What car for me? (yeah, another one of these)

Must haves: Manual transmission, ability to seat 4 for short trips in relative comfort (taking people out to lunch, etc...), usable trunk, fun to drive, under $25,000. I'd like it to be new so I can get a better finance rate, so cars that currently offer killer finance or lease deals get extra points. Can't be too flashy either. I already think an e39 M5 would be perfect, however, visiting clients in a car that was $80,000 new doesn't send the right message. Gas mileage isn't really an issue since I don't pay for it (not while I'm on the road for business anyway, which is 90% of my driving) but I don't want anything that gets 9mpg on the highway.

My short list:

Civic Si sedan. Already test drove an 08 and loved it. 200hp, 8k rpm, slick 6 speed, great seats, pedestrian civic sedan looks to fly under police radar. "why no officer, I couldn't have been going 120mph. This is a civic"

Mazdaspeed 3. Haven't driven one yet since the only mazda dealer left in town sucks and doesn't get mazdaspeed cars. I also had a terrible warranty experience there with my p5 so getting any service on one of these would involve driving an hour to the next closest dealer. The internet tells tales of failed turbo seals, smoke at idle, bad motor mounts, and horrible dealer experiences.

VW GTI 4 door. Haven't driven this yet either, but I did drive an 03 1.8t golf before I bought my p5 and loved it. The DSG transmission intrigues me as well. I do have worries about VW reliability, especially with a super complex trans.

If they made one I'd also be interested in a Cobalt SS turbo sedan. Way to go chevy. I might check out the HHR SS, but I'm not big on the styling.

Ok, what did I miss?

Volvo S40? If you can find one with a manual, you might be able to meet your budget; the general public all want automatics.

all of the mazdaspeed3 issues have been fixed with recalls and model year revisions(the turbo seals and smoke at idle are the same issue, btw). also the 08.5 got a slight updating, with piano black trim instead of brushed aluminum, and the leather seats get alcantara instead of cloth inserts. its also part of their 10 model push or whatever they're calling it going on right now. dealer experience is hit or miss, and seems to be down to whether or not the service dept. manager is a shiny happy person or not

I'd say sentra but the new ones look kinda goofy to me.

wrx?

ding ding ding!!!

I'd say Civic but then I'm biased, I've never driven any of the others and all my cars have been sub $1k beaters.

I got to drive one for about 2.5 hrs on the highway and 10 minutes of time on-course at a rallycross this past weekend and it was amazing.

Headroom in the back is a little tight for me at 6' if that matters at all.

Since gas isn't an issue, pay a little more and get a Pontiac G8 GT, V8, Stick, 360Hp, Sedan, Leather, etc etc, etc...

I don't know where you live, but near me (Tn.) and near my folks (NE Pa./SE N.Y.) dealers have MS3s. Some are all but swimming in them. I'm assuming you've gone to MazdaUSA.com and done an inventory search.

I have owned several Honda products, so I'm a bit biased, but if any car MIGHT get me away from the big "H" it's Mazda.

Test drove the GTI at lunch. Much nicer interior than the civic IMO. Also, the DSG trans is pretty awesome, except that in manual mode it'll still shift for you at redline and downshift if you floor it, which makes it not all that manual in my opinion. It is, however, the only automatic vehicle I've ever enjoyed driving. Also, $1k under msrp (without any negotiation) and 0% for 60 months. I may end up getting one of these. They lowballed the crap out of me on my p5. $4,700 lolz. Oh, and the launch control is pretty cool. Manual mode, traction control off, hold the brake and floor it. Car revs to ~3k. Let off the brake and do a huge smokey burnout.

I hate the way the new WRX looks so it's out. Same for the Sentra SER.

The G8 isn't available with a manual transmission as far as I can tell from pontiac.com and it's a bit more than I'd like to spend.

On the S40. I have one and love it. Or rather, the wife always drives it and she loves it. I like it alot on the rare occasions I drive it.

The good: It's built like a tank. Very nice quality and good value. I prefer the handling to the Mazda 3 it shares a basic platform with (haven't driven the MS3). You should be able to get a nicely equipped manual car for a bit less than 25k no problem. I did.

The bad: It's heavy. The 2.4 works to move it's lard ass around, and gas mileage isn't anything to write home about. Still, I like the safety and comfort over the Honda (or at least the perception), and think it's way better built than the VW.

If I were shopping today, though, I'd probably take a hard look at the MS3.

what about a regular legacy? or an acura TSX(used to be under 25K.. I dunno where they are now...)

you used to be able to find the Evo RS or was it MR for $25k if you looked.. The stripped down one..

