Best Headturner for under 40k

yea, the vette owned the new cobra.

Hey good news, I just got wind of a good investment; should mean I can put some extra money into the car...although the smart thing would be to oh I don't know.....put a downpayment on a condo instead of paying rent....but who said I was a smart person.

So this means a 55k car is reasonable, although to be honest this is starting to get much, I love cars, but never spent this much on anything before.

So with the extra cash some other cars open up. What does everyone think of a 996, Maserati Gran Sport (Ferrari dealer close to me has one for 60k for a '04 I think), or should I just wait for the new G35 Coupe? I know it's leagues below a Porsche and Maserati, but supposidly it has 300+ horses and a 0-60 of 5.1, and lets face it....it's actually an everyday car....

Thanks for everyone's response; this tread started out as a half joke, but I actually went and drove a NSX a few weeks ago because of everyone recommending it....and....I love it...of course I don't drive too many highend performance cars.....so what do I know....is Acura coming out with a replacement soon?

i'm a big fan of the G35, especially the new ones but recently i've been growing really fond of the new Porsche cayman. have you looked into that at all?

I would get a BMW 335i before a G35 coupe. The G35 is less expensive and pretty good, but if you drove them back to back it would be pretty easy to tell the difference in quality.

I would avoid a Maserati GS as well. The only thing it really has going for it is looks and Italianness. Based on pretty much everything I've heard it really isn't all that great of a car. Very unreliable, not quite stellar handling, quality not up to Porsche standards, bad transmissions, and a bit feminine. More of a basketball player's wife's car and less of a basketball player's car.

As far as Porsches go, the Cayman (Coxster) is just about within your price range without options and as far as option lists go, Porsche has one of the longest. The problem with the Coxster is that Porsche is trying to make you pay a few thousand more for what is infact a Boxster with a hardtop. Porsche is the only company that tries to make you pay more for the hardtop version of a car, which is kind of stupid in my book. If you are into Porsche, you might be within the price range of the previous generation 911 (996). You might want to start looking around for a ~2000 911 Carrera S.

Now, a car that I'm growing more and more fond of is the BMW Z4-M Coupe. BMW followed a similar idea to what Porsche did. Take the roadster and turn it into a hardtop, but in BMWs case they make you pay $1,000 less for the coupe which turns out to be almost $10,000 less then a base Coxster S. Not only is it less expensive, its more powerful too. It also won't get the same "I couldn't afford a 911" stigma that a Boxster or Coxster will get. I think that it is a fantastic, unique, rare car. Another option from BMW might be the next generation M3 (E92) which supposedly will be out in a little less then a year. What you will get for your wait is a rumored 450hp 4.0L V8 with a 9,000RPM redline and a brand new dual-clutch transmission.

Of course the NSX is still a great choice. The closest thing to a real supercar that you can realistically afford. More money will just mean that you can get a newer one with fewer miles.

for 55k you could get a nice lotus elise and have sonme left over. now thats a head turner.

That car sucks though. After having sat in a lotus.... performance can quickly be overlooked.

Hey good news, I just got wind of a good investment; should mean I can put some extra money into the car...although the smart thing would be to oh I don't know.....put a downpayment on a condo instead of paying rent....but who said I was a smart person.

So this means a 55k car is reasonable, although to be honest this is starting to get much, I love cars, but never spent this much on anything before.

So with the extra cash some other cars open up. What does everyone think of a 996, Maserati Gran Sport (Ferrari dealer close to me has one for 60k for a '04 I think), or should I just wait for the new G35 Coupe? I know it's leagues below a Porsche and Maserati, but supposidly it has 300+ horses and a 0-60 of 5.1, and lets face it....it's actually an everyday car....

