No TransAm, Camaro, or Mustang what sports cars left

[engine23ccvfd]

Hello All,

I have been thinking of buying a sports car in the 30 to 35 range but dont like Mustangs very much and GM screwed themselves by stopping to produce Camaro's and TA's so what is a guy that cant step up to Viper/Corvette price range to do?

[Ross]

HHHHMMMMM, for that kind of cash you could get a mint '67 Plymouth Sport Fury, or a '63 SS Impala, or... I'm starting to drool at the possibilities.

[jgc61sr2002]

Engine 23 - Check out the 2004 Pontiac GTO. Pretty neat looking car with the 5.7 Liter engine.

[Dr Caleb]

If you want North American bult, sorry, SOL.

I tried to buy a Trans Am, before they stopped production. Figures - just when I have a good job with enough money to afford one, they stop building them. I really wanted a black one with Ram air. (Yea, I know, Steve, you suck! :lol: )

I've owned several Camaros, and a Corvette. I have no wife, no kids, and am still young. I looked all over for something sporty, V8, RWD that was built in North America. No dice. I could have gone used, but wanted new.

I test drove a couple cars that turned my crank, but dismissed them for other reasons; reliability, sales staff were jerks, too small, poor reliability etc.

Ones that I considered were:
Subaru Impreza WRX - inline 4, turbo - 2 door if you can find one.
Mistubishi Lancer OZ racing edition - really moves!
Hyundai Tiburon - my buddy's got one, he really likes it.

Of course, I would recommend a Marauder, but you already have one. My advice would be, find an old 'Vette or F-Body that needs a little work, and fix it up to the hilt.

That's what I was going to do till I stumbled across the Marauder.

[Dr Caleb]

Originally posted by jgc61sr2002
Engine 23 - Check out the 2004 Pontiac GTO. Pretty neat looking car with the 5.7 Liter engine.

It sounds really nice. But if he wants RWD, the SSR looks good too. V8 with 290hp/325 f/lbs. It could rock as well...

[Zack]

Why dont you spend your 30K on the Marauder? What isnt sports car about it?

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by Dr Caleb
My advice would be, find an old 'Vette or F-Body that needs a little work, and fix it up to the hilt.


The reverse is also an option although a little riskier. You can find an older Vette or F-body that is in VERY good shape with little mileage, and spend a little off the bat at the acquisition, then enjoy it as if it was a new car (sans warranty, unfortunately).

This was the situation with my 1987 GTA. Bought in 1993 with 18000 miles on it, practically brand new. BUT... (and here's the twist)... you gotta watch out for cars that haven't been regularly driven in a long time. Over the years I suffered a few mechanical setbacks due to the car's extended storage (it only drove 3500 miles or so in the 3 years before I bought it). But I really had to have that car, and overall it was worth it.... the emotional attachment is overwhelming.

So, the best way to follow this route would be to find a 2-3 years old car that was owned by a mature older person, well maintained and not modified. I know I'm going to frazzle a few folks by the 'not modified' comment, but we all exercised the same discrimination during our test drives, no? (ie. beat the snot out of the test drive vehicle, then order a brand new no-mileage unit)

But if you like to work on cars, the older "needs a little work" option can bring both 'fun-to-own' and 'fun-to-work-on' aspects at the same time! (like my 1978 T/A)

BTW, we Canadians are SOL when it comes to the new GTO : not available in Canada. So that means GM builds exactly ZERO cars that interest me now (the Corvette in my opinion is not a car, it is a toy. I can't see myself living with it day-in day-out). I thought Mercury was going to do the same thing with the MM... boy I can't tell you how excited I was to spot that MM on the show floor at the November Auto Show here in Montreal... woo hoo!

[Constable]

GTO, GTO, GTO!!!! I'm waiting til it has a year or two under its belt for GM to work out their kinks.

[Dr Caleb]

Originally posted by TripleTransAm
You can find an older Vette or F-body that is in VERY good shape with little mileage, and spend a little off the bat at the acquisition, then enjoy it as if it was a new car (sans warranty, unfortunately).

*snip*

But if you like to work on cars, the older "needs a little work" option can bring both 'fun-to-own' and 'fun-to-work-on' aspects at the same time! (like my 1978 T/A)



Good point! But I did it the other way. I don't know if Engine23 is the hands on type or not...

