Got a lil question hopefully some of you may have expierience with.

I woke up, recently and saw that spring is on us fast. I have suddenly been hit with or bit by the Auto bug. I am considering a sports car, can you say mid-life crisis. but I called my best friend to talk me out of it, and he agreed that I only live once and to go for it (yes he is going through it too and just bought himself another vehicle, do you think I would call someone who would actually try and talk good sense to me). I currently drive a LARGE bus of an suv that stalls at every gas pump I pass, I love it and will keep it for the family but in the city -- I can literally SEE the gas guage drop. Can you believe that a trip up to ATL usually hits me for 50 to 60 bucks in gas

So the question I have is about convertables. Anybody have expierince with them and the tops leaking or giving out and causing nightmares? that is my big worry now but I am wanting a convertable.

Go for it. I've had a couple with and a couple without. My first convertible was an 89 camaro. It sucked. It did leak and was a pain to roll down, Looked like crap after a few years, etc etc.

The one I currently have (05 vette) and the previous one a 99 Camero were/are much much much better. The vette is so simple. Push button up, down seals great and it solidly built.

In this climate I'll never have a top again!

personally dont have one but i use to work at a dealership, convertable tops is like a fish to one day decide to nip on your corals....you may get a bad apple but most of the time they are ok. Convertables have come a long way and thats really good for the consumer. Just make sure you get one that has a glass rear window, tho I'm not sure they make ones with that vinyl crap anymore. What you should get is a convertable hard top!!! booo ya! lol.

If you have a garage and can store the car, a convertable will likely never give you a problem. UV and winter is what gets the tops in most cases, but even that takes a while.

Pontiac makes an afforable convertable with hardtop if you are looking new. It isn't exactly a sports car, but it is sporty. I would also look at a Jeep. Sure not as cool as a sports car, but you can have all top down fun you want and you can always throw on a hard top later. If you go uses, you can find an SL500 laying around for around 20k. They are fantastic cars and most have been seriously babied. They also have quite a nice kick under the hood.

thanks guys, since it would be a second car and not a must have, I am going to try and stay WAY under 20K, I had thought about the pontiac hard top, might give them a close look. I kinda like the ford Mustangs too.

No Garage here anymore. I have been living here since 98 with a two car garage, I never parked in it, the Mrs. did twice I think and it had become a dumping ground for everything we "might" need one day. You literally had to walk a curved path through to exit the house. I built a storage shed and emptied it and that room is now where my tanks are.

Cant go wrong with a Mustang! Heres my Wife's 06 GT.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k85/46bfinga/DSC04290.jpg

WHOOAA ~ I dont know which is prettier, the car, or that dog in your Avatar

That mustang kinda looks like a fish. I must be going crazy.

On another note, I have a Jeep with a softtop, which may be one of the most under developed soft tops in the market considering we still do everything manually and the rest are sealed with zippers. I love it though. It doesn't leak and it's a really fun ride. I would assume that the technology for all convertible tops for sports cars are about 10x better than mine, so if you baby it it shouldn't be a problem.

On another note, you can always get a Vette and just take the top off when you feel like it or go old school with the T-tops on some other models.

Cant go wrong with a Mustang! Heres my Wife's 06 GT.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k85/46bfinga/DSC04290.jpg

What's under that crazy hood?

What's under that crazy hood?


Stock motor with a few goodies,Nothing special. I had to put the stock hood back on a couple months ago,my wife could not see over it to drive.:(

Stock motor with a few goodies,Nothing special. I had to put the stock hood back on a couple months ago,my wife could not see over it to drive.:(

Ah, I though you were going to say "a gargantuan blower!" That hood is bad-a$$, though. Too bad you had to take it off.

Ah, I though you were going to say "a gargantuan blower!" That hood is bad-a$$, though. Too bad you had to take it off.

I wish i could say that,there may be a turbo install down the road though.....dont tell my wife.LOL


Ooops sorry for the Hijacked thread.Go convertible if thats what you want!

I know I just heard about a convertable hardtop with a sunroof. But don't remember off the top of my head who it was.

It's the VW Eos
http://www.vw.com/eos/index.html

It's the VW Eos
http://www.vw.com/eos/index.html

Yep..just picked up a 07' EOS for my fiance'....and wow..what a great convertible! Top goes down into the truck in 25 seconds, and it has a sunroof to boot. No leaks, except when I took it through the touchless car wash and the power spray made it through one of the seals. My Expedition even leaks at times in the high pressure car washes. But go take a look at the EOS. The delaership on South Cobb was excellent, ask for Jerry if you do. It was, for once, a pleasant experience.

so you like that EOS huh? I love VW's!

I want to get one, but prob will hold out a year incase they have any issues.

ha and knowing VW I'm sure they will have some issues with their electronics, or windows falling into the doors :) Man their motors tho......amazing! I love my GTI VR6

When I was in Germany, the VW's would run right along side the BMW's, and Mercedes on the Autobahn, 130 mph all day long, they are amazing.

OH OH

JUST READ THIS THREAD,,,,BOY OH BOY...MY FAVORITE TWO THINGS IN ONE PLACE....REEFING AND STANGS....

Go ahead and indulge yourself and buy the convertible....i've owned 4 mustangs in the past..2 of them convertibles...i've never had a problem with leaks..I had my 1st convertible up in new york and it did fine..i now have another stang and it never sits in my garage ...prob because i have my sump in there and dont want it to get rusted..Sits outside all day long..

heres a pic of my 98 cobra enjoying new york weather.....

The EOS is a zippy little car, a 2.0 turbocharged powerhouse on a very light frame. As for the Top and mechanics of it and reliability. The same company that makes the Mecedes and Volvo articulated hard tops made this one for the EOS. Concept and design has been proven for years....but just to make sure I got the extended warranty!!!!

heres a pic of my current baby, An 03 supercharged cobra......(sorry couldnt resist)...if you ever want a ride...let me know...im sure it'll be very convincing.....

