Yahoo Autos I'm Buying My First 'Enthusiast Approved' Car! What Should I Buy?
Brad is a recent graduate with a solid job in the medical field and a bunch of savings toward a new ride. He wants to upgrade to something that has three pedals but with a bit more power under the hood. What car should he buy?
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Here is the scenario:
Quick Facts:
I’m a recent college grad. I’ve liked cars all my life and was smart about saving my money and avoiding as much college debt/loans as possible. I have a really good job, some money saved, and am looking to buy my first thrilling, “enthusiast approved” car. I had a 2018 VW GTI with a manual for a while and loved how zippy and engaging it was to drive around town. I’m currently trying to emulate that same feeling while stepping up the power a little bit. Overall, I really want a manual, more than 200 hp, preferably apple car play (definitely not a deal breaker), fairly reliable, daily driver. There a a lot of good options but I need help focusing on something. I can spend up to $60,000.
Budget: Up to $60,000
Location: Columbus, OH
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Manual, horsepower, fun
Doesn’t want: A crossover
Expert 1: Tom McParland- Take This Opportunity
Brad, you are young and out of school with currently no major family responsibilities like shuttling around kids in car seats. With a solid budget like that, you should really shoot for something on the less practical side as this opportunity may not arise again for a while. Since you are a fan of German performance cars, the natural step here is to check Porsche ownership off of your bucket list.
Of course, the big question is which Porsche to buy. Some folks will say don’t settle for anything other than a 911 because that is the icon, and they aren’t wrong — but even with a $60k budget, you’re looking at the somewhat risky, and a bit old 997.1 generation cars. You could target a 2014-ish Cayman but that is still a 10-year-old car, though not a bad play if you insist on flat-six power.
However, the value scores fall best in the unloved 718 Cayman models. Sure, they have the turbo-four motors that don’t sound all that great, but the power delivery is excellent, and they’re a bit easier to daily with more modern features. At this price point you are looking at mostly base trim cars that still offer a respectable 300 horsepower.
You can also score a Porsche Certified version with low miles that will keep you protected with a warranty for the next few years. Here is a CPO 2018 model with under 14,000 just under your budget limit.
