sports sedan choices

[pabloarchitect]

Hello all,

I'd like some opinions about potential sports sedans I'm looking at. I've been to all the "model" specific forums...typically get biased answers.

What I'm looking for is a sports sedan as a daily driver that comes as close as possible to the feeling of my miata...tossable that is. I prefer crisp handling over straight line performance. I also am looking for reliability...I don't have access to a garage so other than routine maintenance, I wont be working on my car. My budget will top out at 30k...so for some models I may be looking at 1 or 2 years old (or in the case of an M3 3 or 4 years old). I also have a little boy and maybe another in the next year or so.

These are what I've been looking at and in most cases have driven (though with the salesman next to you I couldn't push it):

01-02 Audi S4 (older turbos a problem?)
E36 M3 (reliability issues now that they're older)
E46 M3 (awesome...only 01 or 02 models in my price range...too old?)
01-03 BMW 330 sedan (in the lead right now)
G35 (great feel, good performance bang-for-the-buck, not as solid as 330, can also get a newer one)
RX-8 (funky styling but comes the closest to miata feel and is in price range)
IS300 (alright...not noteworthy...but the new IS350...maybe worth waiting for?)

Any opinions about which way to go? My short list is 1. 330, 2. g35, 3. rx-8

Any others you think I should look at?

BTW, I don't like FWD (live in Texas...no snow here) and I've autocrossed miata...not sure about sedan though.

Thanks for any input!

[forza_autodelta]

S4 should be a good choice , never heard about turbos problems

[henk4]

with your current and future family situation I would see if I could get a 330 Touring, although I am not sure that it was sold in the USA.

[Esperante]

RX8's aren't the best reliability-wise...

[lightweight]

The Audi Turbos are very reliable. You can get tips on buying used cars on the Evo magazine. Get in touch and buy older issues. They pretty much tell you everything you need to know and much more.

The RX8 as you will know is the most tossable and fun to drive. The styling appeals more to younger buyers. Will the wife like it?

[deffenbaugh03]

If you're worried about reliability don't buy a Mazda RX-8. It's an improvement over the RX-7 but it's still going to give you plenty of problems. I think I would agree with your first choice the 330 but if you could find a good E46 M3 for 30K I think that would be even better. Well at least you'll have much more fun with the M3 and not sacrifice too much.

[kennyknoxville]

get the is350 if you can afford it. brand new. "what comes is better than what came before"

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

Hello all,

I'd like some opinions about potential sports sedans I'm looking at. I've been to all the "model" specific forums...typically get biased answers.

What I'm looking for is a sports sedan as a daily driver that comes as close as possible to the feeling of my miata...tossable that is. I prefer crisp handling over straight line performance. I also am looking for reliability...I don't have access to a garage so other than routine maintenance, I wont be working on my car. My budget will top out at 30k...so for some models I may be looking at 1 or 2 years old (or in the case of an M3 3 or 4 years old). I also have a little boy and maybe another in the next year or so.

These are what I've been looking at and in most cases have driven (though with the salesman next to you I couldn't push it):

01-02 Audi S4 (older turbos a problem?)
E36 M3 (reliability issues now that they're older)
E46 M3 (awesome...only 01 or 02 models in my price range...too old?)
01-03 BMW 330 sedan (in the lead right now)
G35 (great feel, good performance bang-for-the-buck, not as solid as 330, can also get a newer one)
RX-8 (funky styling but comes the closest to miata feel and is in price range)
IS300 (alright...not noteworthy...but the new IS350...maybe worth waiting for?)

Any opinions about which way to go? My short list is 1. 330, 2. g35, 3. rx-8

Any others you think I should look at?

BTW, I don't like FWD (live in Texas...no snow here) and I've autocrossed miata...not sure about sedan though.

Thanks for any input!

only thing there that will even come close to a miata feel is rx8, handling wise rx8 is the only way to go, if you're in europe the is200 would be better for handlign then the is3 since the 3 has a heavier engine and understeers more

the european sedans are best rounded of the group uve mentioned but they're all too heavy and wouldnt satisfy ur handling requirements

if i were u id just get the audi or bimmer and keep the miata as a weekend toy