(SoCal) $1k/mo Budget, Sporty 2 Door - What Cars Should I Consider?

Hi All,

This is my first lease - accountant says a $1k/mo budget is reasonable, I want a sporty 2 door convertible. What cars might fall within that range? Am interested in Maserati, Mercedes, BMW, etc… anything fast and fun and roughly $1k/month.

At $1k a month you have a wide range to pick from. Go out and test drive some stuff, have fun with it. You will find options across all the Germans, Jaguar, etc at that price point.

Any specific models you’d recommend considering? When I look at SL63 for example it’s $2500+, I called a Merc dealership and they said that for $1k/month they don’t really have anything 2 door and testosterone inducing.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

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I’m not sure exactly sure on the pricing, but maybe look into 18’s E43 AMG coupes? I think '19 E53 might be too expensive, but you should be able to find a deal on the 43 '18. I’ve driven the E400 with p2. An absolute delight, and would assume the “AMGs” are much better.

You also always have the option of going for the C-class 2 door AMG’s.

What Siejammy said. If you spending 1k/mo on a lease, go drive a few and pick one that speaks your language.

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Hey I’ve got a 2017 MB E400 Twin-turbo V6 Coupe to transfer. Barely drove it, like new condition. Offering 2k incentive way under your budget. DM me if you are interested.

An SL63 is not testosterone inducing. Don’t let dealers dictate what cars you test based on your budget, don’t even tell them your budget.

Do you want a drivers car or a sporty plush car? Is a nice interior more important than performance? Are you open to European brands only?

4 door though, I really want 2

How about the Lexus LC500? You’d be close to the 1% rule at $1k per month. That’d be my first choice. Jaguar F-Type should be under $1k. Alfa-Romeo 4C would be fun.

Good call on the E43 AMG, going to look into this, thanks.

The AMG C 63 is also really nice looking

Haha how is it not? The SL63 sure looks exciting to me, granted, I haven’t driven one.

Good to know about not telling them my budget - would be a whole lot easier if I could just say “What’s your sexiest car for $1k/mo”, but alas

I’m open to both a drivers car / sporty plush car. Am in LA so sporty plush is probably a smarter play. Am open to non EU brands too, so long as they look really nice and have enough HP to make me grin when I floor it

It is actually not a wide range at all. You’re looking at Boxster, 440i and a couple similar roadsters/convertibles

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I’m not seeing too much either. I tried multiple times for an LC500 and the best I could do was $1095. Then again, I’m in TX so it’ll be higher. Porsche seems out of the question, but I would go for a Cayman if they followed the 1% rule.

You might end up six feet under if you have the means yet keep waiting for Porsche sports cars to achieve some made-up rule

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Porsche is totally a different animal for sure. Its not a made up rule but it was the benchmark of the 90s.

Maserati dealership said ~1k/mo for a GT hardtop but wouldn’t quote me a hard number. Guess will consider that. I suppose another option is finding a lease swap from someone who’s willing to loose a bit in exchange for the transfer. What’s your favorite site for transfer?

You could probably pick up a 650i vert .

Either swap into someone else’s lease or find a CPO that should depreciate way less than $36k in three years

718 Cayman S. I don’t believe it’s possible, but the GT4 is an absolute monster.

Depends on how you define a sports coupe. Plenty of cars in this price range. F type, m240i, C43 maybe E53(tbd), I guess a 440i but I would feel bad for anyone paying $1k for that and that’s a grand tourer if we want to get technical. Porsche as others have said, Lexus RCF maybe and LC etc etc