Thanks for everyone's response; this tread started out as a half joke, but I actually went and drove a NSX a few weeks ago because of everyone recommending it....and....I love it...of course I don't drive too many highend performance cars.....so what do I know....is Acura coming out with a replacement soon?

thats good news! it wont hurt you to find a high end muscle car and take it for a test drive to know 1st hand. forget what the biased people here think :screwy: . youll never know until you experience it for yourself. i've been in your shoes.
I get more looks and appreciation for my 69 camaro than my friend in his 2005 911 TT does. and im faster!!
you want a head turner? the sound from a powerfull muscle car turns heads !! girls absolutley love the feel riding in them. good luck on your choice whatever it may be! keep in mind, for the money you want to invest in a car
the muscle will only appreciate.

I do like muscle cars, and do appreciate the idea; I think I'll try to maybe arrange to drive one or at least be a passenger in one soon (camaro or 'vette); but I would at this point still pick a new, or semi new car over a classic; unless of course it's a DB5 (even Austin Powers looks good driving one); but that's a whole different story.

I have to admit, the Cayman looks really nice, I like the lines better than the 997 to be honest; but I can still remember when I first saw the Cayman. I was thinking "ah yes, now there's a more reasonable way to Porsche ownership", but no....they charged more....and all the reports for the Cayman seem to say; it's a great car, but they could've made it just that much better...but if they did, then the 911 owners would be upset. Hmm. Isn't the Boxster coming out with a power hardtop soon? Porsche...first an SUV...then the Cayman...and now a 4 door saloon....yet I still want every one of them...

For the Maserati GS; yeah, it's a sexy car, but I agree it's in the same category as Jaguar coupes...enough power, but just kinda feminine.

The 335ci is probably the most reasonable along with the new G35; and for some reason they're charging 85k CDN for the new E92 M3...yikes. Plus the G and M3 aren't coming out until later in 2007...time to annoy the BMW and Infiniti dealers

James
I really like the Cayman s, I dont think you could go wrong there.
Also a 2005-2006 c6 vette (not the z06)is in that price range, if you need to go faster find the z51 packaged vette. If you do find a muscle you like check back here with the details and I'd be more than glad to help you with codes and info.
good luck!

Here is the Top Gear episode on the Cayman, I would definitely watch it before considering purchasing one-

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1yBzKhW5zJU

and here is the Z4 M-Roadster against the Boxster S

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uAphQpbm4JA

As I see it, the biggest problem with the Cayman S is the options list. You could get a base one, but realistically you might want things like xenon headlights, metallic paint, sports exhaust, pasm, perhaps the ceramic breaks or nav. In fact, if you wanted a Cayman with some options, you easily pass the 911 Carrera in price ($72,000). Even if you completely option out the Z4M-Coupe with navigation, bluetooth, etc. you still don't quite reach the base price of the Cayman. The Cayman S is a good car, but Porsche does everything in its power to take your money. I personally couldn't justify paying that much more for the Cayman S when the BMW is every bit as good but significantly less expensive,

forget what the biased people here think :screwy: . youll never know until you experience it for yourself.

i find it funny how a camaro owner who came here to recommend a camaro calls the rest of us biased.

Here is the Top Gear episode on the Cayman, I would definitely watch it before considering purchasing one-

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1yBzKhW5zJU

and here is the Z4 M-Roadster against the Boxster S

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uAphQpbm4JA

As I see it, the biggest problem with the Cayman S is the options list. You could get a base one, but realistically you might want things like xenon headlights, metallic paint, sports exhaust, pasm, perhaps the ceramic breaks or nav. In fact, if you wanted a Cayman with some options, you easily pass the 911 Carrera in price ($72,000). Even if you completely option out the Z4M-Coupe with navigation, bluetooth, etc. you still don't quite reach the base price of the Cayman. The Cayman S is a good car, but Porsche does everything in its power to take your money. I personally couldn't justify paying that much more for the Cayman S when the BMW is every bit as good but significantly less expensive,

Nice cars , but hardly a head turner. They are very plain looking IMO.

