[apex]

Priced from $27,000 the Toyota 86 isn't exactly cheap.

If you were going for a more affordable sports car, what would you get?

Some suggestions found here include:

2013-2020 Toyota 86/BRZ
1990-2020 MX-5/Miata
2016+ Chevy Camaro
2000-2009 Honda S2000
2009-2020 Nissan 370Z
and many others.

 

[Stephenm]

Priced from $27,000 the Toyota 86 isn't exactly cheap.

If you were going for a more affordable sports car, what would you get?

Some suggestions found here include:

2013-2020 Toyota 86/BRZ
1990-2020 MX-5/Miata
2016+ Chevy Camaro
2000-2009 Honda S2000
2009-2020 Nissan 370Z
and many others.

 

[DMichael]

For me it's either the GR86 or Miata. The Miata with the soft top is a bargain, but I want the the RF and that's actually more expensive than the 86. Plus the ND Miata has a potentially weaker engine and transmission than the 86. So unless Toyota and Subaru really screw this gen up (like numb the wonderful Gen1 steering or give it terrible handling dynamics), I don't see anything else that interests me in the current market.

I don't think the S2000s are in this price range in the US unless you get a really beat one. Same with the Cayman and Boxster. You could probably get a nice one, but old with high mileage. Plus the Porsches have a lot of potentially expensive reliability and maintenance issues. Ultimately, you'd want a 2009+ and those are over $40k.

The Camaro and Nissan Z are fat pigs and not even in the same league as the 86 and Miata. They may be faster but not nearly as light and entertaining on the mountain back roads.

 

[skills]

Priced from $27,000 the Toyota 86 isn't exactly cheap.

If you were going for a more affordable sports car, what would you get?

Some suggestions found here include:

2013-2020 Toyota 86/BRZ
1990-2020 MX-5/Miata
2016+ Chevy Camaro
2000-2009 Honda S2000
2009-2020 Nissan 370Z
and many others.

It is absolutely an inexpensive new sports car. With the used market the way it is right now, the new 86 twins are the best bang for the buck. The used car market is crazy!

 

[Xwolfe]

It is absolutely an inexpensive new sports car. With the used market the way it is right now, the new 86 twins are the best bang for the buck. The used car market is crazy!

^this

Im selling my 2020 Corolla SE, that i bought for $21,500 in May 2019. Only owe $12000 on it still and Carvana/Carmax are offering me $22000 to $24000 using their online tool. I know they probably knock it down a little when they come see and nitpick it, but still id be happy as hell with 20 - 21K.

 

[VAGdriver]

Pre-pandemic I would have gotten the best used NC Miata (2006-2013) I could find for around 15K. There were even some power retractable hardtop's around that price. Used car prices are just too stupid right now. We have two loans on family cars now which has never happened before. They are both paid off in 2 years so that's when I plan to add a GR as a fun car, if not a year before. I can squeeze two kids into the right side of a GR though, which makes another Miata probably not worth considering anymore.

Other used things I consider cool practical-ish sports cars (loose term) under 20K some of which I've driven and some I haven't. Manual transmission would be mandatory imho:

Fiesta ST (it would need to be pretty low mileage though)
GTI (as a slower cheap to run alternative look for a TDI Golf that's not beat up)
BMW 1 or 2 series (or find an E46/E90 if you're not terrified of repair costs and/or can do some work yourself)
Fiat 124 (more or less an ND Miata with a small turbo engine that's easily tuned)
ND Miata (but they are tight inside)

S2000s are more fun on a track than on the street and are overpriced now. Could be a good investment if you barely drive it.

Camaros and Zs and Mustangs are more muscle cars than sports cars imo, but nothing really wrong with them!

 

[skills]

Pre-pandemic I would have gotten the best used NC Miata (2006-2013) I could find for around 15K. There were even some power retractable hardtop's around that price. Used car prices are just too stupid right now. We have two loans on family cars now which has never happened before. They are both paid off in 2 years so that's when I plan to add a GR as a fun car, if not a year before. I can squeeze two kids into the right side of a GR though, which makes another Miata probably not worth considering anymore.

Other used things I consider cool practical-ish sports cars (loose term) under 20K some of which I've driven and some I haven't. Manual transmission would be mandatory imho:

Fiesta ST (it would need to be pretty low mileage though)
GTI (as a slower cheap to run alternative look for a TDI Golf that's not beat up)
BMW 1 or 2 series (or find an E46/E90 if you're not terrified of repair costs and/or can do some work yourself)
Fiat 124 (more or less an ND Miata with a small turbo engine that's easily tuned)
ND Miata (but they are tight inside)

S2000s are more fun on a track than on the street and are overpriced now. Could be a good investment if you barely drive it.

Camaros and Zs and Mustangs are more muscle cars than sports cars imo, but nothing really wrong with them!

Regarding the camaros- The LS with the 1LE track package is a wonderful sports car and track car. It's like a Camaro Miata; It has the lower power 4 cyl turbo with all of the track goodies of the SS. They are going for around 30k used right now with under 10k miles. Since they don't have the ridiculous V8 the market has forgotten about them!

 

[VAGdriver]

I remember reading about that and seemed like a great spec. My issue with Mustangs and Camaros are more with their packaging than anything. If Ford made a four or five door Falcon again for the US market based on a Mustang platform I'd be seriously interested.

