I am looking for a used 2 seater sports car. I currently have a 07 IS350 and plan to keep it until the wheels fall off since I bought it new and it only has 30k miles. I focusing on the Bmw z4, S2000, and porsche boxster s/cayman s, but I am open to other suggestions. I do not really have a set price limit, but the less I spend now, the more I am willing to spend on modifications or save for another car when the time comes. I suppose I prefer to spend less than 30k so I can pay it off in cash. Reliability is not a big factor as long as the common repairs do not require expensive parts, since I plan to do maintenance myself or have a friend do the labor for cheap. Well as long as the car does not constantly need repairing. What I am mainly looking for is the "go-kart" like handling, as I use to race high powered go-karts before I could drive a car and I miss that feeling, which the IS350 lacks, but it is a great daily driver.

 

Personally I'd go with either the S2000 or Cayman if $$ allows.

Audi TTS might be fun too

 

I know you said 2-seater, but why not an FR-S? The lightweight chassis makes it a great candidate to toss around those bends.

 

I'm also looking for an S2000 for second car. From what I can see on Craigslist, prices in Socal are pretty cheap compared to my area. Another car in that price range would be a Lotus Elise, if you don't mind a car thats really hardcore.

 

S2000 is good but can you can deal with the ragtop? (hardtop doesn't look right on the car IMO)
I prefer the Cayman S or C6 (C6 due to the cheap parts versus any porsche)

....also lotsa C6 garage queens available.

 

It's also hard to find a clean, low mile S2000 in SoCal. Most of the used ones I've seen out here are pretty rough.. might need to go to somewhere in the midwest, where they aren't driven year round to find a nicer S2000.

 

Mazda Miata
Nissan 370Z

 

^ 370Z is a pig

Lotus Elise for a true weekend/track car

s2000 could be used for some daily driving. An early model AP1 would be the same weight as the BRZ with 40 more hp.

 

A Miata would probably offer most of what you are looking for.....reasonable price, good reliability, go-kart handling, relatively simple mechanical complexity, DIY-friendliness, and reasonably-priced parts.

 

In the U.S., the Lotus dealer network is very scant (though there may be a few in SoCal where he lives); parts are rather expensive, and the smaller ones (especially the Elise) are almost impossible for any reasonably-sized adult to get in and out of. Even the Miata, which I recommend, is very tight for taller adults.

 

I'm sure you've already done this but you do have F-sport front and rear sway bars installed on your IS350 right?

You won't get the full-fledged sports car "rides like it's on rails" feeling of course but the sway bars makes the IS350 quite a bit more tolerable.

 

Good points. But I and the OP both live in socal, there's a few resources down here for parts and maint. Parts aren't that bad, any body damage is another story. My nieghbor had an Elise and although I didn't fit well, it's not worse than a miata. At 6'3", I definitely don't fit in a Miata unless it has aftermarket seats.

The above points are also why i listed the s2k. I got one when they first came out and racked 140k miles on mine with my commute and many track days. It was very reliable. For taller people you'll need an aftermarket seat with low brackets to fit with a helmet.

 

cross off the z4, that thing does not even come close to handling like a go-kart.

I would aim for a cayman S, but if none falls into your price range, then go for the s2000.

I think its better to use all your money on getting the best car you can get now, instead of saving some of your money for mods. Later down the line, you'll get more money and you can slowly mod your car. You can always improve the mod, but you the base of your car will always be the same.

 

Thanks for the tip, I'll look further east.

 

Can't go wrong with S2000, NSX, 370Z, MB SLK, Cayman to name a few...