Cars like this are what turn heads>

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Bel-Air-150-210-Chevrolet-Belair-150-210-1955-chevy-2dr-hardtop_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6160QQihZ016QQi temZ260046556033QQrdZ1

If your driving down the street, this car will turn any and evry head at the same place and time that it is.

forget new cars; get a DB7. I've been seeing cars hit the £30,000 mark recently but that'll be for the older V8 cars.
in anycase, you'll defintely get more attention from everyone with a proper classic car than you will get with a modern car.

forget new cars; get a DB7.

Yeah those are nice. But you would probably have to go back to a 96 or 97 model to stay around 40,000.

yeah.... i know but if it is just head turning power you want, that little winged badge does wonders.
of course, you could always go for the equally good XKR of the same generation instead.
that light metallic blue of theirs is a hell of a sexy colour in the summer sun.

yeah.... i know but if it is just head turning power you want, that little winged badge does wonders.
of course, you could always go for the equally good XKR of the same generation instead.
that light metallic blue of theirs is a hell of a sexy colour in the summer sun.

170 on the dash anyone? Better be able to "turn your head" awful fast. "SNAP". You can get one of those for pretty cheap too.

Forget all i have said before. Here is the car to turn all heads

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Monster-mud-truck-4x4-lifted-super-swamper_W0QQitemZ260047064016QQihZ016QQcategoryZ46 093QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


I think im in love.(not)...

I like the idea of a DB7, but I think it would have the same problems that the Maserati would have. I think that they are incredibly good looking cars and have loads of class, but they are so damn unreliable that they are unrealistic to be driven every day. They make great 2nd cars that you pull out on weekends to impress dates or clients, but don't rely on it to get you from point A to point B from day to day.

As Jameschang (the OP) said, he would like to stick with new or newish cars. This is very reasonable simply because newer cars are easier to drive and easier to maintain. Lets try to keep this thread to cars he might consider.

I thought we was talking about cars he could afford that are a$$ getters. the OP sounded like to me , he wants a car girls like, but all original and in a realistic price range. The 4x4 camaro was just a joke. But i dont know anybody who isnt wowed by old mint classics. And they can be just as easy to fix, and reliable. My GF says get a 67 Camaro. The rest are just crap to her.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b139/Red-Cell/69.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b139/Red-Cell/upperside.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b139/Red-Cell/lineup.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b139/Red-Cell/1camaro69SSRS350blue-1.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b139/Red-Cell/untitled.jpg

yeah.... i know but if it is just head turning power you want, that little winged badge does wonders.
of course, you could always go for the equally good XKR of the same generation instead.
that light metallic blue of theirs is a hell of a sexy colour in the summer sun.


Actually not a bad idea, the XKR is a well-built, solid and reliable car. I'd definitely give it my two thumbs up.

XKR's are cool except that wood grain dash has got to go. If i had one my first mod would be to spray paint over the dash where the wood grain is.

didn't you guys in the US also get the "new" fwd Elan in turbo form?
they're nice and cheap these days in the UK and in the metal, they are shockingly good looking cars.

I get more looks and appreciation for my 69 camaro than my friend in his 2005 911 TT does. and im faster!!

the muscle will only appreciate.


haha, unless you hit one those things called curves.

it depends where you live whether or not a 69 camaro will get more looks than a porsche. plus you cant possibly know how many looks your car gets compared to the porsche, sure more people may come up and talk to you about it(enthusiasts) but you have no way of knowing how many heads you turned. but most will appreciate the porsche for being a highly superior car. and honestly if you think chicks like muscle cars more than exotics, you are lying to yourself. chicks like exotics because they like money.

haha, unless you hit one those things called curves.

it depends where you live whether or not a 69 camaro will get more looks than a porsche. plus you cant possibly know how many looks your car gets compared to the porsche, sure more people may come up and talk to you about it(enthusiasts) but you have no way of knowing how many heads you turned. but most will appreciate the porsche for being a highly superior car. and honestly if you think chicks like muscle cars more than exotics, you are lying to yourself. chicks like exotics because they like money.

