WTB: Help me find a car for my brother

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

My brother is about to move on from his Saabaru, which while being one of the most perfect practical cars on the planet... is quite boring.

So the budget is about 8-13k. Cars I've been searching for are clean NB's (not silver), Mazda3speeds (may be underpricing them), IS300's, WRX's or anything else a bit sporty that's fun and reliable. It has to be manual.

I think a Mazdaspeed Miata would be a good pick for him but again I might be expecting too much for the price.

[matredd]

Would he be interested in my 2000 mp62? There are a lot of parts still not installed (boost gauge, wideband, intercooler, PPF brace, full painted mazda body kit...)

I really have been thinking about upgrading to something with more seating. The car has 56k miles on it. I've used Mobil 1 synthetic since the purchase at 31k where the previous owner was using the same.

[Sawyer]

Mazdaspeed Miatas have come down a TON in price (unfortunately for me :( ). You could easily find one for $11k - $13k.
I'll keep an eye out for him.

[jzilla]

my vote goes for the IS300. He can also go for e36 M3's which are really fun and relatively not bad on maintenance. He can find one with the cooling system already replaced.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I was thinking about the E36 M3 but most of the ones I find have higher miles and I'm convinced they'll end up with a series of pricey problems. I'm down if there's a good example though!

[Bernie]

IS300 is a great car, but too baby seat oriented for me... I'd go for a WRX, MSM, or maybe a 'Speed Protege (getting cheap if you can find them)... My IS was just too dang high on insurance, was a PITA to work on, expensive as heck to upgrade, and seemed to attract scratches and chips like moths to a flame.

[jzilla]

as far as the IS300, the auto is not bad at all, still fun to drive. and if he can find the sportback version, he wont miss the room he had with the saabaru and can factor in the fun.

[mustangtomiata]

what about my car? I am still willing to sell it and he can buy it and still have enough money to boost it and have a good car.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

We've already got one NA in the family, a clean and comfy NB is what we're looking for. Don't need the massive boost just yet. :)

[mustangtomiata]

The body isn't perfect, but everything else is and in that case he could have the flaws fixed :)

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I really like this one. Stock goodness.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/cto/1297651890.html

[mustangtomiata]

Mine is stock goodness :) seriously come take a look one day.

[jzilla]

man, this is when i say, i would love to sell you my car... but im not ready to upgrade just yet.. plus bernie offered to detail it.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I love this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda-MX-5-Miata-Mazdaspeed-Mazdaspeed-2-dr-Convertible-Manual-Gasoline-1-8L-L4-FI_W0QQitemZ230364544189QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars _Trucks?hash=item35a2cbfcbd&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

[oldgrayfrog]

You are not crazy when you think you can get a Mazdaspeed 3 for that money, they are out there. Also consider the VW GTI's easily reprgrammed for sick power in the 2.0 l model. The IS300 is a good car, but +1 for expensive insurance and upgrades, oh and goodluck finding a manual. Neon srt4's are cheap and bulletproof, the E46? (2001-2003) M3's are in your range, I looked at a 50k E46 M-3 'Vertw/hardtop for 13 grand three months ago. Remember you (your brother) is in the catbird seat, auto dealerships just aren't selling cars right now. Look at Carmax, to buy NOT TO SELL. Sell privately, or you will be arse raped. My 2 cents.

[mustangtomiata]

X100 on selling private, srt-4 is super awesome if he doesn't mind a car that is a little rough around the edges.

[Bernie]

Nice MSM, not sure i could bring myself to buy from a guy named Randazzo though... and it'll take a month of Sunday's and a 55 gallon drum of Simple Green to get all that Grecian formula off the car :lol:

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

You are not crazy when you think you can get a Mazdaspeed 3 for that money, they are out there. Also consider the VW GTI's easily reprgrammed for sick power in the 2.0 l model. The IS300 is a good car, but +1 for expensive insurance and upgrades, oh and goodluck finding a manual. Neon srt4's are cheap and bulletproof, the E46? (2001-2003) M3's are in your range, I looked at a 50k E46 M-3 'Vertw/hardtop for 13 grand three months ago. Remember you (your brother) is in the catbird seat, auto dealerships just aren't selling cars right now. Look at Carmax, to buy NOT TO SELL. Sell privately, or you will be arse raped. My 2 cents.

An E46 at that price?? Never seen that before.