I think you're in Audi A3 teritory as well.. You are.. MSRP for a 6spd 2.0T is $25k... but its like a slightly bigger GTI....

edit.. OK scratch the TSX.. it starts at 28k

I had already thought about the TSX, it's a little to expensive and the buck tooth grill is a little, uh, strange. I drove my aunt in law's 05 TSX auto when she bought it and was completely underwhelmed by the power. That car really needs the rockin v6 from the accord.

Looks like I'll be driving to Cincinnati to drive a MS3 in the near future.

The EVO starts at $32,900. Well over my budget and completely stupid for a tarted up lancer IMO. A quick autotrader search shows most new Evos in my area going for close to $40k.

Plain jane Mazda 3 sedan or wagon with the regular 2.3? I know there is no Cobalt SS Sedan but you can get an 'SS' package on the Cobalt Sedan with the 2.4 n/a motor that is in the Solstice, SS suspension and 17 inch wheels...

Mini Clubman S for $24k stripped

thats really outside the box though..

The cheap evo was the RS like 2006 era.. Guess I'm old.. It had no A/C or radio.. but it was fast as balllllllllzzz

skruffy wrote: The G8 isn't available with a manual transmission as far as I can tell from pontiac.com and it's a bit more than I'd like to spend.

Not till the 09 models roll out with the LS3 & 6 speed for under 30k, 400HP instead of the weak 360 it gets now ;)

Well, my priorities have changed a bit. We decided to hire a guy that's done sales before (and lives near the territory), so I'm back to project manager. I suck at sales anyway, and it still pays the same, and I get to keep my computer service business running

What does it all mean? I don't have to drive a billion miles a day, customers don't see my car, and it no longer needs to be new and under warranty. The new list o' cars skruffy wants goes as follows:

E39 M5. Prices on these have dropped considerably since I looked at them last. Examples with under 100k are going for slghtly less than $20k, low mile cars are in the mid 20s. Pre-bangle looks, 400hp, 6 speed, awesome interior. I do all my own maintenance and BMWs don't scare me. Parts are expensive though.

LS2 GTO. M5 minus the rear doors. Similar pricing.

Keep the p5 and get a bike. I've been playing with a friends Ninja 250 and it really brought back my teenage desire for 2-wheeled death machines. Local Kawi dealer has an 06 Ninja 500 for $3,900 with 3k miles. They managed to drop it in their parking lot and scuff up the lower fairings and brake pedal a bit, but otherwise it's perfect. My wife isn't to fond of this idea but you can't argue with 0-60 in 4 seconds and 60 mpg. Add in a few hundred for gear and it's still cheaper than buying a sports car. I'd still have to drive the p5 on trips (we rarely fly for vacationing purposes) instead of being coddled in a bunch of dead cows and lots of horsepowers in the M5. Rain and snow would be a bit of a problem too. And I'd have helmet hair and the constant threat of death at the hands of some old woman in a buick that wasn't paying attention.

I'm still thinking about something new, but I'd rather buy at the middle/bottom of a vehicles depreciation curve rather than the top. Anyone with a M5, GTO, or Ninja care to give me some feedback?

Miata with a rumble seat and a trailer.

you can still find lightly used ms3's for about the same price as a high miles E39 M5, fast, and handles like the p5

CPO E46 330i? Fast, not flashy, manual, decent financing rates thru BMW or any credit union, hauls four to lunch nicely, 4 golf bag trunk, and even though the gas is free... 24/27 is pretty guilt free.

Can't argue with the GTO except on looks. The M5 is awesome. Also consider the 540i sport - manual tranny and m class suspension without the price premium. Disregard the 540ia as that's automatic.

If you can live without back seats, since you're not driving clients around, consider a used 'vette. You can find c5's in good shape for $25k and I've seen 2005 C6's for $30k. I drove a c6 for the first time last weekend (put a hundred+ miles on it in the desert) and it was a really impressive car. Docile around town and an absolute beast at WOT. (But still very controlled.) Nowhere near the finish level of the BMW but a lot faster and much, much better gas mileage. (21-28mpg including blasts up to 110mph.)

There are just so many good cars out there nowadays that it's almost impossible to nail down a choice.

RX-8 (stretch on the seats 4 comfortably), used is300 (AMAZING cars)

RX-8: seconded.

RX-8 are fun to

If you can get past the long-throw shifter, handbrake in the right side of the tunnel, & dismal around-town fuel economy then the GTO is a great choice.

If you want a bike then I would suggest a Suzuki DL650 V-Strom (a/k/a Wee-Strom).