Must have (reasonably priced) car before you die..?

Most fun out there for $16K and a car I've wanted for some time.

Just picked this up, it is a blast.

BMW M Roadster 2000.


D
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renault r5 turbo (like karims very nice example! )

porsche 930 or early 911 turbo (Joe will agree)

aston martin vantage '80's V8 model

porsche 550 (or at least a nice Beck version)

ariel atom

...my other choices are to rich $: F40, Mclaren F1, Forumla One car (modern), Enzo, Zonda, Countach, Miura
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Ferrari 348 tb/GTB or ts/GTS. Depending on the day, I go back and forth between which roof I'd prefer, but seem to spend more time imagining myself in a berlinetta. Certainly, your budget would provide for a terrific example of a 348.

The reason I choose the 348... well, it's because I irrationally want one more than any other car. There are other cars that would be cheaper to buy, more reliable, faster, safer, more modern with all the electronic comforts that come with that, cheaper to insure, cheaper to repair, easier to service, and altogether would be much more sane choices... but I don't want those cars. I must be crazy, I still want a Ferrari 348.

There are minimal driver aids (just ABS) so without power steering, traction control, stability control, automatic transmission, etc, it'll be involving - the car does exactly what you tell it to do without any interference or interpretation of your commands. Furthermore, this is still a quick car even more than 2 decades after its introduction and, particularly in comparison to modern cars, the aesthetics are vastly superior. It has what I think of as a classic mid-engine supercar shape (wide and low), compact dimensions, gorgeous side strakes, a terrific sound, and neat pop-up headlights. I just think that, in every way, this car would thrill me in every aspect of the drive.

I don't just like the 348 because it wears a Ferrari badge. The Ferrari badge is more desireable because a 348 wears it.

All the best,
Andrew.

PS:
Attached are: two images of a thoroughly ecstatic me sitting in Sy's (angelis) Modified 348, Mike's (AceMaster) 348SS #79, Sameer's (Speedy_Sam) 348TS, and Bill's (BT) 348GTS. That final image has been my computer's desktop wallpaper for the last few years.
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Let's see, one of these would do it for me, probably preowned:

- BMW E92 M3 Coupe (red on white or gray)
- Audi S5 (red on white or gray)
- Infiniti G37S Coupe (black or red on white or gray)
- Ferrari 355 GTS F1 (tan or black on red)

 

I would like to add the E28 M5 to my list. I wish I could remember the member, lol, that recently purchased a red E28 M5 with the built engine, DROOL!!!!!!!

 

IMO, before a person die they should experience owning...

A pre-war French touring car... Delahaye or Bugatti...

A late-60's American muscle car... Chevrolet Chevelle or Dodge Charger....

A British sports car... Jaguar or Aston Martin...

An Italian Supercar... Lamborghini or Ferrari...

A German Luxury car... Mercedes Benz or BMW...

... and a Japanese daily driver... Toyota or Honda...

 

I agree 100% with everything you've said... just make mine a black SS.

 

The cars I have now satisfy just about everything I need and want in road cars (308 for flashy, passionate drives, Gen 1 CRX Si for throwback, can't-drive-without-smiling-fun, E39 528i for effortlessly devouring 100s of miles at high speed, Mazda5 for hauling people and stuff), but someday I'd like to own or at least part own a race/dedicated track car.

Lotus 7/Caterham , 914-6 , Cayman/Boxster, Exige, or something nutso like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-Lotus-70-04-Formula-5000-Race-Car-Restored-Bill-Brack-/150842314899?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item231ee71093

Who knows, the 308 may someday get a supercharger, stripped interior, and fiberglass clamshells and become that car.

This would also be nice
http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/ferrari/1317744128/1317744128pp.htm
Hey they do say price is negotiable

 

There's a whole host of cars from the late-80s / early-90s that I grew up lasting after, but given your budget cap and that the F355 GTS has already been spoken for, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned an Acura NSX yet. Early 90s run...strictly pop-up headlights only!

My list:
F355 GTS 6MT
Lotus Esprit
Acura NSX
Lotus Exige / Elise
C4 Corvette ZR1
Early 930 / turbo

That with a modern Ferrari is pretty much my dream garage.

 

355 with a six speed and Capristo.

But if that's the spending limit then I'll just steal/sell drugs to have enough for a Challenge Stradale

 

Great choice with the 996 GT2. My favorite all-time Porsche.

 

Badass car. Good choice.

 

1st generation Mazda Miata. Not a lot of power, but wonderful balance and makes you feel like you are going faster than you really are. A whole lot of fun for not much money at all. There is a reason that Spec-Miatas are one of the most popular weekend track cars out there.

 

Correct on all accounts I love my '99 NB (same as the NA chassis but with the 1.8ltr and not the 1.6ltr). I cannot wait until I turbocharged it.

 

My Ginetta had a 1.8 Miata engine and 5 speed transmission. They were both fantastic! People rave about the S2000 transmission, but to me the Miata was so much more direct and mechanical feeling. I would prefer the Miata transmission in a heartbeat. I also liked the linear feel of the motor. The Vtec Honda engine is fun above 6k rpms, but below that it struggles. The Miata motor paired with the correct weight car is awesome!


BT

 

Superformance 427 Cobra. I love the Shebly, but I want something I can drive the hell out of and a cobra with a more modern engine and suspension is it. I also think the Cobra is one of the best looking cars ever made so that helps too.


Mark

 

VW GTI for me. While I have owned numerous VW products, including Audis, Porsches and my daughter's Tiquen, I have never had a GTI.

 

Or... maybe this 1997 Ferrari 355 Challenge for $59K

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=141536830#post141536830

 

integrale 1st,

save that an ur quattro

 

It's not a rational decision.

 

Without knowing it, I bought a 348 in 2004 for the reasons you stated. I only realized those were the reasons to buy that particular model about 6 months after owning it! When I was shopping I had a $50k budget and was considering a 348, a TR, a 328, or a stretch to a high mileage 355. After about 3 months searching the right car came up within 30 miles of home.

The purchase scenario was pretty funny. The whole family loaded into the Kia Sedona minivan. The seller had the car pulled out of its normal resting spot inside an airplane hangar. I knew within 5 seconds of seeing the car that I would buy it. The seller insisted that I test drive it, so after a 5 minute drive we negotiated the sales price. I gave them a $5k deposit (written on a Spongebob Squarepants check), and the balance the following day. On my drive home I had the car up to a pretty high speed (the highest I ever drove it), and it was remarkably smooth, and sounded simply awesome. I was probably dumb for not doing a PPI or having anyone else look it over, but it turned out great!


BT

 

More like $60-65K, with good examples going for ~$55K -- thanks 4.0, 991, ugly lights, less than stellar interior, etc!

 

Lotus elise, simply all you ever need to knoiw about DRIVING a great weekend toy and pretty awesome on the track. Once you have done an elise anything else is going to have to be a really superlaitive car to come close. Maybe a 997 gt3, or 458, but even then, they will lack something the lotus has.

 

TVR Cerbera, 4.5 lightweight red rose. Fantastic. I'd rather loose my house and all my belongings than that car....

 

Easy, a Testarossa and a 57 MG MGA
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