FWIW - Spend your first $1k on yourself and a good High Performance Track School.
You'll never get to see why the FRS/BRZ/GT86 made such headlines in the automotive world until you get some track time with a qualified instructor sitting next to you turn by turn. You'll learn how to strategically take a turn, use throttle to *steer* the car, even when to use the brake or downshift.
Hooked on Driving, SCCA, NASA, BMW CCA HPDE are a few that come to mind.
Plan on around $500-$750 on the high end for close to 100-200 miles of track driving.
TRUST ME - the skills you learn in one session will carry over to
every car you ever will own going forward.
The WORST thing for any guy to do is buy a sports car he doesn't know how to drive.
I'm not questioning your skills as a driver, but if the last training you had in driving was driver's ed in high school, well...
-Percy
Miata Club Member - 6 years
BMW Car Club of America Member - 15 years