I think we'll probably be going for private sale but we've got some spare time today so figure we might aswell see what the ultimate low figure they offer us will be. I hadn't thought about the GTI but I must say I'm quite fearful of working on those things.

[jzilla]

quick suggestion.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=265160675&dealer_id=64365917&car_year=2000&rdm=1249579292557&model=BMWMCOUPE&num_records=25&systime=&make2=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&awsp=false&search_type=used&distance=500&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&showZipError=n&make=BMW&keywords_display=&color=&scarid=264108336&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceASC&seller_type=b&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceASC&address=30328&advanced=y&end_year=2010&doors=&transmission=&max_price=&cardist=423&standard=false

fun and creature comforts.

[Synthmob]

Insurance Agents love to see you walk in the door with a WRX too -- just like the STIs from an insurance standpoint.

[streetlegend]

E46 M3's are coming down into the $15k range. I saw a couple on CL for $14k. Sad what a bad economy does to car value.

[mustangtomiata]

Troof on the WRX/STi insurance, they will flat kill you on it, even a 2.5rs is insane.

[Sawyer]

If you go take a look at that WRX, let us know. That's right where Steve and I live so we could all go to dinner or something after.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Will do LB. We went to CarMax today... :lol: is all I have to say.

[matredd]

Yeah, they hack KBB before they print their values. I was looking at Corrollas for my gf at the time and pretty much had all KBB values memorized at that point and there's were 20-30% higher...

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Well the absolute lowest KBB value for the Saab for trade in was $5590 and they managed to knock off 2 grand and offered $3500. I really hope people don't accept **** like that from them.

[RotorNutFD3S]

They do accept it. And they also pay their "no-haggle" prices for a car too. It's why carmax is still in business.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

We toured the whole lot too, one of the most uninspiring ventures I've ever been on. Bland and more bland and then some even more bland around the corner. Bonkers.

[mustangtomiata]

The only good thing about carmax is when they get cool stuff you can go up there and beat the piss out of it :) I do this routinely.

[miatamike]

for the money a g35 coupe is a lot of fun i had one and that car put a smile one my face every time i got in it. 6 speed was smooth, power was there all the time, you can brake the rear end loss any time you want and is easy to control, the sound from the car stock is very nice, i was always able to keep up to evos sti and a few others as long as they were stock, and the car never broke down on me and i beat the **** out of it. more then my miata i drove that car to the grown and back up and still ran like a champ. wish i kinda never sold it plus there are a lot of mods for it.

[LagunaJames]

+1 for the G35 and the 350Z as well. Both are nice cars, although I thought the G35 only got a 5speed and the Z got a six. Did the G35 get upgraded later on?

BMWs are nice cars, but I think the mods are too pricy for what you get out of it. What about a '99-'01 Cobra? Low milage clean ones go for 10k or a smidge less... DOHC V8 with 320hp and 7k redline, IRS, all a good combo. If he picked up this one http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1108186 for $9500 he is still well within his budget to make the car handle really well with something like the $1500 Sport Box grip package from Maximum Motorsports (http://www.maximummotorsports.com/index.html?http&&&www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_66&products_id=966)

or go the other way and for about the same amount of $ pick up a used supercharger kit and make 450 to the wheels :D

[miatamike]

no i had a sedan g35 all g35 use same tranny and engine as the 350z
besides the awd g35 i had rwd

[oldgrayfrog]

Jack, Carmax used to have an $1800 profit margin, meaning they payed 2000 you payed 3800, you pay 18000 they paid 16200. No more, they changed there business model when they got a new CFO 8 months ago. The stock had tanked gas was at 3.50 a gallon, and their lots were full of SUVs and trucks. OUCH. So they changed their model. The high end vehicles are now looking to make $8000 per car. I know this because I have a friend who was running the Schaumberg store in Illinois. They do have some real clean highline cars. The thing I like is to be able to test several vehicles back to back to make comparisons.

Whatever you and your nrother are interested, have him call around to find out what his insurance will be like on different models. It's not just about your record its also how likely is it that the average driver of said car will have an accident. It's why it costs more to insure a Mustangf V6 than a C-5 Corvette. Plenty of Testoterone filled teenage boys can afford the 'Stang, where only old farts like me can afford the Vette. That probably means the G35 is cheaper to insure than a WRX. Also look at 1st Gen M45/M35, they were pricey 5 years ago 50K range, but now command lower prices than the G35, with a nicer car, bigger engine. Old geaser insurance too!

