What sports car?

racerdave600 wrote: Honestly I don't know. He took it in on trade for work on a race car. His plans were to give it to his son who will be driving soon, but the ex wife I think has vetoed that idea. It looks decent from what I've seen. I can ask if you are interested.

I just dropped my car off at his shop. I will ask him when I pick it up.

Swank Force One wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: FC RX-7, MKIII Supra and 944 and I am assuming any 'Vettes in that price range are probably older then I want right now. '90s Camaro might be an option. Never driven one. S197 is a flexible flyer as a convertible. S2000 is too expensive. Forgot to put in the OP I am thinking about an open-top car.

Make sure you spend some time in a convertible first. I paid a significant amount over $10k to learn that i berkeleying hated convertibles.

There you go. Different strokes for different folks. The only thing I didn't like about 240Zs and my CRX Si was they didn't have soft tops!

It sounds like you want a Z3 so my suggestion is to go look at one. Maintenance is very DIY friendly, and you'll find plenty of info on the web. Go-fast parts are not as readily available as they are for your SI or a Miata, but there is still some aftermarket and worthwhile bolt-ons.

You want a six cylinder be it a M52 or M54 car if you can afford one. The M54 cars were only available from 2001 on. If you get an M52 powered car; an M50 intake manifold swap should be put on your short list for modifications. As far as weak points there are not very many which are model specific. Listen to the front of the head for VANOS or timing chain rattle. I'm pretty certain that any M car will be out of your price range.

Petrolburner wrote: C4 can be had in that price range, either a legit convertible or the standard targa top. Downside is you have to use a ratchet and socket to remove 4 bolts or nuts to pull the top off. I don't know if the c4 is designed to stow the top securely in the trunk the way the C5 and C6 are. It has been mentioned before, and I agree, that the Corvette is one of the few cars that looks good in both the vert and hardtop format. From reading Vorshlag's Danger Zone build, it sounds like the 92 and up versions have a much better motor. I'm not that well versed in the C4.

It is. The top comes off in under a minute once you've done it a few times

Buy this, right here from GRM

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/open-classifieds/1998-bmw-z3-28l-9000/100185/page1/

The Z4 had rear suspension issues if I recall correctly

Miatas are sooo cheap and they are every where. Maybe I should just suck it up and go Miata.

It looks like G35's are in your price range now: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=19030&endYear=2016&modelCode1=G35&showcaseOwnerId=790790&startYear=1981&makeCode1=INFIN&transmissionCode=MAN&transmissionCodes=MAN&searchRadius=0&maxPrice=5000&mmt=%5BINFIN%5BG35%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&listingId=395931948&Log=0

93EXCivic wrote: Miatas are sooo cheap and they are every where. Maybe I should just suck it up and go Miata.

A little higher than you budget, but drive a NC.

If you test drive a Camaro, check out a 4th gen first.

The chassis is stiffer than the third gen, so it rides and handles better, even though it's still average, maybe a little above average.

If you pick the answer, a Corbeau or Sparco racing seat will help you fit in it.

Just some oddball throw outs. Too expensive?

http://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=146379&st=0 One just sold for $7500

http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72455

How strict are the licencing laws where you are?
2 seat
Convertible
Soft top
Under $4K

OK, here's an off the wall suggestion.

The MGF is 'cheap as chips' in the UK, old enough to be depreciated fully, new enough not to be a classic.

You can pick them up all day long for under $3K USD and then spend $2K USD on importing one.

More seriously. I"d be very hesitant of a $5K C4 Corvette unless the market is very different from SE Michigan. Any $5K C4 is going to need $1-2K in new bushings, seals, shocks etc to be an acceptable DD up here. Really I can't see your shopping starting or stopping anywhere but the best late NA or early NB you can find for $5K. Lot's of cars have depreciated to $5K, but most cars in that range are well into deferred and ignored maintinance territory by then and will need $$"s and time to bring up to what I would accept for a DD. Miata's wear better, are cheaper to buy parts for and easier to work on than just about anything under the sun, so a defered maintinance Miata is easier to make perfect than most other cars.

C4's eat window seals and bushings plus are rattle traps even when new. this is not a criticism, I love C4's, they are the car that made me stop hating automatics. An L98 with an auto behind it is a wonderful set up, lots and lots of fun and feels way faster than it really is due to it's low end stump pulling torque (let's please not get back into the torque Vs Hp conversation again)

Any soft top Camaro or Mustang will have the structural integrity of an over cooked noodle in this price range, although parts are dirt cheap and they are easy to work on. Skuttle shake will be measured in inches. Unlike the Miata a ripped soft top is neither cheap nor easy to replace.

Z3's are likely to be beat to death, they seem to have held value over the last couple of years and your are smoking crack if you think you are going to get an S52 or S54 model in anything other than parts car condition for $5K. Any base model Z3, while being great cars, you are imidiatly going to have to do the complete cooling system and probably shocks and upper mounts (I dont' mean welding up cracks here)

I may be fussier than some, but I don't see stepping into many $5K sports cars that are DD quality outside a Miata.

I'm not sure even in our laxed title laws of Alabama that you could get the MG registered, but it would be fun. C4's here are dirt cheap and everywhere, but I agree on the Miata statement. There's not much that compares in the price range and DD-ability. The consumables on the C4 probably would equal the entire purchase price of the Miata in two years.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: How strict are the licencing laws where you are? 2 seat Convertible Soft top Under $4K Really I can't see your shopping starting or stopping anywhere but the best late NA or early NB you can find for $5K. Lot's of cars have depreciated to $5K, but most cars in that range are well into deferred and ignored maintinance territory by then and will need $$"s and time to bring up to what I would accept for a DD. Miata's wear better, are cheaper to buy parts for and easier to work on than just about anything under the sun, so a defered maintinance Miata is easier to make perfect than most other cars. Z3's are likely to be beat to death, they seem to have held value over the last couple of years and your are smoking crack if you think you are going to get an S52 or S54 model in anything other than parts car condition for $5K. Any base model Z3, while being great cars, you are imidiatly going to have to do the complete cooling system and probably shocks and upper mounts (I dont' mean welding up cracks here) I may be fussier than some, but I don't see stepping into many $5K sports cars that are DD quality outside a Miata.

I am sure I could register a MGF in Alabama but it isn't federally legal yet and I don't want to deal with possible problems with that. Plus getting parts would be a major pain.

I have a feeling a Miata is going to be the best choice. I am going to try to find someone local who has a Miata with a foamectomy to sit in.

I agree on Z3. I was thinking base model but I am aware of the cooling system problems.

Honestly any car in that price range is probably going to need work when I buy it.