I need a fast car under $30K. Give me some choices.

[Nicholasp27]

i can't sit in the rx-8's back seat at 6'2" due to the lack of headroom; the car curves down in the back so u have to duck the whole time when in the back seat

I enjoy my Mazda Rx8. 28k after various rebates, haggling, with all the top-end fluff on it (leather, spoilers, whatnot).

There are faster cars in the price range, but nothing I've ever been in corners like the RX8. The rotary engine is incredibly responsive so it feels quicker than it is. And it has back seats a full sized human can fit in reasonably comfortably (well, over 6' gets a bit cramped, but livable).

[crzylgs]

I'll go along with the Mini Cooper S recommendation. I have one and it tears [censored] up.

Also doesn't instantly brand you as a tool like some of the other cars mentioned in this thread.

[gusmahler]

RX-8. 9300 rpm readline. When most cars are shifting (5-6k), you're just getting warmed up. Very little low-end torque, but it has a great transmission, so just keep the revs up and you'll have a ball.

Not as fast in a straight line as the 350Z, the evo or Imprezza. But probably corners better than all of them.

[jaffa]

I was about to reccommend a car under 30k that i'm pretty sure is way faster than anything posted so far. Unfortunately i was thinking in £s so this car would actually set you back about $50,000..and it doesnt have a rear seat. So then i decided not to post it. But i've now had a change of heart and think you should save an extra $20k, and screw the rear seat, and buy, an Ariel Atom .

Watch the top gear review please.

For $50k you get the fastest road car, ever to appear on the top gear track, beating ferraris, lambos, aston martins, etc.

And your face gets remouled into a different shape each time.

[squeek12]

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When I was 16 years old my dad decided he would buy me a car. My limit was $20K, so my choices were pretty limited.

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Thanks for beginning with that, I almost made the mistake of reading more.



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i liked "I need a fast car"

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Hate to bump this oldish thread, but I have to defend myself just a bit. Yes, I realize that very few 16 year olds' parents buy them new cars. I was very grateful and still am. My choices were somewhat limited b/c my my dad was tired of fixing the second-hand car that was my first. He paid $3500 for that one and put at least $1500 into fixing it and wanted me to get a new car to avoid this problem in the future. When you're shopping for new vehicles, $20K is pretty limiting.

He will not be paying for this one. I went to college on a partial scholarship and worked part-time during the school year and full time (60 hrs/week) during the summers at a dock as a roustabout (not something that a spoiled kid would likely be willing to do). And if we want to play the semantics game, yes, I don't NEED a fast car, I WANT a fast car.

So have I been spoiled more than the average kid? Probably. Do I realize that I'm luckier than most in that respect? Yes, definitely. That is all.