If you want a true sports car, don't get a convertible. The handling is never the same.

If you want something you can toss through the turns instead of just drag race, get a BMW 3 series if you can afford it. There's a reason it's the one every sport sedan (and many sports cars) are compared to. Anyone can drive fast on the highway. The fun comes on the back roads.

VW's are VERY nice for the money. I'd never argue that. However, aside from the handling differences, on the Autobahn, the BMW can drop 2 gears and go another 20 to 45 mph faster (and quickly) depending on what 3 series you're talking about. :D

I had a '79 Camaro throughout highschool and up untill I was about 20. I had T-tops and they leaked but I filled it with black window caulk. Some converibles have the problem, some dont....ultimatly they all will. Like Cameron said a garage is a must have and keep the top well conditioned. Most places you can find new gaskets and such to make an easy fix. Im about to hit 25 and I think Ive already hit my midlife crisis. I just bout a 2nd 1959 Edsel Villager and I just sold off my 1990 convertible Bronco with 33" tires.
My friend just got a divorce and his dad bought him the new Dodge Charger as a coping gift and oh its nice to drive. He should have gotten the Hemi though...

Wow Guys Glad for all the advice, I been out for a few minutes. Stopped by the Bank in a last ditch effort for someone to talk sense into me.

They did ~~ they deposited funds in my account in less than 45 mins. So now I am a fool with money looking for a car to part it on. Can nobody stop this madness??

Anyway I really think I am going to go with a Mustang - either convertible or sunroof. I guess since I have went this far with out mentioning it to my better half, I may as well wait till I get it in the yard, perhaps she wont even notice :crazy: :crazy:

there still is no better mustang than the old cobras or 5.0's

If you're at all mechanically inclined, the older Ford 5.0 motors are a cinch to work on and, since they share the same top end with the 351 block, there's an endless list of nice tinkering enhancements you can do to them.

omg yes!!! My bud has one and has done many many mods to it....one time we were challenged against a newer cobra.....poor guy didnt know what to think when this old sleeper toasted him, lol.

If you want a convertible with some kick under the hood go for a honda s2000, it has a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine that cranks out 240 horsepower. It can definantly keep up with most cars, even some bmw's/benz's, its a bit more than 20k but you usually can find some used ones for around that price.

If you want a true sports car, don't get a convertible. The handling is never the same.

If you want something you can toss through the turns instead of just drag race, get a BMW 3 series if you can afford it. There's a reason it's the one every sport sedan (and many sports cars) are compared to. Anyone can drive fast on the highway. The fun comes on the back roads.

VW's are VERY nice for the money. I'd never argue that. However, aside from the handling differences, on the Autobahn, the BMW can drop 2 gears and go another 20 to 45 mph faster (and quickly) depending on what 3 series you're talking about. :DBMW? It is cute for sure, but a sports car? Not for me. If I am in that kind of money, I am going vette which is pound for dollar one of the best sports cars around.

The Honda can be fun, but you better know how and love to shift. Its powerband is too high for my taste. Just not enough grunt. One of my partners has one and loves it though.

IMO of course. For me it is a 69 Camaro with LS1 underpinnings.

I gotta agree with is_that_a_fish that the s2000's are pretty nice, and that the japanese convertibles need more love in this thread! I almost got an s2000 myself, and recommend you look into that and the 350z roadster which I ended up getting in 2004. I take it through pressure washes once a month and never had a leak and I never get tired of watching the car convert at the touch of a button. It's like the adult version of a Transformer toy, but bigger and badder. It's just plain fun :).

Well, i gotta stand up for american muscle...I've had hard top stangs , sure they're more rigid...but if your looking for fun as well as power then its a convertible all the way...If your looking at price there are numerous mustangs you can look into,,ie the standard v6, GT, Saleen, Roush, or Cobra....The more power you look for the higher the price tag...you could always buy a Gt then add on power. Theres a bunch of bolt ons you could add for extra HP.

broreefr pm sent.:up:

If you want a convertible with some kick under the hood go for a honda s2000, it has a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine that cranks out 240 horsepower. It can definantly keep up with most cars, even some bmw's/benz's, its a bit more than 20k but you usually can find some used ones for around that price.

Dont forget to mention how much fun a v-tech controller would make that car!!!:shades:

Then again I would have to say go with a 1998 2jz-gtte Twin Turbo Toyota Supra like this one lol!
Can anyone say Vette killer? ;)

No such thing as a vette killer in my book. Start pumping money into a car and you will find quickly even the mighty Supra falls prey to the newer vette. Now the upcoming Supra versus a vette is a good conversation. Course I would take a GT in a heartbeat.

BMW? It is cute for sure, but a sports car? Not for me. If I am in that kind of money, I am going vette which is pound for dollar one of the best sports cars around.

The Honda can be fun, but you better know how and love to shift. Its powerband is too high for my taste. Just not enough grunt. One of my partners has one and loves it though.
Yeah. An M3 just sucks. As I said, if all you want to do is stomp on it at the green light, by all means, get an American car. If NASCAR == Racing for you, then I totally agree, the Vette is king.

As I said, if you like to toss a car through the twists and turns and have it feel light, nimble and almost telepathically responsive, get a BMW (an S2000 is a good choice, too. Forgot about that).

A Vette will never, ever feel like a nimble car.

