 300zxs...Not too bad if you can get one in good shape. The thing to look for with them is the injectors. Not so expensive to buy, but a PITA to install. I've also had problems with the power steering pump. All in all though, its a great car to drive.

I'd avoid the Del Sol...my friend had one and it got very poor gas mileage because of the gearing. It was fun to drive, but it felt more cramped than the also tiny 300zx.

I'd also avoid the 3000GT. In the price range you are looking at, the best driver's cars are going to be lightweight with small engines. The 3000GT weighs a ton, and isn't that fast. The parts are more expensive than your other options as well.

Please don't get a mustang. I know its cheap, RWD, has a big engine and is inexpensive to repair. But it's also a Mustang. I know you have better taste than that.

My other friend has an older Prelude Si. That would be a very nice car if you can pick one up in good shape around 5k. Being a Honda, if you are into aftermarket stuff, there's a ton of it out there. The cost and availability of parts is also a plus. (Same goes for the Integra, since it's pretty much a Civic)

My pick out of the cars you listed would be the Miata if you can handle the space constraints. As a driver's car, its a gem. Parts are cheap, they are relatively easy to work on, and it has pretty good aftermarket support.

So i Have it narrowed down to The prelude, and a e36. I Absolutely love the look of the 3rd gen preludes, however a car that old is most likely a pita. e36 would probably be next to the 3rd gen. and then the 5th gen as i don't love the huge front headlights or the interior.

Is the e36 going to be much more expensive to maintain compared to the honda

I know this is a Bimmer forum and all but the Honda is honestly your best bet between those two for a first car at least. Insurance will be much cheaper on the Honda, as well as lower repair and maintenance costs.

But if you end up with a e36 I wouldn't blame you.

Originally Posted by jason12345

So i Have it narrowed down to The prelude, and a e36. I Absolutely love the look of the 3rd gen preludes, however a car that old is most likely a pita. e36 would probably be next to the 3rd gen. and then the 5th gen as i don't love the huge front headlights or the interior.

Is the e36 going to be much more expensive to maintain compared to the honda

Honestly, I'd go with the Honda unless you know how to wrench. Like I said tho, if you live near me I do know some hookups for bmw service

Hmmm... still thinking.... early 924 2.0l Porsche's are supposibly easy to work on and not to expensive to maintain. What would the least expensive bmw to own E30, E34, or E36? And what models/years? What about early hatchback mustangs?

E30!!!!!!!!!!!!
I miss the E30 I had in HS ('87 325e, 70k miles, pristine!)
I want to get a well preserved E30 as my work car now.

My first car was a 1990 240SX. Great car, but I like my Bimmer better. I also had a 99 Miata for a while, an 84 Supra, a pair of 77 (RWD) Celicas...

Weighing insurance, maintenance, and initial cost against just plain fun and joy, the Miata has my vote.

To be brutally honest, though, of the 20+ cars I've owned, the two that best fit that criteria were my '85 Mercedes 190E 5MT and my '92 Nissan Maxima SE (VE30DE, 5-speed). Cheap to insure, easy to maintain, and more fun than anything.

Good luck in your quest!

Originally Posted by DAQman

My first car was a 1990 240SX. Great car, but I like my Bimmer better. I also had a 99 Miata for a while, an 84 Supra, a pair of 77 (RWD) Celicas...

Weighing insurance, maintenance, and initial cost against just plain fun and joy, the Miata has my vote.

To be brutally honest, though, of the 20+ cars I've owned, the two that best fit that criteria were my '85 Mercedes 190E 5MT and my '92 Nissan Maxima SE (VE30DE, 5-speed). Cheap to insure, easy to maintain, and more fun than anything.

Good luck in your quest!

I also like the 240sx however i talked to a few owners 2 out of the 3 said it was a bad idea because of reliability, and tinfoil like body.

Im still unsure about the miata... As even the beat up ones are on the higher side of my budget.
Anyone have any insight on a MR2? I really like the idea of buying something that needs a little repair/ restoration So I can learn how things work and how to repair it. I did this with my motorcycle and it worked out really well for me.

I want either the MR2 or the 3rd gen prelude, hopefully a 91 si 4ws. But Unforchantly I cant find any decent models of either. I found one really nice one and by the time i called it was sold, and ive been checking at least 3 times a day.

Which MR2 model? 1st, 2nd or 3rd gen?

Originally Posted by av98

Which MR2 model? 1st, 2nd or 3rd gen?

I really like the 1st gens as they are less weight. However im sure the girls will love the look of the second gens, and the opening for the engine bay is larger. So currently im looking for both models. I really like the idea of buying one cheap and fixing it. So i can learn about the car and save some money to do a little more with the same amount of money.

A 5th gen Maxima is within your budget, fun to drive, plenty of room. Easy to maintain and it doesn't look outdated... Just a thought. GL

+1 on the 5th gen maxima. I had one for 7 years before buying my BMW. If you can find a 2003 maxima 6 speed, that will get you 0-60 in 5.9 secs. You might be able to find an Infiniti I30/I35 within your range too. Not sure if the G35 is down to $5k used yet.

I also had an MR2, but it was a 3rd gen, so not the same. That car over steered like crazy but was a blast. It felt a bit flimsy though, couldn't get past the body shake and the wind noise at high speeds.

I've always wanted an MR2 but everyone I've known with a rear-engine car said they'd never do it again.

Have you thought about a front engine Porsche like a 924? Or what about a mkI GTI?

Originally Posted by DAQman

I've always wanted an MR2 but everyone I've known with a rear-engine car said they'd never do it again.

Have you thought about a front engine Porsche like a 924? Or what about a mkI GTI?

I think i have decided on either a 89+ e30, or a 240sx hatch... now if only I could find one... Im also interested in an e34... How are they on ownership cost?

I know you said no to the Miata but I strongly advise you to go drive one. I own a 1997 Miata and love it and for 5k you can get one in great shape. I paid 4900 for mine with 61000 miles on it and in perfect condition. Go take one around a couple of corners and you will fall in love

Originally Posted by jason12345

I think i have decided on either a 89+ e30, or a 240sx hatch... now if only I could find one... Im also interested in an e34... How are they on ownership cost?

E34 could be expensive if it's a V8 or M5. I love the E34, especially the 3.0 and 4.0L V8s, but you probably won't find them very sporty, they'll probably be rattley and flaccid at this age.