Need new daily driver

Okay, first things first. This is my first post although I've subscribed to GRM for many many years (10 maybe). The reason I'm posting is because for one of the few times in my life I'm lost as to what to buy. My definition of DD is not my Jeep Grand Cherokee, but a sports car. I've owned alot of cars in my life and the sports cars I've owned have included an Alfa Romeo Duetto, 6 Sunbeam Tigers and Alpines, an Austin Healy, 3 lotus Elans (2 old S2's and one new M100), and 2 Miatas. Why I don't own one of those now is a very long story. Of the cars I've owned, the Miatas were the most fun in terms of modifiying, and driving on an everyday basis.

As my screen name says I live in Tahoe and commute 130 miles round trip to work everyday through some of the best mountain roads in this part of the country. I could make it easy on myself and get another Miata, but I'm not stuck on any one brand. I can only drive what ever I buy about 8 months a year because where I live still has 2-3 feet of snow so not all the roads are clear of snow and ice yet.

So my list includes, but isn't limited to: 1. Miata ('90-'96) because I like the first years. 2. S2000, because I've driven a couple and love them. 3. '93 Porsche RS America. Okay your prabably wondering where this one came from. It's because I think it would be a great car that I can afford to buy, but not sure I can afford the maintainance. (I've already found one) 4. Give me some more choices!

One more thing. I'm very busy but will find time for an occational track day.

First of all, its 90-97 miatas. Just FYI.

Second of all, if you ask anyone here about what car to buy with your requirements, they're gonna tell you Miata, or BMW E30. Sounds like you'd want a Miata.

What about a Boxter?

I'd also be interested in the answers to this question, given that I'm supposed to go up to Tahoe for a job interview at the end of this month .

That aside, the 964 RS America is still a pretty basic aircooled 911 and as such a little quirky but not massively complicated to service. As long as you have triple-jointed arms to get at some of the fiddly bits, that is.

Parts prices aside (and potential grief with oil leaks - do these have the crank case centre gasket or not?), they've got fairly long service intervals for such an old car and I don't find my 911 too bad for service costs.

Oh, and another potential choice - what about a Corvette C4 (ZR1?) or a C5 Z06?

I use my S2000 as a part time DD and love it. I get 28-29 mpg and have had 0 reliabilty problems. Plus it's a blast in the twisties.

For a combo of sporting and some communting nice-etties, I think maybe a M-Coupe or Z4-Coupe.

Is there a price cap?
How hooked are you on the idea of a convertable?
What is the likelyhood that you would communte with the top down?

I like these BMW coupes better than their convertable counterparts. My attraction to the coupes comes from the fact that they are not the common car and filled with far less possers. Even the none M-versions are still cool little fun cars. Sport and some utility all in one tidy package.

For me, in my 40's, my '90 Miata is a crude form of transportation. Though it is great shape, it is a bit spartan. For my communting, I am on the phone often. With top up, it is just loud, with top down a phone conversation is pretty much out of the question. My '87 BMW 325is does not sufffer from these same faults of noise; my '95 Volvo wagon even less so.
I will not get rid of my Miata and I find it more fun than anything I own but if I "had to" drive it every day, the attraction would wear off.

6-spd LT1 or LT4 C4.

In reply to jrw1621:

Great response so far. I did know Miatas were through '97 just a brain fart. I'm not stuck on a converatble at all. As a matter of fact if I got one I'd get a hardtop and never take it off. I had thought about an M-coupe and it's very appealing. I'd put a price limit of $35k on whatever I buy, but if I can buy for less it gives me more for modifications. I really like the RS America because I don't need leather or sunroof or rear seats, etc. and it has great performance as it sits for my type of commuting.

Anything else I've missed besides BMW's

Tahoe wrote:

One more thing. I'm very busy but will find time for an occational track day.

I did not see this. It adds some additional elements.
Size requirements: Now we are talking about a car that you can fit into with a helmet. Would you be willing to modify/change the drivers seat?
Soft top exclusions: Some tracks will not allow convertables without full cage.

p71

Oh yea and the Corvettes. I did check a couple out, but they were not in the greatest shape, however there are a ton of them out there so findin g the right one should be easy.