I love my Vette. The Z-06 stock beats anything hands down. The non-Z06 (my version) is essentially the same (in all the measurable tests) as the Mustang Cobra 5.0. The Z06 blows it away. (granted it's $20k more)

The vette and mustang are by far the best value there is out there for sports cars. Now I'm sure if you want to play and tinker, etc some other stuff can perform well to but I want to drive it off and be able to ride. I haven't messed with mine one bit. A vette vs. Cobra in my opinion is purely a matter of which you like best, looks, feel, etc.

Go with a convertable. A sunroof is not the same!

If your looking for a cheap car that can by no means run with the big boys but is sharp looking and fairly peppy you should check out the Solstice by Pontiac. They are fun to drive and at less than 20k new hard to beat. The Miata is another cheap but fun option. Let's be clear though. These are two different types. Vettes/stangs are pure sports cars, hug the road, stiff, raw power. The others mentioned hear including the beamer are more fun to drive around type cars that's performance is nowhere near the same class!

Yeah. An M3 just sucks. As I said, if all you want to do is stomp on it at the green light, by all means, get an American car. If NASCAR == Racing for you, then I totally agree, the Vette is king.

As I said, if you like to toss a car through the twists and turns and have it feel light, nimble and almost telepathically responsive, get a BMW (an S2000 is a good choice, too. Forgot about that).

A Vette will never, ever feel like a nimble car.The Vette Z06 (heck even the stock vette) has one of the lowest skid pad numbers for a car in its price range. 500+ HP and it drives like it is on rails. I will have to look up the skidpad numbers on the BMW, but I would be shocked if it were even close. The S2000 is a fine car, but too much shifting in twisties costs it time. 600cc motorcycles generally suffer from the same problem. You have to REALLY know how to drive one to keep up by comparison to a car that can pretty much tear it up in 4th no matter what the road turns to. A vette will kill a stock BMW in the straight away or in the mountains. I don't even think it would be close assuming the same level of driving expertise.

Speaking of Soltice, I like Saturns version as well.

Unbiased review:

http://www.caranddriver.com/bestcars/10354/10best-cars-2006-page2.html

06 Corvette all the way with the 0-60, 5-60, braking and tied for skidpad roadholding.

If you want a convertible with some kick under the hood go for a honda s2000, it has a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine that cranks out 240 horsepower. It can definantly keep up with most cars, even some bmw's/benz's, its a bit more than 20k but you usually can find some used ones for around that price.\

Are you kinding? My F250 diesel truck out runs my room mates S2000. You would have a heart attack if you rode in my Vette if you think that is fast :)

Are you kinding? My F250 diesel truck out runs my room mates S2000. You would have a heart attack if you rode in my Vette if you think that is fast :)One of my business partners has one and I was not impressed either. I stuck it to him in my goat just a couple weeks ago. They just take too long to rev up. Maybe with some mods you can come off the line fast, but bone stock they are gasping until they hit the powerband.

One of my business partners has one and I was not impressed either. I stuck it to him in my goat just a couple weeks ago. They just take too long to rev up. Maybe with some mods you can come off the line fast, but bone stock they are gasping until they hit the powerband.

Yea they are real lazy till you hit about 7,000 RPM then it still is nothing special. Nothing like the vette when you shift into 4th at 111 MPH and it goes sideways :)

mistergn10 i know what you mean about vettes being fast but considering a c6 vette is a 6.0liter with 400hp and 400lb lb ft of tq compared to the s2000 at 2.2liter 240hp i sure hope the vette is faster. Im also a vette fan (my dad has a c5 Z06), i was just pointing at a cheaper alternative. And if your f250 can beat one then i am thinking either your truck is a monster, or your friend doesnt know how to drive. Just my 2 cents.

And if your f250 can beat one then i am thinking either your truck is a monster, or your friend doesnt know how to drive. Just my 2 cents.


Do not take it as I was trying to being mean or anything. The F250 was a monster. That is whey they make all these types of cars because everyone likes different things.

mistergn10 i completley understood your post, i know you werent trying to be mean. I was just stating my opinion thats all. But i still appreciate you trying to clear it up.

mistergn10 i know what you mean about vettes being fast but considering a c6 vette is a 6.0liter with 400hp and 400lb lb ft of tq compared to the s2000 at 2.2liter 240hp i sure hope the vette is faster. Im also a vette fan (my dad has a c5 Z06), i was just pointing at a cheaper alternative. And if your f250 can beat one then i am thinking either your truck is a monster, or your friend doesnt know how to drive. Just my 2 cents.You can get a 2k vette or older for under 20k which will still outrun a S2000 for the money.

I say get a 2007 Corvette Z06 but I don't think they come in a convertable. FAST car! It can beat the Ferrari F430!

Or get a Corvette Z06 and put a Lingenfelter Performance Engine in it and you can beat almost anything!

No such thing as a vette killer in my book. Start pumping money into a car and you will find quickly even the mighty Supra falls prey to the newer vette. Now the upcoming Supra versus a vette is a good conversation. Course I would take a GT in a heartbeat.

Well Ive seen A LOT of 1200+ HP supra (v6 lol) That munched on some ZO6's, dont get me wrong though I love vette's. But the TT Supra is like the Fish hobby of cars, unlimited possibilities.

Well Ive seen A LOT of 1200+ HP supra (v6 lol) That munched on some ZO6's, dont get me wrong though I love vette's. But the TT Supra is like the Fish hobby of cars, unlimited possibilities.


oh yeah these are fun....


http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Z-5l1GGbm4&mode=related&search=

Well Ive seen A LOT of 1200+ HP supra (v6 lol) That munched on some ZO6's, dont get me wrong though I love vette's. But the TT Supra is like the Fish hobby of cars, unlimited possibilities.A 1200 hp+ Supra price wise is significantly more than a Z06 and doesn't handle nearly as well. Supras are great cars, but you would have to compare it a Ford GT or better when you start getting into those kind of bucks. Look at the drag racing circuit when you start getting into these kinds of numbers. Domestics generally rule. Last I saw a 1500hp C5 tore the Supra a new one. Supra turned in just over an 8 with the vette consistently producing sub 8 numbers. Also I believe the vette still holds the worlds fastest street legal record at a near 8 second run. Now you want fast... my car holds the LS1 record at alomst 6 seconds (did for a while anyway). GTO all the way baby!!! oh and it is also considered an awesome drifting car which I can attest.