 

[zycooper]

the real competitor of twins maybe only miata and s2000

FR, light weight and solid Chassis

 

[pngrant54]

So yes- its the used car market. But other than the base Miata there are no cheaper new sports cars.

 

[Gr8669]

^this

Im selling my 2020 Corolla SE, that i bought for $21,500 in May 2019. Only owe $12000 on it still and Carvana/Carmax are offering me $22000 to $24000 using their online tool. I know they probably knock it down a little when they come see and nitpick it, but still id be happy as hell with 20 - 21K.

They won’t. I just sold my electric car to carvana for 6k over what I paid for it 2 years ago. As long as you don’t lie when you fill out the form, you will get a check for exactly what they say.

 

[piening2150]

^this

Im selling my 2020 Corolla SE, that i bought for $21,500 in May 2019. Only owe $12000 on it still and Carvana/Carmax are offering me $22000 to $24000 using their online tool. I know they probably knock it down a little when they come see and nitpick it, but still id be happy as hell with 20 - 21K.

^^ What Gr8669 said above. As long as you didn't lie on the form (obvious damage, major mileage difference, etc) you'll get exactly what they quoted. I sold my Ram to Carvana a few months ago for more than I paid for it new. They showed up, quickly looked it over, signed a few papers, and handed me a a preprinted check.

Edit- Shit. Zombie post got me!

 

[Xwolfe]

They won’t. I just sold my electric car to carvana for 6k over what I paid for it 2 years ago. As long as you don’t lie when you fill out the form, you will get a check for exactly what they say.

So that post was from november 2021... which was when this thread died and someone revived it for some reason just today...

Needless to say i got my GR86 in late March 2022, sold my 2020 Corolla SE in early April to Carmax for $21900 exactly. I bought the car for $21500 in 2019 after some nice lady totalled my nissan, when the 2020's were hitting the lot early in 2019. Carmax cut me a nice check for over $11k over what i owed.

Mind you my car was immaculate with all original manuals, perfect paint (recently top end paint correction and detailed inside and outside 6 mos prior), and even original dealer window sales sticker included.

I literally drove to carmax, within 30 minutes they offered me the full 21900, and walked out with a 11k check and a smile less than an hour later.

Considering the current global shipping situation, i wouldnt be surprised if you can get more than you originally paid for a used car across the board/

 

[Gr8669]

Car max offered me 11,900 vroom offered me 11,700, and carvana offered me 16,000. I don’t know why the others offered so little but they sold my car a week later for 2k over what they gave me. I call that a win win for everyone involved. I wish life always worked out that way.

 

[Gr8669]

So that post was from november 2021... which was when this thread died and someone revived it for some reason just today...

Needless to say i got my GR86 in late March 2022, sold my 2020 Corolla SE in early April to Carmax for $21900 exactly. I bought the car for $21500 in 2019 after some nice lady totalled my nissan, when the 2020's were hitting the lot early in 2019. Carmax cut me a nice check for over $11k over what i owed.

Mind you my car was immaculate with all original manuals, perfect paint (recently top end paint correction and detailed inside and outside 6 mos prior), and even original dealer window sales sticker included.

I literally drove to carmax, within 30 minutes they offered me the full 21900, and walked out with a 11k check and a smile less than an hour later.

Considering the current global shipping situation, i wouldnt be surprised if you can get more than you originally paid for a used car across the board/

How do u like the gr86 vs the Corolla. Lol

 

[Xwolfe]

How do u like the gr86 vs the Corolla. Lol

i literally saw a 2020 Corolla SE for sale with nearly the same miles and same color as mine at a Hendrick Toyota dealer less than a mile from my home with a sticker price of 25k.

I get the buy / sell price market so close to 22k seemed fine to me.

As do i like it? i effin love it. Miss my old manual turbo beater Chrysler Conquest from a decade ago. Getting back in to this has been a blast.

I have to say some on the forum have regrets due to power expectations, other things, etc.

Take this vehicle on a back country road and just drive with the music blasting and switching gears, and its heaven. Ill literally go do 100 miles on backroads, cause thats the stuff to me that is relaxing and zen. Thats just my thing.

I wanted this platform for a long time. I wanted something unique , that you dont see everywhere. Every damn stoplight i come to, theres a mustang, challenger, charger, camaro, corvette even. My DREAM car if i ever have money to blow is a C2 Corvette, restomodded. I cant afford that so my realistic number 2 option, the 86.

All i can say is its a diamond in the rough, Its a everydaymans sports car. Youll buy it, do stupid shit, and have fun with it. Its not a supercar, but its fun as F***.

 

[Orion]

Now that I put a deposit down on the GR86...I'm looking to get a decent used daily. Probably something cheap with alot of miles lol.

 

[ruturaj1989]

For me it's either the GR86 or Miata. The Miata with the soft top is a bargain, but I want the the RF and that's actually more expensive than the 86. Plus the ND Miata has a potentially weaker engine and transmission than the 86. So unless Toyota and Subaru really screw this gen up (like numb the wonderful Gen1 steering or give it terrible handling dynamics), I don't see anything else that interests me in the current market.

Exactly this.

 

[Vtor]

A fun car.. one that you can drive at its limits ALL DAY... Mitsubishi Mirage!

WIDE OPEN THROTTLE near 100% of time and rowdy 3-banger CVT - ok it was a rental, but DAM if wasn't a riot!

 

[Ritter]

2017-2020 Fiat 124 Spider / Abarth Spider.