So i’ve been doing a ton of research into cars that can realistically do 0-60 in under 5 second (or right above it) and are under 10,000 bucks (realistically of course). The best one i’ve found so far is the 2006-2009 Lexus IS 350, which you can typically get for under 140,000 miles and under 9-10k in my area.
However, now i’ve found videos and info for the 2008-2012 Infiniti G37 only doing 0-60 in around 5.3 to 5.5 seconds, but can usually overtake the IS 350 past 70 MPH due to the larger engine. Also, it’s typically much cheaper than the IS 350 with comparable year and mileage.
I’m having a tough time trying to pick which one would be the best, or if maybe there’s another option out there that i’m not aware of that has the best of both with no drawbacks.
Does anybody have any experience with these types of cars and can give opinions on them or other options?
+1
Additionally, frequently “beating” on a 10-15 year old car in an effort to experience its jackrabbit acceleration is only going to shorten the lifespan of that already-aged vehicle.
Meh. It’s a Toyota under all that glitz. I wail on my 1993 MR2 every time I drive it. Doesn’t hurt it any. A late 2000’s Lexus will have computer nannies that won’t let OP or the previous owner do anything monumentally stupid that would hurt longevity.
OP, if you’re looking for driving fun, though, check out a 3rd gen Acura TL Type S. That’ll be a 2007 to 2008 car. You should be able to find one for less than 10k eventually, but you might have to be patient. There aren’t all that many of the Type S variants.
Another option would be an '04-06 TL MT. It had some performance tweaks over the regular car that put it around halfway between a regular one and a Type S. Might be easier to find the Type S, though - I’ve only ever seen a couple of the MT’s.
I sold my TL a couple years ago, and I still miss it.
This is your criteria to buy a vehicle , seriously ! How about concentrating on price , condition and how it meets your needs . You might just pass up a very good deal because it takes 7 seconds to get to 60 MPH .
Neither the IS 350 or G37 will do 0-60 in under 5 seconds. Even the V8 powered GS 430 couldn’t get to 60 in under 5 seconds. The G37 could dip into 5-5.5 second range. With that said if you’re looking for straight line speed for not a lot of money, you’re looking at the wrong kind of car and you’re budget isn’t quite what it needs to be. A Mustang GT (2005+), Early 2000’s F-Body, or an SRT-4 Neon, or 350z, or WRX are where you need to be looking. If you absolutely need four doors, then, I’d look at mid 2005’s SRT8’s. Or the newest SHO that you can find to fit your budget.
Yes I was young once . I had a C4 Corvette ( it did not break the 5 second mark ) we also had a semi restored MGBGT and it might 0 to 60 in 10 seconds and it was really fun to drive .
I’ve had two cars that were fun to drive, and neither was particularly quick. One was an Austin America. It had FWD, and was great in corners, as long as you didn’t lift your foot off the gas. That made for some interesting turns. Wheels at the four corners made it stable, too. A few cars later I had a Porsche 914 2L. Handling was excellent, and a lot of fun to drive. All mid-70s cars were slow, and this one was no different. Still, it was the most fun car to drive I’ve owned.
You can safely bet that on a 140k miles car a number of the horses under the hood came up lame and had to be put down at some point so any factory given stats would not be accurate.
Take 2 identical cars and odds are any quarter mile or 0 to 60 times would be different; maybe drastically different with transmission slippage, tires, engine compression and so on factored in.
Other cars to look at would be Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Focus ST, Veloster turbo. You will find a newer one with lower mileage. 0-60 would be a bit over 5, but at least you would get there.
The Lexus IS250 is under powered. The Lexus IS350 is overpowered (for the average buyer).
Rear wheel drive, 306 horsepower and 6 speed automatic transmission provides acceleration beyond the typical buyers expectations.
I have road tested and repaired hundreds of IS350’s and they don’t fall apart with full throttle driving. These vehicles are just as durable as my 20 plus year old Dodge, they can tolerate full throttle driving on a daily bases unlike a Datsun or Subaru.
