$20k to spend on a car...

[BZG Wagon]

What would you go for?
* 350z - phenomenal reviews
* Evo 7 - after owning a GTT I'm a big fan of 4wd turbos
* Legacy Turbo - a nice upgrade to my GTT

My requirements: must be manual, must be reliable, relatively new with good handling and quick. Not interested in modding something cheap and old.

I should be getting a 4wd ute soon so I can handle something impractical as a weekend car.

Cars I haven't really considered:
* Integra Type R - not sure it would be as good as the above
* Impreza STi - big fan but there are just so many around, and they seem to attract bad attention.
* RX-8 - great reviews but I hear they are horribly unreliable (hence being a tad cheaper than their equivalents). Not keen on the shape either.
* Golf GTi - not really sure why? I've always had a soft spot for one but I think each of my top 3 could be better for similar money.

[RedMist]

Different cars in different leagues.

350z is smooth, powerful, well built, very reliable.
Evo 7, is raw, quick and plastic.
Legacy is like a slightly dulled Evo 7, but feels better built, more solid.

[Stott69]

What about the 370z? not sure what they are going for at the moment tho. The 350z's have turbo kits avalible for them but have just read that the gearbox's in the earlyer lot are a tad weak once you start making a bit of power

[tiny2009]

Don't want to hijack the thread but I have just recently been looking at the Mazda 6 MPS. But know nothing much about them, I guess they fit into your 4wd/quick/new 20k(ish) list?

And for what its worth personally I would take the 350z from the list above. However I have nothing from the real world to base that on

[RedMist]

What about the 370z? not sure what they are going for at the moment tho. The 350z's have turbo kits avalible for them but have just read that the gearbox's in the earlyer lot are a tad weak once you start making a bit of power

That's because they make silly power from little boost. My "small" stock engine makes 468whp on 7psi. Stock NA makes about 230whp. I don't think Nissan ever designed the box to handle twice (or easily more) WHP than stock.

You have to drive the V6's to appreciate them. They are very smooth, very easy to drive, and give a "solid" feel to the drive. The NA power (290hp) is a little fooling as it has such a massive torque band. Certainly a quick car, and a stupidly quick car on boost.

[sergei]

I have driven a few of 350z, and I concur they are driver's car. The car that is not ultrafast, but the one that will put a smile on your face. Although if you switch off traction control it could be overwhelming if you come from 4WD.

Legacy Turbo (the single turbo, not those shitty twin turbos) are very fine cars, they have surprising power delivery, but being wagons can be a bit wobbly at the back if you are into cornering.

Never liked EVOs. Cannot give you objective opinion on those...

Out of two I would choose Legacy, just because it has boot space and I prefer tamed 4WD.

[strx7]

if you look at a legacy, pick on a late 2006 or newer, the earlier ones eat turbos like marmite.

[AE82 FXGT]

Mazda 6 MPS?

[Lith]

How far are you going to go with modifications? You basically cannot beat an EVO for the ability to go quick (straight line/around corners) for minimal effort and expenditure, and they are pretty reliable for a AWD turbo car.

Need an idea of the balance between comfort and performance you are looking for really to answer, and I don't really consider Legacys as that quick.

[mjrstar]

Depeding on your definition of new .....if i had a spare 20k for a weekend car it would probably be an R32 GTR..

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 702384.htm

[BZG Wagon]

What ever I end up with, it will not be modded.

To Sergei's point; I believe 4wd turbo wagons are the most versatile cars on earth and I can't believe how practical my caldina has been, in addition to being an absolute pleasure to drive.

But as I have a Terrano lined up I can cope with owning a 2 door coupe and don't really require two 'wagons'.

Mazda 6 MPS - not keen on the looks and I hear the Subaru & Mitsubishi equivalents are better.

I'm hoping to test the three over the next few weeks and decide from there. I have a soft spot for V6's and two door coupes and I've wanted a 300zx since I was 12, which makes a 350z a very emotive decision.
That said I can't get away from how highly rated it is either despite its impracticality.

[Leon]

I'd be looking seriously at something Evo, with that budget, and with you having a really practical vehicle that you can use for everything else during the week.

[1I1]

What about a late model GTT?
Not neccesarily this one, but like this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 469047.htm

Or one of those Evo station wagons (based on an Evo8?)

[BZG Wagon]

What about a late model GTT?
Not neccesarily this one, but like this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 469047.htm

Or one of those Evo station wagons (based on an Evo8?)

Only auto....

[BZG Wagon]

I'd be looking seriously at something Evo, with that budget, and with you having a really practical vehicle that you can use for everything else during the week.

That's where I'm leaning. To me though, the definition of a sports car is two door, six cylinder RWD coupe... I hear 350zeds are compariable to Porsche Caymans.

You know Evo seats don't fold down though - that reduces practicality by 36%.

[tsoob]

evo. but get a little more cash and stretch to an 8

I just did the wheels/tyres on this one last week, they take such awesome fitments on them.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 696613.htm

[BZG Wagon]

Mean!

Why an 8 over a 7?

[1I1]

Went for a ride in ionic and harlet's Evo8 a few weeks back. Was quite impressed with the comfort (relegated to sitting in the back) and ride - lowered on king springs so a pinch bumpy. Pleasantly suprised with how quiet it was too.

[Bling]

You know Evo seats don't fold down though - that reduces practicality by 36%.

Not a problem since you don't need two wagons. Out of that list i'd be struggling to not take the keys to an evo

[steroidcontaskie]

What about a stagea 2.5 turbo, you can get on for way less than 20K. Not sure about manual tho.

Early 350Zs are cheap inside, have a strut brace at that back that removes all luggage space and burn though tyres. If they come in manuals then look at a Skyline coupe if you are that way inclined.

+1 for the mazda 6 MPS