At 35k - you've got a pile of options with bmw - m coupes/roadsters, m3s, z4s, m5s, corvette - that should be in C5 - perhaps c6 territory, newer boxsters, perhaps caymans, lotus elise (perhaps a little harsh as a daily 130 mi commuter), that's a new s2000 or 370z - any hints what you really want - 4 seats, 2 seats, coupe, ragtop - features??? Comfort - hard-core. Mainstream - does it have to work all the time - willing to go exotic or with something like a conversion?

For $35k you can get a loaded brand new Miata with the awesomest retractable hardtop out there AND still have a decent trunk. Probably still have some change for the Mazdaspeed sways and springs they should all come with. Then you'll have the best of all worlds

For that money, you can get a C-5 ZO6 AND an early miata.

http://forums.fourtitude.com/zerothread?id=4714278

oldtin wrote: At 35k - you've got a pile of options with bmw - m coupes/roadsters, m3s, z4s, m5s, corvette - that should be in C5 - perhaps c6 territory, newer boxsters, perhaps caymans, lotus elise (perhaps a little harsh as a daily 130 mi commuter), that's a new s2000 or 370z - any hints what you really want - 4 seats, 2 seats, coupe, ragtop - features??? Comfort - hard-core. Mainstream - does it have to work all the time - willing to go exotic or with something like a conversion?

35k should buy alot. I'm leaning towards a coupe. Only need 2 seats and honestly the only creature comforts I need are a good heater and A/C and a radio. I don't like mainstream too much, I already have a Jeep CJ 7 for off road, Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Subaru. I can live just fine with commuting in the Jeep or Subaru but my wife never gets out the Subaru, and the Jeep GC isn't very inspiring, but good in snow. I really like the RS America or BMW Coupe idea. I'm less likely to get the Miata or S2000 because of the lack of room but I do like them alot. Love the Elise and have driven one, but too small for my frame size. Whatever I get needs to be reliable, somewhat comfortable. I'm trying real hard to talk myself into the RS America, but it eats up my entire budget. and real worried about expensive repairs in a year or 2. I've heard alot of stories about very expensive repairs and that worries me.

Also, Vipers are getting cheap-ish. Although highly impractical.

Don't pay too much of a premium for an RS america. It's not all that much more than a stripped C2. Many of them didn't have factory air or radios, and that would sort of suck on a 100+ mile commute. Really, a C2 with the M030 sport package is the same car with more options and back seats.

One of my customers had one. It had factory air, radio, and a sunroof. Sort of defeats the purpose IMO. It did eventually become a dedicated (and gorgeous) race car though.

$35k also gets you pretty close to a 996tt.

mtn wrote: Also, Vipers are getting cheap-ish. Although highly impractical.

130 Mile commute will make that a very expensive purchase.

What about an Acura NSX? You can find them for your budget (and less, if you keep looking) and it should tick all the boxes, too.

I'd get that Porsche.

skruffy wrote: Don't pay too much of a premium for an RS america. It's not all that much more than a stripped C2. Many of them didn't have factory air or radios, and that would sort of suck on a 100+ mile commute. Really, a C2 with the M030 sport package is the same car with more options and back seats. One of my customers had one. It had factory air, radio, and a sunroof. Sort of defeats the purpose IMO. It did eventually become a dedicated (and gorgeous) race car though.

Yes the RSA has the M030 sport package, but no power steering, a fixed wing instead of the motorized one, and the other weight saving stuff. I don't need or want a rear seat. The one I looked at has only a Limited Slip and A/C as options and the owner added a radio with CD changer. The RSA's are about 100 lbs lighter than a C2 in the same configuration.

Boxster with toasted motor - do the 996/3.6 conversion. Nicely balanced chassis that can handle more power. 996 engine fixes that. Or decent boxster - drive it till it goes, then do heart transplant. RS America always irritated me in paying a premium for less stuff - strip a c2 and call it an RS Tahoe

oldtin wrote: Boxster with toasted motor - do the 996/3.6 conversion. Nicely balanced chassis that can handle more power. 996 engine fixes that. Or decent boxster - drive it till it goes, then do heart transplant. RS America always irritated me in paying a premium for less stuff - strip a c2 and call it an RS Tahoe

I Love it!

CRX and then a K20 engine swap with a supercharger.

MONSTER.