My pain Doctor has a Mazdaspeed 3 he may be looking to sell private party, if you can wait a couple weeks (that's when I'll see him next) I could try to broker a deal. He's done all the MSM upgrade stuff availible from Mazda, he works for an F-1 team sometimes at Road Atlanta. Let me know.

[miatamike]

Whatever you and your nrother are interested, have him call around to find out what his insurance will be like on different models. It's not just about your record its also how likely is it that the average driver of said car will have an accident. It's why it costs more to insure a Mustangf V6 than a C-5 Corvette. Plenty of Testoterone filled teenage boys can afford the 'Stang, where only old farts like me can afford the Vette. That probably means the G35 is cheaper to insure than a WRX. Also look at 1st Gen M45/M35, they were pricey 5 years ago 50K range, but now command lower prices than the G35, with a nicer car, bigger engine. Old geaser insurance too!

very ture fact i have a friend who is a year older then me he got an sti for his first car then the summer her turned 18 his dad paid in full for a vett rich fuks. well turns out the vett was a **** load cheaper then the sti for the one reason that more younger people drive the sti then the vett. i love how my miata rips stia and is cheaper to insure thanks to all the old foke owning them. so i thank you :clap:

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Cheers for the extra suggestions, this is one of those times where we don't actually want to buy too much of a car. He's younger than me and we don't want him in a 300hp performance monster, truth be told I think the Mazdaspeed 3 is probably too much car too. Good call on the G35's, I forgot about them.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Well I realised I contradicted myself with the G35 talk, those things are quick.

Gonna try and check this out today

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=265123443&dealer_id=56011356&car_year=2004&rdm=1250023555699&num_records=25&model=IS_MODELSCLASS_SERIES&systime=&make2=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&start_year=1981&engine=&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&certified=&fuel=&body_code=0&awsp=false&search_type=both&distance=200&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&showZipError=y&first_record=26&make=LEXUS&color=&keywords_display=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&seller_type=b&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=30327&advanced=&end_year=2005&pager.offset=25&transmission=&doors=&max_price=&cardist=17&standard=false

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Just test drove the IS300, really liked the car and it feels like a lot of car for the money. This one wasn't the cleanest example or the best price but it was at a dealership which meant I didn't feel bad about hitting them up for a test drive compared to a private seller.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

This is even more car for the money

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/ctd/1296815200.html

[miatamike]

i dont know what you guys down in GA think about this car but no one said anything about it so here it is dodge SRT4 me i will not buy one but idk about you guys down there

[nickt93]

This is even more car for the money

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/ctd/1296815200.html

I like that S60. Doppelganger posted a link to one when I was looking recently...it was tempting! That is a cool sleeper.

[miatamike]

http://www.jimmy540i.com/dinan9small.jpg
http://www.jimmy540i.com/dinan8big.jpgthe top sleeper car is the one from BMW it was made in 89 it was called the dinan 750il bmw had a 5.0 v12 twin turbo motor and a ton of goodies. car made 500hp at the crank, i loved ******* with people when i had that car.

i dont have picks of mine any more seeing how my phone was stolen =[ but my friend has a video let me ask him about it

[Panic Motorsports]

How about an LS-1 swapped RX-7? The second gen cars can be had in that range, built properly, dead reliable, and far from boring. I've been considering selling the 'vert I have that I completed a while ago. I really need to get the wife an automatic car(Her feet are f'ed up) and having this fun car aound she can't drive is killing her.

[oldgrayfrog]

what year is the rx7 steve?

[Panic Motorsports]

88 convertible. Not the lightest example, but at 300 HP and 3000 lbs, you get the idea ;)

[miatamike]

here is the link to the video i was talking about enjoy http://local.djmart.org/videos/BMW%20Twin%20Turbo%20V12/

[miatamike]

steve how much

[Panic Motorsports]

I'm feeling 11K-ish. It needs a few things to be complete, a/c lines and wiring, suspension work (I have and would include a set of MR coilovers, and a GXL LSD). Racing season has kept me from spending the time and money to get the bushings necessary to do all that at once. I'd also repspray the hood to match the rest of the car (different shades of white now). All that makes it sound half finished, but I'd hop in and drive it anywhere right now. James (Laguna1029) has seen and ridden in it, he can attest to the quality of the build. As I did it with the intentions of keeping it, I spent a lot of time on the details.

Damn, if it wasn't raining, I'd go get her now for a spin......

[miatamike]

if i only lived in GA you guys down there are so lucky you have no snow. i wish i could drive my miata year round