I Just Graduated Law School, Time To Upgrade My Toyota To Something Fun! What Should I Buy?

Colby is a recent law school graduate and has been rocking a sturdy but boring 2014 Toyota Venza. He wants a fun car before adult life demands otherwise. He has a $35,000 budget for something with three pedals and good handling. What car should he buy?

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Here is the scenario:

I'm graduating from law school and I want to get into something fun! I'm currently in a 2014 Toyota Venza and while it's about as practical as it could get, I need something with a personality. I have grown up driving 911s in the Appalachian mountains so I want to car to be something that I can really carve some corners with. I am a Porsche guy at heart so I would love to hop into one of those. I would like a bit of cargo space but it wouldn't be a deal buster with a lack of space. If possible I would like something I could modify a bit but it will be a daily driver as well as a corner carver. A convertible would be fun but again not a dealbreaker if not. I also really want this car to be a manual as well.

I have a budget up to $35,000

Quick Facts:

Budget: Up to $35,000

Location: Atlanta/Athens, GA

Daily Driver: Yes

Wants: Good handling, manual, maybe open top

Doesn't want: Something too big

Congratulations on the law school degree. That's no easy task, and neither is sourcing a 911 in this market for under $35,000 that isn't a total basket case. There was a time when a decently sorted 996 could be had in the $30k range; those days are long gone.

However, there is a reasonably affordable option that will give you Porsche-like handling and relatively stress-free ownership. The Toyota GR86 and its Subaru BRZ twin were engineered to offer Porsche Cayman/Boxster experiences at less than half the price of what the Germans are asking. While it lacks the horsepower of the Porsche sports cars, if your primary goal is zipping around corners, there are few cars at this price point that can match the Toyobaru twins. 

The only real downside is the lack of Toyota depreciation, so used examples in the low $30,000 mark aren't too far off brand new cars, so you may want to consider a budget stretch to get a full warranty. If you insist on adhering to that $35,000 ceiling, here is a 2024 Toyota Certified Premium model with about 30,000 miles.

Congratulations on graduating from Emory, Colby. I mean, I don't know for a fact that you just graduated from Emory, but come on. We both know it's Emory. "ATL metro area"? I highly doubt that's Georgia State. Your football team might not have been as good, but allegedly, there's more to law school than tailgating and football. Emory's a solid choice if you care about those things. Now you just have to pass the bar and buy that new car.

The problem is, I don't know if the car you want to drive in the mountains is the one you want to sit in on your commute. Porsches are pretty comfortable, but I've driven in the Atlanta area for decades, and manuals get old fast. A PDK 911 would work, but the ones in your budget aren't all that nice. So I say split your fun life and your work life. Buy a professional, responsible-appearing commuter like a Toyota Prius or Lexus ES hybrid. Heck, buy this 2014 Lexus GS 350 for $19,000.

Then, once you have your reliable, professional vehicle that's going to be comfortable on your commute, you take the leftover money and go get your motorcycle license. Buy some good safety gear, then spend about $5,000 on a cool motorcycle. As much as I love driving in the North Georgia mountains, a motorcycle makes the experience even more enjoyable than it is on four wheels. A Monster 620 shouldn't cost that much, and if you ever ride it to the office, your coworkers will think it's neat. And I basically just did the exact same thing with my own money, so whether you agree or not, at least you know I'd take my own advice.

Hey Colby, congratulations on graduating law school! You've definitely earned the right to splurge a bit in the wake of Venza ownership, and I think I'm pointing you in the right direction. Though this particular car doesn't have a manual transmission, I love the color combination and the fact that it's a convertible, so I think you should go with this 2018 Jaguar F-Type 340 hp. Depending on your priorities, it shouldn't be too hard to find a manual F-Type in your price range, but it may not be a droptop or a fun color, which are two important traits in my eyes.

This gorgeous droptop may not have quite as much enthusiast-car clout as a Porsche, but you get a newer car for the money (at a list price of $29,994) and it still offers you heaps of thrilling corner-carving capabilities. It's a bit of a drive to Orlando where this car is listed for sale, but I think that provides you with a great get-to-know-me session with your new sports car. Happy hunting!

Y'know, Colby, most people come to us because they don't know what car they want. You sure seem to, but — if I had to guess — you're having trouble finding the 911 you really want within your budget. Well, I didn't have much luck either outside of questionable 996es, so I got you the next best thing: A 981 Boxster.

I actually have a friend who both dailies and tracks a 981 much like this one, and it's a great car for both use cases. Carrying a dog around? Check. shaving down lap times as you learn to better yourself as a driver? Check. Stuffing it into a tire wall? Also check. Try not to replicate that one, but know that if you do you can shine it back up with some spit and bubble gum and be fine.

This 981 barely squeaks under your budget, but it has everything you want: It's a fun-to-drive drop-top with an engine behind you and a Porsche badge. Sure, there are no rear seats and the engine's ahead of the rear axle, but these are nits we're picking here. Get yourself the $35,000 Porsche you want — or at least the $35,000 Porsche that actually exists — and spend your time driving it.