im not bagging on exotics, dont put words into my mouth.
The muscle cars that dont handle "mostly" are numbers matching collectables. lots of the nice muscle cars around these days have more than a stock setup for suspension like mine, believe it or not. The muscle aftermarket for suspension parts alone is larger than the import tuner aftermarket combined. yes stock for stock muscle cars cant handle as well as a newer car I agree and said that earlier. but you make it sound as if they lock the front wheels up taking a turn at 10 mph. what do you really know bieng 19 yrs old? its 2006, the tires on these cars are not as old as the car.... I dont know or care what your muscle car experience has been but maybe you should look up cars that were in Trans - Am racing for an example of hitting a curve. hell I can build a 2700lb 66 nova to outhandle most exotics, but you probably dont believe because of your lacking knowledge of what can be done with domestics.
I know that I get plenty of looks In my car, more props than you can imagine. This is driving through Downtown seattle on a saturday night and not cruising from a burger stand to butch-driveshafts garage...BTW my GF has some very fine curves thank you very much, I hit them as often as possible. she also prefers's my car over most other types, and she's not alone.

didn't you guys in the US also get the "new" fwd Elan in turbo form?
they're nice and cheap these days in the UK and in the metal, they are shockingly good looking cars.

The last lotus i saw was a 99 year model i think. Thats one you dont see very often in the states. I havent seen any setting at any dealerships or nothing. Mostly just see older ones every once in awhile pushing down the street.

im not bagging on exotics, dont put words into my mouth.
The muscle cars that dont handle "mostly" are numbers matching collectables. lots of the nice muscle cars around these days have more than a stock setup for suspension like mine, believe it or not. The muscle aftermarket for suspension parts alone is larger than the import tuner aftermarket combined. yes stock for stock muscle cars cant handle as well as a newer car I agree and said that earlier. but you make it sound as if they lock the front wheels up taking a turn at 10 mph. what do you really know bieng 19 yrs old? its 2006, the tires on these cars are not as old as the car.... I dont know or care what your muscle car experience has been but maybe you should look up cars that were in Trans - Am racing for an example of hitting a curve. hell I can build a 2700lb 66 nova to outhandle most exotics, but you probably dont believe because of your lacking knowledge of what can be done with domestics.
I know that I get plenty of looks In my car, more props than you can imagine. This is driving through Downtown seattle on a saturday night and not cruising from a burger stand to butch-driveshafts garage...BTW my GF has some very fine curves thank you very much, I hit them as often as possible. she also prefers's my car over most other types, and she's not alone.


well, most stock muscle cars pull less than .7 g's so yea they handle pretty bad. and if you put an old trans am car up against a modern race car there would be no competition. i only mentioned the curve joke because you, like most muscle car fans, seem to think only straight line acceleration is important. you could also build a minivan to outhandle exotics, with enough money anything is possible.

and what does my age have to do with anything? obviously at 19 i know enough to know how to spell being. you looked in my profile and talk about how curvey your gf is. you must be insecure about something. cause that has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

i like muscle cars too, i think they can be pretty slick but they get more praise than they deserve.

Is this a "american vs" or "old vs new" thread? NO it isnt so why is it being turned into one.

BTW In 1982 Trans Ams were pulling .856g on 14 inch wheels and junk for tires. same goes for Camaros of the same year. by 1985 they were up to .92g> wich is nowhere near 7g.


This is all besides the point. If the OP wanted an american car, it would have already been revealed. I dont see the OP as wanting an american car so why not drop it. Is it really worth the arguement or bashing on what sombody else likes?

I dont care what make of car James chooses, In the end I hope he will be happy with his choice. He asked us what car we think turns a girls head and I gave my opinion. I got flamed on the next post by someone who was obviously biased against muscle. I was defending my statement.
for what its worth, my all time fav car is the 1988 porsche 959.

ok red cell, i was joking with you man, im sorry if i came of as an ass lol. im not flaming you are bashing what you like so sorry if thats what you thought. im sure your camaro is nice im sure i would take one just like it.

and .92gs is pretty impressive, but the slalom was only 62ish mph, which is ok but not what id consider good.