Lastly the LS1 is considered one of the finest V8s ever made. ****-tons of power, tremendous torque, very durable, tons of mods and cheap by comparison. The Supra engine is known for being a tank, but generally speaking a much more expensive car to mod. A vette reaches 600, 800, 1000+ hp much easier because it has more to work with.

Speed aside, the Supra is not a convertible. The vette is which brings us back on topic.

Or get a Corvette Z06 and put a Lingenfelter Performance Engine in it and you can beat almost anything!

:yessign: As long as you don't mind driving that hunk of metal and plastic that GM calls a car...

Sorry - couldn't resist... Speed isn't everything, young grasshopper. :shades:

(Flamesuit now on and unsubscribing from this thread!)

If I had to pick one Cpnvertable in a mid price range that has no problems, it would be the Toyota Solaris V6 Convertable. For around 28K-30K it is an awsome car. Built on the same systems as the Lexus GS series. Rides as good as my 2004 Lexus GS (Which I got rid of recently.) I am like you, I have been wanting a Convertable since moving to the south. I have done my homework, and test driven MANY different cars in this price range. Like I said, the Solaris is a great looking car, that offers a GREAT ride, for not alot of money (Realitive).

Got a lil question hopefully some of you may have expierience with.

I woke up, recently and saw that spring is on us fast. I have suddenly been hit with or bit by the Auto bug. I am considering a sports car, can you say mid-life crisis. but I called my best friend to talk me out of it, and he agreed that I only live once and to go for it (yes he is going through it too and just bought himself another vehicle, do you think I would call someone who would actually try and talk good sense to me). I currently drive a LARGE bus of an suv that stalls at every gas pump I pass, I love it and will keep it for the family but in the city -- I can literally SEE the gas guage drop. Can you believe that a trip up to ATL usually hits me for 50 to 60 bucks in gas

So the question I have is about convertables. Anybody have expierince with them and the tops leaking or giving out and causing nightmares? that is my big worry now but I am wanting a convertable.

If I am in the 25k-ish range, I would go Mustang or 350z. Stang doesn't have the Toyota quality behind it, but it flat out flies and bang for buck is hard to beat. The 350z is a great car as well.

As for the Vette being a GM junk car... it rates highly on almost every independent test out there. It is just a great car. Faster than anything in its price range, handles great, looks sweet, comes in a convertible and is a quality car. Independent test after independent test proves it. You won't find any magazine that tests/reviews cars dogging it. The only people I know that don't like Vettes are Ford people because they don't have anything that can compete in this segment. This car is a legend and few models ever produced under its name have been anything less than stellar.

Well, Mojo, I love speed and I think it is everything. Well no I lied but you have to be able to turn also... and stop... Well im mad at you now for calling the Vette a hunk of metal and plastic! Thats crazy! They are amazing cars! Try running in one for 24 hours in a 24 hour Lemans race and you'll see they aren't just a hunk of metal and plastic. Im only kidding about being mad at you.

As for the Vette being a GM junk car... it rates highly on almost every independent test out there.

And yet other independent tests have shown that putting a Corvette or Mustang on the cover of a magazine increases sales by as much as 50% (I'm serious). Of course they're going to review the cars positively - that's what people want to hear/read/see.

It is just a great car. Faster than anything in its price range, handles great, looks sweet, comes in a convertible and is a quality car. Independent test after independent test proves it. You won't find any magazine that tests/reviews cars dogging it.

Come'on Cameron- you're one of the more astute people posting here - you're better than that! Handling, looks, and quality are all a matter of opinion - I could say a CPR skimmer was the best handling, looking, and highest quality skimmer on the market, but that doesn't make it any more or less true. You can't just read a magazine and go into zombie mode say "yes... yes... it must be a great handling car b/c the magazine says so....". If you think so as a driver, great, but you can't just blindly take someone else's word for it. My point is that those things are highly subjective.

I'll give you that it's faster stock than anything else in it's price range and that it comes in a convertible. And yes, to everyone else, Supras can be tuned like no other - given enough money into something, and it'll be the fastest. "He who has the fastest car has the lightest wallet."


The only people I know that don't like Vettes are Ford people because they don't have anything that can compete in this segment.

I had a superchaged (to ~450hp) NSX for a few years that could easily compete, both given adequate drivers. Not for everybody, and I'm not saying it's the best car ever made, although was the best for me. But... every time I parked anywhere with a vette or two around, nobody went up and asked the vette owners questions....

I drove my NSX, a vette, two different spec Miatas, and a 350Z on the track (Roebling Road, VIR, Road Atlanta, Little Talledega). And I'm not talking about a putz-around-behind-a-pace-car, but SCCA-class driving, and pushing the cars to their limits, 160mph+ (the tracks are road tracks- not NASCAR tracks - and are not designed for speed, but for turning and handling ability). I'm definitely not the best racecar driver in the world, but I did realize one thing - I prefered the NSX's nibleness over all the rest (maybe the spec Miata, but it was heavily modified). It's what worked best for me, and I didn't have to read it out of a magazine. :doh:

Thats crazy! They are amazing cars! Try running in one for 24 hours in a 24 hour Lemans race and you'll see they aren't just a hunk of metal and plastic.

And your opinon was formed after driving a completely stock vette for 24 hrs in a Lemans race? :shades: You do realize that those cars are anything but stock?