I bought an old 79 'Vette that had the crap beat out of it. The body had big spiders in it, the rear end clutch was gone, the parking brakes were seized and a rear caliper had cracked. It hadn't been washed in years, let alone waxed...

But it had a 350, 4 barrel Rochester carb and a close ratio 4 speed!

So I stripped it down to the frame, and over the course of a year and a half, rebuilt it. I payed about $8000 for the car (10 years old at the time), and around the same for parts. It got the complete treatment, right down to stripping the rust off and repainting the frame.

When I was done, I had a ported, blueprinted, Midnight-In-A-Coal Mine black land rocket. I had many hours of fun doing it, and sold it for about $9,000 more than I put into it. :rock:

18 months of my time is worth much more than $9k, but the experience taught me about rebuilding engines, fixing fiberglass, brakes, suspension geometry, body work, interior work, etc.

The knowledge gained was well worth my time, IMHO.

[prchrman]

Originally posted by engine23ccvfd
Hello All,

I have been thinking of buying a sports car in the 30 to 35 range but dont like Mustangs very much


Why down on the stang? Cobra R maybe the fastest ever! and purdy too...

[Constable]

http://www.pontiac.com/pontiacjsp/gto/launch/

[Macon Marauder]

I'd go with a Stang (love my '94 GT vert) - but you ruled that out right away - SO, I'd look at a Trans AM or Camaro SS.

The local Pontiac dealer has had a new (or new looking) dark grey TA with a black convertible top for what seems like forever.

Got to be lots of nice TA's and SS's still out there. That is, if you swing that way...

[engine23ccvfd]

Truth be told I cant stand ford....everytime I see a Ford sticker on the MM I cringe....My whole life I have been in a Dodge truck or caddie...except my first car which was a POS Mitsu.....I am gonna buy a convertable Mustang GT in Yellow for the wife and she drives a Taurus now which is a pretty decent little car. Maybe I should get her a Cobra and then steal it when i feel the need...hmmm

As for the hands on type I can barely change my oil. Electrical problems I can handle but motors.....ummm no!

[engine23ccvfd]

Just looked at the GTO...think I will get the wife one of those to bad its not a soft top.

[Jeff]

Originally posted by engine23ccvfd
[B]Truth be told I cant stand ford....everytime I see a Ford sticker on the MM I cringe

:gasp: Heresy! Flame the heretic! :flamer: :mad: :mad2:

;)

[prchrman]

here Jeff I will give you a hand with that potty mouth ...:flamer::flamer::flamer::uz i::uzi::uzi::flamer: that should about do it...JK

[Jeff]

Say GLO-ry! :D

[JohnnyB]

I'd pick up a late model Corvette

[Mark [N4OGL]]

You guys are all nuts. Go with a UPS truck!

http://www.cargolaw.com/2000nightmare_singles.only.htm l#fed/ups

[Mark [N4OGL]]

What about a new F22 Stealth Fighter (photo attached).

Photo Caption:
"Practically invisible to radar & optical cameras, below a pilot joins his weapons officer, already aboard. Note the revolutionary design of the tail assembly and the unusual shape of the upper cockpit canopy. Performance specifications are not yet available. "

[SergntMac]

Yo...Guys...The street lights are on. Get home...NOW!

Y'all don't be doing this no more around here...



Pagans...

[RCSignals]

Why not wait for the 2005 Mustang, or just buy her a 2003 0r 4 Thunderbird?

[Bigdogjim]

Mustang? Gotta being doing some thing right too last since '64??

[Bigdogjim]

Originally posted by engine23ccvfd
Hello All,

I have been thinking of buying a sports car in the 30 to 35 range but dont like Mustangs very much and GM screwed themselves by stopping to produce Camaro's and TA's so what is a guy that cant step up to Viper/Corvette price range to do?

Rice or BMW, etc........

Good question by the way.............

[jgc61sr2002]

The 2004 GTO is on display in Collinsville, Il until Sat. 7/12 at the convention center.

[lshultz]

I have a '95 Trans Am convertible, white with black top and 92,000 miles on the ticker...you will have to pry the puppy out of my dead hands before I will get rid of it...there is nothing to compare with that punch in the back on WOT with the 5.7...and they are not just for young peeps...I'm 59 and still get stares and thumbs up from people...It was my mid life crisis car and just cant get rid of it...love them f-bodies...:cool: :cool: :cool: :D :D