The Focus ST is a great little car. They are really fun to drive and very torquey.

I totally forgot this one: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/3525493028.html

Or if you want people to point and stare: http://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/3444170340.html

Or if you want an investment and a project: http://newjersey.craigslist.org/ctd/3398353863.html

Thanks for the suggestions, good suggestions all (well, maybe not the Viper).

The Mazdaspeed3 and the Focus ST are great cars, but I'm not considering a hatchback.

The Infiniti G37 was on my list until I discovered that a manual transmission is only available in the $45k Sport.

The S2000 and Cayman are great suggestions, but I want to stay new for the warranty. I would love to own a Cayman (maybe my favorite car on the planet) but the thought of maintaining one scares the crap out of me. When my last son is out of college in a few years I may get a new one.

Regarding the Golf R, it's a strong contender. The electronic safeties probably never really present themselves while driving sanely on the streets. I know that in the 5 years I've owned my Audi I've only seen the warning on the instrument cluster flash but a few times.

I do appreciate the opinions. My next step is to get out and drive these cars. Talking about cars is only second to driving them.

Z06 Corvette? There are always very low mile examples still under warranty on C.L. near the top of your budget.

Have you considered a Subaru WRX? I've had mine for over two years (30K miles) with zero problems. Very comfortable and reasonably practical with four doors, and will go 0-60 in 5 seconds....maybe slightly below. Also, since you live on the east coast, this is a car you can drive year around.....heck its just as fun on snow as it is on dry payment (with the right tires)!

Get a 2013 mustang....then get tired of it and sell it to me after dropping off 8k in depreciation costs. I test drove one a few months ago and loved it. It felt amazingly huge compared to the 240, but it was pretty stinking nice.

According to Autoweek a turbo charged BRZ is right around the corner, so I would hold out for one of those if nothing else fit the bill.

I will also recomend a WRX. Mine was a blast for the couple of years I had it. Though I did get tired of all the ricer fly bys from idiots.

Edited January 21, 201312 yr by hogie

E36 m3 if you can get one ( hard I think in US ? ), it's a weapon of torque :pirate: , and at leat in europe capable of 300 km/h...

325i's are nice to..

Well I thought I'd conclude my own thread. Today I purchased a BRZ Limited in WR Blue. I just couldn't get past the telepathic steering.

Edited May 24, 201311 yr by Gary in NJ

Nice. You might want to check out the June issue of Option magazine. A 10 page spread on options and mods for the BRZ. Lots of pictures. Apparently they love them in Japan. Available online or at any Japanese magazine rack. Learning to read katakana just for the car mags - hope to be up to one word per minute soon.

How about an 07 or 08 Porsche Boxster.

And since you liked the MR-2, you might REALLY like the Honda CRZ even though it's a front-driver.