[Donatello.]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

How about a 996 turbo. Very unpopular due to the fried egg headlights.

And fine. Then how about V8 swap a base Miata.

Or buy a base Carrera and V8 swap that. I considered this option for quite some time. You can get 997.1 base carreras on the cheap.

I am not going to spend the $ to V8 swap a Miata.

I am talking 80s-90s whale tail turbo Porsche, not a 996

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Agreed with you on most points. But if you want low cost of entry on a turbo 911 it's basically down to 996 generation cars at this point. OP mentioned being potentially interested in a turbo. So yeah.

New carreras are plenty spendy on their own and I'm not a fan of the turbo 6s. I'd steer clear unless it's a desired substance. Stick with turbo I6 from BMW or look elsewhere.

Reality is, nothing BMW makes really competes with 911.

The cheapest 911 with a turbo badge doesn't mean a damn to me. Don't buy tmfor the badge, but maybe 911 people do.

Like I said, of they were 40-50k with a stick, ok, makes sense. But above 60 or 70k, you're getting into 991.2 price range, which is the better car in every way.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Donatello.

I am not going to spend the $ to V8 swap a Miata.

I am talking 80s-90s whale tail turbo Porsche, not a 996

Oh, so you're talking $200k cars lol.

[Donatello.]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

Oh, so you're talking $200k cars lol.

Hard pass LOL

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Donatello.

Hard pass LOL

Admittedly I haven't been watching 930 turbo prices, but it sure seems like 993 turbos are like, basically 200k, lol.

[Mavus]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...911-turbo-161/

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Mavus

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...911-turbo-161/

Quarter million dollars and they couldn't even fix rock chips on the front end, lol.

[Davil]

Originally Posted by Bumpinjeep

I would go Aston Martin for a touch of class and throw in an exhaust and wheels.

Believe me you don’t want to change the exhaust.

Just make sure you buy one of the later models which should have the S back box along with a load of other improvements. Then de-cat the secondaries which are not needed to pass emissions.

My MY18 AMR is the same model as this with the Quicksilver mod. Some days I think it is too loud. Other days I think it is music from the gods. Usually the latter.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-jWBLwswFzA

[MJBO]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

Quarter million dollars and they couldn't even fix rock chips on the front end, lol.

“Patina”

[Donatello.]

Maybe I should instead just find a fun beater to replace the 6, but what? AWD is preferred. The used Elantra N market is still more than I'd pay.

[Alfisti]

The answer here is usually Golf R

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Donatello.

Maybe I should instead just find a fun beater to replace the 6, but what? AWD is preferred. The used Elantra N market is still more than I'd pay.

The most fun beater I've ever had a was a R53 mini Cooper S. Tiny little supercharged puppy that had a surprisingly nice interior and a spacious front seat. I dunno if the newer ones are AWD or if you have to step up to a countryman for that. I went out with a girl a few times who had a countryman S. It was fun for what it was, but not as funny as the R53 (which I had much later). That girl was nuts, but a lot of fun. She and her girls snuck me and my buddies in the back door of a club that was at capacity. Going places with her sucked cuz she was a townie who knew everyone, and I was always the odd man out. She also was on the loan for her ex's truck. She was fun but not wife material at all.

I also had a last gen WRX STI, that was a GREAT driving car. Steering was fantastic, engine had a lot of character, but it wasnt that fast, wasn't great on gas, and had no power out of boost. Definitely the ultimate daily driver if you might have to deal with messy winter roads though. I miss that car more than I should.

[Mavus]

Originally Posted by Donatello.

Maybe I should instead just find a fun beater to replace the 6, but what? AWD is preferred. The used Elantra N market is still more than I'd pay.

maybe e30 325ix and mod it any way you want

[Alfisti]

I still think the E86 is OUTSTANDING value, I am half considering selling the 997 and going Z4 drop top of that generation.

[BlkGS]

As much as I hate to admit it, the first gen Z4 was always a really well built car. Not fast, but engaging. Good chassis, and quick on its feet, and everything always felt nice in them. Really spectacular build quality in them.

But every performance metric they got walloped by even a base C5 Corvette or late C4, let alone a C6 of its vintage, but that's the price you pay for a well built "thrill of driving" roadster vs a full on performance car.

[pbonsalb]

An E9x M3 is a reasonably priced ($20k on up) fun car available with manual or DCT. I had one for 10 years and liked it.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Donatello.

I am not going to spend the $ to V8 swap a Miata.

I am talking 80s-90s whale tail turbo Porsche, not a 996

That's a 930 then
You can find them for sub 100k but they'll be in rough shape or you'll have to settle for something super basic.

saw a nice one go for 225k the other day

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

But every performance metric they got walloped by even a base C5 Corvette or late C4, let alone a C6 of its vintage, but that's the price you pay for a well built "thrill of driving" roadster vs a full on performance car.

Completely different cars, the vette is like twice the size. A Z4M packs a decent punch from a overly straight 6 and is inherently fun to drive.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Completely different cars, the vette is like twice the size. A Z4M packs a decent punch from a overly straight 6 and is inherently fun to drive.

Different in size and focus to a car guy, sure. The Vette is a foot and a half longer but similar in width and height. Significantly more powerful and grippy though.

The Z4 is more like a Miata or a Triumph, but for the same money you're going to get way more thrills out of a Corvette unless you're into not going fast but feeling like you're using up all of a car that never feels fast.

[Alfisti]

See i'd never consider a vette for the street vs a Z4M.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

See i'd never consider a vette for the street vs a Z4M.

Why not? It's like getting a 911 for Z4 money. Plus no risk of rust.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

As much as I hate to admit it, the first gen Z4 was always a really well built car. Not fast, but engaging. Good chassis, and quick on its feet, and everything always felt nice in them. Really spectacular build quality in them.

But every performance metric they got walloped by even a base C5 Corvette or late C4, let alone a C6 of its vintage, but that's the price you pay for a well built "thrill of driving" roadster vs a full on performance car.

Well said. I feel like the "thrill of driving" has been largely lost to which car has the best acceleration, power, and lap stats and also at the expense of lots of refinement and over .

There is really something to be said for a car that you somewhat safely hustle at 7/10ths+ on a B road and even have fun on your 3 mile jaunt to grab a coffee at legal speeds while mildly driving a bit like an a-hole. If every time you get in the car, the drive is an "experience" then you know you've found the right car, IMO.