Hey Scotty, I asked a question about a cheap but capable, reliable sports car, that is reasonably practical and comfortable for daily driving. Someone mentioned the C5 Corvette Z06 and how it lasted him hundreds of thousands of miles, which is now something I am considering. The only issue is is that I want my car to have rear seats but it is not a must. The Cadillac has the same engine and transmission is it also reliable. It wouldn't be as sporty but the rear seats would be something to think about, I guess what I am asking is it worth considering reliability wise. If any of you all have suggestions about the car it must be reliable, fast, have 6 or more cylinders, handle well , fun, reasonably practical, be reasonably comfortable to drive daily, be rwd or rear biased awd, and make a good sound.
I forgot, it must be $15-$20k or less in 2 years when I get my license and have built up enough money.
When it comes to sports cars, there is a triangle: Fast, Cheap, or Reliable. You can have any two, but not all three.
This is going to be your first car. NOBODY should get a C5 Z06 as a first car. You need to have respect for the car and also enough driving ability to handle it. For a first car, I would recommend a Civic, Corolla, Camry, Accord, or similar. And when you go to price out insurance on your choice, you'll likely feel the same.
You can't get a good CTS-V in your price range, and even though the drivetrain is reliable there is the whole rest of the car to consider.
If you are set on a sports car and can somehow afford to insure it, I would look at 1999 - 2004 Mustang GT's and 1998 - 2002 Camaro Z28's. Parts are everywhere, they have enough power, and they have pretty good reliability considering that they are older American cars.
That is a good point about the rest of the car and that would be something I will look into soon. I am also looking at a BMW M240i and maybe the BMW M2 both 2017's. The predeccor to the M240 can be found in my price range while car prices are inflated, and the redesigned M240 and M2 are set to come out next year dropping prices farther down. The M240 uses the same engine and Transmission as the new 2020 Supra. This is the least tech heavy car in BMW's range to the electrical problems should be minimal. It has been rated reliable by JD Power and Consumer Reports. The engine is very overbuilt using a closed deck design and diesel block. The Transmission is the ZF HP 8 speed auto that Scotty Raves about. It is basically a desendent of the $1000 BMW 325 that had 200k and some odd miles on it. It has back seats but is still a coupe, that is what I am looking for but I am willing to compromise. Lastly what is wrong with the C5 Corvette Z06, if I am paying for it, I don't want to waste years of hard earned money just to wrap it around a tree, but at the same time I want a fast, cheap, reliable car that is livable.
The C5Z is NOT cheap or reliable. Corvettes in general are extremely finicky vehicles and when you need something repaired, it is going to cost you some serious money. I would also not suggest any BMW's, particularly older ones as they become money pits as they get older. A lot of their major engine components are hard plastic and things crack over time. BMW parts are extremely expensive. Something you have to learn: there is a difference between owning a BMW, and OWNING a BMW. You may be able to afford whatever car you are looking at, but you need to also factor in service costs and maintenance. BMW maintenance is extremely expensive and the number one reason owners sell them. The Z06 is the same way. It is your money so spend it how you want. But you asked for opinions and as someone who works on these cars every single day, if you can't swing a $3000 - $5000 repair/maintenance bill here and there, I would stay away from those cars.
In general corvettes are unreliable but their are people how have gotten 300k+ miles out of the C5Z. The BMW I am think of getting will be about 6 years old. Like I said this particular BMW is reliable do research and you will see. I do plan to do the majority of the work myself but what I can't do I will have a trusted mechanic do. I could probably swing that size repair bill but it would suck and I couldn't take 2 back to back. If it got too bad I could always sell them.
I am fully aware how long a C5Z can go. But if you think it is going 300k without serious money sunk into it, you are wrong. As for BMW, most BMW's on the used market are just off lease for a reason. I DEFINITELY don't need to research BMW quality. I have those in the shop all the time, and I make very good money putting them back together. Resale value on BMW's is some of the worst in the automotive world, right there with Mercedes Benz. And don't count on being able to unload a C5Z either. You used to be able to get $20k out of one all day, but with the C7 market collapsing and C6 models practically on fire sale, the C5's have fallen out. I had the opportunity to purchase a 2003 C5Z with 70k on it for $15k just last week, and it had a lot of bonus parts on it. You seem like you had your mind made up before you asked on here for opinions though, so if you just want someone to give you justification for a poor purchase decision maybe someone will. But it won't be me as my reputation precedes me on these matters.
I understand you probably have repaired ton of BMW's but at the same time you may only be repairing the most unreliable cars in that brand. The M240i is known for being the most reliable BMW. I am not arguing that as a brand BMW's are reliable, they are average IMO, but they cost a lot to fix so you get your wallet emptied. Just out of curiosity, how many BMW 40 series cars have you repair and which were they if you can remember, I doubt any had major issues but I would like to know from someone with experience what goes bad on them. Sounds like I could buy the C5 then sell it for $20k. Seriously, I haven't made up my mind, I am looking for a sports car with rear seats, or a sports sedan. I have 7 different options that I want to know as much as I can about so I can make an educated decision. Those cars are Nissan 370z Nismo, C5 corvette Z06, Cadillac CTS V 2004-2005, BMW 540i, BMW M240i, BMW 340i, BMW M2, and I am looking at any other cheap, reliable, fast sports cars out there that also are somewhat practical. If you have any ideas of better cars that fit those parameters please let me know what it is. I haven't made my mind up in fact I am far from doing that. What car do you think I made my mind up about?