Best Sports cars Under $50k?

sports cars under 50k image

Liam

Hi guys, as a car fan, I was wondering, what are your opinions on the best sports cars under $50,000 dollars USD
When it comes to mind, I think of ;

Subaru WRX sti
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO
and the Volkswagen GTI

I know there are a few others, but what are they?
Rank your top 2 favourite, and (if possible) give horsepower/torque, price, 0-60 times, etc.


Thanks, Liam :)
If not sports cars, what (really) can you classify them as>?

Answer
Depends on what your definition of sports car is. Everyone has their own criteria for what a sports car should be.
Some say a sports car should be small, low, and a 2-seater only; like the Miata or Vette. I happen to like both. But I need a car that can transport bikes and kayaks too.
I compared many sporty cars; Mazdaspeed 3, Mini Cooper, Civic Si, VW GTI. It was not easy choosing, because all the above are great cars.
However, I finally selected the GTI. Its a sports car by my definition; really sticks the curves [without ride harshness] , has the HP I crave, gets 30+ MPG , and can car-top my bikes and kayaks. A perfectly practical sports car. Love it!
BTW, Consumer Reports Magazine agrees with me. The April 2010 issue rates the GTI as their Top Pick in the Sports Car Category.
If you rate sports cars just by 0-60 acceleration, the li'l GTI falls short . Its time is 6.3. The EVO does 5.3. WRX in 5.0!! However, the GTI costs just $23k whereas the other two are $40k! Really, the GTI should not be compared to the EV0 & WRX. Way different categories.
HP, torque in GTI is 200/207. EVO is 291/300. WRX is 305/290.
Nice to meet another that appreciates driving and has my tastes in autos! Hope this info helps you...

Is the 2002 Mercedes S430 a good car?

Vinerider

It seems like you can pick up used Mercedes 2002 S430's for under $30,000. Based on driving the car and feeling the amenities, it seems like a heck of a deal. Is there something I am missing? Is it a bad car overall? Is maintenance a big problem? At what point does the car experience issues? 50k miles? 75k miles? 100k miles? Seems like a ton of car for the price vs a high end Pre-owned Lexus or Infiniti. Thoughts?

Answer
It should be a good car. The reason why they are such a steal is that the maintenance costs are going to be significantly higher than almost any other brand of car out there. You can expect to pay roughly $65 or higher just for an oil change, and about $300 or higher just for an "A service", which is just a minor tune-up.

Before you go out and purchase a Mercedes-Benz that's out of warranty, look around for an independent service shop. Make sure they specialize in Mercedes, (or German) vehicles. A bonus would be if their mechanics were MB certified.

Here's a good example of why independent repair facilities are worth their weight in gold;

I have a 2002 S600 Sport with about 66,000 miles on it, (picked it up just under 2 years ago with about 10K miles left on warranty). Anyways, last week I was due for a transmission/differential service. My local dealership quoted me about $600 for it. The local shop around the corner, $240. This is just one example, and I'm sure many other MB owners could relate a story of their own.

If you're willing to take care of the maintenance religiously, regardless of cost, the car will run forever. It's not uncommon for MB cars that are well maintained to run well past 500K miles. MB even has a mileage award program that even has a top awar of 1 million miles, and yes it has been awarded.

Good luck on your search! And if you do purchase a Mercedes Benz, welcome to the family.

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