MattG911

My Elise was supercharged and completely reliable but it's a bit tough to live with and my wife hated it. Getting in and out, the attention it gets, and the cabin noise is just something you have to get used to. I looked on car gurus and the only two Elise I found under $25k were both salvage title. The rest seemed to be $30k+. However it was an awesome sports car and I learned to drive on the track in mine. After that all other cars seemed almost anemic compared to the telepathic feel of driving the Elise.

The BRZ/FRS is also fun car to drive but the only one I've driven was supercharged. Id say turbo or SC are almost a must if you like to go fast, at least for me.

A 2012 Boss 302 is a very fun car to drive, believe it or not. And you can probably find one for around $25k in great condition if you get lucky. The '13's go for about ~$5k more. These are underrated IMO and often looked over just because it's a 'stang.

You are also in the price range of a nice, clean, C5 Z06. I had a 2003 and it was nice but the stock seats suck and the steering is no where near 911 quality, nor was the shifter. But you can make these very fun and fast cars.

But if you really enjoyed the 996 I would again put it at the top of the list. You can probably find a nice one if you are patient and lucky enough.

Mike Murphy

Mike Murphy

peterp

There was a time when you could buy a Ferrari Mondial 3.2 for around $25k, now it's a bit more difficult, though maybe still possible. Mondials are a lot like 996's, they are incorrectly considered an inferior model, which results in crazy-cheap valuations to those who know. There are 4 models of the Mondial, the 8, the QV, the 3.2, and the "t". The Mondial 8 was not great, the electrical system was overloaded and the engine was strangled by emission controls of the day. The QV was much better in reliability and performance, and the 3.2 was better still in both areas. The "t" is the fastest, but it shares the active suspension and other complexities of the 348 and it has smaller side vents and eliminates the fender flares of the prior models (which could be a minus or a plus depending on individual taste).

The big expense with maintaining the V8 Ferraris is the timing belts every 3/5 years, which is pricy to have done but cheap if you DIY. Other than belt maintenance, the engines are very bulletproof and the cars are very reliable (not joking). I had a Mondial 3.2 for 10 years and it was probably the best car I've owned in terms of overall enjoyment. I liked that Mondial more every time I got in it. The 996 is a close second, for the same reason. The biggest driving difference between the two is that the Mondial surrounds you in sounds and visceral feelings that never get old (at least in doses of up to about 2 hours) while the 996 feels like a light vintage sports car that you can toss around effortlessly while it comfortably caresses you in (comparatively) quiet ultra competence. I had an '87 Carrera 3.2 at the same time I had the '86 Mondial 3.2, and while the 3.2 Carrera was a great car, I didn't enjoy driving it nearly as much as the Mondial back then or the 996 today.

michaelo

A Jaguar XK is a reliable stunning car that handles very well and can be had for cheap.

ejdoherty911

BMW M3 or BMW 335i - not really a direct competitor but you can get a much newer lower mileage BMW coupe for 996 money. They don't look nearly as "exclusive" as a Porsche 996 in person though.

TonyTwoBags

tps22

I guess I should clarify: as fun and exciting as the 996 when not rolling on 7 hits of ecstasy.

TonyTwoBags

I had a 350z for about a year, worked on it to redo worn parts, etc. One day I saw an mk2 coupe with Carrera IIs and a 6-speed. Test drove it with no expectations and bought it on the spot. I've been a fan of E46 and E36 M3s and E39 M5s for a long time, so if it wasn't a 996 it would be an M car, 540 or 335 with a manual. The BMW drive is great, but I don't spend much time wishing the 996 was an M3.

charlieaf92

That's a really tough question. There ARE other cars in the price range with similar performance but arguably inferior styling and soul. There are also some really stylish and exciting cars that don't stack up in the performance category. Here are a few that may be worth considering.

FD (3rd gen) Mazda RX-7 (1993 - 1995) - not quite as fast, but with a few mods is a very capable, incredibly styled and unique car. Downside is reliability.
BMW Z4 - great styling, fun to drive, cheap, but lacks performance
Corvette (C5 and probably C6) - they're fast and very capable. They're also a dime a dozen and leave a lot to be desired in terms of interior build quality and overall styling.
Dodge Viper - monster engines, wicked styling, but I don't believe the early generations would hang with a 996 through the curves (just a guess, I could be wrong)
350 and 370Z - both solid cars if you can get over the butt ugly nose on the 350.

8 years ago when I first made my list of cars to own, an NSX could be had for around 30k. That's another one that I'd throw in there but I believe the prices have been going up. I've owned both an FD RX-7 and a first gen Z4, so I can tell you just about anything you want to know about those.

Some others that were mentioned S2000 and BRZ/FR-S (fun little cars with no torque - more like toys, but with good styling). Any sedan S4/M3/etc - yeah they perform but ultimately they're built on a platform designed for driving to the office or getting groceries. They can be exciting, but not 911 exciting.

peterp

Agree completely (with your entire post and especially the quote above). It's been a mystery to me why the factory didn't build the S2000 and BRZ (and Miata also) with a small turbo just to give it some low-end guts. The brand new BRZ I drove wasn't just "not fast", it felt slow in normal driving. I did, however, think that timid performance might make the BRZ a pretty good (safe) first car for my son when he gets his license.

Nickshu

My take on the Elise was....Very uncomfortable. Very twitchy on the track despite extensive suspension mods. Very delicate fiberglass shells that are $15K each to replace if you hit a cone on the track or autocross and shells are perpetually backordered from Lotus. Gearing is all wrong for higher HP cars so even with a supercharger the straightaway speeds were not impressive. IMO the Elise would be a much better car if the wheelbase was a few inches longer. LOTUS stands for Lift On Turn You Spin.

It can be a great car with about $30-40K in modification and preparation at a shop such as BOE. In stock form it's just OK. But it is very lightweight and a very good looking that gets a lot of attention.

My opinion based on my experience with mine. YMMV.

911Syncro

Cayman S, many are below $25K now.

dereifelfahrer

Hello , Take a look at the Crossfire AMG SRT6. I bought mine new in2007 after they were finally released by Mercedes. It is very fast, handles great and so far has been very dependable. These cars can be had for a song. I love all my cars, but have a fond place in my heart for this little rocket.


Present herd.

2005 SRT6 2008 BMW K1200S
2002 CAB4 1984 BMW R100CS Last Edition
2004 Maserati Coupe 1956 BMW R69
2008 BMW 535i
2013 Maserati Grand Tourisimo Sport

DeanClevername

Depends what you're doing with it I suppose. If you're looking for a track and autox weapon it's really hard to beat a C5 Z06. Not that Id really want to drive one anywhere else, but it has pretty incredible performance bone stock with sticky tires and it's less scary to repair than a 996. S2000 are phenomenal, as are Cayman, but both in totally different ways. So I guess it comes down to what you like in a sports car: pure all out performance or are you more into a tactile/involving car, a balanced package vs something high strung that makes you work harder for the speed, not to mention how useable on a day to day level does it need to be?