This page will document my quest for the best new sports car under $35,000. I plan to make the purchase in January 2004. Between now (Nov 14th, 2003) and then I will do research, talk to owners and dealers, and test drive the cars.
I will be updating this page as events occur. Last update: Jan 3, 2004
(Dec 23rd, 2003) I've decided on the Honda s2000. I've got carsdirect.com trying to find me a red one right now.
(Jan 3rd, 2004) I did it! This past Monday, Dec 29th, I bought a New Forumla Red 2004 s2000 with 13 miles on it from Ball Honda in National City. Wow, is it a great car. I have to wait until it's got 600 miles on it before I can put it in VTEC (5,500 rpms), and it's looking like a long wait... :-)
pics:
Front
Front again
back
Curb Weight: 2835 lbs.
Base Number of Cylinders: 4
Base Engine Size: 2.2 liters
Base Engine Type: Inline 4
Horsepower: 240 hp
Torque: 162 ft-lbs.
Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
(Consumer Reports)
0-60: 5.7
1/4 Mile: 14.4
Emdunds TMV w/ options: $33,507
I drove this car for a few minutes on Sunday, Dec 21st, at Ball Honda in National City. I am very impressed. It feels so solid, the most solid of the 3 I've driven. The seats are very low to the ground, and you really feel part of the car when you are driving it. The shifter is short, and shifting gears take minimal movement - snick and you're in 2nd. snick and you're in 3rd. The tach and speedometer are right in the center, and easy to see through the steering wheel. The interior, while minimal, is very luxurious, with leather on the door interiors as well as the seats. I really like the aluminium accents on the pedals. The power top goes up and down very quickly. The trunk is really small, but useable.
I really thought I wasn't going to like a convertible, but my co-worker Karl told me to give it a try. I'm glad I did, because this is the car I want. It was close with the Mazda RX-8, but the convertible won out. This is a precision machine that feels like an extension of you when you drive it.
Curb Weight: 2215 lbs.
Base Number of Cylinders: 4
Base Engine Size: 1.8 liters
Base Engine Type: Inline 4
Horsepower: 138 hp
Torque: 125 ft-lbs.
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual or 6 Speed SMT
(Consumer Reports)
0-60: 7.1
1/4 Mile: 15.6
Emdunds TMV w/ options: $26,303
I liked this car more than I thought I would. I drove it on Sunday, Dec 21st at Frank Toyota in National City. Compared to the others on my list, it's underpowered, with 100 less horsepower than the Honda or the Mazda. However, it's also a lot lighter.
The car has a much nicer interior than I expected. I drove the 5 speed manual with leather. It's got more zip than the 138 hp would lead you to believe. However, the steering and transmission, while good, where not nearly as precise as the Honda or Mazda. Also, the top is not powered, and the salesman had a hard time locking it down after he lowered it. Also, zero storage. It has a trunk, but it only fits the spare tire. There is a compartment behind the seats, but it is small, and you must get out of the car to access it, which makes it useless. I don't expect much storage in a sports car, but I do expect some.
Not as precice or as quick as the Honda, but still lots of fun, and $7000 cheaper.
Curb Weight: 3,029 lbs
Base Engine Size: 1.3 liters
Base Engine Type: Rotary
Horsepower: 238 hp
Torque: 159 ft-lbs.
Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
(Consumer Reports)
0-60: 7.6
1/4 Mile: 15.9
Note: Nate, who has an RX-8, says these times are way slow. see the Forum
(From above linked Edmunds shootout)
0-60: 6.6
1/4 Mile: 15.1
Emdunds TMV w/ options: $31,600
I really liked this car. I drove it on Sunday, Dec 21st at Westcott Mazda in National City. The Honda only barely edged it out. The first thing you notice is this car wants to go. With very little coaxing, it's already going fast. Handling is great - it really sticks to the road. Steering and transmission are as precise as the Honda, which means precise as hell. It's got a useable back seat and a decent trunk. This inside is great. I drove the Grand Touring model, 6 speed manual, moonroof and leather. It's got some things the Honda doesn't, like heated seats and a power drivers seat. The interior was just slightly less luxurious than the Honda, with a little more plastic and a little less leather.
In the end, the covertible was what made me choose the Honda. The larger trunk and back seat were not really important to me, and the Honda felt slightly better to me. And I mean slightly. MSRP is $1700 less for the Mazda, but in "real life" it is probably cheaper than that, since I'm finding Honda dealers are not coming down off MSRP very much at all.
Curb Weight: 3217 lbs.
Base Number of Cylinders: 6
Base Engine Size: 3.5 liters
Base Engine Type: V6
Horsepower: 287 hp
Torque: 274 ft-lbs.
Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
(Consumer Reports)
0-60: 5.4
1/4 Mile: 14.0
(From Edmunds)
0-60: 6.0
1/4 Mile: 14.6
Emdunds TMV w/ options: $33,253
I haven't driven this yet, and I probably won't. We went to Mossy Nissan in National City on Sunday, Dec 21st, but they only had automatics. Who the hell wants an automatic sports car? In any case, I'm seeing this car way too much around town, and it's a little big for my taste. Also, I've decided on a convertible, and the covertible 350Z costs too much.