My point is, everyone.... make your own decision and get what's best for you. If we all liked the same thing, life would be pretty boring.

I agree with Chris here... The NSX has always been my choice in that class...

And yet other independent tests have shown that putting a Corvette or Mustang on the cover of a magazine increases sales by as much as 50% (I'm serious). Of course they're going to review the cars positively - that's what people want to hear/read/see.Give me one sub-50k car that can do everything the vette can and still be a daily driver? Consumer Reports gives the quality of the car a thumbs up and that is based on imperical data. There just isn't a stock car made that can do what the vette does for the sticker price. You are getting Porsche like performance and handling on a budget in car that is actually comfortable. Step up 20k more and you get a super car with the same comfort.

Come'on Cameron- you're one of the more astute people posting here - you're better than that! Handling, looks, and quality are all a matter of opinionSkidpad and Gs are certainly proven handling numbers. The further you can push a car without the *** end going squirley the further a good driver can hammer a car in the turns which ultimately equates to handling. There is preference in handling, but there are some hard numbers to tell you how good a car can perform and the Vette monkey stomps most cars in this arena. 0-60, rolling starts, 1/4 mile, skidpad, Gs pulled, etc are all fantastic on this car.

Looks are a matter of opinion, but few if any of the people I know think the Vette doesn't look hot. It is a nice looking car and its styling has evolved well. I would say the same for the Nissan Z series and a few others.

Another quick read:
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/coupes/0511_z06_gt_viper/stats.html

I could say a CPR skimmer was the best handling, looking, and highest quality skimmer on the market, but that doesn't make it any more or less true. You can't just read a magazine and go into zombie mode say "yes... yes... it must be a great handling car b/c the magazine says so....". If you think so as a driver, great, but you can't just blindly take someone else's word for it. My point is that those things are highly subjective.In cars, things aren't so highly subjective as you are leading people to believe. The numbers tell that the Vette is a great car. The modified circuit tells the Vette is a great car. History tells that the Vette is a great car. Bone stock, the Vette dominates in virtually every category. If it isn't first, it is sure close to it. Anyone who loves cars (and not just fords or imports) should respect this car for what it is. Cheap, quality performance that is affordable.

BTW, we are not talking about just any magazine here. We are talking about practically every magazine here. These guys drive a huge variety of cars on a daily basis and trust me if there was something wrong with the car, they would be some of the first to point it out.

I had a superchaged (to ~450hp) NSX for a few years that could easily compete, both given adequate drivers. Not for everybody, and I'm not saying it's the best car ever made, although was the best for me. But... every time I parked anywhere with a vette or two around, nobody went up and asked the vette owners questions.... Z06 Vette will kill an NSX. NSX was great (really great) for its time, but that time has passed. Bone stock the Vette comes with more HP and Torque and its skidpad ratings are better as well as the Gs pulled in the corners.

I drove my NSX, a vette, two different spec Miatas, and a 350Z on the track (Roebling Road, VIR, Road Atlanta, Little Talledega). And I'm not talking about a putz-around-behind-a-pace-car, but SCCA-class driving, and pushing the cars to their limits, 160mph+ (the tracks are road tracks- not NASCAR tracks - and are not designed for speed, but for turning and handling ability). I'm definitely not the best racecar driver in the world, but I did realize one thing - I prefered the NSX's nibleness over all the rest (maybe the spec Miata, but it was heavily modified). It's what worked best for me, and I didn't have to read it out of a magazine.

As for the NSX looks, people like cars that look different. Prowler, Ford T-Bird when it came out, Mustang when it came out, etc. Hell even my GTO still gets horn blows from people. The NSX is just a strange looking car and there are lots of those kind of cars that get stares. Produce a few hundred thousand and see if the car is still hot.

I am agreeing with Cameron on this one. A Z06 vette would easily kill a NSX. Yes Chris I do realize that they are as far away from being stock as possible. Vettes IMO are the best bang for the buck. Ever since I rode in my uncles C5 I fell in love with vettes.

I'm coming into this conversation very late and haven't even read the entire thread but I still have to say atleast one thing....

Corvettes are one of the UGLIEST cars to ever rest on concrete!!!

(**runs away laughing**)
:lol3:

WHOAAAA!!! I no longer like you lol. JK. SO Tony if you think Vettes are "UGLY" what do you like??

Ahhahha

The second car is awsome! Ha the first guy is really into the turn. SO I proved my point "THIS" is what Tony thinks is "COOL".

LOL!!

LOL.... No, I'm just trying to lighten the mood.

You guys and your silly cars... I can do 280mph just by standing on my head.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g34/xaoss23/head-downway.jpg

HAHAHA is that you? AHHAHA that was pretty funny.

OR how about my neighbors boat? 30' Eliminator Custom Boat. 2x525 HorsePower Engines with just headers no mufflers. Top speed is 120mph. At top speed it gets 0.2 MPG. NOW thats economical! 200 gallons of gas. $325,000

OR how about the Bugatti Veyron. about 1 million $. Top Speed is 254MPH 4 Turbo's 1024 horsepower. At top speed it runs out of gas in 6 minutes. Oh and 0-60 in 3.2 seconds.

Hey guys lets get back to topic, the original post was asking for a fun to drive car lower than 20k, now we are talking about c6 Z06 and discontinued NSX's, Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. All the cars mentioned in this thread are great (except for mustangs :)) Anyway everyone has their own opinion, there are people out there thinking ford escorts will beat anything on the street, again its all opinion.

Ha and people with Honda Civics thinking that a 5 foot spoiler will "HELP"

Well I dont know what your all hustlin' over anyways. I'd put a 2007 R1 up against any "street legal" car any day of the week. Plus its definately a convertable.:up:

Even against a Bugatti Veyron?

plus 600 or how ever many pounds those things weight is much easier to get up and go.

