I know...another 'need help with my next car' thread

Hello car gurus. =)

I am 24 , about to be 25 which means my insurance premium is going to drop 'bout $40 and I am willing to spend about 15000 on my next car.

I am SERIOUSLY in love with the 350z touring models, and I could grab an '03 for about 11000 to 16000 depending on how many miles, etc. I am very comfortable with carmax because they offer extended warranties

I did NOT get my mercury cougar from carmax but another seller that only gave me a 30 day warranty which I am scared about. My mercury cougar's trans collapsed after 3 months and I totaled it after getting launched off a hill and rolling a few times, totally demolishing the entire body. I think the ABS kind of reacted weirdly when I lost control in rain.....so...I am a bit scared to buy something with high miles and CHEAP like that was (got it for 4k with 125k miles)

I want a car that can be recommended as SAFE, RELIABLE but also has the following:

1.) Mid to mid-high end speed on straight lines stock with maybe potential for more horsepower for NO MORE than 3k in mods. I'm not looking for a rocket that has 500hp and I am NOT considering racing it at all. The Camaro SS was fun to test drive for the acceleration but the 350z was a blast to with a tiny bit less acceleration and just seemed to handle much better.

2.) Something that corners like it's on rails. This I think is the most exciting part about driving for me, going around backroads and whipping around the turns even if it's not 'that' fast.

3.) Something that I can feel is a high quality machine that I won't have to worry too much about an engine or trans blowing up on me for no good reason.

4.) Oh, and I want to use it to go out in large ass parking lots at 2:00 am in the morning and drift around when it rains or snows. I am not looking to make it into a drift car, but drifting IS a plus for whenever I feel like venturing out and having fun with it on open pavements.

5.) It will be a year round car because I will not pay my insurance company extra money to insure an extra car. So something that can work well with snow tires and added sand bags in the rear to add weight to the rear for extra safety, but can scream around corners with summer performance tires when the weather get's nicer.

(Are vette's year round vehicles cause I really like the older model bodies but damnnnn, they are so high milages..)

6.) Like I mentioned before, raw horsepower doesn't interest me, so old mustangs might not be my dream car here if they can't corner well.

7.) Something I won't need to spend a ton of money on to modify if I wanted to add more power or cornering to it.

8.) Something Sexy.


Any good sleepers out there that much this I could pick up for 10000 or less - I hear the 240's, 300 turbo's, Mazda miatas (not really in love with the style though..), the rx 7's (also not sure about a rotary engine) or perhaps a toyota Supra (I hear they are a BITCH to find stock..)

I also hear some BMW's are nice catches..

But would it be safer/ more practical / more reliable to just purchase a 350z (even if it has 130000 + miles) and not have to tune it too much as I test drove it and it pretty much handles as much as I would like and the acceleration is already wonderful for me...or is there an alternative option that might be far cheaper and have just as much if not more potential?

Thanks. :)

Hey mate, first of all, Welcome to AF!




Sounds like your pretty keen on a 350Z, meets nearly all your requirements, except for being a bit sleeper.

Have test driven many?


I would also look out for a mid to late 2000's BWM 3 series, either 328 or 330. Lots of fun to drive and very quick!

Hey mate, first of all, Welcome to AF!




Sounds like your pretty keen on a 350Z, meets nearly all your requirements, except for being a bit sleeper.

Have test driven many?


I would also look out for a mid to late 2000's BWM 3 series, either 328 or 330. Lots of fun to drive and very quick!

Only test driven one and it had 90k miles and was '03 ... lots of fun!

I am def going to go out and test drive a few more that have way more miles on it around the 130k plus range if I can find them only to see if they still feel just as good as one with 60k , etc.. I am just afraid that someone might drive the hell out it then sell it to a dealer who is going to pass it off as 'always garaged, non smoker, excellent condition', etc then have it blow up on me after 3 months like my cougar did :(

You think a Nissan will still perform well and be reliable after 130k miles cause those 350's are much cheaper at that mileage range than in the 40 - 80k range. (5k or more cheaper usually which is $100 less a month for me..)

The problem with performance cars is they never last as long as their less exciting family members.

A non turbo, 2.0 Impreza can be to last an easy 200,000km before the motors starts to need attention, and it should be able to go a lot longer before it fails.
A Turbo WRX however, running the same block, but making a lot more power, would be lucky to last half that long, less if it's been modified.


Quite simply, with few exceptions, the more power an engine makes for any given displacement the harder it has to work and the more wear occurs.

Now the 350Z motor isn't making much more than it did in the G35 equivalent (300hp vs 260hp), but it's enough more that it's usable life is likely to be shorter.


It maybe that the 130k mark is where they start to have problems, or it maybe where people feel they will have problems, and so the price drops accordingly.


Either way, while 130k miles is good for a family car, it is getting high for a sports car.

Hey mate, first of all, Welcome to AF!




Sounds like your pretty keen on a 350Z, meets nearly all your requirements, except for being a bit sleeper.

Have test driven many?


I would also look out for a mid to late 2000's BWM 3 series, either 328 or 330. Lots of fun to drive and very quick!

I'm going to have to disagree with the 3 series only for the matter of upkeep that involved in the vehicle. Just in the common cooling system troubles the upkeep is already far too expensive (for most people driving a 3 series that is). With that being said I probably wont have to bring up the terrible thrust arm bushings woes. Although they are a wonderful car to drive especially through the canyons here in California. Also, I'm just personally not a fan of the fact that they have had the same interior in the cars since the 80s.

The 350z.. Only thing I'm not a fan of about it is the seemingly long nose (might be just me, but I feel like i can't tell where it ends from sitting behind the wheel) and the 5 o'clock and 6 o'clock blind spots. Also, if you drop 15k on a car, and it's holding on to 130.. It's probably been rather "beat-up" for a good portion of those miles.

Something a little cheaper then the BMW, in maintenance, but still quite up to par in handling and much quicker and safer in my opinion that you could probably look at that wont completely kill you in the maintenance (as long as it's been well maintained by whoever owned it before) and you can probably pick up for about 10k in great condition and still have 5000 in reserve for anything it might need or maybe a set of wheels or a radio .. whatever you'd like would... a 2001 Audi S4 Quattro... 2.7liter Twin Turbo... All wheel drive.. and looks like your average A4... Sleeper, Handling, Safety, and plenty of power. Just about everything your looking for.