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I'm looking for a used sports car that needs to have the following:
1) Under $20K
2) Sports car with some status
3) Seats at least 4 - small seats with little legroom are fine because children will be sitting in them
4) Fairly reliable as it will be a daily or at least weekly driver
Everything seems to point to a 1999-2001 Porsche 911 in reliability, seating, status - for the money. My only real dislike is that it looks like the boxster that I could get for much less, but I have to have the extra seating.
Whoever recommended a 996 for 'status' needs to have their head checked. It holds probably the least Porschephile appeal alongside the 1st gen Boxster. All it says is, "I couldn't afford a 997, and I didn't know enough about Porsches to know that I should have gotten a 993 or 964 instead."
OTOH you could realize that "Sports car + $20K = Status" is an oxymoron unless you get some sort of classic. How about buying a car that you actually like driving, and worrying less about what other people think?
The back seats of the 911 are pretty useless for anyone big enough not to use a booster seat anymore, so in a few years your kids won't be able to fit back there anyways. In addition, I wouldn't go so far as to say that the 996 Porsches are reliable. Their failure rates are hard to predict being a low production car, and when things do fail ... $$$.
The only other option I can think of is an M3. Early E46's can be had for under $20k nowadays, and their back seats are much more useful.
There's also the Infiniti G35 coupe, and of course the Mustang, but how much do you want the status? $20k can get you a good late-model luxury car, but the selection of sports cars are slim pickings. For a daily driver, I'd go for the G35.
How about an E30 M3? You can get a very good one for $20K, not a hard car to live with at all, the rear seat is more usable than the 911.
That said there are many 911 cars that are in the $20K price range right now. But Mr. Costanza is right, first get to know the Porker linup, some are much better than others, both in terms of driving experience and for the older ones in terms of appreciation potential.
So far no one has mentioned any sports cars. The 911 is the closest GT, but...
Since you want 4 seats (or more likely, 2+2) then your looking at GTs. And there are a number of good ones out there (and under $20k, there is no such thing as "status" as far as looking like cospicuous consumption. At that price point "Status" is showing how much you know performance cars to other enthusiasts). I'd look into M3s (both E30 and E36, the E46 versions are slightly above $20k) or the E46 330Ci ZHP Coupe. Other than the 911 series, you could look at 928s and 944s (especially the later 944S or 944 S2). Both are outstanding driver's cars.
Other GTs of note are the Mustang V8s from 2005-up, or even the 2002-up Cobras.
haha jokes aside I agree with the M3, Mustang GT or G35 also
no one I ever met had a Porsche 911 as daily driver to haul kids and groceries around unless they had a second more kid friendly car or truck
04-05 Dodge ram SRT-10 truck can be had for 20-24K range 505HP and a badass 8.0 liter V-10 viper motor
as much as I think a late-model Porsche may not be a good idea for the OP, I don't think anyone wanting a Porsche would seriously consider cross-shopping a pickup truck.
as much as I think a late-model Porsche may not be a good idea for the OP, I don't think anyone wanting a Porsche would seriously consider cross-shopping a pickup truck.
I know I just thought it would be an option and a truck with a burbbly viper V-10 will get lot of attention from people.
another choice could be a mazda RX-8
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