and im not biased against muscle, everyone else is biased towards it. :D

any car with a wide wheel base is going to be pretty slow through a slalom. a civic si makes it through the slalom at 67.5 mph where the new Z06 makes it through at only 69 mph. needless to say the corvette is a better performer in every aspect.

ok red cell, i was joking with you man, im sorry if i came of as an ass lol. im not flaming you are bashing what you like so sorry if thats what you thought. im sure your camaro is nice im sure i would take one just like it.

and .92gs is pretty impressive, but the slalom was only 62ish mph, which is ok but not what id consider good.

and im not biased against muscle, everyone else is biased towards it. :D

no prob man, I should have quoted metalheadzaid for his comment after my 1st post.
I agree that 62mph is nothing to write home to mom about.
A great handling camaro stock would be the 1998-2002 1LE stripper z/28.
I dont recall the performance numbers but I learned about in when I was in SCCA. My boss had a 2001 1LE. he was the chairman of SCCA in washington state at that time.

The most impressive part about a fbody is the fact you can buy one for about 1,000 bucks all stock and ready to go do some +.90g stuff on some decent tires. 1,000 bucks later your pullin high 11's down the 1/4 and have way better suspension than it had. Not a real head turner tho. Most people hate em.

I saw a nice 3000gt today. Those can be head turners. They look pretty intimidating while sitting in a f-body, specially if you hear that whine..I have my wins and losses with these in heads up green light instances, but i wouldnt even bother trying to chase one down some short winding road. I would take one on just goin around a corner tho.

Just went to the Infiniti dealership, spoke with a saleslady for so long. Apparently the 2007 G35 coupe is going to be the same as the 2006, no changes, doesn't make sense to me, seeing as how alot of other makers launched new models this year.

The G35 was high on my list because of praticality, but the saleslady really soured me. I asked why there's no Brembo brakes on the 07, she said because Brembo wasn't that great....does she know what she's talking about? She asked me what other cars I am looking into, as soon as I mentioned a competitor, 335ci, she said BMW's were terrible at handling....does she know what she's talking about? I may not be the most knowledgable person in the world about cars, but it just seemed like she knew less than me. On top of that, she's been calling me everyday despite the fact that I told her I would call her next week. I hate pushy dealers; even if I buy a G35, it's not going to be from that dealer. Oh, if anyone was wondering, her offer was $47k+1k freight PDI, +7k taxes, with satnav, everything...seems a little high...especially with that money I can get a used Boxster S easily, maybe even a late model NSX.

55000 for a G35? You can't be serious. Even 47000 was way over priced just for the base. Just a quick MSN auto check says it lists MSRP: $31,200 - $33,800. I would say they are trying to rip you off bad.

yea dude, run away from that dealership quick. you should be paying mid 30s for a g35 tops. theyre nice. and bmws dont handle bad shes lying out her ass. personally id get a z before a g35 but theyre basically the same.

Wow that is a terrible dealership. 47k should get you a well equipped M35, not just a G35. As for the 07' model being the same, it does make sense because companies often try to release cars like this when BMW's equivalent isn't brand new. BMW is the class leader in $30-$40,000 sedans and coupes and it doesn't look like thats about to change. It makes sense to get new cars out in off years. Plus, the G35 coupe is very closely related to the 350z and we might not see too many upgrades in the G35c until the 350z is upgraded.

Brembos arn't that great? yea, mmhmm. Then why did you use them before?

BMW's don't handle well? then why have they won just about every comparison and sell much better? I would have walked away the second she said this.

Calling every single day is something that Toyota/Honda/Ford/Chevy/etc dealers tend to do, not something that luxury dealers should be doing. I have never seen this from a luxury dealership in my life.

Hopefully you will have better luck in the future.

I should've mentioned that the 55k or so that the G35 cost is in CDN. Still, most cars in the U.S. and Canada cost relatively the same, I don't understand why this isn't so with Infiniti.

Yes, it was strange because I've heard so many good things about Infiniti dealerships. Oddly enough 47k is actually a good price for a new G coupe, sticker with the options I wanted was 52k....I know everyone from the U.S. must be rollin' their eyes. So many things you can do with 52k.

