Jalopnik reader Kurt emailed us yesterday, as people often do, seeking some car buying advice. Luckily for us, Kurt isn't struggling over whether to buy a Camry or an Accord; he's considering three very badass and very different German performance cars.
Kurt says he lives in New Hampshire and is considering getting an E30 BMW M3, that most coveted of all 1980s sport sedans; a Porsche 911 964, the late 80s/early 90s version of the iconic sports car line and the second-to-last generation one with an air-cooled engine; or the 2015 Volkswagen GTI, which early reviews say is pretty excellent although it isn't coming to America until next year.
I told you they were different. But they're all awesome in their own way.
Kurt didn't give us too many details about his desired price range, so let's assume he can afford all three. All of these cars are perennial Jalop favorites, and many of you folks have owned them (or various versions of them) so I feel like we're in the best position to help him out.
The M3 is going to be an absolute blast to drive, but they have become quite pricey to buy, even if prices may be flattening a bit at the moment. The 964 should also be great behind the wheel, and they're not terribly expensive at the moment, although Kurt says he's concerned about maintenance and insurance costs on it. (I can't imagine the M3 would be much better.)
And then there's the wild card — the GTI. You're getting something that's practical and fun, even if it's not as sporting as the other two. Plus it's brand new and under warranty, and that is undeniably nice. But there's also Volkswagen's sometimes-questionable reliability record to consider, although they've gotten a bit better in recent years.
I don't really think Kurt can go wrong with any of these cars. My advice is usually to drive all three and buy the one you like best if you can afford it. You can read reviews until you're blue in the face, but nothing compares to actually driving them. Also, life is too short not to have what you really want.
I'll turn it over to you folks. Porsche, M3 or GTI? Let Kurt know what you think.
Photo credit boldorak2208/BMW/Volkswagen