Best "interim" car?

[miataspeedracer]

Thoughts on best used car to buy and keep for about one year? Needs to be fun to drive, comfortable, reasonably sporty. Ideally under warranty and with decent resale for when I sell it next year. Budget is >$25K.

And, no, the answer isn't "Miata" this time...

FWIW, leading contender right now is a barely used Golf GTI.

[tailchaser]

How much over $25k? How about a slightly more used German car?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/4440932753.html

[miataspeedracer]

How much over $25k? How about a slightly more used German car?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/4440932753.html

Another reason I failed the maths. I meant <$25K, as in UNDER. Ideally would like to spend less than $20K...

And a big NO to the 996. One reason I'm looking for a stop-gap vehicle is that I decided to spend some of my P-car money on home improvements instead. Ideally next year I'll be looking at Caymans. At least that's the plan today.

[tailchaser]

GTI sounds like a winner to me, then.

[OZMDD]

Used MS3?

[miataspeedracer]

Used MS3?

20 years ago, yes.

[altiain]

For an interim car, you might be better off trying to find an older and less expensive car. The newer the car, the steeper the depreciation curve, which means the bigger hit you're going to take when you resell it.

For ~$15k you could pick up a used '06-'08 Lexus IS350. It meets your criteria (fun to drive, comfortable, reasonably sporty), should be reliable as an anvil, and you could probably drive it for a year and sell it for what you paid for it. You won't do that with a slightly used GTI.

While it is only available with a 6-speed auto, I'd argue that 306 HP RWD sedan > 200 HP FWD hatchback.

[MoonieGT]

Wrx holds resale better than most cars out there. I routinely see used cars listed for as much or more than I paid for mine new. It's ridiculous but true. For example, Carmax lists a '12 base wrx hatchback with 25k miles for $25,995. I bought mine new for that.

I'm about to trade my '12 hatch with 16k miles. I have just under a year left on the warranty. Want to make an offer before I trade it in? My ordered car will be here in 1-2 weeks...

[jeff_man]

12 golf tdi 6 speed with 27000 and 5 years left on the warranty. Handles a lot better than I expected.

Driving back from Austen 3 weeks ago with cruse control.

[miataspeedracer]

For ~$15k you could pick up a used '06-'08 Lexus IS350. It meets your criteria (fun to drive, comfortable, reasonably sporty), should be reliable as an anvil, and you could probably drive it for a year and sell it for what you paid for it.

That's an intriguing option...

[Webspoke]

There are some bmw 135's and 335's out there under 25, most out of warranty, but under 50-70k miles. Would be high on the fun factor. You can buy new leftover '13 GTI's for that price, look at lewisville VW inventory. Some 5.0 mustangs are dropping that low too.

[miataspeedracer]

There are some bmw 135's and 335's out there under 25, most out of warranty, but under 50-70k miles. Would be high on the fun factor. You can buy new leftover '13 GTI's for that price, look at lewisville VW inventory. Some 5.0 mustangs are dropping that low too.

Can't do a 135/335 since I'm now kicking myself for selling my perfect 135i too soon. It would hurt too much. The '13 GTI is a decent option if it can be bought at the right price. A year from now it will still be in warranty, which should help with resale.

[OZMDD]

Seems like a 13 anything will loose $5k in value in a year. Worth that much for a rental? Why not just find a lease takeover?

[chriscar]

^what he said. If you're going to flip it in a year, get something old enough where the depreciation curve has flattened out.

C

[OZMDD]

Talk to goofy grin about lease takeover. Easy, don't have to resell it, minimal commitment/cost.

[goofygrin]

My focus electric is $285/mo and 2 cents a mile to drive. Cost $75 fit the acquisition fee, $900 to ship and $90 to transfer the title here and normal registration fee. No sales tax.

You can do the same with most cars. I got mine in late Feb and have it into December 15.

[miataspeedracer]

12 golf tdi 6 speed with 27000 and 5 years left on the warranty. Handles a lot better than I expected.

Driving back from Austen 3 weeks ago with cruse control.

Selling baby Ghandi?

[jeff_man]

Selling baby Ghandi?

I want a TDI that can tow a trailer.

[redmenace]

Cpo xf-s