Ok - last post before leaving on vacation... I can't just let it go... :)

Give me one sub-50k car that can do everything the vette can and still be a daily driver? Consumer Reports gives the quality of the car a thumbs up and that is based on imperical data. There just isn't a stock car made that can do what the vette does for the sticker price. You are getting Porsche like performance and handling on a budget in car that is actually comfortable. Step up 20k more and you get a super car with the same comfort.

I never said that the vette wasn't a good deal, if you like vettes. Rather, that people should form their own opinions rather than basing on the numbers.

Skidpad and Gs are certainly proven handling numbers.
Nope- they simply tell you how much you can turn the car in one direction before it starts sliding. Any competent racer would never describe handling in G's...

The further you can push a car without the *** end going squirley the further a good driver can hammer a car in the turns which ultimately equates to handling.

Sorry- I think there's a jump in logic there. If you haven't already, get on a road course and you'll see why.

History tells that the Vette is a great car.

Interesting way to quantify greatness...

Anyone who loves cars (and not just fords or imports) should respect this car for what it is.

If you're referring to me, I'll tip my hat that it has good number on paper for the price. I don't think I ever said otherwise...

Z06 Vette will kill an NSX.

I never said it wouldn't. Mine was 450hp, which changed the playing field a little. I simply said that the NSX was a better handling car for my own preference.


My point in my original post (that it's not all about the numbers and that people have to make their own judgement) seems to have been lost and it's all about speed and how great the car is, so I'll let it go now. Off to go skiing...

The Vette Z06 (heck even the stock vette) has one of the lowest skid pad numbers for a car in its price range. 500+ HP and it drives like it is on rails. I will have to look up the skidpad numbers on the BMW, but I would be shocked if it were even close.
Please. Skidpad? Are you serious? Anyone who's tracked a car or ripped through the Dragon or even tossed a car around some nice back roads knows that skidpad is only a portion of a car's handling performance.

I don't deny that a Vette will out skidpad and out accelerate an M3. I know it will. It's got over 2x the displacement, lower center of gravity, and bigger tires. It should smoke an M3 on the drag strip.

However, according to Edmunds, a CSL Comp M3 (top of the performance M3) will do their slalom at 68 mph (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Followup/articleId=105396) and th Z06 does their slalom at 68.3 (http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=108567/pageNumber=2) . Having driven both cars, the Vette, like every Vette before it, still feels like a big monster that does what you tell it to whereas an M3 feels like an extension of the driver.

While an M3 is no match on the drag strip to a Vette, it'll give a Vette a serious run for the money on the track and more so on the back roads. And it'll smoke a solid rear axle Mustang/Shelby GT all day long on the turns. And it does it with a lot less displacement and hp than the Vette or the Shelby. Engineering at its finest instead of throwing displacement and rubber at the problem.

Now, if you'd like to talk refinement, fit, finish, and quality, there's no contest, unless you really like cheap plastic and ill-fitting joins.

Now we're talking :)

http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~jdavies/sportscars/plm2k/001_bmw10_001.jpg

http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~jdavies/sportscars/plm2k/023_ptg7_001_18.jpg

and for the topless lovers
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/10846913/2004_BMW_M3.jpg

Got $$$$$?

An M3 is affordable... just don't break it. It brings a new definition to "high maintenance"

If you change your mind, I have a Z4 convertible comming up for sale. It's almost 3 years old but very low mileage for a 3 years old car. My wife is the only one who is using it. The odometer is at 19,498 as of right now and most of the mileages are highway mileage for out of town purposes. We use the 530i for intown driving. The Z4 is in immaculate condition. Most of the time, the car is parked inside our warehouse as it is the case right now.

Ok - last post before leaving on vacation... I can't just let it go... :)Me niether.

Nope- they simply tell you how much you can turn the car in one direction before it starts sliding. Any competent racer would never describe handling in G's...Skidpad does not equal handling alone, but it is a number that can tell you the limit of a car in the corner. You made it sound like there are no numbers to tell you handling. There is the feel of a car and where the car actually will break. The skidpad gives you a hard number of how far you can push a car before this happens. It isn't the be all end all number for handling, but it is a valid test to give you a good idea how well a car can be pushed. Trust me, no car can outrun its skidpad number, but a really good driver that knows the car can get close to that number. Any time I have driven my car at the track, I try to get as close as possible to my G rating. If you trust your instincts alone, you can likely way under estimate the cars ability to track. This becomes even more important on motorcycles where the bike is likely has 10 times more balls than the driver.

Again, this doesn't equal handling but will tell you the limit of a car in a corner. If one car has a 2 on the skidpad and the other a 1, which do you think is going to handle better? When those numbers are real close, it gets into a lot of personal opinions.

Sorry- I think there's a jump in logic there. If you haven't already, get on a road course and you'll see why.No jump in logic. I have spent well over 10k on track hours and know quite well what most cars are capable of. I try to push my bike and car to the limit and test numbers often tell me where the limit is when I do it right.

Interesting way to quantify greatness...In my opinion, one of the few ways to judge greatness. Hindsight and history tell the story. If you can't remember the car or the car never wins anything, then you know it wasn't up to par. Vettes time and time again have historically won race after race and are simply proven via time.

My point in my original post (that it's not all about the numbers and that people have to make their own judgement) seems to have been lost and it's all about speed and how great the car is, so I'll let it go now. Off to go skiing...There is a line when talking about performance though. Opinion isn't going to beat someone in the 1/4.

BTW, I am was only defending the Vette as a great car. Other people have been dogging it including calling it a piece of junk.