She certainly didn't raise my confidence will all that she was saying. Even though it was a saleswomen, I felt like it I bent I would've had a sore ass.

I forgot about that Canadian bit. I bet that Nissan/Infiniti imports fewer cars into Canada hence making them more expensive. The most attractive thing about Infiniti in America is that they are less expensive then the comparable BMW. It doesn't appear that this is true in Canada, so I really don't see the advantage to the Infiniti. Go check out a 335i and let us know what you think.

I would spring for the new G35 sedan. 306 hp and cheap.


http://www.infiniti.com/g_sedan/photos/exterior_photos.html

and sexy as hell

I like the IS350 Lexus because it's a straight six. However, last I checked it was 50k fully loaded, not 45k. The Lotus was around 90k, and I believe 911 was about the same price.

And about turning heads, I like the idea with a sport bike :licka:

GS 300??? I am in the same boat. In early spring I am getting a used 6. My limit is 55,000. It mean I know it will help with women. But I am absolutley in love with the car! It's my dream car. I figure while I'm young I want to enjoy my youth. Sooner or later I will have a wife and a family and that car wont be so practical

Been pretty busy with work, finally got some chances to test drive some cars, and I know it's almost the opposite of this forum, but I've found practicality to be a little important now.

Basically it's down to these cars...does anyone own any of these? What do you think? What's more fun at the track?

G35 coupe
335ci
350z
TSX (the least likely but reliable)

if I had $55,000 to buy a car with: http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?&default_sort=priceDESC&pager.offset=25&de aler_id=67882&end_year=2007&make2=&address=27519&s tart_year=1997&fuel=&keywordsrep=&certified=&car_i d=206427931&search_type=used&max_mileage=&body_cod e=0&drive=&min_price=1&engine=&distance=0&transmis sion=&make=DODGE&keywordsfyc=&first_record=26&sort _type=priceDESC&num_records=25&ref=srl&car_year=20 00&style_flag=1&doors=&cardist=494&max_price=55000 &advanced=&model=VIPER&color=&ref=srl#vdptop (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?&default_sort=priceDESC&pager.offset=25&dealer_id=67882&end_year=2007&make2=&address=27519&start_year=1997&fuel=&keywordsrep=&certified=&car_id=206427931&search_type=used&max_mileage=&body_code=0&drive=&min_price=1&engine=&distance=0&transmission=&make=DODGE&keywordsfyc=&first_record=26&sort_type=priceDESC&num_records=25&ref=srl&car_year=2000&style_flag=1&doors=&cardist=494&max_price=55000&advanced=&model=VIPER&color=&ref=srl#vdptop)

http://images.autotrader.com/images/2006/8/31/206/427/899768051.206427931.IM1.MAIN.565x421_A.562x421.jpg

http://images.autotrader.com/images/2006/8/31/206/427/899768050.206427931.IM1.03.565x421_A.562x421.jpg

6,700 miles, 450rwhp, and bone stock will run mid to low 12's all day long. oh yeah and this rust-bucket might turn a few heads too...:grinyes:

Infinity G35
Nissan 350Z
Pontiac Sostice GXP
Saturn Sky Redline

Been pretty busy with work, finally got some chances to test drive some cars, and I know it's almost the opposite of this forum, but I've found practicality to be a little important now.

Basically it's down to these cars...does anyone own any of these? What do you think? What's more fun at the track?

G35 coupe
335ci
350z
TSX (the least likely but reliable)

Out of those four its really down to what you really want from a car.

The 350z will probably be the fastest out of those four whether it be on the track or in a line, but its also the least practical. There is little cabin or trunk space. It will also be significantly less comfortable then any of the other cars.

The G35c is essentially a luxury version of the 350z. It is bigger and nicer, but slower and more expensive. It won't handle as well as the 350z or the BMW. The only area where it should beat the 335i coupe is price.

