KeninBlaine

So I sold my Targa a month ago, and have been looking for a used cab that I like for the right price. While there are a few candidates out there that meet my needs for options etc. but I am finding most are priced higher than a few months ago, so may need to wait a few months until prices come down a little. So I'm thinking of picking up a temporary car that is fun to drive, won't depreciate much over 6 months or so, easy re-sale capability, and is in the $12-15k range to limit the sales tax hit. There is an outside possibility that I'd keep it as a second vehicle for longer than 6 months.

I've considered things like Mazda3, Mazdaspeed 3, GTI, Audi A3 etc. Right now, the GTI seems to have the biggest appeal, since I can get an 07 with 34k miles (and factory warranty good until 50k or 4 yrs) for around $14k +/-. Seems like a fun car with practical uses for not too much money, while I take my time looking for the right deal on the right Porsche.
Just curious if anyone has experience with them or has other suggestions/recommendations.
Thanks

shine

You might think about taking over a lease. A friend took over an Audi TT lease he found on Swapalease.com. He ended up liking the TT so wanted to keep it. It the end he gave it back and found a better deal on another TT.

cole328

You can take over the balance of my lease for the next 10 months if interested. I'll buy down the price to make it interesting, and at least you can stay in a porsche for the short term

andre5

'07 GTI 4 door with DSG tranny is my daily driver! I currently have 55K miles on mine. Only problem (covered under warranty) that I had was a rear wheel ABS sensor failure (cheap DIY fix anyway). Great car and very similar in a way to the 997 in that it burns oil. All of the 2.0T motors burn oil. I'm adding a quart every 1,500 to 2,000 miles. VW says it's normal Otherwise, it's a great handling car with decent power right out of the box (not to mention that the cost of mods is exponentially less than those for the 997).

Iggy

For my taste Mazda 3 cannot mach GTI's or A3 handling, also finish of the interior is not to be compared.

GIT is a great car, I have driven it, and thought of buying it many times, but since I live in the very center of the city and do not commute i have no need for a third car.

Any A3 save for the S3 is no match for GTI's punch, handling and "fun factor", but if you can find used Audi S3 (261 bhp) in your price range, I'd say go for it.

SevenCostanza

No S3 in the US, unfortunately.

Sweeper

what about a supercharged Mini. great little cars, Better than the other choices IMO

KeninBlaine

I like the Minis, but have heard of numerous complaints about the number of mechanical issues. Also, they cost about $3k more than an equivalent GTI, although I suppose that could be indicative of their low depreciation rate. Of course, the Audi A3 also seems to have some negatives regarding reliability, but also seems to hold its value really well. I presume by "supercharged" you mean the Cooper S, not necessarily the JCW.

I'm not interested in lease assumptions, as i want maximum flexibility.

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

At Law

I don't see how prices on P-cars are going to drop as we get closer to spring.
They will most likely take a little bump north.

In my humble opinion, you should just buy a 997 now even
if you have to pay a couple bucks more.

The depreciation you will experience on your intermediate
car will make up the difference you will pay right now for the 997.

Nugget

Since you're obviously open to a convertible, how about a miata? There's nothing on the road today that's more fun to drive than a Miata. Plus, they're durable and easy to find on the used market.

Sweeper

Other than the Mini (more powerful) , the Miata (Much Cheaper) is definatly a great choice, track worthy as well, and when your done and get your P-car, then strip it and put a cage in it and you have a spec miata in the SCCA. They have the biggest field of all our classes.

No Depreciation on it because you're re-cycling..
I own Audi's/VW's and if they weren't coverd by warrenty, I'd dump them. Parts,OEM and aftermarket are pricey.

GL

andre5

Take a look at the VW R32 - all of the limited production in 2004 and 2008 are 2 door only, all wheel drive, and six cylinder engines.. The 2004 models come with manual transmission. This is the closest you'll get to an Audi S3. The 2008 R32 only comes with DSG transmission - no manual tranny. I believe there was also a bump in HP for 2008.

CamsPorsche

Yup...best advice yet. Deals are to be had now not when the spring nears and everyone wants top dollar. Plus you will take a hit on a GTi, R32, Mini, Mazda 3 or whatever...

KeninBlaine

Interesting perspectives. I just have a hard time accepting that prices will go up on used Porsches, when in general, they typically trend downwards with age, especially of course in the first few years. So even if the demand for cabs increases when the good weather returns, they are also another 6 months older than when the weather turned ugly. Plus, they just seem to all be artificially high over the past 2 months compared to Aug/Sep of 09. I'm tracking a number of them, and they're not selling, and prices on some keep dropping a few thou every couple of weeks. There is one in LA that has been on the market at a used car dealer since November of 2008! And it isn't priced as high as many of the other similarly equipped and same age cabs. Sooner or later you'd think they'd wake up and bring their prices back in line with reality. Most of the ones I see on AutoTrader and eBay are priced over the Edmunds and KBB numbers (I recognize the variables there, but they both can't be that far off can they?)

If I picked up an interim car, I wanted something that might provide practicality the Porsche can't, so that I might keep it for those needs. A Miata wouldn't provide that option.
Hopefully the decision will become moot when I look at a cab on Wed that might suit my requirements, at the right price. That way I can avoid the interim car scenario. I'll take the most recent posts into consideration and not try to get too carried away in the negotiations. Better to pay a little more and move on.

Thanks again for all the input.

schwartzwest

Hi Ken-

My thought is that the tax & "hassle" hit of buying and then selling interm cars more than justifies paying a bit more to get the one you want now. It's a simple math problem.

A couple of guys I work with have Subarus- the WRX being the premier choice- very nimble, fun to drive and capable cars. Although personally, I have always been partial to Geman engineering, and prefer the looks and driving feel of the Audi A3.

Is the Slate Grey cab you were thinking of still on the radar?