Yet another which car thread - Best Sporty Daily Under 8k?

I've been keeping an eye out for a new daily for a long time, but I just haven't found the right car. I currently have a 2012 Mazda3 with an auto, and it's a great car, but I drive a lot and I would just enjoy something a little more... sporting. I don't need anything for the track, I just want something that looks sort of nice and is reasonably fun, and decently reliable with maintenance. 2 seats is totally fine, 99% of the time I just have one or two people in the car. My hope is to get something under 8k so that my out of pocket expense isn't terrible after I sell the Mazda3. Also, I'm too tall for a Miata (the only reason I fit in mine is because it has no roof).

Best I can think of off the top of my head is a 986 Boxster, but I haven't found a good one in my price range in my area (Western NC / Upstate SC / Eastern TN), though I keep looking pretty consistently.

350Z has a bit more power, but compared to the 986 the interior isn't the best to live with.

BMW E90/E82 chassis.  They are hella fun, especially with the 6spd.  The N52 engine is very reliable presuming you take care of it.  My daily is a 128i 6spd and it's one of my favorite daily drivers ever...and I've had a ton.

Maybe one of the last years of the Saab 9-3. A tune can really wake them up. They can be found with a 6 speed and xwd. 

Mazdaspeed3

Corolla XRS hatch MT

An Audi A4 is a terrible idea, right?

AMiataCalledSteve said:

An Audi A4 is a terrible idea, right?

From a reliability standpoint, yes.  From a fun to drive standpoint, no.

Get yourself another Mazda3, with a "big block" and a stick.  Do Konis, springs, a rear swaybar and some nice tires (and maybe wheels)--then get a cat-back.  As FWD goes, it's a fantastic platform with a ton of potential. that fits you.

AMiataCalledSteve said:

An Audi A4 is a terrible idea, right?

Yea, my dad had a 2004 (B6) for about a year and a half, and it was a pain to keep running. It had a hood latch cable go bad twice and we have a 2006 WRX that was in an accident that needed a front headlight, radiator and hood. It took more work to replace one hood latch cable then to do the entire WRX accident repair. So yes an Audi A4 is a bad idea.

A quick scan of my local marketplace shows that $8k is the bottom of the Fiesta ST/Focus ST market

An e90, as SKJSS noted, would be great. And here is a great option local to me. Manual and has the much better sport seats. To be clear, it isn't mine, but I'd be happy to check it out for you.

BMW 330i - $8,500 (Gainesville)

Selling metalic painted bmw with leather full power 6 speed Manual fun to drive V6 3.0liter engine. Sunroof rims and tires fully loaded. Low miles 93k!

In reply to STM317 :

FiST is a fun track car, with 2 caveats:

If you run more than stock boost, it WILL overheat on track. Sometimes they run hot on a completely stock tune

The oddball bolt pattern really limits your wheel selection, and there aren't a lot of track capable brake pads available. 

In reply to calteg :

OP's looking for a sporty daily driver, not a track car

In reply to dyintorace :

I appreciate that, the car looks really nice but I don't think I can get all the way down to Florida any time soon. I'll have to find one of those for sale locally to test drive, at the very least.

I wonder if any unmolested Mazdaspeed6s still exist?

AMiataCalledSteve said:

I wonder if any unmolested Mazdaspeed6s still exist?

I have no direct experience but its my feeling that Mazda's 2.3t and it associated awd were not exactly the pinnacle of reliability. 

In reply to John Welsh :

A quick scan of marketplace confirms your suspicions lol

AMiataCalledSteve said:

I wonder if any unmolested Mazdaspeed6s still exist?

They do, however, not for 8K. 

My second gen MS3 was fantastic and very reliable. My standards are much higher than most GRM member "bmw reliability."  I paid 15K for my MS3, drove it 110K miles, and sold it for 13K. Completely stock car.  Typical MS3 demographic leaves a lot to be desired....

98-02 Camaro/Firebird V6 manual.

Nice ones are around 5k and will get 30mpg hwy. Maintinance is easy, parts are cheap. Decent tires and sway bars will make it handle without killing the ride.  

LS powered cars are in your 8k range too, but will be high milage or need work.

8th gen Civic Si

There's an EP3 Civic Si in Charlotte for only $4500 I saw on CL. Use the leftover money for upgrades?

In reply to CyberEric :

I always forget about the EP3

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/d/charlotte-2003-honda-civic-si/7580227983.html

I assume this is the one you were thinking of?

TSX?

In reply to AMiataCalledSteve :

Sporty commuter car...

How about a 2011 Mustang V6 w/ 6 speed manual?  I say 2011 to 2014.  For 2015 the body was updated to what it is currently and that will cost more being "current body."  

For 2010 the V8 was 300hp and the V6 was 200hp.   For 2011 the new Cyclone V6 engine was the 3.7L rated at 300hp and the new Coyote V8 was 400 hp.  

Net result is the often "looked down upon" Mustangs with V6 put out what the previous year's V8 put out.  On top of that, the new V6 is rated for 30 mpg hyw!  

So, if you seek a 2011 Mustang V6, there might be some deals because of the older body but you still get the good engine.  I've personally thought that one of these would make a great commuter car.  The 300hp is more than adequate for street driving and should keep you out of the insanity zone that 400hp could be.  The ability to add suspension and brakes is unlimited.  The 30 mpg hyw ain't bad either!  

None really near you but here are some dealership samples (that represent the high end of the pricing.)

61k @ $15k

96k @$10k

2012 w/ 88k @ $11k

Sort of rough on a corner car lot but in Augusta, SC '12 w/155k @ $8k.  Tires so new they still have stickers (but probably some no-namer brand like car lots often put on cars.)

Rebuilt in TN '12 w/ 116k @$8.5k

In reply to AMiataCalledSteve :

Yep! Some people hate them but I hear they can be pretty sweet with the right upgrades. That one has 136k. Seems like a good deal.