Fun to drive sedans?

[Strk]

How big of a sedan?

For mid-size in your range, I'd look at Altimas, 2002-2007 Accords, Fusions, Mazda 6s and Subaru Legacies.

I'd definitely look a bit more closely at the Legacy or the Mazda though, as though are a bit less common and, at least in my opinion, don't scream the "30 year old dad" as you put it

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Moonroof is glass paneled and allows you to see the moon.

If Fusions are out - so are Altimas,Camry's, Mazda 6's, Accords, Malibu's, and Auras. They all are 30 something family sedans.

Since you want an automatic and want to get in at $12-$20K:

G35
Mercedes C320
BMW 330i
Audi A4 2.0T

If you want cheaper, less miles, and better fuel economy:
Focus ST (sport suspension, bigger 4whl disc brakes, 17" wheels, leather, moonroof, and 2.3L 4cyl engine)
Mazda 3 Sport Sedan
Cobalt SS Sedan (260HP Turbo 4cyl)

 

[Vette73]

Caddy CTS are nice. Get one with the 3.6L and you can add the swaybars from a CTS-V as I did for mine.

 

[JJ650]

find a G8 GT used... buy it, never regret it.

Hell if I could find one for 20k or under I would be all over it. Unfortunately I don't think the OP will find one for that price.

 

[JJ650]

Also....how about a '06 Mazdaspeed6???

from what I have heard about them, they are great fun to drive and have balls to them as well.

 

[StageLeft]

Mazda 6 is good. I've heard bad things about reliability of the Mazdaspeed 6, I would avoid one. Not many of them and a bit problematic = repair problems. The 6 cylinder is pretty quick anyway. You could look at a maxima but the new ones at least don't have stick, but then they are more than your price range anyway. A g35 sedan is a good fit with a strong powertrain, RWD and very quick and not terribly expensive used unlike its acura et al. competitors for the same age.

G35
Mercedes C320
BMW 330i
Audi A4 2.0T

I would personally feel uncomfortable maintaining a used one of any of those other than the G35, particularly the BMW and Audi I bet will cost a lot to keep going, relatively speaking.

 

[yh125d]

Are VWs really that unreliable? I was actually looking at them....

Also, looking for a bit more sporty than a Fusion type car, I mean I've considered them, but they scream "30's dad" not "20 years old, single". :-|

I'm 19 and single and drive a Fusion.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Mazda 6 is good. I've heard bad things about reliability of the Mazdaspeed 6, I would avoid one. Not many of them and a bit problematic = repair problems. The 6 cylinder is pretty quick anyway. You could look at a maxima but the new ones at least don't have stick, but then they are more than your price range anyway. A g35 sedan is a good fit with a strong powertrain, RWD and very quick and not terribly expensive used unlike its acura et al. competitors for the same age.



I would personally feel uncomfortable maintaining a used one of any of those other than the G35, particularly the BMW and Audi I bet will cost a lot to keep going, relatively speaking.

Out of that bunch the Merc would scare me the most.

 

[fbrdphreak]

I still haven't heard what the OP considers "fun to drive." You have "sporty" cars like the Mazda 3 or Fusion Sport, then you have cars that actually enter the performance realm like a Mazdaspeed3/6, Legacy GT, G8 GT, etc.

 

[ussfletcher]

Golf Cart


What? I think they are fun to drive.

 

[SN4p]

G35 or Scooby WRX.

The Scooby has expensive as hell insurance though.

Skip all that and just get an older C6 corvette. No one really needs a backseat.

 

[exdeath]

2006 Toyota Avalon. How the hell is that fun you say? Blowing the doors off unsuspecting ricers with a boring creme colored 4 door granny car with almost 300 HP NEVER gets old.

Especially amusing when it's somebody with an old car or truck with a big bad loud V8... from the 1980s that only has 150 HP and hasn't even seen a tune up since... well 1980.

It's not as well known, but the 2GR-FE is Toyota's 3.5L V6 that is essentially identical to Nissan's VQ35 that seems to be more popularly known.

 

[Arkaign]

2006 Toyota Avalon. How the hell is that fun you say? Blowing the doors off unsuspecting ricers with a boring creme colored 4 door granny car with almost 300 HP NEVER gets old.

