[335iheLLraiseR]

e30

[RX7guy]

The Z4 M coupe is not any faster and way less practical.. Why would it be a better car? Same arguement for e46 M3 and 335i coupe

[anthony @ eas]

Miata

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by 335iheLLraiseR

e30

If I could find one in good enough condition I'd be all over it. All I've ever been able to find were rolling chassis (what's the plural of chassis...chassii?) or bastardized shit boxes painted like 8 different colors or with 7 million miles on them.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by RX7guy

The Z4 M coupe is not any faster and way less practical.. Why would it be a better car? Same arguement for e46 M3 and 335i coupe

Because it's a lot more fun to drive and just plain drives better. Before you ask, I have had significant time in both an E90 335i and my Z4M.

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by RX7guy

The Z4 M coupe is not any faster and way less practical.. Why would it be a better car? Same arguement for e46 M3 and 335i coupe

It would be perfectly practical for me (I don't need a backseat or cargo space, I'm fine with gas mileage, the suspension doesn't bother me), and it would just be a different experience. Not necessarily better. It's hard to pass up on what is commonly referred to as the best drivers car BMW has ever built, save for the m3 csl.

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by anthony @ eas

Miata

I know they are supposed to be seriously underrated/underappreciated, but I just don't see myself in a miata. Maybe as a dedicated track car, but not a daily driver.

[skim]

Originally Posted by Suareezay

It would be perfectly practical for me (I don't need a backseat or cargo space, I'm fine with gas mileage, the suspension doesn't bother me), and it would just be a different experience. Not necessarily better. It's hard to pass up on what is commonly referred to as the best drivers car BMW has ever built, save for the m3 csl.

starting in 2003 when i got out of college, i've owned quite a few cars (one year i went thru 4 cars and drove parents ABSOLUTELY insane).
now as an owner of e90 m3 and e86 m, i can honestly say e86m is the funner car (possibly funnest overall, except s2000 in a few occasions)
it sounds like you have your mind made up already. it really is hard to not like the e86 - design is love or hate to a lot of people and to me honestly it looks like a million $ car and i have people giving me thumbs up and rolling down windows on road to ask about the car a lot. never happened with the m3 (not that i care what people think on the road, but it's certainly good to get thumbs up)
good luck with your search and decision

[JoosyJoos]

Originally Posted by Saigon

rsx type s black on black leather. Those interiors are nice and comfy and fits 4, you pay 13-14k for a nice one w/ low mileage and it gets good MPG. They're nice to mod too! Or, G35 coupe 04' w/ brembos. Same black on black, they're <15k for a nice conditioned one. Nice interior as well... Both I would not consider beaters though....But if you wanted to really free up money for grad school, I would go w/ an acura integra. Those are nice as well...

Uh they most definitely do not fit four. I had one before my 3er. You can't fit anyone over 5'6" comfortably in the back. You have to hunch over if you're over 5'6" lol

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by skim

starting in 2003 when i got out of college, i've owned quite a few cars (one year i went thru 4 cars and drove parents ABSOLUTELY insane).
now as an owner of e90 m3 and e86 m, i can honestly say e86m is the funner car (possibly funnest overall, except s2000 in a few occasions)
it sounds like you have your mind made up already. it really is hard to not like the e86 - design is love or hate to a lot of people and to me honestly it looks like a million $ car and i have people giving me thumbs up and rolling down windows on road to ask about the car a lot. never happened with the m3 (not that i care what people think on the road, but it's certainly good to get thumbs up)
good luck with your search and decision

Haha posts like this aren't helping

[bavarian19]

I would buy something like an accord. Reliable and cheap. Buy a nicer car when you get a good paying job afterwards.

[kryzeofkrayzie]

Originally Posted by crfine88

Used RSX-S

Fun to drive, low initial cost, low maint., and good MPG.

My only car before I got the 335i. It serves as my daily driver now. <3 the dc 5 S. 120k and still going strong. 31 highway mpg is nice too.

[Andrew@ET]

srt 4

[dragon1761]

Honda prelude. The last discontinued body type.

[smartys]

lol, i was actually in the same boat just a few months ago....in that, I was looking for a beater....i don't think I'll ever part with my e93 I just love him too damn much....anyways, I first thought about taking over a lease on something like a jeep liberty, but when I test drove one, it was so damn boring.....i just couldn't do it.....

So i set my parameters:

Cost: 10-15k incl all taxes, etc (talkin CAD here)
Preferences: Fun to drive, and preferably AWD

I started looking at cars in the price range, and narrowed it down to an older Lexus IS, G35x Sedan, and Audi A4s.....

Turned out the "Lexi" would always come out a bit over the price range...

The G35x's were actually not bad....but many of them for sale when I was looking were in used car lots, and when initially the price seemed to fit, the added retarded costs pushed it over. Some of the ones that were private sale seemed better on cost, but mileage was too high. And plus, I don't know about in the USA, but here in Toronto, there are SOOOO many of them on the road, it just struck me as a bit boring. And while the power was decent, the handling on the sedan was too light.....

The A4s turned out to be a bit underpowered for the $$, and many that I had checked out ended up not being too clean, ie. accidents etc.....

I ended up finding a 2000 Audi B5 S4, with about 85k miles (130k km), well maintained, got it for like 13G's. And I actually love that thing. And though I hadn't intended on it, I think I'm gonna mod that little twin turbo engine also, lol.....

Anyways, I'm sure you didn't care to read all of that, so I apologize.....it was share-time for me......

But, having said (all) that, the best advice I can give you is:

1.) Know thyself: What kind of car can you really enjoy driving in, for whatever reason, or if you give a shit at all and don't mind driving something that gets you from A to B. I really enjoy driving, so I HAD to find something that's fun to get around in.

2.) Budget: have a price range that you can afford or think is reasonable for you, and don't even bother going out of it, cause it's a slippery slope I tell you

3.) TEST DRIVE whatever car you're interested in

4.) CarFax: Optional, but personally, I found it to be a great help. Not always accurate, mind you, but if a car had been in a decent accident, it was there. I actually found "Carproof", which is a Canadian version of Carfax to be wayyyyy better than Carfax. Maybe that's because I was looking at Canadian spec cars, but there were a good few times that the carfax was clean, and the Carproof showed accidents.

Anyways, GL with the beater search! (and sorry for the essay, share-time is over)

[oldaccount]

^ good post. Thanks for the info.

[nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Early 90's MB 300E. Cheap as hell and built like a tank.

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by ferrari355fi

Early 90's MB 300E. Cheap as hell and built like a tank.

Older MBs are sick. How's their reliability?

[nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Originally Posted by Suareezay

Older MBs are sick. How's their reliability?

Pretty reliable. Consider how many you still see around today. It is pretty impressive how well they were built.

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by ferrari355fi

Pretty reliable. Consider how many you still see around today. It is pretty impressive how well they were built.

I hardly see any, actually. But maybe that's just my area.

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by ChrisV

yeah, beaters should not be pretty, should not be expensive, and should be either reliable OR cheap to fix/keep running. Beaters should not be $5k-10k or more, and definitely should not be financed. it should be practical, not perfect, and not something you care if it gets, well, beat on.

I'd say a beater should be a $500-1000 Volvo wagon got off of craigslist.

Keep the Tahoe buy some property
The Tahoe is already there anyways.

[Yvette]

s2k