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John Welsh
John Welsh Mod Squad
1/26/23 8:03 p.m.

I too like the EP3 but be sure to notice the light side scraps at both passenger side front and passenger side rear.  Heavier scraping on driver's side.  

SEADave
SEADave Dork
1/27/23 12:17 a.m.
John Welsh said:

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

 

I like the way you think.  The 3.7 S197.2's are under appreciated and plus I think they look better than the S550.  If you go down that road you can also look at 6-speed 3.6 Camaros.  In 2012 they got a little more power but more importantly a less failure prone timing chain.  In either case you will need to be looking at higher mile cars to get into the OP's price range but I think prices are coming down.  

mr2s2000elise
mr2s2000elise UberDork
1/28/23 4:43 p.m.

not gonna be cheap

but someone was looking for ms6 

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3yWBOGGa/2006-mazdaspeed6

Tk8398
Tk8398 HalfDork
1/29/23 5:48 a.m.

I have a Boxster and I have been mostly daily driving it lately, I think paying even $8k for one seems high though.  It's kinda fun but also very cheap feeling and has a lot of very weird decisions made in the design of the car.

AMiataCalledSteve
AMiataCalledSteve Reader
1/29/23 2:54 p.m.

In reply to Tk8398 :

I'd be curious to hear of your experiences dailying a Boxster. I went to look at a one yesterday, it was non-runner and an auto, so I knew I wasn't going to buy it, I just wanted to make sure I fit in it since I have a long torso. I did, and I liked the way it looked and the interior felt on-par with what I was hoping for. What weird decisions are you referring to, and is there anything I should be aware of while considering one for a daily?

CyberEric
CyberEric Dork
1/29/23 4:27 p.m.

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Dang, that's a nice one! I hate how much I want one of those.

P3PPY
P3PPY GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/29/23 5:32 p.m.

BMW Z4 has treated me really well. Very comfortable car for drives long and short. Get the 3 liter. 
 

NC example

mr2s2000elise
mr2s2000elise UberDork
1/29/23 6:24 p.m.
CyberEric said:

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Dang, that's a nice one! I hate how much I want one of those.

DOOOOOOOOOO it

SKJSS (formerly Klayfish)
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) PowerDork
1/29/23 6:54 p.m.
Tk8398 said:

I have a Boxster and I have been mostly daily driving it lately, I think paying even $8k for one seems high though.  It's kinda fun but also very cheap feeling and has a lot of very weird decisions made in the design of the car.

I never drove one as a daily, but I'd have to say I definitely disagree with the "kinda fun but also very cheap feeling" comment.  It's one of the most fun cars I've ever owned, and I've had a E36 M3 ton.  Sure, it doesn't have the luxury feel of an S class Mercedes, but it's not supposed to.  It's a sports car and feels like it in every way.

yupididit
yupididit GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
1/29/23 7:45 p.m.
CyberEric said:

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Dang, that's a nice one! I hate how much I want one of those.

Vigo has been sitting on a low mileage one for a few years now. He won't sell it but you can def try to get him to. Don't tell him I sent you. I've gone for a ride in it. It's nice

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter)
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
1/29/23 8:24 p.m.
clutchsmoke said:

8th gen Civic Si

I gave up and bought a five speed non-SI, which has been a fun car, definitely better than expected. 
All of the local SI ads were for cars that were somewhere between heavily modified and ruined. 
 

Tk8398
Tk8398 HalfDork
1/30/23 2:10 a.m.

In reply to AMiataCalledSteve :

Interior plastic creaks/rattles, for some reason the seats have power adjustments to tilt the back of the seat which involves a $700 switch for each seat plus a dedicated computer, the door handles are supposed to also lower the windows a little bit to clear the weather stripping but that only works sometimes, the temperature gauge also only works sometimes, I haven't had to fix a ton of stuff on it though so I guess I can't complain too much.  Some odd decisions include the headlight bulbs being annoyingly complicated to change, having to periodically take the front bumper off and and just being able to reach anything to work on the engine.  The air/oil separator requires small hands to be able to change, and it took (even with someone else helping) 30 minutes to get the intake tube back onto the throttle body when I had to remove it to change the starter.  The coolant reservoir is a very strange design choice too, mine hasn't been an issue but apparently they tend to fail and leak coolant into the trunk and you have to take part of the rear suspenion apart to change it.