However, according to Edmunds, a CSL Comp M3 (top of the performance M3) will do their slalom at 68 mph (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=105396 (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Followup/articleId=105396)) and th Z06 does their slalom at 68.3 (http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...7/pageNumber=2 (http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=108567/pageNumber=2)) . Having driven both cars, the Vette, like every Vette before it, still feels like a big monster that does what you tell it to whereas an M3 feels like an extension of the driver.Ahhhhh..... gotta read the fine print. Lets compare apples to apples shall we:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=107906/pageId=66438

65.4 slalom, 0-60 in 4.5 and 12.2 to the 1/4 versus 68 slalom, 0-60 in 5.5 and 1/4 in a very slow 13.72. You would get owned racing a Z06... and badly. I don't even want to think about what kind of speed corner to corner the Z06 has on a real track versus the M3. In the real world, a vette will eat an M3s lunch and dinner. It is just a faster car. Doen't mean better... just faster.

You would get owned racing a Z06... and badly.
That's very dependent on the track. On some crappy NASCAR track the Vette would win hands down, but give it some good twists and the Vette's displacement advantage goes bye-bye. 68 in a slalom says it handles better in the Vette. It also tells me it's smoke a Vette on the Dragon.

Besides, most people don't track their cars, they throw them through mountain roads.

The fact that an M3 is as close as it is to a Vette's performance shows it's playing the sports car game which kills your original assertion that it's just some "cute" car.

That's very dependent on the track. On some crappy NASCAR track the Vette would win hands down, but give it some good twists and the Vette's displacement advantage goes bye-bye. 68 in a slalom says it handles better in the Vette. It also tells me it's smoke a Vette on the Dragon.

Besides, most people don't track their cars, they throw them through mountain roads.

The fact that an M3 is as close as it is to a Vette's performance shows it's playing the sports car game which kills your original assertion that it's just some "cute" car.Again read my post the vette did 65.4 on the same slalom course your M3 was on. That is noticeably faster. A Vette with a good driver would stomp a M3 on the Dragon. I have ridden the dragon dozens of times and trust me the vette would do just fine. There are places on it that it could even hit top speed. The vette handles better in the corners as it can be pushed a lot further, brakes better coming into the corners, exits faster coming out of them.

I am sure the M3 is a great car, but it isn't a race car. The vette is actually built to race. Corner to corner it builds up speed faster and mistakes aren't as costly. The vette exits a corner in 4th when 3rd would have been more optimal... no big deal has tons of torque to pull it out. M3 not so lucky. Just an advantage of the larger torque.

Seriously... this is a car that is considered better than a Porsche and on par with cars built to race like the Ford GT. The Z06 is just a crazy good performance car.

So to close M3 is 300lbs heavier, slower in the corners, 200hp less, 200lbs less torque and over a full second slower in the 0-60 and quarter mile. It just isn't going to be as fast.

Since we've gone this far with the conversation.... was Broreefr shopping for a race car? :)

(tho I'm sure he's not interested in the cars I showed either...lol)

guys i gotta agree with cameron on this one. the new c6 z06 was basically made for track/drag racing, so it can handle pretty darn well on the track, and can kill cars that cost twice as much on the drag strip.

No but a used 2k vette would probably be in his price range. That is what started the whole thing.

i wasnt talking about the vettes price, i was talking about how it can outperform cars that cost twice as much.

I hate convertibles, it messes up my bald head.

i wasnt talking about the vettes price, i was talking about how it can outperform cars that cost twice as much.My comments were in reference to Tony's comments about being off topic.

Ah one more thing about this. I agree with everything Cameron has said! Thats it! Carry on. Oh and another thing. With a Vette you don't have to worry about being stranded with a flat tire. Because they have Run Flats!

Ah one more thing about this. I agree with everything Cameron has said! Thats it! Carry on. Oh and another thing. With a Vette you don't have to worry about being stranded with a flat tire. Because they have Run Flats!That is a plus and a minus... especially big minus when you buy new tires.

Cameron, I agree with you, run flats are a BIG MINUS.

the bmw z4 comes with run flats and a lot of people don't put run flats on them after they change their tires b/c of the price. They just keep a can of fixa flat in the car..

Cameron, I agree with you, run flats are a BIG MINUS.

the bmw z4 comes with run flats and a lot of people don't put run flats on them after they change their tires b/c of the price. They just keep a can of fixa flat in the car..The first time you have a good track day you will be crying the next week for sure. I borrowed a friends Vette and burned about half his tread in an afternoon. He took me up on my offer to pay for the rear tires... ouch! Give me a good set of cheap tires. Don't handle as well, but close enough for me and I don't mind burning them off at the end of the day. My GTO has about the cheapest tires I could put on it without worrying about a failure. Don't mind drifting around corners with the cheapies on.... interestingly it is often easier to start a drift, but a bit harder to maintain.

Fix o Flat bad. If (and it is a big if) I run anything, it is slime. I certainly do it on dirt bikes, but I don't run anything on my car. I just have AAA and sit around waiting. Course I have blown 4 tires on my GTO in the last 2 years, but those were full shreds.

Well Ive seen A LOT of 1200+ HP supra (v6 lol) .

I have never seen a V6 Supra?

I have never seen a V6 Supra?You've never seen a Supra or a Supra with a V6? I don't know my Supra history very well, but I think they all came with a V6 and I think the upcoming one will have an optional V8.

I'm no Supra officionado, but I thought that the twin turbo ones were the 225 hp inline 6 from the Lexus 300's series of the day.

I always thought it was a bit lame that they put two turbos (albeit inline, if I recall) and only got 95 extra hp over the normally aspirated engine.

I'm no Supra officionado, but I thought that the twin turbo ones were the 225 hp inline 6 from the Lexus 300's series of the day.

