If you were to pick a used "High end" Sports car what would you pick?
 

So, I am about to graduate college...

Relax, I am 34 and I already have a good job. I was just using my GI Bill from the Military.

This is not the typical: "High I am 21 and I have $80k in school loans, and I want to get a sports car...oh and my girl friend is pregnant" question.

I am a married, stable 34 year old home owner who plans on having children in about 3 years.

So my wife says to me this past weekend, "Since we are going to wait about 3 years to have a child (due to her wanting to compete in horse stuff...barrel racing to be exact) she has given me the go ahead on a sports car.

Her only stipulation is...it HAS to be a car that I keep for a very long time. She also wants me to get something "Newer" since my old cars from my past have always needed a ton of things done to them.

So far my thoughts are...

A lightly used Porsche Cayman S (think $45k)
A lightly used Lotus Elise/Exige. (Thinking $30k for an Elise and $45k for an Exige)
In September, Mazda should reveal the 2016 ND Miata (sounds like FI possibly?)

Any other suggestions?

I know...first world problems.

If Subaru would release a Turbo BRZ...I would be set...(not turning this into a stupid Turbo BRZ Thread)

EDIT:
I currently own an NA Miata and I had a 2013 BRZ and Loved it...it was ALMOST exactly what I wanted.

1 Last thing...I tend to prefer FR and MR layout.

Also, I am more interested in a Sports Car rather than a Muscle Car.

Where's the BRZ fit into this plan? Personally I would just dump money into tracking/autoxing the BRZ, $30k can buy a lot of tires and brake pads...
Edit: Nvm re-read OP that you only have the NA, but question still stands for the NA.

I don't think the ND Miata is going to blow the Toyobaru away in terms of... well anything really, but it should give it a good run for the money. At this point the only two sports cars from the last 10 years I'm interested in is RX-8 and Cayman. While the Lotus' should be rock solid from a drivetrain perspective (Toyota units) everything else comes from such a small production line it'll be expensive and hard to find, not to mention who would work on it?

If you could stomach going back 20 years I'd go all in on an FD RX-7 or NSX, nice examples will still leave some money on the table for repairs over what you're currently looking at.

Cayman, Vette, or 911. M3 sedan if you want to carry the impending baby. Close the thread.

Yeah what happened was...all within 6 months

*Asked Grandfather about buying his NA Miata...he told me it'd be a few years.

*1 month later...bought a BRZ (loved it...wish it was a little more powerful)

*1 month after that...Grandfather asks if I want the Miata...I bought it form him before I had the chance to mod the BRZ.

*2 Months later...buy/pick up the Miata and drive it from NC to WA.

*Wife and I decide to have a child *soon* Sold BRZ shortly thereafter

*about 4 months have gone by...and Wife says she wants to wait about 3 years before we have kids...I am allowed to go car shopping again

One reason I am hesitant to mod out the Miata is that I have put a nice suspension on it...but it would cost a lot to beef up the engine and brakes and drivetrain

I would rather keep the Miata as a reliable little convertible that I commute occasionally in (4Runner is DD)

Wife has basically said...pick something that is your "Dream Car" and just keep it forever.

I have typically bought the new shiny about every year or year and a half.

Its cool to be able to say that I have owned (in order) Nismo 350Z, Boxster S, STi, 2 AW-11 (one NA and one S/C), SRT8 Challenger, BRZ and an NA Miata...

The problem is...I lose my ass every time I wheel and deal lol.

Wife is OK with me having an "Elite Sports Car". I just can't swap it out in a year.

So I just want to get it right.

I have STRONGLY Considered the FD RX7. My Miata mechanic is Jeff Clark (of Jeff's Automotive) and he is a Wizard with Rotaries as well. So a super clean FD RX7 is really tempting lol.

The NSX is tempting too...I had a buddy with one and he claimed they were not that bad to work on or get worked on...its a Honda he claimed.

I also really like the 2ZZ engine in the Lotus as you mentioned.

I like the Elise a lot, I'd go for one :D The Toyota engine is easy to do light mods to too. If you keep it for a long time, the small things that go wrong can be fixed as an ongoing project.

Cayman S. Do it.

The Elise seems to always be an ongoing project. There are just better cars out there. Get an Elise because you don't want to get the better Cayman S or Boxster S.

CLA45

I'm in a similar position with you (married homeowner, no kids). Here are the best cars I've come up with under $45k:

1) 987.2 Cayman/Boxster S
3) 2009+ C6 Z06
2) 997 911
4) Elise

That's the list for me. I will probably start knocking them off one-by-one. This would be easier if I wasn't so content with the FR-S already and it wasn't so cheap/reliable to track. I actually had a 987.2 Boxster S, but got rid of it due to oil/coolant leaks. Fantastic car otherwise. If you liked your BRZ, you will definitely enjoy the Cayman/Boxster S.

C6 Z06 or a C7 Stingray with Z51 package, since it hasn't been mentioned yet

I wouldn't call those cars better. They have a different, more luxurious feel from the driver's seat, but also feel bigger. Of course if you want a car that can also be comfortable, they are probably the best choices out there.

More than likely the SRT Viper. 196 mph top end, manual shit tons of torque and horsepower.. oh, and real wheel drive. Just absolutely raw.

Edit: oops, didn't read OP's post, just the headline...

As some of the others have said, I'd go for the brz if you're looking at one at all and put the money you're saving into some decent mods for it

would an e90 m3 be out of your budget?