 

I have only put about 5,000 miles on it but the only issue it has had was a really bad misfire in a place that I couldn't stop for a few minutes, then it was fine again after leaving it parked for a couple hours.  I changed the coils and spark plugs and it hasn't happened again though.  The main good things about it are though even though mine is the 2.7 and has a similar 0-60 time as a new Ford Ranger, it will stop and change direction quickly and easily enough it's pretty easy to drive in fast and aggressive traffic compared to the other older cars I have driven.

kevinatfms
kevinatfms GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
1/30/23 8:40 a.m.
calteg said:

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. 

1. 4x108 are alot more common than people think. They used to be rare to find but easily 15-20 choices for track capable wheels out there from 15-17" sizes in 7 and 8" widths. They are also reasonably cheap - sub $200/wheel for flow formed in 8" width.

2. Plenty of brake pad selection - Hawk DTC's, Porterfields, Carbotech, GLoc's....pad choice right now are limitless. Requirement to cool the brakes is the actual issue. Brake ducting is absolutely required for any sort of motorsporting.

3. Radiator is a minimum upgrade for any motorsporting. I found that one out after a few years of never having a single issue. Random track day in September of 2021 and the car wouldnt go a single session without overheating at the 15min mark. So, Mountune radiator sitting in my garage along with a Mishimoto intercooler that need to be installed before my next track day in April. 

AMiataCalledSteve
AMiataCalledSteve Reader
1/30/23 9:39 a.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

The Z4 is a nice car, and I've always liked the looks. Is the 3-liter just more powerful, or are there other reasons to choose it (reliability, parts availability, etc.)?

SKJSS (formerly Klayfish)
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) PowerDork
1/30/23 9:50 a.m.

In reply to AMiataCalledSteve :

The 3.0 used in the Z4 is the N52, which is the same engine found in similar year 3 and 5 series cars.  It's the same engine I have in my 2011 128i.  The engine itself is pretty damn reliable.  It'll have typical BMW challenges...needs cooling system refresh, valve cover gasket leak for example.  Take proper care of it and it'll live a really long time.  I'm at 147k on mine and running flawlessly.  It's an amazingly smooth engine with silky power.  The Z4 is a great car, but think of it as more of a cruiser than the Boxster.  More luxury, a bit less sport.  Both are great choices, just a matter of what you prioritize.  BMW is probably slightly more reliable, but not by miles.

AMiataCalledSteve
AMiataCalledSteve Reader
1/30/23 9:58 a.m.

In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :

I could go either way on cruiser vs sport when it comes to already "sporty" cars. I drive a lot of miles, so some amount of creature comforts is appreciated, but I also love the driving characteristics of a sharp handling car. IDK, Boxsters hold my captivation currently, but I'll keep my eye open for Z4s and 1-series cars.

AMiataCalledSteve
AMiataCalledSteve Reader
1/30/23 9:59 a.m.

This looks a little rough around the edges, but I might reach out to this one just to see what's up:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/442821614667170/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post

trumant
trumant GRM+ Memberand Reader
1/30/23 10:18 a.m.

The Turo license plate suggests that perhaps this was used as a rental.

AMiataCalledSteve
AMiataCalledSteve Reader
1/30/23 10:47 a.m.

Ah good eye, in my coffee deprived state I read that as "Turbo," which seemed weird but I thought maybe he was just chasing clout or something lol

kevinatfms
kevinatfms GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
1/30/23 1:40 p.m.

The Fiesta ST is a great runabout/daily. Hatch space with fold down seats can fit a stupid amount of crap in the back. It gets decent gas mileage, has fantastic brakes and the stock power is more than good. The 6 speed is slick with a very smooth clutch engagement and it wears like iron. Stock suspension is "European firm" so it has a very sporty ride, lift off oversteer quite easily. 

Biggest gripes are when people modify them. If you want a great DD, leave it stock and enjoy. It will last you a very long time with the most smiles per mile.

A second choice would be a Civic Si. They are a hoot to drive in any form and come with the LSD from the factory. Not as playful as the Fiesta ST but are still a super fun daily that can fit a ton of crap inside(at least the older hatchback style). 

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