The TSX will be the most likely to be reliable and the least expensive. It is the only 4 cylinder in this group and you will feel the power difference. It won't handle like any of the others (RWD > FWD usually). I'm a fan of this car, but I think that its outclassed by these other cars. You might also consider the Acura TL which is bigger and stronger.

I would get the BMW. It is the most expensive, but it is the total package. The BMW is much faster then the G35 or the TSX and should be close to the Z. It has the nicest interior and exterior of any of these cars. The bi-turbo BMW engine will be the most tune-able (if you are into that). BMW is usually right next to Infinti in reliability and the 3-series is their most reliable car. If you can afford the 335i, you should definitely get it. It is basically a more refined, friendlier M3. If you are concerned with being noticed, the BMW badge looks better then Infiniti or Acura by a long shot.

Out of those four its really down to what you really want from a car.

The 350z will probably be the fastest out of those four whether it be on the track or in a line, but its also the least practical. There is little cabin or trunk space. It will also be significantly less comfortable then any of the other cars.

The G35c is essentially a luxury version of the 350z. It is bigger and nicer, but slower and more expensive. It won't handle as well as the 350z or the BMW. The only area where it should beat the 335i coupe is price.

The TSX will be the most likely to be reliable and the least expensive. It is the only 4 cylinder in this group and you will feel the power difference. It won't handle like any of the others (RWD > FWD usually). I'm a fan of this car, but I think that its outclassed by these other cars. You might also consider the Acura TL which is bigger and stronger.

I would get the BMW. It is the most expensive, but it is the total package. The BMW is much faster then the G35 or the TSX and should be close to the Z. It has the nicest interior and exterior of any of these cars. The bi-turbo BMW engine will be the most tune-able (if you are into that). BMW is usually right next to Infinti in reliability and the 3-series is their most reliable car. If you can afford the 335i, you should definitely get it. It is basically a more refined, friendlier M3. If you are concerned with being noticed, the BMW badge looks better then Infiniti or Acura by a long shot.

i'm more inclined to suggest the G35c on this one. i'm no expert on bmw's history with turbocharged engines but from personal experience, i'm reluctant to rely on newly remodeled cars in their 1st year out. i usually give car makers a year or two to iron out any glitches. the g35 is not a perfect car but it's been out for a while unlike the 335ci, good power to the rear wheels unlike the TSX, more practical than the 350z and in my own opinion, better looking than any of the rest. not sayin any of the other cars are bad cars in and of themselves, but i'm votin the G35 on this one.

i'm more inclined to suggest the G35c on this one. i'm no expert on bmw's history with turbocharged engines but from personal experience, i'm reluctant to rely on newly remodeled cars in their 1st year out. i usually give car makers a year or two to iron out any glitches. the g35 is not a perfect car but it's been out for a while unlike the 335ci, good power to the rear wheels unlike the TSX, more practical than the 350z and in my own opinion, better looking than any of the rest. not sayin any of the other cars are bad cars in and of themselves, but i'm votin the G35 on this one.

I agree with you on buying a car on its first year out- but would you also want a G35c knowing that there will probably be a brand new version of the car in the next year or two? The sedan just went through a major remodel and there should be a new coupe very soon. While the BMW is brand new, it also comes with the most comprehensive warranty out there, giving full maintenence on just about everything.

Also... everyone needs to stop calling the 335i coupe the 335Ci. I know, the E46 coupe was Ci, but for some reason BMW saw fit to drop the C for this generation. We didn't call the E46 coupes "si" like the E36s, so we should probably just call the E92 coupe "i." Just an observation.

Out of those four its really down to what you really want from a car.

The 350z will probably be the fastest out of those four whether it be on the track or in a line, but its also the least practical. There is little cabin or trunk space. It will also be significantly less comfortable then any of the other cars.

The G35c is essentially a luxury version of the 350z. It is bigger and nicer, but slower and more expensive. It won't handle as well as the 350z or the BMW. The only area where it should beat the 335i coupe is price.