Especially amusing when it's somebody with an old car or truck with a big bad loud V8... from the 1980s that only has 150 HP.

lol sleepers FTW.

 

[hanoverphist]

i thought the 80s V8s had from 195 to 230 HP? at least the stock 350 had either 195 or 205 with all that emissions crap on them... made a big truck sluggish. hell, the 4.7L dodge motor in the rams now still only put out 235HP with all that weight.

 

[exdeath]

i thought the 80s V8s had from 195 to 230 HP? at least the stock 350 had either 195 or 205 with all that emissions crap on them... made a big truck sluggish. hell, the 4.7L dodge motor in the rams now still only put out 235HP with all that weight.

Oh I wasn't being specific, just ragging on some of the piss poor engines that left plants in those days. 145 and 165 HP 305 V8 in the Camaro for example. Some people think "V8" and that's it

 

[JDub02]

I have a Mazda6 V6 5MT. It's a blast to drive. Be prepared to buy tires, though. If I drive it like I want to, the tires are usually gone around 18k miles.

 

[Arkaign]

Oh I wasn't being specific, just ragging on some of the piss poor engines that left plants in those days. 145 and 165 HP 305 V8 in the Camaro for example. Some people think "V8" and that's it

No doubt. At least the carbed 5.0's and 5.7's were fairly easy to get some real power out of. The 305 was just a pussy of a motor unless you poured a bunch of money into it.

 

[brblx]

building a 305 is no different from building a 350. there are version of both motors that you don't want (low compression, smog heads).

 

[yh125d]

No doubt. At least the carbed 5.0's and 5.7's were fairly easy to get some real power out of. The 305 was just a pussy of a motor unless you poured a bunch of money into it.

Hey, be nice. My first car (and the one I have in storage til I can afford to do stuff with) had a 145hp 305 (78 cutlass supreme). They didn't take that much money to get power out of really, just about any 350 bolt-ons work on the 305

 

[Arkaign]

True, but the same effort on a 350 just got you further, not to mention the stroker 305 vs. the stroker 350 turned into a massive advantage to the 350 --> 383 build.

There's a good reason almost nobody bothers building 305s, and why the 350 was ubiquitous as the power choice even when both were in current production.

 

[yh125d]

True, but the same effort on a 350 just got you further, not to mention the stroker 305 vs. the stroker 350 turned into a massive advantage to the 350 --> 383 build.

There's a good reason almost nobody bothers building 305s, and why the 350 was ubiquitous as the power choice even when both were in current production.

I think I'll stick with my 305 when I get around to building it up. Yeah a 350 would be easy to do as well, but the most I'd ever do to the engine is prob a rebuild with cam/intake/headers/carb. I don't remember for sure but I think the 350 required slightly different engine mounts in my car

 

[Dr. Detroit]

i thought the 80s V8s had from 195 to 230 HP? at least the stock 350 had either 195 or 205 with all that emissions crap on them... made a big truck sluggish. hell, the 4.7L dodge motor in the rams now still only put out 235HP with all that weight.

The 4.7L V8 found in Jeeps and Rams was refreshed for 2008+ Rams & Jeeps. Motor now makes 290HP and 320TQ.

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html

 

[Arkaign]

Well there's definitely something to be said about using what you've already got! And a quality basic 305 build will be a good running fairly stout performer.

 

[yh125d]

Well there's definitely something to be said about using what you've already got! And a quality basic 305 build will be a good running fairly stout performer.

Yeah mine doesn't even have 80k miles on it, and there aren't too many 4 bolt salvage 350 blocks around (from what I can gather), so I'll just stick original. I really want to tool around with this car, just have no garage!

 

[stateofbeasley]

Are VWs really that unreliable? I was actually looking at them....

Also, looking for a bit more sporty than a Fusion type car, I mean I've considered them, but they scream "30's dad" not "20 years old, single". :-|

You listed insurance and police attention as factors in your decision.

The fact is that any overtly sporty car, even a sedan, will have high insurance rates and almost certainly attract police attention.

If you want low insurance and low attention from law enforcement, a generic looking sedan is your best choice. Fusion w' manual transmission won't attract attention, but it'll have more kick than your clumsy Camry.