Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisl
Sure, but if you're looking for light weight or nimble and have 2x the budget of a BRZ/FRS, there are a number of other cars you can start to consider. Porsche Boxsters/Caymans are in that price range, and are good at light and nimble. You can also get a used Lotus Elise/Exige or even an Exige S, which is pretty much the gold standard for light and nimble, though you give up a lot of practicality in the process. You can even get an NSX for that kind of money, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about those (though sadly, I haven't had a chance to drive one). You can also get pretty much any generation of M3 that you could want in that price range (an E36 would be a lot of fun), and the older ones absolutely fit the bill for light and nimble. (EDIT: And, I nearly forgot, you can get a great condition S2k in that price range too)
Admittedly, the vast majority of what I've mentioned here is used though - I agree that out of the currently available, new cars, there really isn't much that gives the driving feel of the BRZ/FR-S. A new Cayman/Boxster is twice the price, and a new Alfa 4C is going to be pretty expensive as well (not to mention the maintenance). Everything else I can think of that improves on the BRZ/FR-S is no longer made, sadly (or outrageously expensive).
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Chris.. After I sold my 08 C6, I bought my sons beloved E36 when he went for the 4 door 335i. The M3 was fun and I was more than impressed with its capabilities and practicality for an everyday car.. But being 13+ years old German machine, And me being retired.. I wasn't looking forward to all the maintenance and things it was going to need not far down the road.. But I enjoyed the 2 years I had with it.. But it was not as lightweight or as nimble
As the FRS.. but more practical and balanced than the C6 and I didn't feel like batman driving it..
So here I was with a pocket full of money, time on my hands and still a car fanatic.. So off I went to the dealers.. The P cayman was my first stop..
Test drove the 77k cayman S.. Nice car! Great looks, descent power, stiff ride!
Looked at used options, etc.. But decided it was more car than I needed and maintenance is just too complex on that car.. You need to take apart lots of stuff for simple things.. And it's just too expensive, too much to worry about for my simple driving needs. I still track my cars.. But only a couple of times a year..
No need to impress anyone anymore as I'm too old to care what others think.. I always had high HP, high performance cars that were more capable than me.. Never using them to their potential.. The lotus is a joke.. It's too small and impractical for daily use.. I gave up having two cars so I needed a one car solution for everyday use and something to run around a track once in awhile..
I test drove the FRS.. Bought it the next day. Of course it's not as fast, as comfortable, as prestigious, as powerful or as capable as some of my other cars were.. But for the money and my needs.. It's damn near perfect!
So while I'm called a fan boy and may seem overly excited about this car..
It's because it fits my needs so well, is fun as he'll in the real world.. One of the Best looking Japanese car ever made! And it's nice owning something that's inexpensive.. Makes beating on it even more fun when you know it's not costing you lots of $$$ to play..
I have owned 44 cars in 45 years of driving.. I want to try them all! Right now the FRS is perfect for my needs and wants...
I went and checked out the C7 and walked away thinking how over corvettes I am.. After owning 4 of them in the last 14 years.. I finally got it out of my system.. To me the new one looks too much like the bat mobile.. Which is another reason I like the FRS so much.. Less is more.. Must be an age thing..