The TSX will be the most likely to be reliable and the least expensive. It is the only 4 cylinder in this group and you will feel the power difference. It won't handle like any of the others (RWD > FWD usually). I'm a fan of this car, but I think that its outclassed by these other cars. You might also consider the Acura TL which is bigger and stronger.

I would get the BMW. It is the most expensive, but it is the total package. The BMW is much faster then the G35 or the TSX and should be close to the Z. It has the nicest interior and exterior of any of these cars. The bi-turbo BMW engine will be the most tune-able (if you are into that). BMW is usually right next to Infinti in reliability and the 3-series is their most reliable car. If you can afford the 335i, you should definitely get it. It is basically a more refined, friendlier M3. If you are concerned with being noticed, the BMW badge looks better then Infiniti or Acura by a long shot.

I agree with all this except for where you said the 350z is the fastest. I havent seen any track times but at least for straightline the BMW should beat it.

I agree with all this except for where you said the 350z is the fastest. I havent seen any track times but at least for straightline the BMW should beat it.

I just did some research and you were right. I'm suprised by how slow the 350z's 0-60 and 1/4 mile is, I keep thinking that it is a high 13 second car, but its really in the mid 14s. The BMW is significantly quicker, clocking times closer to the M3's mid to low 13s. I havn't seen comparative track times for the two cars, but I know that the top end 350z is great on the track. In C&D's track comparison a few issues ago, the 350z managed to beat the Mitsu Evo, RX-8, Mustang GT, and others. As much as I want the BMW to beat the Z on the track, I think that 335i's suspension will be too soft and street oriented to beat the Z's more track focused suspension. On the other hand, the BMW's acceleration and brakes (those are better too) could be enough to pull out a win. It should be at least close.

Either way, the BMW will be far nicer to drive day-to-day and I still think its the best option.

Any big shiny '50's - 70's American convertible. Girls that thinks a Porsche is more sexy is not worth a guys time.

A Subaru SVX makes a great head turner for a very cheap price as apposed to most of the others mentioned here, not always a possitive one, but it does get attention none the less.
http://www.artandautomotiveclassic.com/images/Web/SVX-FS01.jpg

Or how about an AMC Pacer.
http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/amc/7577px.jpg

Ugly can be beutiful. :(

I would get a slightly used s/c corvette and say FTW if i had money like that to go out and spend on a car.

I would go for the Lotus Elise, The Chrysler Crossfire, or a Used Lotus Espirit.

You live in canada? Get a Skyline girls love them.

you're leaving out sportbikes. :iceslolan

I'd take $13k drop it on a bike and keep the rest.

I would take the Shelby GT500 hands down ... 0-60 in 4.3 and only $39KUS - pure power. :evillol: Found this site that ranks cars by price, 0-60 times and some other stuff. A few other on their list i like in no order ...

- G37 @ 35K
- Charger SRT8 @ $38,6Kish
- 350Z VQ Roadtser @ 36K
- Audi TT 2.0 Roadster @ $37K

http://www.performancecarnews.com/Fastest-Cars-0-60.asp?Process=ShowTable

Too bad to get a gt500 youll be spending more like 60k.

LOL - great movie

Indeed, but it was John Favreau's character in that scene. Vince's character had a Mercury Comet convertible, but.....:gives:

Don't forget the Solstice, Sky, Toyota MR-s, RX8, all at the low end of your price range. My friend that gets laid a lot got a lightly used MR for about $10k. I would rock none of these cars, though, but you might. :smokin:

Anyway, you don't need a car to impress girls, you'd probably be better off spending the $40k on clothes (it would not take long, have you been to a mall lately?). Chicks dig well-dressed guys. Also, try hitting on younger girls. They are hotter, and don't expect you to take them to 20 star restaurants. Their bullshit is incredibly inane, though, as you might know, so watch out for that.

I've been really busy, so this post had been a long time coming. But I am picking up a blue G35 coupe later today. I wanted to thank everyone here for their great opinions and honesty!!! I am looking forward to my car (it's actually the first car I am buying). Thanks everyone!!!