I always thought it was a bit lame that they put two turbos (albeit inline, if I recall) and only got 95 extra hp over the normally aspirated engine.A 1/3rd increase in HP from sequential turbos is pretty good actually. You get a lot of additional power without the lag in there configuration. They could have done parallel turbos and sucked more from the engine, but only on the top end. The way the did it allowed it to run a mid 4 run which wouldn't have been possible if the focused on hp alone. Plus you can hook up a BPU pretty cheap and jack hp up to over 400hp. This of course pails to a much cheaper supercharger put on a LS1 or LS2 engine.

Boy what a real MAN'S thread this has turned out to be !!!!

guess I can pour a gatorade bath on it by saying the Mrs. put her foot up eerrr, I mean down and said NO sports car. :boo:


She did however; agree that a slight UPGRADE in my tv was appropriate

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-j1dLjfu1BHN/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?search=72+inch+toshiba&i=05272HM196
:party:

I placed the order this morning, it will be here in a couple weeks.

It wasn't all that smooth and the car felt way too heavy. Mazda's twin turbo was much smoother and was a superior driver's car in every way.

We've already established your preference in the nimble and quick vs. heavy and powerful debate. :thumbs:

What was it he wanted again? A convertible?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-j1dLjfu1BHN/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?search=72+inch+toshiba&i=05272HM196
:party:
Crutchfield may not be the cheapest, but they rule on customer service. I've returned products to their store I've owned for 2 years because they broke and gotten full credit. They're like the LL Bean of electronics.

The outlet stores in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg are sweet too. Deals like you wouldn't believe on open box and last-year merchandise.

It wasn't all that smooth and the car felt way too heavy. Mazda's twin turbo was much smoother and was a superior driver's car in every way.

We've already established your preference in the nimble and quick vs. heavy and powerful debate. :thumbs:

What was it he wanted again? A convertible?I don't know much about the Mazda RX7. I get to hear about the Supra a lot because a friend of mine owns one and another friend owns a C5 vette with 600hp so I am familiar with the them through the numerous debates I sit through.

For me when it comes to machines, I prefer nimble, powerful, quick and fast. Power is not the enemy of handling and the Vette is a good example of this.

Personally, I throw my leg over a 120bhp Katana-monster (more like 105bhp with the latest muffler mod I made) when I want to lay down some speed and tear up some corners. I even regeared the entire bike for a top speed of 125mph, but it gets there wicked fast. I can start in 6th and never leave the gear if I want so I never get bogged down in the corners like a 600, but I am not going to be taking any Busas in a line or out of a corner. When I am jetting across town I do it in a GTO which is fast, comfortable and heavy. Reasonably nimble once you figure out how to slosh the rear end around.

As for the TV... you will enjoy it longer and it doesn't take up as much space. It is a super sweet TV. Plus it won't cost you nearly as much in maintenance.

I'm no Supra officionado, but I thought that the twin turbo ones were the 225 hp inline 6 from the Lexus 300's series of the day.

I always thought it was a bit lame that they put two turbos (albeit inline, if I recall) and only got 95 extra hp over the normally aspirated engine.


Yes they are an inline 6 and always have been. They are just a dyno queen.

I have never seen a V6 Supra?

well then you have never seen a supra...lol

A 1/3rd increase in HP from sequential turbos is pretty good actually. You get a lot of additional power without the lag in there configuration. They could have done parallel turbos and sucked more from the engine, but only on the top end. The way the did it allowed it to run a mid 4 run which wouldn't have been possible if the focused on hp alone. Plus you can hook up a BPU pretty cheap and jack hp up to over 400hp. This of course pails to a much cheaper supercharger put on a LS1 or LS2 engine.


Well put.

Oh and about the "stock" best, chew on this Corvette...


Viper SRT10 Roadster
Pricing available soon.http://www.dodge.com/img/spacer.gifhttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gif600 hp and 560 lb-ft of torquehttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifNew cylinder heads, intake and exhaust manifoldhttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifNew CAN based powertrain electrical system with electronic throttle controlhttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifThree wheel styleshttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifEight exterior colors

Oh and about the "stock" best, chew on this Corvette...


[B]Viper SRT10 Roadster



Yeah but at what price??????

Yeah but at what price??????

Well apples to apples, if you have 82,190 to spend on a loaded Z06. Then Im sure you can afford the extra 9-10k on a Viper with 100 more horse power. :D

you could wait a year and get the stock 500+ hp vette that is planned. I am not sure what the Z06 variant will push, but I am sure it will be massive.

Oh and about the "stock" best, chew on this Corvette...


Viper SRT10 Roadster
Pricing available soon.http://www.dodge.com/img/spacer.gifhttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gif600 hp and 560 lb-ft of torquehttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifNew cylinder heads, intake and exhaust manifoldhttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifNew CAN based powertrain electrical system with electronic throttle controlhttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifThree wheel styleshttp://www.dodge.com/img/bullet.gifEight exterior colors

All depends on what you want. I could take my 20 year old V6 Grandnational and make that viper or the new ZO6 look like they were running in reverse in a drag race an I only had about 18K in the regal. It ran 9.8's@137mph

All depends on what you want. I could take my 20 year old V6 Grandnational and make that viper or the new ZO6 look like they were running in reverse in a drag race an I only had about 18K in the regal. It ran 9.8's@137mphI like the GN, but its handling was pretty crappy. Besides, you could take an old C4 vette and get the same performance in a straight line with better handling in the corners.

you could probably find a used S2000 around here for a great price. they are very docile, reliable cars around town but if you need to get moving all you have to do is rev it out a bit and it will give you probably more power than you will ever truly need. they are not huge cars, strictly a 2 seater but hey... if you want to escape from everyday stress you probably don't need to take more than one passenger.